Catherine Winters
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catherinewinters.com
Catherine Winters
@catherinewinters.com
2.5K followers 1.4K following 5.7K posts
She/her, creator of procedural art bots, games, and VR stuff. Not AI.

🎮 Making After Work, a game about rummaging around in your coworkers' desks: https://cornonthecob.games
📖 Querying my queer science fiction heist novel.

https://catherinewinters.com
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catherinewinters.com
Catherine Winters @catherinewinters.com · 2d
F/NB WAYFARERS x MURDERBOT

Everything fell apart when the human came aboard. Instead of nice meals and quiet cargo runs, Tai's stuck with bickering crewmates, sinister criminals, explosions, and worse, a human who wants to be friends. #BluePit #BluePit📖 #SF #A #Q #R #LGBT
Mood board/Agent's guide for my novel CARGO - a queer SF/heist/romance - 113,000 words "Did you hear? There's a human on board." A graphic of the wall of a spaceship with sticky notes and polaroid photos taped up. There are twinkle lights hanging from the ceiling. alien ship's cook (fussy, anxious) + terrifying monster (ordinary human) PITCH: Tai’s terrified of humans. Everyone is. Violent pack hunters, humans are notorious for their strength, sharp teeth, and carnivorous appetites. But the ship’s cook is safe among the multispecies crew of the cargo hauler Coreward Baker: everyone knows the warrior species rarely leave their own space. Then Captain Raz hires Clarke, a human horticulturist. Even after Tai overcomes their fear, they can’t stand Clarke. She’s bossy. Annoying. Useless in the galley, bad in a space suit. She might as well be cargo. Worse, she’s intent on befriending Tai—and why can’t they stop thinking about her, anyway? That’s when things go wrong. As Tai starts to realize their feelings for Clarke, they’re horrified to learn that nobody on their crew of dropouts and runaways is quite who they seem, least of all Clarke. And it’s no coincidence. Raz reveals they’ve each been handpicked for a heist he’s spent years planning—and no one’s allowed to say no. PRIORITIES: make dinner remain cozy haul cargo go for drinks pull off one last score try not to fall in love FIRST PAGE: “Did you hear? There’s a Human on board.” I choked on my noodles and turned to stare at the diners at the next table. Like most of the restaurant’s patrons, the pair had hidden their profiles, a halfhearted attempt at anonymity. “Gross,” the speaker’s crewmate said, oblivious to my alarm. “I hope it leaves soon.” “Don’t let it hear you say that,” the first worker laughed. She made a show of looking for Humans, her eyes darting from table to table. It. I frowned. I knew the workers’ language distinguished between people and things, and ‘it’ was an unkind choice of words at best. The second worker shuddered. “I don’t know why we let them come here.” The first laughed. “Are you going to stop them?” COMPS: Murderbot by Martha Wells Someone You Can Build a Nest In by John Wisewell The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers TROPES: Non-binary narrator masking anxiety with sarcasm lying to themselves non-human perspective (afraid of humans) neurodivergent main characters metaphorically disabled protagonist slow-burn friends-to-lovers and enemies to lovers in the same relationship disabilitynorm and queernorm setting found family loveable pet/terrifying monster
Reposted by Catherine Winters
unraveledpress.com
If you want to actually help ID ICE agents today, might we recommend starting with these two (and no, don't do it in the replies):
peoplesfabric.com The People's Fabric @peoplesfabric.com · 3d
We still do not know the names of the ICE agents who killed Silverio Villegas González on September 12, 2025 outside of Chicago.

If you have any information, please reach out on Signal at @tpf.99.
January 14, 2026 at 7:02 PM
Reposted by Catherine Winters
1t2ls.bsky.social
Banning Plato from your university is pretty much the loudest way to scream “we hate free thought and despise the western tradition” i can think of.
theatlantic.com The Atlantic @theatlantic.com · 1d
Texas A&M’s decision to censor Plato is “absurd and sinister,” Adam Kirsch writes. But “it is ironically fitting that Plato, of all philosophers, should be targeted by a regime worried about the effect of subversive ideas on tender minds”:
Texas Sends Plato Back to His Cave
Even in ancient Greece, people worried about philosophy’s subversive effect on tender minds.
bit.ly
January 13, 2026 at 10:56 PM
Reposted by Catherine Winters
rincewind.run
you can’t shoot people for running away from you!

