William Shaw
@williamshaw.bsky.social
Ludicrous Care Bear.
Bylines at Strange Horizons, The Georgia Review, Daily Science Fiction, and others.
Blog: https://williamshawwriter.wordpress.com/
Bylines at Strange Horizons, The Georgia Review, Daily Science Fiction, and others.
Blog: https://williamshawwriter.wordpress.com/
Pinned
William Shaw
@williamshaw.bsky.social
· May 30
Neither Girls Nor Friends: the Artificial Woman in American Science Fiction
How might we conceptualise an AI girlfriend who is neither girl, nor friend, but comrade?
strangehorizons.com
In which I talk Lester del Rey, Chan Davis, Ira Levin, Sylvia Plath, Rachel Ingalls, Sierra Greer, and... Cliff Richard.
Also, tradwives!
Find out what they all have in common:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
Also, tradwives!
Find out what they all have in common:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
The exciting new @frommausoleum.bsky.social anthology That Old House: The Kitchen, featuring my short story, 'Cold Cuts,' is now available to pre-order!
Check it out over here:
www.amazon.com/That-Old-Hou...
Check it out over here:
www.amazon.com/That-Old-Hou...
That Old House: The Kitchen
Amazon.com: That Old House: The Kitchen eBook : Krause, Angel: Kindle Store
www.amazon.com
January 15, 2026 at 9:40 PM
The exciting new @frommausoleum.bsky.social anthology That Old House: The Kitchen, featuring my short story, 'Cold Cuts,' is now available to pre-order!
Check it out over here:
www.amazon.com/That-Old-Hou...
Check it out over here:
www.amazon.com/That-Old-Hou...
Reposted by William Shaw
🔥💀Announcing the Shortlist for BRAVE NEW WEIRD: The Best New Weird Horror + More Vol 4💀🔥
Congrats to everyone on this list: you're officially a BNW-nominated author! And thank you to the hundreds who submitted, as always this was excruciating to narrow down.
Weird is strong🖤☠️
tinyurl.com/yc6t5fj8
Congrats to everyone on this list: you're officially a BNW-nominated author! And thank you to the hundreds who submitted, as always this was excruciating to narrow down.
Weird is strong🖤☠️
tinyurl.com/yc6t5fj8
Announcing the Shortlist for BRAVE NEW WEIRD: The Best New Weird Horror + More, Vol. 4 — tenebrous press
tinyurl.com
January 14, 2026 at 3:31 PM
🔥💀Announcing the Shortlist for BRAVE NEW WEIRD: The Best New Weird Horror + More Vol 4💀🔥
Congrats to everyone on this list: you're officially a BNW-nominated author! And thank you to the hundreds who submitted, as always this was excruciating to narrow down.
Weird is strong🖤☠️
tinyurl.com/yc6t5fj8
Congrats to everyone on this list: you're officially a BNW-nominated author! And thank you to the hundreds who submitted, as always this was excruciating to narrow down.
Weird is strong🖤☠️
tinyurl.com/yc6t5fj8
I'm so thrilled to have my story, "The Universe’s Best Erotic Writing, Volume 1: A Book Review by Ian Harrison" shortlisted for the 2025 Brave New Weird Award!
You can read more about it, and check out the other cool as hell nominees, here:
tenebrouspress.com/blog/2026/1/...
You can read more about it, and check out the other cool as hell nominees, here:
tenebrouspress.com/blog/2026/1/...
Announcing the Shortlist for BRAVE NEW WEIRD: The Best New Weird Horror + More, Vol. 4 — tenebrous press
tenebrouspress.com
January 14, 2026 at 2:51 PM
I'm so thrilled to have my story, "The Universe’s Best Erotic Writing, Volume 1: A Book Review by Ian Harrison" shortlisted for the 2025 Brave New Weird Award!
You can read more about it, and check out the other cool as hell nominees, here:
tenebrouspress.com/blog/2026/1/...
You can read more about it, and check out the other cool as hell nominees, here:
tenebrouspress.com/blog/2026/1/...
I was very pleased to contribute to @strangehorizons.bsky.social's wrap-up of 2025.
