Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

J.J. Unthank

@jjunthank.bsky.social

200 followers 570 following 34 posts

Fantasy Author. Games Programmer. Dyslexic. Book or Computer Adjacent. He/Him. ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR THE CORPSE? (Fall 2026) from Crooked Lane Books. www.jjunthank.com

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

J.J. Unthank @jjunthank.bsky.social · 12d

I guess I can talk about this now! I'm going to be a published author! (If you wish to see how badly my querying went, I included an excerpt from my submission spreadsheet, it's all the red!)
jjunthank.com/2025/10/03/i... #Booksky #writing #writingcommunity #query #authors #AuthorSky #fantasy

I’m going to be a Published Author.

AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!AHHHHHHHHH!AAAAAHHHHHHHH!This has been my state for the last month since getting the email from the publisher. I would say I don’t have the words, but that’s kind of my job now, so …

jjunthank.com

4 1 22

J.J. Unthank @jjunthank.bsky.social · 8h

Thanks!! It still feels a bit surreal! =P

J.J. Unthank @jjunthank.bsky.social · 11h

This is the gift that keeps on giving. In the same definition: www.etymonline.com/word/bird (n.3)

'Being goosed' was theatrical slang from 1818. 𝘛𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘥, meant to be hissed at. I've been goosing my whole life without knowning it!

Etymonline - Online Etymology Dictionary

The online etymology dictionary (etymonline) is the internet's go-to source for quick and reliable accounts of the origin and history of English words, phrases, and idioms.

www.etymonline.com

J.J. Unthank @jjunthank.bsky.social · 11h

Now in etymology hole 3.0: 'Flipping the Bird': slang derived from the 1860's expression 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘪𝘨 𝘣𝘪𝘳𝘥. (Something I think we should bring back!) To 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘪𝘨 𝘣𝘪𝘳𝘥 meant 'to hiss at someone like a goose'. At least now I have a name for my hissing!

J.J. Unthank @jjunthank.bsky.social · 11h

𝘚𝘺𝘬𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦̄𝘴 definition was to label someone a 'false accuser' or 'slanderer'. It's so odd that the current meaning of sychopant is so far removed from this. Also the dictionary definition of 𝘴𝘺𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘵 is brutal, 'a self-seeking, servile flatterer'.

J.J. Unthank @jjunthank.bsky.social · 11h

Etymology Hole 2.0: Sycophant: from the Greek 𝘴𝘺𝘬𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦̄𝘴. 𝘚𝘺𝘬𝘰𝘯 meaning 'fig' and 𝘱𝘩𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘪𝘯 meaning 'to show'. Apparently 'showing the fig' was an obscene hand gesture, like 'flipping the bird' is today, except you'd stick your thumb up between two fingers. #booksky #amwriting #writingcommunity

1 2

J.J. Unthank @jjunthank.bsky.social · 1d

That's a good shout tbh! It's just hard to do when you're mid project without throwing away all your momentum! =P

J.J. Unthank @jjunthank.bsky.social · 1d

Got another 1.5k done on the new project! Spend the whole day flitting between liking and hating the whole thing. How does anyone stay objective about their work when they're so invested? I can't tell if I'm being too critical, or not critical enough! #booksky #amwriting #writingcommunity

1 2

Reposted by J.J. Unthank

Classical Studies Memes for Hellenistic Teens @csmfht.bsky.social · 3d

200 670

J.J. Unthank @jjunthank.bsky.social · 4d

Demon in the curtains #cat

Ragdoll cat poking out between green curtains.

A closeup of a ragdoll cat creeping out between green curtains.

J.J. Unthank @jjunthank.bsky.social · 4d

Miss you too buddy! ❤️It's much better than it was! Hope all's good Guildford way! Give Parker a woof from me!

J.J. Unthank @jjunthank.bsky.social · 4d

Doing much better! Thanks man! ❤️ Hope all's good your end! =)

J.J. Unthank @jjunthank.bsky.social · 4d

Can't recommend this game enough! (I'm slightly biased becase I worked on it way back when!) Also it's made by like the best people on earth, so you should get it!

Jim Unwin @jimunwin.bsky.social · 9d

King Of Meat is currently

✨ VERY POSITIVE ✨

On Steam 👍❤️👍❤️👍

store.steampowered.com/app/1926980/...

King of Meat on Steam

Compete in a co-op party platformer, pitting up to 4 players against community-built dungeons filled with puzzles to solve, challenges to traverse, and ridiculous monsters to fight. Progress through c...

store.steampowered.com

2 1 2

J.J. Unthank @jjunthank.bsky.social · 5d

She has a habit of co-opting large pieces of furniture, today it’s the beanbag! #cat

Small ragdoll cat asleep on a yellow beanbag.

