Ellen Mellor 🏳️⚧️ Samarcand Books (she/her)
@samarcand.itch.io
Girly Trans Soul Rebel, author & reader.
So many books.
So many comics.
So much tea.
Pronouns:she/her
https://linktr.ee/samarcand
So many books.
So many comics.
So much tea.
Pronouns:she/her
https://linktr.ee/samarcand
Pinned
I've decided that one of the reasons that people aren't buying my books is because they don't really know anything about them, because I'm really useless at publicising my work. But, if I can write threads talking about other people's books, then I can certainly do it for my own. So here goes.
I've decided that one of the reasons that people aren't buying my books is because they don't really know anything about them, because I'm really useless at publicising my work. But, if I can write threads talking about other people's books, then I can certainly do it for my own. So here goes.
November 11, 2025 at 4:05 PM
I've decided that one of the reasons that people aren't buying my books is because they don't really know anything about them, because I'm really useless at publicising my work. But, if I can write threads talking about other people's books, then I can certainly do it for my own. So here goes.
Having to look up the hierarchy of the Church of England for a line in your supernatural novel... It's interesting the sort of things you find yourself doing.
Anyway, I've finished another chapter and I am pretty certain that this next one will be the last one of the main narrative.
Anyway, I've finished another chapter and I am pretty certain that this next one will be the last one of the main narrative.
November 11, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Having to look up the hierarchy of the Church of England for a line in your supernatural novel... It's interesting the sort of things you find yourself doing.
Anyway, I've finished another chapter and I am pretty certain that this next one will be the last one of the main narrative.
Anyway, I've finished another chapter and I am pretty certain that this next one will be the last one of the main narrative.
I'm never getting another job am I?
NEW: Unemployment has risen to 1,789,000. That's up 117,000 in the last 3 months and up 282,000 in the last year.
On the wider measure of underemployment, there are now 5.15 million people underemployed - up by nearly 500,000 on a year ago.
There are now 7.1 people seeking work for every vacancy.
On the wider measure of underemployment, there are now 5.15 million people underemployed - up by nearly 500,000 on a year ago.
There are now 7.1 people seeking work for every vacancy.
November 11, 2025 at 8:31 AM
I'm never getting another job am I?
Reposted by Ellen Mellor 🏳️⚧️ Samarcand Books (she/her)
While you're reading Ellen's reviews, maybe give her a follow @samarcand.itch.io and pick up some of her own books:
linktr.ee/samarcand
Ellen's done a ton of reviews this year (that thread is getting absolutely massive), and a wonderful thank you for so many recs would be picking up her work too.
linktr.ee/samarcand
Ellen's done a ton of reviews this year (that thread is getting absolutely massive), and a wonderful thank you for so many recs would be picking up her work too.
samarcand | Facebook | Linktree
Linktree. Make your link do more.
linktr.ee
November 10, 2025 at 3:42 PM
While you're reading Ellen's reviews, maybe give her a follow @samarcand.itch.io and pick up some of her own books:
linktr.ee/samarcand
Ellen's done a ton of reviews this year (that thread is getting absolutely massive), and a wonderful thank you for so many recs would be picking up her work too.
linktr.ee/samarcand
Ellen's done a ton of reviews this year (that thread is getting absolutely massive), and a wonderful thank you for so many recs would be picking up her work too.
Reposted by Ellen Mellor 🏳️⚧️ Samarcand Books (she/her)
LEVI'S - THE STRANGER (1971): This psychedelic Levi jeans advert is a beautifully animated work of art (rotoscoping in action!). Spoken word jazz legend Ken Nordine provides the cool voiceover.
November 10, 2025 at 12:18 PM
LEVI'S - THE STRANGER (1971): This psychedelic Levi jeans advert is a beautifully animated work of art (rotoscoping in action!). Spoken word jazz legend Ken Nordine provides the cool voiceover.
Reposted by Ellen Mellor 🏳️⚧️ Samarcand Books (she/her)
Watson got his ideas by looking at Franklin's slide and then used Franklin's data, without her consent, to make his calculations. He didn't name her as a co-author. Maybe it wasn't technically theft. But you know... it was.
