E.M. White, load-bearing grad student
@emwhite.sadbutbuildingworlds.blog
Pen name. Writes dark and challenging fiction; would write more if life weren't so dark and challenging.
Also a magpie for fine stories and essays, particular about coffee and tea, and a year-round summer camp counselor for two cats.
Also a magpie for fine stories and essays, particular about coffee and tea, and a year-round summer camp counselor for two cats.
Pinned
Writing Premodern Mindsets: A Rant and Resources
Contents Introduction: The Problem and Some Parameters Resources: a somewhat condensed list My original touchstones Premodern ontologies and the concreteness of the spiritual Misguided modern views of...
sadbutbuildingworlds.blog
If you're ever bothered when characters in fantasy and hist-fic think and act like modern cosplayers in plate armor, hey, me too.
My latest, long-overdue blog post is a medium-sized compilation of resources for those of us who'd like to do a better job writing about premodernity.
My latest, long-overdue blog post is a medium-sized compilation of resources for those of us who'd like to do a better job writing about premodernity.
God(s), I love alt text sometimes
December 4, 2025 at 1:33 AM
God(s), I love alt text sometimes
Reposted by E.M. White, load-bearing grad student
What is the quintessential Onion headline? The strong contender that just randomly popped in my mind is "Hank Williams Jr. Honored by Institute For Football Preparedness"
May 19, 2024 at 12:26 PM
What is the quintessential Onion headline? The strong contender that just randomly popped in my mind is "Hank Williams Jr. Honored by Institute For Football Preparedness"
Before I entirely run off into the woods, though, I invite y'all to vicariously enjoy some proper Southern-type fried chicken I had last night on this conference trip.
December 3, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Before I entirely run off into the woods, though, I invite y'all to vicariously enjoy some proper Southern-type fried chicken I had last night on this conference trip.
NPR is here making me feel like a young adult right now
(Anyway, good advice toward the end of the article. A bunch of you are fun people to share art commentary/memes/gripes with, but more aggressively reclaiming my free time sounds good to me.)
(Anyway, good advice toward the end of the article. A bunch of you are fun people to share art commentary/memes/gripes with, but more aggressively reclaiming my free time sounds good to me.)
Young adults who took just a one-week break from social media showed improvement in depression, anxiety and insomnia symptoms, a new study says. Plus, tips for how to take a break from your feed.
A short social media detox improves mental health, a study shows. Here's how to do it
Young adults who took just a one-week break from social media showed improvement in depression, anxiety and insomnia symptoms, a new study says. Plus, tips for how to take a break from your feed.
n.pr
December 3, 2025 at 3:08 PM
NPR is here making me feel like a young adult right now
(Anyway, good advice toward the end of the article. A bunch of you are fun people to share art commentary/memes/gripes with, but more aggressively reclaiming my free time sounds good to me.)
(Anyway, good advice toward the end of the article. A bunch of you are fun people to share art commentary/memes/gripes with, but more aggressively reclaiming my free time sounds good to me.)
Reposted by E.M. White, load-bearing grad student
I hope it has a happy ending
DID YOU KNOW that me and @lollardfish.bsky.social's book "Oathbreakers" comes out in paperback next week??? It's make a great gift for friends, family, or enemies. Or for siblings (which can be all 3...)
#medievalsky
www.harpercollins.com/products/oat...
#medievalsky
www.harpercollins.com/products/oat...
Oathbreakers
“Fascinating.” — The Wall Street Journal
“An enlightening portrait of the medieval mindset.” — Publishers Weekly
The authors of The Bright Ages return with ...
www.harpercollins.com
December 3, 2025 at 12:31 PM
I hope it has a happy ending
Reposted by E.M. White, load-bearing grad student
DID YOU KNOW that me and @lollardfish.bsky.social's book "Oathbreakers" comes out in paperback next week??? It's make a great gift for friends, family, or enemies. Or for siblings (which can be all 3...)
#medievalsky
www.harpercollins.com/products/oat...
#medievalsky
www.harpercollins.com/products/oat...
