Maria Farrell
@mariafarrell.bsky.social
Irish writer and speaker: let's rewild the internet!
Dog lady. Forest bather. She/her
http://www.mariafarrell.com
Rep: https://greeneheaton.co.uk/agents/antony-topping/
No DMs
Dog lady. Forest bather. She/her
http://www.mariafarrell.com
Rep: https://greeneheaton.co.uk/agents/antony-topping/
No DMs
Reposted by Maria Farrell
THREAD.
How my best book almost died.
I finished my latest novel in late summer last year.
It was my 15th book: most ambitious and enjoyable thing I’d ever written.
Shortly after that, my then publishers, Unbound, decided they would not pay me the money they owed me for it...
How my best book almost died.
I finished my latest novel in late summer last year.
It was my 15th book: most ambitious and enjoyable thing I’d ever written.
Shortly after that, my then publishers, Unbound, decided they would not pay me the money they owed me for it...
November 26, 2025 at 10:40 PM
THREAD.
How my best book almost died.
I finished my latest novel in late summer last year.
It was my 15th book: most ambitious and enjoyable thing I’d ever written.
Shortly after that, my then publishers, Unbound, decided they would not pay me the money they owed me for it...
How my best book almost died.
I finished my latest novel in late summer last year.
It was my 15th book: most ambitious and enjoyable thing I’d ever written.
Shortly after that, my then publishers, Unbound, decided they would not pay me the money they owed me for it...
Reposted by Maria Farrell
This is an amazing thread, pls read all the alt text 😂
THREAD.
3 years ago, with no warning, a brilliant orange farm cat wandered over from the draughty barn where he had been living, in rural Cornwall, and decided he wanted to live with us instead.
We decided to call him Jim.
This is the first photo I took of him, on that night: December 1st, 2022.
3 years ago, with no warning, a brilliant orange farm cat wandered over from the draughty barn where he had been living, in rural Cornwall, and decided he wanted to live with us instead.
We decided to call him Jim.
This is the first photo I took of him, on that night: December 1st, 2022.
November 27, 2025 at 9:25 AM
This is an amazing thread, pls read all the alt text 😂
Reposted by Maria Farrell
I’ve been looking forward to this one for a while: here’s @davidheb.bsky.social on the incomparable Nina Allan’s latest, A Granite Silence:
“In her latest novel, Allan turns her attention to a historical murder case: The many worlds that spiral out from one tragic event.”
“In her latest novel, Allan turns her attention to a historical murder case: The many worlds that spiral out from one tragic event.”
A Granite Silence by Nina Allan
In her latest novel, Allan steps in a different direction again.
strangehorizons.com
November 26, 2025 at 5:47 PM
I’ve been looking forward to this one for a while: here’s @davidheb.bsky.social on the incomparable Nina Allan’s latest, A Granite Silence:
“In her latest novel, Allan turns her attention to a historical murder case: The many worlds that spiral out from one tragic event.”
“In her latest novel, Allan turns her attention to a historical murder case: The many worlds that spiral out from one tragic event.”
Reposted by Maria Farrell
Stoked to share some of the details behind a project I've been working on for a long time, in partnership with
@ahrefs.bsky.social — and built on top of @laravelphp.bsky.social
Spent YEARS wanting this to exist, so I finally just built it.
@ahrefs.bsky.social — and built on top of @laravelphp.bsky.social
Spent YEARS wanting this to exist, so I finally just built it.
Google search is broken.
Social algorithms suppress links.
Finding good independent writing online has never been harder.
We built something to fix that: 🌍
ghost.org/changelog/gh...
Social algorithms suppress links.
Finding good independent writing online has never been harder.
We built something to fix that: 🌍
ghost.org/changelog/gh...
Explore the independent web
Driving growth for Ghost publishers with a new discovery engine
ghost.org
November 26, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Stoked to share some of the details behind a project I've been working on for a long time, in partnership with
@ahrefs.bsky.social — and built on top of @laravelphp.bsky.social
Spent YEARS wanting this to exist, so I finally just built it.
@ahrefs.bsky.social — and built on top of @laravelphp.bsky.social
Spent YEARS wanting this to exist, so I finally just built it.
