Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Helen Stubbs @hkstubbs.bsky.social · 4h

Awesome weekend of eating, editing & falling off things! Climbed the hardest climbs ever (right where I learned to lead 8 years ago!) and then did my first lot of edits for my novel *Staerstone* (IFWG Publishing). Wonder if I can still be climbing at twice this age? 🤔🤣

I’m climbing an orange indoor route in a competition. It’s an Open A level climb, so way too hard for me. I fell off just after this.

A green tea birthday cake, with strawberries on top and red beans. It says happy birthday Helen.

My friend Isabelle and I climbed in a practice lead climbing comp. This is a picture of us smiling.

My daughter Jas took me out for lunch at a French cafe, Le Bon Choix! We shared a spinach quiche, a pot of tea and a pink cake called Lucie.

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Helen Stubbs @hkstubbs.bsky.social · 3d

Climbing training day tomorrow! It’s a lead comp simulation, so we get to climb the routes and get feedback and then try them again. They’ll be hard cause everyone is climbing them: A, B, u19s & masters. Can’t wait to hang out with friends and get pumped

🤩🧡 🧗‍♀️

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Helen Stubbs @hkstubbs.bsky.social · 3d

Yep

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Helen Stubbs @hkstubbs.bsky.social · 4d

They must have been climbing the bolt holes.

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Helen Stubbs @hkstubbs.bsky.social · 4d

Is something funny going on with alt text? I added it but can’t see it.

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Helen Stubbs @hkstubbs.bsky.social · 4d

This was an interesting boulder because most of us found it reachy at some
point. The third last hold is super positive, so I skip
the shitty second last hold.

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Helen Stubbs @hkstubbs.bsky.social · 6d

I use it all the time, it’s like a super power!

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Helen Stubbs @hkstubbs.bsky.social · 7d

Seriously? How…? 🤔 I’ve never experienced that.

Helen Stubbs @hkstubbs.bsky.social · 7d

Awesome climbing, view, everything!!! Is that a clip-stick hanging? Lol

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Helen Stubbs @hkstubbs.bsky.social · 7d

In case you missed it, here’s my interview with debut fantasy author, Ellen Starsmore.

Ellen Starsmore @ellenstarsmore.bsky.social · 8d

The amazing Helen Stubbs interviewed me for her blog a short while ago. We're celebrating the launch of Beyond the Humming Downs in paperback!

🌟 High fantasy with a dash of hopepunk, earth magic, forbidden love & all the feels. 🌟

#indiefantasy 📚🪐💙🩷🧙‍♂️⚔️

Helen Stubbs @hkstubbs.bsky.social · 8d

To celebrate the arrival of the paperback version of Beyond the Humming Downs, I’m delighted to host the fabulous Ellen Starsmore on my blog, to talk about the launch of her debut novel. She talks about process, world building and more!

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Helen Stubbs @hkstubbs.bsky.social · 7d

This was a noice hard climb!

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Helen Stubbs @hkstubbs.bsky.social · 8d

You're the amazing one! I've included that great pic of you and Beyond the Humming Downs at the park, now, too. It was genuinely fascinating to hear about your process and how deep your world building has been, though I think that's one of the things that makes the novel so rich.

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Helen Stubbs @hkstubbs.bsky.social · 8d

@ellenstarsmore.bsky.social <=This is Ellen if you’d like to follow her or find out more about her writing.

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Helen Stubbs @hkstubbs.bsky.social · 8d

Jacarandas don’t suck. Run around like an idiot, it’s fun.

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Helen Stubbs @hkstubbs.bsky.social · 8d

To celebrate the arrival of the paperback version of Beyond the Humming Downs, I’m delighted to host the fabulous Ellen Starsmore on my blog, to talk about the launch of her debut novel. She talks about process, world building and more!

