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Brian McNett

@bmcnett.bsky.social

690 followers 630 following 3.5K posts

Radical Mycologist and Gnome Appreciator on full disability. Occasional writer of EXTREMELY short fiction. Pronouns: he/him. Rather more than a bit ace. Will likely not notice you flirting with me.

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Brian McNett @bmcnett.bsky.social · Sep 14

I honestly think that @lanedraws.bsky.social knocked it out of the park, but this ebook edition doesn't do the full cover justice. The paperback will have the ENTIRE graphic including the back. But for now, the ebook is both economical and available for pre-order this very minute.

Releases 9/26.

Reliably Narrated Armageddon and Other Stories

Reliably Narrated Armageddon and Other Stories - Kindle edition by McNett, Brian. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading Reliably Narrated Armageddon and Other Stories.

www.amazon.com

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Reposted by Brian McNett

Mary Robinette Kowal @maryrobinettekowal.com · 17h

My hot take is that none of these are structure. These are all recipes that describe structure.

Structure is the Salt, Fat, Acid Heat of writing.

3-Act/Hero's Journey etc are recipes.

You can make great meals without using a recipe if you understand the principles of structure.

Mx. D. D. Ward (they/them) @ddwardiswriting.bsky.social · 1d

So #WritingCommunity how do we feel about structure?

Do you use the 3 act structure? The 5 act?

Hero's Journey? Save the Cat? Super Structure Method? Story Genius Method?

Something else?

What have you got?

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Brian McNett @bmcnett.bsky.social · 1d

In 2025, you have to be at a minimum willingly blind to not see that these are Nazis in word and deed. The fascist makes human virtue a crime. They've as much as told us that empathy is sin.

Sometimes it really is as simple as good vs. evil.

The Crime of Human Virtue

Sometimes it really is as simple as good vs. evil. This is one of those times. Human virtue is our great crime against the fascist project; it's also our great weapon against it.

www.the-reframe.com

Reposted by Brian McNett

Dannie D 🦋 @dannied.bsky.social · 1d

✨ May George Stephanopoulos’ pillow stay cool, his coffee perfect, every sunrise joyful, every laugh endless, doors open to gold, challenges turn to confetti, and the universe sprinkle nonstop magic and good vibes in his life. 🌟☕💫

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Reposted by Brian McNett

K. Chen @tznkai.bsky.social · 2d

Like I said, they take it very, very seriously.

rahaeli @rahaeli.bsky.social · 2d

What Fr Dowling is doing here was not just "offering communion to detainees". A full on Eucharistic Procession is a really fucking big deal. In Catholic theological framing, those folks were the honor guard with the very great privilege of escorting Jesus himself to the detention center.

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Reposted by Brian McNett

CZEdwards @czedwards.bsky.social · 1d

Psst:

A reminder for American writers: High tea is not fancier tea, it’s supper. It’s a more substantial meal with a main dish, rather than tea, biscuits, scones, little snack foods. And it’s high because it’s served on a high table — dining table height — not a low, tea or coffee table.

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Brian McNett @bmcnett.bsky.social · 1d

It's kinda weird really. Okay, very weird.

Brian McNett @bmcnett.bsky.social · 1d

I've sold a sum total of "I'm kinda disappointed with this number" of books since launch. I'd like to sell a slightly less disappointing number of books, but book promotion really isn't my thing. Long-term I'm just going to have to write more, but until then...

BUY MY BOOK! It's a fun read. Honest!

Reliably Narrated Armageddon and Other Stories

www.amazon.com

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Brian McNett @bmcnett.bsky.social · 1d

Get up and do the thing. No, I don't know what the thing is — that's all you. YOU know what the thing is you need/want to do. Go do it. Do it well, or do it badly, just get it done.

Only then can you say you did the thing.

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Brian McNett @bmcnett.bsky.social · 1d

I really enjoyed having a follower character. With a mage as my main, I got The Great Akazamzarak. I really miss that goblin, and I wonder whatever happened to all those folks.

Brian McNett @bmcnett.bsky.social · 2d

Oh yes, all the cats adore pets. The one in the picture curls up on mom's lap while she's in her easy chair.

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Brian McNett @bmcnett.bsky.social · 2d

In fact, there are THREE cats who hang out at our house now. Two from next door, and one from down the street.

