Val Nolan
@vallescurarule.bsky.social
Co-author of Spec Fic for Newbies 1 & 2; author of Neil Jordan: Works for the Page; Sturgeon/BSFA/BFA finalist; Locus Rec List; articles in Irish Uni Review, symplokē, Science Fiction Studies, Irish Studies Review, JGNC; fiction in many venues... He/Him
Pinned
Val Nolan
@vallescurarule.bsky.social
· Oct 23
My three book projects together 😀 Neil Jordan: Works for the Page from Cork University Press, and Spec Fic for Newbies: A Beginner's Guide to Writing Subgenres of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror vols. 1 & 2, co-authored with @tiffaniangus.bsky.social, available from @lunapress.bsky.social!
Watching the new Vince Gilligan show in the west of Ireland and at the end of every episode just *barely* resisting the urge to say pluribualadh bos 😂
December 5, 2025 at 7:54 PM
Watching the new Vince Gilligan show in the west of Ireland and at the end of every episode just *barely* resisting the urge to say pluribualadh bos 😂
Difficult not to feel that a huge amount of the online pearl-clutching about the Starfleet Academy poster is rooted in petty trollish hatred of young people imagined as happy and living their best lives. It's honestly sad to see these reactions. Starfleet Academy looks like it'll be a great show! 🖖
December 5, 2025 at 12:09 PM
Difficult not to feel that a huge amount of the online pearl-clutching about the Starfleet Academy poster is rooted in petty trollish hatred of young people imagined as happy and living their best lives. It's honestly sad to see these reactions. Starfleet Academy looks like it'll be a great show! 🖖
The people who have pre-emptively decided that Star Trek Academy sucks could, you know, just not watch it. Classic Trek like 'Spock’s Brain', 'Threshold', and 'Spirit Folk' will always be there for them.
December 5, 2025 at 9:24 AM
The people who have pre-emptively decided that Star Trek Academy sucks could, you know, just not watch it. Classic Trek like 'Spock’s Brain', 'Threshold', and 'Spirit Folk' will always be there for them.
An ABBA biopic but one of them is a werewolf. It's never explained. It's not the focus of the story. It's just part of the tapestry of their lives. Everyone simply accepts it.
December 4, 2025 at 11:16 AM
An ABBA biopic but one of them is a werewolf. It's never explained. It's not the focus of the story. It's just part of the tapestry of their lives. Everyone simply accepts it.
Reposted by Val Nolan
It's that time of the year again, so I'm bringing back one of my all-time posts from the other place.
Gift responsibly, people.
Gift responsibly, people.
December 3, 2025 at 8:28 PM
It's that time of the year again, so I'm bringing back one of my all-time posts from the other place.
Gift responsibly, people.
Gift responsibly, people.
Reposted by Val Nolan
A propos of absolutely nada: Star Trek Picard is surprisingly entertaining. Much darker than Roddenberry would have liked no doubt and peppered with profanity, but it doesn't hesitate to go real dark and explore the human condition. Eschews binary good vs. evil. Nice surprise!
#startrek
#startrek
December 3, 2025 at 5:37 AM
A propos of absolutely nada: Star Trek Picard is surprisingly entertaining. Much darker than Roddenberry would have liked no doubt and peppered with profanity, but it doesn't hesitate to go real dark and explore the human condition. Eschews binary good vs. evil. Nice surprise!
#startrek
#startrek
Reposted by Val Nolan
Also if you want to give JKR a black eye Fight Like A Girl 2 is relentlessly trans positive, has a bunch of trans authors in it and is published by a trans-owned company, and we ain't going anywhere....
www.amazon.co.uk/Fight-Like-G...
www.amazon.co.uk/Fight-Like-G...
Fight Like A Girl: Volume 2: Amazon.co.uk: McKenna, Juliet E, Smith Spark, Anna, Ware, Danie, Sebold, Gaie, Morgan, Lou, Garland, Dolly, Davies, K T, Morgan, Cheryl, Clarke, Roz, Hall, Joanne, Bond, C...
Buy Fight Like A Girl: Volume 2 by McKenna, Juliet E, Smith Spark, Anna, Ware, Danie, Sebold, Gaie, Morgan, Lou, Garland, Dolly, Davies, K T, Morgan, Cheryl, Clarke, Roz, Hall, Joanne, Bond, Charlotte...
www.amazon.co.uk
December 3, 2025 at 11:37 AM
Also if you want to give JKR a black eye Fight Like A Girl 2 is relentlessly trans positive, has a bunch of trans authors in it and is published by a trans-owned company, and we ain't going anywhere....
www.amazon.co.uk/Fight-Like-G...
www.amazon.co.uk/Fight-Like-G...
