Author | Lightnews

Reposted by Wendy Metcalfe

Jess Calarco @jessicacalarco.com · 1d

My 11-year-old subscribes to Teen Vogue and reads the newsletters almost daily. It's been a reliable source of news for her, and fodder for thoughtful dinner table discussions.

Now, it will serve a new role in our house--as an opportunity to learn about boycotting companies that let us down.

Lex McMenamin (they/them) @leximcmenamin.com · 1d

thank you for all the support; the statement from our union is now live here with some more reporting.

now that this is public I can confirm that the majority of today’s layoffs were women of color. there are no longer any Black women working at Teen Vogue.

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Wendy Metcalfe @wendymetcalfe.bsky.social · 2d

They actually provided a sales table
for us indies to sell our books from. Most cons don't do that, but most cons have had self pub content on the programme.

No joined-up thinking.

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Reposted by Wendy Metcalfe

Juliet E McKenna @julietemckenna.bsky.social · 3d

These meetings underscore how much hard work, time and focus volunteer committees put in to keep SF&F fan organisations thriving. It's important to recognise that, and to publicly thank them.

British Fantasy Society @britfantasysoc.bsky.social · 3d

This year’s AGM is now underway in Brighton, with Secretary @davidgreenwriter.bsky.social, Chair @shonak.bsky.social, Treasurer @stewarthotston.com, and Deputy Chair @sianoh.bsky.social presiding.

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Wendy Metcalfe @wendymetcalfe.bsky.social · 3d

I did. I suggested a panel on indie publishing. Wasn't accepted. Also volunteered to give an indie perspective on the Publishing Demystified panel. Wasn't accepted.

Yet I've sold indie books at the con.

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Reposted by Wendy Metcalfe

CosmicRami 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @cosmicrami.com · 3d

See @jstpwalsh.bsky.social thread for a more detailed overview and significance of this ongoing off-world human presence here 👇

Justin Walsh @jstpwalsh.bsky.social · 3d

THREAD: 25 years ago today, the first crew of the International Space Station for a four-and-a-half month stay. Two cosmonauts - Yuri Gidzenko and Sergei Krikalev - were joined by NASA astronaut William Shepherd. Since that moment, the ISS had had at least two people onboard.

An agency photo of the Expedition 1 crew

The Expedition 1 crew in the Russian Zvezda module with fresh oranges. The table is at lower left

A graph showing the ISS population over the last 25 years

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Wendy Metcalfe @wendymetcalfe.bsky.social · 3d

only downside of World Fantasy Con is listening to all
these trad pubbed authors. No discussion of self
publishing as a valid alternative.

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Wendy Metcalfe @wendymetcalfe.bsky.social · 3d

Observations from World Fantasy Con:
1. intergenerational, from kids to 80+ adults
2. Inclusive. lots of panels about
queer and older representation
3. polite. very busy, but people move out of the way in crowded hallways, wait patiently to get into and out of rooms.

A change from everyday

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Wendy Metcalfe @wendymetcalfe.bsky.social · 4d

Same on Thursday, with the added bonus of half term squashing.

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Wendy Metcalfe @wendymetcalfe.bsky.social · 4d

All ready for day three of World Fantasy Con.

Wendy Metcalfe @wendymetcalfe.bsky.social · 5d

Last night's panel
went very well. Already had two people today tell
me that it was great.

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Wendy Metcalfe @wendymetcalfe.bsky.social · 5d

Thank you.

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Wendy Metcalfe @wendymetcalfe.bsky.social · 6d

Obligatory mirror selfie. All dressed up to moderate my panel at @worldfantasy2025.bsky.social

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Wendy Metcalfe @wendymetcalfe.bsky.social · 6d

Will pay you a visit, probably tomorrow.

Wendy Metcalfe @wendymetcalfe.bsky.social · 6d

Brilliant!

Nicholas Jackson @njj4.bsky.social · 6d

I am the very model of an ancient trunkless leg of stone,
My shattered visage lies half buried with a sandy sneering frown,
The sculptor carved my arrogance upon these broken lifeless things,
My name is Ozymandias, the self-describèd King of Kings!

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Wendy Metcalfe @wendymetcalfe.bsky.social · 6d

Forgot it was half term. Easy but noisy journey to @worldfantasy2025.bsky.social hotel. Just dropped off my books to sell and sold two the moment they were put out. Makes up for the stressy travelling. And my suitcase will be lighter on the way back.

