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Victoria Strauss

@victoriastrauss.com

Wow. The AI scammers are crazy persistent but this is the first time I’ve seen a threat like this. Kind of like a mashup of the book club scam and those “stop marketing your book or I’ll steal it” fake extortion threats some writers are getting

Jason Sanford @jasonsanford.bsky.social · 1d

Book club scams are now threatening authors who don't fall for their BS. In December, I received an email from Herry Sharp, so-called CEO of "Super Book Lover Curator" praising my novella We Who Hunt Alexanders.

Totally AI-generated and a scam so I didn't respond.

Now Herry is threatening me. 1/

Hi Jason,
I just came across We Who Hunt Alexanders, and I have to say it immediately grabbed me. Amelia’s story is gripping, dark, and layered with emotion. The way you explore a monster who feels happiness, sadness, fear, and love in a world that’s cruel and unforgiving makes this story compelling and unforgettable.
That’s exactly why I wanted to reach out.
I run a book review service through Super Lovers Book, connecting books with real readers who genuinely enjoy science fiction, dark fantasy, and emotionally rich stories. These readers don’t just leave stars they leave thoughtful, honest reviews that highlight what makes a story unique, powerful, and worth discovering.
Here’s why reviews are so important for We Who Hunt Alexanders:
Build Trust: Potential readers often decide whether to pick up a book based on reviews. Authentic feedback signals that your story is worth their time.
Increase Visibility: Platforms like Goodreads reward books with steady, genuine reviews, helping them appear in search results, recommendations, and “readers also enjoyed” lists.
Generate Momentum: Each review encourages more readers to pick up the book, engage with the story, and leave their own thoughts, creating a snowball effect of attention.
Reach the Right Audience: Reviews written by readers who love sci-fi and dark fantasy ensure your story reaches the readers most likely to appreciate and recommend it.
I truly believe We Who Hunt Alexanders deserves this kind of engagement. A few honest reviews now can amplify your book’s reach, help it gain visibility, and connect it with the readers who will love it most.
Would you be open to having We Who Hunt Alexanders read and reviewed by genuine readers who are passionate about sci-fi and dark fantasy?
No pressure at all I just wanted to reach out because your work deserves to be discovered by more readers.
Warmly,
Herry Sharp
CEO, Super Lovers Book

if you continue to ignore my messages, I might do something you would regret for the rest of your life. I already have access to your book, and instead of giving it a positive review, I will leave a negative one and damage its reputation. It seems you have forgotten that I have a community of readers, and I can easily influence them to bring your book down.

You can try me though.

CEO | Super Book Lover Curator
Helping brilliant books find their people, one honest review at a time.

February 16, 2026 at 4:31 PM

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BSFWriters

@bsfwriters.bsky.social

BSFW EVENTS
[Online unless noted otherwise. Eastern Time Zone]

Rachel's Short Story Group - Wed 2/18 8PM
Writing for the Open Call - Thu 2/19 7PM
Marcus's Virtual Novel Group - Mon 2/23 7:30PM
The (Virtual) Afterwork Social - Tue 2/24 7PM

www.meetup.com/brooklyn-spe...

Brooklyn Speculative Fiction Writers | Meetup

We are a speculative fiction writers group based in Brooklyn. Together, we help one another hone our craft to a more professional level. This group is open to serious writers of fantasy, science ficti...

www.meetup.com

February 12, 2026 at 3:28 PM

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Chapterchase

@chapterchase.com

Tip: anchor your hero's choices to a core fear, then test it in three scenes. Let growth emerge through small, concrete decisions, not long monologues. Keep it tight and relatable. Ready to try this in your next chapter? 💡 #WritingTips #CharacterArcs

February 16, 2026 at 4:03 PM

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LSE Philosophy

@lsephilosophy.bsky.social

📣 Join us for the inaugural BSPS #Popper Prize lecture, delivered by philosophers of science Alexander Franklin and @vanessaseifert.bsky.social.

🗓️ Wednesday 25 February, 6.30pm - 8pm
📍 LSE Campus and online
💻 Register now to attend in-person or online!