Fuck that guy. Learn about Rosiland Franklin instead.
Fuck that guy. Learn about Rosiland Franklin instead.
November 7, 2025 at 7:52 PM
Watson got his ideas by looking at Franklin's slide and then used Franklin's data, without her consent, to make his calculations. He didn't name her as a co-author. Maybe it wasn't technically theft. But you know... it was.
Fuck that guy. Learn about Rosiland Franklin instead.
Fuck that guy. Learn about Rosiland Franklin instead.
I haven't finished watching this yet but bloody hell, it's good. And it also makes me sad that I'm incapable of getting pregnant. Don't get me wrong, I love my kid and I'm grateful they exist and their birth mother is who she is. But not being able to experience pregnancy and childbirth and /1
Honestly this was one of the most challenging essays to make. Benatar's anti-natalism contains multiple very clever sleights of hand and mistruths built on top of each other. Sarah was really suffering and sick through the pregnancy. Plus my autistic hyper fixation went into overdrive.
just wanted to share this by my good friends The Leftist Cooks: all about anti-natalism & the ideology behind it.
this is a rare work of actual, novel philosophy on the topic: we are lucky that this is available for free on YouTube. Neilly even wrote a book to accompany it.
youtu.be/OeADcAaeDAg?...
this is a rare work of actual, novel philosophy on the topic: we are lucky that this is available for free on YouTube. Neilly even wrote a book to accompany it.
youtu.be/OeADcAaeDAg?...
November 9, 2025 at 5:36 PM
I haven't finished watching this yet but bloody hell, it's good. And it also makes me sad that I'm incapable of getting pregnant. Don't get me wrong, I love my kid and I'm grateful they exist and their birth mother is who she is. But not being able to experience pregnancy and childbirth and /1
I've just put all of my books up on Itch for $10 in a single bundle. It's also available on Ko-Fi if you fancy getting it from there instead.
itch.io/s/167222/the...
ko-fi.com/s/39ba77b389
itch.io/s/167222/the...
ko-fi.com/s/39ba77b389
The Samarcand Books Bundle by Samarcand Books
A bundle by Samarcand Books, $10.00 for 7 games
itch.io
November 9, 2025 at 2:18 PM
I've just put all of my books up on Itch for $10 in a single bundle. It's also available on Ko-Fi if you fancy getting it from there instead.
itch.io/s/167222/the...
ko-fi.com/s/39ba77b389
itch.io/s/167222/the...
ko-fi.com/s/39ba77b389
Reposted by Ellen Mellor 🏳️⚧️ Samarcand Books (she/her)
C'mon by! All you need to do is
1. Be trans
2. DM us for the link! 😁
1. Be trans
2. DM us for the link! 😁
We're here and we need you to join us!
(ONE OF US! ONE OF US!)
(ONE OF US! ONE OF US!)
TransSlumberParty is BACK BAYBEE!!!! 😁
Once again at our original start time & length, with new hostess
@samarcand.itch.io to kick off the "UK" portion of our party, leading into @cpt.janey.gay's usual USA-based chicanery.
Wanna join the party?
DM us for info & the link! 🏳️⚧️😴🥳
Once again at our original start time & length, with new hostess
@samarcand.itch.io to kick off the "UK" portion of our party, leading into @cpt.janey.gay's usual USA-based chicanery.
Wanna join the party?
DM us for info & the link! 🏳️⚧️😴🥳
November 8, 2025 at 9:07 PM
C'mon by! All you need to do is
1. Be trans
2. DM us for the link! 😁
1. Be trans
2. DM us for the link! 😁
We're here and we need you to join us!
(ONE OF US! ONE OF US!)
(ONE OF US! ONE OF US!)
TransSlumberParty is BACK BAYBEE!!!! 😁
Once again at our original start time & length, with new hostess
@samarcand.itch.io to kick off the "UK" portion of our party, leading into @cpt.janey.gay's usual USA-based chicanery.
Wanna join the party?
DM us for info & the link! 🏳️⚧️😴🥳
Once again at our original start time & length, with new hostess
@samarcand.itch.io to kick off the "UK" portion of our party, leading into @cpt.janey.gay's usual USA-based chicanery.