Debut novellist Ellen Starsmore Interview

To celebrate the arrival of the paperback version of Beyond the Humming Downs, I’m delighted to host the fabulous Ellen Starsmore on my blog, to talk about the launch of her debut novel. I had the pleasure of reading an ARC (advance reader copy) of this novel, and I really enjoyed it, and posted the review to Goodreads and on this very blog.

helenstubbs.wordpress.com

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Helen Stubbs @hkstubbs.bsky.social · 9d

Pretty tired today… we had a storm that fried our subwoofer so it started banging at 2am and then I was awake for hours…

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Reposted by Helen Stubbs

Eleanor @belay-and-boulder.bsky.social · 16d

"To be a good scientist, I have to take emotions out of work. Still, I would say looking at this data, when I allow myself to connect to it emotionally, then I am afraid. This really scares me,” she said."

The Wild @thewild.news · 17d

Ocean acidity crosses critical threshold, threatening marine life. Scientists note seven of nine planetary boundaries are now transgressed.

#Oceans #Climate #Environment

World’s oceans fail key health check as acidity crosses critical threshold for marine life

Scientists call for renewed global effort to curb fossil fuels as seven of nine planetary boundaries now transgressed

www.theguardian.com

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Helen Stubbs @hkstubbs.bsky.social · 12d

Wow! Wish I could do something similar… smaller … but my skiing is shite and I don’t like unroped summit climbing… so I’ll just live vicariously through braver, stronger, skillder people

jimmy alto @jimmyalto.bsky.social · 12d

37-year-old Polish climber makes history #skiing down #Everest without bottled oxygen

www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/s... #climbing #bouldering #mountains #rockclimbing #hiking #nature #adventure #climb #mountain #climbinglife #climber #trekking #travel #mountaineering #outdoors #nepal #kathmandu

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Helen Stubbs @hkstubbs.bsky.social · 12d

Who looks through their spam folder and says ‘I’ll take a jacuzzi in a remodelled bathroom, three types of insurance, a travel credit card, and some viagra’? And *why* is eharmony spamming me? Whyyyyyyyyyyyy

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Helen Stubbs @hkstubbs.bsky.social · 12d

This is the alt text: I’m climbing an indoor orange boulder. It’s overhung, and the holds are long and flat with smooth worm-like cracks in them. Initially, I put my fingers into those to pull myself up. Then I put my right foot out onto a volume and use jugs, or big holds, to finish the climb.

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Helen Stubbs @hkstubbs.bsky.social · 12d

Commentary 🤣:
Woohoo!
Yewww!
Yeah.
Nicely done.
I’m so high up, fuck.
Nice!
Kyu.
Good stuff, well done.
I’m drunk now. 🤣

This was really hard, the top especially, throwing for holds and having to latch them.

Love the vibe in my boulder gym, climbers are so friendly and supportive.
🧡

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Reposted by Helen Stubbs

Mike Sowden @mikeachim.bsky.social · 15d

Damn. This is amazing. £325 per week, paid monthly, for 3 years - and the result was a profit for the Irish economy:
www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employmen...

Post from Threads user rodneyowl: "Ireland has declared the Basic Income for Artists scheme permanent. This will be officially announced in tomorrow’s budget. Details to follow. Congratulations to all who fought for it and the present and future artists of all sorts in Ireland. That includes me 👌We’re just comin to the end of a 3 year pilot scheme. It’s been a roaring success. For every €1 paid out to the 2000 participants, the government got €1.46 back. Can’t argue with that. Other countries are already taking note."

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Helen Stubbs @hkstubbs.bsky.social · 12d

They are on the toast, not in it. :)

Helen Stubbs @hkstubbs.bsky.social · 12d

Mmm baked beans in toast for lunch. Does everyone all around the world eat baked beans? I’m pretty sure British do… I think they’re navy beans. 🤔

A jar of baked beans in tomato sauce, on my black bench. They come in a can and I transfer the leftovers into a jar.

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Helen Stubbs @hkstubbs.bsky.social · 13d

I love your work.

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