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Helen McCarthy

@helenmccarthy51.bsky.social

520 followers 130 following 580 posts

Writer, speaker, poet, scholar, mad about creative life. A dozen books plus presentations/articles on anime, manga, cosplay, history, art, crafts. I've given talks across the UK, USA, Europe and Asia. You can contact me via my website helenmccarthy.net

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Helen McCarthy @helenmccarthy51.bsky.social · 24d

Hello everyone, I'm Helen McCarthy. I've been researching anime, manga and Japan since 1981 and my first book was published in 1992. A dozen books since, two more in 2026, cosplay history and talks. Follow me for anime/manga titbits, snippets about Japan, recommendations, daily poems and fun stuff!

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Reposted by Helen McCarthy

Ursula K. Le Guin @ursulakleguin.com · 10h

Today, The Word for World: The Maps of Ursula K. Le Guin opens at AA Gallery in London! Curated by Sarah Shin and Harriet Jennings, the exhibition presents a selection of Ursula's maps, including some that have never been exhibited before.

A photo of the entrance to The Word for World exhibition, with two banners hanging vertically down outside the doorway to a brick building with white-paned windows. A row of bicycles are parked in front. The banners are purple and white and say the name of the exhibition and Ursula K. Le Guin's name.

A cord-wrapped rock rests on a vivid blue background next to a map of and program for The Word for World exhibition.

A stack of copies of The Word for World book, which shows the title in vivid blue against a black cloth cover.

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Reposted by Helen McCarthy

hookland.bsky.social @hookland.bsky.social · 15h

Legend is female Druids of the county did not disappear during Roman occupation, but instead melded with the forests to become its Green Ladies, its Moss Maidens. A historian will tell you this is nonsense. A folklorist will merely tell you stories hold impossible truths. - #CLNolan #FolkloreFriday

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Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.bsky.social · 15h

Nobel Peace Prizes have often been awarded to people who fight autocracy. Maria Corina Machado fits right into that tradition

www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...

Why María Machado Deserved the Nobel Peace Prize

The Venezuelan opposition leader shows why participation matters.

www.theatlantic.com

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Louie Stowell @louiestowell.bsky.social · 21h

One of the things about this study is that a lot of baby and toddler books are written in house, by editors. So the study reveals the whiteness of editorial in kidlit even if not explicitly. But, big picture, this trend is unacceptable. I remember so many promises www.theguardian.com/books/2025/o...

‘Catastrophic decline’ in Black representation in children’s books

A report by charity Inclusive Books for Children found that of the 2,721 books surveyed, only 51 featured a Black main character, down by 21.5% since 2023

www.theguardian.com

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James O’Brien @mrjamesob.bsky.social · 20h

There's a piece by Catherine Philp in The Times today that provides forensic & fascinating detail about the peace deal agreed yesterday. I cannot recommend it highly enough but won't share a link because I'd get a dozen replies from people pointing out that it's behind a paywall!

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Victoria Strauss @victoriastrauss.com · 1d

I'm seeing an increasing number of scams like the one below, leveraging the widespread problem of publishing scams w/ a faux service promising to fix problems author is having w/ the original scam but really to hit them up for more $$ (note the "Amazon partner agency" claim: there's no such thing)

From: Blaire Andrews <bandrews@royaltypilots.com>
Date: Wed, Oct 8, 2025 at 1:50 PM
Subject: Your royalties on Amazon
To: [redacted]

Hi [redacted]

I’m Blaire from Amazon Partners – Royalty Pilots.
We’re an Amazon agency commissioned to help authors migrate their books from third-party publishers to their own Amazon KDP accounts.

I’m reaching out because we’ve spoken with many authors who recently shared frustrations that you might also be experiencing while being published through a third-party service provider—such as:

Royalties that never seem to arrive or come with little to no explanation.

No visibility or control over how many copies have been sold or where those sales are happening.

Endless upsells and new charges every time you want to make even a small change to your book.

Through Amazon KDP, authors are now publishing their books directly with Amazon — with no middlemen involved.
This means:

Royalties are sent straight to your bank account every month.

You can track real-time sales data through your own KDP dashboard.

You have full ownership and control over your books, including the freedom to make revisions free of charge.

If you’d like to explore how this can work for you, I’d love to schedule a quick call. Please let me know your best contact number and the most convenient time to reach you.

Blaire Andrews

Senior Marketing Manager – Partners, Authors

Royalty Pilots, an Amazon partner agency

Phone: 315-325-9099
Email: bandrews@royaltypilots.com

Website: https://royaltypilots.com/

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Reposted by Helen McCarthy

Forbes @forbes.com · 1d

The app, named “Arattai,” leads the Google Play Store and Apple App Store rankings in India, buoyed by a government push for “Made-in-India” platforms amid trade tensions with the U.S.

WhatsApp Rival In India Is Boosted By Modi’s Calls For ‘Self-Reliance’ Amid U.S. Tariff Battle

The app, named “Arattai,” leads the Google Play Store and Apple App Store rankings in India, buoyed by a government push for “Made-in-India” platforms amid trade tensions with the U.S.

www.forbes.com

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Helen McCarthy @helenmccarthy51.bsky.social · 14h

Thanks!

