Elizabeth Donald
@edonald.bsky.social
Author. Journalist. Professor. Photographer. Traveler. she/her
Member: #AWP, #AABB, #SPJ, #AuthorsGuild, more writing organizations than is healthy
https://linktr.ee/edonald
Member: #AWP, #AABB, #SPJ, #AuthorsGuild, more writing organizations than is healthy
https://linktr.ee/edonald
Pinned
Elizabeth Donald
@edonald.bsky.social
· Apr 3
It's aliiiiiive. Happy book birthday to BLACKFIRE RISING, and I'm so delighted that this book is shambling to a bookstore near you.
Details at www.elizabethdonald.com/.../its-aliv...
Details at www.elizabethdonald.com/.../its-aliv...
ICYMI: The Trans Journalist Association @transjournalists.org conducted a two-hour training session on how to cover extremism and political violence. Scroll down on the link to find the recording of the session (pay no attention to the share text, that's a different thing).
2026 is coming. We want to hear from you!
Fill out the membership needs survey. Plus, (re)watch our recent workshops.
www.transjournalists.org
December 11, 2025 at 4:47 PM
ICYMI: The Trans Journalist Association @transjournalists.org conducted a two-hour training session on how to cover extremism and political violence. Scroll down on the link to find the recording of the session (pay no attention to the share text, that's a different thing).
Reposted by Elizabeth Donald
The accounts have hundreds of thousands of followers combined. Comments on many of the videos included links to chats on the messaging platform Telegram, which offered child pornography for purchase, according to the report. https://cnn.it/3XOCQQx
December 11, 2025 at 2:30 PM
The accounts have hundreds of thousands of followers combined. Comments on many of the videos included links to chats on the messaging platform Telegram, which offered child pornography for purchase, according to the report. https://cnn.it/3XOCQQx
Oh for the love of Ben Bradlee, what is this garbage? Usually I end up repeating my column about how PotY is not an honor (i.e. Stalin), but to put the AI architects up with "Lunch Atop a Skyscraper" is simply atrocious.
Fucking incredible dystopian shit, comparing super rich people risking millions if not billions of lives just to make more money to people that risked their life actually building incredible things that would then make millions of dollars for super rich people.
December 11, 2025 at 2:48 PM
Oh for the love of Ben Bradlee, what is this garbage? Usually I end up repeating my column about how PotY is not an honor (i.e. Stalin), but to put the AI architects up with "Lunch Atop a Skyscraper" is simply atrocious.
I love when someone mansplains journalism to me. I've only been doing it for nearly 30 years as well as teaching it for seven. I really need someone to come along and tell me how it REALLY works. Does anyone have something I can punch?
December 8, 2025 at 8:31 PM
I love when someone mansplains journalism to me. I've only been doing it for nearly 30 years as well as teaching it for seven. I really need someone to come along and tell me how it REALLY works. Does anyone have something I can punch?
Spied in the wild, outside a Starbucks. It’s been a few days since the blizzard and he’s hanging on by his fingernails.
December 6, 2025 at 7:55 PM
Spied in the wild, outside a Starbucks. It’s been a few days since the blizzard and he’s hanging on by his fingernails.
Delighted to hear extensive discussion of @authorsabb on @lithub.com this week. I've been part of this group almost since the start and am highly impressed at the progress made in fighting for the First Amendment. (My own contributions are mostly running my mouth on panels; booking for 2026! 😀)
Happy Friday! In order to continue fighting on behalf of all books, all authors, & all readers Authors Against Book Bans is fundraising. No donation is too small & all are tax deductible!
Donate - Authors Against Book Bans
Thank you for donating to Authors Against Book Bans. Your donation directly supports the freedom to read by powering our work with our partner organizations, bringing the author muscle to the fight to...
www.authorsagainstbookbans.com
December 2, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Delighted to hear extensive discussion of @authorsabb on @lithub.com this week. I've been part of this group almost since the start and am highly impressed at the progress made in fighting for the First Amendment. (My own contributions are mostly running my mouth on panels; booking for 2026! 😀)
"A political movement that dreams of a world that is smaller, simpler, dumber, more servile and less curious and much narrower than the one that currently exists would naturally fixate upon college campuses and the individual and collective acts of becoming that happen there."
I wrote about the dirty, demeaning, absolutely booming business of turning something like a shitty bigoted college essay into a shitty public career as a bigot, and also estimated how old Marine Todd would be today. defector.com/the-conserva...
The Conservative Grievance Business Is Always Hiring | Defector
Given his age when he first came to the world’s attention and assuming continued good health in the intervening decade and change, Marine Todd would be in his late 30s today. That would be if he was a...
defector.com
December 2, 2025 at 7:12 PM
"A political movement that dreams of a world that is smaller, simpler, dumber, more servile and less curious and much narrower than the one that currently exists would naturally fixate upon college campuses and the individual and collective acts of becoming that happen there."
The last thing I needed was more on my TBR pile, which my husband alleges will fall over and kill me in my sleep. ("Then I will have died as I lived.") Adding some of these to the 55 on my wishlist - which doesn't count the ebook wishlist (51), education list (58) and library list for reading (110).
oh shit I didn't realize this was going live today! delighted to get to tell you at some length about why you should read this year's books from @alixeharrow.bsky.social, @olivieblake.bsky.social, Annie Hartnett, Ethan Rutherford, Mariette Navarro, and Jazmina Barrera!
lithub.com/lit-hubs-43-...
lithub.com/lit-hubs-43-...
Lit Hub’s 43 Favorite Books of 2025
It’s been another hard year for so many people, and in so many ways, but best-of lists are for remembering the good times, and reading is always good (at least the way we do it). Here are the…
lithub.com
December 2, 2025 at 7:07 PM
The last thing I needed was more on my TBR pile, which my husband alleges will fall over and kill me in my sleep. ("Then I will have died as I lived.") Adding some of these to the 55 on my wishlist - which doesn't count the ebook wishlist (51), education list (58) and library list for reading (110).
Reposted by Elizabeth Donald
The Trans Journalists Association is building a future of journalism where stories about trans people are just, ethical, and informed by our leadership.
This #GivingTuesday, we’re asking you to support our movement: bit.ly/tja_pride. 🧵
This #GivingTuesday, we’re asking you to support our movement: bit.ly/tja_pride. 🧵
December 2, 2025 at 5:18 PM
The Trans Journalists Association is building a future of journalism where stories about trans people are just, ethical, and informed by our leadership.
This #GivingTuesday, we’re asking you to support our movement: bit.ly/tja_pride. 🧵
This #GivingTuesday, we’re asking you to support our movement: bit.ly/tja_pride. 🧵
Oh for the love of Walter Cronkite… I wrote this same story every year for so many years, and still I would get hate mail from idiots insisting they felt bad after the shot so clearly it gave them the flu. Arggggggh.
No, you can’t get the flu from the flu vaccine.
The temporary side effects that you might feel after getting the vaccine are your immune system reacting to the inactive proteins from the surface of the virus.
The temporary side effects that you might feel after getting the vaccine are your immune system reacting to the inactive proteins from the surface of the virus.
What doctors say about one of the biggest flu shot myths
“The influenza vaccine shows the immune system what potential components of the virus it should focus its efforts on,” one expert said.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 28, 2025 at 5:32 AM
Oh for the love of Walter Cronkite… I wrote this same story every year for so many years, and still I would get hate mail from idiots insisting they felt bad after the shot so clearly it gave them the flu. Arggggggh.
A nice thanksgiving surprise for me: one of my photos was selected in Smithsonian Magazine’s fall photo contest. www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture...
Fill Your Visual Cornucopia With These 15 Satisfying Photos of Favorite Fall Fruits
Enjoy this collection of images from the Smithsonian Magazine photo contest just in time for Thanksgiving
www.smithsonianmag.com
November 27, 2025 at 6:08 PM
A nice thanksgiving surprise for me: one of my photos was selected in Smithsonian Magazine’s fall photo contest. www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture...
Happy Thanksgiving all!
November 27, 2025 at 1:02 PM
Happy Thanksgiving all!
Reposted by Elizabeth Donald
Illinois is among a group of Democratic states suing the Trump administration, seeking to block a change to the federal food stamps program that the states say unlawfully prevented some legal immigrants from accessing the aid.
Illinois sues Trump admin to block changes to SNAP eligibility of immigrants
chicago.suntimes.com
November 26, 2025 at 10:06 PM
Illinois is among a group of Democratic states suing the Trump administration, seeking to block a change to the federal food stamps program that the states say unlawfully prevented some legal immigrants from accessing the aid.
