JL Kaufmann
@jlkaufmann.bsky.social
Overcaffeinated scribbling person
SOLIDARITY
She/her/they/them
SOLIDARITY
She/her/they/them
And I tipped my dinner down my nice clean trousers.
The cat is looking at me, clearly thinking AND THEY GAVE YOU THE OPPOSABLE THUMBS. FEH.
The cat is looking at me, clearly thinking AND THEY GAVE YOU THE OPPOSABLE THUMBS. FEH.
November 27, 2025 at 8:53 PM
And I tipped my dinner down my nice clean trousers.
The cat is looking at me, clearly thinking AND THEY GAVE YOU THE OPPOSABLE THUMBS. FEH.
The cat is looking at me, clearly thinking AND THEY GAVE YOU THE OPPOSABLE THUMBS. FEH.
OK, so, I have the Diamine Inkvent Calendar, and I have a Tea Advent Calendar from Bird & Blend. I do plan to share notes and pictures as and when, because I am OBNOXIOUS like that. But we are also waiting for the worst news about StepDad, any day now, chances of him seeing Christmas being scrawny.
November 27, 2025 at 8:04 PM
OK, so, I have the Diamine Inkvent Calendar, and I have a Tea Advent Calendar from Bird & Blend. I do plan to share notes and pictures as and when, because I am OBNOXIOUS like that. But we are also waiting for the worst news about StepDad, any day now, chances of him seeing Christmas being scrawny.
Reposted by JL Kaufmann
anyway if you want a book about literal emotional weapons to help weather the weaponized emotions of your family gathering, I've got you covered!
THE SHAMSHINE BLIND was meant to be the sort of escapist read one could use as psychological armor to weather arduous thanksgiving family visits, but then the whole “overturning a conspiracy to turn the US into a theocracy” became unfortunately timely
November 27, 2025 at 5:37 PM
anyway if you want a book about literal emotional weapons to help weather the weaponized emotions of your family gathering, I've got you covered!
My dear USAian pals! Happy Thanksgiving and remember, you do not need to set yourself or indeed the turkey on fire to keep others warm and/or entertained.
November 27, 2025 at 9:58 AM
My dear USAian pals! Happy Thanksgiving and remember, you do not need to set yourself or indeed the turkey on fire to keep others warm and/or entertained.
Mornings are chilly. Cats be snuggly.
November 27, 2025 at 9:43 AM
Mornings are chilly. Cats be snuggly.
Reposted by JL Kaufmann
AND supporting your local library is super important! If you actually DO want books to be available to everyone, the library *already exists* and is staffed by the people who are deep in the trenches of fighting censorship! Supporting the library is doing actual good for your community!
TAPS SCREEN
For like the zillionth time: Libraries are FREE for you, but WE still get compensated for our work!!
For like the zillionth time: Libraries are FREE for you, but WE still get compensated for our work!!
Just saw someone claim that authors who want to be paid for their work are "class traitors" because we "only let the wealthy" read our books, and I think I need to go into the woods to scream into the night for a bit.
It's $5, not your first-born child! I need that $5 for health insurance!
It's $5, not your first-born child! I need that $5 for health insurance!
November 26, 2025 at 8:01 PM
AND supporting your local library is super important! If you actually DO want books to be available to everyone, the library *already exists* and is staffed by the people who are deep in the trenches of fighting censorship! Supporting the library is doing actual good for your community!
I now know a great deal more about the astonishing complexities of the workings of the Antikythera Mechanism. But we none of us know WHY the astonishing complexities of the workings of the Antikythera Mechanism.
Right, that's enough chores and tasks and admin for today. I am going to go out and attend a lecture with a friend. I will learn stuff and feel smart.
November 26, 2025 at 8:29 PM
I now know a great deal more about the astonishing complexities of the workings of the Antikythera Mechanism. But we none of us know WHY the astonishing complexities of the workings of the Antikythera Mechanism.