Favourites included Ali Smith, Torrey Peters, and Thomas Ha.
You can read more over here:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
Favourites included Ali Smith, Torrey Peters, and Thomas Ha.
You can read more over here:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
2025 In Review: Part Three
The third part of our reviewers' picks of 2025.
strangehorizons.com
January 9, 2026 at 2:44 PM
I was very pleased to contribute to @strangehorizons.bsky.social's wrap-up of 2025.
Favourites included Ali Smith, Torrey Peters, and Thomas Ha.
You can read more over here:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
Favourites included Ali Smith, Torrey Peters, and Thomas Ha.
You can read more over here:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
Reposted by William Shaw
Part 3 of @strangehorizons.bsky.social's 2025 In Review is here. Among others, @subham6.bsky.social, @rtbm.bsky.social, and @williamshaw.bsky.social pass their judgements on the year gone by.
Nileena Sunil rounds things off: "2025 was a fantastic year for me in terms of SFF."
Agree/disagree? Say!
Nileena Sunil rounds things off: "2025 was a fantastic year for me in terms of SFF."
Agree/disagree? Say!
2025 In Review: Part Three
The third part of our reviewers' picks of 2025.
strangehorizons.com
January 9, 2026 at 1:14 PM
Part 3 of @strangehorizons.bsky.social's 2025 In Review is here. Among others, @subham6.bsky.social, @rtbm.bsky.social, and @williamshaw.bsky.social pass their judgements on the year gone by.
Nileena Sunil rounds things off: "2025 was a fantastic year for me in terms of SFF."
Agree/disagree? Say!
Nileena Sunil rounds things off: "2025 was a fantastic year for me in terms of SFF."
Agree/disagree? Say!
Reposted by William Shaw
My poem 'The Commuter' has just been published in BRAWL!
I'm very proud of this poem. It's about the dystopian future we seem to be careening towards in the US.
You can read it over here:
www.brawllit.com/2025/william...
I'm very proud of this poem. It's about the dystopian future we seem to be careening towards in the US.
You can read it over here:
www.brawllit.com/2025/william...
William Shaw — BRAWL
www.brawllit.com
January 8, 2026 at 4:13 PM
My poem 'The Commuter' has just been published in BRAWL!
I'm very proud of this poem. It's about the dystopian future we seem to be careening towards in the US.
You can read it over here:
www.brawllit.com/2025/william...
I'm very proud of this poem. It's about the dystopian future we seem to be careening towards in the US.
You can read it over here:
www.brawllit.com/2025/william...
My poem 'The Commuter' has just been published in BRAWL!
I'm very proud of this poem. It's about the dystopian future we seem to be careening towards in the US.
You can read it over here:
www.brawllit.com/2025/william...
I'm very proud of this poem. It's about the dystopian future we seem to be careening towards in the US.
You can read it over here:
www.brawllit.com/2025/william...
William Shaw — BRAWL
www.brawllit.com
January 8, 2026 at 4:13 PM
My poem 'The Commuter' has just been published in BRAWL!
I'm very proud of this poem. It's about the dystopian future we seem to be careening towards in the US.
You can read it over here:
www.brawllit.com/2025/william...
I'm very proud of this poem. It's about the dystopian future we seem to be careening towards in the US.
You can read it over here:
www.brawllit.com/2025/william...
I'm so proud of this story, and it was a privilege to publish with The Pink Hydra.
In July, I published @williamshaw.bsky.social's quirky short story “The Universe’s Best Erotic Writing, Volume 1: A Book Review by Ian Harrison,” for The Pink Hydra's minizine.
All proceeds still go towards next year's funding: ko-fi.com/s/79b355801a
All proceeds still go towards next year's funding: ko-fi.com/s/79b355801a
Something Old, Something New - Issue 1.1, July 2025 - The Pink Hydra's Ko-fi Shop
Cover art: “Danaë” by Gustav Klimt
Poetry: “My Naughty Book” by D. H. Lawrence
Reviewed: “Fly By Night” by Dani Finn & “Flesh and Bone” by Arden Pow...
ko-fi.com
December 31, 2025 at 6:13 PM
I'm so proud of this story, and it was a privilege to publish with The Pink Hydra.