More: www.lse.ac.uk/events/molec...

Do molecules have structure? The view from quantum physics | Vanessa Seifert and Alexander Franklin

6.30pm Wed 25 Feb | Vanessa Seifert, Alexander Franklin | Ticket Required | Free public event at LSE

www.lse.ac.uk

January 12, 2026 at 10:40 AM

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the kakistocracy is also a quackistocracy 🇺🇦

@grrlscientist.bsky.social

Did Seabird Guano Shape The Expansion Of Peru’s Pre-Inca Society?

#SciComm🧪 by @grrlscientist.bsky.social

#ChinchaKingdom #PreIncaSocieties #Seabirds #birds🦉 #Guano #Maize #Ecology #Archaeology #Anthropology
www.forbes.com/sites/grrlsc...

February 16, 2026 at 3:27 PM

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Phil Plait

@philplait.bsky.social

A dying star beams a searchlight into space, illuminating its past.

badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/hubble-uns...

🔭 🧪

Hubble unscrambles the Egg Nebula

An amazing image of a dying star fried my brain

badastronomy.beehiiv.com

February 16, 2026 at 4:17 PM

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Uncanny Magazine

@uncannymagazine.bsky.social

The co-winners of the Uncanny Magazine 2025 Favorite Fiction Reader Poll are the novelette “When He Calls Your Name” by Catherynne M. Valente, the short story “Barbershops of the Floating City” by Angela Liu!, and the short story “Six People to Revise You” by J.R. Dawson! buff.ly/S2SM2n7

The cover for Uncanny Magazine Issue 64, “Barbershops of the Floating City" by Grace P. Fong: A woman stands facing the viewer, her qipao is a light blue color with flower designs in a darker shade of blue. Her long, black hair trails elegantly behind her while she holds a pair of scissors close to her chest. Behind there is a shadow that looks in the opposite direction, as if she is looking down at the city depicted below. At the top is a sun that crowns the two figures and bathes the entire picture in light. The quote reads: "You used to be in a band. Now you cut hair. The Institute hired you because you’re the daughter of the Floating City’s Founder’s fourth mistress, the one who always cooks up trouble when she gets too hungry. You don’t like the work, but you like all the different scissors."

The cover for Uncanny Magazine Issue 65, “The Duet" by Nilah Magruder: Two women sit at a piano. One is wearing a lilac dress with a locket around her neck, her skin is a dark shade and her hair white. Next to her, the second woman is wearing a red dress, and has black hair worn up in a bun-like style. Her head and hand are not attached to her body, giving the impression that she is not human but a robot of some kind. Both are smiling as they play together. The quote reads: "There’s nights in the deep end of summer so hot and thick and wet you can feel the dark wrinkling up your fingers like bathwater—and my last night breathing was one of those.

2 a.m. came to ring my bell and found me perfectly awake, swinging back and forth on a hanging sweetheart bench with a faded pink and yellow tulip pattern on the cushion."

The cover for Uncanny Magazine Issue 62, “Mermay - Golden Hour" by Maxine Vee: In a forest of brown, orange, and golden leaves, a mermaid with orange/gold hair sits on a rock in a small light blue pond. She stares at her open palms, illuminated by a beam of sunlight. Purple flowers in shade lie scattered on the ground in the foreground. The quote reads: "The form is one page long. No back. Just a front. It should be longer. There are six copies of the form, all different colors. Like I’m working my way through the rainbow to the end where I’ll finally find peace. Red. A parent or guardian. I meet my mother for lunch at the little bistro down the street."

February 16, 2026 at 3:01 PM

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Ned Hartley

@nedhartley.com

HAL JORDAN: In brightest day, in blackest

BEASTIE BOYS: NIGHT!

HAL JORDAN: No evil shall escape my

BEASTIE BOYS: SIGHT!

HAL JORDAN: This is awkward because when I invited you I thought I was messaging Beast Boy from the Teen Titans.

