Somehow wound up mostly blogging about sci-fi and fantasy and writing bullshit, with the occasional "this I gotta see" and "don't do that, you will die". Also this is my "cool stuff" pile, no sideblogs, no sorting, abandon all hope you who enter here. Art on banner is "Sphinx's Day Off" by Sandara (https://www.deviantart.com/sandara/art/sphinx-s-day-off-179426159). Art on avatar is "Lost Track" by Aron Wiesenfeld (https://aron-wiesenfeld.squarespace.com/2018).
The Nameless Fanfic (5/6 stories written, 6th in draft): Masterpost
The Nameless Fanfic is a series of crossover fanfics for Time to Orbit: Unknown and The Murderbot Diaries. I post the rough drafts here as I write them, then edit them and post them on AO3. As of right now, I have stories 1 through 5 up on AO3, and I am working on the beginning of the last big story in this cycle. There are also standalone short stories from OC and other canon characters' perspectives, and a planned standalone that's between a short and a full-size novella.
The series begins post-canon for TTOU and just after Fugitive Telemetry for TMBD, but spoiler-wise it's extremely heavy spoilers for the end of TTOU (of the "you should probably read the original first" variety), and light spoilers for Fugitive Telemetry for TMBD. As of the story 3 time skip, we've entered post-canon territory for TMBD as well, with extremely heavy spoilers for NE and SC.
Most of the rough drafts for these stories can be found by going down The Nameless Fanfic tag, but as this has already grown... Unwieldy, below the cut you will find AO3 links and blurbs. Enjoy!
Story 1: Connection Test Start (AO3 link)
SecUnit has told Senior Indah it is open to further work, but only if the work is really weird. So when a research transport from an unfamiliar non-corporate political entity called Trellin arrives at Preservation Station and starts throwing strange errors within seconds of contact, SecUnit is tasked with figuring out what the hell is wrong with that ship. (A lot. A lot is wrong with that ship. One, it’s not ART. Two, it’s kind of an asshole anyway. Three, it has feelings. And morals. And that last one might be the worst.)
Story 2: Formless and Vanquished We Shall Travel (AO3 link)
One Public Universal Friend runs a corporate blockade with a shuttle full of refugees, fully expecting to die in the process. Instead, it wakes up on an unfamiliar ship, with a bot pilot that informs the Friend that it is well aware of the Friends' existence and has helped it escape pursuit. In the Corporate Rim era, the Friends have been forced into becoming an underground operation, and they have few allies. Stranded, disoriented, and hounded by a corporation in possession of an anti-terrorism mandate, the Friend must deal with its situation and not sink its entire organization in the process.
Direct continuation of Connection Test Start.
Story 3: The Worst Movie Night (AO3 link)
The alien remnant contamination did far more damage to Perihelion's wormhole drive than anyone had initially realized, and the PSUMNT researchers are at a loss with how to solve the problem. But SecUnit and its Preservation humans have seen “super fast organic wormhole drives” before. With the reluctant permission of Perihelion's crew, a distress call is sent to Trellin, and three scientist teams, two sentient research transports, and one SecUnit convene to figure out how (and whether) ART can get its wings back.
Set after System Collapse.
Author's note: the main thing that you need to know about this story is that I started writing what I thought would be the NE analogue in this cycle, and it turned out to be SC: ART Edition instead. So expect a marked tone shift in comparison to the previous two stories, leaning towards introspection and existentialism. Also, altered states of consciousness.
Story 4: Roots and Branches (AO3 link)
Being responsible for the security of two separate groups of humans is hard enough when SecUnit knows and likes the ships they are travelling on. But once its humans arrive at the incredibly normal space station in orbit of Trellin, SecUnit finds their potential new allies to be much more difficult to deal with than most hostiles. To do its job, it must navigate local privacy customs, dead and/or naked humans, experimental biomes full of planetary fauna and, worst of all, the helpful local HubSystem, which happens to be a) very friendly, b) totally useless at security, c) really fucking creepy. Can SecUnit keep its humans safe and not be driven absolutely beeshit by argumentative social scientists, HubSystem or human, along the way? It’s about to find out.
