Author | Lightnews

Gin

@ginjones.bsky.social

1.1K followers 110 following 820 posts

I'm in training to become a Nac Mac Feegle. Their motto is: "Nae king! Nae quin! Nae laird! Nae master! We willna' be fooled again!" WEE FREE MEN by Terry Pratchett. Meanwhile, I'm a traditional mystery author and patient advocate. GinJones.com

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Reposted by Gin

Ned Resnikoff @resnikoff.bsky.social · 13h

FYI if you have a Spotify membership, Indivisible is asking people to cancel until they stop running ICE recruitment ads. Instructions on how to do it here: www.youtube.com/shorts/TKp7c...

Tutorial: How to cancel your Spotify subscription

YouTube video by Indivisible

www.youtube.com

12 800 1.4K

Reposted by Gin

Indivisible ❌👑 @indivisible.org · 13h

Spotify is running recruitment ads for ICE.

A platform built to connect creators and listeners is helping an authoritarian regime build up its secret police force.

But we’re not going to idly accept that. We’re going to make Spotify listen: indivisible.org/cancel-spoti... #CancelSpotify

62 720 1.3K

Reposted by Gin

William Shakespeare @shakespeare.lol · 18h

What, wouldst thou have me go and beg my food?

7 91 390

Gin @ginjones.bsky.social · 1d

Thank you!

Gin @ginjones.bsky.social · 1d

It took literal decades to finish because I kept setting it aside! For more ideas, look up Nancy j Martin's book, Two Color Quilts. Your library might have it. Red/white and blue/white

Gin @ginjones.bsky.social · 1d

Thank you. That's my favorite part of making a scrappy quilt -- figuring out which blocks go where!

Gin @ginjones.bsky.social · 1d

Red and white quilts are so much fun! I just finished this one (altho' the pic is from when it was just a top). It's not complicated, but it is a bit time-consuming with all the half-square triangles. Pretty much any basic block will be effective in red and white.

Unfinished quilt top (bed-sized) in a variety of red prints on a white background. Blocks are "north wind," made with a large red triangle in one corner, a large white triangle in the opposite corner, and 5 smaller red triangles on a white background in between. They're set in alternating directions, no sashing, and there's a wide red (paisley) border.

2 2

Reposted by Gin

Marisa Kabas @marisakabas.bsky.social · 1d

I published a piece (also on @talkingpointsmemo.com) last week about what I've experience as the positives of the independent writer model. But I appreciate @anamariecox.bsky.social's perspective and it highlights how as individual proprietors, we're all having very individualized experiences.

Ana Marie Cox @anamariecox.bsky.social · 1d

I did not enjoy writing this; it can't even serve as an ad for my newsletter, which I've suspended due to an overbilling situation that has me almost regretting leaving Substack. But, you know, it's evidence for the piece I just didn't get to include.

talkingpointsmemo.com/tpm-25/patro...

Patron-Supported Journalism Can’t Be the Future of News

Writing about the failure of patron-supported journalism is itself a kind of...

talkingpointsmemo.com

6 26 200

Gin @ginjones.bsky.social · 1d

Heartbroken for her, her friends/family.

Gin @ginjones.bsky.social · 1d

We're getting to the end of the summer/fall finishing of UFO quilts. Today, I've got THREE quilts to share. It's all one basic design, a variation on the nine-patch, with pieces that are different widths, but using different color palettes, or different border options.

Three baby quilts laid out in a diagonal, overlapping row. They're all made with dark and light alternating nine-patch variant blocks, but in different colors. The one on top (almost entirely visible, closest to camera) is in a variety of bright colors on a white-background tiny black print, 5 x 5 blocks, with a bright blue border. Middle one is 7 x 7 blocks in pink on a tiny pink print background, and the last one has the same background print and assorted bright colors, but is 7 x 7 blocks and no border.

1 10

Reposted by Gin

Victoria Strauss @victoriastrauss.com · 1d

In case you're wondering if that book review offer or marketing pitch or friendly message from a well-known author are genuine (the short version: probably not)...my collection of blog posts on the new Nigerian marketing scams will help you decide writerbeware.blog/tag/nigeria/

Nigerian scams Archives - Writer Beware

writerbeware.blog

2 42 86

Reposted by Gin

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 1d

Tim Walz: "People are gonna be lined up out here to get food, and we're talking about a damn ballroom. Don't lose the plot."