Reposted by Elizabeth Donald
CORRECTION: West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey walks back statement that both National Guard members were killed in shooting near White House. (This post corrects a previous post that stated the two members had died.)
Two National Guard members shot in Washington, D.C., and their condition isn't known, AP source says
Two National Guard soldiers were shot Wednesday near the White House and their conditions aren’t immediately known, according to a law enforcement official not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.Emergency vehicles were seen responding to the area.
bit.ly
November 26, 2025 at 10:07 PM
CORRECTION: West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey walks back statement that both National Guard members were killed in shooting near White House. (This post corrects a previous post that stated the two members had died.)
I’m all for the fascinating variations on Advent calendars that are exploding this year. But somehow I think a product titled “Advent Calendar: Let’s Battle” has possibly missed THE ENTIRE FUCKING POINT.
November 26, 2025 at 5:51 PM
I’m all for the fascinating variations on Advent calendars that are exploding this year. But somehow I think a product titled “Advent Calendar: Let’s Battle” has possibly missed THE ENTIRE FUCKING POINT.
Reposted by Elizabeth Donald
There is NO FUCKING EXCUSE for this to be happening.
I had a baby die in my arms of pertussis some fifty years ago. It was a HORRIBLE death. But my fellow nurses said to me, "It's almost stamped out now, they're all getting the shots, we won't be seeing this again."
HOW THE FUCK ARE WE HERE. 😡
I had a baby die in my arms of pertussis some fifty years ago. It was a HORRIBLE death. But my fellow nurses said to me, "It's almost stamped out now, they're all getting the shots, we won't be seeing this again."
HOW THE FUCK ARE WE HERE. 😡
A third infant has died in Kentucky, KYDPH adds:
“These are Kentucky’s first pertussis deaths since 2018. None of the infants nor their mothers received the recommended pertussis vaccinations during pregnancy or early infancy.”
s3.amazonaws.com/nursing-netw...
“These are Kentucky’s first pertussis deaths since 2018. None of the infants nor their mothers received the recommended pertussis vaccinations during pregnancy or early infancy.”
s3.amazonaws.com/nursing-netw...
November 25, 2025 at 10:01 PM
There is NO FUCKING EXCUSE for this to be happening.
I had a baby die in my arms of pertussis some fifty years ago. It was a HORRIBLE death. But my fellow nurses said to me, "It's almost stamped out now, they're all getting the shots, we won't be seeing this again."
HOW THE FUCK ARE WE HERE. 😡
I had a baby die in my arms of pertussis some fifty years ago. It was a HORRIBLE death. But my fellow nurses said to me, "It's almost stamped out now, they're all getting the shots, we won't be seeing this again."
HOW THE FUCK ARE WE HERE. 😡
Reposted by Elizabeth Donald
almost every novelist you read who's not from the airport fiction or bestseller sections is working a full on day job, including multi-award winners and absolute legends, or they have a spouse or trust that supports them. virtually across the board. just normalize in your mind that's how it works.
I know we know this, but authors need to get better at talking about how they actually make their money. Stop pretending it's from the books.
November 25, 2025 at 10:35 PM
almost every novelist you read who's not from the airport fiction or bestseller sections is working a full on day job, including multi-award winners and absolute legends, or they have a spouse or trust that supports them. virtually across the board. just normalize in your mind that's how it works.
What it takes for a woman to get a roll of cooking twine in this town….
a man stands next to a woman wearing a turkey head and sunglasses
ALT: a man stands next to a woman wearing a turkey head and sunglasses
media.tenor.com
November 26, 2025 at 3:21 AM
What it takes for a woman to get a roll of cooking twine in this town….
Reposted by Elizabeth Donald
A copy of the first Superman issue, unearthed by three brothers cleaning out their late mother’s attic, netted $9.12 million this month at a Texas auction house which says it is the most expensive comic book ever sold.
It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a rare Superman comic book! And it fetched $9.12M!
A copy of the first Superman issue, unearthed by a trio of brothers cleaning out their late mother’s attic, netted $9.12 million at a Texas auction house which says it is the most expensive comic book ever sold.
bit.ly
November 25, 2025 at 4:00 AM
A copy of the first Superman issue, unearthed by three brothers cleaning out their late mother’s attic, netted $9.12 million this month at a Texas auction house which says it is the most expensive comic book ever sold.
Reposted by Elizabeth Donald
“[Book banners] do not want safe children -- they want obedient children, and they think they can accomplish that by deciding what books are allowed to be on the shelf.”
On Saturday, @authorsabb.bsky.social won the ALAN Award at @ncte.org, and I was honored to accept it on our behalf.
This is the speech I gave.
www.prettyokmaggie.com/blog/2025/11...
This is the speech I gave.
www.prettyokmaggie.com/blog/2025/11...
November 25, 2025 at 3:17 AM
“[Book banners] do not want safe children -- they want obedient children, and they think they can accomplish that by deciding what books are allowed to be on the shelf.”
Reposted by Elizabeth Donald
Dialing down the use of social media for a week reduced symptoms of anxiety, depression and insomnia in young adults, according to a study published on Monday in the journal JAMA Network Open.
Study Finds Mental Health Benefit to One-Week Social Media Break
Young adults who engaged in a social media “detox” reported reductions in depression, anxiety and insomnia, though it was unclear how long the effects would last.
nyti.ms
November 25, 2025 at 4:20 AM
Dialing down the use of social media for a week reduced symptoms of anxiety, depression and insomnia in young adults, according to a study published on Monday in the journal JAMA Network Open.
Baking today for coffee hour. Done: pumpkin pie, roasted cinnamon pecans, hearth bread, fudge. Also pumpkin spice cake, cooling before frosting. Baking: Kentucky bourbon pecan pie. On deck…. Uh, some kind of muffins? Some baguettes for sure. Chocolate chip cookies and some other cookie.🍪
a man wearing a chef 's hat is standing over a pile of dough .
ALT: a man wearing a chef 's hat is standing over a pile of dough .
media.tenor.com
November 22, 2025 at 9:21 PM
Baking today for coffee hour. Done: pumpkin pie, roasted cinnamon pecans, hearth bread, fudge. Also pumpkin spice cake, cooling before frosting. Baking: Kentucky bourbon pecan pie. On deck…. Uh, some kind of muffins? Some baguettes for sure. Chocolate chip cookies and some other cookie.🍪
Reposted by Elizabeth Donald
A man accused of setting a woman on fire inside a Chicago commuter train has been ordered to be held behind bars pending trial on a federal terrorism charge he faces in the case.
Federal judge orders man held on federal terrorism charge in Chicago train attack
A man accused of setting a woman on fire inside a Chicago train has been ordered held pending trial on a federal terrorism charge.
bit.ly
November 21, 2025 at 6:00 PM
A man accused of setting a woman on fire inside a Chicago commuter train has been ordered to be held behind bars pending trial on a federal terrorism charge he faces in the case.
Reposted by Elizabeth Donald
When pregnant woman boarded a subway car, 38% of the time someone offered her a seat. If someone dressed as Batman was also in the car it rose to 68%.
phys.org/news/2025-11...
phys.org/news/2025-11...
The Batman effect: The mere sight of the 'superhero' can make us more altruistic
If "Batman" appears on the scene, we immediately become more altruistic: in fact, research conducted by psychologists from the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, shows that the sudden appear...
phys.org
November 21, 2025 at 4:34 PM
When pregnant woman boarded a subway car, 38% of the time someone offered her a seat. If someone dressed as Batman was also in the car it rose to 68%.
phys.org/news/2025-11...
phys.org/news/2025-11...
Sweet Christmas. Considering the subject on which I am most asked to speak these days is book banning, which definitely involves bias, oppression, stereotypes, etc., I guess I can definitely cross off speaking engagements in Utah. (Which wasn't actually a thing I'm getting a lot, to be fair.)
This week, I withdrew from a speaking engagement at a public university because they sent me a list of prohibited “words & concepts.” I will not humor this censorship. It does a disservice to the stories I’m discussing & the audience, who deserve unfettered access to information & conversation.
November 21, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Sweet Christmas. Considering the subject on which I am most asked to speak these days is book banning, which definitely involves bias, oppression, stereotypes, etc., I guess I can definitely cross off speaking engagements in Utah. (Which wasn't actually a thing I'm getting a lot, to be fair.)