Joshua Lavender
@joshualavender.bsky.social
Cybermonk science fiction novelist, songwriter, poet, woodworker, bisexual, Southerner, living where I can.
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A quick guide to Singular Dream and Quibble, a cybermonk sci-fi novel
singulardream.substack.com
In a transhuman theocracy where AIs are gods and life is just a waiting room for digital heaven, Quibble must fight for her freedom, her conscience, and her friends. What does a technological singularity mean for human survival? What will survive? #SciFi singulardream.substack.com/p/start-here
QUIBBLE, 67. Jah (i): Loss drives Lurah to life as a mercenary. The imperious Aht-nah levels accusations at Nuah and Quibble. | Singular Dream serializes a novel set in the far future after a technological singularity. #SciFi #Fantasy #BookSky 📚💙 🚀💫🌈 🪐📚 singulardream.substack.com/p/quibble-ch...
Quibble, 67. Jah (i)
Loss drives Lurah to life as a mercenary. The imperious Aht-nah levels accusations at Nuah and Quibble.
singulardream.substack.com
November 13, 2025 at 3:39 PM
QUIBBLE, 67. Jah (i): Loss drives Lurah to life as a mercenary. The imperious Aht-nah levels accusations at Nuah and Quibble. | Singular Dream serializes a novel set in the far future after a technological singularity. #SciFi #Fantasy #BookSky 📚💙 🚀💫🌈 🪐📚 singulardream.substack.com/p/quibble-ch...
QUIBBLE, “Djer”: Restored to his former life as a Far, Nuah recounts how he met Vega and became the Zero Alnasl. || Sci-fi adventure, dystopia, and meditation on transhumanism. #SciFi #ScienceFiction #Dystopia #Booksky 🪐📚💙 🌈🚀💫 singulardream.substack.com/p/quibble-ch...
Quibble, 66. Djer
Restored to his former life as a Far, Nuah recounts how he met Vega and became a Zero.
singulardream.substack.com
September 4, 2025 at 6:42 PM
QUIBBLE, “Djer”: Restored to his former life as a Far, Nuah recounts how he met Vega and became the Zero Alnasl. || Sci-fi adventure, dystopia, and meditation on transhumanism. #SciFi #ScienceFiction #Dystopia #Booksky 🪐📚💙 🌈🚀💫 singulardream.substack.com/p/quibble-ch...
New chapter out! A sci-fi adventure, love story, dystopia, and meditation on transhumanism, QUIBBLE ponders what a technological singularity will mean for humanity’s survival — and what might survive. #ScienceFiction #SciFi #Transhumanism #Booksky 🪐📚💙 🌈🚀💫
singulardream.substack.com/p/quibble-ch...
singulardream.substack.com/p/quibble-ch...
Quibble, 65. Nahli-qah
Caught in the Aht-nah's trap, the jah Asreh fears for her life.
singulardream.substack.com
August 30, 2025 at 6:20 PM
New chapter out! A sci-fi adventure, love story, dystopia, and meditation on transhumanism, QUIBBLE ponders what a technological singularity will mean for humanity’s survival — and what might survive. #ScienceFiction #SciFi #Transhumanism #Booksky 🪐📚💙 🌈🚀💫
singulardream.substack.com/p/quibble-ch...
singulardream.substack.com/p/quibble-ch...
“Far” is inspired by Ursula K. Le Guin’s anthropology-rich sci-fi. Living among nomads, Quibble learns about non-transhuman society and reflects on the long shadow the AI Unity casts over her own life.
singulardream.substack.com/p/quibble-ch... #BookSky 🪐📚💙 🌈🚀💫 #SciFi #ScienceFiction #Transhumanism
singulardream.substack.com/p/quibble-ch... #BookSky 🪐📚💙 🌈🚀💫 #SciFi #ScienceFiction #Transhumanism
Quibble, 64. Far
Quibble meets people with a strange way of life.
singulardream.substack.com
August 21, 2025 at 3:25 PM
“Far” is inspired by Ursula K. Le Guin’s anthropology-rich sci-fi. Living among nomads, Quibble learns about non-transhuman society and reflects on the long shadow the AI Unity casts over her own life.
