Karen Bischer
@kbischer.bsky.social
YA and Children's author (THE SECRET RECIPE FOR MOVING ON, Macmillan; SPORTS ILLUSTRATED KIDS: LEGEND VS LEGEND and SEASONS OF THE YEAR, Capstone). Yankees fan. TV-watcher. Unapologetic 80s music enthusiast.
https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250242303
https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250242303
Pinned
Karen Bischer
@kbischer.bsky.social
· Nov 14
Things you can expect me to post about here:
⚾️Baseball (if you hate the Yankees, you've come to the wrong account, tho)
📝Writing/books
📺TV
🎙️Casey Kasem's American Top 40 and other 80s music
🎶 (Any music from the 40s-90s, really)
🏠Old houses and home improvement
🐶🐱My dog and cat
🦉Birds
🤌🏻New Jersey
⚾️Baseball (if you hate the Yankees, you've come to the wrong account, tho)
📝Writing/books
📺TV
🎙️Casey Kasem's American Top 40 and other 80s music
🎶 (Any music from the 40s-90s, really)
🏠Old houses and home improvement
🐶🐱My dog and cat
🦉Birds
🤌🏻New Jersey
It constantly feels like there's a despondent George Bailey who's wished he'd never been born out in the world somewhere, so we're all stuck in the hateful Pottersville simulation Clarence* has cooked up to steer him right. I just want to be in Bedford Falls again, OK?
*the angel, not the cat
*the angel, not the cat
Canadian publisher Kids Can Press "strongly condemns any denigrating, violent, or unauthorized use of Franklin's name or image" following Pete Hegseth's post:
December 2, 2025 at 4:12 AM
It constantly feels like there's a despondent George Bailey who's wished he'd never been born out in the world somewhere, so we're all stuck in the hateful Pottersville simulation Clarence* has cooked up to steer him right. I just want to be in Bedford Falls again, OK?
*the angel, not the cat
*the angel, not the cat
Not pictured: the shims under the tree stand to make up for the ridiculous slope of the living room floor
December 2, 2025 at 2:23 AM
Not pictured: the shims under the tree stand to make up for the ridiculous slope of the living room floor
Christian: The Holly and the Ivy
Secular: Christmas is the Time to Say I Love You, Billy Squier
Secular: Christmas is the Time to Say I Love You, Billy Squier
What is your favorite "Christian" Christmas song and what is your favorite "Secular" Christmas song?
I will probably always adore "O Come All Ye Faithful" and "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" for Christian.
And "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" for secular.
I will probably always adore "O Come All Ye Faithful" and "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" for Christian.
And "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" for secular.
December 1, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Christian: The Holly and the Ivy
Secular: Christmas is the Time to Say I Love You, Billy Squier
Secular: Christmas is the Time to Say I Love You, Billy Squier
I just want it noted that long before this season of Stranger Things, I've lamented the loss of Boppers to my friend *at least* once a year, and I've had a recipe saved for a bit so I can try and re-create them. Maybe now is the time....
November 30, 2025 at 12:39 PM
I just want it noted that long before this season of Stranger Things, I've lamented the loss of Boppers to my friend *at least* once a year, and I've had a recipe saved for a bit so I can try and re-create them. Maybe now is the time....
Reposted by Karen Bischer
Thread on OpenAI ruling and what it means for writers:
The OpenAI ruling writers should know about 👀 (if your work was scraped for LLM training, this affects you). www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/bus...
OpenAI Loses Key Discovery Battle as It Cedes Ground to Authors in AI Lawsuits
The issue has been a major battleground in discovery. OpenAI could be on the hook for hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars if it was aware it was infringing on copyrighted material.
www.hollywoodreporter.com
November 29, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Thread on OpenAI ruling and what it means for writers:
"This is how your namesake joined the E Street Band! An iconic moment in Jersey lore!"
