Kari Dru
@karidru.bsky.social
Blind painter, tea drinker, and weird hermit. They/He
https://ko-fi.com/karidru
October.Rosehip on discord
https://ko-fi.com/karidru
October.Rosehip on discord
Reposted by Kari Dru
Nepo babies don't write books. They get jobs in publishing because they are the only ones who can afford to live in big cities while being an intern.
Just saw someone claim that authors who want to be paid for their work are "class traitors" because we "only let the wealthy" read our books, and I think I need to go into the woods to scream into the night for a bit.
It's $5, not your first-born child! I need that $5 for health insurance!
It's $5, not your first-born child! I need that $5 for health insurance!
November 26, 2025 at 5:23 PM
Nepo babies don't write books. They get jobs in publishing because they are the only ones who can afford to live in big cities while being an intern.
Reposted by Kari Dru
Anyway, here's a long thread I did last year on out-of-print work, copyright, death of the author, etc, because I do have experience in this area.
"At least Skyla is done with discourse, surely she can't have more to say--"
NOPE, NOT DONE YET, HOLD ON AND LET ME GET MY COFFEE.
I'm taking this sentiment at face value and trust it's meant in earnest: "Copyright should end upon the death of the author and then the book goes into public domain."
NOPE, NOT DONE YET, HOLD ON AND LET ME GET MY COFFEE.
I'm taking this sentiment at face value and trust it's meant in earnest: "Copyright should end upon the death of the author and then the book goes into public domain."
a woman in a pink dress is standing in a doorway with her arms outstretched
Alt: A woman in a pink and black dress smiles as she pops through a door as if saying "Surprise!" and walks forward.
media.tenor.com
November 26, 2025 at 3:51 AM
Anyway, here's a long thread I did last year on out-of-print work, copyright, death of the author, etc, because I do have experience in this area.
My genuine advice to people who want new releases fresh from the oven is become a reviewer and get arcs. Then you get to be ahead of everybody.
You do kinda have to get along with authors for this to work the best that it can tho.
You do kinda have to get along with authors for this to work the best that it can tho.
"I have to pirate because I'm on a fixed income, otherwise I am ALIENATED FROM POP CULTURE."
stg I feel like I'm having a stroke with this app, I gotta put Freedom back up and pretend it doesn't exist.
Is this a thing? Do people need to all engage with the same entertainment at the same time?
stg I feel like I'm having a stroke with this app, I gotta put Freedom back up and pretend it doesn't exist.
Is this a thing? Do people need to all engage with the same entertainment at the same time?
November 26, 2025 at 3:00 AM
My genuine advice to people who want new releases fresh from the oven is become a reviewer and get arcs. Then you get to be ahead of everybody.
You do kinda have to get along with authors for this to work the best that it can tho.
You do kinda have to get along with authors for this to work the best that it can tho.
I just love inky calendar door number 1 which I opened early and have now married it to my WIP to such an extent that the wait for full bottles is going to be a bit of an issue.
November 26, 2025 at 12:47 AM
I just love inky calendar door number 1 which I opened early and have now married it to my WIP to such an extent that the wait for full bottles is going to be a bit of an issue.
Reposted by Kari Dru
November 25, 2025 at 11:33 PM
Reposted by Kari Dru
I once asked a bookseller at a large indie store how many people would have to buy a book for it to get the attention of the store buyer and cause an additional order and they said: Three.
I see some book piracy discourse, and, to make a positive argument in favor of buying books, your marginal ability to influence what books get published and support the careers of writers you like is massive compared to most other forms of media.
November 25, 2025 at 11:07 PM
I once asked a bookseller at a large indie store how many people would have to buy a book for it to get the attention of the store buyer and cause an additional order and they said: Three.
I've been fighting this dhit since it was SOPA and I'm so tired.
*endless screaming*
November 25, 2025 at 11:24 PM
I've been fighting this dhit since it was SOPA and I'm so tired.
Amusing clearsky moments: a recent kariblocker posts that she doesn't hate intersex people, but her last several blocks are statistically unlikely, shall we say. I think maaaaybe she just might.
(I don't care, it's fine, it's just striking me funny).
(I don't care, it's fine, it's just striking me funny).
November 25, 2025 at 11:22 PM
Amusing clearsky moments: a recent kariblocker posts that she doesn't hate intersex people, but her last several blocks are statistically unlikely, shall we say. I think maaaaybe she just might.
(I don't care, it's fine, it's just striking me funny).
(I don't care, it's fine, it's just striking me funny).
Reposted by Kari Dru
Our relationship to owning art (be it film, literature, TV, etc) is so screwed right now. There are the "pirating everything is a moral good actually" crowd. Then there are corporations willing to let you pretend you own things digitally while they're really only renting them to you.
November 25, 2025 at 8:33 PM
Our relationship to owning art (be it film, literature, TV, etc) is so screwed right now. There are the "pirating everything is a moral good actually" crowd. Then there are corporations willing to let you pretend you own things digitally while they're really only renting them to you.
Reposted by Kari Dru
putting 'petit bourgeoisie' on the high shelf until baby leftists figure out who that actually refers to.