singulardream.substack.com/p/quibble-ch... #BookSky 🪐📚💙 🌈🚀💫 #SciFi #ScienceFiction #Transhumanism
singulardream.substack.com/p/quibble-ch... #BookSky 🪐📚💙 🌈🚀💫 #SciFi #ScienceFiction #Transhumanism
QUIBBLE, “Alliance”: As war comes, the Adroit, the Zeros, and a surprisingly capable Far must unite or perish. || QUIBBLE is a novel set in the far future, many millennia after a technological singularity.
singulardream.substack.com/p/quibble-ch... #BookSky 🪐📚💙 🌈🚀💫 #SciFi #ScienceFiction
singulardream.substack.com/p/quibble-ch... #BookSky 🪐📚💙 🌈🚀💫 #SciFi #ScienceFiction
Quibble, 63. Alliance
As war comes, the Adroit, the Zeros, and a surprisingly capable Far must unite or perish.
singulardream.substack.com
August 13, 2025 at 7:04 PM
QUIBBLE, “Alliance”: As war comes, the Adroit, the Zeros, and a surprisingly capable Far must unite or perish. || QUIBBLE is a novel set in the far future, many millennia after a technological singularity.
singulardream.substack.com/p/quibble-ch... #BookSky 🪐📚💙 🌈🚀💫 #SciFi #ScienceFiction
singulardream.substack.com/p/quibble-ch... #BookSky 🪐📚💙 🌈🚀💫 #SciFi #ScienceFiction
New chapter out! A sci-fi adventure, love story, dystopia, and meditation on transhumanism, QUIBBLE ponders what a technological singularity will mean for humanity’s survival — and what might survive.
singulardream.substack.com/p/quibble-ch...
#BookSky 🪐📚💙 🌈🚀💫 #SciFi #ScienceFiction #Transhumanism
singulardream.substack.com/p/quibble-ch...
#BookSky 🪐📚💙 🌈🚀💫 #SciFi #ScienceFiction #Transhumanism
Quibble, 62. Cascade
Nish, Vega, and Aladfar piece together their enemies’ plans for a war of genocide and utter control against Ones and Zeros alike.
singulardream.substack.com
August 8, 2025 at 9:03 PM
New chapter out! A sci-fi adventure, love story, dystopia, and meditation on transhumanism, QUIBBLE ponders what a technological singularity will mean for humanity’s survival — and what might survive.
singulardream.substack.com/p/quibble-ch...
#BookSky 🪐📚💙 🌈🚀💫 #SciFi #ScienceFiction #Transhumanism
singulardream.substack.com/p/quibble-ch...
#BookSky 🪐📚💙 🌈🚀💫 #SciFi #ScienceFiction #Transhumanism
Many writers go through extended periods of writing little or nothing. I call mine "fallow." Picture a field going to weeds. This nothingness is a vital part of my writing process. Far from impeding me, it gives me what I need to write. #writing #writinglife
singulardream.substack.com/p/going-fallow
singulardream.substack.com/p/going-fallow
Going Fallow
"Write every day" is terrible advice.
singulardream.substack.com
July 17, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Many writers go through extended periods of writing little or nothing. I call mine "fallow." Picture a field going to weeds. This nothingness is a vital part of my writing process. Far from impeding me, it gives me what I need to write. #writing #writinglife
singulardream.substack.com/p/going-fallow
singulardream.substack.com/p/going-fallow
QUIBBLE, ch. 60. Nahli (ii): Haunted by his treachery, Nuah becomes the boy who fell in love with night.
End of the short story in the novel begun in chapter 59. Both chapters free to read.
#BookSky 🪐📚💙 🌈🚀💫 #SciFi #ScienceFiction #fable #romantic
singulardream.substack.com/p/quibble-ch...
End of the short story in the novel begun in chapter 59. Both chapters free to read.
#BookSky 🪐📚💙 🌈🚀💫 #SciFi #ScienceFiction #fable #romantic
singulardream.substack.com/p/quibble-ch...
Quibble, 60. Nahli (ii)
Haunted by his treachery, Nuah becomes the boy who fell in love with night.
singulardream.substack.com
July 10, 2025 at 3:05 PM
QUIBBLE, ch. 60. Nahli (ii): Haunted by his treachery, Nuah becomes the boy who fell in love with night.