Since Francis Fukuyama is apparently feminising and anthropomorphising ChatGPT now, here's a long essay I wrote this year about why that's a very bad idea:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
Neither Girls Nor Friends: the Artificial Woman in American Science Fiction
How might we conceptualise an AI girlfriend who is neither girl, nor friend, but comrade?
strangehorizons.com
December 18, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Since Francis Fukuyama is apparently feminising and anthropomorphising ChatGPT now, here's a long essay I wrote this year about why that's a very bad idea:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
It was the only place I could find to stream The Stepford Wives when I was working on the AI girlfriends essay. Crazy.
Tubi is such a crazy streaming service. It’s like if the Criterion Closet was in a gas station
December 12, 2025 at 10:17 PM
It was the only place I could find to stream The Stepford Wives when I was working on the AI girlfriends essay. Crazy.
Reposted by William Shaw
My review of Like Shards of Rainbow Frolicking in the Air by L. Timmel Duchamp is now live at Strange Horizons!
I liked this collection a lot: amusing and strange meditations on gender and utopia.
Check it out over here:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
I liked this collection a lot: amusing and strange meditations on gender and utopia.
Check it out over here:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
Like Shards of Rainbow Frolicking in the Air by L. Timmel Duchamp
Like Shards of Rainbow Frolicking in the Air presents a welcome pick-me-up in a reactionary wasteland.
strangehorizons.com
December 2, 2025 at 12:29 AM
My review of Like Shards of Rainbow Frolicking in the Air by L. Timmel Duchamp is now live at Strange Horizons!
I liked this collection a lot: amusing and strange meditations on gender and utopia.
Check it out over here:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
I liked this collection a lot: amusing and strange meditations on gender and utopia.
Check it out over here:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
Reposted by William Shaw
Also, my essay "Neither Girls Nor Friends: the Artificial Woman in American Science Fiction" is on @strangehorizons.bsky.social's list of award-eligible works for 2025!
I'm proud of this essay, and honoured to be included among so much fantastic criticism.
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
I'm proud of this essay, and honoured to be included among so much fantastic criticism.
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
For Your Consideration: Strange Horizons 2025 Award Eligibility
For your consideration: a complete list of Strange Horizons works and staff eligible for various awards in 2026. Happy reading and listening!
strangehorizons.com
December 2, 2025 at 12:33 AM
Also, my essay "Neither Girls Nor Friends: the Artificial Woman in American Science Fiction" is on @strangehorizons.bsky.social's list of award-eligible works for 2025!
I'm proud of this essay, and honoured to be included among so much fantastic criticism.
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
I'm proud of this essay, and honoured to be included among so much fantastic criticism.
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
Reposted by William Shaw
It's a good'un. Click through.
Also, my essay "Neither Girls Nor Friends: the Artificial Woman in American Science Fiction" is on @strangehorizons.bsky.social's list of award-eligible works for 2025!
I'm proud of this essay, and honoured to be included among so much fantastic criticism.
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
I'm proud of this essay, and honoured to be included among so much fantastic criticism.
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
For Your Consideration: Strange Horizons 2025 Award Eligibility
For your consideration: a complete list of Strange Horizons works and staff eligible for various awards in 2026. Happy reading and listening!
strangehorizons.com
December 2, 2025 at 1:47 AM
It's a good'un. Click through.
Reposted by William Shaw
It's always a good Monday when it's a Will Shaw review Monday ... especially so when it's of a book from Aqueduct.
My review of Like Shards of Rainbow Frolicking in the Air by L. Timmel Duchamp is now live at Strange Horizons!
I liked this collection a lot: amusing and strange meditations on gender and utopia.
Check it out over here:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
I liked this collection a lot: amusing and strange meditations on gender and utopia.
Check it out over here:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
Like Shards of Rainbow Frolicking in the Air by L. Timmel Duchamp
Like Shards of Rainbow Frolicking in the Air presents a welcome pick-me-up in a reactionary wasteland.
strangehorizons.com
December 2, 2025 at 12:35 AM
It's always a good Monday when it's a Will Shaw review Monday ... especially so when it's of a book from Aqueduct.
