Wielding the stick of grandmotherly kindness. (She/Her) Requests for money or fundraiser reblogs in my Asks will be reported as spam. I will also report your blog for spam if you do the same thing tagging me in a comment. If you actually know me and genuinely need help, you already know how to get ahold of me, and if we know each other well enough that a financial transaction is appropriate.
on another note, watched The Mummy (1999) the other day and I couldnât help feel like the OâConnells and the Addams (Addams Family Values (1993) would get on really well ya know? The OâConnells are basically the pastel adventure version of the Addams, surely they would just be vibinâ over tea and crumpets in an extremely haunted mansion having a ball of a time
*Rick and Gomez, still frantically sword fighting*
Rick: Have I mentioned how wonderful my wife is yet, I really feel like I havenât really expanded enough on how wonderful she is
Gomez: do go on, I would be delighted to hear about how wonderful your wife is, I strongly encourge all men to extoll the virtues of their wives with rapturous praise, however I should perhaps mention my wife is in fact better
*sword fighting intensifies as both men rapturously extoll the virtues of their wives*
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
â Live Streamingâ Interactive Chatâ Private Showsâ HD Qualityâ Free Actions
Free to watch ⢠No registration required ⢠HD streaming
Next up someone is going to claim that the Narnia series isn't kids books.
Kids books is probably not the best way to word it, you can enjoy them at every age, including your childhood, as you get older you may find new truths in them, but they're still good for any age.
I didn't read The Hobbit until I was nearly grown, but I did read The Secret Garden as a small child, and that is nearly as long.
I read The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle, which is about the same length, when I was about 11 and became utterly obsessed. (Yeah, yeah, I know, I read a fair amount of late Victorian, Early Edwardian stuff as a kid, but I swear before God, that did NOT make me Readers Georg at the time. It was in my school library.)
Now, books for kids are usually marketed at about 60K words for novel-length material, sure, but Heinlein juveniles ran between 80-100K words.
Other than being unusually GOOD, The Hobbit simply wasn't that unusual.
Look at the insulting (and money-grubbing) crap some feckers just sent David Gerrold
David was way politer than I would have been. But then he has a few years on me.
I'm adding a break here. Seriously, I have to take a breath every time I read the (absolutely breathtaking) insolence of this shit. (And it makes me want to take a brickbat to anybody who says "Warm regards" to me in the immediate future. [mutter])
...Doubtless I'll get past that. But JEEEEEZ. :/ (TL:DR for those interested: "Hi there! Your work is fabulous! You should have an award! Send us money to be part of the process.")
("The entry fee for the Discovery Awards is $150 USD for the primary book entry. If you would like the book considered in additional categories, each additional category entry is $100 USD.")
Beware this shit, my cousins. If they have the absolute baldfaced GALL (or utter ignorance, who knows which) to send David mails like these, they won't mind coming after the rest of us. :/
(Via David:)
Here are a few of the email messages I have received today -- and my responses.
--
On Wed, Jul 8, 2026 at 10:10 AM Cassandra R. Baldridge [email protected] wrote: Dear David ,
I recently finished learning about Bouncing Off the Moon, and one aspect stayed with me long after I finished reading about it.
What immediately captured my attention was how the novel combines the grand scale of a future shaped by political instability and corporate power with the deeply personal journey of three brothers forced to navigate life on their own. Charles "Chigger" Dingillian and his brothers aren't simply surviving in a hostile lunar environment, they're confronting questions of trust, family, and resilience while carrying knowledge that powerful forces will do anything to obtain. That blend of compelling character dynamics and high-stakes science fiction creates a story that feels both intimate and expansive.
Books that leave that kind of impression deserve more than another advertisement or another promotional campaign. They deserve thoughtful professional evaluation from people whose opinions carry weight within the publishing industry.
That is why I wanted to personally invite you to consider entering Bouncing Off the Moon into the 2027 IndieReader Discovery Awards (IRDAs).
What immediately sets the Discovery Awards apart is that every single entrant receives a professional verdict written by an IndieReader reviewer after reading the complete book. It isn't an automated score or a participation certificate, it is a genuine editorial assessment that can be quoted as promotional copy, used as a credibility blurb, or shared with readers if the verdict is positive.
For many authors, that professional verdict alone becomes a valuable long-term marketing asset.
Beyond that, the Discovery Awards were designed to place exceptional books in front of people who can genuinely influence an author's career.
