Andy Best
@andybest.bsky.social
Writer and musician. Current thing: fantasy novel Aertelis is live and 'wide', including all library services. UBL: https://books2read.com/u/bz9BOE
Blog: write.as/aertelis/
My stuff is at andrewbest.net
Blog: write.as/aertelis/
My stuff is at andrewbest.net
Pinned
Andy Best
@andybest.bsky.social
· Mar 14
Do you want a character-driven adventure echoing classic Sword & Sorcery film and TRPGs, but also the literary style, worldbuilding and themes of the New Wave writers like Moorcock and Le Guin?
I've got you covered. And it's wide + available to libraries.
UBL: books2read.com/u/bz9BOE
#booksky
📚💙
I've got you covered. And it's wide + available to libraries.
UBL: books2read.com/u/bz9BOE
#booksky
📚💙
My most common typo is 'clam' instead of 'calm', which just led me to invoke 'the clam before the storm.'
Beware it.
Beware it.
December 18, 2025 at 12:08 PM
My most common typo is 'clam' instead of 'calm', which just led me to invoke 'the clam before the storm.'
Beware it.
Beware it.
Do you want a character-driven adventure echoing classic Sword & Sorcery film and TRPGs, but also the literary style and themes of the New Wave writers like Moorcock and Le Guin?
I've got you covered. And it's wide + available to libraries.
UBL: books2read.com/u/bz9BOE
#booksky #fantasy
📚💙
I've got you covered. And it's wide + available to libraries.
UBL: books2read.com/u/bz9BOE
#booksky #fantasy
📚💙
December 18, 2025 at 11:55 AM
Do you want a character-driven adventure echoing classic Sword & Sorcery film and TRPGs, but also the literary style and themes of the New Wave writers like Moorcock and Le Guin?
I've got you covered. And it's wide + available to libraries.
UBL: books2read.com/u/bz9BOE
#booksky #fantasy
📚💙
I've got you covered. And it's wide + available to libraries.
UBL: books2read.com/u/bz9BOE
#booksky #fantasy
📚💙
Love Lies Bleeding is so good. Had to rewatch it after The Running Man because Katy O'Brian was criminally under-used in it.
December 18, 2025 at 11:51 AM
Love Lies Bleeding is so good. Had to rewatch it after The Running Man because Katy O'Brian was criminally under-used in it.
I think it's probably the best thing I've ever written, but it's also tough getting to that first shareable draft (as opposed to a pure first draft), so that it can hit the final stretch.
Dumping this here as part of pushing myself on.
Dumping this here as part of pushing myself on.
December 18, 2025 at 4:32 AM
I think it's probably the best thing I've ever written, but it's also tough getting to that first shareable draft (as opposed to a pure first draft), so that it can hit the final stretch.
Dumping this here as part of pushing myself on.
Dumping this here as part of pushing myself on.
One of the protagonists is a bard and dancer who solves problems through skills other than violence. And the plot is driven by her songs influencing life, with an underpinning theme of narratives in tradition.
December 18, 2025 at 4:31 AM
One of the protagonists is a bard and dancer who solves problems through skills other than violence. And the plot is driven by her songs influencing life, with an underpinning theme of narratives in tradition.
The title is The Gates of Kikathra, set in the same world as Aertelis, and deals with three characters who are experts in their skill but are limited in a two tier society, as they live on a frontier region.
December 18, 2025 at 4:29 AM
The title is The Gates of Kikathra, set in the same world as Aertelis, and deals with three characters who are experts in their skill but are limited in a two tier society, as they live on a frontier region.
I am currently working on the follow up to Aertelis, my existentialist fantasy adventure inspired by the New Wave writers (see pinned post). But it has taken double the target time because of impostor syndrome and worrying about keeping the standard from the first book, during the first draft.
December 18, 2025 at 4:27 AM
I am currently working on the follow up to Aertelis, my existentialist fantasy adventure inspired by the New Wave writers (see pinned post). But it has taken double the target time because of impostor syndrome and worrying about keeping the standard from the first book, during the first draft.
American conservative discourse can be understood through the James Baldwin and William Buckley Oxford Union debate. Baldwin speaks with intellectual and moral clarity. Buckley is an obvious, laughable sophist with the unearned confidence of entitlement. It's on Youtube.
December 18, 2025 at 4:25 AM
American conservative discourse can be understood through the James Baldwin and William Buckley Oxford Union debate. Baldwin speaks with intellectual and moral clarity. Buckley is an obvious, laughable sophist with the unearned confidence of entitlement. It's on Youtube.
Reposted by Andy Best
New Running Man was pretty good. They blinked at the ending. Also, not enough Katy O'Brian.
