Kailey Steward
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kaileysteward.bsky.social
Kailey Steward
@kaileysteward.bsky.social
170 followers 150 following 170 posts
swiftie | bookseller | opinions are my own | she/her
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Reposted by Kailey Steward
lilymeade.bsky.social
A little birdie (aka a bookseller) has informed me that THE HEX GIRLS: A ROGUE THORN is available on Edelweiss! If you use that platform, please request and recommend my #ScoobyDoo book there! And for those of you who prefer NetGalley, stay tuned! I have positive news on that coming soon!
July 2, 2025 at 8:37 PM
Reposted by Kailey Steward
lilymeade.bsky.social
I am over the moon excited to announce my preorder campaign for THE HEX GIRLS: A ROGUE THORN! All preorders from @gritcitybooks.com, my local independent bookstore, will come signed and with an ✨exclusive✨ art print of Thorn drawn by the incredible @nicoledeal.bsky.social! 1/2
June 9, 2025 at 4:36 PM
kaileysteward.bsky.social
Is there a better feeling than reading a romance novel, knowing the LI is obnoxiously in love with the MC, and getting to watch said MC realize this over an extended period of time? Bonus if they thought the LI hated them for years.

The correct answer is “no” at this moment btw.
May 20, 2025 at 3:20 AM
Reposted by Kailey Steward
lilymeade.bsky.social
I have a new update to our ongoing housing/life fundraiser. I am losing the last lifeline I had to my ability to maintain a productive life and work towards a better future. I have no hope left. gofund.me/f79eaf5b

Update text continued in thread and in full at the link.
I’m sorry it’s been over a month since I last updated you. I don’t know if I told you that a local charity helped us get Padfoot dental surgery and I know I didn’t tell you that a few weeks later they were able to cover surgery to remove a growth on our other dog. So in addition to work, life, and the general chaos of 2025 I spent most of April nursing two dogs back to health with lots of important medications and monitoring aside from all my other responsibilities. I will tell you: a 70lb dog in a cone inside a very small camper is AN EXPERIENCE. But both girls now have a clean bill of health. Wish I could say the same for me. About a week after my last update, I had another recertification of income due for my state health insurance. That was confusing and frustrating because I had just submitted my documents in November and it’s usually a once a year thing. I called to ask for an extension because since I am a self-employed novelist, my income is a regular and my best example of my finances is my yearly tax return. I submitted a PDF of my return on April 17th. Their website says it takes between 2-5 days for submitted documents to be processed. As a reminder, I am on Washington state’s free health insurance plan. I have been on it since I first applied when the ACA (Obamacare) launched. Before that I was without insurance since aging out of pediatric coverage at 18. I have always qualified, even with more income than I made last year—which was 31k gross before taxes or agency commission or expenses. Without the insurance that I have through the ACA, I would be dead. I was in the hospital within two weeks of being approved for the first time, with a severe kidney infection that probably came from a simple UTI that I didn’t have a doctor to treat before. It took me half a year to recover from that and if I hadn’t been treated when I was, it would’ve likely progressed to sepsis and killed me. I was born with a genetic condition called neurofibromatosis, which causes tumor growth on nerves and chronic migraines. I require an MRI to monitor my brain for tumors every other year. I have had a few tumors removed on different parts of my body. But the most critical part of my condition that I deal with is chronic migraines. Every three months I get Botox injections from my neurologist to paralyze the nerves that tell my brain it’s in pain. It is the only treatment that has ever worked for me, without it I am bedridden and unable to work. With it, I have maybe one or two headaches a week. Yesterday, I checked the progress of my health insurance recertification. Not only had they not reviewed my files yet, my coverage had expired completely during their delay. I called and waited on an hour on hold to reach someone who had me reapply for the same insurance. He told me to then call the documents office and have them review my files with me over the phone so that I could be reinstated. However, it took so long on the call by the time I called the other number they were closed for the day. So I called them this morning and waited another hour on hold. When I reached someone, he looked through my tax return and told me that according to that I would no longer qualify for my state insurance. Apparently the limit is $1800 a month. The 31k on my tax return would put me at $2500 a month, even though that does not factor in commissions (taken out before I ever receive any money in my bank account), taxes, or deductions and expenses. The man was really nice and walked me through making a profit and loss statement for the past three months that would put my income into better context. However, that still doesn’t work because the way that publishing works is that I get big chunks that have to last me for potentially years. So the small (under 9k) contract payment in March counts against me even though it has to last the foreseeable future, not just the past three months. My business expenses are not the same every month. Sometimes I have a $20 domain name renewal as my only expense, sometimes I have to order hundreds of dollars worth of bookmarks or book travel expenses for an event six months from now. A profit and loss for one quarter could look a lot different than the rest of the year, because my income and expenses don’t follow a normal schedule. So it seems that even if I can somehow manipulate the numbers right now to stay insured, the next time I get a payment or sell a new book I’m likely to lose my insurance anyway. Even though I’m homeless and my money goes even quicker than it did while I was sheltered. Even though I only allow my business account to send $1,000 to my personal each month as the only money I’m allowed to touch. Even though almost all of that $1,000 goes right back into the
May 13, 2025 at 9:44 PM
kaileysteward.bsky.social
It only takes a few moments to let your representatives know that libraries remain integral to a healthy American community.

