Stew Hotston (he/him)
@stewarthotston.com
Author, LARP (Curious Pastimes), physics and finance. Subjective Chaos and BFA finalist. Treasurer @BFS, Chair @BSFA. Rep: John Baker at BLM.
Read: stewarthotston.com
New Writer at Hugo award winner, http://www.nerds-feather.com
Project Hanuman is out!
Read: stewarthotston.com
New Writer at Hugo award winner, http://www.nerds-feather.com
Project Hanuman is out!
After expressing that I wanted to do physics at university my tutor said in front of the whole class, ‘i’m sorry but you have to be clever to do that.’
After I got my PhD i went back and told him he was a shit teacher and dork ass loser. It was deeply unsatisfying.
After I got my PhD i went back and told him he was a shit teacher and dork ass loser. It was deeply unsatisfying.
What's an insult you'll never forget?
December 26, 2025 at 1:02 PM
After expressing that I wanted to do physics at university my tutor said in front of the whole class, ‘i’m sorry but you have to be clever to do that.’
After I got my PhD i went back and told him he was a shit teacher and dork ass loser. It was deeply unsatisfying.
After I got my PhD i went back and told him he was a shit teacher and dork ass loser. It was deeply unsatisfying.
the art is the craft and the craft is the art.
December 26, 2025 at 11:47 AM
the art is the craft and the craft is the art.
I’ve written about publishing that if the % of people creating is lower than their presence as a random sample of the population then that’s not possible by accident - it’s structural racism through and through.
This is shameful, and it won’t get better under the Skydance regime.
More than 90% of streaming shows created by white people, study shows
Annual UCLA study finds declines in cultural diversity behind and in front of the camera since last year
www.theguardian.com
December 25, 2025 at 3:06 PM
I’ve written about publishing that if the % of people creating is lower than their presence as a random sample of the population then that’s not possible by accident - it’s structural racism through and through.
The Mark by Fríða Ísberg
Set in Iceland on the eve of a vote as to whether to stratify society by those who can pass an 'empathy test' and those who can't Ísberg's novel is translated from the Icelandic by Larissa Kyzer and seeks to…
https://stewarthotston.com/2025/12/25/the-mark-by-frida-isberg/
Set in Iceland on the eve of a vote as to whether to stratify society by those who can pass an 'empathy test' and those who can't Ísberg's novel is translated from the Icelandic by Larissa Kyzer and seeks to…
https://stewarthotston.com/2025/12/25/the-mark-by-frida-isberg/
December 25, 2025 at 10:54 AM
The Mark by Fríða Ísberg
Set in Iceland on the eve of a vote as to whether to stratify society by those who can pass an 'empathy test' and those who can't Ísberg's novel is translated from the Icelandic by Larissa Kyzer and seeks to…
https://stewarthotston.com/2025/12/25/the-mark-by-frida-isberg/
Set in Iceland on the eve of a vote as to whether to stratify society by those who can pass an 'empathy test' and those who can't Ísberg's novel is translated from the Icelandic by Larissa Kyzer and seeks to…
https://stewarthotston.com/2025/12/25/the-mark-by-frida-isberg/
It is time. Merry Christmas you filthy animals.
December 24, 2025 at 7:52 PM
It is time. Merry Christmas you filthy animals.
Reposted by Stew Hotston (he/him)
2025 Headline of the Year nominee (April)
December 23, 2025 at 12:03 AM
2025 Headline of the Year nominee (April)
Tomb Raider season 2 on Netflix - in which the Orisha kick the shit out of an invading billionaire. It’s not without its faults but it is very, very good in a making good kind of way.
December 23, 2025 at 12:26 PM
Tomb Raider season 2 on Netflix - in which the Orisha kick the shit out of an invading billionaire. It’s not without its faults but it is very, very good in a making good kind of way.
@alrutter.bsky.social please tell me Asunder is just book 1…
December 23, 2025 at 10:52 AM
@alrutter.bsky.social please tell me Asunder is just book 1…
Reposted by Stew Hotston (he/him)
For the morning crowd
FFC review: AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH (2025), by Walter Chaw (@mangiotto.bsky.social). filmfreakcentral.net/2025/12/avat...
Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025) - FILM FREAK CENTRAL
ZERO STARS/****starring Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Kate Winsletscreenplay by James Cameron & Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silverdirected by James Cameron by Walter Chaw I think, for white ...
filmfreakcentral.net
December 21, 2025 at 3:13 PM
For the morning crowd
Reposted by Stew Hotston (he/him)
Book Review: The Wolf and His King by Finn Longman
Second person present tense is the sexiest way to tell a story.
A long and meaty review at the blog from @chloroformtea.bsky.social today:
www.nerds-feather.com/2025/12/book...
Second person present tense is the sexiest way to tell a story.
A long and meaty review at the blog from @chloroformtea.bsky.social today:
www.nerds-feather.com/2025/12/book...
Book Review: The Wolf and His King by Finn Longman
Second person present tense is the sexiest way to tell a story. If you've not come across it before, Bisclavret is a 12th century poem, one ...
www.nerds-feather.com
December 22, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Book Review: The Wolf and His King by Finn Longman
Second person present tense is the sexiest way to tell a story.
A long and meaty review at the blog from @chloroformtea.bsky.social today:
www.nerds-feather.com/2025/12/book...
Second person present tense is the sexiest way to tell a story.
A long and meaty review at the blog from @chloroformtea.bsky.social today:
www.nerds-feather.com/2025/12/book...
Pavlova? Pavlova.
December 21, 2025 at 8:06 PM
Pavlova? Pavlova.
@runalongwomble.bsky.social morning. I’m half way through Asunder and really enjoying it so far.
December 21, 2025 at 11:26 AM
@runalongwomble.bsky.social morning. I’m half way through Asunder and really enjoying it so far.
December 21, 2025 at 11:07 AM
A Lord of the Rings cover band called Nothing But Thievesss
A Lord of the Rings cover band called Dinosauron Jnr.
A Lord of the Rings cover band called The Gon-Doors.
December 21, 2025 at 10:33 AM
A Lord of the Rings cover band called Nothing But Thievesss
Reposted by Stew Hotston (he/him)
Color me shocked.
Doctors Catch Cancer-Diagnosing AI Extracting Patients' Race Data and Being Racist With It
A new study reveals an alarming bias present in four leading AI cancer screening tools, related to race, gender, and age.
futurism.com
December 20, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Color me shocked.
Reposted by Stew Hotston (he/him)
For anyone who may be hastily returning certain books they bought as Christmas presents, here's a thread of excellent children's books I highly recommend you buy instead:
Loki A Bad God's Guide To Being Good by Louie Stowell
Funny, chaotic and a little bit naughty
okay, a lot naughty
Loki A Bad God's Guide To Being Good by Louie Stowell
Funny, chaotic and a little bit naughty
okay, a lot naughty
December 20, 2025 at 11:10 AM
For anyone who may be hastily returning certain books they bought as Christmas presents, here's a thread of excellent children's books I highly recommend you buy instead:
Loki A Bad God's Guide To Being Good by Louie Stowell
Funny, chaotic and a little bit naughty
okay, a lot naughty
Loki A Bad God's Guide To Being Good by Louie Stowell
Funny, chaotic and a little bit naughty
okay, a lot naughty
Reposted by Stew Hotston (he/him)
I'm once again hunting artists 🔍 BAME and BIMPOC only please this time, for paid work!
@hatchlingdm.itch.io and I are looking for those interested in drawing dragons, high-fantasy mechs, and nature vs. technology for our Daggerheart compatible sourcebook based on 'Dragon Dowser', the solo game!
@hatchlingdm.itch.io and I are looking for those interested in drawing dragons, high-fantasy mechs, and nature vs. technology for our Daggerheart compatible sourcebook based on 'Dragon Dowser', the solo game!
December 19, 2025 at 4:51 PM
I'm once again hunting artists 🔍 BAME and BIMPOC only please this time, for paid work!
@hatchlingdm.itch.io and I are looking for those interested in drawing dragons, high-fantasy mechs, and nature vs. technology for our Daggerheart compatible sourcebook based on 'Dragon Dowser', the solo game!
@hatchlingdm.itch.io and I are looking for those interested in drawing dragons, high-fantasy mechs, and nature vs. technology for our Daggerheart compatible sourcebook based on 'Dragon Dowser', the solo game!
Reposted by Stew Hotston (he/him)
Then that kindly Womble wishes you all a good fright with horror suggestions www.runalongtheshelves.net/blog/2025/12...