Direct continuation of The Worst Movie Night.
Story 5: Digging in the Dirt (AO3 link)
Following the events of Connection Test Start, one doctor from Preservation Alliance decides to make things right and sets out for the Corporation Rim, hoping to unearth and eventually bring to justice a certain humanitarian-cum-terrorist organisation. Utterly unprepared for the reality of the Rim, the good doctor finds far more horrors than they ever bargained for—but also many more friends than they expected. Nobody is what they seem to be, and now Dr. Mrinal must decide what to do with what they have discovered and live with their choice.
Direct continuation of Connection Test Start and Roots and Branches.
Short stories, collected as Voices From the Pegasus Constellation (AO3 link)
A collection of short stories portraying some of the events of The Nameless Fanfic from the perspectives of Trellians (and other members of Starwind Accord). Character tags updated as stories get published.
Note that these short stories are placed in different points of the main continuity and are best read one at a time! Links to the relevant stories are given chronologically in the main storyline.
Right now, this includes:
Chosen Burdens (Captain Reed) - after s2ch5, "Verdict"
ship's haunted (Navigator Brisote) - a view of s3ch4-5
Cultural Significance (Senior Engineer Haze) - between s3 and s4
what's in a name (Senior Computer Technician Iceblink) - after s5ch18, "Preparation"
Losing Starlight (Dandelion) - during s5ch24, "Beeshit".
Massacre (Blaze) - during s4ch30, "Preparations"
Medicine From Your Hands (Aspen) - after s4ch41, "Puppetry"
As Above, So Below (Ruby) - technically set between chapters 44 and 45, but probably a good post-epilogue read
Axiom (Ghostwheel) - set between chapters 44 and 45 of Roots and Branches, best read after Digging in the Dirt chapter 7, Monster.
There is also an equivalent collection from the points of view of various TMBD characters, Voices from Preservation Alliance and PSUMNT (AO3 link).
Little Miracles (Ratthi) - set during s4ch13, "Visage", but best read after s4ch31, "Chief". Note that this contains mild Aspen/Ratthi smut (because they are nerds).
People Worth Knowing (Mensah) - the events of Connection Test Start from Dr. Mensah's perspective. Functionally a prequel to s6.
There are more short stories in the tag, but they're not quite edited yet and also a little bit ahead of the currently posted storyline. I will update them as I go!
If you're the sort of person who likes comparing text versions, some old chapters are up on the nameless fanfic: deprecated tag.
I also occasionally post music, pictures, reference materials, etc on the nameless fanfic: supplemental tag. This is mostly for my own convenience, but if you're the sort of person that enjoys finding new music or something that way - enjoy!
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Someone asked on another post and I answered there, but here it is as well, thr longer version.
HOW DO I FIGHT FASCISM?
Do something. That is the simple answer. Do anything. Do several things. Fascism has to be hit on all flanks in many different ways. What is thst in gamer terms? Conbined attacks? That, from the small and mundane to bigger projects like running for office and so on.
US Americans looking for where to go, pretty much every state and county has organizations always looking for help. If you can't find them, companies like Meta ensure you have to look, but they are out there. Sometimes religious groups have programs to help feed and house people, to organize against the freezer losers, to help those put out of work by this regime pay bills or find work, and whatever your feelings on religion, the orgs doing this are doing more to fight fascism than a lot of big talkers online. But there are lots of organizations who are not religious who are helping. Trans rights centers. Deflock. Democracy Docket. State ACLU chapters. Etc.
But, having said that, also find politicians you support and follow their social media. Like and share their posts. This is free. And once you start doing it, the algo is gonna start showing you more.
Register to vote. Register others. Make a plan to get to a poll on voting day and know your rights. The ACLU and many other sites have pages to help you here.
Become a pollworker if you can. Sign up through your state's sec of state office website (usually).
Black people and the South in general are under attack by Christian nationalist white supremacy. Oathvote, yallvote, and other orgs are trying to mobilize. Support them. Support the NAACP. This can mean money but also following them, liking and sharing their posts. You are advertising for them! This is good!
