Tess "Querying The Egg Prime Directive!" Tanen
@mothmother.com
Neurospicy disabled anarchist trans lady, making music, stories, poetry, and trouble. Recovering academic.
Patreon: patreon.com/MothMotherTess
Moth Mother Studios: MothMother.com/
Consulting: TessTanen.com
Everything Else: linktr.ee/MothMother
Patreon: patreon.com/MothMotherTess
Moth Mother Studios: MothMother.com/
Consulting: TessTanen.com
Everything Else: linktr.ee/MothMother
Pinned
New Introduction post! I'm Tess! I'm a disabled, queer, trans, neurospicy, musician, producer, game maker & poet! I run Moth Mother studios: an 800 sq/ft. music production studio in Central Illinois.
Currently making audiodrama, audiobooks & trouble & always looking for gigs & collaborators.
Currently making audiodrama, audiobooks & trouble & always looking for gigs & collaborators.
I dream of a society that is more interested in harm reduction and healing than in "punishment". How many of our resources are so needlessly, wastefully, tied up in trying to place symbolic blame instead of addressing the actual harms perpetrated in any crimes?
December 30, 2025 at 5:58 AM
I dream of a society that is more interested in harm reduction and healing than in "punishment". How many of our resources are so needlessly, wastefully, tied up in trying to place symbolic blame instead of addressing the actual harms perpetrated in any crimes?
I had an exhibition in 2012 of some steampunk props and costumes I'd created at a conference where Bruce Sterling (my favorite writer at the time) was giving the keynote and overheard him drunkenly grousing to a friend about how much he hated my art right as I was about to introduce myself to him.
December 30, 2025 at 1:13 AM
I had an exhibition in 2012 of some steampunk props and costumes I'd created at a conference where Bruce Sterling (my favorite writer at the time) was giving the keynote and overheard him drunkenly grousing to a friend about how much he hated my art right as I was about to introduce myself to him.
This is 100% true: my EXTREMELY supportive and progressive mom had no idea about Gavin Newsome being a transphobic asshole—despite living in California—until I told her last week. She didn't know about the New York Times' history of anti-trans coverage. It's easy to forget what it's like out there!
In re: the discourse, I think it is easy for the incredibly online to overestimate the general public’s knowledge of famous people’s worst qualities. I know I bring this up a lot, but my very supportive mom had no idea JK Rowling was a TERF until I told her two years ago.
December 30, 2025 at 12:54 AM
This is 100% true: my EXTREMELY supportive and progressive mom had no idea about Gavin Newsome being a transphobic asshole—despite living in California—until I told her last week. She didn't know about the New York Times' history of anti-trans coverage. It's easy to forget what it's like out there!
Can I call in "freezing my tits off" for my physical therapy and endocrinology appointments today? It's so fucking cold and unpleasant out there right now! (-7° F with windchill!)
December 29, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Can I call in "freezing my tits off" for my physical therapy and endocrinology appointments today? It's so fucking cold and unpleasant out there right now! (-7° F with windchill!)
Most of the inkwells we currently have in stock in our Etsy store are hand built instead of wheel thrown, because that's what we were able to make without driving into the studio. Excited to have another option here now!
www.etsy.com/shop/Cauldro...
www.etsy.com/shop/Cauldro...
December 29, 2025 at 2:58 AM
Most of the inkwells we currently have in stock in our Etsy store are hand built instead of wheel thrown, because that's what we were able to make without driving into the studio. Excited to have another option here now!
www.etsy.com/shop/Cauldro...
www.etsy.com/shop/Cauldro...
My wife, @drtanenbaumii.bsky.social, gave me a pottery wheel for Christmas...kinda...
It's a $6 plastic wheel powered by 2 D cell batteries! 🤣
However, after a little bit of practice I was able to throw one and a half inkwells with it! It's no Brent or Speedball, but for the price I'm astonished!
It's a $6 plastic wheel powered by 2 D cell batteries! 🤣
However, after a little bit of practice I was able to throw one and a half inkwells with it! It's no Brent or Speedball, but for the price I'm astonished!
December 29, 2025 at 2:50 AM
My wife, @drtanenbaumii.bsky.social, gave me a pottery wheel for Christmas...kinda...
It's a $6 plastic wheel powered by 2 D cell batteries! 🤣
However, after a little bit of practice I was able to throw one and a half inkwells with it! It's no Brent or Speedball, but for the price I'm astonished!
It's a $6 plastic wheel powered by 2 D cell batteries! 🤣
However, after a little bit of practice I was able to throw one and a half inkwells with it! It's no Brent or Speedball, but for the price I'm astonished!