Our neighborhood has raccoons and coyotes. No cat should be allowed outside here. I'm not going to argue with the neighbors about it. So here we are.

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Brian McNett @bmcnett.bsky.social · 2d

This cat specifically belongs to our nextdoor neighbors who have flat out told me of their two cats "They're indoor/outdoor cats." Setting aside that you shouldn't do that to your cats, no they aren't: They're indoor/NEXTDOOR cats. Neighbors set them out. They come straight to our back porch.

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Brian McNett @bmcnett.bsky.social · 2d

I don’t own a cat.

A gray cat curled up next to my foot under my desk

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Brian McNett @bmcnett.bsky.social · 2d

"The'S' in Generative AI stands for 'security,'" as one wag put it.

"ASCII smuggling" is a trick to get commands past the filters companies place in front of their AI LLMs to pretend they have security and guardrails against unethical uses.

Google shows no interest if fixing this particular flaw.

Google won’t fix ‘ASCII smuggling’ hack in Gemini AI

YouTube video by Pivot to AI

youtu.be

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Brian McNett @bmcnett.bsky.social · 2d

Actually it’s more of the turbo-supercharged version of this where AI will take away all of the thinking and creativity, reducing your job to writing prompts for the AI and absorbing the responsibility for its mistakes. You’re never seeing your child again.

Techbro paradise.

Andrew Lawrence @ndrew.bsky.social · 2d

every single tech idea is like “soon our robots will be capable of playing catch with your kid, freeing you up to spend more time working on your employers’ spreadsheets”

Brian McNett @bmcnett.bsky.social · 2d

I may have them confused with The Master Singers, but then again memory is fragile.

Brian McNett @bmcnett.bsky.social · 2d

During their singing of either the British Highway Code, or the Weather Report.

Reposted by Brian McNett

rahaeli @rahaeli.bsky.social · 3d

Yes, the underlying reason for the need for this is horrifying, stipulated, but watching so many people stand up and defend their neighbors and their community is a heartening reminder that the people who suck are not the majority even if they are the power

Slackermom @slackermom.bsky.social · 3d

Was just at a neighborhood school at dismissal. Hundreds of people with whistles surrounding the school and stationed down every block making sure ICE doesn’t snatch anyone. The same is happening at all the schools around here. I love my neighborhood and I love Chicago.

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Brian McNett @bmcnett.bsky.social · 2d

You’ll find me shambling in mossy forests with my wicker basket filled with mushrooms. Likely I’ll talk your ears off about the finer points of mushroom ID.

Edmonds Scanner @edmondsscanner.bsky.social · 21d

Remember, you are not alone.
Your community is out there.
Find them in quiet bookstores & noisy cafes.
Find them shambling in mossy forests.
Find them haunting crumbling castles on the coast, under the dim light of stars.

Reposted by Brian McNett

David Corn @davidcorn.bsky.social · 2d

A classic case of irresponsible both-sidesism from the NYT. The story is that Trump and MAGA propagandists are lying about Portland to incite a conflict, not that there are different views of the matter.

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Brian McNett @bmcnett.bsky.social · 2d

I’ve spent the afternoon distributing flyers for the upcoming mushroom show in November. I’ll be doing my usual gig of identifying every single mushroom placed in front of me until I pass out or the show ends.

I get a token stipend for my efforts. Totally worth it.

Brian McNett @bmcnett.bsky.social · 2d

I’m fairly certain that @seananmcguire.bsky.social can’t be convicted of any culinary offenses here. The Swedes put BANANAS on pizza.

Who are we to judge?

Also Seanan isn’t AI.

Seanan McGuire @seananmcguire.bsky.social · 2d

The Magic community: The TMNT pizza lands must be AI, because who puts raspberries on pizza?
I: So like, last week I paid someone to make me a pizza with strawberries AND blueberries on it. Am I AI?

...I may be AI. My pizza says so.

Brian McNett @bmcnett.bsky.social · 2d

I had fun during Legion. I maxed out crafting. I raided. I actually raided! I got deeply involved in the lore and story. I was sad that it didn’t carry over into the next expansion.

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Reposted by Brian McNett

Django Wexler @djangowexler.bsky.social · 3d

My boss: so how's our fourth quarter looking?

Me, the sales manager at the company that makes inflatable frog suits: well, you're never going to believe this, but

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Brian McNett @bmcnett.bsky.social · 3d

Keeping the fall snacking tradition alive.