Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

SheenaWilsonAuthor⭐️ @authorsheenawilson.bsky.social · 19d

Jess Piper @piperformissouri.bsky.social · 19d

Tried to get my real ID. I had my license, my SS card and my birth certificate.

I was not allowed to get my real ID because my birth name is different than my married name. Now I have to go dig up a marriage certificate. You know who wouldn’t have to do this? A man.

Never change your last name.

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William Meikle @williammeikle.com · Jul 17

R.I.P. Connie Francis, one of my auld ma's favorites. "Who's Sorry Now" was always just 'there' somewhere in my very early years before The Beatles came along...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XKe...

Who's Sorry Now

YouTube video by Connie Francis - Topic

www.youtube.com

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Ketamines @ketamines.bsky.social · Jul 17

Always happy dog

My dog Thor who is a red Doberman. His mouth is open

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SheenaWilsonAuthor⭐️ @authorsheenawilson.bsky.social · Jul 15

Brutus is sending love to everyone today—even if his 'hooma' is struggling a bit with heading to medicine therapy. One paw at a time.🤍🤎🖤🐾

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#BluePit - A Storytelling Hype & Pitch Event @bluepit.bsky.social · Jul 14

Only 15 minutes left of #BluePit!

We've had an amazing response! So many fantastic stories! We estimate around 1,700 participants.

We have such a wonderful creative community here and it's been wonderful to see so much support for each other.

Thank you all for making this a great #BluePit!

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Reposted by SheenaWilsonAuthor⭐️

Inde | M.J. Perez @indesii.bsky.social · Jul 13

When marine biologist Josie Lark returns home temporarily to support her pregnant little sister and save Pelican Cove's coastline, unfinished business with her first love – Will Mercer – threatens to turn her carefully planned escape into a reason to stay.
#BluePit #BluePit📖 #W #A #R

At the center of the image is a blurb that reads: As a marine biologist specializing in sea turtle conservation, Josie Lark has spent her entire life chasing the next coastline, the next job, determined to put as much distance as possible between this version of herself and the grief of her childhood. But when a call from her pregnant little sister drags her home to the sleepy island town of Pelican Cove, Josie returns with a set itinerary: pack up their late mother’s house, put together her restoration proposal for the Gulf Conservation Center, greet her baby niece, and board a flight to her dream job in Australia eight weeks later.
Will Mercer is not part of that plan.
Will is the boy she once loved. He’s her childhood best friend, her first kiss and her first heartbreak, and the one person Josie never quite stopped regretting. While she ran off to college, Will stayed, tied to his family marina and a life Josie didn’t want for herself. With Pelican Cove’s fragile ecosystem and coastal economy in crisis, Josie’s project at the Conservation Center puts her directly in Will’s orbit. The electric chemistry is still there, but so are the ghosts of who they used to be—and the reality that Josie is leaving. Again.
As summer stretches into fall, between long days on the water and a storm that changes everything, Josie begins to question where she truly belongs—and what it would mean to stay.

The background is a pale blue to darker blue gradient from left to right. The bottom of the image reads “@indesii”.

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Reposted by SheenaWilsonAuthor⭐️

stacyzappala.bsky.social @stacyzappala.bsky.social · Jan 17

Unicorn with the heart of a human. Changed human to change the way society sees both unicorns, witches and mortals. a war is coming unicorns are out for revenge. Can Brody stop it? if he will it cost him new feelings of love and his life?

#p2ppit #YA #Novella #Fantasy/Romance

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Reposted by SheenaWilsonAuthor⭐️

Rob Bignell, Editor/Author @inventingreality.bsky.social · Jul 13

#editingtips #fiction #amwriting #writingcommunity #writerscommunity inventingrealityediting.com/2...

5 Tips on Creating Suspense in Your Story

• How to create suspense in your fiction story • Use pacing to maintain sense of tension in story• Add ticking clock to create sense of urgency • Add reaction shots to…

inventingrealityediting.com

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SheenaWilsonAuthor⭐️ @authorsheenawilson.bsky.social · Jul 13

Congratulations 🎉

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#SmallPitch @smallpitch.org · Jul 13

Six hours left and #SmallPitch requests are still coming!

Also, don't forget to check your spam folder. Requests come from [email protected].

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fabs is editing 🫣✨ @simplyfabs.bsky.social · Jul 13

#bluepit 📖 #NA #A #POC #R #DR #W

TITLE: the villain's muse.
COMPS: god of fury x king of sloth x perfect addiction
GENRE: bipoc dark romance!
WORD COUNT: est. around 90k+ after dev edits!