End of the short story in the novel begun in chapter 59. Both chapters free to read.
#BookSky 🪐📚💙 🌈🚀💫 #SciFi #ScienceFiction #fable #romantic
singulardream.substack.com/p/quibble-ch...
End of the short story in the novel begun in chapter 59. Both chapters free to read.
#BookSky 🪐📚💙 🌈🚀💫 #SciFi #ScienceFiction #fable #romantic
singulardream.substack.com/p/quibble-ch...
"Nahli" was originally "The Boy Who Fell in Love with Night,” a short story written as a companion to QUIBBLE. At last, it entered the novel as back story for a character, but you can still read it as a stand-alone short story. Free to read! Enjoy! #BookSky
singulardream.substack.com/p/quibble-ch...
singulardream.substack.com/p/quibble-ch...
Quibble, 59. Nahli (i)
As Alnasl the Zero becomes Nuah the Far, a fraught history comes to light.
singulardream.substack.com
July 3, 2025 at 5:53 PM
"Nahli" was originally "The Boy Who Fell in Love with Night,” a short story written as a companion to QUIBBLE. At last, it entered the novel as back story for a character, but you can still read it as a stand-alone short story. Free to read! Enjoy! #BookSky
singulardream.substack.com/p/quibble-ch...
singulardream.substack.com/p/quibble-ch...
QUIBBLE, “Memory”: Defenseless and called on to save Alnasl’s life, Quibble faces the Aht-nah’s whispering sword. | QUIBBLE is far-future dystopian sci-fi about a technological singularity. #SciFi #ScienceFiction #dystopia #transhumanism #BookSky 🪐📚💙 🌈🚀💫 singulardream.substack.com/p/quibble-ch...
Quibble, 58. Memory
Defenseless, Quibble faces the Aht-nah's whispering sword.
singulardream.substack.com
June 27, 2025 at 1:28 AM
QUIBBLE, “Memory”: Defenseless and called on to save Alnasl’s life, Quibble faces the Aht-nah’s whispering sword. | QUIBBLE is far-future dystopian sci-fi about a technological singularity. #SciFi #ScienceFiction #dystopia #transhumanism #BookSky 🪐📚💙 🌈🚀💫 singulardream.substack.com/p/quibble-ch...
“Glyph“: Quibble leads the helpless Alnasl through the Waste. | A sci-fi adventure and a meditation on transhumanism, QUIBBLE is set on an otherworldly Earth millennia after a technological singularity. #SciFi #ScienceFiction #transhumanism #BookSky 🪐📚💙 🌈🚀💫 singulardream.substack.com/p/quibble-ch...
Quibble, 57. Glyph
Quibble leads the helpless Alnasl through the Waste.
singulardream.substack.com
June 19, 2025 at 4:21 PM
“Glyph“: Quibble leads the helpless Alnasl through the Waste. | A sci-fi adventure and a meditation on transhumanism, QUIBBLE is set on an otherworldly Earth millennia after a technological singularity. #SciFi #ScienceFiction #transhumanism #BookSky 🪐📚💙 🌈🚀💫 singulardream.substack.com/p/quibble-ch...
Exigence: The Heart of the Story — Revising “Away” and why thinking about the story’s exigence was crucial. Excerpts from a take-no-prisoners critique.
singulardream.substack.com/p/exigence-t...
#Booksky 📚💙 🪐📚 🌈🚀💫
singulardream.substack.com/p/exigence-t...
#Booksky 📚💙 🪐📚 🌈🚀💫
Exigence: The Heart of the Story
A reflection on revising my short story "Away" and the writer's need to think about a story's exigence.
singulardream.substack.com
June 6, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Exigence: The Heart of the Story — Revising “Away” and why thinking about the story’s exigence was crucial. Excerpts from a take-no-prisoners critique.
singulardream.substack.com/p/exigence-t...
#Booksky 📚💙 🪐📚 🌈🚀💫
singulardream.substack.com/p/exigence-t...
#Booksky 📚💙 🪐📚 🌈🚀💫
Neighbor passing by: “What d’ya say, Josh?”