Wanna join the party?
DM us for info & the link! 🏳️⚧️😴🥳
November 8, 2025 at 8:42 PM
We're here and we need you to join us!
(ONE OF US! ONE OF US!)
(ONE OF US! ONE OF US!)
Reposted by Ellen Mellor 🏳️⚧️ Samarcand Books (she/her)
I feel like we have the opportunity to turn David Lynch's quote into this moment's "Keep Calm and Carry On" and it's a far better rallying cry too.
November 7, 2025 at 1:15 PM
I feel like we have the opportunity to turn David Lynch's quote into this moment's "Keep Calm and Carry On" and it's a far better rallying cry too.
Yet another really good reason to get the three books I published through Amazon the fuck out of there.
Amazon has launched a new AI-driven translation service, Kindle Translate, for Kindle Direct Publishing authors 👇 #BookSky
Amazon launches AI translation service for indie authors
ebx.sh
November 8, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Yet another really good reason to get the three books I published through Amazon the fuck out of there.
Reposted by Ellen Mellor 🏳️⚧️ Samarcand Books (she/her)
In under 30 seconds, these two say everything we need to know about unity and being English/British. Courtesy of @tuc.org.uk
“Don’t let hate divide us.”
#unity #togetherwethrive #hopenothate #strongertogether
“Don’t let hate divide us.”
#unity #togetherwethrive #hopenothate #strongertogether
November 8, 2025 at 10:03 AM
In under 30 seconds, these two say everything we need to know about unity and being English/British. Courtesy of @tuc.org.uk
“Don’t let hate divide us.”
#unity #togetherwethrive #hopenothate #strongertogether
“Don’t let hate divide us.”
#unity #togetherwethrive #hopenothate #strongertogether
Come and join us this evening from 8pm (UK time) and then stick around until late with Captain Janey.
TransSlumberParty is BACK BAYBEE!!!! 😁
Once again at our original start time & length, with new hostess
@samarcand.itch.io to kick off the "UK" portion of our party, leading into @cpt.janey.gay's usual USA-based chicanery.
Wanna join the party?
DM us for info & the link! 🏳️⚧️😴🥳
Once again at our original start time & length, with new hostess
@samarcand.itch.io to kick off the "UK" portion of our party, leading into @cpt.janey.gay's usual USA-based chicanery.
Wanna join the party?
DM us for info & the link! 🏳️⚧️😴🥳
November 8, 2025 at 10:48 AM
Come and join us this evening from 8pm (UK time) and then stick around until late with Captain Janey.
666 words this morning (😈) and I'm going to do more this afternoon. I woke up early again, although not as early as I did last time and spent the time working out how I was going to finish the novel. It's firmly fixed in my head, to the extent that I can almost visualise it.
#TransWriter
#Writing
#TransWriter
#Writing
November 7, 2025 at 10:53 AM
666 words this morning (😈) and I'm going to do more this afternoon. I woke up early again, although not as early as I did last time and spent the time working out how I was going to finish the novel. It's firmly fixed in my head, to the extent that I can almost visualise it.
#TransWriter
#Writing
#TransWriter
#Writing
Reposted by Ellen Mellor 🏳️⚧️ Samarcand Books (she/her)
Welcome to Toxic Yuri November! That's not a thing, you say? Well, now it is. Our new bundle is just $15 for TWENTY-FOUR titles, all united by everyone's favorite theme: terrible, no-good, dangerous lesbians.
itch.io/b/3364/poiso...
itch.io/b/3364/poiso...
November 1, 2025 at 4:52 PM
Welcome to Toxic Yuri November! That's not a thing, you say? Well, now it is. Our new bundle is just $15 for TWENTY-FOUR titles, all united by everyone's favorite theme: terrible, no-good, dangerous lesbians.
itch.io/b/3364/poiso...
itch.io/b/3364/poiso...
Reposted by Ellen Mellor 🏳️⚧️ Samarcand Books (she/her)
Is there anything redeemable left of Twitter?
My thoughts are no, there is neither use nor benefit to the platform anymore.
It’s time to burn it to the ground and salt the earth for good measure.