Santa Womble Goes Bump In The Night! — Runalong The Shelves
Hellooo! Yes for the season of light, goodwill and being merry to all don’t forget this time of year we also like to go a bit dark with ghost stories and there are far more disturbing things potential...
www.runalongtheshelves.net
December 20, 2025 at 10:08 AM
Then that kindly Womble wishes you all a good fright with horror suggestions www.runalongtheshelves.net/blog/2025/12...
#bbcnews has sent a mealy mouthed teenager's response to my complaint about their coverage of Sandie Peggie. To take the complaint further I have to ring them (number only available by reading their entire complaints policy, no email...) on a supposedly 24 hour line. Except it's a mon-fri 9-5 line.
December 20, 2025 at 9:53 AM
#bbcnews has sent a mealy mouthed teenager's response to my complaint about their coverage of Sandie Peggie. To take the complaint further I have to ring them (number only available by reading their entire complaints policy, no email...) on a supposedly 24 hour line. Except it's a mon-fri 9-5 line.
Reposted by Stew Hotston (he/him)
In light of the Levy Review potentially giving transphobes oversight of medical research on trans healthcare, Trans Safety Network recommend English trans people OPT OUT of their healthcare data being used in research.
Information on how to do this can be found in the quoted post and thread.
Information on how to do this can be found in the quoted post and thread.
This can be done via the following links, the first to stop GP records being shared and the second to stop secondary care records being shared: www.nhs.uk/using-the-nh...
digital.nhs.uk/services/nat...
digital.nhs.uk/services/nat...
Opt out of sharing your health records
Find out how to opt out of sharing your health records for research and planning.
www.nhs.uk
December 19, 2025 at 3:25 PM
In light of the Levy Review potentially giving transphobes oversight of medical research on trans healthcare, Trans Safety Network recommend English trans people OPT OUT of their healthcare data being used in research.
Information on how to do this can be found in the quoted post and thread.
Information on how to do this can be found in the quoted post and thread.
This is great stuff and solid weaponry.
Cory bangs the drum to burst the AI bubble:
Pluralistic: The Reverse-Centaur’s Guide to Criticizing AI (05 Dec 2025) – Pluralistic: Daily links from Cory Doctorow
pluralistic.net
December 18, 2025 at 9:44 PM
This is great stuff and solid weaponry.
More Steve Rogers. Look i like his character but to bring him back is peak imaginative bankruptcy. They may as well have asked chatGPT to write the plot. I think we might be better off if the MCU simply took a five year break or something.
December 18, 2025 at 8:28 PM
More Steve Rogers. Look i like his character but to bring him back is peak imaginative bankruptcy. They may as well have asked chatGPT to write the plot. I think we might be better off if the MCU simply took a five year break or something.
Reposted by Stew Hotston (he/him)
In the new year you're going to watch Netflix constantly debase itself to secure regulatory approval for its merger with Warner Brothers. This is just the start:
Netflix cancels gay military series ‘Boots’ the Pentagon called ‘woke garbage’
“Boots” followed the story of Cameron Cope, played by Miles Heizer, a gay teen from Louisiana who is bullied and “finds new purpose — and unexpected brotherhood — with his motley …
nypost.com
December 18, 2025 at 2:47 PM
In the new year you're going to watch Netflix constantly debase itself to secure regulatory approval for its merger with Warner Brothers. This is just the start:
Waterstones likely to be listed (in London probably) next year by current owner Elliott as their exit strategy. There's a slim possibility it will be listed in the US (or a larger possibility of not happening at all) but a London listing is likely better for the business than a US one.
December 18, 2025 at 11:00 AM
Waterstones likely to be listed (in London probably) next year by current owner Elliott as their exit strategy. There's a slim possibility it will be listed in the US (or a larger possibility of not happening at all) but a London listing is likely better for the business than a US one.
Reposted by Stew Hotston (he/him)
Ho! Ho! Ho! For the last time Santa Womble is back and this time for gifts for you or others we go to the realm of Science Fiction novels! www.runalongtheshelves.net/blog/2025/12...
Santa Womble Goes to Space! — Runalong The Shelves
Helloooo! For this final day Santa Womble not just goes to space but to the future which may be a minute away or thousands of years or even an alternate world that could be calling. Yes these are scie...
www.runalongtheshelves.net
December 18, 2025 at 7:08 AM
Ho! Ho! Ho! For the last time Santa Womble is back and this time for gifts for you or others we go to the realm of Science Fiction novels! www.runalongtheshelves.net/blog/2025/12...