We’re not small business owners, ffs - we’re independent contractors, and we are routinely robbed by the world’s dumbest dingbats.
![A quote-tweet with the profile blocked out because I won’t be accused of sending flying monkeys at this digital turd.
counterpoint: pirate everything all the time. pirate a sandwich. download a car. abscond from from small business owner mindset with your brain
[High Priestess, Low Patie... • @cherie... • 14h
Re: previous post - People who steal art of any kind are assholes, full stop. If *you* deserve to be paid for your labor, so do I - and so does everybody else; this means writers, visual artists, musicians, and every other category of People Who Make Things.]
• • •
every time vulgar leftism pipes in from the sidelines of petit bourgeoisdom i am forced to become 8.75% more marxist](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:x2ssvkga34xug334b66hvrje/bafkreigp2f33rtfu62kqjygnsxhg3jxxs6udwuyisipmyqrh5ew4c6kbyi@jpeg)
November 25, 2025 at 8:21 PM
putting 'petit bourgeoisie' on the high shelf until baby leftists figure out who that actually refers to.
Oh, wow, this looks delightful.
(Keep reading.)
(Keep reading.)
Excited to be talking about a new game coming soon by Sen-Foong Lim, Di Anne Hong, Calvin Wong Tze Loon, Sean Nittner and myself with @evilhat.bsky.social
Graphics by @crislv.bsky.social
Graphics by @crislv.bsky.social
November 25, 2025 at 4:57 PM
Oh, wow, this looks delightful.
(Keep reading.)
(Keep reading.)
Reposted by Kari Dru
as far as i’m concerned, this is witchcraft
November 25, 2025 at 4:02 PM
as far as i’m concerned, this is witchcraft
I acknowledge that this is a nice problem to have, but it's really stressful: i hate it when people call and ask to buy my house. If I wanted to sell it, it would be listed.
November 25, 2025 at 3:50 PM
I acknowledge that this is a nice problem to have, but it's really stressful: i hate it when people call and ask to buy my house. If I wanted to sell it, it would be listed.
It is 4 am. Fog out there is a real pea souper. All is quiet except for one person moving something heavy. I got questions i am absolutely not going to try to get answers to.
November 25, 2025 at 9:43 AM
It is 4 am. Fog out there is a real pea souper. All is quiet except for one person moving something heavy. I got questions i am absolutely not going to try to get answers to.
Reposted by Kari Dru
A DIRT SALE.
starting December 1st, the pdf for my first collection, Deifying A Total Darkness, will be available for FREE (or, yaknow, "paywhutchalike") through gumroad.com/upfromsumdirt ... the paperback will be a slender $10.
discount will end on my birthday, January 21st, 2026.
starting December 1st, the pdf for my first collection, Deifying A Total Darkness, will be available for FREE (or, yaknow, "paywhutchalike") through gumroad.com/upfromsumdirt ... the paperback will be a slender $10.
discount will end on my birthday, January 21st, 2026.
November 25, 2025 at 9:26 AM
A DIRT SALE.
starting December 1st, the pdf for my first collection, Deifying A Total Darkness, will be available for FREE (or, yaknow, "paywhutchalike") through gumroad.com/upfromsumdirt ... the paperback will be a slender $10.
discount will end on my birthday, January 21st, 2026.
starting December 1st, the pdf for my first collection, Deifying A Total Darkness, will be available for FREE (or, yaknow, "paywhutchalike") through gumroad.com/upfromsumdirt ... the paperback will be a slender $10.
discount will end on my birthday, January 21st, 2026.
Reposted by Kari Dru
NextDoor is a trip. I legit see a post like "my landlord moved me into an illegal apartment and is now stealing my mail so I can't move but I don't want to file a police report because that would be so dramatic, anyone been thru this?"
Gurl wut. Walk me through your mindset. You listed 3 crimes.
Gurl wut. Walk me through your mindset. You listed 3 crimes.
November 25, 2025 at 6:58 AM
NextDoor is a trip. I legit see a post like "my landlord moved me into an illegal apartment and is now stealing my mail so I can't move but I don't want to file a police report because that would be so dramatic, anyone been thru this?"
Gurl wut. Walk me through your mindset. You listed 3 crimes.
Gurl wut. Walk me through your mindset. You listed 3 crimes.
"Digital slavery" has entered the piracy chat.
I really need everybody to understand that nothing is slavery but slavery. That is not a comparison you make.
I really need everybody to understand that nothing is slavery but slavery. That is not a comparison you make.
November 25, 2025 at 6:50 AM
"Digital slavery" has entered the piracy chat.
I really need everybody to understand that nothing is slavery but slavery. That is not a comparison you make.
I really need everybody to understand that nothing is slavery but slavery. That is not a comparison you make.
Reposted by Kari Dru
Not that you asked, but here's a thread of intriguing (real!) food facts to amuse/bore your friends and family.
Great for gatherings when you need to change the subject!
Great for gatherings when you need to change the subject!
November 25, 2025 at 4:13 AM
Not that you asked, but here's a thread of intriguing (real!) food facts to amuse/bore your friends and family.
