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Bryan Beal

@bealnz

Writer wannabe of science fiction, cyberpunk, horror, and some really weird other stuff. Opinions largely unfiltered. Pure Human Author. Homepage: https://bryanbeal.nz/ Substack Thing: https://neonnova.substack.com/

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28.02.2026
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Latest posts by Bryan Beal @bealnz

I dumped my Tidal too.

06.03.2026 14:56 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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"Spark" has started to come out! In the NeoTokyo Dead universe, Edwin was just minding his own business, doing his mundane job at the Spaceport. He met her and everything changed.

#SciFi #NeoTokyoDead #ShortStory

open.substack.com/pub/neonnova...

06.03.2026 13:30 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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The weekend is nearly here! What are you reading this weekend?? I'm into a strange road.

#Reading #Books

06.03.2026 04:00 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

It seems, by turning messaging off for my author page, I've missed out on some fun at the expense of the world's dumbest scammers.

#WritingLife

05.03.2026 06:01 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Neon with No Rose Cyberpunk's piercing gaze

The brute honesty of cyberpunk compared to other sub-genres when it comes to humans and our nature.

#Cyberpunk #Humanity #Dystopia

04.03.2026 12:02 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Three days! And Edwin will burst into your life!

#SciFi #NeoTokyoDead

03.03.2026 14:45 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

It reminds me a little of the Māori art here in Aotearoa.

03.03.2026 04:33 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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Yep. Functional alcoholism is a thing.

#Writing

02.03.2026 12:30 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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This week, Spark, launches. Edwin finds himself in a unique situation and he needs friends fast. NeoTokyo will never be the same again. Read the novella only on Neon Nova!

#SciFi #NeoTokyo

01.03.2026 13:00 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Neon Paths - Start Here The Directory

Looking for the starting point on Neon Nova? Hit the link for the Directory.

01.03.2026 00:56 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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First Contact (part 1) Earth's first encounter with extraterrestrial life is not what anyone expected.

If you have not already, check out First Contact by J. Michael Thomas. This is awesome!

#SciFi

01.03.2026 00:39 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Thanks a tonne!

28.02.2026 23:48 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Awakening Not a Good Thing

Awakening - some things should stay in slumber. For our sake.

#Horror #Lovecraftian #NeonNova

28.02.2026 23:47 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Oddity When the normal becomes radical

"Oddity" - an AI proponent presented some arguments to me that actually made me think about all this and my position on AI. This is the result.

#AI #Writing

28.02.2026 23:43 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

We're getting louder. 😁

28.02.2026 23:40 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Squealer Flesh is optional

"Squealer" - marriage works in a lot of different ways when life is not always organic.

#SciFi #NeonNova

28.02.2026 23:24 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

All good. I think there are quite a lot. A whole tonne of writers on Substack are anti-AI. And a tonne of musicians I know are also using AI-free platoforms.

28.02.2026 23:22 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

And there are three more books! I think YA is something I need to look into.

28.02.2026 23:07 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
A photo of my cat on my writing desk exploring the keyboard and shoving his butt on my monitor.

A photo of my cat on my writing desk exploring the keyboard and shoving his butt on my monitor.

My editing assistant.

#Writing #Cats

28.02.2026 23:05 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
The cover of "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman. It has a profile of a person wearing a red robe with a hood completely concealing the wearer. They are carrying a large black scythe, resting it on its end and holding it upright.

The cover of "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman. It has a profile of a person wearing a red robe with a hood completely concealing the wearer. They are carrying a large black scythe, resting it on its end and holding it upright.

This is the first YA scifi I have read. And I absolutely love it. The story is unique, has a tonne of depth, and moves along at a pace even I can get behind!

#YABooks #SciFi #AmReading

28.02.2026 23:01 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

I have tried X for a bit. Some nice writers are still there, but so many have not been active for 2 or 3 years.

28.02.2026 22:54 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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The Dregs of Creativity A response to AI "musicians"

I respond to an AI user making music.

#AI #Music

28.02.2026 22:53 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Galactic Prankster Not all A***holes are Human

"Galactic Prankster" - we are not the only a***holes in the galaxy!

#SciFi #NeonNova

neonnova.substack.com/p/galactic-p...

28.02.2026 22:50 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Legacy of Lovecraft A exploration of fear

Lovecraft was a complex dude, and some of it was not nice at all. Here I had a few thoughts about fear and the role it played in his work. I am no expert, though!

#HPLovecraft #Horror

28.02.2026 22:49 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Burned by the Machine The kickback continues as it should

I often rail against AI in the arts. It has been good to see major companies taking a stand against it.

#AI #Music #IndieMusic #Arts

28.02.2026 22:46 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 1

@bsky.app looks a lot better in Dim. Much easier on the eyes.

28.02.2026 22:42 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
A promo image showing the cover of "Reciprocity" by Bryan Beal, which is really a short story and not a novel. It is on Neon Nova and the image has the opening of the story. Dr Carmen Braithewaite is a driven woman, and this drives her to extremes in research.

A promo image showing the cover of "Reciprocity" by Bryan Beal, which is really a short story and not a novel. It is on Neon Nova and the image has the opening of the story. Dr Carmen Braithewaite is a driven woman, and this drives her to extremes in research.

The story that was called "ethically disturbing" is out now. It's a short story and I rather thought it quite good. Some found it harder to read.

#SciFi #ShortStory

28.02.2026 22:39 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Age verification.

Wow.

28.02.2026 22:30 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
A photo to the State Library of Victoria's Reading Room, an octagonal (maybe) room with a domed ceiling three floors above the brown floor below. Reading desks are arranged like spokes in a wheel.

A photo to the State Library of Victoria's Reading Room, an octagonal (maybe) room with a domed ceiling three floors above the brown floor below. Reading desks are arranged like spokes in a wheel.

What's your favourite library to just hang in and be with books? Mine is the State Library of Victoria. It's got so much going for it.

#Books #Libraries

28.02.2026 22:20 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

When I see "Invalid Handle", what does it mean?

#BlueSky

28.02.2026 22:07 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0