Helen McCarthy @helenmccarthy51.bsky.social · 15h

Looking forward to tonight's #StudioGhibli presentation at #QuayArts in Newport, IOW - and history of #anime and #manga tomorrow! My first time speaking on the Island and a great reason to revisit this gorgeous place.

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Helen McCarthy @helenmccarthy51.bsky.social · 15h

silence is the pond
that ripples when a stone falls
then is still again

#haiku #poetry #homagetoBasho #fallingstones

Helen McCarthy @helenmccarthy51.bsky.social · 21h

I'm not saying she has support from all women on or off social media. I am saying I think it's at least part of the reason for this split. If she were he I think the coalition would have gritted its teeth and struggled on.

Helen McCarthy @helenmccarthy51.bsky.social · 1d

Happy book birthday! Can't wait to read it! #anime #animation

Michael Leader @michaeljleader.bsky.social · 1d

📚 Our new book is out today! 📚

The Animation Atlas, our round-the-world trip through the global history of animation, is now available from all good bookshops!

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Reposted by Helen McCarthy

Joanne Harris @joannechocolat.bsky.social · 1d

Unsolicited writing advice, no. 259:
Failure is nothing to be ashamed of. It means you tried something. No-one succeeds without failures: it’s a necessary part of the process.

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'Olly-ween 🎃 @lilprincesays.com · 1d

Inspired by our previous episode on genres, we decide to chat today about a thing that happens, particularly in fan spaces. Flanderization is the process of a character being distilled to the point of removing many deeper aspects of their character.
#fandom #popculture #thesimpsons #fanculture

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Helen McCarthy @helenmccarthy51.bsky.social · 1d

I was taken to dinner there by a very flash chap not long after I arrived in London. It was astonishing to see the sun set over London and all the lights stretching away like a blingy spiderweb.

Reposted by Helen McCarthy

Postcard From The Past @pastpostcard.bsky.social · 1d

We have just come down from the top of the post office tower. It was very exciting being 499 feet up. The cars and buildings looked like dinky toys.

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Helen McCarthy @helenmccarthy51.bsky.social · 1d

the ageing year is
now more greying than golden
but still well-dressed
in a riot of colour
not yet time for monotone

#tanka #poetry #changingseasons #enduringbeauty

Helen McCarthy @helenmccarthy51.bsky.social · 1d

the rose called Peace
has buds streaked red as blood
yet transmutes to gold

#haiku #poetry #hope #GivePeaceAChance

Reposted by Helen McCarthy

Helen McCarthy @glider.bsky.social · 1d

Thrilled and can't wait to read the seventh story in one of the best and most beautifully illustrated adventure series for just about anyone!
@helenmccarthy51.bsky.social

Sarah McIntyre @sarahmcintyre.bsky.social · 1d

'Adventuremice: Mousehole to the Centre of the Earth', the seventh in our highly-illustrated series, is out now!
Available at all good bookshops!
🐭🐭✍️✍️
@philipreeve.bsky.social
@dfbstoryhouse.bsky.social

Cover with Pedro, Fledermaus & Ptiny the Pterodactyl

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Helen McCarthy @helenmccarthy51.bsky.social · 1d

Up on my website now: a post on #transgenerationality and its impact on anime. (And not just anime - every aspect of Japan's media mix will be affected by it.)
helenmccarthy.net/transgenerat...

Transgenerationality - the ageing up (and ageing out) of Japan's animation industry - Helen McCarthy

At the beginning of July I was privileged to speak at a symposium on Transnational Perspectives in Anime. It was held on the Lancaster University campus, co-hosted by Dr. Zoe Crombie and Japan Foundat...

helenmccarthy.net

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Helen McCarthy @helenmccarthy51.bsky.social · 2d

robinsong
get yourself out here
get living

#haiku #poetry #lifeinallseasons

Helen McCarthy @helenmccarthy51.bsky.social · 2d

This month is the 56th anniversary of the #TV #anime Sazae-san, running weekly since 5 October 1969, the longest-running animated TV show in the world. Midori Kato holds the record for the longest career as the voice of a single character. Last year's celebrations: soranews24.com/2024/11/19/s...

Sazae-san breaks own Guinness World Records again for 55 years on television

Star voice actor is 85 going on 25.

soranews24.com

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Helen McCarthy @helenmccarthy51.bsky.social · 2d

The "polluter pays" principle is often ignored (eg with the environmental costs of #AI) but in this case it would prevent far greater costs and health risks from hitting communities and consumers all over the world.

Helen McCarthy @helenmccarthy51.bsky.social · 2d

Invasive species have a massive impact on agriculture (and hence good prices) as well as disease control and the natural and built environment. Requiring shipping companies and ports to sanitise all containers would add to distribution costs but minimise much greater costs from species incursion.

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Catsuka @catsuka.bsky.social · 2d

Note: the new Pokétoon animated short is a co-production between Studio Colorido (Japan) & Rudo (Argentina).
"Can't Take My Eyes Off You, Kangaskhan" :
www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfNr...

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