Nicola Alter
@nicolaalter.bsky.social
Fantasy, sci-fi and romance writer and blogger. Australian expat living in Germany 🇪🇺 Book nerd. Greenie. Hoarder of tea ☕️ I love languages, books, science, train travel and history. Repped by Nicky Lovick at WGM Atlantic.
thoughtsonfantasy.com
thoughtsonfantasy.com
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Nicola Alter
@nicolaalter.bsky.social
· Oct 1
My top 5 steampunk destinations in Germany
Five unique places where I felt like I’d stepped into a steampunk novel, and what fascinated me about these industrial-era relics.
thoughtsonfantasy.com
I love places with steampunk, industrial-era vibes, so I decided to highlight some of my favourite such locations here in Germany 🎩⚙️🚂
#steampunk #scifi #sciencefiction #fantasy #history #historylovers #writing #inspiration
#steampunk #scifi #sciencefiction #fantasy #history #historylovers #writing #inspiration
Sleet on the upstairs window making for a moody autumnal backdrop to the afternoon’s writing session ❄️🖋️
November 17, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Sleet on the upstairs window making for a moody autumnal backdrop to the afternoon’s writing session ❄️🖋️
My haul from Bristolcon & World Fantasy Con 😀📚 Lots of books I’m looking forward to reading, plus an unseen hoard of good memories: great chats, panels, author meetings and bookstore crawls (I can confirm I’m a sucker for spredges…) plus chances to catch up with old friends and meet new ones ☺️
November 7, 2025 at 4:47 PM
My haul from Bristolcon & World Fantasy Con 😀📚 Lots of books I’m looking forward to reading, plus an unseen hoard of good memories: great chats, panels, author meetings and bookstore crawls (I can confirm I’m a sucker for spredges…) plus chances to catch up with old friends and meet new ones ☺️
Reposted by Nicola Alter
Good news! Pinterest is giving users an option to turn off AI recommendations! 😃 😃 😃 May ALL the other sites also take the hint!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kX-T...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kX-T...
October 24, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Good news! Pinterest is giving users an option to turn off AI recommendations! 😃 😃 😃 May ALL the other sites also take the hint!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kX-T...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kX-T...
Stumbled into a unique exhibit at the Truro Cathedral - a spinning model of Mars created using NASA imagery. Quite moving to marvel at a “heavenly body” in a space designed to magnify that feeling of awe, and of the kind where humans have contemplated things greater than themselves for centuries.
October 24, 2025 at 1:23 PM
Stumbled into a unique exhibit at the Truro Cathedral - a spinning model of Mars created using NASA imagery. Quite moving to marvel at a “heavenly body” in a space designed to magnify that feeling of awe, and of the kind where humans have contemplated things greater than themselves for centuries.
Our train this morning is having technical issues and they’re rebooting it to try to solve the problem. Seems the “have you tried turning it off and on again” mantra holds true even for trains 😂
October 24, 2025 at 10:53 AM
Our train this morning is having technical issues and they’re rebooting it to try to solve the problem. Seems the “have you tried turning it off and on again” mantra holds true even for trains 😂
I thought I had all my priorities for the day in order, but it seems there’s something mind blowing 140 yards ahead that is going to make me reconsider everything…
October 20, 2025 at 9:30 AM
I thought I had all my priorities for the day in order, but it seems there’s something mind blowing 140 yards ahead that is going to make me reconsider everything…
English seaside racing by ☺️⚓️🚂
October 15, 2025 at 11:38 AM
English seaside racing by ☺️⚓️🚂
To continue the theme of beautiful libraries - a few snaps of the Long Library at Blenheim Palace. Seems the books here are also valuable enough to be caged.
October 13, 2025 at 8:53 PM
To continue the theme of beautiful libraries - a few snaps of the Long Library at Blenheim Palace. Seems the books here are also valuable enough to be caged.
I’m not entirely sure I agree with Churchill on this one - I feel like when you hit a difficult period, it’s more like having someone you feel obliged to spend time with perpetually making you feel guilty and inadequate… 😅 but in a good period, sure!
