Karina Steffens
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karinasteffens.bsky.social
Karina Steffens
@karinasteffens.bsky.social
Weaver of websites, conrunner, and writer of #SFF. Baba Yaga's biographer (unsanctioned), airship stowaway, and serial immigrant. She/her
https://neo-archaic.ie
Reposted by Karina Steffens
Ever wanted to learn how to stream convention panels? @octocon.bsky.social is looking for new online producers for next weekend (Sat 11th/Sun 12th) and there's still time to get you up and running with some training + free online membership! 2025.octocon.com/online-volun...
Online Volunteers Needed - Octocon 2025
This year, Octocon is running a full programme online on both days of the convention (Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th October 2025), and we need volunteers
2025.octocon.com
October 4, 2025 at 12:25 PM
It's almost time for #Octocon2025! This year, we're in-person and online on Saturday 11th and online on Sunday 12th. Here's my programme schedule for both days: prog.octocon.com/people/0068

@octocon.bsky.social #Octocon #Fantasy #Fandom #ReadingCommunity #Scifi #ScifiConvention #BookSky
October 3, 2025 at 11:13 PM
Reposted by Karina Steffens
"Pat, why do you carry that ridiculous 600mm lens on long hikes?"

Buddy, I can see mountains reflected in the eyes of a trailside pika.
August 28, 2025 at 4:18 PM
Check out the @octocon.bsky.social website to see what happened at #dublincomiccon when I took Octo on a photoshoot for their big #OctosDayOut adventure 🐙
August 28, 2025 at 11:03 PM
Reposted by Karina Steffens
Did you know #Octocon2025 will also be online this year? Attend from anywhere in the world from the comfort of your one home for exclusive panels and workshops.

2025.octocon.com

#octocon #scifi #fantasy #readingcommunity #Fandom #Cosplay #Cosplayers #Horror
August 28, 2025 at 12:02 PM
Reposted by Karina Steffens
Yep yep. Caring means one is invested emotionally, it doesn't have to be that the character is likeable or that the plot has big life threatening stakes.
(I wrote an entire novella where the stakes for the end of act II were "high-pressure banquet poetry", see On a Red Station Drifting)
Also related (or maybe the same): Suspense is not generated by the reader not knowing what happens next. It's generated by the reader CARING what happens next.
Related (or maybe the same) is that "I'm going to trick the reader haha" is not a good path to reader investment, but "I am going to delight the reader, haha!" is. They look the same on the surface but they're not. I always advise being generous to readers, not adversarial.
August 25, 2025 at 4:34 PM
Reposted by Karina Steffens
August 24, 2025 at 10:02 AM
Sent out two poetry submissions to @uncannymagazine.bsky.social. Who knows, right?
August 24, 2025 at 11:00 PM
Reposted by Karina Steffens
📣Announcing #PreDV and #DVParty!📣

Excited to bring back #PreDV & #DVParty leading up to #DVPit!

Practice your pitches during #PreDV on Mon, Sept 29, 2025!

Get to know your fellow participants during #DVParty from Oct 2-Oct 7!

Follow this account or dvpit.carrd.co for all official announcements!
August 20, 2025 at 4:26 PM
Day one at the @octocon.bsky.social fan table, at #DublinComicCon
Our committee would love to talk to you about #Octocon2025 so make sure you pay us a visit at this #DublinComicCon this weekend.

#octocon #SciFi #Fantasy #Cosplay #fandom #SciFiConvention #ScienceFiction #ReadingCommunity #DublinComicCon2025
August 10, 2025 at 11:51 AM
Reposted by Karina Steffens
🚨IMPORTANT DVPIT ALERT!🚨

Unfortunately, the DVpit url has been claimed by an unknown party claiming to be us with services that we do not endorse.
All the official information for DVpit only comes from this account, our discord, or dvpit.carrd.co
We implore you to be safe & protect your information
August 6, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Reposted by Karina Steffens
My creative writing lessons are beginning again on Monday 15th September! And they're still priced at just €50 for a block of six sessions.