Me: “I ain’t sayin’ nuthin’! It’s the best policy: keep yer mouth shut if you know what’s good for ya!”
Me: “I ain’t sayin’ nuthin’! It’s the best policy: keep yer mouth shut if you know what’s good for ya!”
June 3, 2025 at 12:25 AM
Neighbor passing by: “What d’ya say, Josh?”
Me: “I ain’t sayin’ nuthin’! It’s the best policy: keep yer mouth shut if you know what’s good for ya!”
Me: “I ain’t sayin’ nuthin’! It’s the best policy: keep yer mouth shut if you know what’s good for ya!”
Nat wears many hats: assistant, traffic director, chauffeur, personal shopper, mother, therapist, porn concierge. Too much work! What's worse, Nat is always taken for granted and never gets to take a break! What's an overworked AI to do? #scifi #sciencefiction #AI singulardream.substack.com/p/away
Away
{Short story} Nat, an AI with too much to do, takes a vacation.
singulardream.substack.com
May 31, 2025 at 9:00 PM
Nat wears many hats: assistant, traffic director, chauffeur, personal shopper, mother, therapist, porn concierge. Too much work! What's worse, Nat is always taken for granted and never gets to take a break! What's an overworked AI to do? #scifi #sciencefiction #AI singulardream.substack.com/p/away
"...when the right two poets meet, as when the right two craftsmen of any art meet, it’s magical. But I got much more from the ranch than that — it was an overdue restorative for my spirit..." #paradise #poets #poetry #travel #VanLife #TravelPhotography foolinthewoods.substack.com/p/photo-essa...
Photo Essay: Treasure Hammock Ranch
Florida, May 2025
foolinthewoods.substack.com
May 28, 2025 at 10:05 PM
"...when the right two poets meet, as when the right two craftsmen of any art meet, it’s magical. But I got much more from the ranch than that — it was an overdue restorative for my spirit..." #paradise #poets #poetry #travel #VanLife #TravelPhotography foolinthewoods.substack.com/p/photo-essa...
Eigengrau (German: “intrinsic gray”) is the color you see when you close your eyes in a completely dark place. Absent any light, your brain still receives some visual input, and it’s this color. #Color #ScienceFiction #SciFi #Transhumanism #Dystopia singulardream.substack.com/p/quibble-ch...
Quibble, chapters 1 and 2
Quibble recalls her birth and her first lesson in the fearful life of a One.
singulardream.substack.com
May 28, 2025 at 4:29 PM
Eigengrau (German: “intrinsic gray”) is the color you see when you close your eyes in a completely dark place. Absent any light, your brain still receives some visual input, and it’s this color. #Color #ScienceFiction #SciFi #Transhumanism #Dystopia singulardream.substack.com/p/quibble-ch...
“It’s like God wanted a getaway but he couldn’t make up his mind whether he was more of a gardener, an animal lover, or a beach bum. . . . Just listen to me! Making up similes about God, as if I was a believer!” #paradise #poets #travel #vanlife
foolinthewoods.substack.com/p/photo-essa...
foolinthewoods.substack.com/p/photo-essa...
Photo Essay: Treasure Hammock Ranch
Florida, May 2025
foolinthewoods.substack.com
May 27, 2025 at 12:43 PM
“It’s like God wanted a getaway but he couldn’t make up his mind whether he was more of a gardener, an animal lover, or a beach bum. . . . Just listen to me! Making up similes about God, as if I was a believer!” #paradise #poets #travel #vanlife
foolinthewoods.substack.com/p/photo-essa...
foolinthewoods.substack.com/p/photo-essa...
In the new chapter, dystopia comes squarely into focus as Quibble learns of a genocide that’s carried on for thousands of years. || QUIBBLE is a serialized novel about a far-future transhuman theocracy. #SciFi #Transhumanism #ScienceFiction #BookSky 🪐📚💙 🌈🚀💫 singulardream.substack.com/p/quibble-ch...
