William Shaw
@williamshaw.bsky.social
Ludicrous Care Bear.
Bylines at Strange Horizons, The Georgia Review, Daily Science Fiction, and others.
Blog: https://williamshawwriter.wordpress.com/
Bylines at Strange Horizons, The Georgia Review, Daily Science Fiction, and others.
Blog: https://williamshawwriter.wordpress.com/
Pinned
William Shaw
@williamshaw.bsky.social
· May 30
Neither Girls Nor Friends: the Artificial Woman in American Science Fiction
How might we conceptualise an AI girlfriend who is neither girl, nor friend, but comrade?
strangehorizons.com
In which I talk Lester del Rey, Chan Davis, Ira Levin, Sylvia Plath, Rachel Ingalls, Sierra Greer, and... Cliff Richard.
Also, tradwives!
Find out what they all have in common:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
Also, tradwives!
Find out what they all have in common:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
Reposted by William Shaw
I will stop plugging this essay when it stops being relevant.
Find out about the history of the "AI Lover" as a science fictional concept, and the troubling history of the fantasy tech bros want to sell us:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
Find out about the history of the "AI Lover" as a science fictional concept, and the troubling history of the fantasy tech bros want to sell us:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
Neither Girls Nor Friends: the Artificial Woman in American Science Fiction
How might we conceptualise an AI girlfriend who is neither girl, nor friend, but comrade?
strangehorizons.com
July 22, 2025 at 3:10 PM
I will stop plugging this essay when it stops being relevant.
Find out about the history of the "AI Lover" as a science fictional concept, and the troubling history of the fantasy tech bros want to sell us:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
Find out about the history of the "AI Lover" as a science fictional concept, and the troubling history of the fantasy tech bros want to sell us:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
Reposted by William Shaw
In which I talk Lester del Rey, Chan Davis, Ira Levin, Sylvia Plath, Rachel Ingalls, Sierra Greer, and... Cliff Richard.
Also, tradwives!
Find out what they all have in common:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
Also, tradwives!
Find out what they all have in common:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
Neither Girls Nor Friends: the Artificial Woman in American Science Fiction
How might we conceptualise an AI girlfriend who is neither girl, nor friend, but comrade?
strangehorizons.com
May 30, 2025 at 3:23 PM
In which I talk Lester del Rey, Chan Davis, Ira Levin, Sylvia Plath, Rachel Ingalls, Sierra Greer, and... Cliff Richard.
Also, tradwives!
Find out what they all have in common:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
Also, tradwives!
Find out what they all have in common:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
My short story, 'Commuter Special,' was just published in Hawthorn and Ash!
Check it out over here:
ironfaeriepublishing.com/2025/10/06/h...
Check it out over here:
ironfaeriepublishing.com/2025/10/06/h...
Hawthorn & Ash #128
Welcome to this week’s installment of many micro stories, ranging in length from 100 words to 500 words. With each story we hope to deliver a little whimsy into the lives of our readers. COMM…
ironfaeriepublishing.com
October 7, 2025 at 1:00 PM
My short story, 'Commuter Special,' was just published in Hawthorn and Ash!
Check it out over here:
ironfaeriepublishing.com/2025/10/06/h...
Check it out over here:
ironfaeriepublishing.com/2025/10/06/h...
Reposted by William Shaw
Uncertain Sons and Other Stories by Thomas Ha
reviewed by William Shaw
Will This Be A Problem? The Anthology: Issue V edited by Olivia Kidula & Somto Ihezue
reviewed by Amritesh Mukherjee
Gifted & Talented by Olivie Blake
reviewed by Subham Rai
Link to latest issue in bio!
#bookreviews
reviewed by William Shaw
Will This Be A Problem? The Anthology: Issue V edited by Olivia Kidula & Somto Ihezue
reviewed by Amritesh Mukherjee
Gifted & Talented by Olivie Blake
reviewed by Subham Rai
Link to latest issue in bio!