this shit is horrifying and unsustainable, man
January 15, 2026 at 2:31 AM
catherinewinters.com
Anytime I can let someone who’s been championing a position I agree with cite my outrage to their highers-up, I am overjoyed for the opportunity.
monkeyminion.com Dane is home for a bit. @monkeyminion.com · 4h
Here’s an email exchange I had with Glen Wooten, the person in charge of SDCC’s Art Show. The previous language has been in place for a couple of years & was a compromise between himself & the higher ups. This whole ruckus convinced them that they needed more forceful language, so that’s great.
January 15, 2026 at 2:27 AM
Reposted by Catherine Winters
monkeyminion.com
Here’s an email exchange I had with Glen Wooten, the person in charge of SDCC’s Art Show. The previous language has been in place for a couple of years & was a compromise between himself & the higher ups. This whole ruckus convinced them that they needed more forceful language, so that’s great.
Glen Wooten 7:25 PM to Glen v ... Check the art show page - you'll see that the rules have been changed, and that Al is no longer discouraged, but is banned. Those 2 sentences have been in the rules for a few years to make people not want to put Al art in the (since there would be no way to sell), from a time when Al was just starting to rear it's ugly head. It has worked - no one has put Al artwork in. But the issue is becoming more of a problem, so more strident language is necessary: NO! Plain and simple. Notices started coming in yesterday afternoon, but I haven't said anything till the office updated the web page (I do not have access to it). My wife is an artist, so I have no love for regurgitated Al artwork. As an art show director, I wish the biggest problem to be telling the artist to stop calling prints of originals as originals. I may not be able to control what goes on outside, but I can keep a tight leash on the art show. regurgitated Al artwork. As an art show director, I wish the biggest problem to be telling the artist to stop calling prints of originals as originals. I may not be able to control what goes on outside, but I can keep a tight leash on the art show. Thank you for your time. ... me 7:58 PM to Glen v ... Thank you so much for the update and for your time. Things like this are why I love SDCC. • • • me 8:05 PM to Glen v Do you mind if I share this on bluesky? I can leave your name off if you'd like. If not, absolutely no problem. ... ... Glen Wooten 8:13 PM to me v ... On 1/14/2026 6:05 PM, Dane Ault wrote: Do you mind if I share this on bluesky? I can leave your name off if you'd like. If not, absolutely no problem. I would appreciate it if you did (you can use my name). The office decided to "reorganize" the rules this year, so they brought out a small part of a paragraph, and gave it it's own little lightning rod. As l said, it's never been a problem, because they know I frown on it, so they don't do it - but this is perception, and what was acceptable a few years ago is more of a hot-button topic now. The previous wording was a compromise (I wasn't allowed to say NO! at the time) - now there is no question. •••
January 15, 2026 at 2:22 AM
Reposted by Catherine Winters
atrupar.com
Poland failed to win the Hitler team over
January 14, 2026 at 8:21 PM
Reposted by Catherine Winters
peark.es
I don’t even necessarily think this is a bad idea but it is hitting Levels of Ritchie Torresing that we previously couldn’t have conceived of.
ritchietorres.bsky.social Ritchie Torres @ritchietorres.bsky.social · 16h
I am introducing the Quick Recognition (QR) Act, which requires ICE and CBP officers to wear uniforms featuring QR codes. When scanned, the code would generate a digital ID displaying the officer’s name, badge number, and law enforcement agency.

ICE should be unmasked both physically and digitally.
January 15, 2026 at 1:02 AM
Reposted by Catherine Winters
timfordwrites.bsky.social
If the American reporting that Canada is participating in a joint defensive posture with NATO allies in Greenland proves to be false, it should, at minimum, necessitate a response from the Carney gov.

At that point, they'll have to speak up firmly: do we stand with our real allies, or with Trump?
January 14, 2026 at 10:39 PM
Reposted by Catherine Winters
flaminghydra.com
TODAY: An ABSOLUTELY FREE edition, where we introduce our new contributor, freaking @tomtomorrow.bsky.social! The man himself! flaminghydra.com/famous-meme-...
FAMOUS MEME Comics
You may riff in the comments
flaminghydra.com
January 14, 2026 at 10:44 PM
Reposted by Catherine Winters
proptermalone.bsky.social
I do not understand why anyone would want to interact with any tool or person this way, leaving aside the fact of the error entirely
January 14, 2026 at 9:51 PM
Reposted by Catherine Winters
grundislav.games
ROSEWATER was supposed to go on sale this Friday for the IndieCade Festival, but the button got pushed early!

Pick up an alt history Wild West epic adventure where choices matter, with an award-nominated voice cast, for 25% off, the lowest discount so far!

store.steampowered.com/app/1226670/...
January 14, 2026 at 4:30 PM
Reposted by Catherine Winters
bakkaphoenix.bsky.social
Our mystery $5 used book bags are back! We judge and label these *entirely* on their covers. Come get them while supplies last.
White paperbags on a table, with handwritten notes on them reading "Well, Hello, Mr. Grumpy pants.", "Stabby stab stab", "It's dangerous to go to outer space alone... Take this!", "Aww, who's a good boy?", "Ahh! Snakes! Or maybe dragons! I don't know, but run!", "Clothes? pfft. We don't need those where we're going.", "Purple Power!", and "It's not easy being green..." In front of these is an orange piece of paper that says "Mystery Used Book Bags! $5 each"
January 14, 2026 at 6:43 PM
Reposted by Catherine Winters
g1mpy.bsky.social
The revolution won't be televised, but you can scan this QR code to see how you can take action, now!

Would you like to know more?

Starship Trooper ass missed the plot ass thinks the bugs are the bad guys ass nuke the world ass legislating nonsense ass Nazis.
angryblacklady.blacksky.app Imani Gandy @angryblacklady.blacksky.app · 14h
Ritchie Torres is seriously introducing a bill that would require ICE agents to wear... wait for ittttttt...

QR Codes.

Rot in hell.
January 14, 2026 at 6:18 PM
catherinewinters.com
#QueerPrompts January 14: Poor Tai.
January 14, 2026 at 6:07 PM
catherinewinters.com
#Critterary 14: Lizzie Arlsdottir's heard a lot in her time. The tallest tale was relayed through two translators in a dockside pub in Yeonju. An elderly man claimed to be the sole survivor of a "living reef" that surfaced under his ship. Lizzie groaned. Even the Far West had myths about leviathans?
serraleta.bsky.social Serra Leta @serraleta.bsky.social · 1d
Day 14
Slower day yesterday, understandably with a couple events taking place on here!
Today we're staying in the seas (and other bodies of water) a while longer, to discuss aquatic creatures! Time to dip our toes into fantastic wonders and dark oceans.
#Writing #WritingPrompts #Critterary
#Critterary - A January writing prompt game. Today's Theme: Aquatic Creatures. Merfolk! Krakens! Leviathans! Etc.! Have you written anything featuring them? If not, feel free to discuss any random thoughts (fun facts, favorite media featuring them, gifs, etc.) Bottom Tagline: Celebration of all things creatures! Hosted by Serra Leta. Art of a cartoon cthulhu, and art of a mermaid combing her long hair. Background is a leafy jungle.
January 14, 2026 at 5:56 PM
catherinewinters.com
Ha! Tai doesn't have flaws. Obviously. Who said Tai has flaws? Why would they say that? #AwesomeCharacters
charliedeltawrites.bsky.social ❄️Charlie (Chelizabeth) Delta ☃️ @charliedeltawrites.bsky.social · 1d
Tell me more about your #AwesomeCharacters

Let's talk self-reflection. How good is your character at assessing their flaws?

Do they usually have a good sense of how they are coming across to others?

If not, which way are they usually wrong?