Also, my essay "Neither Girls Nor Friends: the Artificial Woman in American Science Fiction" is on @strangehorizons.bsky.social's list of award-eligible works for 2025!
I'm proud of this essay, and honoured to be included among so much fantastic criticism.
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
I'm proud of this essay, and honoured to be included among so much fantastic criticism.
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
For Your Consideration: Strange Horizons 2025 Award Eligibility
For your consideration: a complete list of Strange Horizons works and staff eligible for various awards in 2026. Happy reading and listening!
strangehorizons.com
December 2, 2025 at 12:33 AM
Also, my essay "Neither Girls Nor Friends: the Artificial Woman in American Science Fiction" is on @strangehorizons.bsky.social's list of award-eligible works for 2025!
I'm proud of this essay, and honoured to be included among so much fantastic criticism.
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
I'm proud of this essay, and honoured to be included among so much fantastic criticism.
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
My review of Like Shards of Rainbow Frolicking in the Air by L. Timmel Duchamp is now live at Strange Horizons!
I liked this collection a lot: amusing and strange meditations on gender and utopia.
Check it out over here:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
I liked this collection a lot: amusing and strange meditations on gender and utopia.
Check it out over here:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
Like Shards of Rainbow Frolicking in the Air by L. Timmel Duchamp
Like Shards of Rainbow Frolicking in the Air presents a welcome pick-me-up in a reactionary wasteland.
strangehorizons.com
December 2, 2025 at 12:29 AM
My review of Like Shards of Rainbow Frolicking in the Air by L. Timmel Duchamp is now live at Strange Horizons!
I liked this collection a lot: amusing and strange meditations on gender and utopia.
Check it out over here:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
I liked this collection a lot: amusing and strange meditations on gender and utopia.
Check it out over here:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
Reposted by William Shaw
I will stop plugging this essay when it stops being relevant.
Find out about the history of the "AI Lover" as a science fictional concept, and the troubling history of the fantasy tech bros want to sell us:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
Find out about the history of the "AI Lover" as a science fictional concept, and the troubling history of the fantasy tech bros want to sell us:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
Neither Girls Nor Friends: the Artificial Woman in American Science Fiction
How might we conceptualise an AI girlfriend who is neither girl, nor friend, but comrade?
strangehorizons.com
July 22, 2025 at 3:10 PM
I will stop plugging this essay when it stops being relevant.
Find out about the history of the "AI Lover" as a science fictional concept, and the troubling history of the fantasy tech bros want to sell us:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
Find out about the history of the "AI Lover" as a science fictional concept, and the troubling history of the fantasy tech bros want to sell us:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
Reposted by William Shaw
In which I talk Lester del Rey, Chan Davis, Ira Levin, Sylvia Plath, Rachel Ingalls, Sierra Greer, and... Cliff Richard.
Also, tradwives!
Find out what they all have in common:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
Also, tradwives!
Find out what they all have in common:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
Neither Girls Nor Friends: the Artificial Woman in American Science Fiction
How might we conceptualise an AI girlfriend who is neither girl, nor friend, but comrade?
strangehorizons.com
May 30, 2025 at 3:23 PM
In which I talk Lester del Rey, Chan Davis, Ira Levin, Sylvia Plath, Rachel Ingalls, Sierra Greer, and... Cliff Richard.
Also, tradwives!
Find out what they all have in common:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
Also, tradwives!
Find out what they all have in common:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
My short story, 'Commuter Special,' was just published in Hawthorn and Ash!
Check it out over here:
ironfaeriepublishing.com/2025/10/06/h...
Check it out over here:
ironfaeriepublishing.com/2025/10/06/h...
Hawthorn & Ash #128
Welcome to this week’s installment of many micro stories, ranging in length from 100 words to 500 words. With each story we hope to deliver a little whimsy into the lives of our readers. COMM…
ironfaeriepublishing.com
October 7, 2025 at 1:00 PM
My short story, 'Commuter Special,' was just published in Hawthorn and Ash!
Check it out over here:
ironfaeriepublishing.com/2025/10/06/h...