The midwest has a similiar problem, and similiar orgs (bootsontheground midwest is one) are rallying. Also the midwest has a record number of dems and dem socialists running this year. Support them! In the same ways!
These are grassroots organizations! Most are getting little to no support from corp dems! They have no infrastructure, especially in the South. Find! Follow! Support! Volunteer!
Combat misinformation when you see it. A ton of the pro regime accts on social media are bots or paid. You don't need to argue with them but just post and share true information. With sources! We love sources!
Follow independent media. But even with indie media, check those sources!
In smaller ways, you can help by, and this is true, protecting yourselves and your neighbors.
Learn how to look the other way. Carry a whistle. Know your rights. (The Constitution is free to read online and in libraries. The ACLU and many other law groups are online to educate you on what to do.)
STOP TAKING PICS AND VIDEO OF STRANGERS AND POSTING THEM TO THE INTERNET WITHOUT THINKING. If there is an issue or danger, then record sure. But stop doing the fascist's job for them and enforcing the police state for views and clicks. Privacy shouldn't only be for the rich!
Stop using genai and LLMs!! The fascists want you stupid and broke. Think for yourselves! Check sources! The lying-to-you-for-money bot is not a reliable source! And figuring things out on your own teaches you things. Sorry to be an Old but it is literally true.
Accept that some of your allies in this are going to be people you might not 100% agree with. No one is perfect, ever, get that out of your heads. Expecting all of your allies to ONLY think as you do or rejecting them is... is fash thinking. Sorry. People are varied and messy and if a former Republican in your rural state now wants to work to get Republicans out of office, good. Maybe they will learn some more on their journey but for right now, that is an ally, baby.
Dress originally. Wear bright colors. Put dangly dumb things on your purse or phone. Fascism wants conformity. Be a freak for the cause.
Laugh at the clown show. Call them clowns. Call them incompetent. They *like* being called monsters or evil. They do not like being laughed at.
If you can, and this one is a bigger ask, grow your own veggies or support a local community garden. Feed people. Feed yourself. Have food you can trust.
Raise money for charities (or promote fundraisers if you are broke). Support small businesses. Do the same for causes you believe in. Volunteer if you can.
Pay attention to boycotts. Pay attention to who has unions and support them.
(Join a union)
Get your vaccines up to date and practice good food safety. Go to the doctor this year because as bad as those Republican Big Beautiful Bill medicare cuts were, there is another round coming. You have to survive.
Get your finances in order. Even the broke people. Yes you. Stop using BNPL. Financial literscy education is available through library books and sometimes your local credit union. You have to survive.
Ask for help before things get worse. And do not shame people asking for help or who are just starting to learn things! Don't be dicks.
Spend time with loved ones. The human psyche requires this, even during the bad times. Otherwise, you burn out, and then you can help no one.
Listen to elders, particularly Black elders and queer elders and disability activists and even the old hippies who have done a lot of this before.
And finally, importantly, practice good personal safety, especially online. Remember bots and Palantir are there. Remember Flock cameras exist. Watch what you say and how you say it because they are, at minumum, gonna try to waste your time and money with arrests and charges, even if the charges do not stick. Look up internet safety. Stop taking your phones everywhere (this is difficult, I know).
And, I think I said this before, but start checking sources and looking stuff up. Don't know how to do these things I suggested? Wikipedia! Wikihow! Libraries!
Not near a library in the US? Libby! Hoopla! Libro.fm! Skillshare (though this one is paid). Those youtubers in it for love of the game who *want* to teach you things! They often have simple, jenky videos and I love them so much.
They want us despairing, stupid, broke, and incurious. Fuck that. Stay safe. Be loud. Be careful. Learn. Make friends.
(And to the people who looove to imagine an instant revolution in which they will be heroes. Are you taking any action to help people *right now*? Because if not, then I doubt you are gonna be in the streets. Also, like, to do that would still require allies and ground work. Work. You know. WORK. And anyway, who would be dumb enough to post about that online to please you? You sound like a cop lol)
(writes something) god this sucks so bad. this is awful. i'm the worst writer ever. this is nothing. (rereads it a while after writing it) oh dude this is fire. i'm the god of writing. (writes something again) god this sucks so bad. th
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I would like to say as an editor that when I edit someone's work I am not thinking, "WOW what an idiot this person is, can't construct a sentence to save their life!!"