#bookreviews
September 21, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Uncertain Sons and Other Stories by Thomas Ha
reviewed by William Shaw
Will This Be A Problem? The Anthology: Issue V edited by Olivia Kidula & Somto Ihezue
reviewed by Amritesh Mukherjee
Gifted & Talented by Olivie Blake
reviewed by Subham Rai
Link to latest issue in bio!
#bookreviews
reviewed by William Shaw
Will This Be A Problem? The Anthology: Issue V edited by Olivia Kidula & Somto Ihezue
reviewed by Amritesh Mukherjee
Gifted & Talented by Olivie Blake
reviewed by Subham Rai
Link to latest issue in bio!
#bookreviews
Reposted by William Shaw
Very thoughtful, comprehensive review, diving into some older more conventional stories, discussing more recent slippery ones, and pulling in researched interview quotes. Wow. Really enjoyed reading this one. Thanks, @williamshaw.bsky.social.
It's UNCERTAIN SONS and @thomasha.bsky.social all the time now. Apologies, but reviews are dropping. Please check out this fab one from @williamshaw.bsky.social at Strange Horizons.
bit.ly/41TpG7l
bit.ly/41TpG7l
Uncertain Sons and Other Stories by Thomas Ha
Ha’s current slippery and enigmatic style emerges from a firm grasp of genre fundamentals.
bit.ly
September 17, 2025 at 2:39 PM
Very thoughtful, comprehensive review, diving into some older more conventional stories, discussing more recent slippery ones, and pulling in researched interview quotes. Wow. Really enjoyed reading this one. Thanks, @williamshaw.bsky.social.
Reposted by William Shaw
It's UNCERTAIN SONS and @thomasha.bsky.social all the time now. Apologies, but reviews are dropping. Please check out this fab one from @williamshaw.bsky.social at Strange Horizons.
bit.ly/41TpG7l
bit.ly/41TpG7l
Uncertain Sons and Other Stories by Thomas Ha
Ha’s current slippery and enigmatic style emerges from a firm grasp of genre fundamentals.
bit.ly
September 17, 2025 at 2:05 PM
It's UNCERTAIN SONS and @thomasha.bsky.social all the time now. Apologies, but reviews are dropping. Please check out this fab one from @williamshaw.bsky.social at Strange Horizons.
bit.ly/41TpG7l
bit.ly/41TpG7l
Reposted by William Shaw
That @williamshaw.bsky.social is back at @strangehorizons.bsky.social, talking Thomas Ha’s debut short story collection from @undertow.bsky.social - and whatever weird fiction might be.
“Ha’s current slippery and enigmatic style,” Will shows us, “emerges from a firm grasp of genre fundamentals.”
“Ha’s current slippery and enigmatic style,” Will shows us, “emerges from a firm grasp of genre fundamentals.”
Uncertain Sons and Other Stories by Thomas Ha
Ha’s current slippery and enigmatic style emerges from a firm grasp of genre fundamentals.
www.strangehorizons.com
September 16, 2025 at 10:23 PM
That @williamshaw.bsky.social is back at @strangehorizons.bsky.social, talking Thomas Ha’s debut short story collection from @undertow.bsky.social - and whatever weird fiction might be.
“Ha’s current slippery and enigmatic style,” Will shows us, “emerges from a firm grasp of genre fundamentals.”
“Ha’s current slippery and enigmatic style,” Will shows us, “emerges from a firm grasp of genre fundamentals.”
My review of Uncertain Sons by Thomas Ha is now live at Strange Horizons!
I really enjoyed this collection; it will probably end up as one of my favourite books of the year.
Check it out over here:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
I really enjoyed this collection; it will probably end up as one of my favourite books of the year.
Check it out over here:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
Uncertain Sons and Other Stories by Thomas Ha
Ha’s current slippery and enigmatic style emerges from a firm grasp of genre fundamentals.
strangehorizons.com
September 16, 2025 at 4:15 PM
My review of Uncertain Sons by Thomas Ha is now live at Strange Horizons!
I really enjoyed this collection; it will probably end up as one of my favourite books of the year.
Check it out over here:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
I really enjoyed this collection; it will probably end up as one of my favourite books of the year.
Check it out over here:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
My short story, 'Children Singing,' is now free to read on the Iron Faerie Publishing website!
