Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

TrishEM

@pematson.bsky.social

1.4K followers 410 following 1.2K posts

Award-winning journalism editor and writer, speculative fiction reviewer and podcaster, lover of games, music, audiodramas, wordplay and more. (She/her) https://www.linkedin.com/in/patriciamatson

www.linkedin.com

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

TrishEM @pematson.bsky.social · Oct 23

Note: Due to trolls and bots, I'm blocking anyone with no posting history who follows me without ever interacting with me first (e.g. liking or replying to one of my posts) and anyone who direct-messages me out of the blue. Sorry if you're just new, but I need a sign that you're real and not evil.

3 2 25

Reposted by TrishEM

Paul "Princejvstin" Weimer📷🚀 🚀 📸 @princejvstin.com · 18h

Taps the sign on this CYOA ending, yet again.

7 24

Reposted by TrishEM

Marie Brennan @swantower.bsky.social · 17h

<totters out onto porch>

<settles into rocker>

<thumps cane a few times>

Let's talk about what the process of submitting short fiction used to look like, shall we? And about what it looks like now.

9 70 220

Reposted by TrishEM

Paul "Princejvstin" Weimer📷🚀 🚀 📸 @princejvstin.com · 4h

Come be part of an award winning team!

Nerds of a Feather @nerdsofafeather.bsky.social · 4h

Contributors Wanted!
Do YOU want to write for Nerds of a Feather?
www.nerds-feather.com/2025/10/cont...

Contributors Wanted

Do you want to write for Nerds? Nerds of a Feather, Flock Together is looking for 3-5 awesome individuals to join our team of regular contri...

www.nerds-feather.com

6 2

TrishEM @pematson.bsky.social · 22h

Just doing intros now, so there's plenty of time to start watching this fun stream!

Gregory A. Wilson @gregoryawilson.com · 22h

When you have a soul, you don't want it stolen--especially by an evil wizard! Join us at 12:15 p.m. EDT for the epic conclusion of the Fighting Fantasy Gamebook Stealer of Souls, where CHAT decides, illustrated live by the incomparable @taritoons.bsky.social! www.twitch.tv/arvaneleron

Twitch

Twitch is the world

www.twitch.tv

1 2

Reposted by TrishEM

Faye Gabriel @faye-gabriel.bsky.social · 1d

Today! The continued adventures of my favorite badass Deyeri. Love this cast of characters who continue to grow and change well into the second halves of their lives.

Brandon Crilly (Announcements Only) 🔜 Can*Con @brandoncrilly.bsky.social · 1d

Release day for Castoff!!

Three years in the making, we return to a fractured world for the conclusion of the Aspects of Aelda duology.

Available wherever you get your books!

www.atthisarts.com/p...

#Booksky #newrelease @atthisarts.com

2 2

Reposted by TrishEM

Locus Magazine @locusmag.bsky.social · 1d

2025 SFPA Poetry Contest Winners

The Science Fiction & Fantasy Poetry Association has announced the winners of its annual prize for poetry. Poems were judged in three categories, listed below. Dwarf Form (10 or fewer lines): W…

locusmag.com

3 10

Reposted by TrishEM

The Oregonian @oregonian.com · 2d

“We’re cold, but not as cold as ICE,” said a sign on one rider’s back.

Portland cyclists strip down in pouring rain to protest ICE facility and Trump troop deployment

“We’re cold, but not as cold as ICE,” said a sign on one rider’s back.

www.oregonlive.com

3 150 580

Reposted by TrishEM

Stephen West @stephenwest.bsky.social · 1d

How W. E. B. Du Bois responded to government policing of "anti-American" sentiment during the 1910s:

"I took great satisfaction in being able to sit back in my chair and answer blandly, 'We are seeking to have the Constitution of the United States thoroughly and completely enforced.' ”

Federal agents invaded even the offices of The Crisis and the National Association for the advancement of colored people and asked searching questions: " just what, after all, were our objects and activities?” I took great satisfaction in being able to sit back in my chair and answer blandly, “We are seeking to have the constitution of the United states thoroughly and completely enforced.” It took some ingenuity, even for Southerners, to make treason out of that.

