Juliet E McKenna
@julietemckenna.bsky.social
Writes epic and contemporary fantasy novels along with varied shorter fiction. She/her. All opinions absolutely my own. For more, see www.julietemckenna.com
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Hello to new folk. I write epic and contemporary fantasy novels along with varied shorter fiction. For more about the books, see www.julietemckenna.com All opinions I express online are absolutely my own. I boost what looks like good reading and interesting things. I block intolerance and aggression
Reposted by Juliet E McKenna
Are you using AI, as a professional? Check your insurance cover, because a lot of the big insurers are about to pull out of insuring it. Which means that if you let it write your stuff or control your operations, you are potentially personally liable for its errors...
“Insurers increasingly view AI models’ outputs as too unpredictable and opaque to insure, said Dennis Bertram, head of cyber insurance for Europe at Mosaic. “It’s too much of a black box.”
www.ft.com/content/abfe...
www.ft.com/content/abfe...
Insurers retreat from AI cover as risk of multibillion-dollar claims mounts
AIG, Great American and WR Berkley seek permission to limit liability from AI agents and chatbots
www.ft.com
November 23, 2025 at 12:49 PM
Are you using AI, as a professional? Check your insurance cover, because a lot of the big insurers are about to pull out of insuring it. Which means that if you let it write your stuff or control your operations, you are potentially personally liable for its errors...
Reposted by Juliet E McKenna
Great keynote talk on the fundamentals of storytelling by @antonyjohnston.bsky.social at the ever-brilliant AdventureX
November 23, 2025 at 4:29 PM
Great keynote talk on the fundamentals of storytelling by @antonyjohnston.bsky.social at the ever-brilliant AdventureX
It's a start. We'll have to keep the pressure on, even so.
November 23, 2025 at 4:23 PM
It's a start. We'll have to keep the pressure on, even so.
Reposted by Juliet E McKenna
Happy 62nd birthday, Doctor Who! So proud to finally have my first professional, actual real BBC-produced Doctor Who out in the world this year with WHAT STILL REMAINS. What a joy and an honour. More to come 😎 www.penguin.co.uk/books/464137...
Doctor Who: What Still Remains
Sophie Aldred reads this gripping new adventure for the Seventh Doctor and Ace.
The TARDIS materialises on a research station, locked in a state of temporal displacement on the surface of Volkoff Eps...
www.penguin.co.uk
November 23, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Happy 62nd birthday, Doctor Who! So proud to finally have my first professional, actual real BBC-produced Doctor Who out in the world this year with WHAT STILL REMAINS. What a joy and an honour. More to come 😎 www.penguin.co.uk/books/464137...
Reposted by Juliet E McKenna
Also out today: part 4 of 5 of @garius.bsky.social's remarkable history of the California Clipper, the feat of commercial aviation that brought a Pan Am flying boat the wrong way around the world from Auckland to LaGuardia.
This time: it's Christmas in Sri Lanka.
theupfront.media/christmas-in...
This time: it's Christmas in Sri Lanka.
theupfront.media/christmas-in...
Christmas in Sri Lanka: The remarkable journey of the California Clipper, Part 4
The crew of the California Clipper are forced to spend Christmas in Sri Lanka. While there, their thoughts turn naturally to home.
theupfront.media
November 21, 2025 at 4:54 PM
Also out today: part 4 of 5 of @garius.bsky.social's remarkable history of the California Clipper, the feat of commercial aviation that brought a Pan Am flying boat the wrong way around the world from Auckland to LaGuardia.
This time: it's Christmas in Sri Lanka.
theupfront.media/christmas-in...
This time: it's Christmas in Sri Lanka.
theupfront.media/christmas-in...
Reposted by Juliet E McKenna
I went looking for this episode, and then my month became weird, so two installments of @garius.bsky.social's tale of the California Clipper tonight.
Trapped by Pearl Harbor, forced to fly home the long way around--which had never been done before by a commercial plane.
We want a movie!
Trapped by Pearl Harbor, forced to fly home the long way around--which had never been done before by a commercial plane.
We want a movie!
In 1941, Pan Am's California Clipper had to do something no commercial flight had done before: circumnavigate the world.
In Part 3 of our series looking at her journey, the crew must work out, mid-air, how to fly her on regular gasoline. Something her Wright Cyclone engines were never designed for.