She healed. He destructed.

- the fmc is bangladeshi, the mmc is puerto rican!
- the fmc is writing/bookish content creator + freelance editor, the mmc is a dj and illegal underground boxer!

these are the main tropes of the book *not* including the numerous microtropes that would've made this list TOO LONG otherwise !!

the comps of the book !!! i added silly little captions for just the vibes and with the current direction of the book as it undergoes heavy developmental edits and revisions—they honestly make the most sense !!! it felt right to have ONE movie comp here because i wanted to, hehe <33

spoiler alert: i came up with the dedication on the spot and it'll be a working dedication for now *unless* i'm not changing it! enjoy being delulu and kicking your feet besties <33

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🕯️ El(iza)beth 🌬️ Mistress 🍁 of 🕸️ Spiders 🕷️ @arachnereid.bsky.social · Jul 13

🔥 Once the collapse stories have played out, how will we rebuild, and transcend?

✨ Experience a vision of #hope, growth, and transformation, through a mystical odyssey on crumbled highways.

🌱#permaculture
🔮 magic & mindfulness
🌪️#CliFi
🌷#Hopepunk
💙 #BluePit #BluePit📖 #SP #Q #A

a Priestess Tarot card with a figure meditating on a large stone in the woods

climate fiction
#clifi
indigenous futurism
plant medicine
meditation
wilderness
permaculture
neotribalism
community
backpacking
post-apocalyptic
hopepunk
visions
visionary
solarpunk
wild edibles
rewilding

a Hermit tarot card of an illuminated figure holding up a lantern in a colorful swamp

Long after the dust settles, what will grow from the rubble?

Seven generations after collapse, oceans have reclaimed coasts and civilization’s remains are rotting back to the earth. Extreme climate and violent humans threaten a peaceful community hidden in the Green Mountains.
Niwa, a gifted yet timid young empath-scholar, is prompted by group vision to lead a perilous and mystical quest to retrieve a rumored key to peace. Using unique psychic gifts, archaic technology, and nature-based survival skills, Niwaju’s group traverses a depopulated but healing landscape to save their people from impending doom.
The travelers draw upon their survival skills, varying levels of control over their own unique psychic gifts, and residual tech artifacts, encountering diverse, unique characters through crumbling highways and swollen rivers through the mountains of Appalachia, moody swamplands of “New New Orleans”, and the Rocky Mountains.
As she finds her inner resilience, Niwa’s mission becomes about more than saving her People from destruction; it offers humanity a way forward in a world desperately in need of change.
Incorporating mindfulness, sustainability, earth based magic, and wilderness skills, this tarot-themed journey offers a vision of hope, transformation, and growth in a narrative adventure guide to thriving civilization’s aftermath, with surprising twists.

major arcana
9
empath
introvert
journey
odyssey
quest

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B. van Bodegom 📃is querying & writing @bvbodegom.bsky.social · Jul 13

CABIN IN THE WOODS × JOHN DIES AT THE END × KNIVES OUT

When their detective friend is murdered during their annual gaming retreat, 5 dads must rely on years of #TTRPG experience—and puns—to solve the crime before they're all killed off like NPCs in a badly written campaign.

#BluePit 📖 #A #H #M #Q

The image shows a horror-comedy novel cover titled "DAD BODIES." The top of the cover reads "THE GAME JUST TOOK A DAD TURN" with "DAD" in a different color.

The background features a haunted house with multiple towers and illuminated windows against a dark backdrop. At the center is a 20-sided die (D20) used in tabletop role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons, with visible numbers including 1, 7, 13, and 19. The die is surrounded by red blood splatter effects.

At the bottom of the cover are six men with expressions of terror and shock. One man is wearing a white shirt over his head. These men are the dads referenced in the title.

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Heather Carter @hlcarterauthor.bsky.social · Jul 13

CRIMSON PEAK X STARLING HOUSE
Trapped in a ghostly limbo, Alloson and John shelter in a decrepit mansion that comes to life nightly w/a 200 y/o ball. Violent entities & hunger plague them as they careen toward a dark destiny lurking within the walls.