#blenheimpalace #churchillexhibit #writingquotes
#blenheimpalace #churchillexhibit #writingquotes
October 12, 2025 at 7:32 PM
I’m not entirely sure I agree with Churchill on this one - I feel like when you hit a difficult period, it’s more like having someone you feel obliged to spend time with perpetually making you feel guilty and inadequate… 😅 but in a good period, sure!
#blenheimpalace #churchillexhibit #writingquotes
#blenheimpalace #churchillexhibit #writingquotes
The French countryside zooming by at 300km an hour on the TGV this morning… England, here I come! #tgv #trains #trainlovers #traintravel #france
October 9, 2025 at 10:30 AM
The French countryside zooming by at 300km an hour on the TGV this morning… England, here I come! #tgv #trains #trainlovers #traintravel #france
An accidentally existential sign I spotted at a garden show today “this way leads to nowhere”
October 3, 2025 at 2:50 PM
An accidentally existential sign I spotted at a garden show today “this way leads to nowhere”
Fantastic article about different written scripts around the world and their history! I knew a lot of it already from research I did for a novel I’ve been working on, but some of it was new, and it’s one of the best overviews I’ve come across.
#language #linguistics #writingsystems #writing
#language #linguistics #writingsystems #writing
Dear Duolingo: How did writing systems evolve?
Learn how writing systems around the world evolved, including which ones are related and some that were invented recently!
blog.duolingo.com
October 3, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Fantastic article about different written scripts around the world and their history! I knew a lot of it already from research I did for a novel I’ve been working on, but some of it was new, and it’s one of the best overviews I’ve come across.
#language #linguistics #writingsystems #writing
#language #linguistics #writingsystems #writing
Reposted by Nicola Alter
A cartoon from my new book PHYSICS FOR CATS which comes out a week tomorrow! Preorder at you local bookshop or online: www.tomgauld.com/comic-books-v2
October 1, 2025 at 1:35 PM
A cartoon from my new book PHYSICS FOR CATS which comes out a week tomorrow! Preorder at you local bookshop or online: www.tomgauld.com/comic-books-v2
Reposted by Nicola Alter
I was ready to be so disappointed, but then
We are thrilled to announce that our NEW Large Language Model will be released on 11.18.25.
October 1, 2025 at 4:12 PM
I was ready to be so disappointed, but then
I love places with steampunk, industrial-era vibes, so I decided to highlight some of my favourite such locations here in Germany 🎩⚙️🚂
#steampunk #scifi #sciencefiction #fantasy #history #historylovers #writing #inspiration
#steampunk #scifi #sciencefiction #fantasy #history #historylovers #writing #inspiration
My top 5 steampunk destinations in Germany
Five unique places where I felt like I’d stepped into a steampunk novel, and what fascinated me about these industrial-era relics.
thoughtsonfantasy.com
October 1, 2025 at 4:59 PM
I love places with steampunk, industrial-era vibes, so I decided to highlight some of my favourite such locations here in Germany 🎩⚙️🚂
#steampunk #scifi #sciencefiction #fantasy #history #historylovers #writing #inspiration
#steampunk #scifi #sciencefiction #fantasy #history #historylovers #writing #inspiration
I looked up an unfamiliar German word today, “verrecken”, and was not only a bit shocked to learn the meaning, but also amused that once again 1 German word = 5 English ones 😂
September 27, 2025 at 9:15 PM
I looked up an unfamiliar German word today, “verrecken”, and was not only a bit shocked to learn the meaning, but also amused that once again 1 German word = 5 English ones 😂
I came across this on Pinterest and found it amusing. AI tries and fails to solve the corner cupboard dilemma...
September 24, 2025 at 4:08 PM
I came across this on Pinterest and found it amusing. AI tries and fails to solve the corner cupboard dilemma...