Reposted by Val Nolan
I hope someone draws this wonderful story about Tom Stoppard's Arcadia and the power of the arts to help us see things differently, to the attention of our Education Secretary. Do read it, it will lift your spirits.
December 2, 2025 at 10:59 AM
I hope someone draws this wonderful story about Tom Stoppard's Arcadia and the power of the arts to help us see things differently, to the attention of our Education Secretary. Do read it, it will lift your spirits.
Well this looks super interesting! Full details in thread 👇
#CFP Red Alert!
We are organizing an international #symposium on #StarTrek in September 2026 in Paris, for the 60th anniversary of the franchise. 🖖
We are pleased to announce that Dr. @smittermeier.bsky.social will deliver the keynote address of the symposium!
We are organizing an international #symposium on #StarTrek in September 2026 in Paris, for the 60th anniversary of the franchise. 🖖
We are pleased to announce that Dr. @smittermeier.bsky.social will deliver the keynote address of the symposium!
November 30, 2025 at 12:39 PM
Well this looks super interesting! Full details in thread 👇
Reposted by Val Nolan
The death of browsing is part of the reason art is the way it is now. Our opinions are largely fed to us by algorithms. Spending a spare 15 minutes wandering around a bookstore or comic shop or video rental place was how you found stuff you wouldn't ordinarily pick up and thereby expanded your taste
Bookselling is like the most "people go to the store and buy what looks cool to them without a particular agenda" type business left, and your purchases have a huge influence on what is ordered, what is displayed, and what is recommended.
November 29, 2025 at 6:44 PM
The death of browsing is part of the reason art is the way it is now. Our opinions are largely fed to us by algorithms. Spending a spare 15 minutes wandering around a bookstore or comic shop or video rental place was how you found stuff you wouldn't ordinarily pick up and thereby expanded your taste
Reposted by Val Nolan
I am SO EXCITED to share this Fifth Saturday extra: @annleckie.com and @byzantienne.bsky.social in conversation about questions of empire and imperialism in their respective novels.
Read it now: www.speculativeinsight.com/extras/leckie-and-martine
Read it now: www.speculativeinsight.com/extras/leckie-and-martine
Ann Leckie and Arkady Martine: in conversation — Speculative Insight
Ann Leckie and Arkady Martine have both written novels that focus on empires, imperialism, and colonialism, and how people react to and work within those structures. I asked them to chat with me, a...
www.speculativeinsight.com
November 28, 2025 at 8:47 PM
I am SO EXCITED to share this Fifth Saturday extra: @annleckie.com and @byzantienne.bsky.social in conversation about questions of empire and imperialism in their respective novels.
Read it now: www.speculativeinsight.com/extras/leckie-and-martine
Read it now: www.speculativeinsight.com/extras/leckie-and-martine
Ramin Djawadi soundtracks make for awesome background music when editing 😀
November 29, 2025 at 2:38 PM
Ramin Djawadi soundtracks make for awesome background music when editing 😀
I did also briefly consider "Doctor Who (∞-∞)" 😂
Me, an academic: "Doctor Who (1963-∞)"
November 29, 2025 at 10:07 AM
I did also briefly consider "Doctor Who (∞-∞)" 😂
Thread 😀 👇
Having first journeyed through Tolkien fan art - for reasons that are Mysterious - I have graduated to music, and have spent today listening to various fan version of "Old Tom Bombadil". Join me in a journey through my discoveries!
November 28, 2025 at 1:37 PM
Thread 😀 👇
Reposted by Val Nolan
Morning Bluesky.
November 28, 2025 at 8:50 AM
Morning Bluesky.
Reposted by Val Nolan
Just a reminder, as driven home by this medical study I am participating in: the expectation of people with suppressed immune systems is that they are *STILL* shielding most of the time. I am, basically. This never ended "after" Covid for some people (including me).
November 28, 2025 at 10:18 AM
Just a reminder, as driven home by this medical study I am participating in: the expectation of people with suppressed immune systems is that they are *STILL* shielding most of the time. I am, basically. This never ended "after" Covid for some people (including me).
Reposted by Val Nolan
Finally the research has been published to prove that wild cat (Felis silvestris) lived in Ireland 5,500 years ago. Many claims over the years but the backup genetics was needed and a good number of bones have been recovered to provide enough material www.rte.ie/news/munster...
