Susan Stinson
@susanstinson.bsky.social
Novelist. Author of Martha Moody, Spider in a Tree, and Venus of Chalk from Small Beer Press. Essays in The Contemporary Reader of Gender and Fat Studies and The Portable Feminist Reader. Triker. she/her.
Spider! One of my giggling eyes blew off and rolled ominously across the street though a Halloween parade.
November 1, 2025 at 12:32 AM
Spider! One of my giggling eyes blew off and rolled ominously across the street though a Halloween parade.
I'm excited to read Wreck, a sequel to Sandwich, both by Catherine Newman who always makes me laugh and cry in an utterly satisfying, clarifying way. She's reading tonight at 7 pm sponsored by the Odyssey Bookshop in South Hadley! Is anyone going from Northampton who could give me a ride?
![Photo is of me in my living room just now holding up my brand-spanking new copy of Wreck by New York Times Bestselling Author of Sandwich Catherine Newman's with its gorgeous autumn leaves oranges and New England porch house -- and Good Morning American Book Club sticker !!! -- and grinning.]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:ztzzxvxly5mhkswxebsu5gvg/bafkreialbqcssrnko5gn54ypdtmezvyvzksspgn5wr4ec23h57pa6b254q@jpeg)
October 28, 2025 at 2:11 PM
I'm excited to read Wreck, a sequel to Sandwich, both by Catherine Newman who always makes me laugh and cry in an utterly satisfying, clarifying way. She's reading tonight at 7 pm sponsored by the Odyssey Bookshop in South Hadley! Is anyone going from Northampton who could give me a ride?
I voted in my town's election! Plus I have a new bike helmet with a magnetic visor and a light. I keep banging my head on my bike handles wearing the old one and cracked it.
October 25, 2025 at 7:54 PM
I voted in my town's election! Plus I have a new bike helmet with a magnetic visor and a light. I keep banging my head on my bike handles wearing the old one and cracked it.
Venus and Leah as portrayed at Historic Northampton. In my novel Spider in a Tree, they are one woman. Some historians believe that to be true, but no one knows for sure. They were enslaved in the household of theologian and preacher Jonathan Edwards.
September 14, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Venus and Leah as portrayed at Historic Northampton. In my novel Spider in a Tree, they are one woman. Some historians believe that to be true, but no one knows for sure. They were enslaved in the household of theologian and preacher Jonathan Edwards.
Historic Northampton.
September 14, 2025 at 4:57 PM
Historic Northampton.
Buttons from the NAAFA fat feminist conference that Carrie organized for years. I had a t-shirt with this image on it, too.
July 13, 2025 at 12:41 AM
Buttons from the NAAFA fat feminist conference that Carrie organized for years. I had a t-shirt with this image on it, too.
Songbook from Carrie's memorial.
July 13, 2025 at 12:28 AM
Songbook from Carrie's memorial.
This by my old friend Judith Stein was on display at the memorial service for longtime activist Carrie Hemenway. Carrie's wonderful grandkids had been going through her papers. It was so moving to see it there.
July 13, 2025 at 12:23 AM
This by my old friend Judith Stein was on display at the memorial service for longtime activist Carrie Hemenway. Carrie's wonderful grandkids had been going through her papers. It was so moving to see it there.
Smiling at my friend at Real Women Have Curves. My vest is full of things like a baggie of peanuts for the train trip. The conductor had the whole car sing happy birthday to a fourteen year old. So good on so many levels to go see this show in NYC yesterday. Day trip, Western Mass!
June 19, 2025 at 4:11 PM
Smiling at my friend at Real Women Have Curves. My vest is full of things like a baggie of peanuts for the train trip. The conductor had the whole car sing happy birthday to a fourteen year old. So good on so many levels to go see this show in NYC yesterday. Day trip, Western Mass!
#Northamptonma turned out in a huge way. Couldn't hear the speakers except @sabadosama.bsky.social and @repmcgovern.bsky.social but had warm conversations with so many neighbors and strangers. People overflowed the park and danced and marched in the street.