Right, that's enough chores and tasks and admin for today. I am going to go out and attend a lecture with a friend. I will learn stuff and feel smart.
November 26, 2025 at 4:52 PM
Right, that's enough chores and tasks and admin for today. I am going to go out and attend a lecture with a friend. I will learn stuff and feel smart.
The downstairs neighbour is having his flat deep-cleaned and de-cluttered. That the mice have come upstairs to get away from this indicates that they're all being very thorough and also BY JOVE it needed doing.
And there's a mouse in the boiler cupboard.
November 25, 2025 at 11:10 PM
The downstairs neighbour is having his flat deep-cleaned and de-cluttered. That the mice have come upstairs to get away from this indicates that they're all being very thorough and also BY JOVE it needed doing.
And there's a mouse in the boiler cupboard.
November 25, 2025 at 9:27 PM
And there's a mouse in the boiler cupboard.
My personal version of depression and anxiety involves my feeling absolutely terrible about myself, as if I had done something wrong or forgotten something vital or was somehow failing dreadfully at being a human. It is distressing, yes, but it is also SO ANNOYING. I'm fine. I am a goddamn delight.
November 25, 2025 at 8:33 PM
My personal version of depression and anxiety involves my feeling absolutely terrible about myself, as if I had done something wrong or forgotten something vital or was somehow failing dreadfully at being a human. It is distressing, yes, but it is also SO ANNOYING. I'm fine. I am a goddamn delight.
I have behaved like a grown adult sensible person and booked an appointment with the optician.
Because I stepped sideways out of a jogger's way, right into a chainlink fence set up around a building site, on my way to the shopping centre.
I did not see the grey fence against the grey walls.
Because I stepped sideways out of a jogger's way, right into a chainlink fence set up around a building site, on my way to the shopping centre.
I did not see the grey fence against the grey walls.
November 25, 2025 at 6:20 PM
I have behaved like a grown adult sensible person and booked an appointment with the optician.
Because I stepped sideways out of a jogger's way, right into a chainlink fence set up around a building site, on my way to the shopping centre.
I did not see the grey fence against the grey walls.
Because I stepped sideways out of a jogger's way, right into a chainlink fence set up around a building site, on my way to the shopping centre.
I did not see the grey fence against the grey walls.
UK friends who like notebooks - TKMaxx currently have half-price and even cheaper Moleskines, LAMYs, and Leuchtturms.
November 25, 2025 at 4:32 PM
UK friends who like notebooks - TKMaxx currently have half-price and even cheaper Moleskines, LAMYs, and Leuchtturms.
On emptying the washing machine I discover I have washed a tissue. Alongside my corduroy dress.
Oh no
Oh no
November 25, 2025 at 11:44 AM
On emptying the washing machine I discover I have washed a tissue. Alongside my corduroy dress.
Oh no
Oh no
One of those mornings where your neck and shoulder are furious with you for inexplicable reasons.
November 25, 2025 at 9:25 AM
One of those mornings where your neck and shoulder are furious with you for inexplicable reasons.
Reposted by JL Kaufmann
I'm always amazed that the same people who hate authors enough to steal books also claim to love to read.
Sorry, nope. You're not allowed to love reading if you hate the people who write.
Sorry, nope. You're not allowed to love reading if you hate the people who write.
November 24, 2025 at 6:13 PM
I'm always amazed that the same people who hate authors enough to steal books also claim to love to read.
Sorry, nope. You're not allowed to love reading if you hate the people who write.
Sorry, nope. You're not allowed to love reading if you hate the people who write.
Here's a short story which is relevant and satisfying.
Have you read my story "Dybbuk-Draw" over at Kaleidotrope?
Some of us are born with certain gifts, as @devanbarlow.bsky.social shows in the new fantasy story “Dybbuk-Draw.” Don’t we have a responsibility, then, to use those gifts to help?
kaleidotrope.net/summer-2025/...
kaleidotrope.net/summer-2025/...
November 24, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Here's a short story which is relevant and satisfying.