Check it out over here:
ironfaeriepublishing.com/2025/10/06/h...
Reposted by William Shaw
Uncertain Sons and Other Stories by Thomas Ha
reviewed by William Shaw
Will This Be A Problem? The Anthology: Issue V edited by Olivia Kidula & Somto Ihezue
reviewed by Amritesh Mukherjee
Gifted & Talented by Olivie Blake
reviewed by Subham Rai
Link to latest issue in bio!
#bookreviews
reviewed by William Shaw
Will This Be A Problem? The Anthology: Issue V edited by Olivia Kidula & Somto Ihezue
reviewed by Amritesh Mukherjee
Gifted & Talented by Olivie Blake
reviewed by Subham Rai
Link to latest issue in bio!
#bookreviews
September 21, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Uncertain Sons and Other Stories by Thomas Ha
reviewed by William Shaw
Will This Be A Problem? The Anthology: Issue V edited by Olivia Kidula & Somto Ihezue
reviewed by Amritesh Mukherjee
Gifted & Talented by Olivie Blake
reviewed by Subham Rai
Link to latest issue in bio!
#bookreviews
reviewed by William Shaw
Will This Be A Problem? The Anthology: Issue V edited by Olivia Kidula & Somto Ihezue
reviewed by Amritesh Mukherjee
Gifted & Talented by Olivie Blake
reviewed by Subham Rai
Link to latest issue in bio!
#bookreviews
Reposted by William Shaw
Very thoughtful, comprehensive review, diving into some older more conventional stories, discussing more recent slippery ones, and pulling in researched interview quotes. Wow. Really enjoyed reading this one. Thanks, @williamshaw.bsky.social.
It's UNCERTAIN SONS and @thomasha.bsky.social all the time now. Apologies, but reviews are dropping. Please check out this fab one from @williamshaw.bsky.social at Strange Horizons.
bit.ly/41TpG7l
bit.ly/41TpG7l
Uncertain Sons and Other Stories by Thomas Ha
Ha’s current slippery and enigmatic style emerges from a firm grasp of genre fundamentals.
bit.ly
September 17, 2025 at 2:39 PM
Very thoughtful, comprehensive review, diving into some older more conventional stories, discussing more recent slippery ones, and pulling in researched interview quotes. Wow. Really enjoyed reading this one. Thanks, @williamshaw.bsky.social.
Reposted by William Shaw
It's UNCERTAIN SONS and @thomasha.bsky.social all the time now. Apologies, but reviews are dropping. Please check out this fab one from @williamshaw.bsky.social at Strange Horizons.
bit.ly/41TpG7l
bit.ly/41TpG7l
Uncertain Sons and Other Stories by Thomas Ha
Ha’s current slippery and enigmatic style emerges from a firm grasp of genre fundamentals.
bit.ly
September 17, 2025 at 2:05 PM
It's UNCERTAIN SONS and @thomasha.bsky.social all the time now. Apologies, but reviews are dropping. Please check out this fab one from @williamshaw.bsky.social at Strange Horizons.
bit.ly/41TpG7l
bit.ly/41TpG7l
Reposted by William Shaw
That @williamshaw.bsky.social is back at @strangehorizons.bsky.social, talking Thomas Ha’s debut short story collection from @undertow.bsky.social - and whatever weird fiction might be.
“Ha’s current slippery and enigmatic style,” Will shows us, “emerges from a firm grasp of genre fundamentals.”
“Ha’s current slippery and enigmatic style,” Will shows us, “emerges from a firm grasp of genre fundamentals.”
Uncertain Sons and Other Stories by Thomas Ha
Ha’s current slippery and enigmatic style emerges from a firm grasp of genre fundamentals.
www.strangehorizons.com
September 16, 2025 at 10:23 PM
That @williamshaw.bsky.social is back at @strangehorizons.bsky.social, talking Thomas Ha’s debut short story collection from @undertow.bsky.social - and whatever weird fiction might be.
“Ha’s current slippery and enigmatic style,” Will shows us, “emerges from a firm grasp of genre fundamentals.”
“Ha’s current slippery and enigmatic style,” Will shows us, “emerges from a firm grasp of genre fundamentals.”