Check it out over here:
ironfaeriepublishing.com/2025/09/01/h...
Check it out over here:
ironfaeriepublishing.com/2025/09/01/h...
Hawthorn & Ash #118
Welcome to this week’s installment of many micro stories, ranging in length from 100 words to 500 words. With each story we hope to deliver a little whimsy into the lives of our readers. CHIL…
ironfaeriepublishing.com
September 2, 2025 at 12:20 PM
My short story, 'Children Singing,' is now free to read on the Iron Faerie Publishing website!
Check it out over here:
ironfaeriepublishing.com/2025/09/01/h...
Check it out over here:
ironfaeriepublishing.com/2025/09/01/h...
Reposted by William Shaw
August 4, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Reposted by William Shaw
After last week's issue of @samovarmag.bsky.social, we're back to a regular @strangehorizons.bsky.social week ... which means reviews!
Tip: always read @williamshaw.bsky.social. Here he is on Debbie Urbanski's Portalmania: "metafictionality allows Urbanski to turn ambivalence ... into ... horror."
Tip: always read @williamshaw.bsky.social. Here he is on Debbie Urbanski's Portalmania: "metafictionality allows Urbanski to turn ambivalence ... into ... horror."
Portalmania by Debbie Urbanski
Urbanski turns ambivalence about the portal fantasy genre into a source of horror.
strangehorizons.com
August 4, 2025 at 2:06 PM
After last week's issue of @samovarmag.bsky.social, we're back to a regular @strangehorizons.bsky.social week ... which means reviews!
Tip: always read @williamshaw.bsky.social. Here he is on Debbie Urbanski's Portalmania: "metafictionality allows Urbanski to turn ambivalence ... into ... horror."
Tip: always read @williamshaw.bsky.social. Here he is on Debbie Urbanski's Portalmania: "metafictionality allows Urbanski to turn ambivalence ... into ... horror."
My review of Portalmania by Debbie Urbanski is now live at Strange Horizons.
Check it out over here:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
Check it out over here:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
Portalmania by Debbie Urbanski
Urbanski turns ambivalence about the portal fantasy genre into a source of horror.
strangehorizons.com
August 4, 2025 at 2:06 PM
My review of Portalmania by Debbie Urbanski is now live at Strange Horizons.
Check it out over here:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
Check it out over here:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
My review of There's Nothing Left For You Here by Allegra Solomon is now live on my blog.
I really enjoyed this book, and I think it deserves more coverage.
You can read my review over here:
williamshawwriter.wordpress.com/2025/07/30/r...
I really enjoyed this book, and I think it deserves more coverage.
You can read my review over here:
williamshawwriter.wordpress.com/2025/07/30/r...
Review: There’s Nothing Left For You Here by Allegra Solomon
In Allegra Solomon’s stories, human desire is an unruly thing. In ‘Seeing It Through,’ the female lead contemplates her relationship with her partner: “Her love for him sometimes felt like an affli…
williamshawwriter.wordpress.com
July 30, 2025 at 12:55 PM
My review of There's Nothing Left For You Here by Allegra Solomon is now live on my blog.
I really enjoyed this book, and I think it deserves more coverage.
You can read my review over here:
williamshawwriter.wordpress.com/2025/07/30/r...
I really enjoyed this book, and I think it deserves more coverage.
You can read my review over here:
williamshawwriter.wordpress.com/2025/07/30/r...
My poem, 'When Shall We Three Meet Again?' has just been published in the anthology Gathered Here Today from @gravesidepress.bsky.social!
I'm very pleased with how this poem turned out. You can check out the book over here:
gsp-shop.fourthwall.com/products/gat...
I'm very pleased with how this poem turned out. You can check out the book over here:
gsp-shop.fourthwall.com/products/gat...
Gathered Here Today: An Open Casket of Art and Poetry
Upon purchase, you will receive a link with your ebook from BookFunnel.
In shadows deep where whispers dwell,a poetry anthology casts its spell.Ghostly verses, haun...
gsp-shop.fourthwall.com
July 23, 2025 at 1:49 PM
My poem, 'When Shall We Three Meet Again?' has just been published in the anthology Gathered Here Today from @gravesidepress.bsky.social!