Oathbreakers
“Fascinating.” — The Wall Street Journal
“An enlightening portrait of the medieval mindset.” — Publishers Weekly
The authors of The Bright Ages return with ...
www.harpercollins.com
December 3, 2025 at 11:40 AM
DID YOU KNOW that me and @lollardfish.bsky.social's book "Oathbreakers" comes out in paperback next week??? It's make a great gift for friends, family, or enemies. Or for siblings (which can be all 3...)
#medievalsky
www.harpercollins.com/products/oat...
#medievalsky
www.harpercollins.com/products/oat...
Reposted by E.M. White, load-bearing grad student
I ain't reading all that but I'm not happy for him, or sorry that happened
December 3, 2025 at 12:58 AM
I ain't reading all that but I'm not happy for him, or sorry that happened
Reposted by E.M. White, load-bearing grad student
Firing the instructor really is so ridiculous. We should shower this person with money, who has their gofundme. Honestly the instructor should be able to go become an influencer / podcaster on some canceled by the right grift shit, why not.
A transgender instructor at the University of Oklahoma has been placed on administrative leave after giving a student a zero on an psychology essay that asserted gender roles were biblically ordained and called gender nonconfirmity “demonic." https://bit.ly/4rvZuuu
December 3, 2025 at 12:03 AM
Firing the instructor really is so ridiculous. We should shower this person with money, who has their gofundme. Honestly the instructor should be able to go become an influencer / podcaster on some canceled by the right grift shit, why not.
Reposted by E.M. White, load-bearing grad student
If you're trying to ditch NYT Games, which you should be since their games singlehandedly prop up the entire dogshit rag financially, you should switch to Puzzmo. An annual sub is 50% off today for a crazy $19 and as a bonus doesn't enable the genocides of Palestinians and trans people
Puzzmo — The (new) place for thoughtful puzzles.
Re-imagined mainstays like the daily Crossword Puzzle, modern classics like Really Bad Chess and SpellTower, and even a few brand new puzzles.
www.puzzmo.com
December 2, 2025 at 8:46 PM
If you're trying to ditch NYT Games, which you should be since their games singlehandedly prop up the entire dogshit rag financially, you should switch to Puzzmo. An annual sub is 50% off today for a crazy $19 and as a bonus doesn't enable the genocides of Palestinians and trans people
Reposted by E.M. White, load-bearing grad student
We just need a few more subscribers and we'll be able to raise our fiction payment rates in the new year. Help us out. We're so close!
Get more from Bourbon Penn on Patreon
creating a Weird Literary Journal
patreon.com
December 2, 2025 at 3:50 PM
We just need a few more subscribers and we'll be able to raise our fiction payment rates in the new year. Help us out. We're so close!
And, uhh, journal of a barely anonymous grad student:
Shortly after landing in [redacted] for a conference that's given me a research award, I checked my email and saw this rejection from [redacted] for a shortlisted story after several months' waiting. A weird sort of mixed affirmation.
Shortly after landing in [redacted] for a conference that's given me a research award, I checked my email and saw this rejection from [redacted] for a shortlisted story after several months' waiting. A weird sort of mixed affirmation.
Got a long-awaited R for a certain piece of barrow-centric fiction I've been shopping around. The story was shortlisted, at least
December 2, 2025 at 11:02 PM
And, uhh, journal of a barely anonymous grad student:
Shortly after landing in [redacted] for a conference that's given me a research award, I checked my email and saw this rejection from [redacted] for a shortlisted story after several months' waiting. A weird sort of mixed affirmation.
Shortly after landing in [redacted] for a conference that's given me a research award, I checked my email and saw this rejection from [redacted] for a shortlisted story after several months' waiting. A weird sort of mixed affirmation.
Got a long-awaited R for a certain piece of barrow-centric fiction I've been shopping around. The story was shortlisted, at least
December 2, 2025 at 9:15 PM
Got a long-awaited R for a certain piece of barrow-centric fiction I've been shopping around. The story was shortlisted, at least
Looove flying out of Canada these days. First flight at ass-o'-clock in the morning was somehow delayed nonetheless. (Surprise, it's Westjet.) Staff at the subsequent security line searched seemingly everyone's luggage and I got held up behind a Sikh passenger who I'm 70% sure was being profiled.
