Amy Jo (AJ) Cousins
@ajcousins.bsky.social
Queer romance author. Obsessive book buyer. Slow runner. Newly fascinated birder. She/her, bi. Rep'd by Handspun Literary Agency. Volunteer Child Advocate for detained immigrant kiddos. Views my own.
There's a Tapatio Birria ramen bowl??? I am intrigued...
November 24, 2025 at 11:35 PM
There's a Tapatio Birria ramen bowl??? I am intrigued...
I also finished Micaiah Johnson's The Space Between Worlds this week, an extraordinary piece of imagination and character building and revenge. Immediately gripping, constantly surprising, with a deep thread of faith in humanity/community running beneath everything. Just realized there's a sequel. 😍
November 24, 2025 at 3:14 AM
I also finished Micaiah Johnson's The Space Between Worlds this week, an extraordinary piece of imagination and character building and revenge. Immediately gripping, constantly surprising, with a deep thread of faith in humanity/community running beneath everything. Just realized there's a sequel. 😍
I love that this photo looks like it was created specifically to be a reference for drawing cranes in flight. 😂 Wings up? Wings down? We got it all! #birds
November 23, 2025 at 9:52 PM
I love that this photo looks like it was created specifically to be a reference for drawing cranes in flight. 😂 Wings up? Wings down? We got it all! #birds
Other times, they look like cartoon birds. For some reason, I keep picturing these 3 illustrated wearing WWII pilot helmets and goggles. 😂 #birds
November 23, 2025 at 9:25 PM
Other times, they look like cartoon birds. For some reason, I keep picturing these 3 illustrated wearing WWII pilot helmets and goggles. 😂 #birds
I'm going backwards in time through the sunset. 😂 These cranes were standing on a small hill nearby until they decided to fly over to the field where the flock was gathering. #birds
November 23, 2025 at 7:48 PM
I'm going backwards in time through the sunset. 😂 These cranes were standing on a small hill nearby until they decided to fly over to the field where the flock was gathering. #birds
When the sun was setting, but before the clouds got gorgeous, the light would sometimes catch on the birds' undersides and wingtips and I almost died of happiness. #birds
November 23, 2025 at 7:15 PM
When the sun was setting, but before the clouds got gorgeous, the light would sometimes catch on the birds' undersides and wingtips and I almost died of happiness. #birds
Took a day trip yesterday to see the Sandhill Cranes gather at sunset at the Jasper-Pulaski FWA and it was absolutely and totally worth it. 😍 #birds
November 23, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Took a day trip yesterday to see the Sandhill Cranes gather at sunset at the Jasper-Pulaski FWA and it was absolutely and totally worth it. 😍 #birds
I drew two times in one week! Might be a record. Or maybe this junk mail envelope is magic. In any case, have a Horned Grebe developing breeding plumage. For morale. 😉
November 20, 2025 at 11:17 PM
I drew two times in one week! Might be a record. Or maybe this junk mail envelope is magic. In any case, have a Horned Grebe developing breeding plumage. For morale. 😉
I've been trying for months and months to overcome my resistance to drawing/painting again, bc it's always so good for my brain when I can get myself to make art. (Same brain is such a savage critic of any attempts that it's almost impossible to get myself to start, of course.) Maybe birds help? 😂
November 19, 2025 at 3:37 AM
I've been trying for months and months to overcome my resistance to drawing/painting again, bc it's always so good for my brain when I can get myself to make art. (Same brain is such a savage critic of any attempts that it's almost impossible to get myself to start, of course.) Maybe birds help? 😂
Today I finally drew something again (after a year+), mostly to avoid doing an even more dreaded task. But I had to use a fat black marker and the back of a piece of junk mail to convince my brain to let me start bc why bother resisting something so silly as a marker sketch on mail? 🙄
Y R BRAINS
Y R BRAINS
November 19, 2025 at 3:35 AM
Today I finally drew something again (after a year+), mostly to avoid doing an even more dreaded task. But I had to use a fat black marker and the back of a piece of junk mail to convince my brain to let me start bc why bother resisting something so silly as a marker sketch on mail? 🙄
Y R BRAINS
Y R BRAINS
And I finally got a decent shot of the Surf Scoter that's been hanging around. It was too far off shore the last several times I've seen it. AT LAST. At first I thought this might be the White-winged Scoter that was visiting, but then she did this and nope! 😁 #birds
November 15, 2025 at 2:48 AM
And I finally got a decent shot of the Surf Scoter that's been hanging around. It was too far off shore the last several times I've seen it. AT LAST. At first I thought this might be the White-winged Scoter that was visiting, but then she did this and nope! 😁 #birds
Redpoll! One of the older gentlemen I see a lot while birding told me that it's been four years since we've had them in Chicago. I saw one a week ago, but couldn't get a pic. NOW I'm happy. 😂 #birds
November 15, 2025 at 1:42 AM
Redpoll! One of the older gentlemen I see a lot while birding told me that it's been four years since we've had them in Chicago. I saw one a week ago, but couldn't get a pic. NOW I'm happy. 😂 #birds
I mean, I could just screenshot every paragraph. My heart.
November 9, 2025 at 1:16 AM
I mean, I could just screenshot every paragraph. My heart.
UIC is lucky to have him. Seriously, goddamn.
November 9, 2025 at 1:14 AM
UIC is lucky to have him. Seriously, goddamn.
You thought we were obnoxiously into our city before? 😂 Everyone here feels more Chicagoan than ever. I saw someone say, "If the goal was to make us identify as Chicagoans above everything, above our national identity, congrats. Mission accomplished."
November 8, 2025 at 2:49 PM
You thought we were obnoxiously into our city before? 😂 Everyone here feels more Chicagoan than ever. I saw someone say, "If the goal was to make us identify as Chicagoans above everything, above our national identity, congrats. Mission accomplished."