Steve A
@stegan.bsky.social
Archivist-for-hire, romance novel historian, freelance writer about romance history, general ne’er do well, scalawag. He/Him. Blog: romancehistory.com Podcast: blackromancehistory.com
Pinned
Steve A
@stegan.bsky.social
· Jun 21
Me: maybe I’ll do one of the romance reading bingos this year!
Also me: Here are ten parameters I can set myself to make it far too complicated to even start!
Also me: Here are ten parameters I can set myself to make it far too complicated to even start!
Okay, here’s my plan. I’ve not read a lot of La Nora, so I’m going to try and score as many squares as possible on the @smartbitches.bsky.social bingo card with Nora Roberts books. As many old categories as possible, too. This feels really doable.
Reposted by Steve A
Last month, eight books were removed from Georgia's statewide reading book for students. It was teenagers who brought this censorship to the spotlight–even though it's not their job to clean up grown-up messes.
Get to know 3 of those teens here.
bookriot.com/teens-who-ov...
Get to know 3 of those teens here.
bookriot.com/teens-who-ov...
Meet the High Schoolers Who Overturned a State Reading Bowl Book Ban: Book Censorship News, November 7, 2025
A Georgia statewide reading bowl banned eight books. These students led the charge to get the bans overturned and succeeded.
bookriot.com
November 10, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Last month, eight books were removed from Georgia's statewide reading book for students. It was teenagers who brought this censorship to the spotlight–even though it's not their job to clean up grown-up messes.
Get to know 3 of those teens here.
bookriot.com/teens-who-ov...
Get to know 3 of those teens here.
bookriot.com/teens-who-ov...
Oh, FFS.
Max out in Q1 is amazing.
November 9, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Oh, FFS.
Reposted by Steve A
A Sharon Begley byline, almost 5 years after her death.
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
James Watson, dead at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers
James Watson, the co-discoverer of the structure of DNA who died Thursday at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers.
www.statnews.com
November 8, 2025 at 1:39 PM
A Sharon Begley byline, almost 5 years after her death.
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
The new Superman is fun. It suffers from superheromovieitis- looks cheaply made at points, too much lore and too many character cameos- but I am always here for silly and superhero together.
November 9, 2025 at 1:43 AM
The new Superman is fun. It suffers from superheromovieitis- looks cheaply made at points, too much lore and too many character cameos- but I am always here for silly and superhero together.
Reposted by Steve A
CHICAGO. Now is the time to support our library system! There are so many clear ways to help in this letter! Let's go!
The People Want to Read: on the massive budget cuts proposed for Chicago Public Library. What's at stake and what you can do, whether or not you live in Chicago.
buttondown.com/wellsourced/...
buttondown.com/wellsourced/...
The People Want To Read: On Massive Budget Cuts Proposed in Chicago
If passed, Chicago Public Library will lose half their budget for acquiring new books and materials.
buttondown.com
November 8, 2025 at 9:36 PM
CHICAGO. Now is the time to support our library system! There are so many clear ways to help in this letter! Let's go!
Max out in Q1 is amazing.
November 8, 2025 at 6:29 PM
Max out in Q1 is amazing.
Oil change at the dealership, AMA.
November 8, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Oil change at the dealership, AMA.
Thinking about this more makes it feel more ominous. Remember those tech companies buying up homes in 2020-21? I’d bet there was a similar instrument involved. And then those companies used those assets to back investments in… Yeah. Yikes.
November 8, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Thinking about this more makes it feel more ominous. Remember those tech companies buying up homes in 2020-21? I’d bet there was a similar instrument involved. And then those companies used those assets to back investments in… Yeah. Yikes.
Reposted by Steve A
If you’re wondering if being named Steve is a big advantage when working in an elementary school library these days, the answer is yes.
November 8, 2025 at 2:27 AM
If you’re wondering if being named Steve is a big advantage when working in an elementary school library these days, the answer is yes.
Reposted by Steve A
I don't understand why this isn't absolutely blowing up. A whole public library system shutting down branches to remove books because the Tennessee Secretary of State believes that Executive Orders are above the Constitution.
The Tennessee Secretary of State handed public library boards that are eager to ban LGBTQ+ books–and particularly trans books–from their collections the biggest permission slip last week.
Rutherford County is *closing* libraries to remove books.
bookriot.com/rutherford-c...
Rutherford County is *closing* libraries to remove books.
bookriot.com/rutherford-c...