What I am thinking is, "does this mean what the author intends it to mean, and if not, how can we adjust it so it does?" and also usually, "wow I'm so glad I get to read this, what a privilege it is to help people say exactly what they mean to say."
I think a lot of people get frightened by the prospect of editing and I won't pretend there aren't some editors who come at the task with a suboptimal attitude but a good editor just wants to help. They want the piece to mean exactly what you intended it to mean when they're done. They do not, if they are worth their asking rate, want to scold you for being a bad writer. They do want to make you a better one. It is a helping profession.
I work for the road crew in the summer. Crack sealing (the process you see above) is fairly quick and simple. (Though holding a hose that pumps literal tons of 350F tar into the road in the middle of the summer is NOT easy)
I think what a lot of people underestimate is just how much road there is in your city. And just how many directions the crew gets pulled.
For our city of around 50k people there are 8 of us.
Also, crack sealing is a wholly temporary measure, meant to slow the break-up of the roads, it’s not a permanent fix.
Roads tend to get closed for months on end because we have to tear the whole thing up, then, depending on the class of road, we either have to hammer-drill into concrete to lay rebar and the pour concrete, or we can get straight to paving. If it’s a road requiring concrete we’re required to wait at least 24 hours for it to set.
So after 2 days we’re finally able to pave. But the city allocates one (two if we’re lucky) 5 ton truck to transport material.
A relatively short paving job requires at a minimum of 60 tons. So that’s 12 trips to the asphalt factory and back. Each ton is around $80.
TL;DR
There’s a lot of road, not many of us, and soup is expensive.
People get mad @ me when I point out that one of the major hurdles to overcoming anti-vaccine conspiracies amongst the general populace is that the medical-industrial complex has repeatedly demonstrated itself to be unworthy of trust, but listen. Listen.
The overwhelming majority of antivaxxers I've met in real life have been nurses in hospitals. I make it a point not to associate with such people if I can possibly avoid it, so pretty much the only time I would have to hear about it directly is if I'm part of a trapped audience waiting for something else to happen. And so almost all the people I've met who felt moved to take me aside and "warn" me about the fictitious dangers of vaccines have been registered nurses despensing medical """advice""" inside of hospitals.
So if anything I'd say the problem has been grossly, critically underestimated.
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And you know what? Even if the guy with all the money should change his heart *right this minute* and donate billions to a cause as good as world hunger:
...Nonetheless, whether he does or not... he will still die, like all the rest of us, regardless of who may be at his bedside, alone in his head: alone. By himself. No one there to mitigate the pain, to be telling him how important he is, to make what's happening okay in any way whatsoever. He will cross the bar alone. And there is nothing he can do to stop it.
Nothing he can do with the science we have in this day and age will change that. Nothing invented in the next twenty, thirty, *fifty* years, will change that.
Is he a schmuck? Yes. Is he vastly wealthy and powerful (in the in-this-life mode) beyond the dreams of almost all of us? Yeah, sure!
Will it avail him at the moment when, eventually, beyond any ability of his or those he's paid to keep it running, his breath stops? NOPE.
...The comfort associated with this may be a bit on the chilly side. But (leaving aside folks' personal beliefs about what happens on the far side of the Last Breath) all his personal bullshit in the physical world will swiftly come to nothing.
Let's wait our time. I may not see it: but some of you will, and will be able to say, "Well THAT's over, finally."
(sigh)
Okay, that's my annoyance for the day. ...And now who wants some tea?
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) moneygrubbing 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.")
(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.
kind of weird how parts of your soul are left in various locations without any warning… like yes i’m always at the top of that hill, sitting at the bus stop, in the cool light of the Japanese restaurant, standing at the pier etc etc
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I'm feeling really drained at the moment, so I'm going to take it easy today with a simple landscape. I like these because they imply so much more detail than is actually there. Daily drawing 2476.
