Take a look at this: www.instagram.com/reel/DVgHYTt...
11.03.2026 02:47
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Sure, but that's not the only thing that matters here. The article specifically lays this out: the audience has many popular people who aren't simply buying the books, they are vocally excluding other types of writing/authors/audiences/people from being part of the "in group".
(What do you think that audience portion looks like, acts like, and how they operate in other non book contexts?)
And that same audience also appears to struggle to read material that is technically challenging or requires the ability to hold a character's view and one's own view and not collapse into dysfunction. They also often demand that the hard stuff be easy or not exist to them. It stinks. (4 of 4)
That portion of audience appears to be people who 1) struggle to read about characters different than them as actual people - whether that is connected to the books having varying ethnic backgrounds, cultural differences, poverty, less mass appeal versions of LGBTQIA+, or more. (3 of 4)
The article goes into this some, but doesn't do the added context but of saying who this portion of the audience is - and I've been paying attention to sociologists like Dr Tressie who have been adding context over the years, especially as romantasy took over the romance/SFF world lately. (2 of 4)
The specific series that get big for the BookTok crowd or waves of influencers mentioned in the Slate article are geared towards a portion of the audience that treats the books like porn of sorts and do lots of self-insertion of themselves into the main character as they read. (1 of 4)
It's a barbell with plates (skinny middle). The big movement in books/SFF in the last few years has been Sarah Maas's romantasy books, which are 1st Person POV. Getting people to go beyond that series/ Hunger Games/whichever continues to be an issue connected to literacy + gender constructs.
It's a style that really needs an extremely skilled writer to successfully pull off - otherwise it's awful. N.K. Jemison does it with her brilliant Broken Earth books and Gene Wolfe plays around with what even is perspective in several of his legendary books.
Children are not positive people
I have watched this approximately 47 times and laughed out loud 47 times
I've seen a picture of someone using a Beta Lotus unsleeved as a drink coaster. Fun stuff and reminds me that these are meant to be played. (Abolish the RL.)
Heynottheface Tennis Squad.
E. Parent endorsed Saira Draper, who is demonstrably and visibly pro trans, for Parent's seat.
A picnic at a park worked very well for my partner and her family. That's maybe less walking and less ways to run into those health issues. It's definitely a tricky balance!
What about pointing everyone at a specific activity like cooking a recipe or needing help to go to a place where the kids can walk around and corralling everything is "too much"? Framing it as you need help rather than the relationship needs to develop might do an end run around the worry.
Happy Holi to everyone and let's really make these colors vibrant enough to light up the world that sees so much grimness now.
Nancy 2/22/26… 🪱WOIMS🪱
I don’t care how hot the fries are I’m still gonna try
There's all kinds of wrinkles like people who write with one hand, kick with the foot on the other side, and/or destroy lampshades with both hands...
Finished recording the Lost Worlds audiobook yesterday and folks, I'm a little bit biased, but I think it's pretty dang good. If you've ever wondered how we got from hunting and gathering to farming, cities, states, and kings, Lost Worlds is for you. Preorder: www.harpercollins.com/products/los...
I love Smitten Kitchen and make quite a few recipes. I estimate the ratio of excellent comments to "???" ones at around 1:5, which is hilarious.
More details about the death of Shah Alam are here in this article: www.investigativepost.org/2026/02/25/b...
This abandonment of Shah Alam, who was a blind man, in a Buffalo winter is a particular kind of evil within a greater evil that is ongoing in many places in this country. www.wkbw.com/news/local-n...
![4-panel comic. (1) [Person with white hat talking to another person.] PERSON 1 with white hat: As Sherlock Holmes said, When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth. (2) PERSON 2: What about the possibility that you forgot to eliminate a possibility? Or that you eliminated one incorrectly? Both of those remain, too. (3) PERSON 1: You’re being pedantic. It’s just a general rule for deduction. PERSON 2: But it’s a *bad rule*. (4) PERSON 2: How often have you thought, “I can’t find this thing, and I’ve searched the whole house. The only place I haven’t looked is the car, so it *must* be there.” PERSON 2: ...And then it’s never in the car. PERSON 1: *It’s never in the car!*](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:cz73r7iyiqn26upot4jtjdhk/bafkreifiy7vve3vnzcdv2ptjmuvd3twrsyuu2s5tkyvonqzk56mvinoxae)
4-panel comic. (1) [Person with white hat talking to another person.] PERSON 1 with white hat: As Sherlock Holmes said, When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth. (2) PERSON 2: What about the possibility that you forgot to eliminate a possibility? Or that you eliminated one incorrectly? Both of those remain, too. (3) PERSON 1: You’re being pedantic. It’s just a general rule for deduction. PERSON 2: But it’s a *bad rule*. (4) PERSON 2: How often have you thought, “I can’t find this thing, and I’ve searched the whole house. The only place I haven’t looked is the car, so it *must* be there.” PERSON 2: ...And then it’s never in the car. PERSON 1: *It’s never in the car!*
Eliminating the Impossible
xkcd.com/3210/
NANCY BY ERNIE BUSHMILLER P1- NANCY IS GLAD TO SEE SLUGGO WHEN SHE MEETS HIM DOWNTOWN SLUGGO: I WOIKED FOR TONY THE FRUIT MAN TODAY, AND HE GAVE ME THESE BANANAS P2- SLUGGO: I'LL MAKE A SIGN AND WE'LL SELL THEM SLUGGO BEGINS TO MAKE A SIGN ON A BRICK WALL … BUY A BAN P3- NANCY IS WONDERING WHAT SLUGGO IS NOW DOING NANCY: WHAT ARE YOU DOING? SLUGGO: WHENEVER I WRITE BANANA, I CAN'T STOP HIS WRITING… BUY A BANANANANANANA
Nancy By Ernie Bushmiller
February 25,1948
I'm in for that. If you do build that store someday, I'll get the movies from you.
You might like the Ninth House books by Tamsyn Muir.