In Part 3 of our series looking at her journey, the crew must work out, mid-air, how to fly her on regular gasoline. Something her Wright Cyclone engines were never designed for.
Into the unknown: The remarkable journey of the California Clipper, Part 3
Unable to source military-grade aviation fuel, our crew are forced to cross the Indian Ocean using regular gasoline. Something no Boeing 314 has ever flown on before.
theupfront.media
November 23, 2025 at 2:12 AM
I went looking for this episode, and then my month became weird, so two installments of @garius.bsky.social's tale of the California Clipper tonight.
Trapped by Pearl Harbor, forced to fly home the long way around--which had never been done before by a commercial plane.
We want a movie!
Trapped by Pearl Harbor, forced to fly home the long way around--which had never been done before by a commercial plane.
We want a movie!
Reposted by Juliet E McKenna
THE DEAD MAN has been out for 5 days now. Thank you to everyone who's bought it. It's been far more of you than I expected for a prequel novella!
books2read.com/thedeadman
books2read.com/thedeadman
November 23, 2025 at 3:22 PM
THE DEAD MAN has been out for 5 days now. Thank you to everyone who's bought it. It's been far more of you than I expected for a prequel novella!
books2read.com/thedeadman
books2read.com/thedeadman
Reposted by Juliet E McKenna
November 23, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Reposted by Juliet E McKenna
Our Co-CEO @anniecrombie.bsky.social & Waterstones #ChildrensLaureate @frankcottrellboyce.bsky.social were pleased to meet with Early Education Minister @oliviabailey.bsky.social this week to discuss how sharing stories in the early years is fundamental to giving every child the best start in life.
November 19, 2025 at 3:08 PM
Our Co-CEO @anniecrombie.bsky.social & Waterstones #ChildrensLaureate @frankcottrellboyce.bsky.social were pleased to meet with Early Education Minister @oliviabailey.bsky.social this week to discuss how sharing stories in the early years is fundamental to giving every child the best start in life.
Reposted by Juliet E McKenna
Maths Puzzles for Conspiracy Theorists.
One of the cartoons from my new book 'Physics for Cats'. In good bookshops now and online in English, French, German and Spanish editions.
One of the cartoons from my new book 'Physics for Cats'. In good bookshops now and online in English, French, German and Spanish editions.
November 21, 2025 at 11:20 AM
Maths Puzzles for Conspiracy Theorists.
One of the cartoons from my new book 'Physics for Cats'. In good bookshops now and online in English, French, German and Spanish editions.
One of the cartoons from my new book 'Physics for Cats'. In good bookshops now and online in English, French, German and Spanish editions.
Reposted by Juliet E McKenna
Rummaging around for something (as one does), and stumbled on this 2012 story about a 1977 April Fools joke still infamous among the typesetting crowd. Interesting to think how long the half-lives of jokes are. I'll bet more people know font names now than in '77. www.theguardian.com/gnmeducation...
April fool - San Serriffe: teaching resource of the month from the GNM Archive, April 2012
Each month we provide resource material that can be used in the classroom. This month we are looking at the Guardian’s most successful April Fool’s joke, San Serriffe
www.theguardian.com
November 23, 2025 at 3:54 AM
Rummaging around for something (as one does), and stumbled on this 2012 story about a 1977 April Fools joke still infamous among the typesetting crowd. Interesting to think how long the half-lives of jokes are. I'll bet more people know font names now than in '77. www.theguardian.com/gnmeducation...
Reposted by Juliet E McKenna
Men, notice when you are only listening to other men, challenge. (Next level, sit down and listen to women, challenge)
November 23, 2025 at 12:51 PM
Men, notice when you are only listening to other men, challenge. (Next level, sit down and listen to women, challenge)
Reposted by Juliet E McKenna
+1 @starkholborn.bsky.social and I talked about this so much when we were working on it (for years 😅 ). Burying narrative/meaning/theme into every corner. Making strong connections between disciplines, mise en scene etc. etc. A privilege to be on a project where that was rewarded, encouraged.
Love this from @starkholborn.bsky.social ’s talk about Shadow of Doubt - about making sure you‘re putting story absolutely *everywhere*
November 23, 2025 at 12:10 PM
+1 @starkholborn.bsky.social and I talked about this so much when we were working on it (for years 😅 ). Burying narrative/meaning/theme into every corner. Making strong connections between disciplines, mise en scene etc. etc. A privilege to be on a project where that was rewarded, encouraged.