Hmm, it seems I have another grueling conference flight coming up. Any recommendations for in-flight movies? Especially horror, something artsy, or preferably both.
So, harrowing as the gauntlet of airport gates and security was, the Air Canada flight from Vancouver to California was, shockingly, terrific.
i.e., I had a whole row to myself, and the flight was just the right length to watch Exhuma.
i.e., I had a whole row to myself, and the flight was just the right length to watch Exhuma.
December 2, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Looove flying out of Canada these days. First flight at ass-o'-clock in the morning was somehow delayed nonetheless. (Surprise, it's Westjet.) Staff at the subsequent security line searched seemingly everyone's luggage and I got held up behind a Sikh passenger who I'm 70% sure was being profiled.
Reposted by E.M. White, load-bearing grad student
Hmm, it seems I have another grueling conference flight coming up. Any recommendations for in-flight movies? Especially horror, something artsy, or preferably both.
So, harrowing as the gauntlet of airport gates and security was, the Air Canada flight from Vancouver to California was, shockingly, terrific.
i.e., I had a whole row to myself, and the flight was just the right length to watch Exhuma.
i.e., I had a whole row to myself, and the flight was just the right length to watch Exhuma.
November 28, 2025 at 10:12 PM
Hmm, it seems I have another grueling conference flight coming up. Any recommendations for in-flight movies? Especially horror, something artsy, or preferably both.
Reposted by E.M. White, load-bearing grad student
Some that pop to mind: Sofia Samatar's A STRANGER IN OLONDRIA, William Gibson's NEUROMANCER, Vikram Chandra's SACRED GAMES, Samuel R. Delany's TRITON and DHALGREN, Vajra Chandrasekera's THE SAINT OF BRIGHT DOORS, Alan Moore's FROM HELL, Nghi Vo's THE CITY IN GLASS
December 1, 2025 at 4:38 PM
Some that pop to mind: Sofia Samatar's A STRANGER IN OLONDRIA, William Gibson's NEUROMANCER, Vikram Chandra's SACRED GAMES, Samuel R. Delany's TRITON and DHALGREN, Vajra Chandrasekera's THE SAINT OF BRIGHT DOORS, Alan Moore's FROM HELL, Nghi Vo's THE CITY IN GLASS
Journal of a barely anonymous grad student:
I'm just about ready to change my default email sign-off from 'best' to 'beset'.
That's all
I'm just about ready to change my default email sign-off from 'best' to 'beset'.
That's all
Journal of a barely anonymous grad student:
We're in the "this sucks, but at least it's in" stage of submitting conference papers, project proposals, and the like. Yay.
We're in the "this sucks, but at least it's in" stage of submitting conference papers, project proposals, and the like. Yay.
It's the beginning of the end of the semester here, which means more department socials at my workplace where I also study. And thet in turn means a lot of exchanges going something like this
December 1, 2025 at 6:04 PM
Journal of a barely anonymous grad student:
I'm just about ready to change my default email sign-off from 'best' to 'beset'.
That's all
I'm just about ready to change my default email sign-off from 'best' to 'beset'.
That's all
Reposted by E.M. White, load-bearing grad student
SUBMIT
💀🖤💀
💀🖤💀
@thedeadlands.com is open to fiction and poetry subs, so hop right on that, yeah?
December 1, 2025 at 3:54 PM
SUBMIT
💀🖤💀
💀🖤💀
Reposted by E.M. White, load-bearing grad student
And they wonder why nobody trusts legacy media anymore...
Time magazine quotes Canadian satirical website The Beaverton
A recent Time magazine article used a quote from Canadian satire site, the Beaverton, as a fact in reference to U.S. relationships with other countries.
www.ctvnews.ca
December 1, 2025 at 3:15 PM
And they wonder why nobody trusts legacy media anymore...
