J.A. Prentice
@japrenticewrites.bsky.social
He/they. SFWA Member. Stories published with Apex, Kaleidotrope, Big Finish, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, The Magazine of F&SF, Cast of Wonders, and more!
j.a.prenticewrites@gmail.com is my work contact email.
j.a.prenticewrites@gmail.com is my work contact email.
Pinned
New issue of @bcsmagazine.bsky.social is here, featuring stories by @japrenticewrites.bsky.social and @samuelchapman.bsky.social and cover art by Jereme Peabody: weightlessbooks.com/beneath-ceas...
“Little Thief and the Martyr’s Head” is available now in the new issue of Beneath Ceaseless Skies! It’s about a homeless orphan girl who discovers she can speak to one of the severed heads mounted over the city gate.
Reposted by J.A. Prentice
When people say “I hate writing but I love having written,” they are not saying “I love that some completed text exists.”
They are saying “I love getting to the end of the process and realizing that all the work was worth it, that this sentence really pops, that I nailed it.”
They are saying “I love getting to the end of the process and realizing that all the work was worth it, that this sentence really pops, that I nailed it.”
February 16, 2026 at 11:48 AM
When people say “I hate writing but I love having written,” they are not saying “I love that some completed text exists.”
They are saying “I love getting to the end of the process and realizing that all the work was worth it, that this sentence really pops, that I nailed it.”
They are saying “I love getting to the end of the process and realizing that all the work was worth it, that this sentence really pops, that I nailed it.”
Reposted by J.A. Prentice
I don’t know how many times people have to say this, but if you really are and feel like a writer, you *need* to write. It’s the best part of your job, it’s the part that you find satisfying, it’s why you chose to do what you do. Writers are not trying to escape the writing part!
February 16, 2026 at 11:45 AM
I don’t know how many times people have to say this, but if you really are and feel like a writer, you *need* to write. It’s the best part of your job, it’s the part that you find satisfying, it’s why you chose to do what you do. Writers are not trying to escape the writing part!
Reposted by J.A. Prentice
Again, all I'm asking is that any Democrat who wants my vote support 1. Reverting Trump's anti-trans policies, 2. Commit to fighting against the future erosion of trans rights, and 3. Support legislation codifying trans rights into law.
Very weird how many of you centrists think that's unreasonable
Very weird how many of you centrists think that's unreasonable
February 16, 2026 at 3:18 PM
Again, all I'm asking is that any Democrat who wants my vote support 1. Reverting Trump's anti-trans policies, 2. Commit to fighting against the future erosion of trans rights, and 3. Support legislation codifying trans rights into law.
Very weird how many of you centrists think that's unreasonable
Very weird how many of you centrists think that's unreasonable
Reposted by J.A. Prentice
I used to use detectors before realizing they are also basically LLMs and hallucinate answers just like any other LLM
Just because I keep seeing those "I checked this piece and it's written by AI" - this is an old article of mine, before AI was available. So could we not?
February 16, 2026 at 4:24 PM
I used to use detectors before realizing they are also basically LLMs and hallucinate answers just like any other LLM
Reposted by J.A. Prentice
Sometimes I get a little upset when I live in a collapsing dystopia for many years
February 16, 2026 at 5:48 AM
Sometimes I get a little upset when I live in a collapsing dystopia for many years
Reposted by J.A. Prentice
Congratulations to J.R. Dawson! 'Dawson's short story “Six People to Revise You” is the co-winner of the Uncanny Magazine 2025 Favorite Fiction Reader Poll! You can read it here! buff.ly/Y3xl6Ua
February 16, 2026 at 3:15 PM
Congratulations to J.R. Dawson! 'Dawson's short story “Six People to Revise You” is the co-winner of the Uncanny Magazine 2025 Favorite Fiction Reader Poll! You can read it here! buff.ly/Y3xl6Ua
Reposted by J.A. Prentice
Omg I cannot believe this. Thank you so much to all who voted. I’m so touched this story meant something to you because it meant so much to me.
Congratulations to J.R. Dawson! 'Dawson's short story “Six People to Revise You” is the co-winner of the Uncanny Magazine 2025 Favorite Fiction Reader Poll! You can read it here! buff.ly/Y3xl6Ua
February 16, 2026 at 3:25 PM
Omg I cannot believe this. Thank you so much to all who voted. I’m so touched this story meant something to you because it meant so much to me.