Hope to see some of you there, spaces are limited!

www.davidgreenwriter.com/creative-wri...
August 6, 2025 at 6:31 PM
I'll be helping with @octocon.bsky.social fan table at Dublin Comic Con this weekend! Wirh a few days to go, my new cosplay is *not ready* yet 😨 Husband is working full steam on the gun, and it's not even steampunk 😬
August 6, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Reposted by Karina Steffens
PLEASE REPOST! WRITERS! Uncanny Magazine will be open to Short Story Submissions from August 25 to September 8! Uncanny Magazine will be open to Poetry Submissions from August 9 to August 26. WE WANT TO SEE YOUR SHINY WORDS! buff.ly/9AyStcb
August 4, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Reposted by Karina Steffens
The Orient Express is one of history's most famous train journeys. Different routes were taken. I for one would love the purple route. Source: buff.ly/XrpuWsd
July 20, 2025 at 1:05 PM
Reposted by Karina Steffens
You can be part of bringing #Octocon2025 to the masses and have an inside track in all the fun. Think you could fulfill these roles? Then get in touch via the link below:

2025.octocon.com/join-the-oct...

#Octocon #SciFiConvention #Fantasy #Fandom #Cosplay #SciFi #Horror #ReadingCommunity #Comics
July 12, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Reposted by Karina Steffens
Our next #Octocon2025 online guest is @khanwong.bsky.social. Khan has a past as a poet, cellist, arts funder and internationally known hula hooper. His debut novel, The Circus Infinite, was published by @angryrobotbooks.bsky.social.

https://2025.octocon.com/khan-wong-online-guest/

#Octocon
July 4, 2025 at 11:30 PM
Reposted by Karina Steffens
A lot of the committee and staff of Octocon are disabled. So, accessibility is a high priority for us. If you feel there is something more that Octocon could be doing please reach out!
Octo would like to wish you all a happy #DisabilityPride. #Octocon does its best to make our convention as accessible as possible. Looking forward to seeing you all in October. 

https://2025.octocon.com/

#octocon2025 #fantasy #scifi #fandom #scificonvention #readingcommunity
July 4, 2025 at 10:51 AM
Reposted by Karina Steffens
Delighted to have been nominated for two British Fantasy Awards this year for Best Fantasy Novel (A Shadow Over Haven) and Best Non-Fiction (Autism and Writing) alongside some amazing writers I deeply admire.

Thanks to everyone who voted for me, I really appreciate it 🙂
June 23, 2025 at 12:10 PM
Reposted by Karina Steffens
Delighted to have been nominated for two British Fantasy Awards this year for Best Fantasy Novel (A Shadow Over Haven) and Best Non-Fiction (Autism and Writing) alongside some amazing writers I deeply admire.

Thanks to everyone who voted for me, I really appreciate it 🙂
June 27, 2025 at 8:40 PM
Reposted by Karina Steffens
Trans women are women. Pass it on.
Trans women are women. Pass it on.
Trans women are women. Pass it on.
June 28, 2025 at 9:11 AM
Reposted by Karina Steffens
Disney has joined the fight against AI’s theft of creative work, suing Midjourney & calling it “a bottomless pit of plagiarism”.

Midjourney engineers once told me their actions were justified because art is ‘ossified’.

End the plagiarism machine.

www.nytimes.com/2025/06/11/b...
June 11, 2025 at 4:37 PM
Absolutely loving Murderbot.
Episode 7 of #Murderbot. I loved it. LOVED it. For so many reasons.

I loved the opener. Red flags for trauma had been going up in several of Gurathin's lines, and we finally got to find out why. Powerful stuff, executed so well.

I really liked the alt-Truth or Dare. Great cultural worldbuilding.
June 21, 2025 at 8:10 AM
Reposted by Karina Steffens
I read this aloud to my husband who began giggling and biting his tongue 🤣
Day 1 of doing edits: download the file from my editor. That counts

Day 2: open file, glance at it, close file and go for a walk, swearing constantly

Day 3: Do a bunch of the easy corrections. This is great!

Day 4: Do the rest of the easy corrections. Hey I’m almost done!

Day 5: oh no. ohgodno
June 19, 2025 at 7:12 PM
"Common spotted" wild orchids in Cabinteely Park's meadows.
June 14, 2025 at 10:47 AM