Among the opportunities available to top-winning books are:
Book-to-film consideration by acclaimed producer Ram Bergman, whose credits include Knives Out, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
Review for potential literary representation by Dystel, Goderich & Bourret Literary Management, the New York agency whose clients have included bestselling authors such as Colleen Hoover.
Professional publicity consultation from Wildbound Literary PR for the top fiction and nonfiction winners.
A full professional IndieReader Review for qualifying winners.
Featured author interviews through IngramSpark and Bookfinity, helping winning books reach booksellers, librarians, publishers, and readers worldwide.
In addition, category winners, Best First Book winners, and Best Cover Design winners receive industry exposure, featured interviews, recognition materials, and promotional opportunities that continue well beyond the awards announcement.
One aspect I especially appreciate about the Discovery Awards is how the judging process is structured.
The focus remains on the quality of the writing and the originality of the work itself. While editing, production quality, and design are considered, the primary objective is discovering exceptional books that deserve wider recognition, regardless of how they were published.
After learning about Bouncing Off the Moon, I genuinely believe it possesses qualities that would make it a meaningful submission for the 2027 program. Its combination of imaginative world-building, suspense, and emotionally grounded storytelling demonstrates the kind of originality and narrative ambition that the Discovery Awards were created to recognize.
Whether the outcome is a professional verdict that strengthens your marketing, category recognition, or one of the top industry opportunities available through the awards, I believe your work deserves to be seen by experienced publishing professionals.
If the Discovery Awards sound like something you'd like to explore, I'd be happy to send you the submission information and answer any questions you may have.
Thank you for continuing to create stories that challenge readers to imagine the future while remaining invested in the people at the heart of it.
Warm regards,
Cassandra
--
On Wed, Jul 8, 2026 at 5:04 PM David Gerrold wrote:
You may feel free to consider my book for the award.
I, however, have no interest in filling out any paperwork at all.
--
On Wed, Jul 8, 2026 at 12:10 PM Cassandra R. Baldridge [email protected] wrote: Dear David,
Thank you for your response. I completely understand, and I appreciate your willingness to have Bouncing Off the Moon considered for the award.
To make the process as simple as possible for you, you do not need to complete the paperwork or submit everything through the official link yourself. I can handle the submission process on your behalf. I will just need the required information and materials sent directly to me, and I will take care of organizing the entry.
The requirements I would need from you are:
The final manuscript or published book file for Bouncing Off the Moon
Book cover image
Book description/synopsis
Author biography
Publication details (publisher, publication date, ISBN if available)
Any additional information you would like included with the submission
The entry fee for the Discovery Awards is $150 USD for the primary book entry. If you would like the book considered in additional categories, each additional category entry is $100 USD.
My goal is to make this as straightforward as possible while ensuring your book receives the professional evaluation and consideration it deserves.
Please feel free to send the materials directly to me, and I will guide the process from there.
Thank you again, David. I look forward to helping Bouncing Off the Moon receive the recognition it deserves.
Warm regards, Cassandra
--
On Wed, Jul 8, 2026 at 5:11 PM David Gerrold wrote:
Yeah. No thanks.
I have a very firm rule. Money goes TO the writer, not FROM.
--
Cassandra R. Baldridge 12:23 PM (7 hours ago) to me
Dear David,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I completely understand and respect your position.
I know many authors have a personal rule that money should always flow toward the writer rather than away from them. It is a reasonable concern, especially with the number of questionable services and practices that exist in the publishing industry.
At the same time, I think it is important to distinguish between paying for a guaranteed result and making a professional investment. In any business or creative industry, growth often requires some level of investment. Companies invest in marketing, entrepreneurs invest in development, and professionals invest in tools, education, and opportunities that can increase their visibility and reach.
Publishing works in a similar way. While no legitimate award, marketing effort, or professional service can guarantee success, authors often make strategic investments in areas such as editing, cover design, publicity, advertising, and industry recognition because these can help position their work in front of the right audiences.
The IndieReader Discovery Awards are not a promise of publication, sales, or representation. The value is in receiving a professional evaluation of the work and having the opportunity for additional recognition and exposure. Ultimately, whether that type of investment makes sense is a decision each author has to make based on their own goals and circumstances.
I appreciate your honesty, and I certainly do not want you to feel pressured into something that does not align with your approach. I simply wanted to clarify the purpose behind the opportunity and the difference between a cost-based service and an investment intended to create professional possibilities.
