Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They)

Effie Cyborg @effies.bsky.social · 6h

If you have a story pending with Must Read Media (includes F&SF, Analog, Asimov's, Ellery Queen), definitely check out Ben's contract before you sign anything.

There've been contract shenanigans there and this is useful ammo to bring to negotiations.

Benjamin C. Kinney @benjaminckinney.com · 1d

New neuroscience short story forthcoming in @analogsf.bsky.social! Which also means a story of - ultimately successful - negotiations with their new publisher.

Includes full final text of my contract for all to use while they finish rewriting their boilerplate.

benjaminckinney.com/analog-negot...

Analog Negotiations & Short Story Sale: Recognition, Memory » Benjamin C. Kinney - still pruning...

Successful negotiations with Must Read Magazines & Analog SF, who will publish my science fiction short story "Recognition, Memory."

benjaminckinney.com

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Reposted by Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They)

Sheryl Weikal and the colorful Parrotlegals @leftistlawyer.com · 7h

Posts about people returning to their homes are designed to elicit a sense of conclusion, of normality, that simply does not exist when Israel dropped the equivalent of multiple nuclear weapons on an area the size of Seattle.

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Reposted by Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They)

Sheryl Weikal and the colorful Parrotlegals @leftistlawyer.com · 7h

I think what's bothering me about all these statements I'm seeing from politicians that are variations of "Israeli hostages and Palestinians are returning to their homes, yay" is that Israelis are returning to their homes and Palestinians are returning to uninhabitable post apocalyptic rubble.

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Reposted by Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They)

Micah @rincewind.run · 12h

I know the headline everyone's running with is "erotica" but "we have been able to mitigate the serious mental health issues" and "we are putting personality back in ChatGPT so it will act like a friend" are diametrically opposed statements

that's the cause of most of the mental health issues

Matt Burgess (WIRED) @mattburgess1.bsky.social · 13h

Oh good, ChatGPT is getting "erotica for verified adults" later this year

We made ChatGPT pretty restrictive to make sure we were being careful with mental health issues. We realize this made it less useful/enjoyable to many users who had no mental health problems, but given the seriousness of the issue we wanted to get this right.

Now that we have been able to mitigate the serious mental health issues and have new tools, we are going to be able to safely relax the restrictions in most cases.

In a few weeks, we plan to put out a new version of ChatGPT that allows people to have a personality that behaves more like what people liked about 4o (we hope it will be better!). If you want your ChatGPT to respond in a very human-like way, or use a ton of emoji, or act like a friend, ChatGPT should do it (but only if you want it, not because we are usage-maxxing).

In December, as we roll out age-gating more fully and as part of our “treat adult users like adults” principle, we will allow even more, like erotica for verified adults.

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Reposted by Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They)

Emissary Of Night | ليلى @diplomatofnight.com · 15h

Ta Nehisi Coates went to a country that imposed a military dictatorship onto five million people on the arbitrary basis of race and came away thinking that that's bad and some people are still angry with him because of that

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Reposted by Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They)

un bastille after another @anem0ne.net · 7h

facebook has always supported groups performing ethnic cleansings

Chicago Tribune @chicagotribune.com · 8h

A Facebook group that shared information on sightings of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in the Chicago area was taken down by Meta following pressure from the Justice Department, according to Attorney General Pam Bondi.

Facebook removes Chicago-area page dedicated to ICE sightings after Justice Department intervenes

The Facebook page ICE Sighting-Chicagoland amassed over 70,000 members in recent weeks as the Trump administration’s “Operation Midway Blitz” has ramped up in Chicago and the suburbs.

trib.al

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Reposted by Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They)

Vida Cruz-Borja @laviecestmoi.bsky.social · 1d

Little update. Mostly been off bsky coz I've had some complications involving fevers, bleeding. It's been a rough six weeks, physically, mentally, emotionally. Would have liked to have rested but I gotta pay for the hospital bills and various tests and medications. Anything you can spare will help.

Vida Cruz-Borja @laviecestmoi.bsky.social · May 23

Hi all; I'm going to undergo a significant procedure later this year (sorry, would rather not disclose) and my husband's health insurance doesn't cover it. We're going to need funds for the care during and after. Any help would be much appreciated:

gogetfunding.com/medical-and-...

Medical and Post-Hospital Care for Vida Cruz-Borja

Hello, I am Vida Cruz-Borja, author of the Cirilo F. Bautista Award-winning Song of the Mango and Other New Myths and the IGNYTE Award-winning essay “We are the Mountain: A Look at the Inactive Protag...

gogetfunding.com

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Reposted by Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They)

Kindra Cotton @kindracotton.com · 7h

ANOTHER SAD REMINDER: Black women lost 319,000 jobs between February and July of this year, the only major female demographic to experience significant job losses during this five-month period.