Listening to Tosca and crying ridiculously. It's not as if a moment of the plot is a surprise to me.
*cries harder*
*cries harder*
November 24, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Listening to Tosca and crying ridiculously. It's not as if a moment of the plot is a surprise to me.
*cries harder*
*cries harder*
Reposted by JL Kaufmann
If you like an author's work, the best thing you can do is buy it. The second best thing you can do is ask your local library to buy it. Or, do both!
A reminder that the median book deal for a debut author in the UK is £7000, paid over 12-18 months. (from 2022 Society of Authors report). Some of your favourite writers are struggling. societyofauthors.org/2022/12/06/a....
A profession struggling to sustain itself - The Society of Authors
ALCS report on author incomes shows 60% drop in median incomes since 2006
societyofauthors.org
November 24, 2025 at 5:39 PM
If you like an author's work, the best thing you can do is buy it. The second best thing you can do is ask your local library to buy it. Or, do both!
*Opens packet of loose-leaf tea*
*Realises we haven't had any of this one for a while, best check the Best Before Date*
*Turns packet upside down to look at bottom*
Turns out the Best Before was Before JL, World Class Doofus, Tips It All Over The Kitchen Floor. Who'd've thought.
*Realises we haven't had any of this one for a while, best check the Best Before Date*
*Turns packet upside down to look at bottom*
Turns out the Best Before was Before JL, World Class Doofus, Tips It All Over The Kitchen Floor. Who'd've thought.
November 24, 2025 at 3:13 PM
*Opens packet of loose-leaf tea*
*Realises we haven't had any of this one for a while, best check the Best Before Date*
*Turns packet upside down to look at bottom*
Turns out the Best Before was Before JL, World Class Doofus, Tips It All Over The Kitchen Floor. Who'd've thought.
*Realises we haven't had any of this one for a while, best check the Best Before Date*
*Turns packet upside down to look at bottom*
Turns out the Best Before was Before JL, World Class Doofus, Tips It All Over The Kitchen Floor. Who'd've thought.
❤️
At’The Word for the World’ exhibition of Le Guin’s maps and it includes what reads as a very irate note to her cover artist about how a dragon should look.
November 24, 2025 at 1:15 PM
❤️
Reposted by JL Kaufmann
If I’m understanding this correctly, X is owned by a white nationalist who pays poor people of color in developing countries to pretend to be working class white Americans to scare other white Americans into being afraid poor people of color from developing countries are going to ruin America?
November 23, 2025 at 7:30 PM
If I’m understanding this correctly, X is owned by a white nationalist who pays poor people of color in developing countries to pretend to be working class white Americans to scare other white Americans into being afraid poor people of color from developing countries are going to ruin America?
Go for it, peeps. If you're fed up of the Tolkien Rip-Off Medieval EuroDisney type of fantasy epic, this is for you.
Head up, UK types. Looks like you can pick up GODS OF THE WYRDWOOD for just 99p on ereader. So if huge trees and deep weirdness that will only get weirder are your thing THIS MAY BE FOR YOU.
uk.bookshop.org/p/books/gods...
uk.bookshop.org/p/books/gods...
Gods of the Wyrdwood: The Forsaken Trilogy, Book 1: 'Avatar meets Dune - on shrooms. Five stars.' -SFX
'Avatar meets Dune - on shrooms. Five stars.' -SFX
uk.bookshop.org
November 24, 2025 at 10:27 AM
Go for it, peeps. If you're fed up of the Tolkien Rip-Off Medieval EuroDisney type of fantasy epic, this is for you.
The return of the evening feeling that I'd like to watch some TV and there's too much choice and I don't know what I'm in the mood for and I can't decide and this is annoying and I end up doomscrolling and playing solitaire.
November 23, 2025 at 8:32 PM
The return of the evening feeling that I'd like to watch some TV and there's too much choice and I don't know what I'm in the mood for and I can't decide and this is annoying and I end up doomscrolling and playing solitaire.