Marie Brennan
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swantower.bsky.social
Marie Brennan
@swantower.bsky.social
Author of the Memoirs of Lady Trent. Also one half of M.A. Carrick. She/her.
Pinned
Okay, this is a thread for U.S. folks, but also anybody facing political woes at home. I'm pinning this to my profile as an irregularly updated thread for advice and links on how to take action/take care of yourself. Scroll through it any time you need reminders (that's what I'll be doing myself).
Reposted by Marie Brennan
The Victorians told supernatural stories at the end of December. Story Hour is happy to have any excuse! This year, Dee Holloway and Ash Huang will regale us with their spookiest tales. Join us Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. PST! @deeholloway.bsky.social @ashsmash.bsky.social #Booksky www.storyhour2020.com
December 9, 2025 at 7:57 PM
There is something *deeply* pleasing about being able to engage in a bit of stash-busting for a sewing project.
December 9, 2025 at 10:23 PM
Reposted by Marie Brennan
Despite several attempts to export the idea, Seattle remains the only U.S. city with a democracy vouchers program, which provides money to residents to donate to the local candidates of their choice.
Seattle Renews Its Unique Approach to Public Campaign Financing
The democracy vouchers program hands residents $100 to donate to local candidates and it’s credited with broadening civic involvement. Voters on Tuesday extended it by 10 years.
boltsmag.org
December 9, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Reposted by Marie Brennan
All over my FB people talking about their bad experiences with shingles vax and dissuading each other from getting it! We need to give people real info on how to mitigate the symtoms caused by vaccines because vaccines are always better than meeting a virus unprepared. Yet drs aren't coaching ppl
December 8, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Reposted by Marie Brennan
In particular he should be asked about this by the men at his press conferences.
It is newsworthy that the president of the United States is increasingly verbally abusive of women reporters and he should be asked about it.
December 9, 2025 at 3:56 AM
Reposted by Marie Brennan
If some guy stole my shit and made millions off it while wiping out my job prospects, and you, as my friend, bought that guy's cheap mass market replica of my shit, you and i would for obvious reasons have a problem. It being a massive company, not a guy, actually makes it even more of a problem.
December 8, 2025 at 5:14 AM
Reposted by Marie Brennan
Improving airflow really helps with airborne diseases (like Covid!)

For your next event, consider: can you open windows? Do something with the HVAC? Put in HEPA filters like Corsi-Rosenthal boxes? There's lots of options!
We're half a decade into studies finding that improving airflow in classrooms will reduce disease transmission enormously, and that bleaching surfaces etc. does very little. And yet nothing changes. Waves of flu and colds wash over schools, and the schools pretend it's an act of God.
The relative contribution of close-proximity contacts, shared classroom exposure and indoor air quality to respiratory virus transmission in schools - Nature Communications
The relative importance of close-proximity interactions, shared space and air quality to the transmission of respiratory viruses is not well understood. Here, the authors investigate this question by ...
www.nature.com
December 8, 2025 at 5:37 AM
It is *possible* that we might, in fact, be running out of room for ornaments on my parents' Christmas tree.

(And yes, the back side is every bit as thickly adorned as the front.)
December 7, 2025 at 11:57 PM
Reposted by Marie Brennan
♥️
December 5, 2025 at 1:15 PM
TIL that when you comment in English on a document in Spanish, Word goes *haywire* with auto-corrections. (Including being determined to capitalize "Word" and "Rolls," because surely you're talking about brands, not using English vocabulary.)
December 6, 2025 at 9:36 AM
Reposted by Marie Brennan
I'm not exaggerating when I say following @boltsmag.org rn will unlock money for our journalism.

A generous reader, @russ41.bsky.social, has offered to donate $1 for every 1-person increase to our follower count.

If you're not following @boltsmag.org yet, it'll directly help fund our reporting!
December 6, 2025 at 12:07 AM
Reposted by Marie Brennan
Today is Giving Tuesday, for donating to nonprofits. BCS's parent co. is a 501c3 nonprofit, so donations & Patreon support are tax deductible (consult a tax professional). We'd appreciate your support. www.patreon.com/beneath_ceas... www.beneath-ceaseless-skies.com/support-bcs/...
Get more from Beneath Ceaseless Skies on Patreon
creating an online fantasy magazine & podcast
www.patreon.com
December 2, 2025 at 3:48 PM
I doubt I'm the first to say this, but ISABELLA NAGG AND THE POT OF BASIL by @deathbybadger.bsky.social is the most Pratchettesque^ thing I've read not written by Terry Pratchett -- and yet, it doesn't read like it's trying to be a Discworld clone!