action.everylibrary.org/emailreps via @everylibrary.bsky.social
Send an Email to Congress
We built this petition to help you let your representatives know that libraries continue to be an integral part of a healthy American community.
action.everylibrary.org
April 8, 2025 at 4:18 PM
Reposted by Kailey Steward
thelasagna.bsky.social
How dare people use ChatGPT for book recommendations when I’m literally right here
March 28, 2025 at 8:40 PM
Reposted by Kailey Steward
lilymeade.bsky.social
We had to take Padfoot to the city for a vet visit today (a local charity is helping with the costs to fix her aging teeth), so while we’re waiting for her to be done we stopped by Third Place Books and I found #TheShadowSister in stock! Signed it for the next lucky customer!
March 25, 2025 at 5:58 PM
Reposted by Kailey Steward
lilymeade.bsky.social
This is not a full update, but instead a quick one to inform you I was able to successfully schedule and complete the emergency dental surgery I needed yesterday morning. I’ll post a more detailed update after I heal, but I wanted to quickly thank you and let you know I’m on the way to recovery.
March 12, 2025 at 9:29 PM
Reposted by Kailey Steward
lilymeade.bsky.social
FIRST UPDATE: Wish I had better news. I’ve lost the last month of productivity to the consequences of a dental emergency and if I can’t come up with $1500 I’m going to get progressively worse until July. www.gofundme.com/f/ongoing-su... (Full text in update at link.) 1/2
March 1, 2025 at 10:43 PM
Reposted by Kailey Steward
lilymeade.bsky.social
I’ve launched a new fundraiser for ongoing support now that the purpose of our original fundraiser to “prepare” to be homeless is technically complete. This months update includes health concerns and continuing costs of poverty. gofund.me/c0cc5aa2 ♥️ Please share.
Donate to Ongoing Support for Homeless Family, organized by Mariah Lily Meade
Last April, I made a fundraiser called “Preparing to Become Homeless Again.” Aft… Mariah Lily Meade needs your support for Ongoing Support for Homeless Family
gofund.me
February 10, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Reposted by Kailey Steward
lilymeade.bsky.social
Happy PAPERBACK Book Birthday to #TheShadowSister! It should be available wherever you shop for books, but if you wish to support a local independent may I suggest GritCityBooks.com? I had a lovely chat with them today and hope to make their store my new home for signed copies.
February 4, 2025 at 7:55 PM
Reposted by Kailey Steward
lilymeade.bsky.social
A more lengthy housing update will come soon (I’ve had a rough January and have been under the weather), but I just wanted to make a quick update saying that I figured out how to accept PayPal donations without fees. I’ve updated my links: lily.la/paypal
February 4, 2025 at 3:13 AM
Reposted by Kailey Steward
jenniecoughlin.bsky.social
The New York attorney general, Letitia James, has warned New York hospitals that complying with the White House’s executive order to end gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth could well violate state law.
N.Y. Attorney General Warns Hospitals Against Canceling Transgender Care (Gift Article)
A White House executive order last week threatened to pull federal funding from hospitals that provide gender-affirming care. But not providing the care could violate state law, Letitia James said in ...
www.nytimes.com
February 3, 2025 at 4:54 PM
Reposted by Kailey Steward
maggietokudahall.bsky.social
This bill in OK is exactly what Project 2025 threatened: to make all pornography illegal, and criminalize the people who make it, using a WILDLY broad definition of pornography, which would include any book with sex in it.

