Mahmud El Sayed
@mahmudelsayed.bsky.social
Writer | SFF | Arabfuturist | BSFA | Codex | Debut THE REPUBLIC OF MEMORY out in 2026 from Gollancz & Saga Press
Pinned
Arabfuturism is coming! It's THE REPUBLIC OF MEMORY cover reveal day. Don't ask me which one I like more. They're both epic! (It's Gollancz on the left and Saga Press on the right 🫡)
BBC News impartiality: Being hated by both the left and the right.
November 11, 2025 at 2:33 AM
BBC News impartiality: Being hated by both the left and the right.
"A vibe."
Definition: Writing sci-fi hardboiled detective fiction while listening to Art Pepper.
Definition: Writing sci-fi hardboiled detective fiction while listening to Art Pepper.
November 10, 2025 at 3:25 PM
"A vibe."
Definition: Writing sci-fi hardboiled detective fiction while listening to Art Pepper.
Definition: Writing sci-fi hardboiled detective fiction while listening to Art Pepper.
My favourite example of onomatopoeia is from Sayed Darwish's famous Arabic song 'El Halwa Di.'
و الديك بينده كو كو كو كو بالفجرية
And the rooster crows, 'Kou kou kou kou' at dawn.
What is yours?
و الديك بينده كو كو كو كو بالفجرية
And the rooster crows, 'Kou kou kou kou' at dawn.
What is yours?
November 9, 2025 at 10:50 PM
My favourite example of onomatopoeia is from Sayed Darwish's famous Arabic song 'El Halwa Di.'
و الديك بينده كو كو كو كو بالفجرية
And the rooster crows, 'Kou kou kou kou' at dawn.
What is yours?
و الديك بينده كو كو كو كو بالفجرية
And the rooster crows, 'Kou kou kou kou' at dawn.
What is yours?
It's still just about Caturday and I wanted to share Mew's new perching spot. Listening to her pur while I write is very relaxing. (Wall notes have been redacted for 'nunya' reasons 🧐)
November 8, 2025 at 8:12 PM
It's still just about Caturday and I wanted to share Mew's new perching spot. Listening to her pur while I write is very relaxing. (Wall notes have been redacted for 'nunya' reasons 🧐)
Han Solo: Jaba, you're a wonderful human being.
Non-Star Wars nerd: That's a funny line.
Me, Star Wars nerd extraordinaire, gleefully rubbing my hands together: Welllllll you see in the original...
Non-Star Wars nerd: That's a funny line.
Me, Star Wars nerd extraordinaire, gleefully rubbing my hands together: Welllllll you see in the original...
November 8, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Han Solo: Jaba, you're a wonderful human being.
Non-Star Wars nerd: That's a funny line.
Me, Star Wars nerd extraordinaire, gleefully rubbing my hands together: Welllllll you see in the original...
Non-Star Wars nerd: That's a funny line.
Me, Star Wars nerd extraordinaire, gleefully rubbing my hands together: Welllllll you see in the original...
Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy N7 Day! Now, I should go.
November 7, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy N7 Day! Now, I should go.
Wonderful to hold a translation of a story I wrote in my hands. 'Ihr Körper, das Schiff.' Respect to all the translators 🫡
November 6, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Wonderful to hold a translation of a story I wrote in my hands. 'Ihr Körper, das Schiff.' Respect to all the translators 🫡
Reposted by Mahmud El Sayed
✨It's Double Publication Day!✨
If you like science fantasy, folklore with a twist, digital ghosts, nature having opinions, and ghost cats/orcas living their best lives please do give these books a go?
geni.us/weallghostsPB
geni.us/saltorac
@solarisbooks.bsky.social
If you like science fantasy, folklore with a twist, digital ghosts, nature having opinions, and ghost cats/orcas living their best lives please do give these books a go?
