Steve DeGroof
@degroof.bsky.social
Approximately 60% water and 40% organic molecules, arranged in a configuration that is, among other things, capable of describing itself in this manner.
(he/him)
https://ko-fi.com/treelobsters/shop
https://books2read.com/ap/ng21bz/Steve-DeGroof
(he/him)
https://ko-fi.com/treelobsters/shop
https://books2read.com/ap/ng21bz/Steve-DeGroof
Pinned
Steve DeGroof
@degroof.bsky.social
· Aug 5
Hey! I've got eight #scifi and #fantasy #books available for sale. Six of them are #shortstory collections; two are novels.
You can get #DRMfree copies at ko-fi.com/treelobsters...
Or you can find them through your favorite vendor at books2read.com/ap/ng21bz/St...
#ShamelessSelfPromo
You can get #DRMfree copies at ko-fi.com/treelobsters...
Or you can find them through your favorite vendor at books2read.com/ap/ng21bz/St...
#ShamelessSelfPromo
Reposted by Steve DeGroof
To be very clear, that lady in the NYT article is not making any money with her hundreds of AI slop books.
She makes money by *convincing people* she makes money that way and getting them to pay her to teach them how to do it.
It's an evolved MLM, and the NYT is helping market it.
She makes money by *convincing people* she makes money that way and getting them to pay her to teach them how to do it.
It's an evolved MLM, and the NYT is helping market it.
February 8, 2026 at 8:03 PM
To be very clear, that lady in the NYT article is not making any money with her hundreds of AI slop books.
She makes money by *convincing people* she makes money that way and getting them to pay her to teach them how to do it.
It's an evolved MLM, and the NYT is helping market it.
She makes money by *convincing people* she makes money that way and getting them to pay her to teach them how to do it.
It's an evolved MLM, and the NYT is helping market it.
#WordWeavers Feb 8: What’s the most frustrating thing about writing?
When I'm writing some dialog, and a character points out something really obvious, and then I've got to go back and change the plot to account for that.
I've got a WIP where a character has done that twice.
Dammit Wilbur! 😠
When I'm writing some dialog, and a character points out something really obvious, and then I've got to go back and change the plot to account for that.
I've got a WIP where a character has done that twice.
Dammit Wilbur! 😠
February 8, 2026 at 12:07 PM
#WordWeavers Feb 8: What’s the most frustrating thing about writing?
When I'm writing some dialog, and a character points out something really obvious, and then I've got to go back and change the plot to account for that.
I've got a WIP where a character has done that twice.
Dammit Wilbur! 😠
When I'm writing some dialog, and a character points out something really obvious, and then I've got to go back and change the plot to account for that.
I've got a WIP where a character has done that twice.
Dammit Wilbur! 😠
#ScribesAndMakers Feb 8: How do you define a book?
Intent. If the creator intends it to be a book, then it probably is.
A bunch of random words printed on sheets of paper probably isn't a book. A novel-length recording of a narrated story probably is.
Intent. If the creator intends it to be a book, then it probably is.
A bunch of random words printed on sheets of paper probably isn't a book. A novel-length recording of a narrated story probably is.
February 8, 2026 at 11:44 AM
#ScribesAndMakers Feb 8: How do you define a book?
Intent. If the creator intends it to be a book, then it probably is.
A bunch of random words printed on sheets of paper probably isn't a book. A novel-length recording of a narrated story probably is.
Intent. If the creator intends it to be a book, then it probably is.
A bunch of random words printed on sheets of paper probably isn't a book. A novel-length recording of a narrated story probably is.
Connections
Puzzle #973
🟨🟨🟨🟨
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Puzzle #973
🟨🟨🟨🟨
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February 8, 2026 at 10:50 AM
Connections
Puzzle #973
🟨🟨🟨🟨
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🟪🟪🟪🟪
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Puzzle #973
🟨🟨🟨🟨
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#Ablatonyms 147
✅✅✅✅✅✅✅ 🎉
Moves: 7
Elapsed Time: 00:00:12
Time Bonus: +10
Score: 110
degroof.github.io/ablatonyms.h...
✅✅✅✅✅✅✅ 🎉
Moves: 7
Elapsed Time: 00:00:12
Time Bonus: +10
Score: 110
degroof.github.io/ablatonyms.h...
ABLATONYMS
degroof.github.io
February 8, 2026 at 10:44 AM
#Ablatonyms 147
✅✅✅✅✅✅✅ 🎉
Moves: 7
Elapsed Time: 00:00:12
Time Bonus: +10
Score: 110
degroof.github.io/ablatonyms.h...
✅✅✅✅✅✅✅ 🎉
Moves: 7
Elapsed Time: 00:00:12
Time Bonus: +10
Score: 110
degroof.github.io/ablatonyms.h...
OMIWORD.com
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Puzzle #404 (Vexing)
Time spent: 13:17
145 moves • 0 hints
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Puzzle #404 (Vexing)
Time spent: 13:17
145 moves • 0 hints
Omiword
OMIWORD.com
February 8, 2026 at 10:43 AM
OMIWORD.com
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Puzzle #404 (Vexing)
Time spent: 13:17
145 moves • 0 hints
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Puzzle #404 (Vexing)
Time spent: 13:17
145 moves • 0 hints
[Bracket City]
February 8, 2026 🔴 (Tough)
www.theatlantic.com/games/bracke...
☠️ hard mode!
Rank: 🔮 (Puppet Master)
🎹 Total Keystrokes: 79
🎯 Minimum Required: 79
Total Score: 100.0
🟪🟪🟪🟪🟪🟪🟪🟪🟪🟪
February 8, 2026 🔴 (Tough)
www.theatlantic.com/games/bracke...
☠️ hard mode!
Rank: 🔮 (Puppet Master)
🎹 Total Keystrokes: 79
🎯 Minimum Required: 79
Total Score: 100.0
🟪🟪🟪🟪🟪🟪🟪🟪🟪🟪
Bracket City - The Atlantic
Solve nested clues to reveal a satisfying fact about this day in history. Climb the ranks from tourist to kingmaker (or beyond?).
www.theatlantic.com
February 8, 2026 at 10:26 AM
[Bracket City]
February 8, 2026 🔴 (Tough)
www.theatlantic.com/games/bracke...
☠️ hard mode!
Rank: 🔮 (Puppet Master)
🎹 Total Keystrokes: 79
🎯 Minimum Required: 79
Total Score: 100.0
🟪🟪🟪🟪🟪🟪🟪🟪🟪🟪
February 8, 2026 🔴 (Tough)
www.theatlantic.com/games/bracke...
☠️ hard mode!
Rank: 🔮 (Puppet Master)
🎹 Total Keystrokes: 79
🎯 Minimum Required: 79
Total Score: 100.0
🟪🟪🟪🟪🟪🟪🟪🟪🟪🟪
#Obscurdle 1127: 5/6
⬛⬛🟨⬛⬛ 839 words left.
⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 165 words left.
⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 12 words left.
🟨⬛⬛⬛⬛ 1 word left.
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Got it in 5.
www.stevedegroof.com/obscurdle.html
⬛⬛🟨⬛⬛ 839 words left.
⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 165 words left.
⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 12 words left.
🟨⬛⬛⬛⬛ 1 word left.
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Got it in 5.
www.stevedegroof.com/obscurdle.html
Obscurdle
www.stevedegroof.com
February 8, 2026 at 10:15 AM
#Obscurdle 1127: 5/6
⬛⬛🟨⬛⬛ 839 words left.
⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 165 words left.
⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 12 words left.
🟨⬛⬛⬛⬛ 1 word left.
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Got it in 5.
www.stevedegroof.com/obscurdle.html
⬛⬛🟨⬛⬛ 839 words left.
⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 165 words left.
⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 12 words left.
🟨⬛⬛⬛⬛ 1 word left.
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Got it in 5.
www.stevedegroof.com/obscurdle.html
February 8, 2026 at 10:12 AM
Reposted by Steve DeGroof
SHE’S FINISHED! My 5-foot-long Enterprise D oil painting is complete after nearly 100 hours of work!
I remember being 13 years old or so and trying to draw her and it was so hard, and all I wanted was to be able to do something like this. Truly a dream come true. 🥰🖖
I remember being 13 years old or so and trying to draw her and it was so hard, and all I wanted was to be able to do something like this. Truly a dream come true. 🥰🖖
February 7, 2026 at 11:37 PM
SHE’S FINISHED! My 5-foot-long Enterprise D oil painting is complete after nearly 100 hours of work!
I remember being 13 years old or so and trying to draw her and it was so hard, and all I wanted was to be able to do something like this. Truly a dream come true. 🥰🖖
I remember being 13 years old or so and trying to draw her and it was so hard, and all I wanted was to be able to do something like this. Truly a dream come true. 🥰🖖
#WritersCoffeeClub Feb 7: Share a pair of consecutive lines of a current or recent project.
Janis shook her head. “The person in question is eighty five years old and confined to a wheelchair. He also has a solid alibi for nearly every murder.”
Janis shook her head. “The person in question is eighty five years old and confined to a wheelchair. He also has a solid alibi for nearly every murder.”
February 7, 2026 at 2:03 PM
#WritersCoffeeClub Feb 7: Share a pair of consecutive lines of a current or recent project.
Janis shook her head. “The person in question is eighty five years old and confined to a wheelchair. He also has a solid alibi for nearly every murder.”
Janis shook her head. “The person in question is eighty five years old and confined to a wheelchair. He also has a solid alibi for nearly every murder.”
Pretty sure this violates Article 1 of the Geneva Convention.
Acive duty military are being ordered to buy a ticket to Melania and watch it, whether they want to, or not. www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/mil...
Military Pressured to See ‘Melania’ Against Their Will
A military group has evidence of troops being ordered into theater—the movie theater.
www.thedailybeast.com
February 7, 2026 at 11:22 AM
Pretty sure this violates Article 1 of the Geneva Convention.
#WordWeavers Feb 7: What’s the most rewarding thing about writing?
The idea that I can create a series of squiggly little lines, and send them out into the world to insert my thoughts into other people's brains.
The idea that I can create a series of squiggly little lines, and send them out into the world to insert my thoughts into other people's brains.
February 7, 2026 at 11:00 AM
#WordWeavers Feb 7: What’s the most rewarding thing about writing?
The idea that I can create a series of squiggly little lines, and send them out into the world to insert my thoughts into other people's brains.
The idea that I can create a series of squiggly little lines, and send them out into the world to insert my thoughts into other people's brains.
Connections
Puzzle #972
🟨🟨🟨🟨
🟦🟦🟦🟦
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🟪🟪🟪🟪
Puzzle #972
🟨🟨🟨🟨
🟦🟦🟦🟦
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February 7, 2026 at 10:39 AM
Connections
Puzzle #972
🟨🟨🟨🟨
🟦🟦🟦🟦
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Puzzle #972
🟨🟨🟨🟨
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🟪🟪🟪🟪
#Ablatonyms 146
✅✅✅✅✅❌❌❌↩️✅✅✅ 🙂
Moves: 11
Incorrect Moves: 3
UNDOs: 1
Elapsed Time: 00:00:32
Score: 64
degroof.github.io/ablatonyms.h...
✅✅✅✅✅❌❌❌↩️✅✅✅ 🙂
Moves: 11
Incorrect Moves: 3
UNDOs: 1
Elapsed Time: 00:00:32
Score: 64
degroof.github.io/ablatonyms.h...
ABLATONYMS
degroof.github.io
February 7, 2026 at 10:36 AM
#Ablatonyms 146
✅✅✅✅✅❌❌❌↩️✅✅✅ 🙂
Moves: 11
Incorrect Moves: 3
UNDOs: 1
Elapsed Time: 00:00:32
Score: 64
degroof.github.io/ablatonyms.h...
✅✅✅✅✅❌❌❌↩️✅✅✅ 🙂
Moves: 11
Incorrect Moves: 3
UNDOs: 1
Elapsed Time: 00:00:32
Score: 64
degroof.github.io/ablatonyms.h...
OMIWORD.com
⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛
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Puzzle #403 (Difficult)
Time spent: 04:36
45 moves • 0 hints
Alternate solution
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Puzzle #403 (Difficult)
Time spent: 04:36
45 moves • 0 hints
Alternate solution
Omiword
OMIWORD.com
February 7, 2026 at 10:32 AM
OMIWORD.com
⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛
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Puzzle #403 (Difficult)
Time spent: 04:36
45 moves • 0 hints
Alternate solution
⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛
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Puzzle #403 (Difficult)
Time spent: 04:36
45 moves • 0 hints
Alternate solution
[Bracket City]
February 7, 2026 🟡 (Medium)
www.theatlantic.com/games/bracke...
☠️ hard mode!
Rank: 👑 (Kingmaker)
🎹 Total Keystrokes: 79
🎯 Minimum Required: 74
Total Score: 93.7
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩⬜
February 7, 2026 🟡 (Medium)
www.theatlantic.com/games/bracke...
☠️ hard mode!
Rank: 👑 (Kingmaker)
🎹 Total Keystrokes: 79
🎯 Minimum Required: 74
Total Score: 93.7
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩⬜
Bracket City - The Atlantic
Solve nested clues to reveal a satisfying fact about this day in history. Climb the ranks from tourist to kingmaker (or beyond?).
www.theatlantic.com
February 7, 2026 at 10:24 AM
[Bracket City]
February 7, 2026 🟡 (Medium)
www.theatlantic.com/games/bracke...
☠️ hard mode!
Rank: 👑 (Kingmaker)
🎹 Total Keystrokes: 79
🎯 Minimum Required: 74
Total Score: 93.7
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩⬜
February 7, 2026 🟡 (Medium)
www.theatlantic.com/games/bracke...
☠️ hard mode!
Rank: 👑 (Kingmaker)
🎹 Total Keystrokes: 79
🎯 Minimum Required: 74
Total Score: 93.7
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩⬜
#Obscurdle 1126: 4/6
⬛⬛⬛⬛🟨 662 words left.
⬛⬛⬛⬛🟨 28 words left.
⬛⬛🟩⬛🟩 2 words left.
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Got it in 4.
www.stevedegroof.com/obscurdle.html
⬛⬛⬛⬛🟨 662 words left.
⬛⬛⬛⬛🟨 28 words left.
⬛⬛🟩⬛🟩 2 words left.
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Got it in 4.
www.stevedegroof.com/obscurdle.html
Obscurdle
www.stevedegroof.com
February 7, 2026 at 10:13 AM
#Obscurdle 1126: 4/6
⬛⬛⬛⬛🟨 662 words left.
⬛⬛⬛⬛🟨 28 words left.
⬛⬛🟩⬛🟩 2 words left.
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Got it in 4.
www.stevedegroof.com/obscurdle.html
⬛⬛⬛⬛🟨 662 words left.
⬛⬛⬛⬛🟨 28 words left.
⬛⬛🟩⬛🟩 2 words left.
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Got it in 4.
www.stevedegroof.com/obscurdle.html
February 7, 2026 at 10:11 AM
bookshop.org recently started carrying ebooks from indy authors. All of mine just became available there.
#books #SFF
bookshop.org/beta-search?...
#books #SFF
bookshop.org/beta-search?...
Bookshop.org: Buy books online. Support local bookstores.
A better way to buy books online. Every purchase financially supports local independent bookstores.
bookshop.org
February 6, 2026 at 6:43 PM
bookshop.org recently started carrying ebooks from indy authors. All of mine just became available there.
#books #SFF
bookshop.org/beta-search?...
#books #SFF
bookshop.org/beta-search?...
#WritersCoffeeClub Feb 6: From start to finish, how much time elapses in your current WIP?
"Hack" - probably about a month.
"Demon Core" - roughly 2 weeks.
"A Matter of Time" - 6 months, a million years, or possibly some vector quantity that involves imaginary numbers.
"Hack" - probably about a month.
"Demon Core" - roughly 2 weeks.
"A Matter of Time" - 6 months, a million years, or possibly some vector quantity that involves imaginary numbers.
February 6, 2026 at 1:28 PM
#WritersCoffeeClub Feb 6: From start to finish, how much time elapses in your current WIP?
"Hack" - probably about a month.
"Demon Core" - roughly 2 weeks.
"A Matter of Time" - 6 months, a million years, or possibly some vector quantity that involves imaginary numbers.
"Hack" - probably about a month.
"Demon Core" - roughly 2 weeks.
"A Matter of Time" - 6 months, a million years, or possibly some vector quantity that involves imaginary numbers.
Connections
Puzzle #971
🟩🟩🟩🟩
🟪🟪🟪🟪
🟨🟨🟨🟨
🟦🟦🟦🟦
Puzzle #971
🟩🟩🟩🟩
🟪🟪🟪🟪
🟨🟨🟨🟨
🟦🟦🟦🟦
February 6, 2026 at 10:27 AM
Connections
Puzzle #971
🟩🟩🟩🟩
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🟨🟨🟨🟨
🟦🟦🟦🟦
Puzzle #971
🟩🟩🟩🟩
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🟨🟨🟨🟨
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