#BluePit📖 #A #PN #R #Gothic #Q

A STAIRCASE WITH A WROUGHT-IRON RAILING IN FRONT OF A CRUMBLING BLUE WALL WITH TEXT THAT READS: A GUIDE TO ECHOES OF RADFIELD HALL, HEATHER CARTER

A STAIRCASE WITH A WROUGHT-IRON RAILING IN FRONT OF A CRUMBLING BLUE WALL WITH TEXT THAT READS: THE PITCH: ALLOSON AND JOHN ARE TRAPPED IN A DECREPIT MANSION THAT COMES TO LIFE NIGHTLY WITH A TWO-HUNDRED-YEAR-OLD BALL. AMID FLOODING ROOMS, DEMONIC LIONS, AND VIOLENT ENTITIES, THEY MUST BREAK THE CURSE OR BECOME GHOSTS THEMSELVES. COMPS: STARLING HOUSE X CRIMSON PEAK x ONE DARK WINDOW

A STAIRCASE WITH A WROUGHT-IRON RAILING IN FRONT OF A CRUMBLING BLUE WALL WITH TEXT THAT READS: THE TROPES: ADULT GOTHIC ROMANCE, AMNESIA, GHOSTS, TIME TRAVEL/LOOP, HORROR AND ROMANCE, FANTASY ELEMENTS, SPICE, POSSESSION

A STAIRCASE WITH A WROUGHT-IRON RAILING IN FRONT OF A CRUMBLING BLUE WALL WITH TEXT THAT READS: SNIPPET: DARKNESS LICKED AROUND THE EDGES OF THE TOWERING BLACK MASS AS IT MATERIALIZED IN FRONT OF ME. ICE-COLD DRAFTS SEEPED INTO MY SKIN, WRAPPING AROUND MY BONES LIKE SNAKES. AN INSURMOUNTABLE DREAD FILLED MY CHEST AS THE ENTITY BLOCKED MY PATH. AT ONCE, I KNEW EXACTLY WHAT IT WANTED. ME

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SheenaWilsonAuthor⭐️ @authorsheenawilson.bsky.social · Jul 13

We had a great time at the Columbus Book Festival! 📚⭐️♿️

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Iris Andersi @goodwords.bsky.social · Jul 13

THE SPELLSHOP x HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE

A curmudgeonly witch with a chronic illness must work with a cheerful thief to stand up to a greedy pharmaceutical company.

#BluePit 📖 #Q #A #F #R #OV #DIS #chronicillnessrep #cozyromanticfantasy #revspirations #writingcommunity

Meet the Main Character: Linatta Mosset: curmudgeon, witch, plant-enthusiast, and a secret harborer of a sense of humor. Her best friend is Toad, a cat-shaped familiar with a snarky (but loveable) attitude.

Her chronic illness makes life challenging, but her journey is full of heart and humor. Despite a past riddled with heartbreak, she falls in love with a charismatic thief.

Snippet: “Hmph. Really, Linatta? I chose you for your good sense, and only a ridiculous witch would believe that hats are harmless. Everyone who wears them is untrustworthy.”
Despite Linatta’s best efforts to lock away the name, it slipped from her mouth, “Charly never wore hats. That didn’t make her trustworthy.”
Toad leapt onto Linatta’s lap and placed a paw over her heart. In his sincerest voice, he said, “Charly was different. She probably wore hats in secret.”

First Lines: Potions Unincorporated

Twelve vials sat on a shelf where one hundred should rest. Linatta Mosset picked up one of the tapered glasses—thumb-sized and filled to the brim with a warm, green liquid. She uncorked it and took a hard swallow. Bitterness struck first, but it disappeared after a few seconds and slipped into a nutty and earthy aftertaste.

Comps: Under The Whispering Door by TJ Klune (The Humor & Heart) + Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree (The Cozy Fantasy Vibes) + The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches (The Romance) = Potions Unincorporated.

Covers for each of the novels are next to each other on a green slides with plants.

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Matis Kogan is querying CHOSEN 21✨ @matiskogan.bsky.social · May 8

#literaryagents if you’re looking for a high-stakes Fantasy & Sci-Fi novel, where The Maze Runner meets The 100, check out my agent’s guide for CHOSEN 21!🪐
⚡️Harsh trials
⚡️Humanity-Saving expedition
⚡️Friends to lovers
⚡️No way out
#Questpit #fantasy #SciFi #YA #writercommunity #Author

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Sage T. Greene, Author @sagetgreene.bsky.social · Jul 13

Enjoy long-term narratives—filler episodes and all? ETHERI is character-driven, snarky, and sometimes just vibes. If you love a good fight scene, feeling the feels, and stories that linger, this is for you.