Rutherford County Library System (TN) Temporarily Shuts Down to Ban Books
Rutherford County Library System announced on social media a surprise shutdown of two libraries. Why? "Reviewing inventory."
bookriot.com
November 6, 2025 at 11:59 PM
I don't understand why this isn't absolutely blowing up. A whole public library system shutting down branches to remove books because the Tennessee Secretary of State believes that Executive Orders are above the Constitution.
Reposted by Steve A
Viral posts about how Moms For Liberty had zero wins on election night...aren't true. They're misinformation, even dis-info.
M4L did have a number of school board candidates win. You can verify that information pretty easily.
They had *A LOT* of losses and their power isn't what it once was.
M4L did have a number of school board candidates win. You can verify that information pretty easily.
They had *A LOT* of losses and their power isn't what it once was.
November 6, 2025 at 11:43 AM
Viral posts about how Moms For Liberty had zero wins on election night...aren't true. They're misinformation, even dis-info.
M4L did have a number of school board candidates win. You can verify that information pretty easily.
They had *A LOT* of losses and their power isn't what it once was.
M4L did have a number of school board candidates win. You can verify that information pretty easily.
They had *A LOT* of losses and their power isn't what it once was.
Reposted by Steve A
They will hold a public meeting about this "reorganization"–read: the bigots are unhappy that people's rights were held as their rights and that the review process proceeded appropriately–in December.
In Randolph County, North Carolina? PAY ATTENTION. Get involved.
www.wfdd.org/politics-gov...
In Randolph County, North Carolina? PAY ATTENTION. Get involved.
www.wfdd.org/politics-gov...
November 5, 2025 at 1:40 PM
They will hold a public meeting about this "reorganization"–read: the bigots are unhappy that people's rights were held as their rights and that the review process proceeded appropriately–in December.
In Randolph County, North Carolina? PAY ATTENTION. Get involved.
www.wfdd.org/politics-gov...
In Randolph County, North Carolina? PAY ATTENTION. Get involved.
www.wfdd.org/politics-gov...
Whoa.
Looks like the Dems will pick up 12 seats in the VA House of Delegates, which will go from 51-49 to 63-37 D-R. That's an honestly shocking result.
November 5, 2025 at 2:18 AM
Whoa.
Reposted by Steve A
Well that’s a nice wake up surprise! This piece I wrote for @zocalopublicsquare.bsky.social is a finalist for a Los Angeles Press Club National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Award! www.zocalopublicsquare.org/romance-genr...
Happily Ever After Is for Everyone | Essay
The romance genre has a single set-in-stone rule: The main characters of the story will end up happily in a relationship. The HEA (Happily Ever After) or the HFN (Happy for Now) is the expectation of ...
www.zocalopublicsquare.org
November 4, 2025 at 11:47 AM
Well that’s a nice wake up surprise! This piece I wrote for @zocalopublicsquare.bsky.social is a finalist for a Los Angeles Press Club National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Award! www.zocalopublicsquare.org/romance-genr...
Reading Rainbow merch! I know people were looking for this a few weeks ago. Benefits the program and Buffalo-Toronto Public Media: readingrainbow.itemorder.com/shop/home/
Officially Licensed Reading Rainbow Pre-Sale
Online ordering for Officially Licensed Reading Rainbow Pre-Sale ends on Sun, Nov 30, 2025 (11:59 PM CST)
readingrainbow.itemorder.com
November 4, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Reading Rainbow merch! I know people were looking for this a few weeks ago. Benefits the program and Buffalo-Toronto Public Media: readingrainbow.itemorder.com/shop/home/
Well that’s a nice wake up surprise! This piece I wrote for @zocalopublicsquare.bsky.social is a finalist for a Los Angeles Press Club National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Award! www.zocalopublicsquare.org/romance-genr...
Happily Ever After Is for Everyone | Essay
The romance genre has a single set-in-stone rule: The main characters of the story will end up happily in a relationship. The HEA (Happily Ever After) or the HFN (Happy for Now) is the expectation of ...
www.zocalopublicsquare.org
November 4, 2025 at 11:47 AM
Well that’s a nice wake up surprise! This piece I wrote for @zocalopublicsquare.bsky.social is a finalist for a Los Angeles Press Club National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Award! www.zocalopublicsquare.org/romance-genr...
Reposted by Steve A
Remember when the book banners said it was "only" school libraries? That kids could get the book at the public library or buy it?
We knew they were fucking liars and moving the goal post again and again.
Not the first bookstore that caved to their bigotry and it won't be the last.