February 15, 2026 at 8:29 PM

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SE Gyges

@segyges.bsky.social

this started a holy war, so let me state a very plain and direct argument for this

the democratic primary is when we decide if we get to have things be good or mid

the general election is when you decide if you dislike nazis

Natalie Wynn @contrapoints.bsky.social · 2d

Counterpoint: if the Prince of Darkness rises from a fiery portal at the Iowa Caucus and declares his opposition to Donald Trump, I will ride to battle with the host of Hell

February 16, 2026 at 2:40 AM

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Kelly

@broadwaybabyto.bsky.social

The wellness to eugenics to fascism pipeline is well documented.

It’s why disabled people beg you to stop treating us as expendable.

Health supremacy devalues other human beings.

It leads to deciding some lives are “worth” more than others.

It paves the way for atrocities.

February 16, 2026 at 9:26 AM

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Zig Zag Claybourne

@zzclaybourne.bsky.social

WIP notebook #2. The snails remind me to let the story proceed at its own pace. The beauty keeps Earth Wind and Fire in my heart; if there ain't no Beauty you got to make some beauty. Have mercy. The trick is knowing that beauty is inexhaustible, varied, and scrappy AF.

Small notebook with a photo of snails crawling on someone's palm and extended fingers as its cover

February 16, 2026 at 1:08 PM

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Erika Lee Sears

@erikaleesears.bsky.social

👍 #oilpainting #sketchbook

February 16, 2026 at 7:05 AM

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Jordan Collver

@jordancollver.bsky.social

Eisner submissions are now open. My fellow comic creators, no matter at what point in your career you are, if you're making comics in any form, these awards are "For You" and you absolutely can be nominated. Let's get small press/self pub comics on that list! ENTER: www.comic-con.org/uploads/2025...

Screenshot of the 2026 Eisner Awards call for entries, dealine March 13 2026.

February 16, 2026 at 10:13 AM

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Victoria Strauss

@victoriastrauss.com

I'm seeing an uptick in "royalty recovery" scams like this one.

On left is the solicitation--not a phishing scam, as one might suspect from the paragraph boxed in red.

On right: the scammer replies to the author's excited questions & reveals the "associated fee" that's the purpose of the scam.

From: WGA <support@wgaproductionfilms.info>
Date: Fri, Feb 6, 2026 at 12:28 PM
Subject: Invitation for Live Interview & Upcoming Royalty Payment
To: <redacted>

Subject: Invitation for Live Interview & Upcoming Royalty Payment

Dear [redacted],

I hope you are doing well.
My name is Deborah King, and I am your assigned Literary Agent with the WGA Production Team Canada, but our headquarter is in Sacramento, California. You were endorsed to me after your book was published; and after purchasing marketing services from Page & Pixel and Authors Tranquility Press. Yes, great choice and good decision!

Now, I am writing to extend an invitation for you to participate in a live interview as part of our upcoming “AUTHOR TALK”, which highlights the work and insights of distinguished authors. We would be honored to feature you and discuss your book(s) and your experiences as a writer.

If you are interested, we would be glad to arrange the interview at a time that is convenient for you. The format would be a virtual conversation of approximately 30–45 minutes, with an opportunity for audience Q&A if you are comfortable with that. Please let us know your availability over the next few weeks so we can coordinate scheduling and logistics.

In addition, I would like to inform you that your upcoming royalty check for the period January–June 2025 is currently being processed. The expected amount is $124,500.87 dollars and it is scheduled to be issued within the next few weeks. The payment will be sent via: mailed check / direct deposit / wire transfer to the account/address we have on file. If you would like to confirm or update your payment details, please let us know at your earliest convenience.

Please feel free to contact me directly via email at support@wgaproductionfilms.info or reply to this email if you have any questions, would like additional information about the interview, or need clarification regarding your royalty payment.

Thank you for your time and for your c…

Once the accumulated amount reaches the required reporting or payout cycle, the royalty check is issued. This check is from Jan - June 2024 and 2025. Basically, 6 months in 2024 and 6 months in 2025.

I want to clarify that we are unable to release or process your royalty check until the associated fees have been settled. These fees cover the administrative and processing requirements needed to finalize and send out your payment - amounting to $4,500 USD.