-today in Explaining Old School American Top 40* to My Cat
*Casey tells us how Clarence Clemons met Bruce Springsteen before Clarence & Jackson Browne's You're a Friend of Mine, #37 this week in 1985
#caturday
-today in Explaining Old School American Top 40* to My Cat
*Casey tells us how Clarence Clemons met Bruce Springsteen before Clarence & Jackson Browne's You're a Friend of Mine, #37 this week in 1985
#caturday
November 29, 2025 at 4:59 PM
"This is how your namesake joined the E Street Band! An iconic moment in Jersey lore!"
-today in Explaining Old School American Top 40* to My Cat
*Casey tells us how Clarence Clemons met Bruce Springsteen before Clarence & Jackson Browne's You're a Friend of Mine, #37 this week in 1985
#caturday
-today in Explaining Old School American Top 40* to My Cat
*Casey tells us how Clarence Clemons met Bruce Springsteen before Clarence & Jackson Browne's You're a Friend of Mine, #37 this week in 1985
#caturday
OK, so I've made a starting lineup of songs I'd want to inform this magic KB-centric station of 20th century tunes. These aren't all my faves but the gist would be gotten, i.e. "nothing after the 90s" and "no Christmas Shoes" and "no one pronouncing it 'a hahlay jahlay Christmas'".
November 28, 2025 at 4:32 PM
OK, so I've made a starting lineup of songs I'd want to inform this magic KB-centric station of 20th century tunes. These aren't all my faves but the gist would be gotten, i.e. "nothing after the 90s" and "no Christmas Shoes" and "no one pronouncing it 'a hahlay jahlay Christmas'".
SiriusXM killed their 70s/80s Christmas music channel 🫤 but I would give anything if they added a "holiday music from 1940-1998, no Buble or Glee or Train because we know you're not fan, KB" channel.
November 27, 2025 at 10:52 PM
SiriusXM killed their 70s/80s Christmas music channel 🫤 but I would give anything if they added a "holiday music from 1940-1998, no Buble or Glee or Train because we know you're not fan, KB" channel.
"Oh you, for sure, would be on the Group W bench, there is no question."
- today in Explaining Alice's Restaurant Massacree* to My Cat
*Happy Thanksgiving
- today in Explaining Alice's Restaurant Massacree* to My Cat
*Happy Thanksgiving
November 27, 2025 at 5:18 PM
"Oh you, for sure, would be on the Group W bench, there is no question."
- today in Explaining Alice's Restaurant Massacree* to My Cat
*Happy Thanksgiving
- today in Explaining Alice's Restaurant Massacree* to My Cat
*Happy Thanksgiving
Reposted by Karen Bischer
Philly, I got this lil guy out of the pouring rain last night! If you're interested in adopting a very very friendly sweet kitten lmk!
November 27, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Philly, I got this lil guy out of the pouring rain last night! If you're interested in adopting a very very friendly sweet kitten lmk!
Reach Out I'll Be There
Thunder Road
In the Stone
Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)
(Can't Live Without Your) Love and Affection
Thunder Road
In the Stone
Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)
(Can't Live Without Your) Love and Affection
November 27, 2025 at 2:35 AM
Reach Out I'll Be There
Thunder Road
In the Stone
Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)
(Can't Live Without Your) Love and Affection
Thunder Road
In the Stone
Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)
(Can't Live Without Your) Love and Affection
Everything I've had published - YA novel, educational kids' books, short stories - happened while I was working full time and writing at night/on weekends. Writing doesn't pay nearly enough to keep a roof over my head. Hence why I get pissy about rich-ass AI techbros stealing authors' stuff.
I know we know this, but authors need to get better at talking about how they actually make their money. Stop pretending it's from the books.
November 25, 2025 at 11:03 PM
Everything I've had published - YA novel, educational kids' books, short stories - happened while I was working full time and writing at night/on weekends. Writing doesn't pay nearly enough to keep a roof over my head. