usuallybats 🦇
@usuallyhats.bsky.social
"I go invisible out of sheer panic" (aroace nerd, usuallyhats pretty much everywhere, formerly shinyjenni)
Reposted by usuallybats 🦇
So I wrote two books. both are set in London, in winter, in 2021. One is an alternate future history, a sparse love story where a spad and civil servant work on Brexit together and fall unwillingly in love; the other is a sports anime, a post-pandemic f/f romance. here they both are:
November 10, 2025 at 9:18 PM
So I wrote two books. both are set in London, in winter, in 2021. One is an alternate future history, a sparse love story where a spad and civil servant work on Brexit together and fall unwillingly in love; the other is a sports anime, a post-pandemic f/f romance. here they both are:
oooooooh
Good news if you prefer print books - my Christmassy Welsh F/F romance novella All Is Bright is now available in paperback:
www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FYGLJ6CB
www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FYGLJ6CB
Bethan, dragged back to her home village, is desperate to escape before Christmas. Mali, grieving the loss of a friend, knows Christmas won't be the same this year. A misunderstanding starts them off on the wrong foot - but perhaps they're each just what the other needs?
Buy links in thread!
Buy links in thread!
October 30, 2025 at 6:31 PM
oooooooh
I had such a good time with this book!
Day 22 of my favourite Black authored books is King of Dead Things by Nevin Holness. This YA book explores a hidden magical London, a group of teenage misfits and Caribbean folklore. It’s one of my favourites!
October 23, 2025 at 1:04 PM
I had such a good time with this book!
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa new Frances Hardinge new Frances Hardinge!
I'm very happy to announce that my next novel TRAITORS' NEST will be published in July 2026 by Macmillan's imprint First Ink!
www.thebookseller.com/rights/first...
www.thebookseller.com/rights/first...
First Ink unveils award-winning Frances Hardinge’s YA historical fantasy
First Ink has acquired Traitors’ Nest, a historical YA fantasy novel by Frances Hardinge, the award-winning author of the Costa Book of the Year 2015, The Lie Tree.
www.thebookseller.com
October 23, 2025 at 10:03 AM
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa new Frances Hardinge new Frances Hardinge!
Yessssss what an excellent winner
Congratulations to Vajra Chandrasekera (@vajra.me), recipient of the 2025 Ursula K. Le Guin Prize for Fiction for Rakesfall!
Chandrasekera's book was chosen by authors Matt Bell, Indra Das, Kelly Link, Sequoia Nagamatsu, and Rebecca Roanhorse.
Chandrasekera's book was chosen by authors Matt Bell, Indra Das, Kelly Link, Sequoia Nagamatsu, and Rebecca Roanhorse.
October 21, 2025 at 4:56 PM
Yessssss what an excellent winner
Reposted by usuallybats 🦇
Bethan, dragged back to her home village, is desperate to escape before Christmas. Mali, grieving the loss of a friend, knows Christmas won't be the same this year. A misunderstanding starts them off on the wrong foot - but perhaps they're each just what the other needs?
Buy links in thread!
Buy links in thread!
October 18, 2025 at 1:28 PM
Bethan, dragged back to her home village, is desperate to escape before Christmas. Mali, grieving the loss of a friend, knows Christmas won't be the same this year. A misunderstanding starts them off on the wrong foot - but perhaps they're each just what the other needs?
Buy links in thread!
Buy links in thread!
Managed to get my covid jab despite a) the expense and b) Boots's love of rescheduling me 🥳
October 17, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Managed to get my covid jab despite a) the expense and b) Boots's love of rescheduling me 🥳
Tor removing their older ebooks from Kobo and then relisting them with the price hiked up is certainly a choice
October 16, 2025 at 2:38 PM
Tor removing their older ebooks from Kobo and then relisting them with the price hiked up is certainly a choice
...........I was TODAY YEARS OLD when I learned this
FINDING THE FOURTH, and this has really shaken me: this whole time, I thought "Highlander" was the thing there could only be one of. like, I thought the immortals were CALLED Highlanders. nope!! Duncan is the Highlander, in that he was born in the Scottish Highlands. my world is rocked.
October 15, 2025 at 7:47 PM
...........I was TODAY YEARS OLD when I learned this
Reposted by usuallybats 🦇
All Is Bright, my Christmassy F/F romance novella set in a little village in Wales, is out TODAY!
You can get it in these places and more:
Kobo: www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/...