333 words today, most of them about penguins, in a chapter about ...
network architecture and internet protocols
it's going fine!😅
network architecture and internet protocols
it's going fine!😅
November 26, 2025 at 12:51 PM
333 words today, most of them about penguins, in a chapter about ...
network architecture and internet protocols
it's going fine!😅
network architecture and internet protocols
it's going fine!😅
Reposted by Maria Farrell
All #EuroskyLive sessions are now available to watch here
vimeo.com/showcase/eur...
featuring @bnewbold.net @robin.berjon.com @erikologic.bsky.social @seabass.bsky.social @mathewlowry.bsky.social
vimeo.com/showcase/eur...
featuring @bnewbold.net @robin.berjon.com @erikologic.bsky.social @seabass.bsky.social @mathewlowry.bsky.social
Eurosky: sovereign European technology
Eurosky is building European infrastructure for the open social web - the foundation that lets startups create safer, fairer social web products and services that users actually control, enabling Euro...
vimeo.com
November 26, 2025 at 9:31 AM
All #EuroskyLive sessions are now available to watch here
vimeo.com/showcase/eur...
featuring @bnewbold.net @robin.berjon.com @erikologic.bsky.social @seabass.bsky.social @mathewlowry.bsky.social
vimeo.com/showcase/eur...
featuring @bnewbold.net @robin.berjon.com @erikologic.bsky.social @seabass.bsky.social @mathewlowry.bsky.social
Gift-linking this on Ireland's defence free-riding and how Russia doesn't like us or think we're cute.
How Ireland became the weak spot in Europe’s defences
With few ships and limited intelligence-sharing, some say the country cannot hope to protect itself or its infrastructure
on.ft.com
November 25, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Gift-linking this on Ireland's defence free-riding and how Russia doesn't like us or think we're cute.
Very worthwhile read on where the US digital rights org, the EFF, needs to go now.
I'm definitely here for more aggressive protection and regeneration of the "infrastructure of dissent."
I'm definitely here for more aggressive protection and regeneration of the "infrastructure of dissent."
The threats to digital civil liberties aren’t secret rooms in AT&T buildings anymore. They’re AI systems, data brokers, and privatized surveillance sold as products.
The EFF has spent 35 years fighting for rights and freedoms. Here’s my take on how it should evolve to fight back.
The EFF has spent 35 years fighting for rights and freedoms. Here’s my take on how it should evolve to fight back.
The EFF we need now
Why the next era of digital civil liberties requires a tighter mission, a bolder strategy, and a clearer view of how power works.
werd.io
November 25, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Very worthwhile read on where the US digital rights org, the EFF, needs to go now.
I'm definitely here for more aggressive protection and regeneration of the "infrastructure of dissent."
I'm definitely here for more aggressive protection and regeneration of the "infrastructure of dissent."
Point Break. And that was just the times I saw it in the cinema. No regrets.
Name a film you've seen 6 times....
At least.
At least.
November 25, 2025 at 8:24 AM
Point Break. And that was just the times I saw it in the cinema. No regrets.
Reposted by Maria Farrell
Timely episode of Behind The Lines on the real implications of Trump's botched "peace deal" and what next for Ukraine. @snellarthur.bsky.social chats to Ukrainian diplomat Iuliia Osmolowska and explains it to me.
🍏 podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/b...
🎧 open.spotify.com/episode/656F...
LISTEN
SHARE
🍏 podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/b...
🎧 open.spotify.com/episode/656F...
LISTEN
SHARE
Ukraine Crisis: Will Trump Force Moscow's Deal on Zelenskyy?
Podcast Episode · Behind The Lines with Arthur Snell · 25/11/2025 · 55m
podcasts.apple.com
November 25, 2025 at 6:50 AM
Timely episode of Behind The Lines on the real implications of Trump's botched "peace deal" and what next for Ukraine. @snellarthur.bsky.social chats to Ukrainian diplomat Iuliia Osmolowska and explains it to me.
🍏 podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/b...
🎧 open.spotify.com/episode/656F...
LISTEN
SHARE
🍏 podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/b...
🎧 open.spotify.com/episode/656F...
LISTEN
SHARE
Reposted by Maria Farrell
Horrifying tale of penalties and fines imposed on a self-employed writer who left Substack:
"this month, I couldn’t afford to pay my rent without going into some savings I was trying desperately not to touch. I started to get truly scared about the impact it was having on my livelihood."
Vile.
"this month, I couldn’t afford to pay my rent without going into some savings I was trying desperately not to touch. I started to get truly scared about the impact it was having on my livelihood."
Vile.
This has lost me thousands of pounds (not to mention book sales) and put me in a state of terror and panic. I urge anyone thinking of moving their list from Substack, or wanting to know more about how Substack works, to read it....
I'm not going back to Substack. I will continue to post my newsletters from Ghost. But I did have to get back in there, just to post this and let people who thought I'd vanished know about this utter nightmare: substack.com/home/post/p-...
