Melinda Backer
@asphaltgalaxies.bsky.social
Lover of libraries. Reader of books. Player of video games. Teacher and scholar of 20th/21st Century Anglophone literature. She/her
Reposted by Melinda Backer
I'm excited that my story "Witness Trees" is out today from American Literary Review. Partially inspired by the 1989 poisoning of Treaty Oak in Austin (I was in fifth grade when I wrote the tree a get well card), it's been haunting me for a while. I'm so thrilled that ALR has given it a home!
Jeffrey Amos
Jeffrey Amos
Witness Trees
The Town Charter.
The town of Ada, Texas was founded in the shade of an apple tree on August 15th, 1887, when Arthur Gentry, Caleb Mills, and Levi Wilkes signed the...
americanliteraryreview.com
November 14, 2025 at 3:41 PM
I'm excited that my story "Witness Trees" is out today from American Literary Review. Partially inspired by the 1989 poisoning of Treaty Oak in Austin (I was in fifth grade when I wrote the tree a get well card), it's been haunting me for a while. I'm so thrilled that ALR has given it a home!
Reposted by Melinda Backer
CEO Andrew Wilson's statement to employees on EA's future www.ea.com/news/excitin...
"Our values and our commitment to players and fans around the world remain unchanged."
"I am excited to continue as CEO, working alongside our leadership team to advance our strategy."
"Our values and our commitment to players and fans around the world remain unchanged."
"I am excited to continue as CEO, working alongside our leadership team to advance our strategy."
September 29, 2025 at 12:51 PM
CEO Andrew Wilson's statement to employees on EA's future www.ea.com/news/excitin...
"Our values and our commitment to players and fans around the world remain unchanged."
"I am excited to continue as CEO, working alongside our leadership team to advance our strategy."
"Our values and our commitment to players and fans around the world remain unchanged."
"I am excited to continue as CEO, working alongside our leadership team to advance our strategy."
Reposted by Melinda Backer
August 1, 2025 at 10:55 AM
Reposted by Melinda Backer
We're thrilled to present the shortlist for the 2025 Ursula K. Le Guin Prize for Fiction:
June 18, 2025 at 3:01 PM
We're thrilled to present the shortlist for the 2025 Ursula K. Le Guin Prize for Fiction:
Reposted by Melinda Backer
The literary giant Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o (and one of my favorite authors) has passed. 😔
Wizard of the Crow is a masterpiece. He has many greats.
I'm glad I got to meet him a few times (I always encouraged him to write a science fiction novel...he said he'd consider it).
Wizard of the Crow is a masterpiece. He has many greats.
I'm glad I got to meet him a few times (I always encouraged him to write a science fiction novel...he said he'd consider it).
May 28, 2025 at 6:50 PM
The literary giant Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o (and one of my favorite authors) has passed. 😔
Wizard of the Crow is a masterpiece. He has many greats.
I'm glad I got to meet him a few times (I always encouraged him to write a science fiction novel...he said he'd consider it).
Wizard of the Crow is a masterpiece. He has many greats.
I'm glad I got to meet him a few times (I always encouraged him to write a science fiction novel...he said he'd consider it).
Reposted by Melinda Backer
I appreciate the work of @leonfurze.com "we do not need specialised “AI literacy” classes to deliver quality instruction on AI ethics – we already have the expertise we need in schools and universities" is exactly the point I was trying to drive home in my presentation to college faculty yesterday.
Teaching AI Ethics 2025: Bias
This post initiates a nine-article series revisiting the "Teaching AI Ethics" resources from 2023 exploring bias in GenAI.
leonfurze.com
May 15, 2025 at 1:02 PM
I appreciate the work of @leonfurze.com "we do not need specialised “AI literacy” classes to deliver quality instruction on AI ethics – we already have the expertise we need in schools and universities" is exactly the point I was trying to drive home in my presentation to college faculty yesterday.
Reposted by Melinda Backer
Reposted by Melinda Backer
Reposted by Melinda Backer
March 20, 2025 at 7:15 PM
Reposted by Melinda Backer
All of BlueSky for the past month.
March 7, 2025 at 12:11 AM
All of BlueSky for the past month.
In the Catholic faith, today is Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent, a time of reflection and penance. I hope all Christians take this time to reflect on the teachings of Christ, his suffering, and what the suffering was for.