Thank you again for considering it, David. I respect your decision either way and appreciate the opportunity to discuss your work.
Warm regards, Cassandra
--
David Gerrold 8:04 PM (26 minutes ago) to Cassandra
I'm going to assume you're not a bot, but the text of your note is definitely bot-like.
I am a published author with 60 years of experience. I have worked with almost every major publishing company in NY and elsewhere, including multiple publishers in Europe and Asia. I have published best-selling books. I have won awards. I have been the guest of honor at numerous events, including this weekend. I have written short stories, novellas, novelettes, novels, trilogies, plays, teleplays, and several movie scripts.
You can look me up on SFADB and ISFDB.
I do not need your services. There is absolutely nothing you can offer me that would be worth me taking a single dollar out of my wallet for you. And, to be blunt about it, I find your assertions not just ignorant but insulting -- because if you had the slightest idea at all about my career, you would not have offered your services. I am far beyond any need for your services.
But more than that, I do not believe that any business that sells such services to working writers can ever deliver anything that is going to put more money or recognition into their pockets. This is the electronic equivalent of "Who's Who?" -- a book of people who paid to be included.
Sorry, but please do not write to me -- unless you intend to apologize for the implied insult.
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
â Live Streamingâ Interactive Chatâ Private Showsâ HD Qualityâ Free Actions
Free to watch ⢠No registration required ⢠HD streaming
So everyone on this side of tumblr post what youâre currently working on. How many times youâve frogged it (had to take it down and re-do it for those who arenât familiar with the term.) and if you havenât yet, post how many times youâve lost count of your stitches or what row you were on.
Iâll go first.
Iâm working on an apple plushie and Iâve lost count at least 10 times and frogged it 30 times BECAUSE ROUND 8 IS MY WORST NIGHTMARE
Last thing I worked on was from a few months ago. I'm currently edging a wing shawl in a lighter gold color and will hopefully have time to work on it again someday.
A bit passe. Many years ago, my grandmother made a very heavy shell stitch afghan with colors that did not delight me, though it was perfect for winter. So I am making one with colors that DO delight me.
Hey everyone, just wanted to shout out to let you know that the Federal Trade Commission is currently collecting comments regarding ideological bias in AI in order to try start the process of drafting regulations. Given the current administration, this seems like a pretty transparent attempt to try to force AI companies to adhere to their own ideological biases.
Now, I can't tell you that you should, for example, leave a comment about your concern for the way Grok has been promoting white nationalist beliefs, but public comments in the regulatory process are a key step and they shape what comes next. If the regulatory agency doesn't fully consider the comments and form a reasonable response to the ones it disagrees with, that can form the basis for overturning a regulation in court.
Anyways, here's the site where you can leave comments that will shape this regulation, the deadline is July 31st.
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
â Live Streamingâ Interactive Chatâ Private Showsâ HD Qualityâ Free Actions
Free to watch ⢠No registration required ⢠HD streaming
if you build âcommunityâ around hating other people, just know that the second you step out of lineâregardless of your moral uprightness or the hypocrisy on their partâyouâre the next person theyâre going to tear to pieces.
I read Interview with the Vampire when I was 18/19. Went on to read a lot of the other Vampire books, but to be honest, lost interest after Queen of the Damned.
I've been reading posts tagged from the recent AMC show and mostly enjoyed the discussion.
But y'all? The books were unhinged. Rice was unhinged. Yes, the vampires were morally awful. (mostly) That's why they're morally awful in the show. Even though they diverge a bit from the books, it seems, they seem to be keeping some of the spirit.
But we need to discuss the word "protagonist." Protagonist? It doesn't mean Good Person. In fact, we use protagonist rather than the expression Good Guy for a REASON when discussing narratives.
You can like the Tradwife aesthetic without actually, you know, giving up your voting rights, bank account and your 401K.
I just made a bunch of those Mason Jar salads that used to be A Thing on the Intarwebs. I often do it in the summer because I like salads in hot weather.
While making it, was I wearing a peasant skirt, my waist-length hair pulled back in a bandana and barefoot? Golly gee whilikers I sure was.
Why I can do that kind of homey, domestic thing and ENJOY it? Husband peeks into the kitchen, sees that I am making us lunch for the week and says, "Let me know when you're done so I can clean up."
So, skirts, long hair, being domestic? Yeah, I enjoy it.
I'm just not carrying the world while I am doing it and like... you know, get to be a legal person and all.