More info & where to buy: linktr.ee/sagetgreene
#bluepit📖 #P #NA #Action #F #Indie 💙📚 🌈✒️

The book cover for ETHERI by Sage T. Greene. A hand reaching up over a blue galaxy background.

Synopsis

As an Etheri, Mari lacks physical strength and mana control. She feels destined to play the supporting role for her partner Rhu (a natural talent and future Lord of Newhaven) and her cousin Junie (the confident and beautiful one). But when Mari learns that Junie is a member of the Blaze—a mysterious criminal organization—she isn’t sure what to think.

Mari finds herself learning about the Blaze and gets embroiled in their misadventures. By the time Junie’s identity is leaked to the Etheri villages and the Blaze comes under attack, Mari is no longer convinced that she can pick a side, but failing to do so begins to endanger not just herself, but the people she loves. Mari must choose where her loyalties lie: with her village, with her friends, or with herself.

A Note From the Author
(What to Expect)

This series is for readers who are all about the journey.

Think of the trilogy like a long-running anime: there are high-stakes arcs, but also the occasional "filler episode"—moments that are meant to breathe and add levity. Book 1 is the first of several arcs; the MC’s problems are far from over.

Expect a reading experience that is more literary than commercial. It’s character-driven, emotionally complex, and a little quirky—just like real people.

If that sounds like your kind of story, I hope you’ll come along for the ride.

– Sage 🌿

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#PitchDis @pitchdis.com · Jul 13

#PitchDis is now on Instagram! Find us under the same handle.

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SheenaWilsonAuthor⭐️ @authorsheenawilson.bsky.social · Jul 13

⭐️An Agent’s Guide to Ember’s Journey⭐️
A slow-burn, character-driven adult fantasy about identity, quiet strength, and finding your voice in a world that keeps trying to write her off.
Told by a #SpoonieAuthor with lived experience. #BluePit #F #A #R #DisabilityRep #Fantasy #SlowBurn

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SheenaWilsonAuthor⭐️ @authorsheenawilson.bsky.social · Jul 11

Rainy lies ahead in Ember's Journey📖

🎶 Inspired by: “September in the Rain” – Dinah Washington
#PlaylistPitch #A #Fantasy #Romance #DisabilityRep #EmbersJourney

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SheenaWilsonAuthor⭐️ @authorsheenawilson.bsky.social · Jul 11

Her Star remembers.⭐️

🎶 Inspired by: “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” – Roberta Flack
Background Note: NASA photo + castle paste
#PlaylistPitch #A #Fantasy #SlowBurn #DisabilityRep #EmbersJourney
#WeAllHaveAStarWithinUs

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SheenaWilsonAuthor⭐️ @authorsheenawilson.bsky.social · Jul 11

Every rose may have a thorn, but Ember always burns her Star with her name.
🔥 #EmbersJourney #A #Fantasy #Star #PlaylistPitch

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Soph @soph-pl.bsky.social · Jul 9

What readers didn’t say about this #Q #A #R:

– No plot or stakes (+ implausible)
– Can’t connect with the MCs (+ zero chemistry)
– 🌶️ is mild (+ cringe & boring)
– No sense of time/place (+ Berlin is dull)
– Terrible writing (esp. stiff dialogue & flat descriptions)

#UnhingedPit

Quotes from beta readers and judges, displayed inside Berlin-style street signs: "so hard to put this down"; "perfect blend of emotional and sexy"; "the desire is so real"; "the dialogue feels so natural"; "they have such great spark!"; "the writing is top-notch"; "lots of humor"; "I found myself rooting for them from the beginning"; "this was the hottest scene and I am DYING that this happened, haha"; "I feel like I'm there"; "I liked how the history was interwoven"; "THROWBACK! Loved those"; "so vivid!"; "I was on the edge of my seat"; "their goodbye is heart-wrenching"; "makes me want to visit"; "a really heart-tugging story … great plot and great writing! … a wonderful job of creating [] characters that I care very much about and am sure other readers will, too"
Background: panoramic view of Berlin at sunset; photo by Jonas Tebbe on Unsplash

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A.K. Browne @akbrowne.bsky.social · Jul 9

My #UnhingedPit friends,

What if the BRIDGERTON’s social season took place in GILEAD? And the Diamond? She’s determined via culty bride auction.

FOOL’S GOLD:

Love interests X4
Blackmail
Sabotage
EVERYONE IS A “CHOSEN ONE”

#na #ya #q #dys

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