Reposted by J.A. Prentice
Two perforated altar reliefs from the Mithraeum at Mundelsheim. One depicts Sol, the sun god, with the radiant. the other shows Luna, the goddess of the moon, with the crescent.
In Roman times, they were illuminated from behind, creating a striking play of light and shadow that must ...🧵1/2
In Roman times, they were illuminated from behind, creating a striking play of light and shadow that must ...🧵1/2
February 16, 2026 at 11:45 AM
Two perforated altar reliefs from the Mithraeum at Mundelsheim. One depicts Sol, the sun god, with the radiant. the other shows Luna, the goddess of the moon, with the crescent.
In Roman times, they were illuminated from behind, creating a striking play of light and shadow that must ...🧵1/2
In Roman times, they were illuminated from behind, creating a striking play of light and shadow that must ...🧵1/2
Reposted by J.A. Prentice
On Presidents Day we honor George Washington, who in 1972 helped the McMann & Tate ad agency land the Whirlaway account, and Abraham Lincoln, who on Stardate 5906.4 will give his own life to save Captain Kirk from Genghis Khan, Col. Green, Zora and Kahless the Unforgettable.
February 16, 2026 at 1:50 PM
On Presidents Day we honor George Washington, who in 1972 helped the McMann & Tate ad agency land the Whirlaway account, and Abraham Lincoln, who on Stardate 5906.4 will give his own life to save Captain Kirk from Genghis Khan, Col. Green, Zora and Kahless the Unforgettable.
Reposted by J.A. Prentice
Bill Bailey plays twin desk sergeants, Turner and Turner. One Turner reads Complicity by Iain Banks, while the other reads The State of the Art by Iain M. Banks. They’re the same author, Banks uses the ‘M’ for his science fiction books.
32/46
32/46
February 16, 2026 at 11:10 AM
Bill Bailey plays twin desk sergeants, Turner and Turner. One Turner reads Complicity by Iain Banks, while the other reads The State of the Art by Iain M. Banks. They’re the same author, Banks uses the ‘M’ for his science fiction books.
32/46
32/46
Reposted by J.A. Prentice
Did you know that in 1989 Star Trek: The Next Generation had an episode featuring a deaf character played by a Deaf actor? The original draft script had the character learning to speak after his interpreters were killed but the actor convinced them to have him teach others to sign instead.
February 15, 2026 at 9:33 PM
Did you know that in 1989 Star Trek: The Next Generation had an episode featuring a deaf character played by a Deaf actor? The original draft script had the character learning to speak after his interpreters were killed but the actor convinced them to have him teach others to sign instead.
Reposted by J.A. Prentice
But they were all of them deceived, for Sauron, in his cunning, fashioned a crap-ton of rings in various sizes.
July 24, 2024 at 4:24 PM
But they were all of them deceived, for Sauron, in his cunning, fashioned a crap-ton of rings in various sizes.
Reposted by J.A. Prentice
This is something we should think about across all writing intensive fields. Even if you're using the AI to turn notes into drafts, you are offloading the kinds of creative and epistemic decisions that drive the organization of your writing to a machine.
Thinking about the many decisions that get made when you turn your notes into a draft and what that looks like when the bot is making all of those decisions, even if you get the "final say" after the decisions have been made. www.cleveland.com/news/2026/02...
February 16, 2026 at 4:52 AM
This is something we should think about across all writing intensive fields. Even if you're using the AI to turn notes into drafts, you are offloading the kinds of creative and epistemic decisions that drive the organization of your writing to a machine.
Reposted by J.A. Prentice
Jon Bernthal’s Punisher will reportedly receive a major upgrade to take on both Spider-Man and Hulk in SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY:
August 5, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Jon Bernthal’s Punisher will reportedly receive a major upgrade to take on both Spider-Man and Hulk in SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY:
Reposted by J.A. Prentice
sometimes i see the most beautiful gifsets on tumblr and i think "WOW i simply MUST watch this film" and i scroll down and the caption just says "Goncharov (1973)"
February 3, 2026 at 5:43 PM
sometimes i see the most beautiful gifsets on tumblr and i think "WOW i simply MUST watch this film" and i scroll down and the caption just says "Goncharov (1973)"
Reposted by J.A. Prentice
If you’re nominating for the Nebulas, please also consider my friend Mel Watkins’ stunning short story, “Palimpsest” in @strangehorizons.bsky.social
She’s not on here often, so link below!