We're talking jail time for romance authors.

oksenate.gov/press-releas...
Deevers Introduces Slate of Legislation to Restore Moral Sanity in Oklahoma | Oklahoma Senate
OKLAHOMA CITY — Sen. Dusty Deevers, R-Elgin, announced on Tuesday a bold slate of eight legislative measures aimed at restoring moral sanity in Oklahoma.
oksenate.gov
February 1, 2025 at 11:22 PM
Reposted by Kailey Steward
alechiadow.bsky.social
Hi! I’m Alechia Dow, author of: The Sound of Stars, The Kindred, A Song of Salvation, Just a Pinch of Magic, The Cookie Crumbles & Their Just Desserts with Tracy Badua & more to come. Please feel free to support my books this Black History Month and all the other months! bookshop.org/beta-search?...
A book display of my books
February 2, 2025 at 10:53 AM
Reposted by Kailey Steward
mychal3ts.bsky.social
When Congressman John Lewis was a child, he tried to get a library card. He was turned away & told “The Library is not for coloureds” 💔

He’s a civil rights icon, lover of books, recipient of the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature.

“The Library IS for Everyone” 💚
#BlackHistoryMonth
Mychal smiles in his “The Library is for Everyone” shirt from Out of Print clothing UNSTOPPABLE JOHN: How John Lewis Got His Library Card-and Helped Change History BY NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR PAT ZIETLOW MILLER, ILLUSTRATED BY JERRY JORDAN
February 1, 2025 at 2:22 PM
Reposted by Kailey Steward
tananarivedue.bsky.social
Black History is American History.
February 1, 2025 at 5:39 PM
Reposted by Kailey Steward
astrokatie.com
Quick reminder that if you see a headline from a source you’ve never heard of that isn’t being reported by anyone else, you really should do some due diligence before spreading it around as fact. There’s enough misinformation floating around already; no need to add more.
February 1, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Reposted by Kailey Steward
ezralevin.bsky.social
When I was a Hill staffer in 2009, a Dem trifecta was trying to pass universal healthcare. In response, Senate GOP released a memo detailing all of the tactics they in the minority could use to delay the effort as much as possible. I'm recirculating that 2009 GOP memo here. Take inspiration from it.
February 2, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Reposted by Kailey Steward
adora.blue
there’s a bill on the floor rn to outlaw gender affirming care for minors in washington, PLEASE go to this link and select "oppose." takes 30 sec. examples on stuff to say in thread!
app.leg.wa.gov/pbc/bill/1038
January 27, 2025 at 8:59 AM
kaileysteward.bsky.social
On the one hand I read the ne*l ga*man article and it disturbed me to my core and made me nauseas. On the other I got an arc of BURY OUR BONES IN THE MIDNIGHT SOIL and felt unparalleled joy. A lot of ups and downs today.
January 14, 2025 at 5:46 AM
Reposted by Kailey Steward
thelasagna.bsky.social
More Sylvia and Hawke art!! my birthday and Christmas present from @kaileysteward.bsky.social 😍😍 art by wordsbyholly on twitter
January 6, 2025 at 12:16 PM
kaileysteward.bsky.social
Putting myself on all your rob lists
An arc THE KNIGHT AND THE MOTH by Rachel Gillig on top of a grey pillow.
December 24, 2024 at 5:18 AM
Reposted by Kailey Steward
lilymeade.bsky.social
My accounting firm recently rebranded this year and have decided THE WEEK BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR, to let me go as a client to focus on bigger more important ones. If anyone has any Washington based accountants that work with authors, please let me know. I’m in emergent need.
December 21, 2024 at 12:58 AM