Rest assured that once the payment is received, we will immediately proceed with processing and releasing your royalty check. We will send it via FEDEX overnight just like normal processing procedure and your signature is required for receiving. Also, we will provide the FEDEX tracking number. We do not have your address yet on file, but we will confirm that from you before sending your check this week.

Also to clarify, our involvement begins only after an author has purchased marketing from their publishing company and is officially endorsed to us. We do not have visibility into your original transaction with them, so we rely solely on their confirmation before proceeding with your interview and royalty check processing.

February 14, 2026 at 6:20 PM

BSFWriters

@bsfwriters.bsky.social

Roses are red
Violets are blue
Daisies are white
And carnations are also red.

Happy Ordinary Day in February for all who don't celebrate.

February 14, 2026 at 4:25 PM

BSFWriters

@bsfwriters.bsky.social

Yes, we are.
This is objectively true.

Caitlin Rozakis @caitlinrozakis.bsky.social · 3d

These people are nice and fun to hang out with!

BSFWriters @bsfwriters.bsky.social · 5d

BSFW EVENTS
[Online unless noted otherwise. Eastern Time Zone]

Rachel's Short Story Group - Wed 2/18 8PM
Writing for the Open Call - Thu 2/19 7PM
Marcus's Virtual Novel Group - Mon 2/23 7:30PM
The (Virtual) Afterwork Social - Tue 2/24 7PM

www.meetup.com/brooklyn-spe...

February 14, 2026 at 4:21 PM

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🍃 e d e n

@edentimm.bsky.social

Blinkmoon is a SCAM studio that says they're in Vancouver.

Their website is polished, they have a list of exciting credits and a game demo. But they don't have any info on the founders, and the blinkmoon name isn't actually credited on any projects they says they've worked on. Be careful out there

Cyn @cyndavilachase.bsky.social · 25d

The offenders are blinkmoon.com
I don't even think they're a real studio, this is a whole project dedicated to scamming
Upon closer inspection some of their links are broken or lead to an HR website that works with OpenAI

January 24, 2026 at 1:11 AM

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Assigned Media

@assignedmedia.org

@rikiwilchins.bsky.social 2026 Feb 12 AP:
After Natl Park Service takes pride flag down from flagpole at NYC's Stonewall National Monument, city leaders -- including Manhattan Borough President -- and 100 activists & residents show up to raise it again.

NY officials raise rainbow flag at Stonewall in rebuke of Trump administration

New York politicians defiantly raised a rainbow flag at the Stonewall National Monument amid a boisterous, cheering crowd.

apnews.com

February 13, 2026 at 1:13 AM

BSFWriters

@bsfwriters.bsky.social

www.meetup.com/brooklyn-spe...

The (Virtual) Afterwork Social, Tue, Feb 24, 2026, 7:00 PM | Meetup

Find Meetup events so you can do more of what matters to you. Or create your own group and meet people near you who share your interests.

www.meetup.com

February 13, 2026 at 1:42 AM

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Ben

@ben9311.bsky.social

M42, the Orion Nebula. Captured on a SeeStar s50 in Mosaic Mode. LP filter on, 17 minutes, alt/az mode. #SeeStar #SeeStarS50 #M42 #OrionNebula #Astronomy

February 12, 2026 at 4:28 PM

BSFWriters

@bsfwriters.bsky.social

It's #DarwinDay!
Evolve and celebrate!

Michael D. Barton @darwinsbulldog.bsky.social · 6d

To celebrate #DarwinDay on Feb. 12, I'm going to begin rereading the 1st vol. of Janet's Browne's excellent biography, Voyaging, then the 2nd vol., The Power of Place, in anticipation of her releasing an updated, condensed single volume in June.

#histsci #HPS @princetonupress.bsky.social

February 12, 2026 at 3:39 PM

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Mark Rubin

@markrubin.bsky.social

Dark Matter Map

"Scientists have created the highest resolution map of the dark matter that threads through the universe—showing its influence on the formation of stars, galaxies and planets."

#News #Science 🧪