I'm very pleased with how this poem turned out. You can check out the book over here:
gsp-shop.fourthwall.com/products/gat...
I'm very pleased with how this poem turned out. You can check out the book over here:
gsp-shop.fourthwall.com/products/gat...
I will stop plugging this essay when it stops being relevant.
Find out about the history of the "AI Lover" as a science fictional concept, and the troubling history of the fantasy tech bros want to sell us:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
Find out about the history of the "AI Lover" as a science fictional concept, and the troubling history of the fantasy tech bros want to sell us:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
Neither Girls Nor Friends: the Artificial Woman in American Science Fiction
How might we conceptualise an AI girlfriend who is neither girl, nor friend, but comrade?
strangehorizons.com
July 22, 2025 at 3:10 PM
I will stop plugging this essay when it stops being relevant.
Find out about the history of the "AI Lover" as a science fictional concept, and the troubling history of the fantasy tech bros want to sell us:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
Find out about the history of the "AI Lover" as a science fictional concept, and the troubling history of the fantasy tech bros want to sell us:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
Remember, kids, neither girls nor friends. It's dangerous to sell the idea that your partner shouldn't have any needs of her own.
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
July 11, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Remember, kids, neither girls nor friends. It's dangerous to sell the idea that your partner shouldn't have any needs of her own.
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
Reposted by William Shaw
The weirdness of this sci-fi was why I was immediately interested in publishing this story.
The Pink Hydra exists for work that sits on the edge of today's publishing ecosystem: too sexy, too queer, too thoughtful or strange, etc.
Get William's story here: linktr.ee/sosn_no1
The Pink Hydra exists for work that sits on the edge of today's publishing ecosystem: too sexy, too queer, too thoughtful or strange, etc.
Get William's story here: linktr.ee/sosn_no1
July 1, 2025 at 11:10 AM
The weirdness of this sci-fi was why I was immediately interested in publishing this story.
The Pink Hydra exists for work that sits on the edge of today's publishing ecosystem: too sexy, too queer, too thoughtful or strange, etc.
Get William's story here: linktr.ee/sosn_no1
The Pink Hydra exists for work that sits on the edge of today's publishing ecosystem: too sexy, too queer, too thoughtful or strange, etc.
Get William's story here: linktr.ee/sosn_no1
My short story, "The Universe’s Best Erotic Writing, Volume 1: A Book Review by Ian Harrison" is now available in the July edition of The Pink Hydra Minizine.
Check it out over here:
thepinkhydra.itch.io/something-ol...
Check it out over here:
thepinkhydra.itch.io/something-ol...
Something Old, Something New 1.1 - July 2025 by thepinkhydra
Featuring new original fiction by William Shaw, classical art & poetry and reviews of new queer short fiction.
thepinkhydra.itch.io
July 1, 2025 at 1:19 PM
My short story, "The Universe’s Best Erotic Writing, Volume 1: A Book Review by Ian Harrison" is now available in the July edition of The Pink Hydra Minizine.
Check it out over here:
thepinkhydra.itch.io/something-ol...
Check it out over here:
thepinkhydra.itch.io/something-ol...
Reposted by William Shaw
The weirdness of this sci-fi was why I was immediately interested in publishing this story.
The Pink Hydra exists for work that sits on the edge of today's publishing ecosystem: too sexy, too queer, too thoughtful or strange, etc.
Get William's story here: linktr.ee/sosn_no1
The Pink Hydra exists for work that sits on the edge of today's publishing ecosystem: too sexy, too queer, too thoughtful or strange, etc.
Get William's story here: linktr.ee/sosn_no1
July 1, 2025 at 11:12 AM
The weirdness of this sci-fi was why I was immediately interested in publishing this story.
The Pink Hydra exists for work that sits on the edge of today's publishing ecosystem: too sexy, too queer, too thoughtful or strange, etc.
Get William's story here: linktr.ee/sosn_no1
The Pink Hydra exists for work that sits on the edge of today's publishing ecosystem: too sexy, too queer, too thoughtful or strange, etc.
