Bob Hoyng
@bobhoyng.bsky.social
Living the middle way between thinking and being. Founder of Substrate Books. Systems thinker, musician, martial artist, and writer.
First book available now:
https://nothingbecomes.com
First book available now:
https://nothingbecomes.com
It felt unnatural. Honestly, I'm pretty tolerant of a good story that skips a happy ending, if the story makes sense. That was just bad writing to make things fail, there.
November 15, 2025 at 6:48 PM
It felt unnatural. Honestly, I'm pretty tolerant of a good story that skips a happy ending, if the story makes sense. That was just bad writing to make things fail, there.
Yeah, and then if the lead isn't available for season two, you send him off to Jamaica or something. 😊
November 15, 2025 at 4:07 AM
Yeah, and then if the lead isn't available for season two, you send him off to Jamaica or something. 😊
It's not deflationary - it's a drag on GDP that could be viewed as deflationary if you don't look at it hard enough.
When partnered with tariffs, it's a smooth pathway to stagflation.
When partnered with tariffs, it's a smooth pathway to stagflation.
November 14, 2025 at 9:00 PM
It's not deflationary - it's a drag on GDP that could be viewed as deflationary if you don't look at it hard enough.
When partnered with tariffs, it's a smooth pathway to stagflation.
When partnered with tariffs, it's a smooth pathway to stagflation.
Exactly. The HEA is kind of the point of the genre. If you get rid of it, you can still have romance, but it's another genre of story then.
November 14, 2025 at 8:57 PM
Exactly. The HEA is kind of the point of the genre. If you get rid of it, you can still have romance, but it's another genre of story then.
Wasn't a book, but that's where my wife and I were after watching
**spoiler for a period show for a couple years ago**
Sanditon. Seriously, f' that show for the ending. That stung, and was completely unnecessary, and completely out of character. :/
**spoiler for a period show for a couple years ago**
Sanditon. Seriously, f' that show for the ending. That stung, and was completely unnecessary, and completely out of character. :/
November 14, 2025 at 8:55 PM
Wasn't a book, but that's where my wife and I were after watching
**spoiler for a period show for a couple years ago**
Sanditon. Seriously, f' that show for the ending. That stung, and was completely unnecessary, and completely out of character. :/
**spoiler for a period show for a couple years ago**
Sanditon. Seriously, f' that show for the ending. That stung, and was completely unnecessary, and completely out of character. :/
So they'd still be good stories - but would they still be romances?
November 14, 2025 at 8:48 PM
So they'd still be good stories - but would they still be romances?
I feel like a story that *looks like* a Romance, but skips the HEA, is some other type of story that looks like a romance. Does something terrible happen at the end? That's a tragedy with romance in it. Does the main character find herself at the end? That's personal discovery post-romance.
November 14, 2025 at 8:48 PM
I feel like a story that *looks like* a Romance, but skips the HEA, is some other type of story that looks like a romance. Does something terrible happen at the end? That's a tragedy with romance in it. Does the main character find herself at the end? That's personal discovery post-romance.
Oh, hard pass from me. I'll help someone from Bluesky run, though. I'm just not the droid you're looking for. :)
November 14, 2025 at 8:01 PM
Oh, hard pass from me. I'll help someone from Bluesky run, though. I'm just not the droid you're looking for. :)
Wow! Thanks for sharing this!
The everyday heroic is absolutely the kind of stories that we need right now. Andor absolutely did nail that, like someone else mentioned too, and I think that's why it resonated so deeply with viewers.
Because it's not heroic. It's human.
The everyday heroic is absolutely the kind of stories that we need right now. Andor absolutely did nail that, like someone else mentioned too, and I think that's why it resonated so deeply with viewers.
Because it's not heroic. It's human.
November 14, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Wow! Thanks for sharing this!
The everyday heroic is absolutely the kind of stories that we need right now. Andor absolutely did nail that, like someone else mentioned too, and I think that's why it resonated so deeply with viewers.
Because it's not heroic. It's human.
The everyday heroic is absolutely the kind of stories that we need right now. Andor absolutely did nail that, like someone else mentioned too, and I think that's why it resonated so deeply with viewers.
Because it's not heroic. It's human.
Wonderful thread!
As a new author, yes to *all* of this. I'm just now learning how to do all of this for myself, and readers doing this is an enormous help as its all things the author is going to be working on but can't do alone.
Numbers matter.
As a new author, yes to *all* of this. I'm just now learning how to do all of this for myself, and readers doing this is an enormous help as its all things the author is going to be working on but can't do alone.
Numbers matter.
November 12, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Wonderful thread!
As a new author, yes to *all* of this. I'm just now learning how to do all of this for myself, and readers doing this is an enormous help as its all things the author is going to be working on but can't do alone.
Numbers matter.
As a new author, yes to *all* of this. I'm just now learning how to do all of this for myself, and readers doing this is an enormous help as its all things the author is going to be working on but can't do alone.
Numbers matter.
Reposted by Bob Hoyng
9. Summon the old gods in a wooded glade at midnight on the full moon and exhort their favour for your favourite author.
10. When someone says, "Ugh, I don't know what to get X for their birthday!" suggest that book.
And thank you for ANY of this. Readers are awesome and powerful and awesome.
10. When someone says, "Ugh, I don't know what to get X for their birthday!" suggest that book.
And thank you for ANY of this. Readers are awesome and powerful and awesome.
November 12, 2025 at 9:33 PM
9. Summon the old gods in a wooded glade at midnight on the full moon and exhort their favour for your favourite author.
10. When someone says, "Ugh, I don't know what to get X for their birthday!" suggest that book.
And thank you for ANY of this. Readers are awesome and powerful and awesome.
10. When someone says, "Ugh, I don't know what to get X for their birthday!" suggest that book.
And thank you for ANY of this. Readers are awesome and powerful and awesome.
Reposted by Bob Hoyng
7. Share any social posts or newsletter updates to help spread the word. Again, even if you think your following is small, don't underestimate your power. Reaching even one other person really helps.
8. If it's a physical book, read it in public. Let people see that cover and be intrigued!
8. If it's a physical book, read it in public. Let people see that cover and be intrigued!
November 12, 2025 at 9:33 PM
7. Share any social posts or newsletter updates to help spread the word. Again, even if you think your following is small, don't underestimate your power. Reaching even one other person really helps.
8. If it's a physical book, read it in public. Let people see that cover and be intrigued!
8. If it's a physical book, read it in public. Let people see that cover and be intrigued!
Reposted by Bob Hoyng
5. Sign up to the author's newsletter. You'll hear their news, but it also helps the author to know people care about them.
6. Follow the author's social media. As above, it helps them and adds social proof that they're someone worth paying attention to.
cont.
6. Follow the author's social media. As above, it helps them and adds social proof that they're someone worth paying attention to.
cont.
November 12, 2025 at 9:33 PM
5. Sign up to the author's newsletter. You'll hear their news, but it also helps the author to know people care about them.
6. Follow the author's social media. As above, it helps them and adds social proof that they're someone worth paying attention to.
cont.
6. Follow the author's social media. As above, it helps them and adds social proof that they're someone worth paying attention to.
cont.
Reposted by Bob Hoyng
2. cont. any sites you use, like Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, etc. Even just a line or two is massively powerful.
3. Order the book(s) at your local library, which hugely extends the author's reach.
4. Suggest the book at your book club if you're in one and/or recommend it to other clubs.
cont.
3. Order the book(s) at your local library, which hugely extends the author's reach.
4. Suggest the book at your book club if you're in one and/or recommend it to other clubs.
cont.
November 12, 2025 at 9:33 PM
2. cont. any sites you use, like Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, etc. Even just a line or two is massively powerful.
3. Order the book(s) at your local library, which hugely extends the author's reach.
4. Suggest the book at your book club if you're in one and/or recommend it to other clubs.
cont.
3. Order the book(s) at your local library, which hugely extends the author's reach.
4. Suggest the book at your book club if you're in one and/or recommend it to other clubs.
cont.
He also facilitated a lot of things that were truly awful as well, which calls the rest of those interactions into question. There will be a lot of people that will have a lot of explaining to do as this unfolds.
November 12, 2025 at 9:29 PM
He also facilitated a lot of things that were truly awful as well, which calls the rest of those interactions into question. There will be a lot of people that will have a lot of explaining to do as this unfolds.
And that's not to say there's anything wrong with *that* part of all of this. This is just human psychology. Someone wants to be heard, recognized, and talk about what interests them, and Epstein facilitated that.
November 12, 2025 at 9:29 PM
And that's not to say there's anything wrong with *that* part of all of this. This is just human psychology. Someone wants to be heard, recognized, and talk about what interests them, and Epstein facilitated that.
Of course they thought he was brilliant and misunderstood. He listened to their ideas, likely used charm and good looks to push the conversation along, and made them all feel good about themselves.
November 12, 2025 at 9:29 PM
Of course they thought he was brilliant and misunderstood. He listened to their ideas, likely used charm and good looks to push the conversation along, and made them all feel good about themselves.
Then a rich guy shows up, acts like he understands, and invites them on nice trips where they get to spend time with other very smart people as well.
That's catnip to those people that need that recognition.
That's catnip to those people that need that recognition.
November 12, 2025 at 9:29 PM
Then a rich guy shows up, acts like he understands, and invites them on nice trips where they get to spend time with other very smart people as well.
That's catnip to those people that need that recognition.
That's catnip to those people that need that recognition.
Some very smart people want people that are outside their bubble to appreciate how smart they are. But in a lot of fields, that's simply not possible, because people outside their bubble don't understand a word they're saying - not through any fault on either side...their subjects are just complex.
November 12, 2025 at 9:29 PM
Some very smart people want people that are outside their bubble to appreciate how smart they are. But in a lot of fields, that's simply not possible, because people outside their bubble don't understand a word they're saying - not through any fault on either side...their subjects are just complex.
That's wild. At some point, after people get a little less angry at AI writing, I'm gonna try and bring back the emdash. Wonderful, versatile punctuation that feels like a grammar cheat code and works with my brain well...the words don't keep up with the ideas.
November 12, 2025 at 6:35 PM
That's wild. At some point, after people get a little less angry at AI writing, I'm gonna try and bring back the emdash. Wonderful, versatile punctuation that feels like a grammar cheat code and works with my brain well...the words don't keep up with the ideas.