^complete with footnotes
December 3, 2025 at 7:00 AM
I inadvertently built Teahenge
December 3, 2025 at 2:15 AM
Reposted by Marie Brennan
$760 would get this funded TONIGHT. We can do that.

I know that everyone's asking for $ right now and times are hard. But these authors deserve a wider audience and this is how we can help them achieve that.

If you can't donate even a couple of bucks, please share?

ko-fi.com/africantrans...
Support African Translation Project
African Translation Project / We're overdue - let's rally this. / please see - please share / After nine months - let's complete funding for the translation of Zvinobvinza to: The Crocodile Doesn't Hu...
ko-fi.com
December 3, 2025 at 1:09 AM
Reposted by Marie Brennan
I can't stress enough that you should take every opportunity that comes your way to support your local public libraries. Many of them are currently struggling and are being DEFUNDED. Local action matters on this front. Don't sit back until those libraries are gone before taking ACTION.
December 2, 2025 at 10:48 PM
Reposted by Marie Brennan
Thank you! BCS ebook subscriptions are available exclusively through indie ebook store @weightlessbooks.bsky.social. Weightless has lots of other indie & SF/F zines too. Subscribe, get delivery to your e-reading device and support indie commerce as well as zines.
weightlessbooks.com/beneath-ceas...
December 2, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Reposted by Marie Brennan
BCS parent co. is 501c3 nonprofit; donations are tax deductible. Tomorrow is Giving Tuesday! If you believe paying writers & First Readers a worthy cause, pls consider supporting us, recurring or one-time. THANK YOU. www.patreon.com/beneath_ceas... www.beneath-ceaseless-skies.com/support-bcs/... 3/3
Get more from Beneath Ceaseless Skies on Patreon
creating an online fantasy magazine & podcast
www.patreon.com
December 1, 2025 at 4:08 PM
BCS has published more stories of mine than any other magazine. For me and many others, they're the main venue for secondary-world and historical fantasy. Check them out, or if you already know them, support them if you can!
BCS Patreon has fallen below the monthly amount we need to pay our authors a pro rate and our First Readers a worthy honorarium ($125/mo). Sometimes folks need to lower or pause their support; we understand. But less than 1% of BCS readership donates or supports. www.patreon.com/beneath_ceas... 1/3
Get more from Beneath Ceaseless Skies on Patreon
creating an online fantasy magazine & podcast
www.patreon.com
December 2, 2025 at 7:21 PM
I COULD NOT BE MORE PLEASED

Looking forward to high-fiving the 2026 winner of the Hugo for Best Poem!
THE BEACONS ARE LIT! GONDOR WILL ANSWER!
This seems to be a good time to note that I'm still hoping that we will have a Special Hugo Award for Best Poem in 2026!
December 1, 2025 at 5:36 PM
Reposted by Marie Brennan
If you're interested in a sonnet about undoing the apocalypse, "The Great Undoing" is live now at @zoeticpress.bsky.social's 4LPH4NUM3R1C! My part of the podcast starts around the 4-min. mark, or you can read the text version on that page.
November 29, 2025 at 7:06 PM
If you're interested in a sonnet about undoing the apocalypse, "The Great Undoing" is live now at @zoeticpress.bsky.social's 4LPH4NUM3R1C! My part of the podcast starts around the 4-min. mark, or you can read the text version on that page.
November 29, 2025 at 7:06 PM
A much more radical history of Thanksgiving than I knew:

thenationmagazine.substack.com/p/make-thank...
Make Thanksgiving Radical Again
The holiday’s real roots lie in abolition, liberation, and anti-racism. Let’s reconnect to that legacy.
thenationmagazine.substack.com
November 27, 2025 at 5:58 PM
Reposted by Marie Brennan
1st, you've probably heard this before, but pay in cash when you can. Every time you swipe or tap it costs the store, eh, 2-4% of the total of the transaction. That may not sound like much but for small businesses 2-5% can be the difference between being nervous & comfortable, even open or closed...
November 26, 2025 at 10:26 PM