David DeGusta
@davidwrites1.bsky.social
Writer / fiction / Iowa Writers’ Workshop / MacDowell / Yaddo | Ethiopia / literary translation from Amharic | Previously a paleoanthropologist.
www.davidwrites.net
Translator of the Ethiopian novel Oromay by Baalu Girma.
www.davidwrites.net/oromay
www.davidwrites.net
Translator of the Ethiopian novel Oromay by Baalu Girma.
www.davidwrites.net/oromay
Pinned
The classic 1983 Ethiopian novel Oromay by Baalu Girma, translated from Amharic by myself & Mesfin Felleke, will be published in the UK Jan 16 by MacLehose and in the US Feb 4 by @sohopress.bsky.social.
All info at www.davidwrites.net/oromay including a list I made of other great Ethiopian books.
All info at www.davidwrites.net/oromay including a list I made of other great Ethiopian books.
Reposted by David DeGusta
Chauncey Billups lost a coach's challenge on an out of bounds call four minutes into the first quarter last night.
If that dude beat me in poker, I'd be hella suspicious too.
If that dude beat me in poker, I'd be hella suspicious too.
October 23, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Chauncey Billups lost a coach's challenge on an out of bounds call four minutes into the first quarter last night.
If that dude beat me in poker, I'd be hella suspicious too.
If that dude beat me in poker, I'd be hella suspicious too.
“And what rough beast, its hour come round at last, Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?”
Spotted in the SF Bay Area. Feels like an inflection point for me, marking the moment when I can no longer maintain even the illusion that I have some tentative understanding of wtf is going on in the world.
Spotted in the SF Bay Area. Feels like an inflection point for me, marking the moment when I can no longer maintain even the illusion that I have some tentative understanding of wtf is going on in the world.
October 22, 2025 at 2:36 PM
“And what rough beast, its hour come round at last, Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?”
Spotted in the SF Bay Area. Feels like an inflection point for me, marking the moment when I can no longer maintain even the illusion that I have some tentative understanding of wtf is going on in the world.
Spotted in the SF Bay Area. Feels like an inflection point for me, marking the moment when I can no longer maintain even the illusion that I have some tentative understanding of wtf is going on in the world.
Jane Goodall was a gem. I only met her a few times, but was struck by how she had both a strong sense of purpose and real kindness - a rare combination.
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/01/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/01/o...
Jane Goodall, Eminent Primatologist Who Chronicled the Lives of Chimps, Dies at 91
www.nytimes.com
October 1, 2025 at 8:43 PM
Jane Goodall was a gem. I only met her a few times, but was struck by how she had both a strong sense of purpose and real kindness - a rare combination.
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/01/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/01/o...
Love it when someone digs into a minor local mystery and finds all kind of interesting tidbits behind it … it’s great that @coyotemedia.org and Reo Eveleth are on it.
For more than 45 years, three huge steel and bronze dandelion puffs reached for the sky outside Children’s Fairyland — only to disappear without a trace. COYOTE went on a quest to find them. www.coyotemedia.org/where-did-th...
Where did the Fairyland dandelions go?
For more than 45 years, three huge steel and bronze dandelion puffs reached for the sky outside Children’s Fairyland only to disappear without a trace. COYOTE went on a quest to find them.
www.coyotemedia.org
September 29, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Love it when someone digs into a minor local mystery and finds all kind of interesting tidbits behind it … it’s great that @coyotemedia.org and Reo Eveleth are on it.
Reposted by David DeGusta
Come live and write with us in Sewanee! The Department of English & Creative Writing's is seeking applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor in Poetry position! Apply by Nov. 3.
September 25, 2025 at 8:43 PM
Come live and write with us in Sewanee! The Department of English & Creative Writing's is seeking applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor in Poetry position! Apply by Nov. 3.
Also, support literary magazines, especially if you submit to them. As you are able, amplify them on social media, subscribe, or volunteer as a reader. I learned a ton reading for @themassreview.bsky.social. The lit mag ecosystem needs balance between submissions and readers, else the latter drown.
My way of coping with all of the madness is focusing on what I can do to make my community a little bit stronger. So excuse me for all of the earnestness, but I wrote about ways we can all pitch in to support a thriving literary culture. lithub.com/how-to-be-a-...
How to Be a Good Literary Citizen (in Seven Easy Steps)
Last Sunday I spent hours at the Brooklyn Book Festival, a too rare occasion for me to pull myself away from the internet for an entire afternoon. As I looked around at the crowd on their way to pa…
lithub.com
September 25, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Also, support literary magazines, especially if you submit to them. As you are able, amplify them on social media, subscribe, or volunteer as a reader. I learned a ton reading for @themassreview.bsky.social. The lit mag ecosystem needs balance between submissions and readers, else the latter drown.
My prediction has been that Al, as implemented in LLMs, will fall far short of the hype. A common reply has been,
"but imagine how much better it will be in X years!" To which I say not all digital things improve exponentially (e.g. self-driving cars). Now a new study suggests LLMs have a ceiling.
"but imagine how much better it will be in X years!" To which I say not all digital things improve exponentially (e.g. self-driving cars). Now a new study suggests LLMs have a ceiling.
"In a landmark study, OpenAI researchers reveal that large language models will always produce plausible but false outputs, even with perfect data, due to fundamental statistical and computational limits."
www.computerworld.com/article/4059...
www.computerworld.com/article/4059...
OpenAI admits AI hallucinations are mathematically inevitable, not just engineering flaws
In a landmark study, OpenAI researchers reveal that large language models will always produce plausible but false outputs, even with perfect data, due to fundamental statistical and computational limi...
www.computerworld.com
September 22, 2025 at 3:08 PM
My prediction has been that Al, as implemented in LLMs, will fall far short of the hype. A common reply has been,
"but imagine how much better it will be in X years!" To which I say not all digital things improve exponentially (e.g. self-driving cars). Now a new study suggests LLMs have a ceiling.
"but imagine how much better it will be in X years!" To which I say not all digital things improve exponentially (e.g. self-driving cars). Now a new study suggests LLMs have a ceiling.
Reposted by David DeGusta
The Institute for Nonprofit News (inn.org) is a great resource for independent news alternatives that meet high standards, including financial transparency. Some 400+ member orgs all across America.
September 18, 2025 at 2:06 PM
The Institute for Nonprofit News (inn.org) is a great resource for independent news alternatives that meet high standards, including financial transparency. Some 400+ member orgs all across America.
Now seems like an excellent time to support independent media, like the new Bay Area journalism collective @coyotemedia.org. Smart coverage including arts and sports. Looks to be both hard-hitting and fun, a great combo. I just subscribed, highly recommend. www.coyotemedia.org/hello-from-c...
Hello from COYOTE Media Collective!
Billionaires shouldn't own the news. Support independent local media.
www.coyotemedia.org
September 18, 2025 at 1:45 PM
Now seems like an excellent time to support independent media, like the new Bay Area journalism collective @coyotemedia.org. Smart coverage including arts and sports. Looks to be both hard-hitting and fun, a great combo. I just subscribed, highly recommend. www.coyotemedia.org/hello-from-c...
Reposted by David DeGusta
Reposted by David DeGusta
Reposted by David DeGusta
If you want to get our stuff in your inbox, there is a way to do that! www.oaklandreviewofbooks.org#/portal/signup
ORB ⧹O⧸
The Oakland Review of Books is coming!
www.oaklandreviewofbooks.org
September 4, 2025 at 2:48 PM
If you want to get our stuff in your inbox, there is a way to do that! www.oaklandreviewofbooks.org#/portal/signup
Reposted by David DeGusta
Wrote for The Metropolitan Review about the pros & cons of working w/ small indie presses vs. big presses, the journey from almost being a big fancy author to being a medium unfancy author, and mid-career re-evaluation of what I want out of the writing life
www.metropolitanreview.org/p/to-go-big-...
www.metropolitanreview.org/p/to-go-big-...
To Go Big or Come Home?
On the Writing Life With Major and Indie Publishers
www.metropolitanreview.org
September 3, 2025 at 4:37 PM
Wrote for The Metropolitan Review about the pros & cons of working w/ small indie presses vs. big presses, the journey from almost being a big fancy author to being a medium unfancy author, and mid-career re-evaluation of what I want out of the writing life
www.metropolitanreview.org/p/to-go-big-...
www.metropolitanreview.org/p/to-go-big-...
A thoughtful and extremely well-researched deep dive on how Silicon Valley corporations are injecting AI into schools by the multi-talented @vauhinivara.bsky.social (cc @lbyock.bsky.social).
I've been working for many months on this article on Silicon Valley's under-the-radar role in bringing AI into schools across the US. I really hope you'll read it — here's a gift link — but I'll tell you some of the highlights in this thread. (1/x)
How Chatbots and AI Are Already Transforming Kids' Classrooms
Educators across the country are bringing chatbots into their lesson plans. Will it help kids learn or is it just another doomed ed-tech fad?
www.bloomberg.com
September 2, 2025 at 4:42 PM
A thoughtful and extremely well-researched deep dive on how Silicon Valley corporations are injecting AI into schools by the multi-talented @vauhinivara.bsky.social (cc @lbyock.bsky.social).
Reposted by David DeGusta
Did I post 'announce' this already today? I don't remember.
Anyway. I opened up submissions for Short Story, Long today. Open all September.
SSL publishes one "longer" story (2k-8k), every other week. $100 + paired w/ original art commissioned for your story. Publish all and only bangers.
Anyway. I opened up submissions for Short Story, Long today. Open all September.
SSL publishes one "longer" story (2k-8k), every other week. $100 + paired w/ original art commissioned for your story. Publish all and only bangers.
Short Story, Long | Aaron Burch | Substack
Longer short stories, published biweekly. Click to read Short Story, Long, by Aaron Burch, a Substack publication with thousands of subscribers.
ashortstorylong.substack.com
September 2, 2025 at 12:29 AM
Did I post 'announce' this already today? I don't remember.
Anyway. I opened up submissions for Short Story, Long today. Open all September.
SSL publishes one "longer" story (2k-8k), every other week. $100 + paired w/ original art commissioned for your story. Publish all and only bangers.
Anyway. I opened up submissions for Short Story, Long today. Open all September.
SSL publishes one "longer" story (2k-8k), every other week. $100 + paired w/ original art commissioned for your story. Publish all and only bangers.
Reposted by David DeGusta
The indispensable @janefriedman.com looks at four key ways publishing has changed in the past 10 years janefriedman.com/how-publishi...
How Publishing Has Changed Since 2015 | Jane Friedman
To mark the 10-year anniversary of this newsletter’s launch, here’s a look at some of the biggest industry changes in the past decade.
janefriedman.com
August 28, 2025 at 4:08 PM
The indispensable @janefriedman.com looks at four key ways publishing has changed in the past 10 years janefriedman.com/how-publishi...
Iowa City people: don’t miss this tonight! Definitely worth it. Am currently halfway through Dogs and more on that soon but you should definitely check this out if you are anywhere in the vicinity. @iowawriterswksp.bsky.social @prairielights.com
Tonight! Wednesday 8/27 at 7 p.m. in Prairie Lights bookstore, Workshop alum C. Mallon will read from her debut novel, 'Dogs', and will be joined in conversation by visiting Iowa Writers' Workshop instructor, Kevin Brockmeier events.uiowa.edu/event/33251
August 27, 2025 at 7:54 PM
Iowa City people: don’t miss this tonight! Definitely worth it. Am currently halfway through Dogs and more on that soon but you should definitely check this out if you are anywhere in the vicinity. @iowawriterswksp.bsky.social @prairielights.com
Recently I’ve been getting these spam calls where they leave a one second voicemail that my phone transcribes as “No.” As a writer, this feels very normal and standard to me. Almost comforting.
August 15, 2025 at 2:36 PM
Recently I’ve been getting these spam calls where they leave a one second voicemail that my phone transcribes as “No.” As a writer, this feels very normal and standard to me. Almost comforting.
A sighting in the wild never gets old, or I sure hope it doesn’t. Spotted Oromay at @greenapplebooks.bsky.social at SF airport, in proximity to fellow Iowa grad Xochitl Gonzalez’s novel. A good start to my Bread Loaf journey.
August 12, 2025 at 5:20 PM
A sighting in the wild never gets old, or I sure hope it doesn’t. Spotted Oromay at @greenapplebooks.bsky.social at SF airport, in proximity to fellow Iowa grad Xochitl Gonzalez’s novel. A good start to my Bread Loaf journey.
I took Apple’s feedback survey for Apple Music and was surprised to see that for the question “How do you listen to Apple Music?“ the possible answers did not include “on my computer.” Which maybe goes some way towards explaining why the Mac Music app is so bad. @siracusa.social
August 5, 2025 at 2:13 PM
I took Apple’s feedback survey for Apple Music and was surprised to see that for the question “How do you listen to Apple Music?“ the possible answers did not include “on my computer.” Which maybe goes some way towards explaining why the Mac Music app is so bad. @siracusa.social
Reposted by David DeGusta
Well, friends, after 13 years (!!) the Book Fight podcast has finally ridden off into the sunset. One last episode, posted today, in which Tom and I do some reminiscing, and a bit of an exit interview (plus we write blurbs for each other)
Endings: The Final Episode — Book Fight Podcast
Well, friends, here it is. After 13 years, the Book Fight podcast is finally riding off into the sunset. Join us for one final episode, as we look back at what we've learned, read some listener tribut...
www.bookfightpod.com
August 4, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Well, friends, after 13 years (!!) the Book Fight podcast has finally ridden off into the sunset. One last episode, posted today, in which Tom and I do some reminiscing, and a bit of an exit interview (plus we write blurbs for each other)
If you were desperate to end your long-running podcast, murdering your co-host and claiming that they are “on vacation in Canada” would be one way to go. Like, hypothetically.
Many thanks to @mikeingram.bsky.social & @tmcallister.bsky.social (rip??) for 13 years (!!) of Bookfight.
Many thanks to @mikeingram.bsky.social & @tmcallister.bsky.social (rip??) for 13 years (!!) of Bookfight.
August 4, 2025 at 4:03 PM
If you were desperate to end your long-running podcast, murdering your co-host and claiming that they are “on vacation in Canada” would be one way to go. Like, hypothetically.
Many thanks to @mikeingram.bsky.social & @tmcallister.bsky.social (rip??) for 13 years (!!) of Bookfight.
Many thanks to @mikeingram.bsky.social & @tmcallister.bsky.social (rip??) for 13 years (!!) of Bookfight.
Reposted by David DeGusta
✨ FAIR is Book of the Day in The Guardian ✨
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/j...
@prototypepubs.bsky.social @theguardian.com
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/j...
@prototypepubs.bsky.social @theguardian.com
Fair by Jen Calleja review – on the magic of translation
A highly original book from the author of Goblinhood explores the art and work of translating fiction
www.theguardian.com
July 25, 2025 at 10:08 AM
✨ FAIR is Book of the Day in The Guardian ✨
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/j...
@prototypepubs.bsky.social @theguardian.com
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/j...
@prototypepubs.bsky.social @theguardian.com
The next deadline to apply for a residency at Yaddo is Thurs Aug 1 (for residencies Nov-June). The application is pretty straightforward, no letters of recommendation needed. It’s an amazing place and my stay there was transformative, so I say go for it! @yaddocommunity.bsky.social yaddo.org/apply/
Apply – Yaddo
yaddo.org
July 25, 2025 at 2:18 PM
The next deadline to apply for a residency at Yaddo is Thurs Aug 1 (for residencies Nov-June). The application is pretty straightforward, no letters of recommendation needed. It’s an amazing place and my stay there was transformative, so I say go for it! @yaddocommunity.bsky.social yaddo.org/apply/
Translators - the excellent journal Exchanges run out of the stellar mfa program in translation at Iowa is now on Bluesky @literaryexchanges.bsky.social. They’re also open for submissions for what sounds like a cool themed issue on in/fidelity in translations. Give it a look!
Hello, BluSky! We're excited to be here, and to announce we are now open for submissions of literary translation (all genres) to our Fall 2025 issue: IN/FIDELITY.
See full submission guidelines here: exchanges.uiowa.edu/faqs-transla...
See full submission guidelines here: exchanges.uiowa.edu/faqs-transla...
July 23, 2025 at 10:08 PM
Translators - the excellent journal Exchanges run out of the stellar mfa program in translation at Iowa is now on Bluesky @literaryexchanges.bsky.social. They’re also open for submissions for what sounds like a cool themed issue on in/fidelity in translations. Give it a look!