Smashwords: www.smashwords.com/books/view/1...
AZ: www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FS4G5PKX
You can get it in these places and more:
Kobo: www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/...
Smashwords: www.smashwords.com/books/view/1...
AZ: www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FS4G5PKX
October 9, 2025 at 9:50 AM
All Is Bright, my Christmassy F/F romance novella set in a little village in Wales, is out TODAY!
You can get it in these places and more:
Kobo: www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/...
Smashwords: www.smashwords.com/books/view/1...
AZ: www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FS4G5PKX
You can get it in these places and more:
Kobo: www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/...
Smashwords: www.smashwords.com/books/view/1...
AZ: www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FS4G5PKX
Reposted by usuallybats 🦇
You Are Here: Nine More Stories—my collection of SF/fantasy shorts, some prev pubbed at Strange Horizons, BCS, etc & also a new novella abt growing up & queer devotion—plus witches, spaceships, romcoms, all you need. KJ Charles called it "absolutely outstanding" www.generalist.org.uk/iona/books-a...
October 6, 2025 at 11:42 AM
You Are Here: Nine More Stories—my collection of SF/fantasy shorts, some prev pubbed at Strange Horizons, BCS, etc & also a new novella abt growing up & queer devotion—plus witches, spaceships, romcoms, all you need. KJ Charles called it "absolutely outstanding" www.generalist.org.uk/iona/books-a...
Reposted by usuallybats 🦇
i'm delighted to have been able to review and recommend @llincathryn.bsky.social's upcoming f/f christmas novella for @lesbrary.bsky.social. out in a few days! find out where and why to buy: lesbrary.com/all-is-brigh...
A (Christmas) Light in the Darkness: All is Bright by Llinos Cathryn Thomas
lesbrary.com
October 5, 2025 at 7:58 PM
i'm delighted to have been able to review and recommend @llincathryn.bsky.social's upcoming f/f christmas novella for @lesbrary.bsky.social. out in a few days! find out where and why to buy: lesbrary.com/all-is-brigh...
Reposted by usuallybats 🦇
ICYMI: I wrote about the corporate-IP-ification of fanfic, and how heavily normative biases inflect what's being plucked out of fandom for big fancy book deals.
"Feed fanfic into capitalism, and it comes out shaped like capitalism."
@readingtheend.bsky.social dissects the trend pulling fanfiction through the traditional publishing pipeline (and what it means for fandom):
reactormag.com/with-the-ser...
@readingtheend.bsky.social dissects the trend pulling fanfiction through the traditional publishing pipeline (and what it means for fandom):
reactormag.com/with-the-ser...
With the Serial Numbers Filed Off: The Problem with Trad Pub Fanfic - Reactor
Jenny Hamilton looks closer at three Dramione fics-turned-novels publishing this year.
reactormag.com
September 24, 2025 at 8:19 PM
ICYMI: I wrote about the corporate-IP-ification of fanfic, and how heavily normative biases inflect what's being plucked out of fandom for big fancy book deals.
This is a wonderful novella, and I strongly recommend reading it advent-calendar style!
My cosy Welsh Christmas F/F romance novella, All Is Bright, is out on October 9 and available to preorder right now!
It's got one chapter per day from December 1-25, so you can read advent calendar-style, or just inhale it all at once.
books2read.com/u/b6E0y0
It's got one chapter per day from December 1-25, so you can read advent calendar-style, or just inhale it all at once.
books2read.com/u/b6E0y0
September 23, 2025 at 7:51 PM
This is a wonderful novella, and I strongly recommend reading it advent-calendar style!
Reposted by usuallybats 🦇
ahhh! this little book is one I'm very fond of.
Today's #SapphicSeptember rec:
Blood Sweat Glitter by @singlecrow.bsky.social
Roller derby captain Eleanor is desperately trying to hold her team together, ditzy new jammer Robin is getting on her last nerve. Autumn-into-winter vibes, taking care of each other when times are hard, so much skating!
Blood Sweat Glitter by @singlecrow.bsky.social
Roller derby captain Eleanor is desperately trying to hold her team together, ditzy new jammer Robin is getting on her last nerve. Autumn-into-winter vibes, taking care of each other when times are hard, so much skating!
September 12, 2025 at 6:50 PM
ahhh! this little book is one I'm very fond of.
