Kate Carpenter
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katecarp.bsky.social
Kate Carpenter
@katecarp.bsky.social
Historian/writer. Creator, @draftingthepast.bsky.social podcast. History of science PhD candidate at Princeton, based in KCMO. Working on a history of storm chasing.
https://draftingthepast.com/
http://kathrynbcarpenter.com/
Reposted by Kate Carpenter
NEW TGS EPISODE: Brooke Newman @brookenewman.bsky.social and I dig up some dirt on James II and remind everybody that our modern monarchs have inherited a lot more than goodwill.
January 2, 2026 at 4:15 PM
Celebrating the new year with our family's traditional litany of complaints about how the Rose Parade used to be about the floats.
January 1, 2026 at 5:59 PM
After an especially crappy travel and sickness week, we have come home to a broken furnace. 2025 can get bent.
December 30, 2025 at 11:36 PM
I would like you to know that I overheard the three teens/preteens I was with this week tell their parents last night that they had decided together to take a screen break for three hours, unprompted
December 30, 2025 at 10:20 PM
I know everyone needs funding and we are all spread way, way too thin trying to support work we love, but I also need you to know that when you become a Patreon/give a tip/financially support an independent creator you value, it means so, so much to an actual person on the other end of the screen.
December 30, 2025 at 9:27 PM
As a reminder (why?) I set myself a truly stupid goal, so if you want to see how quickly it goes off the rails you can subscribe to my thus-far dormant personal newsletter.
I've decided, to have some more fun with writing, I'm going to try writing a daily newsletter in January. I have no idea why you would want to subscribe, but in case you're a real weirdo, here's a subscription link: buttondown.com/dancing-anim.... See? It doesn't even have a logo or anything.
Dancing Animals
An experimental newsletter from historian and writer Kate Carpenter.
buttondown.com
December 30, 2025 at 6:44 PM
Ah, the two genders.
December 30, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Reposted by Kate Carpenter
It's here! Listeners shared some of their favorite history reads from 2025--inclusing one book published 90 years ago! draftingthepast.com/podcast-epis...
Episode 81: The Best History Books You Read This Year
Listeners call in to Drafting the Past to tell host Kate Carpenter about the best history books they read in 2025.
draftingthepast.com
December 30, 2025 at 1:10 PM
I shipped a package via USPS on Dec. 13, from Kansas City to St. Louis. Since then, it has gone to San Jose, CA, then onto San Francisco, CA, and is now back in Olathe, KS, and will not arrive for Christmas.

I have questions.
December 25, 2025 at 4:06 AM
Editing this year-end episode right now, and it makes me so happy. What a delight to have such smart, thoughtful listeners who love talking about great history books!
I need your help! I want to put together a year-end episode, and I want to know what you read this year. Go here: www.speakpipe.com/DraftingtheP... and record a short message telling me who you are and the best history book you read this year. Doesn't have to be published this year!
Send a voice message to DraftingthePast
A podcast devoted to the craft of writing history.
www.speakpipe.com
December 23, 2025 at 10:35 PM
Need something to listen to while you wrap gifts, cook, drive, or dissociate? I've got you:
December 23, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Reposted by Kate Carpenter
Last call to tell me your favorite history book that you read this year!
I need your help! I want to put together a year-end episode, and I want to know what you read this year. Go here: www.speakpipe.com/DraftingtheP... and record a short message telling me who you are and the best history book you read this year. Doesn't have to be published this year!
Send a voice message to DraftingthePast
A podcast devoted to the craft of writing history.
www.speakpipe.com
December 23, 2025 at 3:44 AM
People who are American Studies PhDs, I'm curious about something: do you identify yourself by regional and temporal focus, like many historians do (ie, I'm an Americanist, I'm a 19th century historian, etc)?
December 22, 2025 at 8:01 PM
Reposted by Kate Carpenter
Some wise words from documentary filmmaker Penny Lane: open.substack.com/pub/lennypan...
May the proliferation of AI challenge us to write with verve.
My only writing advice is please, please try to sound like a human being
Everywhere I look people are complaining about A.I. slop. Here is how I use the fear of sounding like ChatGPT as a motivational tool to level up my writing.
open.substack.com
December 22, 2025 at 12:52 AM
For the midday crowd:
Serious q: how are we feeling about newsletters vs websites going into 2026?
December 19, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Historians! I'm going to be at AHA, and I'm bringing my recorder. Find me and tell me the most influential writing advice you've ever gotten.
December 19, 2025 at 4:34 PM
Serious q: how are we feeling about newsletters vs websites going into 2026?
December 19, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Reposted by Kate Carpenter
Forget about the best Scrooge on film---who was the best "Christmas Carol" ghost? I think it's either Edward Woodward (Christmas Present in the George C. Scott version) or Statler and Waldorf (Marley/Muppets).
December 19, 2025 at 12:42 AM
Reposted by Kate Carpenter
What's NCAR? and 8 ways it has helped you

www.forbes.com/sites/marsha...
www.forbes.com
December 18, 2025 at 10:47 PM
In a real gonna burn it all down/gonna build something cool frame of mind today, apologies to anyone I encounter.
December 18, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Thinking about a newsletter post that dives deep into @draftingthepast.bsky.social's stats this year -- downloads, income, costs, etc. Is this a terrible idea? I would love to read something like this from other podcasters, but I'm trying to figure out if there's a reason no one shares this.
December 18, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Reposted by Kate Carpenter
One thing I would actually use AI for is a filter that moves all emails written with AI straight to spam.
December 17, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Somewhat prompted by @jamellebouie.net, I made a VIDEO of my FACE for instagram to encourage listeners to record a message for a podcast episode, and I sincerely regret to inform you that it is getting much better engagement than any other content there.
December 17, 2025 at 3:30 PM
Reposted by Kate Carpenter
For a Jane Austen 250th birthday treat, why not check out our new podcast on the life of Jane Austen? Listen on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or your favorite podcast app. Check it out: tinyurl.com/FJApodcast

#JaneAusten #JaneAusten250 #RegencyEra #podcast
December 16, 2025 at 8:58 PM