I had so much fun with the assemblage/collage aspects of the art for Skin Deep! It really feels like I had a breakthrough as an artist while working on this game, stumbling into my own version of an aesthetic that I've admired in the many other artists.
tesstanen.itch.io/skin-deep
tesstanen.itch.io/skin-deep
December 28, 2025 at 6:02 AM
I had so much fun with the assemblage/collage aspects of the art for Skin Deep! It really feels like I had a breakthrough as an artist while working on this game, stumbling into my own version of an aesthetic that I've admired in the many other artists.
tesstanen.itch.io/skin-deep
tesstanen.itch.io/skin-deep
After almost a week of frumping around the house in old clothes and PJs I decided to put on some makeup so I can feel hot while binging my way through Clair Obscure.
December 27, 2025 at 6:32 PM
After almost a week of frumping around the house in old clothes and PJs I decided to put on some makeup so I can feel hot while binging my way through Clair Obscure.
Cishet white men sure do feel entitled to everything, even *marginalization*.
This shit is made up, actually
December 27, 2025 at 6:37 AM
Cishet white men sure do feel entitled to everything, even *marginalization*.
Reposted by Tess "Querying The Egg Prime Directive!" Tanen
I wrote an extended essay in response to this survey. Strap-in as I get salty about GenAI and LLMs (a thread!)
I am a writer and an (ex)professor, and have directly experienced how LLMs are debasing writing as an art form, damaging my student's and colleague's ability to think critically...
I am a writer and an (ex)professor, and have directly experienced how LLMs are debasing writing as an art form, damaging my student's and colleague's ability to think critically...
SFWA members and general SFF community:
In this press release, our Board of Directors apologizes for recent events.
Feedback from writers is strongly welcomed in the survey.
SFWA Members: Write to office@sfwa.org to support our Emerging Tech Committee.
www.sfwa.org/2025/12/22/p...
In this press release, our Board of Directors apologizes for recent events.
Feedback from writers is strongly welcomed in the survey.
SFWA Members: Write to office@sfwa.org to support our Emerging Tech Committee.
www.sfwa.org/2025/12/22/p...
December 26, 2025 at 2:08 AM
I wrote an extended essay in response to this survey. Strap-in as I get salty about GenAI and LLMs (a thread!)
I am a writer and an (ex)professor, and have directly experienced how LLMs are debasing writing as an art form, damaging my student's and colleague's ability to think critically...
I am a writer and an (ex)professor, and have directly experienced how LLMs are debasing writing as an art form, damaging my student's and colleague's ability to think critically...
Reposted by Tess "Querying The Egg Prime Directive!" Tanen
It's not overstating things to say that GenAI is an existential threat to human knowledge, communication, & expression in an ecosystem where identifying & finding human-authored writing is rendered virtually impossible by an unchecked inundation of meaningless, unthinking, soulless, misinformation.
December 26, 2025 at 2:08 AM
It's not overstating things to say that GenAI is an existential threat to human knowledge, communication, & expression in an ecosystem where identifying & finding human-authored writing is rendered virtually impossible by an unchecked inundation of meaningless, unthinking, soulless, misinformation.
Ok...this wasn't directed at me, but 21 years ago I was backstage at The SD Eagle, helping a friend run for a local Leather title (iykyk) & one of the two catty drag queens MCing the show turned to the other & said: "Bitch, your lumpy-ass tits look like they're made of kitty litter & shit!"
😹😱🔥💀
😹😱🔥💀
What's an insult you'll never forget?
December 26, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Ok...this wasn't directed at me, but 21 years ago I was backstage at The SD Eagle, helping a friend run for a local Leather title (iykyk) & one of the two catty drag queens MCing the show turned to the other & said: "Bitch, your lumpy-ass tits look like they're made of kitty litter & shit!"
😹😱🔥💀
😹😱🔥💀
Throwback to that time in 2012 when a research group at Intel hired a team of artists, writers, and designers to develop a gallery show and comic book for my time-traveling steampunk superhero Captain Chronomek, all because I wanted to make a costume around a nixie tube clock kit.
December 26, 2025 at 7:35 AM
Throwback to that time in 2012 when a research group at Intel hired a team of artists, writers, and designers to develop a gallery show and comic book for my time-traveling steampunk superhero Captain Chronomek, all because I wanted to make a costume around a nixie tube clock kit.
I wrote an extended essay in response to this survey. Strap-in as I get salty about GenAI and LLMs (a thread!)
I am a writer and an (ex)professor, and have directly experienced how LLMs are debasing writing as an art form, damaging my student's and colleague's ability to think critically...
I am a writer and an (ex)professor, and have directly experienced how LLMs are debasing writing as an art form, damaging my student's and colleague's ability to think critically...
SFWA members and general SFF community:
In this press release, our Board of Directors apologizes for recent events.
Feedback from writers is strongly welcomed in the survey.
SFWA Members: Write to office@sfwa.org to support our Emerging Tech Committee.
www.sfwa.org/2025/12/22/p...