Not the first time I’m seeing something this but it still amuses me that Europe has enough roman ruins to cover a few with car parks 😅
September 20, 2025 at 7:14 PM
Not the first time I’m seeing something this but it still amuses me that Europe has enough roman ruins to cover a few with car parks 😅
I was reminded of this space monkey music video the other day – it's over a decade old now but it still moves me watching it 😢
(The song is Ben Lee's 'Song for the Divine Mother of the Universe' and the video was made in partnership with WWF)
(The song is Ben Lee's 'Song for the Divine Mother of the Universe' and the video was made in partnership with WWF)
Ben Lee music video: WWF Space Monkey
YouTube video by Canning Antill
youtu.be
September 19, 2025 at 4:03 PM
I was reminded of this space monkey music video the other day – it's over a decade old now but it still moves me watching it 😢
(The song is Ben Lee's 'Song for the Divine Mother of the Universe' and the video was made in partnership with WWF)
(The song is Ben Lee's 'Song for the Divine Mother of the Universe' and the video was made in partnership with WWF)
A small selection of the way-too-many photos I took at the Abbey Library in St Gallen 🤩📚
It’s one of the oldest monastic libraries in the world and has a large collection of hand-written medieval manuscripts.
#libraries #librarylovers #booksky #stgallen #stiftsbibliothekstgallen #switzerland
It’s one of the oldest monastic libraries in the world and has a large collection of hand-written medieval manuscripts.
#libraries #librarylovers #booksky #stgallen #stiftsbibliothekstgallen #switzerland
September 17, 2025 at 12:14 PM
A small selection of the way-too-many photos I took at the Abbey Library in St Gallen 🤩📚
It’s one of the oldest monastic libraries in the world and has a large collection of hand-written medieval manuscripts.
#libraries #librarylovers #booksky #stgallen #stiftsbibliothekstgallen #switzerland
It’s one of the oldest monastic libraries in the world and has a large collection of hand-written medieval manuscripts.
#libraries #librarylovers #booksky #stgallen #stiftsbibliothekstgallen #switzerland
I find this video so hypnotic and fascinating – footage of a ride on the Wuppertal suspension railway in 1902 beside the same journey in 2015.
I recently went on the Schwebebahn myself and did a VR tour at the museum, and can highly recommend both: thoughtsonfantasy.com/2025/09/12/w...
I recently went on the Schwebebahn myself and did a VR tour at the museum, and can highly recommend both: thoughtsonfantasy.com/2025/09/12/w...
Wuppertal Schwebebahn 1902 & 2015 side by side video
YouTube video by Ett & Annat
www.youtube.com
September 12, 2025 at 4:18 PM
I find this video so hypnotic and fascinating – footage of a ride on the Wuppertal suspension railway in 1902 beside the same journey in 2015.
I recently went on the Schwebebahn myself and did a VR tour at the museum, and can highly recommend both: thoughtsonfantasy.com/2025/09/12/w...
I recently went on the Schwebebahn myself and did a VR tour at the museum, and can highly recommend both: thoughtsonfantasy.com/2025/09/12/w...
How a museum in Berlin and a suspension railway in Wuppertal helped me understand the existence and allure of steampunk.
#steampunk #sciencefiction #sci-fi #SFF #wuppertal #schwebebahn
#steampunk #sciencefiction #sci-fi #SFF #wuppertal #schwebebahn
What is steampunk and why does it exist?
Why do so many writers imagine alternative steam-powered futures, enough to fuel a whole science fiction subgenre? Why focus on a turn-of-the-century aesthetic? A trip to Wuppertal and a museum in …
thoughtsonfantasy.com
September 12, 2025 at 3:44 PM
How a museum in Berlin and a suspension railway in Wuppertal helped me understand the existence and allure of steampunk.
#steampunk #sciencefiction #sci-fi #SFF #wuppertal #schwebebahn
#steampunk #sciencefiction #sci-fi #SFF #wuppertal #schwebebahn
Reposted by Nicola Alter
Rewatching X-Files s1 and it is funny. You forget how often it was tiny Scully's role to burst in and rescue Mulder. Men, women, monsters, aliens, she'd kick their asses. Good times.
September 11, 2025 at 8:12 AM
Rewatching X-Files s1 and it is funny. You forget how often it was tiny Scully's role to burst in and rescue Mulder. Men, women, monsters, aliens, she'd kick their asses. Good times.
Reposted by Nicola Alter
Imagine if someone spelled "manoeuvring" right first time. Obviously, never going to happen. But just imagine.
September 11, 2025 at 7:44 AM
Imagine if someone spelled "manoeuvring" right first time. Obviously, never going to happen. But just imagine.