My thoughts are no, there is neither use nor benefit to the platform anymore.
It’s time to burn it to the ground and salt the earth for good measure.
The X-periment: Sky News Proves Elon’s Algorithm Does Pick a Side
Nine fake British users, ninety-thousand posts and one undeniable conclusion - X is boosting the far right, and the rest of us were never meant to win the argument.
www.bearlypolitics.co.uk
November 7, 2025 at 6:11 AM
Is there anything redeemable left of Twitter?
My thoughts are no, there is neither use nor benefit to the platform anymore.
It’s time to burn it to the ground and salt the earth for good measure.
My thoughts are no, there is neither use nor benefit to the platform anymore.
It’s time to burn it to the ground and salt the earth for good measure.
I've been lying in bed and worked out how I'm going to finish Ghostkin 2. Which is good because I'm about 1000 words away from needing to write it. (This isn't the end of writing the book though. There are still 4 or 5 Interlude sections - side stories which expand on the world - to write.)
November 7, 2025 at 6:11 AM
I've been lying in bed and worked out how I'm going to finish Ghostkin 2. Which is good because I'm about 1000 words away from needing to write it. (This isn't the end of writing the book though. There are still 4 or 5 Interlude sections - side stories which expand on the world - to write.)
Reposted by Ellen Mellor 🏳️⚧️ Samarcand Books (she/her)
It's only a debacle if it comes from the Debaclé region of Southern France, otherwise it's just a sparkling fiasco
November 6, 2025 at 11:34 AM
It's only a debacle if it comes from the Debaclé region of Southern France, otherwise it's just a sparkling fiasco
Reposted by Ellen Mellor 🏳️⚧️ Samarcand Books (she/her)
Being stuck short $250 of Nov.'s rent, and my week's grace period to get that in ending tomorrow, I'm temporarily bringing back the old price for manuscript critiques as an emergency: $250.
Anyone need one? Or have other editing work to pass along? I'm a bit up against it.
mathesonfreelancing.com
Anyone need one? Or have other editing work to pass along? I'm a bit up against it.
mathesonfreelancing.com
Matheson Freelancing
Post by @sekisetsu.
mathesonfreelancing.com
November 6, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Being stuck short $250 of Nov.'s rent, and my week's grace period to get that in ending tomorrow, I'm temporarily bringing back the old price for manuscript critiques as an emergency: $250.
Anyone need one? Or have other editing work to pass along? I'm a bit up against it.
mathesonfreelancing.com
Anyone need one? Or have other editing work to pass along? I'm a bit up against it.
mathesonfreelancing.com
Reposted by Ellen Mellor 🏳️⚧️ Samarcand Books (she/her)
🕯️Manifesting 🕯️
October 28, 2025 at 2:21 PM
🕯️Manifesting 🕯️
Reposted by Ellen Mellor 🏳️⚧️ Samarcand Books (she/her)
THIS IS SO GOOD
November 6, 2025 at 4:42 AM
THIS IS SO GOOD
Do you think that Zohran Mamdani will help a 54 year old, neurodiverse, chronically ill trans woman with no money move to New York? It suddenly feels like one of the safest places in the world.
November 5, 2025 at 4:57 PM
Do you think that Zohran Mamdani will help a 54 year old, neurodiverse, chronically ill trans woman with no money move to New York? It suddenly feels like one of the safest places in the world.
I'm doing some writing now on the sequel to Ghostkin and Rachael is reflecting on the events of the first book. That book was first published about 9 years ago now and I've only just realised that I called the two baddies in it "Mott and Bailey". I'm quite proud of my subconscious.
November 5, 2025 at 4:04 PM
I'm doing some writing now on the sequel to Ghostkin and Rachael is reflecting on the events of the first book. That book was first published about 9 years ago now and I've only just realised that I called the two baddies in it "Mott and Bailey". I'm quite proud of my subconscious.
Reposted by Ellen Mellor 🏳️⚧️ Samarcand Books (she/her)
I knew it would take less than a day for a tiktok dj to make something.
November 5, 2025 at 12:13 PM
I knew it would take less than a day for a tiktok dj to make something.