Oh, fuck, really? REALLY??
Amazon announces Ask This Book AI bot. Authors and publishers were not asked to be included and cannot opt-out.
New Kindle Feature Uses AI to Answer Questions About Books—And Authors Can't Opt Out - Reactor
The new feature, called Ask this Book, is already drawing controversy and unanswered questions.
reactormag.com
December 12, 2025 at 10:52 PM
Oh, fuck, really? REALLY??
Just read this lovely, graceful story by Ruthanna Emrys (@r-emrys.bsky.social )
reactormag.com/all-that-mea...
reactormag.com/all-that-mea...
All That Means or Mourns - Reactor
Transformed by a broad-spread fungal infection that connects humans with nature, one woman feels closer to the world than ever, but further from the people she loves the most…
reactormag.com
December 4, 2025 at 4:24 AM
Just read this lovely, graceful story by Ruthanna Emrys (@r-emrys.bsky.social )
reactormag.com/all-that-mea...
reactormag.com/all-that-mea...
Reposted by Rosemary Kirstein
It's my birthday! If you'd like to give me a gift, you can't do better this year than support my Patreon www.patreon.com/c/bluejo
Get more from Jo Walton on Patreon
creating Poetry
www.patreon.com
December 1, 2025 at 2:17 PM
It's my birthday! If you'd like to give me a gift, you can't do better this year than support my Patreon www.patreon.com/c/bluejo
Reposted by Rosemary Kirstein
Like, the very first rule of doing anything at all creative is *you have to give a fuck about it*
Using genAI is proof you don't.
Using genAI is proof you don't.
November 24, 2025 at 11:27 AM
Like, the very first rule of doing anything at all creative is *you have to give a fuck about it*
Using genAI is proof you don't.
Using genAI is proof you don't.
Reposted by Rosemary Kirstein
If you ever thought of literary translation as some mathematical formula where there was somehow in there a literal solution, take a gander at a handful of professionals translating the first line of Beowulf and realize that it's art, and that these translators are as much authors themselves.
...if I'd done even the barest comparative reading of just the first line of Beowulf, I'd have been well on my way to a better sense of what literary translation involves.
November 7, 2025 at 6:51 PM
If you ever thought of literary translation as some mathematical formula where there was somehow in there a literal solution, take a gander at a handful of professionals translating the first line of Beowulf and realize that it's art, and that these translators are as much authors themselves.
Okay, is it just me, or when the guy takes his glasses off, does the look a lot like @seanmcarroll.bsky.social
www.smbc-comics.com/comic/consil...
www.smbc-comics.com/comic/consil...
Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal - Consilience
Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal - Consilience
www.smbc-comics.com
November 3, 2025 at 11:11 PM
Okay, is it just me, or when the guy takes his glasses off, does the look a lot like @seanmcarroll.bsky.social
www.smbc-comics.com/comic/consil...
www.smbc-comics.com/comic/consil...
Oh, yes! If you haven't read this, and you're in the UK, snatch this right up! It is SO WONDERFUL.
UK folks, THIS IS HOW YOU LOSE THE TIME WAR is a monthly Kindle deal for November: just 99p! Often this sort of deal leads to price-matching at other online retailers, too. Happy reading!
November 3, 2025 at 10:02 PM
Oh, yes! If you haven't read this, and you're in the UK, snatch this right up! It is SO WONDERFUL.
Reposted by Rosemary Kirstein
My Real Children, my novel about a woman with dementia who remembers two different versions of her own life, is on sale for only $2.99 as an ebook right now www.amazon.com/My-Real-Chil...
My Real Children
My Real Children - Kindle edition by Walton, Jo. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading My Real Children.
www.amazon.com
October 27, 2025 at 6:11 PM
My Real Children, my novel about a woman with dementia who remembers two different versions of her own life, is on sale for only $2.99 as an ebook right now www.amazon.com/My-Real-Chil...
Reposted by Rosemary Kirstein
SAN ANTONIO: Do not miss @marthawells.com tomorrow (Thursday) at @nowherebookshop.bsky.social! Buy her new book WITCH KING and check out this great new interview w/ Sanford Nowlin of @sacurrent.bsky.social. cc: @mysapl.bsky.social @librarypalooza.bsky.social www.sacurrent.com/arts/things-...