November 24, 2025 at 9:58 AM
Horrifying tale of penalties and fines imposed on a self-employed writer who left Substack:
"this month, I couldn’t afford to pay my rent without going into some savings I was trying desperately not to touch. I started to get truly scared about the impact it was having on my livelihood."
Vile.
"this month, I couldn’t afford to pay my rent without going into some savings I was trying desperately not to touch. I started to get truly scared about the impact it was having on my livelihood."
Vile.
❤️
I admired Freddie for his professionalism and his love and respect for his band mates. They were a hard-working group of music nerds who weren't afraid to try for perfection. Brian May and Roger still choke up when they speak of him, and Roger Deacon never got over the loss. Queen was about love.
November 24, 2025 at 4:14 PM
❤️
this one makes me tear up a little because, reader, such rare gentlemen do yet exist. in fact, I married one. I might just put the passage from Cardinal Newman in his Christmas card and address it "to my dear one, who makes patriarchy seem almost bearable..."
This reminds me of Cardinal John Henry Newman's book Definition of a Gentleman. I often cite Newman's book because it's so instructive. The term gentleman is so overwrought and frequently abused, but to the degree it means anything at all, I think Newman captures it here:
November 24, 2025 at 1:07 PM
this one makes me tear up a little because, reader, such rare gentlemen do yet exist. in fact, I married one. I might just put the passage from Cardinal Newman in his Christmas card and address it "to my dear one, who makes patriarchy seem almost bearable..."
Reposted by Maria Farrell
Government could start by not going out of its way to screw the entire knowledge work sector. Just spitballing here. Maybe back your creatives when they say they've been ripped off by huge tech firms instead of finding ways to give our work to megacorps free of charge? I dunno man it's a MYSTERY...
Ahead of the National Year of Reading, the Education Committee has launched a new inquiry to understand how reading can be nurtured following the decline in the number of children reading for pleasure 👇 #BookSky
MPs launch inquiry into how the joy of reading can be kept alive
ebx.sh
November 24, 2025 at 12:37 PM
Government could start by not going out of its way to screw the entire knowledge work sector. Just spitballing here. Maybe back your creatives when they say they've been ripped off by huge tech firms instead of finding ways to give our work to megacorps free of charge? I dunno man it's a MYSTERY...
Reposted by Maria Farrell
Some bleak things on my timeline - a world of anguish - I hope these happy photos show you have allies - Cath Loveday , Kate ThisistheKit, Alexis Pauline Gumbs, Mog from Warwick Books #poetry #adhd #bookshops #glastonbury
November 24, 2025 at 12:45 PM
Some bleak things on my timeline - a world of anguish - I hope these happy photos show you have allies - Cath Loveday , Kate ThisistheKit, Alexis Pauline Gumbs, Mog from Warwick Books #poetry #adhd #bookshops #glastonbury
Horrifying tale of penalties and fines imposed on a self-employed writer who left Substack:
"this month, I couldn’t afford to pay my rent without going into some savings I was trying desperately not to touch. I started to get truly scared about the impact it was having on my livelihood."
Vile.
"this month, I couldn’t afford to pay my rent without going into some savings I was trying desperately not to touch. I started to get truly scared about the impact it was having on my livelihood."
Vile.
This has lost me thousands of pounds (not to mention book sales) and put me in a state of terror and panic. I urge anyone thinking of moving their list from Substack, or wanting to know more about how Substack works, to read it....
I'm not going back to Substack. I will continue to post my newsletters from Ghost. But I did have to get back in there, just to post this and let people who thought I'd vanished know about this utter nightmare: substack.com/home/post/p-...
November 24, 2025 at 9:58 AM
Horrifying tale of penalties and fines imposed on a self-employed writer who left Substack:
"this month, I couldn’t afford to pay my rent without going into some savings I was trying desperately not to touch. I started to get truly scared about the impact it was having on my livelihood."
Vile.
"this month, I couldn’t afford to pay my rent without going into some savings I was trying desperately not to touch. I started to get truly scared about the impact it was having on my livelihood."
Vile.
Reposted by Maria Farrell
Perhaps make a “favourite” of this? - let’s not complain this year about the challenges facing small Irish businesses. There are alternatives, and they are online - 100 Irish websites for all your Christmas presents: Shopping guide for the festive season
www.irishtimes.com/your-money/2...
www.irishtimes.com/your-money/2...