Reposted by Juliet E McKenna
Good news we have hot water, bad news this shit was expensive
Please buy my books? Definitely need to sell a few dozen (hundred sob) copies
Please buy my books? Definitely need to sell a few dozen (hundred sob) copies
Plumber confirmed that the fuses blowing yesterday was due to the water heater and we need a new water heater. I did find the fuse for the water heater itself so we're good heating wise
(last night we had no light or heating in half the flat, which is less fun).
Wheee
Please buy my books?
(last night we had no light or heating in half the flat, which is less fun).
Wheee
Please buy my books?
November 23, 2025 at 12:39 PM
Good news we have hot water, bad news this shit was expensive
Please buy my books? Definitely need to sell a few dozen (hundred sob) copies
Please buy my books? Definitely need to sell a few dozen (hundred sob) copies
Reposted by Juliet E McKenna
A lot of really good stuff about good procgen narrative in Stark Holborn's talk on the development of Shadows of Doubt, but lemme just focus on the "fuck AI"* slide:
* (my wording, not hers. Because, well, fuck LLMs)
* (my wording, not hers. Because, well, fuck LLMs)
November 23, 2025 at 11:40 AM
A lot of really good stuff about good procgen narrative in Stark Holborn's talk on the development of Shadows of Doubt, but lemme just focus on the "fuck AI"* slide:
* (my wording, not hers. Because, well, fuck LLMs)
* (my wording, not hers. Because, well, fuck LLMs)
Reposted by Juliet E McKenna
Swedish-Geordie couple launch Midsommar Bakery and cafe | North East Bylines
It’s fika time! – Midsommar brings a taste of Sweden to Tyneside
Swedish-Geordie couple launch Midsommar Bakery and cafe
northeastbylines.co.uk
November 23, 2025 at 11:13 AM
Swedish-Geordie couple launch Midsommar Bakery and cafe | North East Bylines
Reposted by Juliet E McKenna
I'm a big fan of the work @blog.readindiefantasy.com do so I took the opportunity to contribute a post on some of the worldbuilding I've enjoyed in indie fantasy. Talking about @patricksamphire.bsky.social , @jzacharypike.bsky.social , @cmcaplanwrites.bsky.social and Hiyodori (not of this parish.)
It's A Month of Rain & Reads, and we wish you a good morning.
Today, we have a guest post written by Ben Moxon ( @glenatron.bsky.social ) who tells us about his favourite fantasy worlds and what makes them special.
www.readindiefantasy.com/guest-post-w...
#AMoRaR #BookSky #WriteSky #WorldBuilding
Today, we have a guest post written by Ben Moxon ( @glenatron.bsky.social ) who tells us about his favourite fantasy worlds and what makes them special.
www.readindiefantasy.com/guest-post-w...
#AMoRaR #BookSky #WriteSky #WorldBuilding
November 23, 2025 at 11:00 AM
I'm a big fan of the work @blog.readindiefantasy.com do so I took the opportunity to contribute a post on some of the worldbuilding I've enjoyed in indie fantasy. Talking about @patricksamphire.bsky.social , @jzacharypike.bsky.social , @cmcaplanwrites.bsky.social and Hiyodori (not of this parish.)
Reposted by Juliet E McKenna
#onthisday in 534 BCE (allegedly (*)) ancient Greek actor Thespis gave the first performance on the Athenian stage as an individual character (as opposed to chorus member). Happy birthday to all actors and performers and their noble craft!
November 23, 2025 at 11:11 AM
#onthisday in 534 BCE (allegedly (*)) ancient Greek actor Thespis gave the first performance on the Athenian stage as an individual character (as opposed to chorus member). Happy birthday to all actors and performers and their noble craft!
Reposted by Juliet E McKenna
yup.
"More important than the technological change is the change in a social permission structure"
"businesses have been hearing months of hype and pontification about AGI and mass automation, which has created the cover to justify slashing rates and accepting “good enough” automation output"
"More important than the technological change is the change in a social permission structure"
"businesses have been hearing months of hype and pontification about AGI and mass automation, which has created the cover to justify slashing rates and accepting “good enough” automation output"
AI Killed My Job: Translators
Few industries have been hit by AI as hard as translation. Rates are plummeting. Work is drying up. Translators are considering abandoning the field, or bankruptcy. These are their stories.
www.bloodinthemachine.com
November 23, 2025 at 10:46 AM
yup.