500 8.2K 27K

Reposted by Gin

Victoria Strauss @victoriastrauss.com · 2d

Possible new AI-driven impersonation scam spinning up: someone contacts you out of the blue w/ praise for your work, recommends you contact a (real) literary agent & provides an email addy--but of course it's fake & results in a referral for editing or marketing. Example below 1/2

Hi [redacted]

I’ve had the opportunity to review your work, and it’s clear you have a strong command of storytelling and a distinctive voice. Your writing shows real potential for a broader audience.

For this reason, I’m recommending you reach out to [agent name redacted], an independent literary agent known for her discerning eye and commitment to helping authors build lasting careers. [agent name reacted] represents a wide range of genres in both fiction and non-fiction, and has collaborated with authors such as [redacted] and [redacted].

She’s currently open to queries and can be reached at submission.[agentname]@gmail.com. When you contact her, mention that I referred you this will help ensure your work receives proper consideration.

Best regards,
Chiara

Chiara Bianchi
chiaraforauthors@gmail.com
ChiaraForAuthors
...

2 42 69

Gin @ginjones.bsky.social · 2d

Thank you!

Gin @ginjones.bsky.social · 2d

I'm going to run out of recently completed UFO quilts to share someday, but today is not that day! This one (large lap quilt size) was made with scraps from some tank tops I made for myself last summer (2024). #QuiltSky

Broken Dishes blocks (alternating dark and light triangles) in dark blue and turquoise/teal on a mottled light blue background, set solid, so they have the same basic overall effect as pinwheel blocks, with a bit of mottled blue border and dark blue binding. The lighter colored turquoise blocks create secondary patterns when three or four are touching, either horizontally or diagonally.

2 19

Reposted by Gin

Daniel Kibblesmith @kibblesmith.com · 2d

Related, every time I google a book now the AI says it’s received “mixed reviews” because that’s the only way the stupid computer knows how to process an “all-reviews are created equal” cultural response. “Looks like some people like it and some people don’t” yeah no shit R2D2 that’s how books work.

4 55 360

Gin @ginjones.bsky.social · 2d

Now that's a real challenge -- unlearning once is annoying, but twice is downright unfair!

Reposted by Gin

Emily Green @wallflowerwildco.bsky.social · 2d

#draw #drawing #doodle #cat #catart #catoftheday #artoftheday #artist #artisresistance #artisprotest #resist #action #artmakesushuman #artmakesusbetter #ninelivesandcounting #iwenttoartschoolforthis #onepanel #singlepanel #cartoon #comic #sarcasam

3 10

Reposted by Gin

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 2d

Gallego: "It's murder. It's very simple. If this president feels they are doing something illegally, then he should be using the Coast Guard. If this is an act of war, then you use our military and then you come and talk to us first. But this is murder ... it's disgusting."

810 11K 34K

Gin @ginjones.bsky.social · 2d

I too learned on a manual typewriter, did double spaces for years, and similarly switched as soon as I found out that ALL the publishing houses expected one space. I thought it would be a lot harder than it actually was. I relied on a final search-and-replace at first, but didn't need it for long.

1 13

Gin @ginjones.bsky.social · 3d

Thank you! I love serendipity in quilts.

Gin @ginjones.bsky.social · 3d

Thank you!

Gin @ginjones.bsky.social · 3d

Ooh, can't wait to see how this goes. I've wanted to paint my kitchen cabinets for the last three years, and keep getting distracted/overwhelmed before I even get started.

Gin @ginjones.bsky.social · 3d

I'm sorry it's been a hard year, but I do love the art that's coming out of it! I'm in the same situation -- I have finished ALL of my quilt UFOs in an attempt to cope with the world (and especially my country) being on metaphorical (and sometimes literal) fire.

1 1

Gin @ginjones.bsky.social · 3d

Yes, I was a busy quilter this summer and fall. Another of the UFO quilts that I finished recently.

Lap quilt (about 45" square with 6 rows of 6 blocks in a mix of nine-patch and monkey wrench, red prints on a black background, with three that have a yellow center square. Blocks are set with black sashings, then red piping, a black print border and red binding.

2 15