Murderbot Diaries author Martha Wells appearing at San Antonio’s Nowhere Bookshop this week
'I like to try to write characters that in a different story would be the bad guy,' the best-selling Texas author told the Current.
www.sacurrent.com
October 22, 2025 at 2:56 PM
SAN ANTONIO: Do not miss @marthawells.com tomorrow (Thursday) at @nowherebookshop.bsky.social! Buy her new book WITCH KING and check out this great new interview w/ Sanford Nowlin of @sacurrent.bsky.social. cc: @mysapl.bsky.social @librarypalooza.bsky.social www.sacurrent.com/arts/things-...
Reposted by Rosemary Kirstein
If you're a writer/other creator in the United States, consider creating an LLC for your business and then signing up for a local area Chamber of Commerce. Many of them have health insurance plans that pool their members and members of other CoCs to create insurance efficiencies relative to ACA.
October 20, 2025 at 6:14 PM
If you're a writer/other creator in the United States, consider creating an LLC for your business and then signing up for a local area Chamber of Commerce. Many of them have health insurance plans that pool their members and members of other CoCs to create insurance efficiencies relative to ACA.
Reposted by Rosemary Kirstein
Hellspark reminded me of @sueburke.bsky.social's Semiosis and @lateonsetgirl.bsky.social's upcoming What We Are Seeking
The "order of nerds" element also reminded me of @rosemarykirstein.bsky.social's Steerswoman books
If you liked any of these, strong rec for the others!
The "order of nerds" element also reminded me of @rosemarykirstein.bsky.social's Steerswoman books
If you liked any of these, strong rec for the others!
October 17, 2025 at 4:30 AM
Hellspark reminded me of @sueburke.bsky.social's Semiosis and @lateonsetgirl.bsky.social's upcoming What We Are Seeking
The "order of nerds" element also reminded me of @rosemarykirstein.bsky.social's Steerswoman books
If you liked any of these, strong rec for the others!
The "order of nerds" element also reminded me of @rosemarykirstein.bsky.social's Steerswoman books
If you liked any of these, strong rec for the others!
Reposted by Rosemary Kirstein
October 15, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Reposted by Rosemary Kirstein
One of the cartoons in my new book 'Physics for Cats' which is out now in the UK, USA, Canada, France and Germany. Order from your local bookshops or online: www.tomgauld.com/
October 10, 2025 at 1:20 PM
One of the cartoons in my new book 'Physics for Cats' which is out now in the UK, USA, Canada, France and Germany. Order from your local bookshops or online: www.tomgauld.com/
This book is so brilliant! Plus, when I wanted to write a poem in the style of Beowulf, and exhausted myself by all the intense scrutinizing and analysis involved, I took refreshing breaks by reading this, laughing with delight, and applauding in admiration!
Hey geeks! Bea Wolf is ultra-discounted on Amazon for 2 days only: www.amazon.com/Bea-Wolf-Zac...
Bea Wolf
Bea Wolf [Weinersmith, Zach, Boulet] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Bea Wolf
www.amazon.com
October 8, 2025 at 1:26 AM
This book is so brilliant! Plus, when I wanted to write a poem in the style of Beowulf, and exhausted myself by all the intense scrutinizing and analysis involved, I took refreshing breaks by reading this, laughing with delight, and applauding in admiration!
Reposted by Rosemary Kirstein
I invite to join me 54 minutes into video for one of the peak experiences of my life:
Renowned folk music collector & performer Sam Lee & I do a performance of words & music from my novel THOMAS THE RHYMER. He insisted I sing the Thomas ballad, though, not him. I took a deep breath & did it.
Renowned folk music collector & performer Sam Lee & I do a performance of words & music from my novel THOMAS THE RHYMER. He insisted I sing the Thomas ballad, though, not him. I took a deep breath & did it.
Also, if you're interested in the subject of fiction inspired by traditional fairy lore & ballads: @profrmaslen.bsky.social, @ngjeannette.bsky.social, @ellenkushner.bsky.social and I did a talk about this at the British Library a while back, with music from Sam Lee. youtu.be/pF_mr0ETyQA?...
Journeys to the Land of Faerie.. and telling the Tale
YouTube video by British Library
youtu.be
September 27, 2025 at 12:33 AM
I invite to join me 54 minutes into video for one of the peak experiences of my life:
Renowned folk music collector & performer Sam Lee & I do a performance of words & music from my novel THOMAS THE RHYMER. He insisted I sing the Thomas ballad, though, not him. I took a deep breath & did it.