White men saw the largest job increase 一 365,000 一 among
groups.

Black women lost 319,000 jobs between February and July of this year, the only major female demographic to experience significant job losses during this five-month period.

White men saw the largest job
increase 一 365,000 一 among
groups.

According to an analysis of the most recent labor statistics by
Katica Roy, a gender economist

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Reposted by Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They)

Rami Ismail (رامي) @ramiismail.com · 7h

Hey look, Israel broke the cease-fire, twice, in two different ways, within 24 hours - again.

Mondoweiss @mondoweiss.net · 12h

NEW: Israel informed the UN it will permit only 300 aid trucks into Gaza daily, not the 600 mandated by the ceasefire it just signed.

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Reposted by Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They)

Melissa Caruso @melissacaruso.bsky.social · 13h

The best thing you can do for your writing is to take good care of yourself. The work comes easier, faster, and better when you've got full bars.

Corollary: The best thing we can do to get more amazing art from our faves is to take good care of the artists.

John Wiswell @wiswell.bsky.social · 15h

Tell me your most life-affirming literary opinion.

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Reposted by Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They)

Christopher Caldwell @seraph76.bsky.social · 10h

Black queer surfers. Black queer bank-robbers. Black queer sea monsters. Black queer sorcerers. Black queer rootworkers. Black queer sailors. Black queer saints. Black queer sinners.

It’s Black!
It’s queer!
It’s Here!

Now available!
www.neonhemlock.com/books/call-a...

Call and Response by Christopher Caldwell (pre-order) — neon hemlock

A collection of short stories. Publication date: October 14th, 2025. An 8” x 5” paperback. 188 pages. This is a pre-order—any other books ordered with it will ship when the pre-order is ready to ship....

www.neonhemlock.com

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Reposted by Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They)

Alejandra Caraballo @esqueer.net · 8h

So that was a lie. Fenway health in Boston just eliminated access for trans youth.

Dallas is their Executive Vice President of Donor Engagement and External Relations.

Dallas Ducar @dallasducar.bsky.social · Sep 4

Massachusetts is standing strong. While many states across the country have restricted or even banned access to healthcare, Massachusetts has not backed down.

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Reposted by Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They)

Danny Lore @weredawgz.blacksky.app · 8h

Actually

Anyone wanna talk to me about this project for the holidays? Hit me up

Christopher Helton @dorkland.itch.io · 8h

What?

@weredawgz.blacksky.app!

x

Take an exclusive peek inside The Grimoire of Agatha Harkness

www.polygon.com

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Reposted by Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They)

Nico Martinez Nocito | Writer @nicowritesbooks.bsky.social · 8h

Less than $1600 and 13 hours to fund INTO THE DARK!

Filled with dark fantasy including my story 'Imperfect Monsters', you don't want to miss the chance for early copies, exclusive art, and more!

🌘 "You are the final monster, and the stars are bored. They do not wait to reveal your true nature." 🌒

Into the Dark

A Dark Fantasy and Fantastical Horror Anthology

www.kickstarter.com

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Reposted by Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They)

JAQQQLNtern 🎃 (recovering from GRS) 🐇🏳️‍⚧️🇵🇸 🔞 @jaqqqln.gay · Jul 28

I feel like when an apocalyptic bill get shot down due to public outcry they shouldn't be allowed to just wait & run it through again, not once, let alone 12 times or whatever it is now

GRINN‼️ @grinn3r.bsky.social · Jul 27

THEYRE AT IT AGAIN
CALL YOUR REPS, WE HAVE ANOTHER BILL TO KILL

time.com/7288539/kids...

What to Know About the Kids Online Safety Act

What to know about the bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act, which has been reintroduced and has a second chance.

time.com

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Reposted by Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They)

Ariel Marken Jack @arielmarkenjack.bsky.social · 8h

Even just in the ~5 years I've been submitting, it's gotten noticeably harder to find open, appropriate markets when I've got something to submit. It's a hard game, and one I frequently wonder if I still want to play (but then I get an idea and have to write it down and then I have a story, so...).

Marie Brennan @swantower.bsky.social · 9h

<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.

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Reposted by Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They)

Matinee Mode @matineemode.bsky.social · 11h

Take a few minutes to appreciate Drew Struzan creating the original artwork for THE PHANTOM MENACE. Truly a master at work.