December 16, 2025 at 1:19 PM
New Running Man was pretty good. They blinked at the ending. Also, not enough Katy O'Brian.
Film camera shot I took of my friend Richard as we walked down Nanjing Road East (in Shanghai) late 2002.
December 16, 2025 at 3:05 AM
Film camera shot I took of my friend Richard as we walked down Nanjing Road East (in Shanghai) late 2002.
Reminder that when Greta Thunberg was detained, government minister Ben-Gvir personally stood over her and yelled as she was stripped naked and beaten, and a room full of soldiers took selfies with her as it was happening.
⚡️ 2 US Activists Being Held in Israeli Prison After Challenging Forced Displacement in West Bank
Irene Cho of NY & Trudi Frost of Boston, are being held in Israeli custody after being arrested on Dec. 12 at the home of the Abu Hamam family in the West Bank village of al-Mughayyer.
They were...
Irene Cho of NY & Trudi Frost of Boston, are being held in Israeli custody after being arrested on Dec. 12 at the home of the Abu Hamam family in the West Bank village of al-Mughayyer.
They were...
December 16, 2025 at 2:56 AM
Reminder that when Greta Thunberg was detained, government minister Ben-Gvir personally stood over her and yelled as she was stripped naked and beaten, and a room full of soldiers took selfies with her as it was happening.
No need for anyone to conflate the slop era with technology/science in general. Metaverse, Web3 revolution and NFTs were all hyped as an unavoidable future while being obvious trash, they are desperately keeping the capital circulating among themselves in times where it should go elsewhere.
December 16, 2025 at 2:53 AM
No need for anyone to conflate the slop era with technology/science in general. Metaverse, Web3 revolution and NFTs were all hyped as an unavoidable future while being obvious trash, they are desperately keeping the capital circulating among themselves in times where it should go elsewhere.
Reposted by Andy Best
Between the following retailers, I never have to bother with the clowns at Spotify, etc etc
*Bandcamp
*Qobuz
*Presto Music
*zdigital Music
*HDtracks
Equally handy for me as a listener, is that I'm downloading the tracks not streaming them.
Links below, in case you're looking for alternates:
*Bandcamp
*Qobuz
*Presto Music
*zdigital Music
*HDtracks
Equally handy for me as a listener, is that I'm downloading the tracks not streaming them.
Links below, in case you're looking for alternates:
December 16, 2025 at 1:27 AM
Between the following retailers, I never have to bother with the clowns at Spotify, etc etc
*Bandcamp
*Qobuz
*Presto Music
*zdigital Music
*HDtracks
Equally handy for me as a listener, is that I'm downloading the tracks not streaming them.
Links below, in case you're looking for alternates:
*Bandcamp
*Qobuz
*Presto Music
*zdigital Music
*HDtracks
Equally handy for me as a listener, is that I'm downloading the tracks not streaming them.
Links below, in case you're looking for alternates:
Nearly 20 yrs of micro-blogging social platforms and still so many people oblivious that heavy posting = obnoxiously spamming your followers' feed, no matter what the topic, no matter who you are.
December 15, 2025 at 11:10 AM
Nearly 20 yrs of micro-blogging social platforms and still so many people oblivious that heavy posting = obnoxiously spamming your followers' feed, no matter what the topic, no matter who you are.
Reposted by Andy Best
Heyo folks, still LFW~
I do fantasy illustration and concept work ✨
More things for your eyeballs in my portfolio: teastainstudio.com
I do fantasy illustration and concept work ✨
More things for your eyeballs in my portfolio: teastainstudio.com
December 3, 2025 at 2:42 AM
Heyo folks, still LFW~
I do fantasy illustration and concept work ✨
More things for your eyeballs in my portfolio: teastainstudio.com
I do fantasy illustration and concept work ✨
More things for your eyeballs in my portfolio: teastainstudio.com
Saw Molchat Doma in a mid-sized standing venue, but every time the band tried to pick up the energy over half the crowd responded by cheering and ... whipping out their phones to film. Brain rot and consumerism has seeped into everything now.
December 13, 2025 at 4:25 AM
Saw Molchat Doma in a mid-sized standing venue, but every time the band tried to pick up the energy over half the crowd responded by cheering and ... whipping out their phones to film. Brain rot and consumerism has seeped into everything now.
Reposted by Andy Best
The article makes it clear that this is about monetizing the technology so I think the headline should be:
IF YOUR DEAD GRANDMA COULD TELL YOU TO PAY THE MONTHLY SUBSCRIPTION OR SHE WILL DIE AGAIN, WOULD YOU?
IF YOUR DEAD GRANDMA COULD TELL YOU TO PAY THE MONTHLY SUBSCRIPTION OR SHE WILL DIE AGAIN, WOULD YOU?
IN DEPTH | If you could speak to your dead grandmother forever, would you?
If you could speak to your dead grandmother forever, would you?
www.independent.co.uk
December 10, 2025 at 9:14 PM
The article makes it clear that this is about monetizing the technology so I think the headline should be:
IF YOUR DEAD GRANDMA COULD TELL YOU TO PAY THE MONTHLY SUBSCRIPTION OR SHE WILL DIE AGAIN, WOULD YOU?
IF YOUR DEAD GRANDMA COULD TELL YOU TO PAY THE MONTHLY SUBSCRIPTION OR SHE WILL DIE AGAIN, WOULD YOU?
Reposted by Andy Best
I just figured out the tech bro master plan. They already have Sam Altman in place. Now they just need to establish Sam Ctrlman and Sam Delman in positions of power. Then all the pieces will be in place for the Great Reset!
December 9, 2025 at 2:36 AM
I just figured out the tech bro master plan. They already have Sam Altman in place. Now they just need to establish Sam Ctrlman and Sam Delman in positions of power. Then all the pieces will be in place for the Great Reset!
The shoot for Gregg Araki's Mysterious Skin (film length 1hr45, god-tier filmmaking) was just 3 weeks on a budget a fraction of a McD's ad campaign. The self-reporting is off the charts with these idiots.
McDonald's has released an AI-generated Christmas ad
The studio behind it says they 'hardly slept' for several weeks while writing AI prompts and refining the shots — 'AI didn't make this film. We did'
Comments have been turned off on YouTube
The studio behind it says they 'hardly slept' for several weeks while writing AI prompts and refining the shots — 'AI didn't make this film. We did'
Comments have been turned off on YouTube
December 8, 2025 at 11:21 PM
The shoot for Gregg Araki's Mysterious Skin (film length 1hr45, god-tier filmmaking) was just 3 weeks on a budget a fraction of a McD's ad campaign. The self-reporting is off the charts with these idiots.
Follow up post: ironically despite a life long love of maps in fantasy books, I did not put one in Aertelis (pinned post). I have detailed maps of the entire world, created over years, but made a snap decision to hold off. But see the post below for a book with a great map.
December 8, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Follow up post: ironically despite a life long love of maps in fantasy books, I did not put one in Aertelis (pinned post). I have detailed maps of the entire world, created over years, but made a snap decision to hold off. But see the post below for a book with a great map.
Great indie fantasy rec, and maps! Sounds cheesy, but seeing maps and old school illustrations in D&D and FF books is half of what inspired me to write and create fantasy in the first place.
If you love maps, check this whole thread - some stunning work within 😍
THE WINGSPAN OF TREASON is full of maps I drew for the series ... more are cooking for the next book 😊
THE WINGSPAN OF TREASON is full of maps I drew for the series ... more are cooking for the next book 😊
December 8, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Great indie fantasy rec, and maps! Sounds cheesy, but seeing maps and old school illustrations in D&D and FF books is half of what inspired me to write and create fantasy in the first place.
Reposted by Andy Best
🗺️Calling all indie book readers!🗺️ #booksky
Got another mini indie book rec for you, The Wingspan of Treason by @inknest.bsky.social
- Mapmaker MC
- political schemes
- magical artifacts
- cute animal companions
- slow-build, epic to the max!
Check it out!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DlH...
Got another mini indie book rec for you, The Wingspan of Treason by @inknest.bsky.social
- Mapmaker MC
- political schemes
- magical artifacts
- cute animal companions
- slow-build, epic to the max!
Check it out!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DlH...
The Wingspan of Treason by L.N. Bayen
YouTube video by Willow Wraith Press
www.youtube.com
December 8, 2025 at 6:40 PM
🗺️Calling all indie book readers!🗺️ #booksky
Got another mini indie book rec for you, The Wingspan of Treason by @inknest.bsky.social
- Mapmaker MC
- political schemes
- magical artifacts
- cute animal companions
- slow-build, epic to the max!
Check it out!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DlH...
Got another mini indie book rec for you, The Wingspan of Treason by @inknest.bsky.social
- Mapmaker MC
- political schemes
- magical artifacts
- cute animal companions
- slow-build, epic to the max!
Check it out!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DlH...
Context for the last post: me shortly before the lockdown put a hammer to my weight and knees.
December 7, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Context for the last post: me shortly before the lockdown put a hammer to my weight and knees.
Posting here about it is probably pointless but Ginwoo Onedera is basically Tony Hawk Pro Skater come to life, it's also mind blowing to see a 15 year old have that much composure under pressure.
December 7, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Posting here about it is probably pointless but Ginwoo Onedera is basically Tony Hawk Pro Skater come to life, it's also mind blowing to see a 15 year old have that much composure under pressure.