This is SUCH a great comic, I really loved it
Today's #SapphicSeptember rec:
Cosmoknights, by @hannahtempler.com
I'm obsessed with this graphic novel series in which hired fighters take part in futuristic jousts to win princesses for their employers. Spaceships! Fighting the patriarchy! Everyone is queer and hot! Big feelings! Gorgeous art!
Cosmoknights, by @hannahtempler.com
I'm obsessed with this graphic novel series in which hired fighters take part in futuristic jousts to win princesses for their employers. Spaceships! Fighting the patriarchy! Everyone is queer and hot! Big feelings! Gorgeous art!
September 4, 2025 at 11:12 AM
This is SUCH a great comic, I really loved it
I loved this novella, highly recommended!
I'm so excited to have a book in the @narratess.com Indie Book Sale for the first time!
My F/F fantasy romance novella A Duet for Invisible Strings is in the sale alongside a ton of other fantastic books:
indiebook.sale
My F/F fantasy romance novella A Duet for Invisible Strings is in the sale alongside a ton of other fantastic books:
indiebook.sale
August 23, 2025 at 10:46 AM
I loved this novella, highly recommended!
Reposted by usuallybats 🦇
I think it's really worth shouting out that the first 2 people to withdraw were black debut authors (Mae Diansangu followed by Jason Okundaye). They both had some of the most to lose by doing so before others did, and yet they did anyway. I'm grateful to all who withdrew, but to them especially.
Look at that solidarity gets the goods
August 18, 2025 at 10:16 AM
I think it's really worth shouting out that the first 2 people to withdraw were black debut authors (Mae Diansangu followed by Jason Okundaye). They both had some of the most to lose by doing so before others did, and yet they did anyway. I'm grateful to all who withdrew, but to them especially.
Reposted by usuallybats 🦇
This is, at scale, unenforceable. But it will cause real harm. The stress and fear, every time not knowing if this is the time you'll be targeted. Enduring physical harm by not using the bathroom if you need to; avoiding water, food. Or simply not going out, ever. Which is, of course, the point.
🚨 BREAKING | Labour is set to impose a sweeping ban on trans people using any "single-sex space".
In EHRC guidance that Labour is set to approve, trans people will be barred from accessing toilets, gyms and changing rooms that match their gender.
(Source: @TheTimes)
In EHRC guidance that Labour is set to approve, trans people will be barred from accessing toilets, gyms and changing rooms that match their gender.
(Source: @TheTimes)
August 9, 2025 at 8:28 AM
This is, at scale, unenforceable. But it will cause real harm. The stress and fear, every time not knowing if this is the time you'll be targeted. Enduring physical harm by not using the bathroom if you need to; avoiding water, food. Or simply not going out, ever. Which is, of course, the point.
Reposted by usuallybats 🦇
Poor @usuallyhats.bsky.social and I are laid low by a summer cold, any takers?? @hartknyx.katlings.net?
July 31, 2025 at 12:20 PM
Poor @usuallyhats.bsky.social and I are laid low by a summer cold, any takers?? @hartknyx.katlings.net?
Got London tickets, now I need a lie down 😂
BEACON BITS ARE FIRST IN LINE FOR THE EU AND UK 🔮 🎟️
The BEACON exclusive pre-sale for next year's legendary #EchoesOfExandria LIVE shows in London, Edinburgh, and Berlin is begin - use your membership codes to unlock advanced tickets and be the first to join us live next year!
The BEACON exclusive pre-sale for next year's legendary #EchoesOfExandria LIVE shows in London, Edinburgh, and Berlin is begin - use your membership codes to unlock advanced tickets and be the first to join us live next year!
July 22, 2025 at 7:37 AM
Got London tickets, now I need a lie down 😂
Just a normal evening in the house of space ballet
Poor @usuallyhats.bsky.social: *hanging out, minding her own business*
Me, at the top of my lungs: 🎤🎼 If I could TUUUUUUURN back TIIIIIIIME 🎵🎶
Me, at the top of my lungs: 🎤🎼 If I could TUUUUUUURN back TIIIIIIIME 🎵🎶
July 17, 2025 at 9:40 PM
Just a normal evening in the house of space ballet
I have read them once, ten years ago, so I don't have much to contribute, but I'm having a lovely time 😂
(I’m doing a full Realm of the Elderlings reread. It is consuming my soul and I’m coping by inflicting @usuallyhats.bsky.social with my piping hot takes on a saga that finished sometime last decade 😂)
July 15, 2025 at 10:41 AM
I have read them once, ten years ago, so I don't have much to contribute, but I'm having a lovely time 😂