Great for gatherings when you need to change the subject!
Great for gatherings when you need to change the subject!
One of the more interesting twitter fights I ever got into was when anti abortion laws were starting to ramp up, some folks who i don't know how well meaning they were, started posting herbal abortifacient recipes.
To which my response was a not at all measured NO DO NOT EVER DO THAT 30 tweet rant.
To which my response was a not at all measured NO DO NOT EVER DO THAT 30 tweet rant.
November 25, 2025 at 2:58 AM
One of the more interesting twitter fights I ever got into was when anti abortion laws were starting to ramp up, some folks who i don't know how well meaning they were, started posting herbal abortifacient recipes.
To which my response was a not at all measured NO DO NOT EVER DO THAT 30 tweet rant.
To which my response was a not at all measured NO DO NOT EVER DO THAT 30 tweet rant.
AI scraping.
I'm comfortable giving my art away.
I'm not comfortable having my free art stolen by billionaires to shove into the environment destroying mechanical turk.
I'm comfortable giving my art away.
I'm not comfortable having my free art stolen by billionaires to shove into the environment destroying mechanical turk.
what do you mean your choice was taken away?
I'm saying this as someone who usually puts up my art for pay what you want download.
That was my CHOICE.
You notice I stopped in 2023?
Cuz my choice was taken away.
That was my CHOICE.
You notice I stopped in 2023?
Cuz my choice was taken away.
November 25, 2025 at 2:53 AM
AI scraping.
I'm comfortable giving my art away.
I'm not comfortable having my free art stolen by billionaires to shove into the environment destroying mechanical turk.
I'm comfortable giving my art away.
I'm not comfortable having my free art stolen by billionaires to shove into the environment destroying mechanical turk.
Reposted by Kari Dru
The large-print edition of The Killing Beach is live!
The Killing Beach: A Waverly Jones Mystery
The Killing Beach: A Waverly Jones Mystery [Cameron, Skyla Dawn] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The Killing Beach: A Waverly Jones Mystery
www.amazon.com
November 25, 2025 at 12:24 AM
The large-print edition of The Killing Beach is live!
Reposted by Kari Dru
Don’t steal from people who are also under the boot. It is that simple. Otherwise you are revealing you don’t give a shit about poverty or unemployment
But i guess bc authors don’t have the ability to fix capitalism fuck them right
We’re not licking boot we are trying to survive.
But i guess bc authors don’t have the ability to fix capitalism fuck them right
We’re not licking boot we are trying to survive.
Buncha hand wringing "omg theft is wrong" types here in the middle of the most poverty and unemployment we've seen in decades.
Fix need and distress, theft goes away.
Until then, you're just choosing your favorites to survive capitalism.
But hey, least the boot tastes good, right?
Fix need and distress, theft goes away.
Until then, you're just choosing your favorites to survive capitalism.
But hey, least the boot tastes good, right?
November 24, 2025 at 8:50 AM
Don’t steal from people who are also under the boot. It is that simple. Otherwise you are revealing you don’t give a shit about poverty or unemployment
But i guess bc authors don’t have the ability to fix capitalism fuck them right
We’re not licking boot we are trying to survive.
But i guess bc authors don’t have the ability to fix capitalism fuck them right
We’re not licking boot we are trying to survive.
Reposted by Kari Dru
There's been a real attitude shift in the second half of this year, and the overarching belief suddenly is that piracy is good especially if it's the little guy getting fucked over.
Good luck finding books to read after we've all died I guess.
Good luck finding books to read after we've all died I guess.
November 24, 2025 at 5:37 PM
There's been a real attitude shift in the second half of this year, and the overarching belief suddenly is that piracy is good especially if it's the little guy getting fucked over.
Good luck finding books to read after we've all died I guess.
Good luck finding books to read after we've all died I guess.
Reposted by Kari Dru
More generally, wherever you are in the world: if you have kids’ toys, books, clothes or anything else in just-about-giftable condition that you were thinking of decluttering some time soon, please do it now, this week ideally, and get them to your local charity shop.
Hey Ottawa folks: I gave some kids' books to Twice Upon a Time and they said they've receved fewer donations than usual for this time of year. So if you have any kids' books in good condition, or time or money to spare, here's the info:
Donate - Twice Upon a Time
twiceuponatime.ca
November 24, 2025 at 8:11 PM
More generally, wherever you are in the world: if you have kids’ toys, books, clothes or anything else in just-about-giftable condition that you were thinking of decluttering some time soon, please do it now, this week ideally, and get them to your local charity shop.
Reposted by Kari Dru
This fight over “should authors get paid for their work” debate boils down to this: many, MANY people do not see art as labor.
If art isn’t labor, then you don’t have to change your political views to justify piracy. Easy peasy!
If art isn’t labor, then you don’t have to change your political views to justify piracy. Easy peasy!
March 21, 2025 at 8:24 PM
This fight over “should authors get paid for their work” debate boils down to this: many, MANY people do not see art as labor.
If art isn’t labor, then you don’t have to change your political views to justify piracy. Easy peasy!
If art isn’t labor, then you don’t have to change your political views to justify piracy. Easy peasy!