geni.us/weallghostsPB
geni.us/saltorac
@solarisbooks.bsky.social
November 6, 2025 at 12:03 PM
✨It's Double Publication Day!✨
If you like science fantasy, folklore with a twist, digital ghosts, nature having opinions, and ghost cats/orcas living their best lives please do give these books a go?
geni.us/weallghostsPB
geni.us/saltorac
@solarisbooks.bsky.social
If you like science fantasy, folklore with a twist, digital ghosts, nature having opinions, and ghost cats/orcas living their best lives please do give these books a go?
geni.us/weallghostsPB
geni.us/saltorac
@solarisbooks.bsky.social
Turn the volume up! - New York Mayor-elect Zohan Mamdani 🫡
November 5, 2025 at 9:09 AM
Turn the volume up! - New York Mayor-elect Zohan Mamdani 🫡
That feeling when you leave your tomato stalks on your kitchen counter and then come back later and scare yourself.
November 4, 2025 at 5:16 PM
That feeling when you leave your tomato stalks on your kitchen counter and then come back later and scare yourself.
From one Muslim socialist to another, crossing my fingers for @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social in the New York mayoral election tomorrow. 🤞
November 3, 2025 at 6:48 PM
From one Muslim socialist to another, crossing my fingers for @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social in the New York mayoral election tomorrow. 🤞
Randomly watching Terry Gilliam's Brazil and realising, oh, this is an Influence.
November 2, 2025 at 9:11 PM
Randomly watching Terry Gilliam's Brazil and realising, oh, this is an Influence.
I want more movies to have a character say, "I listened to a podcast once and they called it MOVIE NAME" like in A House of Dynamite.
"I listened to a podcast once and they called it... Snakes on a Plane."
"I listened to a podcast once and they called it... Snakes on a Plane."
November 2, 2025 at 9:48 AM
I want more movies to have a character say, "I listened to a podcast once and they called it MOVIE NAME" like in A House of Dynamite.
"I listened to a podcast once and they called it... Snakes on a Plane."
"I listened to a podcast once and they called it... Snakes on a Plane."
"Call me Ismail. Some lightyears ago–never mind how many–having little or no credits in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on-planet, I thought I would space-travel about a little and see this part of the universe."
October 31, 2025 at 4:31 PM
"Call me Ismail. Some lightyears ago–never mind how many–having little or no credits in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on-planet, I thought I would space-travel about a little and see this part of the universe."
Globalise the Moussaka! Eggplant for all!
October 30, 2025 at 12:13 PM
Globalise the Moussaka! Eggplant for all!
I'm not a Hollywood investor. I don't care whether movies make money or not. One Battle After Another was the best movie I've seen this year.
October 29, 2025 at 4:12 PM
I'm not a Hollywood investor. I don't care whether movies make money or not. One Battle After Another was the best movie I've seen this year.
(translating The Clash's 'London Calling' into Arabic and then back again)
London calls to the distant towns
War has been declared and battle descends
London calls to the underworld
Emerge from your treasuries oh you boys and girls
London calls to the distant towns
War has been declared and battle descends
London calls to the underworld
Emerge from your treasuries oh you boys and girls
October 27, 2025 at 3:06 PM
(translating The Clash's 'London Calling' into Arabic and then back again)
London calls to the distant towns
War has been declared and battle descends
London calls to the underworld
Emerge from your treasuries oh you boys and girls
London calls to the distant towns
War has been declared and battle descends
London calls to the underworld
Emerge from your treasuries oh you boys and girls
My mum calls Downton 'Downtown Abbey' and it gives the show a whole different vibe.
October 26, 2025 at 4:07 PM
My mum calls Downton 'Downtown Abbey' and it gives the show a whole different vibe.
Everywhere I go... I see her face... Even Comic Con.
October 26, 2025 at 12:26 PM
Everywhere I go... I see her face... Even Comic Con.