Reposted by E.M. White, load-bearing grad student
wrote about the myths of the term "crusader" with @lollardfish.bsky.social for @smithsonianmag.bsky.social
www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-...
www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-...
The Many Myths of the Term 'Crusader'
Conceptions of the medieval Crusades tend to lump disparate movements together, ignoring the complexity and diversity of these military campaigns
www.smithsonianmag.com
December 1, 2025 at 3:16 PM
wrote about the myths of the term "crusader" with @lollardfish.bsky.social for @smithsonianmag.bsky.social
www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-...
www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-...
Reposted by E.M. White, load-bearing grad student
Classic indie publisher, too tired to do much more than sleep through Black Friday weekend - and yet!
AND YET❗
Tired from working with brilliant people to publish the new edge of Sword & Sorcery across our magazine and growing book catalog!
Check it out, pass it on ⚔️ newedgeswordandsorcery.com ⚔️
AND YET❗
Tired from working with brilliant people to publish the new edge of Sword & Sorcery across our magazine and growing book catalog!
Check it out, pass it on ⚔️ newedgeswordandsorcery.com ⚔️
December 1, 2025 at 2:34 AM
Classic indie publisher, too tired to do much more than sleep through Black Friday weekend - and yet!
AND YET❗
Tired from working with brilliant people to publish the new edge of Sword & Sorcery across our magazine and growing book catalog!
Check it out, pass it on ⚔️ newedgeswordandsorcery.com ⚔️
AND YET❗
Tired from working with brilliant people to publish the new edge of Sword & Sorcery across our magazine and growing book catalog!
Check it out, pass it on ⚔️ newedgeswordandsorcery.com ⚔️
Reposted by E.M. White, load-bearing grad student
I'm gonna file a class-action lawsuit against God.
November 30, 2025 at 11:20 PM
I'm gonna file a class-action lawsuit against God.
Reposted by E.M. White, load-bearing grad student
We are very happy to announce that, thanks to a very generous anonymous donor, we are now offering $100 (CAD) prizes to the runner-up in each category of the inaugural "London" Literary Prizes!
Reminder: NO ENTRY FEE!!
Full contest info:
www.thetemzreview.com/the-london-l...
Reminder: NO ENTRY FEE!!
Full contest info:
www.thetemzreview.com/the-london-l...
December 1, 2025 at 3:10 AM
We are very happy to announce that, thanks to a very generous anonymous donor, we are now offering $100 (CAD) prizes to the runner-up in each category of the inaugural "London" Literary Prizes!
Reminder: NO ENTRY FEE!!
Full contest info:
www.thetemzreview.com/the-london-l...
Reminder: NO ENTRY FEE!!
Full contest info:
www.thetemzreview.com/the-london-l...
Reposted by E.M. White, load-bearing grad student
Every time I get a “suggestion”
a man is talking to another man in a store and says i know more than you
ALT: a man is talking to another man in a store and says i know more than you
media.tenor.com
November 29, 2025 at 10:20 PM
Every time I get a “suggestion”
Reposted by E.M. White, load-bearing grad student
"We Have to Go Back" by Nathan Long
swordsandsorcerymagazine.com/we-have-to-g...
swordsandsorcerymagazine.com/we-have-to-g...
We Have to Go Back – Swords & Sorcery Magazine
swordsandsorcerymagazine.com
November 30, 2025 at 11:32 PM
"We Have to Go Back" by Nathan Long
swordsandsorcerymagazine.com/we-have-to-g...
swordsandsorcerymagazine.com/we-have-to-g...
Reposted by E.M. White, load-bearing grad student
"Guard Duty at Pink House" by D. A. Raymond
swordsandsorcerymagazine.com/guard-duty-a...
swordsandsorcerymagazine.com/guard-duty-a...
Guard Duty at Pink House – Swords & Sorcery Magazine
swordsandsorcerymagazine.com
November 30, 2025 at 11:33 PM
"Guard Duty at Pink House" by D. A. Raymond
swordsandsorcerymagazine.com/guard-duty-a...
swordsandsorcerymagazine.com/guard-duty-a...