18 1.3K 4K

TrishEM @pematson.bsky.social · 2d

Lost Ark Dreaming was one of just two nominees I sent in for the Hugo Awards in the Best Novella category. I gave it a strong recommendation in my review in 2024:
skiffyandfanty.com/blog/book-re...
I'm very happy to see its excellence recognized by the Ignyte Awards!

The Ignyte Awards @theignyteawards.bsky.social · 2d

The winner of the #2025IgnyteAwards for Outstanding Novella? LOST ARK DREAMING by @suyidavies.com

2025 Winner Outstanding Novella: LOST ARK DREAMING by Suyi Davies Okungbowa

2 7

Reposted by TrishEM

Sheryl Gay Stolberg @sherylnyt.bsky.social · 4d

FULL STORY HERE: Emails began flooding CDC inboxes late Friday night announcing dozens of layoffs. HR people brought back from furlough to oversee the RIFs. Disease detectives, entire Washington office, global health, injury prevention, MMWR staff among those hit.
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/11/u...

Trump Administration Lays Off Dozens of C.D.C. Officials

www.nytimes.com

67 830 1.5K

Reposted by TrishEM

Paul "Princejvstin" Weimer📷🚀 🚀 📸 @princejvstin.com · 3d

The Newest
@journeyplanet.bsky.social
by
Chris Garcia
and
@jamesbacon.bsky.social
tackles San Francisco with Jean MArtin

pieces by
@rainbowwar71.bsky.social

@authormdneu.bsky.social

@cliffwinnig.bsky.social

and much more!

www.journeyplanet.org/journey-plan...

Issue 91 - San Francisco

Jean Martin joins Chris and James for an issue looking at San Francisco (and environs)! Page 1—Editorial by Chris Garcia Page 3—The Haunted Streets of San Francisco by Sumiko Saulson Page...

www.journeyplanet.org

2 6

Reposted by TrishEM

Cat Manning @catacalypto.bsky.social · 3d

?????

Layoff notices also initially targeted the office that produces the CDC’s flagship weekly scientific report known as the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, or MMWR. But those notices were sent in error because of a miscoding, according to the health official. As of Saturday afternoon, however, the editor who oversees the MMWR and others in the office of science had not been informed that the layoff notices were a mistake, Houry said.

7 39 140

Reposted by TrishEM

Red Ginger Sonja @redgingersonja.bsky.social · 3d

if you like fantastic clothing and handsome men, this is for you.

Bevis Musson @bevismusson.bsky.social · 3d

You know what, let's do the Annual Mister Global National Costume thread tonight after all. Usual rules apply - this is all in fun, this isn't about the contestants looks or making fun of them, it's about the costumes and appreciating them (or, you know, making fun of them...)

1 4 8

Reposted by TrishEM

Bevis Musson @bevismusson.bsky.social · 3d

Mr Laos. Just when you though this year was a bit quiet on the insanely huge, bedazzled, symbolic costumes along comes Mr Laos and blows everyone else out of the water. This is insane, but it's also *so* good.

A photo of a contestant at Mister Global 2025

12 300 1.2K

Reposted by TrishEM

Bevis Musson @bevismusson.bsky.social · 3d

I am aware this may completely decimate my already swamped feed, but here's the start of last year's thread which has some even more incredible looks than this year

Bevis Musson @bevismusson.bsky.social · Nov 29

Oh joy, I have found the National Costume photos from Mister Global 2023 *and* 2024 so let's gear up for the Bluesky version of my most viral threads from back on Twitter.

For the uninitiated Mister Global is an annual male beauty pageant that is pretty standard in most respects.