Wildcat bones found in Co Clare dated to 5,500 years ago
The first directly dated wildcat bones found in Ireland have been identified, confirming that the species inhabited the island more than 5,500 years ago.
www.rte.ie
November 28, 2025 at 7:51 AM
Finally the research has been published to prove that wild cat (Felis silvestris) lived in Ireland 5,500 years ago. Many claims over the years but the backup genetics was needed and a good number of bones have been recovered to provide enough material www.rte.ie/news/munster...
Agreed. I'm unapologetic about my love for it 😀
2010 is a great sci-fi movie, and a wonderful sequel - because it's different.
November 27, 2025 at 9:39 PM
Agreed. I'm unapologetic about my love for it 😀
Reposted by Val Nolan
My ranking of Star Wars films, from best to worst:
The Seven Samurai
The Wrath of Khan
The Magnificent Seven
Coriolanus
The Big Sleep
King Lear
Harold And Kumar Go To White Castle
Star Wars
The Seven Samurai
The Wrath of Khan
The Magnificent Seven
Coriolanus
The Big Sleep
King Lear
Harold And Kumar Go To White Castle
Star Wars
November 27, 2025 at 5:17 AM
My ranking of Star Wars films, from best to worst:
The Seven Samurai
The Wrath of Khan
The Magnificent Seven
Coriolanus
The Big Sleep
King Lear
Harold And Kumar Go To White Castle
Star Wars
The Seven Samurai
The Wrath of Khan
The Magnificent Seven
Coriolanus
The Big Sleep
King Lear
Harold And Kumar Go To White Castle
Star Wars
Reposted by Val Nolan
PROMOTE YOUR BOOKS! EVERYONE WANTS TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR PUBLISHED BOOKS!
gonna be reposting your books because hoo you made a book!
books2read.com/u/mVLQgp
gonna be reposting your books because hoo you made a book!
books2read.com/u/mVLQgp
November 27, 2025 at 9:32 AM
PROMOTE YOUR BOOKS! EVERYONE WANTS TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR PUBLISHED BOOKS!
gonna be reposting your books because hoo you made a book!
books2read.com/u/mVLQgp
gonna be reposting your books because hoo you made a book!
books2read.com/u/mVLQgp
Reposted by Val Nolan
Found an old bookmark 👀
October 20, 2025 at 8:24 AM
Found an old bookmark 👀
Reposted by Val Nolan
PROMOTE YOUR BOOKS! EVERYONE WANTS TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR PUBLISHED BOOKS!
gonna be reposting your books because hoo you made a book!
👉 mitpress.mit.edu/978026255074...
👉 Open Access: doi.org/10.7551/mitp...
#booksky 📚
gonna be reposting your books because hoo you made a book!
👉 mitpress.mit.edu/978026255074...
👉 Open Access: doi.org/10.7551/mitp...
#booksky 📚
November 26, 2025 at 10:56 PM
PROMOTE YOUR BOOKS! EVERYONE WANTS TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR PUBLISHED BOOKS!
gonna be reposting your books because hoo you made a book!
👉 mitpress.mit.edu/978026255074...
👉 Open Access: doi.org/10.7551/mitp...
#booksky 📚
gonna be reposting your books because hoo you made a book!
👉 mitpress.mit.edu/978026255074...
👉 Open Access: doi.org/10.7551/mitp...
#booksky 📚
Reposted by Val Nolan
I feel like my covid book baby about manifestos (in the form of a manifesto) didn’t get the wild acclaim it so clearly deserves ;)
November 26, 2025 at 11:24 PM
I feel like my covid book baby about manifestos (in the form of a manifesto) didn’t get the wild acclaim it so clearly deserves ;)
Reposted by Val Nolan
Coming soon! (I just wrote a chapter, but very excited about this project)
www.bloomsbury.com/uk/esoteric-...
www.bloomsbury.com/uk/esoteric-...
November 27, 2025 at 12:59 AM
Coming soon! (I just wrote a chapter, but very excited about this project)
www.bloomsbury.com/uk/esoteric-...
www.bloomsbury.com/uk/esoteric-...
PROMOTE YOUR BOOKS! EVERYONE WANTS TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR PUBLISHED BOOKS!
gonna be reposting your books because hoo you made a book!
www.lunapresspublishing.com/product-page...
gonna be reposting your books because hoo you made a book!
www.lunapresspublishing.com/product-page...
November 27, 2025 at 9:31 AM
PROMOTE YOUR BOOKS! EVERYONE WANTS TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR PUBLISHED BOOKS!
gonna be reposting your books because hoo you made a book!
www.lunapresspublishing.com/product-page...
gonna be reposting your books because hoo you made a book!
www.lunapresspublishing.com/product-page...