Get William's story here: linktr.ee/sosn_no1
Really excited for people to read this story; for a long time I thought it was just too odd to get published.
Emmylou has been fabulous to work with, and The Pink Hydra is a delightful venue. I couldn't be happier to be working with them.
Emmylou has been fabulous to work with, and The Pink Hydra is a delightful venue. I couldn't be happier to be working with them.
Soooo.... let's try that again.
The first issue of our minizine, featuring short fiction by
@williamshaw.bsky.social is on pre-order on itch for 19% off!
Racy painting from 1915 at the link: 🥵
thepinkhydra.itch.io/something-ol...
The first issue of our minizine, featuring short fiction by
@williamshaw.bsky.social is on pre-order on itch for 19% off!
Racy painting from 1915 at the link: 🥵
thepinkhydra.itch.io/something-ol...
June 30, 2025 at 10:53 PM
Really excited for people to read this story; for a long time I thought it was just too odd to get published.
Emmylou has been fabulous to work with, and The Pink Hydra is a delightful venue. I couldn't be happier to be working with them.
Emmylou has been fabulous to work with, and The Pink Hydra is a delightful venue. I couldn't be happier to be working with them.
My review of The Hampdenshire Wonder by J.D. Beresford is now live at Strange Horizons!
This was a book I read casually, then dropped everything to review because it just felt too perfect, too much of this moment, not to.
Check it out over here:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
This was a book I read casually, then dropped everything to review because it just felt too perfect, too much of this moment, not to.
Check it out over here:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
The Hampdenshire Wonder by J.D. Beresford
This is another worthy reprint from the Radium Age team.
strangehorizons.com
June 30, 2025 at 10:51 PM
My review of The Hampdenshire Wonder by J.D. Beresford is now live at Strange Horizons!
This was a book I read casually, then dropped everything to review because it just felt too perfect, too much of this moment, not to.
Check it out over here:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
This was a book I read casually, then dropped everything to review because it just felt too perfect, too much of this moment, not to.
Check it out over here:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
Reposted by William Shaw
Soooo.... let's try that again.
The first issue of our minizine, featuring short fiction by
@williamshaw.bsky.social is on pre-order on itch for 19% off!
Racy painting from 1915 at the link: 🥵
thepinkhydra.itch.io/something-ol...
The first issue of our minizine, featuring short fiction by
@williamshaw.bsky.social is on pre-order on itch for 19% off!
Racy painting from 1915 at the link: 🥵
thepinkhydra.itch.io/something-ol...
June 27, 2025 at 10:06 PM
Soooo.... let's try that again.
The first issue of our minizine, featuring short fiction by
@williamshaw.bsky.social is on pre-order on itch for 19% off!
Racy painting from 1915 at the link: 🥵
thepinkhydra.itch.io/something-ol...
The first issue of our minizine, featuring short fiction by
@williamshaw.bsky.social is on pre-order on itch for 19% off!
Racy painting from 1915 at the link: 🥵
thepinkhydra.itch.io/something-ol...
Reposted by William Shaw
Here's the last of your @strangehorizons.bsky.social reviews for the week, from the pin-sharp @williamshaw.bsky.social.
On another of the always interesting Radium Age reissues, The Hampdenshire Wonder - a novel "about a family torn apart by a juvenile man’s disappointment and neglect."
On another of the always interesting Radium Age reissues, The Hampdenshire Wonder - a novel "about a family torn apart by a juvenile man’s disappointment and neglect."
The Hampdenshire Wonder by J.D. Beresford
This is another worthy reprint from the Radium Age team.
strangehorizons.com
June 27, 2025 at 10:55 PM
Here's the last of your @strangehorizons.bsky.social reviews for the week, from the pin-sharp @williamshaw.bsky.social.
On another of the always interesting Radium Age reissues, The Hampdenshire Wonder - a novel "about a family torn apart by a juvenile man’s disappointment and neglect."
On another of the always interesting Radium Age reissues, The Hampdenshire Wonder - a novel "about a family torn apart by a juvenile man’s disappointment and neglect."