America.
We knew they were fucking liars and moving the goal post again and again.
Not the first bookstore that caved to their bigotry and it won't be the last.
America.
This has been a really rough few days. I recently learned of a controversy around our book THE PRINCESS IN BLACK AND THE PRINCE IN PINK. Some were outraged that Deseret Book carried it (a chain of bookstores in the west). Deseret Book appears to have complied to their demands and removed it. 1/
November 4, 2025 at 12:04 AM
Remember when the book banners said it was "only" school libraries? That kids could get the book at the public library or buy it?
We knew they were fucking liars and moving the goal post again and again.
Not the first bookstore that caved to their bigotry and it won't be the last.
America.
We knew they were fucking liars and moving the goal post again and again.
Not the first bookstore that caved to their bigotry and it won't be the last.
America.
Yessssss!
Japan's "Mundane Halloween" costume contest is back!
Each year website DailyPortalZ holds a contest where people dress up as something super duper ordinary.
Here's a thread of some of my favorites from the 2025 contest!
#MundaneHalloween
Each year website DailyPortalZ holds a contest where people dress up as something super duper ordinary.
Here's a thread of some of my favorites from the 2025 contest!
#MundaneHalloween
November 3, 2025 at 9:54 PM
Yessssss!
Reposted by Steve A
We're blown away by the level of interest so far and looking forward to a great couple of days exploring accessibility and/in archives and collections!
As we come to the end of our @edicaucus.bsky.social funded 'Divergent Minds in the Archive' project, we're delighted to invite you to 'Accessing Archives and Collections: Disability, Neurodivergence, Chronic Illness' - a free online symposium on 17th and 18th November. 1/n
Microsoft Forms
forms.office.com
November 3, 2025 at 12:55 PM
We're blown away by the level of interest so far and looking forward to a great couple of days exploring accessibility and/in archives and collections!
This sounds like a really cool opportunity at RISD except it’s a part time temporary gig and no one can live like that in 2025 except the independently wealthy. It is the surest sign an institution is not serious about its archival collections. risd.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/RISD/j...
Temporary Project Archivist
JOB SUMMARY: Reporting to the Director, Fleet Library, this temporary role focuses on processing several small, visually-oriented collections in the Graphic Design and Illustration Archive. This posit...
risd.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com
November 3, 2025 at 3:28 AM
This sounds like a really cool opportunity at RISD except it’s a part time temporary gig and no one can live like that in 2025 except the independently wealthy. It is the surest sign an institution is not serious about its archival collections. risd.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/RISD/j...
Nah, that was too tacky.
November 3, 2025 at 1:15 AM
Nah, that was too tacky.
Reposted by Steve A
Reposted by Steve A
Marcyliena Morgan, Founder of Harvard’s Hip-Hop Archive, Dies at 75
Her university’s vast collection of albums, scholarly essays and other ephemera helped establish rap as a course of serious study on a par with classical music
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/01/a...
Her university’s vast collection of albums, scholarly essays and other ephemera helped establish rap as a course of serious study on a par with classical music
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/01/a...
Marcyliena Morgan, Founder of Harvard’s Hip-Hop Archive, Dies at 75
www.nytimes.com
November 2, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Marcyliena Morgan, Founder of Harvard’s Hip-Hop Archive, Dies at 75
Her university’s vast collection of albums, scholarly essays and other ephemera helped establish rap as a course of serious study on a par with classical music
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/01/a...
Her university’s vast collection of albums, scholarly essays and other ephemera helped establish rap as a course of serious study on a par with classical music
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/01/a...
Reposted by Steve A
Miss yesterday's event w/ @oliviawaite.com, @clpolk.blacksky.app, @mostlybree.kitrocha.com, @evaleigh.bsky.social, @stephanieburgis.bsky.social, @jessiemihalik.com, & #LeslyePenelope? The recording will be up soon. 'Til then, there's a list of the books mentioned.
bookshop.org/lists/lost-f...
bookshop.org/lists/lost-f...
Lost & Found Magic Recommendations
Checkout out this list on Bookshop
bookshop.org
November 2, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Miss yesterday's event w/ @oliviawaite.com, @clpolk.blacksky.app, @mostlybree.kitrocha.com, @evaleigh.bsky.social, @stephanieburgis.bsky.social, @jessiemihalik.com, & #LeslyePenelope? The recording will be up soon. 'Til then, there's a list of the books mentioned.
bookshop.org/lists/lost-f...
bookshop.org/lists/lost-f...