Wendy Metcalfe @wendymetcalfe.bsky.social · 6d

Jusr checked and it is
Thursday. Better get moving then. I'm off to @worldfantasy2025.bsky.social in a couple of hours.

One simple (hopefully) train ride, the easiest of any con. I hope.

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Reposted by Wendy Metcalfe

Dmitry Grozoubinski @explaintrade.com · 7d

The "hard-men" of Gondor were getting their shit kicked in until they were rescued by foreigners and a girl.

The Shire was doing fine until they let a fascist demagogue ("Sharkey" aka Saruman) take over, close the gates, impose a bunch of thug-enforced rules, and despoil nature for profit.

A screenshot of a tweet by Elon Musk (@elonmusk). The tweet reads:

“When Tolkien wrote about the hobbits, he was referring to the gentlefolk of the English shires, who don’t realize the horrors that take place far away.

They were able to live their lives in peace and tranquility, but only because they were protected by the hard men of Gondor.

What happened to the nice man who was brutally murdered while walking his dog will happen to all of England if the tide of illegal immigration is not turned.

It is time for the English to ally with the hard men, like Tommy Robinson, and fight for their survival or they shall surely all die.”

Below the tweet is a grey box that says: “This post is unavailable" indicating that the Tommy Robinson tweet he's QT'ing is missing.

The timestamp reads: “8:02 AM · Oct 29, 2025 · 1.9M Views”.

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Wendy Metcalfe @wendymetcalfe.bsky.social · 7d

Most packing done for World Fantasy Con. Weather forecast for tomorrow
checked. What! Sunny spells? You'd
better deliver on that.

Wendy Metcalfe @wendymetcalfe.bsky.social · 8d

Not quite got to
this stage yet. That'll be tomorrow

Shona Kinsella @shonak.bsky.social · 8d

I’m so excited and nervous about setting off for @worldfantasy2025.bsky.social tomorrow, that I’m deep in waiting mode and struggling to focus on anything today

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Wendy Metcalfe @wendymetcalfe.bsky.social · 9d

Have my open mic slot for Thursday night at the World Fantasy Con. An hour and a half after I finish moderating my panel.

Hope I can stay awake that long!

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Wendy Metcalfe @wendymetcalfe.bsky.social · 9d

A Love Island memoir? Who cares? Spoiler : not me. Never seen the cursed programme. Even the trailers look
hideous.

Wendy Metcalfe @wendymetcalfe.bsky.social · 9d

Maybe it's time to discover some fabulous new indie authors now.

Sam Missingham @samatlounge.bsky.social · 9d

Ugh

Nick Sturm @nicksturm.bsky.social · 9d

Nigel Newton, CEO of Bloomsbury, telling us why AI is good for publishing with this fun caveat: “We are programmed deep in our DNA to be comforted by the authority and the reliability of big brand names, & that applies more than ever to the names of big writers."

www.theguardian.com/business/202...

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Wendy Metcalfe @wendymetcalfe.bsky.social · 9d

fabulous! Must go
and look at her work
there

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Reposted by Wendy Metcalfe

S.L. Dove Cooper @dovelynnwriter.bsky.social · 10d

Lookit! More books to check out for Ace Week! Will happily second the ones I’ve read and I know friends would second some of the others, so I’m sure the ones I don’t know will be awesome too!

Rainbow Crate @rainbowcrate.bsky.social · 11d

🌈 Hey Reading Rainbows! Happy Asexual Awareness Week! We are celebrating with 24 more asexual book recommendations! 🧵

A graphic with a background made up of the asexual flag which has four stripes: black, gray, white and purple. Overlaid is a translucent white square in the middle with a thin white outline surrounding the square. Text reads “24 asexual books for asexual awareness week!”. The 28 is in ace flag colors while the text below alternates the ace colors. At the bottom of the graphic is text that reads “@rainbowcratebookbox” in all caps white font.

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Reposted by Wendy Metcalfe

Juliet E McKenna @julietemckenna.bsky.social · 10d

An excellent idea. 'Luck' often comes up in How I Got Published stories, usually as good timing. In a non-writing white male success story I recently saw luck defined as preparation+opportunity. My immediate reaction was 'yes, we all have to do the work but opportunity isn't equally distributed'.

James Bennett @jamesbennett.bsky.social · 10d

I'd really love to see a writing guide (and industry advice) written from a minority and marginalised perspective tbh. I imagine it would look wildly different. And be helpful to a lot of folks out there who tend to get regurgitated guidance based entirely on an unequal and exclusionary experience.

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