(translating The Beatles 'Get Back' into Arabic and then back again)
Jojo was a man who thought he was lonely
But he knew that wouldn’t last
Jojo left his house in Tucson, Arizona
Searching for some California herb
Return, Return,
Return to the place where you previously belonged
Jojo was a man who thought he was lonely
But he knew that wouldn’t last
Jojo left his house in Tucson, Arizona
Searching for some California herb
Return, Return,
Return to the place where you previously belonged
October 25, 2025 at 10:45 PM
(translating The Beatles 'Get Back' into Arabic and then back again)
Jojo was a man who thought he was lonely
But he knew that wouldn’t last
Jojo left his house in Tucson, Arizona
Searching for some California herb
Return, Return,
Return to the place where you previously belonged
Jojo was a man who thought he was lonely
But he knew that wouldn’t last
Jojo left his house in Tucson, Arizona
Searching for some California herb
Return, Return,
Return to the place where you previously belonged
Arabfuturism is coming! It's THE REPUBLIC OF MEMORY cover reveal day. Don't ask me which one I like more. They're both epic! (It's Gollancz on the left and Saga Press on the right 🫡)
October 22, 2025 at 4:38 PM
Arabfuturism is coming! It's THE REPUBLIC OF MEMORY cover reveal day. Don't ask me which one I like more. They're both epic! (It's Gollancz on the left and Saga Press on the right 🫡)
Daniel Jackson losing his shit rn
A 3,300 year-old Egyptian-Akkadian vocabulary from Amarna, with Egyptian words written in cuneiform
ši-na-aḫ=šnꜥ (unit of weight)
ši-na-aḫ-wu₄=šnꜥwj (dual of šnꜥ)
ḫa-am-tu₄ šu-nu-uḫ=ḫmtw šnꜥw (three šnꜥ)
…
na-ab-na-su=nꜣ bnšw (the doorposts)
DU-as-bu=tꜣ jsbt (the chair)
pa-ḫa-tu₄=pꜣ ḥꜥtj (the bed)
ši-na-aḫ=šnꜥ (unit of weight)
ši-na-aḫ-wu₄=šnꜥwj (dual of šnꜥ)
ḫa-am-tu₄ šu-nu-uḫ=ḫmtw šnꜥw (three šnꜥ)
…
na-ab-na-su=nꜣ bnšw (the doorposts)
DU-as-bu=tꜣ jsbt (the chair)
pa-ḫa-tu₄=pꜣ ḥꜥtj (the bed)
October 20, 2025 at 8:05 AM
Daniel Jackson losing his shit rn
The duality of cat
October 18, 2025 at 2:09 PM
The duality of cat
(translating The Beatles 'I am the Walrus' into Arabic and then back again)
Semolina sardine scaling the Eiffel Tower
Primary penguin singing Hari Krishna
Oh man, it was incumbent on you to watch them kicking Edgar Alan Poe
I am the man of eggs, you are the man of eggs
I am the Walrus
Semolina sardine scaling the Eiffel Tower
Primary penguin singing Hari Krishna
Oh man, it was incumbent on you to watch them kicking Edgar Alan Poe
I am the man of eggs, you are the man of eggs
I am the Walrus
October 16, 2025 at 2:00 AM
(translating The Beatles 'I am the Walrus' into Arabic and then back again)
Semolina sardine scaling the Eiffel Tower
Primary penguin singing Hari Krishna
Oh man, it was incumbent on you to watch them kicking Edgar Alan Poe
I am the man of eggs, you are the man of eggs
I am the Walrus
Semolina sardine scaling the Eiffel Tower
Primary penguin singing Hari Krishna
Oh man, it was incumbent on you to watch them kicking Edgar Alan Poe
I am the man of eggs, you are the man of eggs
I am the Walrus
For purely Pynchonian reasons, when I want Mew to get off the kitchen table, I say:
a man in a suit and tie is looking over his shoulder at the camera .
ALT: a man in a suit and tie is looking over his shoulder at the camera .
media.tenor.com
October 15, 2025 at 7:14 PM
For purely Pynchonian reasons, when I want Mew to get off the kitchen table, I say: