Dale Ivan Smith
@daleivan.bsky.social
1.6K followers 430 following 1.2K posts
Retired librarian, now "full-time" writer/ reader of fantasy, SF and mystery. TKZ blogger. Author of The Empowered series, Meg Booker librarian mystery series, and various novellas and short stories. Avid stargazer, role-player, board gamer. Fez wearer.
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daleivan.bsky.social

A Shush Before Dying is the first novel in my Meg Booker Librarian mysteries, a cozy mystery series set in the 1980s. Card catalogs, big hair, not so simple minds #cozymystery #mystery

books2read.com/u/bwNq8O
daleivan.bsky.social
I've taken several of @catrambo.bsky.social 's insightful classes, highly recommended #writing #writingcommunity
catrambo.bsky.social
Saturday I'm teaching Plot Basics. Come brush up on the ins and outs of constructing satisfying story plots. Scholarships available.

www.catrambo.com/classes/plot...
www.catrambo.com
daleivan.bsky.social
Living rent free in Trump's head all these years.
daleivan.bsky.social
Many of us will be at No King’s 2 in ten days— that might be the moment. But the only insurrection is in the WH.
Reposted by Dale Ivan Smith
susankayequinn.bsky.social
Free shipping today at Bookshop for anti-Prime day!
susankayequinn.bsky.social
I made a proper graphic for anti-Prime day! Free shipping on @bookshop.org — these are just some of my books! #solarpunk #hopepunk anti-AI short stories and more #SFF #sci-fi #steampunk

Descriptions in the alt-text or hop over to bookshop: bookshop.org/beta-search?...

#booksky #books
Bookshop.org logo - Support Indie Bookstores
Free Shipping Oct 7 &8
Anti-Prime Sale
Support Bookstores not Billionaires
4 of the many Susan Kaye Quinn books that are on bookshop

WHEN YOU HAD POWER: near-future solarpunk power grid mystery
CLOSET FULL OF TIME: anti-AI Black Mirror-ish short story collection
HALFWAY TO BETTER: solarpunk short story collection
BRIGHT GREEN FUTURES: solarpunk short story collection edited by Sue from guests on her podcast
Reposted by Dale Ivan Smith
karenkrossing.com
It was moving and impactful to watch the documentary THE LIBRARIANS, which is about freedom to read and the fight against banned books, in a roomful of librarians and writers.
#BannedBooksWeek #CensorshipIsSo1984
@debbieohi.com @jgcanada.bsky.social
Film title THE LIBRARIANS on a screen with audience members watching. Smiling photo of Joyce Grant, Karen Krossing and Debbie Ohi.
daleivan.bsky.social
They are blind to the fact that minister is acting as Jesus would.
daleivan.bsky.social
Very proud of my city. "Does this bug you? We're not touching you."
daleivan.bsky.social
Today's post at TKZ by mystery author Terry Odell is about marketing a new book release #writingcommunity #publishing #mysteries

killzoneblog.com/2025/10/crea...
Creating Buzz | Killzoneblog.com
killzoneblog.com
Reposted by Dale Ivan Smith
chuckwendig.bsky.social
Do this! Bookshop.org is good stuff.
barrylyga.com
Prime Day what? Bookshop.org is offering FREE SHIPPING for October 7-8! Buy books, get free shipping, support local bookstores! Easy!

#primeday #antiprime #freeshipping #supportlocal #supportindie
Bookshop: Buy books online. Support local bookstores.
An online bookstore that financially supports local independent bookstores and gives back to the book community.
Bookshop.org
Reposted by Dale Ivan Smith
naomialderman.bsky.social
just occurred to me: all of those stories about the cursed magic object that can detect what you're feeling/thinking and if you have good, sweet thoughts it will feel good, but if you have sad angry thoughts it will magnify them...

...we made it. It's the algorithm. We made Gozer the Destroyer.
Reposted by Dale Ivan Smith
susankayequinn.bsky.social
I made a proper graphic for anti-Prime day! Free shipping on @bookshop.org — these are just some of my books! #solarpunk #hopepunk anti-AI short stories and more #SFF #sci-fi #steampunk

Descriptions in the alt-text or hop over to bookshop: bookshop.org/beta-search?...

#booksky #books
Bookshop.org logo - Support Indie Bookstores
Free Shipping Oct 7 &8
Anti-Prime Sale
Support Bookstores not Billionaires
4 of the many Susan Kaye Quinn books that are on bookshop

WHEN YOU HAD POWER: near-future solarpunk power grid mystery
CLOSET FULL OF TIME: anti-AI Black Mirror-ish short story collection
HALFWAY TO BETTER: solarpunk short story collection
BRIGHT GREEN FUTURES: solarpunk short story collection edited by Sue from guests on her podcast
daleivan.bsky.social
This is spot on, not just for movie making, but for fiction writing as well.
daleivan.bsky.social
I just snapped up both of these myself. Cool premise at a can't miss price.
bethcato.bsky.social
If you enjoyed A House Between Sea and Sky, it's a great time to grab ebooks of my other recent fantasies from 47North! A Thousand Recipes for Revenge & A Feast for Starving Stone are $2.49 each in US & Canada!

Book 1: amzn.to/3H7sZ0Y
Book 2: amzn.to/3L2uzCU
[promo links]
Image has two book covers at an angle for A THOUSAND RECIPES FOR REVENGE and A FEAST FOR STARVING STONE. Text explains that for one month, both books are $2.49 each, US and Canada only. That means the complete series is under $5.
daleivan.bsky.social
The rising Harvest super Moon last night, imaged by my Seestar S30, and the setting Harvest super Moon this morning, captured by the larger S50 #astronomy #astrophotography #Moon
The full Moon, showing the dark basalt "seas," bright ray craters, and heavily cratered highlands surround the "seas." The full Moon, showing the dark basalt "seas," bright ray craters, and heavily cratered highlands surround the "seas."
daleivan.bsky.social
Fantastic images. I also was up before dawn imaging Comet Lemmon in my own Seestar, as well as viewing it visually in 18x70 binoculars. Comets always give me a thrill. Going to get up early again tomorrow.
daleivan.bsky.social
I’m very sorry to learn this. As a now-retired librarian, they were essential for us.
daleivan.bsky.social
I feel this down to the very core of my writer being.
daleivan.bsky.social
Stunning image of one of my favorite DSOs. Bravo!
daleivan.bsky.social
Comet Lemmon early this morning, near the claws of the Great Bear (Ursa Major), in astronomical twilight, imaged by my Seestar S50 #astronomy #astrophotography #comet
Comet Lemmon's nucleus is green-tinged in this image, while the ghostly tail extends above it, surrounded by a field of stars.
daleivan.bsky.social
My Saturday post at TKZ looks at advice on dealing with a first draft before, during, and after #writing #writingcommunity

killzoneblog.com/2025/10/firs...
First Draft Words of Wisdom | Killzoneblog.com
killzoneblog.com
daleivan.bsky.social
Fez tip for this terrific tip.
bebeneuwirth.bsky.social
Using “-ai” in my searches is my new super power for eliminating that drek.
Reposted by Dale Ivan Smith
kathryntewson.bsky.social
This is INCREDIBLE. The Bearded Vulture has multigenerational nests that last for hundreds of years, built in very secluded places — and they’re FULL OF ANTHROPOGENIC ARTIFACTS.
jonathanslaght.com
super cool study found human artifacts in Bearded vulture nests, incl. "weaponry like a crossbow bolt and wooden lance, decorated sheep leather, and parts of a slingshot....a shoe made from twigs and grass is ~675-years-old." link to paper: doi.org/10.1002/ecy..... www.popsci.com/environment/... 🧪🌍🦉
Multi-generational vulture nests hold 700 years of human artifacts
Crossbow bolts, sandals, slingshots, and more.
www.popsci.com
daleivan.bsky.social
@contrariannews.org Friday greetings from a fellow Contrarian in war-ravaged Portland, OR
Portland street car passing hospital on Lovejoy street, with trees still filled with green leaves. Intersection in NW Portland, with some tree leaves now turning gold. Looking out from the interior of a chill Starbucks coffee shop, with sleek SUV parked outside and brick buildings across the street.