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Reposted by Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They)

Danny Lore @weredawgz.blacksky.app · 8h

HAHA THE FAMILIAR IS OUT THE BAG

I got to cowrite AGATHA HARKNESS’ official grimoire with Andrea Hannah!

And maybe… a Scarlet Witch and a Sorcerer Supreme make an appearance…

Christopher Helton @dorkland.itch.io · 8h

What?

@weredawgz.blacksky.app!

x

Take an exclusive peek inside The Grimoire of Agatha Harkness

www.polygon.com

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Reposted by Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They)

Rob MacWolf, Werewolf Hitchhiker @robmacwolf.thevoice.dog · 10h

When we write or draw porn or erotica, we get banned from having a bank account and our livelihoods get seized even if we give it away for free.

When billionaires steal what we've written or drawn to churn out a slop-approximate of porn, they're allowed to charge for it.

Matt Burgess (WIRED) @mattburgess1.bsky.social · 13h

Oh good, ChatGPT is getting "erotica for verified adults" later this year

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Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They) @gothgreenwitch.bsky.social · 9h

Apropos the last repost, and as OpenAI comes for erotica (couldn't resist), today's a great day to support queer writers making human-authored, exquisite eros.

So much good shit in the field.

For my own part, the goal in the QRP below is at 8/15 and I'd love to reach at least goal by month's end.

Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They) @gothgreenwitch.bsky.social · 11d

The Huldra House Samhain Sale continues!

3 FREE horrorotica stories!
50% off all subscriptions! ($9 USD for 24 stories, plus the collected edition, w/extras once out.)

Sub sales go toward me yeeting my deadname! Now at 4/15 toward goal!

www.huldrahouse.com/shop/samhain...
itch.io/s/160941/the...

A sale banner with a dark background, centred on a red-hooded figure holding a long axe with its blade pointed toward the ground. They stand in an open doorway, and moths flutter around them. In the foreground is matte white text that reads: The Huldra House Samhain Sale is on now, through October 31st!

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Reposted by Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They)

Alex Degen (Magic Serple 2025) @adactivity.bsky.social · 13h

This is cool after the war on everything called “porn” by platforms and payment processors. A machine that stole all your words can generate and sell “erotica” but you can’t haaa

Matt Burgess (WIRED) @mattburgess1.bsky.social · 13h

Oh good, ChatGPT is getting "erotica for verified adults" later this year

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Reposted by Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They)

Bookstore Romance Day @handle.invalid · 17h

Tickets are 75% gone for the event on 11/1 w/ @oliviawaite.com @clpolk.blacksky.app @evaleigh.bsky.social @stephanieburgis.bsky.social @kitrocha.com @jessiemihalik.com & #LeslyePenelope. Grab your spot now so you don't miss out.
www.eventbrite.com/e/lost-found...

Pale blue background. At the top left is the black silhouette of a hand facing downward with golden sparkles spilling from it. At the lower right is a black silhouette of a hand facing upward with golden sparkles rising from it. Gold text at top reads "Lost & Found Magic" Dark blue text below reads "A Virtual Conversation With Olivia Waite, CL Polk, Leslye Penelope, Jessie Mihalik, Eva Leigh, Kit Rocha, Stephanie Burgis" Lighter blue text reads "Sat. Nov. 1 at 3 PM Eastern on Zoom"

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Reposted by Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They)

Karlo Yeager Rodríguez @kjy1066.bsky.social · 12h

Forgive the cobbled-together feel of this, but eat up!

Nine stories in this TropiWeird combo - including two stories never before seen! As they say in PR: buen provecho!

kyr-1066.itch.io/a-series-of-...

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Reposted by Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They)

Talia "AFAB" Bhatt ♀︎♀︎ @taliabhatt.itch.io · 9h

I WROTE THIS AS A JOKE

Oh, except intersectionality. That one’s definitely a CIA plot, which I can prove with this image of Crenshaw standing next to Hillary Clinton.

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Reposted by Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They)

Emmalia H @emmaliawrites.bsky.social · 9h

Spread the word! This will feed your heart and soul.

The Cookout Anthology @tco-anthology.bsky.social · 13h

THE COOKOUT IS COMING! 👽🧚🏾‍♂️🥘
Our Kickstarter will be launching very soon! In the meantime, please sign up & be the first to know when we go live. It won’t happen without your help, so please share & keep watching this space! @press-android.bsky.social #Blacksky #SFF
www.kickstarter.com/projects/and...

Coming soon: The Cookout: A Speculative Fiction Anthology

Sci-fi, fantasy, & horror stories by Black authors, centering traditions of “the cookout” — the joy, the drama, and the delicious food.

www.kickstarter.com

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