Quibble, 53. Null
At the Arc of the Unnamed, the horror of Quibble’s world crashes in on her.
singulardream.substack.com
May 23, 2025 at 5:23 PM
In the new chapter, dystopia comes squarely into focus as Quibble learns of a genocide that’s carried on for thousands of years. || QUIBBLE is a serialized novel about a far-future transhuman theocracy. #SciFi #Transhumanism #ScienceFiction #BookSky 🪐📚💙 🌈🚀💫 singulardream.substack.com/p/quibble-ch...
Newly out… Quibble, 52. Shadow: As utter control marches to war, Meissa learns how far Asuja will go. || Quibble is a serialized novel about a far-future transhuman theocracy. #SciFi #Transhumanism #ScienceFiction #BookSky 🪐📚💙 🌈🚀💫 singulardream.substack.com/p/quibble-ch...
Quibble, 52. Shadow
As utter control marches to war, Meissa learns how far Asuja will go.
singulardream.substack.com
May 15, 2025 at 4:22 PM
Newly out… Quibble, 52. Shadow: As utter control marches to war, Meissa learns how far Asuja will go. || Quibble is a serialized novel about a far-future transhuman theocracy. #SciFi #Transhumanism #ScienceFiction #BookSky 🪐📚💙 🌈🚀💫 singulardream.substack.com/p/quibble-ch...
Tearing myself a new one... With a reaction to the first chapter of "Quibble" by another writer and a brief gander at the first chapter of Orwell’s "1984." #Dystopia #SciFi #ScienceFiction singulardream.substack.com/p/all-the-wa...
All the Ways My Novel Sucks
Tearing myself a new one... Thoughts on dystopia, character arcs, theme, allegory, jargon, and the bets I've placed.
singulardream.substack.com
May 11, 2025 at 4:06 PM
Tearing myself a new one... With a reaction to the first chapter of "Quibble" by another writer and a brief gander at the first chapter of Orwell’s "1984." #Dystopia #SciFi #ScienceFiction singulardream.substack.com/p/all-the-wa...
QUIBBLE roars back as Asuja reveals himself, closing the jaws of his trap! | Singular Dream serializes science fiction about transhumanism and the Singularity, following the adventures of Quibble, a heretic in a transhuman theocracy. #SciFi #BookSky 🪐📚💙 🌈🚀💫
singulardream.substack.com/p/quibble-ch...
singulardream.substack.com/p/quibble-ch...
Quibble, 49. Revelation
Quibble takes a steep risk, and Asuja reveals himself.
singulardream.substack.com
April 24, 2025 at 2:23 PM
QUIBBLE roars back as Asuja reveals himself, closing the jaws of his trap! | Singular Dream serializes science fiction about transhumanism and the Singularity, following the adventures of Quibble, a heretic in a transhuman theocracy. #SciFi #BookSky 🪐📚💙 🌈🚀💫
singulardream.substack.com/p/quibble-ch...
singulardream.substack.com/p/quibble-ch...
Of this sampler, "The Weather Inside the House," the poetry editor wrote: "We liked how these poems explore the climate of interiors—inside a house, inside a room, inside a mirrored reflection, inside the mind." #poetry
www.stilljournal.net/poetry-weath...
www.stilljournal.net/poetry-weath...
The Weather Inside the House: A Poetry Sampler
www.stilljournal.net
March 28, 2025 at 2:39 AM
Of this sampler, "The Weather Inside the House," the poetry editor wrote: "We liked how these poems explore the climate of interiors—inside a house, inside a room, inside a mirrored reflection, inside the mind." #poetry
www.stilljournal.net/poetry-weath...
www.stilljournal.net/poetry-weath...
QUIBBLE, "Elk": The blind boy Nemo imparts some wisdom to Quibble. #SciFi #ScienceFiction #SpecFic #Transhumanism
singulardream.substack.com/p/quibble-ch...
singulardream.substack.com/p/quibble-ch...
Quibble, 47. Elk
The blind boy Nemo imparts some wisdom.
singulardream.substack.com
March 27, 2025 at 4:47 PM
QUIBBLE, "Elk": The blind boy Nemo imparts some wisdom to Quibble. #SciFi #ScienceFiction #SpecFic #Transhumanism
singulardream.substack.com/p/quibble-ch...
singulardream.substack.com/p/quibble-ch...