In this press release, our Board of Directors apologizes for recent events.
Feedback from writers is strongly welcomed in the survey.
SFWA Members: Write to office@sfwa.org to support our Emerging Tech Committee.
www.sfwa.org/2025/12/22/p...
December 26, 2025 at 2:08 AM
I wrote an extended essay in response to this survey. Strap-in as I get salty about GenAI and LLMs (a thread!)
I am a writer and an (ex)professor, and have directly experienced how LLMs are debasing writing as an art form, damaging my student's and colleague's ability to think critically...
I am a writer and an (ex)professor, and have directly experienced how LLMs are debasing writing as an art form, damaging my student's and colleague's ability to think critically...
Reposted by Tess "Querying The Egg Prime Directive!" Tanen
today is a good day to share things that trans people have made
reply to this with a link to your project and i'll repost it
or you could go through anything i've reposted and repost it yourself?
give the gift of visibility
reply to this with a link to your project and i'll repost it
or you could go through anything i've reposted and repost it yourself?
give the gift of visibility
December 25, 2025 at 9:03 PM
today is a good day to share things that trans people have made
reply to this with a link to your project and i'll repost it
or you could go through anything i've reposted and repost it yourself?
give the gift of visibility
reply to this with a link to your project and i'll repost it
or you could go through anything i've reposted and repost it yourself?
give the gift of visibility
I hate how much this timeline makes me sound like a conspiracy theorist just by describing the bare facts of what is happening right now.
December 25, 2025 at 9:06 PM
I hate how much this timeline makes me sound like a conspiracy theorist just by describing the bare facts of what is happening right now.
Reposted by Tess "Querying The Egg Prime Directive!" Tanen
Tess is awesome! I can't speak to the game as I've not played it yet, but it looks great. I just got it, and you should get it, too!
Best holiday gift ever: selling my first copies of my first solo game project!
I've made a lot of games for other people, or for academic research. This feels really different, because I made this game for me, and my community. It's also the first game I've released since transitioning.
I've made a lot of games for other people, or for academic research. This feels really different, because I made this game for me, and my community. It's also the first game I've released since transitioning.
I've already sold a handful of copies of the game and I'm honestly just so happy that some of y'all are going to get a chance to play this! It's designed to be as gentle or as brutal as you want it to be and I'm so excited to hear about the experiences that folks have with it! Currently priced @ $2!
December 25, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Tess is awesome! I can't speak to the game as I've not played it yet, but it looks great. I just got it, and you should get it, too!
Reposted by Tess "Querying The Egg Prime Directive!" Tanen
I picked this up immediately due to its echo of "With Those We Love Alive" - I'm excited to experience where Tess has taken the mechanic & highly recommend folks also check out WTWLA.
One of the mechanics that I'm especially excited about is somewhat inspired by @porpentine.bsky.social's "With Those We Love Alive" because there are opportunities to draw on yourself as the game progresses. Folks who've playtested my various experiments over the years can vouch for how long I've...
December 25, 2025 at 1:30 PM
I picked this up immediately due to its echo of "With Those We Love Alive" - I'm excited to experience where Tess has taken the mechanic & highly recommend folks also check out WTWLA.
Reposted by Tess "Querying The Egg Prime Directive!" Tanen
I mean, I'm on edge because I'm also trans and in academia. However, the cis instructor who gave the same grade was not removed. I think that's a fairly critical discussion point in this.
This was less about "because I think it's on the Bible" and much more about targeting a trans person.
This was less about "because I think it's on the Bible" and much more about targeting a trans person.
If you’re wondering why your friends in academia are a little on edge right now, it’s because an eighteen-year-old who hasn’t done the reading, doesn’t look at the assignment, and has does no critical thinking skills more complex than “because I think it’s in the Bible” can literally end your career
The University of Oklahoma has removed an instructor who was accused by a student of religious discrimination over a failing grade on a psychology paper in which she cited the Bible and argued that promoting a “belief in multiple genders” was “demonic.” https://cnn.it/4b6g3rd
December 25, 2025 at 9:16 AM
I mean, I'm on edge because I'm also trans and in academia. However, the cis instructor who gave the same grade was not removed. I think that's a fairly critical discussion point in this.
This was less about "because I think it's on the Bible" and much more about targeting a trans person.
This was less about "because I think it's on the Bible" and much more about targeting a trans person.
Started working on a new batch of black walnut ink this week, since we've almost sold all of our bottles from the 2023 solstice batch. Now that I know what I'm doing I hope to be able to brew a much larger volume at a much higher pigmentation/viscosity.
December 25, 2025 at 6:58 AM
Started working on a new batch of black walnut ink this week, since we've almost sold all of our bottles from the 2023 solstice batch. Now that I know what I'm doing I hope to be able to brew a much larger volume at a much higher pigmentation/viscosity.