"More important than the technological change is the change in a social permission structure"
"businesses have been hearing months of hype and pontification about AGI and mass automation, which has created the cover to justify slashing rates and accepting “good enough” automation output"
"More important than the technological change is the change in a social permission structure"
"businesses have been hearing months of hype and pontification about AGI and mass automation, which has created the cover to justify slashing rates and accepting “good enough” automation output"
Reposted by Juliet E McKenna
I really believe the tech bros build Ai systems to give confident, if often wrong, answers because that works for them. That’s what they do every day. They don’t understand that most people *need* to be correct, that they don’t have thirteen safety nets to catch them if they make a mistake.
November 23, 2025 at 10:39 AM
I really believe the tech bros build Ai systems to give confident, if often wrong, answers because that works for them. That’s what they do every day. They don’t understand that most people *need* to be correct, that they don’t have thirteen safety nets to catch them if they make a mistake.
Reposted by Juliet E McKenna
Reposted by Juliet E McKenna
Absolutely delighted to say that I'll be next year's Guest of Honour at #Novacon 55, 6-8 November 2026! See you in Buxton!
novacon.uk
novacon.uk
Novacon – The UK's longest-established science fiction convention
novacon.uk
November 23, 2025 at 10:00 AM
Absolutely delighted to say that I'll be next year's Guest of Honour at #Novacon 55, 6-8 November 2026! See you in Buxton!
novacon.uk
novacon.uk
Why this prediction? Because translators and copywriters* are already being offered lower rates to 'copy edit' superficially plausible AI slop instead of being paid decently to do the job properly.
*Freelance advertising, trade press, instruction manual etc work is how many authors pay the bills.
*Freelance advertising, trade press, instruction manual etc work is how many authors pay the bills.
I wish more reporting on this made the point that novelists won't be displaced by LLMs suddenly producing literature instead of story mulch, but because decision makers focused only on the bottom line, who don't understand what makes a good book, will be persuaded story mulch has got 'good enough'.
New research by @mctd.bsky.social shows the impact of generative AI on authors in the UK. They found over a third of novelists report their income has already been negatively impacted by AI and 85% expect their future income will be negatively impacted.
www.mctd.ac.uk/impact-of-ge...
www.mctd.ac.uk/impact-of-ge...
November 23, 2025 at 10:27 AM
Why this prediction? Because translators and copywriters* are already being offered lower rates to 'copy edit' superficially plausible AI slop instead of being paid decently to do the job properly.
*Freelance advertising, trade press, instruction manual etc work is how many authors pay the bills.
*Freelance advertising, trade press, instruction manual etc work is how many authors pay the bills.
Reposted by Juliet E McKenna
I’ve been looking back at my old Russian newspaper reviews. They highlight how much Russia has changed - and signs of what lay ahead. #ReadingRussia
What the Russian papers used to write about: re-watching my old paper reviews.
YouTube video by Steve Rosenberg
youtu.be
November 23, 2025 at 9:29 AM
I’ve been looking back at my old Russian newspaper reviews. They highlight how much Russia has changed - and signs of what lay ahead. #ReadingRussia
Reposted by Juliet E McKenna
"My NHS colleagues & I weren’t willing to let the bodies pile high in their thousands. Boris no longer mentions them at all."
My piece on the responses to the UK Covid-UK Inquiry report that try to airbrush the dead away.
Sincere thanks, @theobserveruk.bsky.social.
observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
My piece on the responses to the UK Covid-UK Inquiry report that try to airbrush the dead away.
Sincere thanks, @theobserveruk.bsky.social.
observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
I’ll never forget the horror of the Covid wards | The Observer
observer.co.uk
November 23, 2025 at 9:18 AM
"My NHS colleagues & I weren’t willing to let the bodies pile high in their thousands. Boris no longer mentions them at all."
My piece on the responses to the UK Covid-UK Inquiry report that try to airbrush the dead away.
Sincere thanks, @theobserveruk.bsky.social.
observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
My piece on the responses to the UK Covid-UK Inquiry report that try to airbrush the dead away.
Sincere thanks, @theobserveruk.bsky.social.
observer.co.uk/news/nationa...