#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
January 14, 2026 at 5:35 PM
catherinewinters.com
#JanuaryWorldbuilders 14: Most Bir Accians eat chicken, squab, and fish. Red meat is much rarer, due to the expense of raising them in the local climate. Raising goats for milk is a better use of resources than for slaughter. Still, the upper classes know the taste of beef. (1/2)
kiraofthewind.com Kira of the Wind (Erika McCorkle) @kiraofthewind.com · 1d
Last question on our "society, broadly" theme for #JanuaryWorldbuilders. What food or drinks are popular in the society you've been talking about? If can be an MC's society, or any one you have an interesting answer for.
MonthlyWorldbuilders prompts daily feed card #JanuaryWorldbuilders Hosted by Kira of the Wind Week 2: society 14. What are popular foods or drinks in your MC's society? The background image shows a blurred magic tree with a waterfall coming down between two halves of its trunk. It’s nighttime and the night sky is magical with lots of blues and pinks and purple
January 14, 2026 at 5:32 PM
Reposted by Catherine Winters
kthorjensen.bsky.social
There's only one thing I really miss about Twitter now that it's a repugnant sinkhole of Nazi child pornography, and that's the ability to publicly shame corporations into behaving better. 🧵
January 14, 2026 at 4:23 PM
Reposted by Catherine Winters
daff.space
thinking about the time I caught a local municipal candidate's mom texting the candidate about the "two trannys in line" behind her while I was waiting in line to vote
photo of a phone, texting, to Jaime Stein, one message visible says "The two trannys behind us in liner we're talking to the ACAB asshole"
January 14, 2026 at 2:46 AM
catherinewinters.com
Does anyone have a formula or calculator to estimate how much internal volume you get from a monohull or catamaran sailing ship depending on beam and draft and length per hull?
January 14, 2026 at 12:42 AM
Reposted by Catherine Winters
catherinewinters.com
Nia Moredi just wants to look out for her little brother. Miss Laval needs to attend a governess-teacher meeting. Baarsin Dorvierre’s being watched. Pickpocket Wren needs to recharge her misdirection charm. If only Nia could remember which of them she’s supposed to be today. #BluePit #YA #F #LGBT
A mood board of eight tiles and a centre square with lockpicking tools and ancient writing: 1. Always have an escape plan. 2. A swindler never lets herself feel like a fraud. 3. Don't look for the easy grab, look for the easy mark. 4. Never get involved with spirits. The pictures depict, clockwise from upper right: A) A city of canals and towering footbridges. There are minarets and steeples and red-tiled roofs. B) A market selling elaborate lanterns, all aglow. C) A porcelain and gold hand, reaching upwards. D) Two figures leaping across rooftops against the coming dawn. E) A pocketwatch--or is it? Constellations and continents cover the front, the body of the watch engraved with runes. It's sitting on ancient parchment. F) A wax stamp with removable chits that function as coins in a card game. G) The lords of the city overlooking grand canals and issuing edicts. They are dressed in fine red robes and silks. H) Assorted bones and shells used for divination and more.
January 13, 2026 at 6:12 PM
Reposted by Catherine Winters
catherinewinters.com
“Humans. I’d seen them before: one or two here and there over the years, a small pack once. It was always the same: crowds silently parting to make way for a lone hunter, dock workers going out of their way to avoid a human ship’s berth. But this one wanted to talk to me.” #BluePit #Q #SF #LGBT #A
An orange, black, and white movie poster for my manuscript Cargo, inspired by Saul Bass's famous vintage posters for Vertigo and The Man With the Golden Hand: "Tai's terrified of humans. Everyone is. So why did their captain just hire one, and why can't Tai stop thinking about her?" Now Querying: Cargo The credits section is as follows: CATHERINE WINTERS AND COREWARD BAKER PRODUCTIONS LTD PRESENT A CATHERINE WINTERS NOVEL ‘CARGO’ STARRING TAI OF MICAPA THYLLIS CHAUMEDEROT TALATAGARI QUIRIN TALATAGARI ANENTO FRANK THE CAT JEREL BESKROS CHOST MOL RAZIK FEATURING COOL MOSS ABOVE STILL WATER AND INTRODUCING CLARKE SHIPS BY SETEBO-URANQ AND CONSTANT VERIDITY INTERSTELLAR COSTUMES BY UPPER CORE ATELIER “HUMAN” CREATURE EFFECTS BY 3.8 BILLION YEARS OF EVOLUTION CASTING BY THE TRADE AUTHORITY WRITTEN BY CATHERINE WINTERS DIRECTED BY CATHERINE WINTERS EXECUTIVE PRODUCER CATHERINE WINTERS WITH APOLOGIES TO SAUL BASS Catherine Winters dot Com
January 13, 2026 at 7:23 PM
Reposted by Catherine Winters
molly.wiki
when ICE asks you questions about your neighbors, you've never met your neighbors in your life. you've never even seen them from afar. neighbors? what neighbors?
ruemcclammyhand.bsky.social regular meghan 나영지 🇵🇸 @ruemcclammyhand.bsky.social · 1d
ICE is targeting Hmong families in St. Paul as they go door to door looking for people to kidnap. they’re asking “do you have any Asian neighbors”
January 13, 2026 at 10:37 PM
Reposted by Catherine Winters
bvbodegom.bsky.social
CABIN IN THE WOODS × JOHN DIES AT THE END

When their detective friend is murdered at their annual gaming retreat, 5 dads must rely on years of #TTRPG experience—and puns—to solve the crime before they're all killed off like NPCs in a badly written supernatural campaign.

#BluePit 📖 #A #H #Q #DIS
The image, made with free non-AI stock pictures, shows a horror-comedy novel cover titled "DAD BODIES." The top of the cover reads "THE GAME JUST TOOK A DAD TURN" with "DAD" in a different color. The background features a haunted house with multiple towers and illuminated windows against a dark backdrop. At the center is a 20-sided die (D20) used in tabletop role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons, with visible numbers including 1, 7, 13, and 19. The die is surrounded by red blood splatter effects. At the bottom of the cover are six men with expressions of terror and shock. One man is wearing a white shirt over his head. These men are the dads referenced in the title.
January 13, 2026 at 11:01 AM
Reposted by Catherine Winters
trutherford.bsky.social
ANTI-CHARTER CAMPAIGN: Speculative Fiction
Jumanji X Abbott Elementary
School librarian Britt and her teacher friends must figure out how to stop a charter takeover of their beloved school.
The strange D&D game they're playing may hold the key.
Querying Soon
#BluePit 📖 #A #W
An image of a classroom over an image of a D&D game with dice. Text reads: Speculative fiction, Anti-Charter Campaign, is Jumanji X Abbott Elementary. Librarian Britt and her teacher colleagues must make the right rolls in a magical RPG to save their school from a charter takeover.
January 13, 2026 at 5:14 AM