Best holiday gift ever: selling my first copies of my first solo game project!
I've made a lot of games for other people, or for academic research. This feels really different, because I made this game for me, and my community. It's also the first game I've released since transitioning.
I've made a lot of games for other people, or for academic research. This feels really different, because I made this game for me, and my community. It's also the first game I've released since transitioning.
I've already sold a handful of copies of the game and I'm honestly just so happy that some of y'all are going to get a chance to play this! It's designed to be as gentle or as brutal as you want it to be and I'm so excited to hear about the experiences that folks have with it! Currently priced @ $2!
So excited to finally announce what I've been working on: Skin Deep is a 1-player pervasive RPG exploring themes of body horror, transformation & alienation. Journal, meditate, inscribe your transformation directly onto your skin & substitute a new reality for your own.
tesstanen.itch.io/skin-deep
tesstanen.itch.io/skin-deep
December 25, 2025 at 6:46 AM
Best holiday gift ever: selling my first copies of my first solo game project!
I've made a lot of games for other people, or for academic research. This feels really different, because I made this game for me, and my community. It's also the first game I've released since transitioning.
I've made a lot of games for other people, or for academic research. This feels really different, because I made this game for me, and my community. It's also the first game I've released since transitioning.
I've already sold a handful of copies of the game and I'm honestly just so happy that some of y'all are going to get a chance to play this! It's designed to be as gentle or as brutal as you want it to be and I'm so excited to hear about the experiences that folks have with it! Currently priced @ $2!
So excited to finally announce what I've been working on: Skin Deep is a 1-player pervasive RPG exploring themes of body horror, transformation & alienation. Journal, meditate, inscribe your transformation directly onto your skin & substitute a new reality for your own.
tesstanen.itch.io/skin-deep
tesstanen.itch.io/skin-deep
Skin Deep by Moth Mother
A pervasive body-horror journaling RPG for one
tesstanen.itch.io
December 25, 2025 at 6:43 AM
I've already sold a handful of copies of the game and I'm honestly just so happy that some of y'all are going to get a chance to play this! It's designed to be as gentle or as brutal as you want it to be and I'm so excited to hear about the experiences that folks have with it! Currently priced @ $2!
Reposted by Tess "Querying The Egg Prime Directive!" Tanen
I gave two of the queer RPG nerds in my polycule print copies of the game, and also framed two pieces of the original art that I created for it and gave those to them.
tesstanen.itch.io/skin-deep
tesstanen.itch.io/skin-deep
December 24, 2025 at 12:09 AM
I gave two of the queer RPG nerds in my polycule print copies of the game, and also framed two pieces of the original art that I created for it and gave those to them.
tesstanen.itch.io/skin-deep
tesstanen.itch.io/skin-deep
Reposted by Tess "Querying The Egg Prime Directive!" Tanen
So excited to finally announce what I've been working on: Skin Deep is a 1-player pervasive RPG exploring themes of body horror, transformation & alienation. Journal, meditate, inscribe your transformation directly onto your skin & substitute a new reality for your own.
tesstanen.itch.io/skin-deep
tesstanen.itch.io/skin-deep
Skin Deep by Moth Mother
A pervasive body-horror journaling RPG for one
tesstanen.itch.io
December 23, 2025 at 11:05 PM
So excited to finally announce what I've been working on: Skin Deep is a 1-player pervasive RPG exploring themes of body horror, transformation & alienation. Journal, meditate, inscribe your transformation directly onto your skin & substitute a new reality for your own.
tesstanen.itch.io/skin-deep
tesstanen.itch.io/skin-deep
Reposted by Tess "Querying The Egg Prime Directive!" Tanen
Are you looking for a last minute holiday gift for the queer RPG nerds in your polycule? Wanna force your puppygirl to choose between mind numbing body horror and cozy affirming wish-fullfillment? Do you like supporting disabled trans creators? OF COURSE YOU DO!
You should check out my new game!
You should check out my new game!
So excited to finally announce what I've been working on: Skin Deep is a 1-player pervasive RPG exploring themes of body horror, transformation & alienation. Journal, meditate, inscribe your transformation directly onto your skin & substitute a new reality for your own.
tesstanen.itch.io/skin-deep
tesstanen.itch.io/skin-deep
Skin Deep by Moth Mother
A pervasive body-horror journaling RPG for one
tesstanen.itch.io
December 24, 2025 at 12:03 AM
Are you looking for a last minute holiday gift for the queer RPG nerds in your polycule? Wanna force your puppygirl to choose between mind numbing body horror and cozy affirming wish-fullfillment? Do you like supporting disabled trans creators? OF COURSE YOU DO!
You should check out my new game!
You should check out my new game!