100 Irish websites for all your Christmas presents: Shopping guide for the festive season
A curated, all-Irish roundup of the best places to shop for gifts — online and on time
www.irishtimes.com
November 24, 2025 at 9:35 AM
Perhaps make a “favourite” of this? - let’s not complain this year about the challenges facing small Irish businesses. There are alternatives, and they are online - 100 Irish websites for all your Christmas presents: Shopping guide for the festive season
www.irishtimes.com/your-money/2...
www.irishtimes.com/your-money/2...
yikes! rtft
Literally EVERY parent should ban Roblox
Every parent whose career has to do with online safety also bans Roblox.
November 23, 2025 at 10:02 AM
yikes! rtft
Reposted by Maria Farrell
My weekly post.
November 22, 2025 at 7:06 PM
My weekly post.
❤️💔❤️ What went down at MozFest and how the quick-thinking response of the absolute legend that is @schock.cc kicked off a very necessary unlearning there + the incredibly generous sharing of insights that flowed from it.
The ever brilliant @alexhanna.bsky.social has a rundown of #MozFest, including the backstory on how and why we organized a last-minute main stage panel on Unlearning Cisnormativity
I wrote a bit about my first MozFest, moments of rupture, narratives we don't control, and trans justice
buttondown.com/maiht3k/arch...
buttondown.com/maiht3k/arch...
November 23, 2025 at 9:40 AM
❤️💔❤️ What went down at MozFest and how the quick-thinking response of the absolute legend that is @schock.cc kicked off a very necessary unlearning there + the incredibly generous sharing of insights that flowed from it.
Reposted by Maria Farrell
Still looking for a path to enlightenment? Author @champwongs.bsky.social considers life's greatest mysteries with a bit of background for his recent Reactor story "Where the Hell is Nirvana?"
www.champwongsatayanont.com/essays/where...
www.champwongsatayanont.com/essays/where...
November 19, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Still looking for a path to enlightenment? Author @champwongs.bsky.social considers life's greatest mysteries with a bit of background for his recent Reactor story "Where the Hell is Nirvana?"
www.champwongsatayanont.com/essays/where...
www.champwongsatayanont.com/essays/where...
Reposted by Maria Farrell
The extent to which companies like Amazon are not willing to invest in people hurts my heart.
WARN filings expose 4.7k of Amazon's 14k cuts last month. 500 PMs were laid off while engineers (1,800 laid off) were hit hardest, mostly SDE IIs which refutes the "management bloat" narrative.
The trend is clear: Big Tech continues to purge junior roles due to "AI efficiency gains."
The trend is clear: Big Tech continues to purge junior roles due to "AI efficiency gains."
Amazon cut more than 1,800 engineers in record layoffs, despite saying it needs to innovate faster
Nearly 40% of the roughly 4,700 positions Amazon eliminated across Washington, New York, New Jersey and California were engineering jobs.
www.cnbc.com
November 22, 2025 at 6:28 PM
The extent to which companies like Amazon are not willing to invest in people hurts my heart.
Useless as a recommendation, (ends tonight, sorry!) but I just saw Hamlet at the National (England) for 2nd time and
Francesca Mills is an Ophelia for the ages
I may never go again, honestly, after her
and (full disclosure, actor's a mate) Polonius as a <dad who just wants his kids to live> is 💔
Francesca Mills is an Ophelia for the ages
I may never go again, honestly, after her
and (full disclosure, actor's a mate) Polonius as a <dad who just wants his kids to live> is 💔
November 22, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Useless as a recommendation, (ends tonight, sorry!) but I just saw Hamlet at the National (England) for 2nd time and
Francesca Mills is an Ophelia for the ages
I may never go again, honestly, after her
and (full disclosure, actor's a mate) Polonius as a <dad who just wants his kids to live> is 💔
Francesca Mills is an Ophelia for the ages
I may never go again, honestly, after her
and (full disclosure, actor's a mate) Polonius as a <dad who just wants his kids to live> is 💔
Reposted by Maria Farrell
An absolute scandal compounded in this case by failure of French government and EU institutions to forcefully react and sanction in turn those who have sanctioned ICC judges and prosecutors. Makes a total mockery of FR/EU's repeated commitment to the rule of law/ICC
www.lemonde.fr/en/internati...
www.lemonde.fr/en/internati...
November 21, 2025 at 9:58 AM
An absolute scandal compounded in this case by failure of French government and EU institutions to forcefully react and sanction in turn those who have sanctioned ICC judges and prosecutors. Makes a total mockery of FR/EU's repeated commitment to the rule of law/ICC
www.lemonde.fr/en/internati...
www.lemonde.fr/en/internati...
Reposted by Maria Farrell
Sometimes you start writing and then you realise it's all too sad.
November 22, 2025 at 5:59 PM
Sometimes you start writing and then you realise it's all too sad.