Renowned folk music collector & performer Sam Lee & I do a performance of words & music from my novel THOMAS THE RHYMER. He insisted I sing the Thomas ballad, though, not him. I took a deep breath & did it.
I feel that @seanmcarroll.bsky.social might find this especially satisfying....
September 24, 2025 at 12:51 AM
I feel that @seanmcarroll.bsky.social might find this especially satisfying....
Reposted by Rosemary Kirstein
This was the absolute norm for any US politician until, well, Trump. Even Mike Pence said it when he was booed at a staging of Hamilton just after they won in 2016.
September 20, 2025 at 2:30 PM
This was the absolute norm for any US politician until, well, Trump. Even Mike Pence said it when he was booed at a staging of Hamilton just after they won in 2016.
Reposted by Rosemary Kirstein
There is no world in which it is normal for the president to publicly call upon his attorney general to hurry up and prosecute his political foes. It’s like the Watergate tapes but posted on social media. Let’s get a grip on what’s happening here.
September 21, 2025 at 12:56 AM
There is no world in which it is normal for the president to publicly call upon his attorney general to hurry up and prosecute his political foes. It’s like the Watergate tapes but posted on social media. Let’s get a grip on what’s happening here.
What. the. hell?
This isn’t an impoverished regional school – this is the University of Chicago. Devastating.
August 14, 2025 at 5:25 PM
What. the. hell?
Reposted by Rosemary Kirstein
just wow. I recommend reading the exchange with the `customer reps' at the end. As Iris says, this is terrible for the integrity of research. We can all decide not to publish with these publishers, but the wrong info will still be spread. Gah!
AI slop and the destruction of knowledge irisvanrooijcogsci.com/2025/08/12/a...
AI slop and the destruction of knowledge
This week I was looking for info on what cognitive scientists mean when they speak of ‘domain-general’ cognition. I was curious, because the nuances are relevant for something I am researching at t…
irisvanrooijcogsci.com
August 13, 2025 at 8:44 PM
just wow. I recommend reading the exchange with the `customer reps' at the end. As Iris says, this is terrible for the integrity of research. We can all decide not to publish with these publishers, but the wrong info will still be spread. Gah!
Reposted by Rosemary Kirstein
"If you live in Alaska, I need you to buy a Ukrainian flag and turn any area that Putin is going to be into a sea of Ukrainian flags - so many that, when Putin lands, all he's going to see is just yellow and blue."
August 11, 2025 at 11:41 AM
"If you live in Alaska, I need you to buy a Ukrainian flag and turn any area that Putin is going to be into a sea of Ukrainian flags - so many that, when Putin lands, all he's going to see is just yellow and blue."
Reposted by Rosemary Kirstein
Posting this old bookbinding project to remind myself to get back into bookbinding! I wish there were more opportunities for weird/unique things like this in illustration; maybe for a super-special-very-limited edition book? ✨
August 7, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Posting this old bookbinding project to remind myself to get back into bookbinding! I wish there were more opportunities for weird/unique things like this in illustration; maybe for a super-special-very-limited edition book? ✨
Reposted by Rosemary Kirstein
Media: PEOPLE ARENT DOING THIS THING ANYMORE & IT’S GOING TO END THE WORLD!!
Everyone: we like that thing. Stop making it cost so much, we really want it. First ones to make it less gets all our money
Literally all companies & governments: no
MEDIA: THERE IS NO SOLUTION YOUNG PEOPLE ARE SATANIC
Everyone: we like that thing. Stop making it cost so much, we really want it. First ones to make it less gets all our money
Literally all companies & governments: no
MEDIA: THERE IS NO SOLUTION YOUNG PEOPLE ARE SATANIC
August 4, 2025 at 1:18 AM
Media: PEOPLE ARENT DOING THIS THING ANYMORE & IT’S GOING TO END THE WORLD!!
Everyone: we like that thing. Stop making it cost so much, we really want it. First ones to make it less gets all our money
Literally all companies & governments: no
MEDIA: THERE IS NO SOLUTION YOUNG PEOPLE ARE SATANIC
Everyone: we like that thing. Stop making it cost so much, we really want it. First ones to make it less gets all our money
Literally all companies & governments: no
MEDIA: THERE IS NO SOLUTION YOUNG PEOPLE ARE SATANIC
They were out of white carnations so I had to make do with, okay, um, ROSES. At least they were a nice weird color.
August 1, 2025 at 4:05 AM
They were out of white carnations so I had to make do with, okay, um, ROSES. At least they were a nice weird color.