A small ragdoll cat asleep on a yellow beanbag, but now you can see just how large the beanbag is when compared to the small cat! Quite large!

J.J. Unthank @jjunthank.bsky.social · 6d

Managed to make up for some leaner days this week! Got 1.5k done! Onto chapter 22 tomorrow! Here’s Zelda giving me her most approving look! #booksky #amwriting #writingcommunity #cat

A ragdoll cat looking disapprovingly down from a grey cat tower.

Reposted by J.J. Unthank

victor @windienine.bsky.social · 6d

i'll be uncharacteristically direct this time and say that the KS is 10k out with ONE week left and i need everyone on this game's team to make rent and have enough to eat. i can't overstate the importance of trans gamedevs continuing to create in a hostile industry. please support if you can!

Blanksword ⚔️ Kickstarter live NOW!! @blanksword.bsky.social · 28d

⚔️TIME ⚔️ TO ⚔️ RECLAIM ⚔️ YOUR ⚔️ BRAIN⚔️

Blanksword's Steam Demo & Kickstarter Campaign just launched as of RIGHT NOW!

Play the Demo on Steam: store.steampowered.com/app/3484670/...

Preorder the game on Kickstarter: www.kickstarter.com/projects/283...

Join the Discord: discord.gg/ftmCfsupyv

1 260 290

Reposted by J.J. Unthank

Jess O'Thomson @jessothomson.co.uk · 6d

It cannot be made clearer.

If you continue to support the Harry Potter franchise in any way, you are directly funding the removal of trans people's human rights in the UK.

JK Rowling pledges to keep up fight against SNP trans policies

Author vows to bankroll campaigners after Scottish government fails to pay group's legal fees in Supreme Court equality case

110 6.7K 13K

J.J. Unthank @jjunthank.bsky.social · 7d

Less fun update about chronic illness stuff from the last few years. There's some pre and post surgery photo's in there if you're a sicko and that's your bag. There'll be even more later this year after next surgery!

jjunthank.com/2025/10/08/m...

My Tongue is Trying to Kill Me: A Chronic Illness Diary.

My tongue is trying to kill me. This sentence doesn’t make much sense, and yet, the truth it contains has determined the course of my life for the past decade. I’m about to talk about chronic illne…

jjunthank.com

1 1

J.J. Unthank @jjunthank.bsky.social · 7d

YES! Always a big Douglas Adams fan, I need to give Hitchhikers another read! Yeah, it's a little silly. It's following a 'homing salmon' delivering a message. I'm liking it now, but editor me might be a bit harsher in a month or so! We'll see if it sticks!

1 1

J.J. Unthank @jjunthank.bsky.social · 8d

Wild fish! I hadn't even thought about the fact it would experience weather down there. I need to add that! Thank you very much! =D

Reposted by J.J. Unthank

𝕃𝕦𝕔𝕒𝕧𝕚 𓅰 🐱 @lucavi.bsky.social · 8d

6 780 2.5K

J.J. Unthank @jjunthank.bsky.social · 8d

I thought writing a fun chapter from the perspective of a fish wouldn't be that hard. But now I'm trying to come up with references for things they'd understand. Not quite so easy... why have I done this to myself? #amwriting #writingcommunity

2 5

Reposted by J.J. Unthank

Ada Palmer @adapalmer.bsky.social · 9d

I see pieces like this a lot, often w/ a spin of lamenting cultural degeneration, but reading is a LABOR issue, it’s declined because so many people are working overtime or two jobs & employers expect after hours work. France has Earth’s highest reading rate b/c long lunch breaks & labor protections

After Dinner Conversation® @afterdinnerconversation.com · 9d

150 2.9K 8.8K

J.J. Unthank @jjunthank.bsky.social · 9d

Down another etymology rabbit hole when I should be writing. 'Exasperated' formed of 'ex-' and 'asper'. The latter from Latin meaning "rough". 'Asper' led me to a great Old French word called 'asperity' which means "hardship". Like prosperity but backwards. #amwriting #writingcommunity

Reposted by J.J. Unthank

NightMar on Hicks Street, Part 4: The Rabbit’s Revenge @histoftech.bsky.social · 10d

happy sunday, remember that you are completely expendable to your employer and that when you die they will forget you ever existed within weeks and easily replace you

Work really hard and one day this can be you (followed by graffiti of a headstone that says “RIP worked really hard” on it

51 960 3.6K

J.J. Unthank @jjunthank.bsky.social · 10d

She’s enjoying what little sun there is today! #cat #catsky

Ragdoll cat with its face to the sun getting some rubs!