March 5, 2025 at 8:25 PM
In the Catholic faith, today is Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent, a time of reflection and penance. I hope all Christians take this time to reflect on the teachings of Christ, his suffering, and what the suffering was for.
Reposted by Melinda Backer
Good morning. I mean, technically, Doomed Morning Under A Sky Of Roiling Blood, but look it's a rhetorical thing.
February 24, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Good morning. I mean, technically, Doomed Morning Under A Sky Of Roiling Blood, but look it's a rhetorical thing.
Reposted by Melinda Backer
Elon Musk claims DOGE has saved $55 billion, but the numbers don’t add up. DOGE released a list of canceled contracts totaling $16 billion in supposed savings. However, nearly half of that came from an $8 billion ICE contract—except that contract was actually worth just $8 million.
February 19, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Elon Musk claims DOGE has saved $55 billion, but the numbers don’t add up. DOGE released a list of canceled contracts totaling $16 billion in supposed savings. However, nearly half of that came from an $8 billion ICE contract—except that contract was actually worth just $8 million.
Reposted by Melinda Backer
I’m too sexy for my body.
🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶 🎶
🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶 🎶
February 11, 2025 at 12:12 AM
I’m too sexy for my body.
🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶 🎶
🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶 🎶
In some good news
Surprise! A Buffy the Vampire Slayer Reboot With Sarah Michelle Gellar Might Actually Happen
Surprise! A Buffy the Vampire Slayer Reboot With Sarah Michelle Gellar Might Actually Happen
A new report says Hulu could bring back the 1990s cult horror favorite with its original star, and direction by Oscar winner Chloé Zhao.
gizmodo.com
February 4, 2025 at 2:54 AM
In some good news
Reposted by Melinda Backer
Attn: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent granted representatives of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency full access to the federal payment system!
February 1, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Attn: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent granted representatives of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency full access to the federal payment system!
Reposted by Melinda Backer
Netflix Cancels Sandman in Wake of Neil Gaiman Allegations
Netflix Cancels Sandman in Wake of Neil Gaiman Allegations
The adaptation of Gaiman's fantasy DC Comics series will conclude with the upcoming season 2, after Gaiman was accused of sexual misconduct by multiple women.
gizmodo.com
January 31, 2025 at 9:14 PM
Netflix Cancels Sandman in Wake of Neil Gaiman Allegations
RIP David Lynch. The world is a little more dark without you.
January 16, 2025 at 8:09 PM
RIP David Lynch. The world is a little more dark without you.
Reposted by Melinda Backer
Available February 4! A gorgeous book with 42 color plates and amazing essays.
Preorder at
https://dukeupress.edu/speculative-light#AdditionalInformation
Preorder at
https://dukeupress.edu/speculative-light#AdditionalInformation
January 3, 2025 at 1:32 AM
Available February 4! A gorgeous book with 42 color plates and amazing essays.
Preorder at
https://dukeupress.edu/speculative-light#AdditionalInformation
Preorder at
https://dukeupress.edu/speculative-light#AdditionalInformation
Reposted by Melinda Backer
The old year is dying. The new world struggles to be born. Now is the time for silly hats.
December 31, 2024 at 5:00 PM
The old year is dying. The new world struggles to be born. Now is the time for silly hats.
Reposted by Melinda Backer
December 14, 2024 at 5:56 PM
Flute guy from last year is back on screen! YESSS #gameawards
December 13, 2024 at 4:03 AM
Flute guy from last year is back on screen! YESSS #gameawards
First, let me say I'm excited about Slay the Spire 2! #gameawards
December 13, 2024 at 12:44 AM
First, let me say I'm excited about Slay the Spire 2! #gameawards
Reposted by Melinda Backer
Announcing the CFP for ASAP/16: Worldmaking/Worldbreaking in Houston, TX, Oct 22-25, 2025! Click the link for more info!
artsofthepresent.org/conference/asa…
Please share!
artsofthepresent.org/conference/asa…
Please share!
December 12, 2024 at 2:33 AM
Announcing the CFP for ASAP/16: Worldmaking/Worldbreaking in Houston, TX, Oct 22-25, 2025! Click the link for more info!
artsofthepresent.org/conference/asa…
Please share!
artsofthepresent.org/conference/asa…
Please share!