5 14 110

Reposted by TrishEM

Reuters @reuters.com · 5d

Machado, a 58-year-old industrial engineer who lives in hiding, was blocked in 2024 by Venezuela's courts from running for president and thus challenging President Nicolas Maduro, who has been in power since 2013. Here's what we know about her: reut.rs/4nHaDpX

7 120 590

Reposted by TrishEM

Reuters @reuters.com · 5d

BREAKING: Venezuela's Maria Corina Machado wins the Nobel Peace Prize for 2025 reut.rs/42uh3Aw

46 230 900

Reposted by TrishEM

The Skiffy and Fanty Show @skiffyandfanty.com · 5d

skiffyandfanty.com/blog/review-...
At the Skiffy and Fanty blog, @pematson.bsky.social reviews THESE MEORIES DO NOT BELONG TO US by Yiming Ma

The Skiffy and Fanty Show: Book Review: These Memories Do Not Belong to Us, by Yiming Ma

Memory is a subject that has long been of interest to science fiction writers, but naturally it is becoming much more topical with artificial memory extensions available via data files (notes and r…

skiffyandfanty.com

2 3

TrishEM @pematson.bsky.social · 6d

I reject your depiction of the library-within-a-bookcase as being like a hoarder's home, with "too many books!" What do you mean, too many?!? ;-)

Reposted by TrishEM

Krista D. Ball: Canada's Snarky Potato @kristadb1.bsky.social · 6d

OH THANK GOD.

The Octopus Gallery @octopusgallery.bsky.social · 6d

Good news for sewists: the paper pattern company feared lost to bankruptcy has been saved as an independent company.

craftindustryalliance.org/sewing-patte...

Sewing Patterns Rise from DGA Bankruptcy Ashes - Craft Industry Alliance

The “Big 4” sewing patterns are saved. Simplicity, McCall’s, Vogue & Butterick get new life under Rubelmann Capital.

craftindustryalliance.org

2 61 180

Reposted by TrishEM

Jack Jenkins @jackjenkins.me · 7d

Gonna be thinking about this lede for a minute.

(RNS) — Last month, the Rev. David Black stood in front of a Chicago-area U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility and spread his arms wide. Adorned in all black and wearing a clerical collar, the pastor looked up at a group of masked, heavily armed ICE agents on the roof and began to pray.

“I invited them to repentance,” Black, a minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA), said in an interview. “I basically offered an altar call. I invited them to come and receive that salvation, and be part of the kingdom that is coming.”

But when Black began to lower his arms a few seconds later, the agents responded to his spiritual plea by firing pepper balls, or chemical agents that cause eye irritation and respiratory distress, video footage shows. One struck Black in the head, exploding into a puff of white pepper smoke and forcing him to his knees. Fellow demonstrators rushed to his aid, and as the pastor rubbed his face in pain, the agents continued to fire.

“We could hear them laughing,” Black said.

190 4.9K 11K

Reposted by TrishEM

Gillian Brockell @gbrockell.bsky.social · 7d

This little twerp, who’s been there a few months, axed two of the lions of WaPo??

Fisher is an investigative champion and had been at The Post for 39 years. Hoffman had been there for 42, and he won a Pulitzer LAST YEAR.

Oliver Darcy @oliverdarcy.bsky.social · 7d

Last week, new WaPo opinion editor Adam O'Neal quietly carried out another purge of staffers, cutting editors and major names like Marc Fisher and David Hoffman, among others.

Meanwhile, he welcomed three conservatives to the section.

Details in @status.news: www.status.news/p/washington...

Post Traumatic Disorder

Adam O’Neal says he’s bringing “intellectual diversity” to The Washington Post’s opinion pages—but the moves he’s making behind the scenes tell a different story.

www.status.news

35 310 970

Reposted by TrishEM

The Skiffy and Fanty Show @skiffyandfanty.com · 8d

Reviewer @reading1000lives.bsky.social gives his take on a recent horror/murder mystery by Philip Fracassi. "The formula fits perfectly while making the entire thing seem completely fresh and interesting."
skiffyandfanty.com/b...

2 3

Reposted by TrishEM

Oliver Brackenbury @obrackenbury.bsky.social · 8d

Sara and I chatted for a while on her podcast about comics where the guest chooses an issue that means a lot to them, and the return of the comic which first got me into S&S certainly qualifies!

bestissueever.podbean.com/e/episode-34...

1 6 20

Reposted by TrishEM

Paul "Princejvstin" Weimer📷🚀 🚀 📸 @princejvstin.com · 8d

On her own blog, my @skiffyandfanty.com co-host @pematson.bsky.social reviewed ALL OF US MURDERERS on Sunday

whatsthewordnow.blogspot.com/2025/10/book...

10 27