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/fi...
She’s not on here often, so link below!
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/fi...
Palimpsest
After my mother died, Dr. Rostrow called to ask me if I wanted anything out of her brain.
strangehorizons.com
February 16, 2026 at 4:19 AM
If you’re nominating for the Nebulas, please also consider my friend Mel Watkins’ stunning short story, “Palimpsest” in @strangehorizons.bsky.social
She’s not on here often, so link below!
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/fi...
She’s not on here often, so link below!
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/fi...
Reposted by J.A. Prentice
Time to dust off a classic
February 15, 2026 at 4:33 PM
Time to dust off a classic
Reposted by J.A. Prentice
Hi, I want this book to happen. Please make this book happen—back, hit repost, tell a friend. Four days to raise just over $3000, four days to bring more queer stories into the world.
✨ WHAT ELEGANT STARS is now funding ✨
satellites and sewists, terminals and tailors, dandies and dying stars
www.kickstarter.com/projects/dav...
satellites and sewists, terminals and tailors, dandies and dying stars
www.kickstarter.com/projects/dav...
February 16, 2026 at 12:02 AM
Hi, I want this book to happen. Please make this book happen—back, hit repost, tell a friend. Four days to raise just over $3000, four days to bring more queer stories into the world.
Reposted by J.A. Prentice
I love you, ancient-aliens in fiction, I hate you, ancient-aliens in "history."
February 16, 2026 at 2:55 AM
I love you, ancient-aliens in fiction, I hate you, ancient-aliens in "history."
Reposted by J.A. Prentice
“What Am I This Time?” by @scottedelman.bsky.social (Kaleidotrope, Autumn ‘25) “is a mindbending sci-fi thriller set in a future high-tech rehab clinic.“ 🤯
Cast of Wonders, Beneath Ceaseless Skies and Kaleidotrope: Review by Maria Haskins locusmag.com/review/...
February 16, 2026 at 1:45 AM
“What Am I This Time?” by @scottedelman.bsky.social (Kaleidotrope, Autumn ‘25) “is a mindbending sci-fi thriller set in a future high-tech rehab clinic.“ 🤯
Reposted by J.A. Prentice
“It Grows Back” by Grant Collier from Cast of Wonders, “Wilayat in Seven Saints” by Tanvir Ahmed from Kaleidotrope, and more short fic recs from Maria Haskins -
Cast of Wonders, Beneath Ceaseless Skies and Kaleidotrope: Review by Maria Haskins
Cast of Wonders 10/31/25 Beneath Ceaseless Skies 10/30/25 Kaleidotrope 10/6/25 “It Grows Back” by Grant Collier at Cast of Wonders is one of the more unsettling horror stories I’ve read this year. …
locusmag.com
February 16, 2026 at 2:00 AM
“It Grows Back” by Grant Collier from Cast of Wonders, “Wilayat in Seven Saints” by Tanvir Ahmed from Kaleidotrope, and more short fic recs from Maria Haskins -
Reposted by J.A. Prentice
TIL that LotR is a Gothic novel.
thinking about Nick Groom's suggested "seven types of obscurity" in Gothic novels, forming a handy "is it goth" checklist lmao
February 16, 2026 at 1:34 AM
TIL that LotR is a Gothic novel.
I am always thinking about the time someone from a church group suggested that there could be other gods who really existed and had the power to fight capital-G God. Which is, uh, pretty much the biggest heresy you can commit. Top five at least.
February 16, 2026 at 2:22 AM
I am always thinking about the time someone from a church group suggested that there could be other gods who really existed and had the power to fight capital-G God. Which is, uh, pretty much the biggest heresy you can commit. Top five at least.
Reposted by J.A. Prentice
Never not relevant
February 16, 2026 at 1:49 AM
Never not relevant
Reposted by J.A. Prentice
It’s also a plot point and key location in Talons of Weng-Chiang, but I believe no filming took place there as Northampton was used.
Finally getting round to watching SMILEY'S PEOPLE (1982), and strangely finding it easier to recall a time of Cold War intrigue and pre-internet analogue telecommunications than I am one in which the Palace Theatre had something on other than Harry Bloody Potter:
February 16, 2026 at 12:39 AM
It’s also a plot point and key location in Talons of Weng-Chiang, but I believe no filming took place there as Northampton was used.