You don't have to give that up because you enjoy the aesthetic if you pick a PARTNER, honest.
Hereâs something that pretty much no one on this website saturated in left wing misogyny understands:
If a black, MÄori, or Pacific Island person were to come up to me and say âyou should call the cops on black, MÄori and Pacific Island people when you see us in your historically white neighbourhood. Theyâre up to no goodâ I would not call the cops.
If I were in the United States and a Latino person were to come up to me and say âyou should call ICE any time you see a Latino person. Weâre all illegal immigrants and our illegal immigration is ruining the United Statesâ I would not call ICE.
If a gay person were to come up to me and say âif you see gay people kissing in public you should get your straight male friends to beat them up because gay people kissing in public is disgusting and pervertedâ I would not tell anyone to beat them up.
If a disabled person were to come up to me and say âyou should vote for these candidates who want to take away our benefits because disabled people who use benefits are just lazyâ I would not vote right wing.
If a poor person were to come up to me and say âif you see someone stealing food go get the manager because shoplifters are to blame for the prices you pay, despite what commie politicians are saying about âsupermarkets making a million dollars in excess profit every dayââ then if I saw someone stealing food, no I didnât.
This is because I have morals. I expect men to have morals too. So frankly, I donât give a single, solitary fuck what the women are saying. I donât care if they all get together and pool their internet influencer money to commission a billboard in the middle of my city, or your city, saying âUnlike you dried up ball breaking career women, weâre all happily married.â This system was set up by men, it was upheld by men, and every woman who has ever resisted it, from the suffragists to the second wave feminists to me with my refusal to date men before the South Koreans got famous for refusing to date men, has faced backlash from men. I donât need a high five for not being like right wing antifeminist women; I need solidarity from left wing women as I navigate a world that blames my refusal to date men for the Western worldâs deadly march to the right. Get on that instead of walking two steps behind left wing men and endorsing everything they tell you to endorse. Based on their behaviour, the only reason why they object to tradwives is because they canât afford one.
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
â Live Streamingâ Interactive Chatâ Private Showsâ HD Qualityâ Free Actions
Free to watch ⢠No registration required ⢠HD streaming
You'll doubtless want to turn this off in your Instagram...
Vie the NYT:
When Meta unveiled an artificial intelligence image generator called Muse Image on Tuesday, it came with a feature that let users create A.I. images based on peopleâs Instagram photos.
Any adult with a public Instagram account was automatically opted in. Using the Meta AI app, the companyâs stand-alone chatbot, other users could pull from âpart or all of your published photosâ to create new A.I. images, the company wrote in a blog post.
âIn addition, people may be able to create content with your Instagram content using A.I. features at Meta,â the company added.
Hereâs how it works: On the Meta AI app, a user can tag a public Instagram account and direct the chatbot to create new A.I. photos based on photos from that personâs account.
The privacy backlash was immediate. Along with automatically enrolling users in the feature, Meta didnât notify people when their accounts were used to generate A.I. images.
Hundreds of users took to social media to decry the new feature, asking how they could opt out while criticizing the company for a lack of consent. One user said on social media that the feature was âa privacy landmine waiting to detonate,â while others on Instagram shared templates for how to disable it.
A Meta spokesman said in a statement that private accounts and users under 18 were excluded from the new feature, which can be disabled âwith just a couple clicks.â
âWe will take action against any content that violates our Community Standards,â the company added.
What can I do about this?
The easiest way to opt out and protect your account is to set your account to private.
But if youâd like to keep your account public, go into Instagramâs settings and scroll down to the âshare and reuseâ tab. In the sections titled âAllow people to reuse your content on Instagram and with AI features,â toggle the setting to âoff.â
You can also change the A.I. settings for individual pictures and videos. Users cannot stop their audio, text and comments from being âreusedâ by Metaâs A.I., the company said.
I don't think it's unreasonable for our public officials to be expected to prove they're alive and not in a coma to be able to retain their office.
If someone were, as a random example, say hospitalized for over two weeks with no explanation, I think that should automatically trigger a special election to replace them.
If you're still able to do your job, then prove it. And if you're not, then you're actively obstructing democracy by not stepping down.
Which is to say, that if a public official were to pass away or into a coma, and their handlers choose to obfuscate that fact, this should be seen as intentionally obstructing democracy.
And there should be, you know, consequences for the people who would do such a thing.
The Polyamorous Misanthrope @polyamorousmisanthrope - Tumblr Blog | Tumlook