June 14, 2025 at 5:27 PM
#Northamptonma turned out in a huge way. Couldn't hear the speakers except @sabadosama.bsky.social and @repmcgovern.bsky.social but had warm conversations with so many neighbors and strangers. People overflowed the park and danced and marched in the street.
I am back from seeing my family in Texas. Here's a picture of a tarantula in a garage. I also saw brown and green lizards, ostriches, and deer. Played the domino game 42. And was part of the beloved, mortal, messy family scrum.
June 6, 2025 at 12:35 PM
I am back from seeing my family in Texas. Here's a picture of a tarantula in a garage. I also saw brown and green lizards, ostriches, and deer. Played the domino game 42. And was part of the beloved, mortal, messy family scrum.
Look what I have! Spent by Alison Bechdel! Exciting coloring by Holly Rae Taylor!
May 19, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Look what I have! Spent by Alison Bechdel! Exciting coloring by Holly Rae Taylor!
Smith students have made biodegradable gnome homes in and around the botanical gardens. This one has dangling roots to get water from the air. There's a map to help find them and a gnome history on placards in the camelia corridor.
May 15, 2025 at 1:18 AM
Smith students have made biodegradable gnome homes in and around the botanical gardens. This one has dangling roots to get water from the air. There's a map to help find them and a gnome history on placards in the camelia corridor.
Yesterday at pride at the top of my street #Northamptonma #westernma
May 4, 2025 at 9:26 PM
Yesterday at pride at the top of my street #Northamptonma #westernma
Did anyone else memorize Recuerdo by Edna St Vicent Millay this week? It brought me joy.
May 2, 2025 at 8:04 PM
Did anyone else memorize Recuerdo by Edna St Vicent Millay this week? It brought me joy.
I love A Place of Our Own: Six Spaces That Shaped Queer Women's Culture by @junethomas.bsky.social . It's beautifully researched and written, affectionate, and smart about bars, bookstores, softball fields, lesbian land, sex-toy stores, vacation spots. Great for anyone who has gathered community. 💙📚
April 22, 2025 at 1:19 PM
I love A Place of Our Own: Six Spaces That Shaped Queer Women's Culture by @junethomas.bsky.social . It's beautifully researched and written, affectionate, and smart about bars, bookstores, softball fields, lesbian land, sex-toy stores, vacation spots. Great for anyone who has gathered community. 💙📚
I stopped waiting for a contributors copy and bought The Portable Feminist Reader from Booklink Books. Pleased.
April 15, 2025 at 7:42 PM
I stopped waiting for a contributors copy and bought The Portable Feminist Reader from Booklink Books. Pleased.
Friends and strangers, it is snowing in Northampton, MA.
April 12, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Friends and strangers, it is snowing in Northampton, MA.
My sign, which dripped and rippled in the rain.
April 5, 2025 at 5:51 PM
My sign, which dripped and rippled in the rain.
I love being on a train alongside a river.
March 19, 2025 at 12:17 PM
I love being on a train alongside a river.
Finally crocuses. Crocuses, finally. I hauled the kitty litter bucket full of salted sand from my steps to my trike storage space.
March 18, 2025 at 7:44 PM
Finally crocuses. Crocuses, finally. I hauled the kitty litter bucket full of salted sand from my steps to my trike storage space.
Born 64 years ago today. Ate a chilly breakfast outdoors with a friend. Then triked to city hall to drop my early ballot in the box to vote for Kamala Harris for president. And all. Our leaders are not going to save us. We have so much work to do. Bright fall sunlight. Heading back out to trike.
October 17, 2024 at 6:50 PM
Born 64 years ago today. Ate a chilly breakfast outdoors with a friend. Then triked to city hall to drop my early ballot in the box to vote for Kamala Harris for president. And all. Our leaders are not going to save us. We have so much work to do. Bright fall sunlight. Heading back out to trike.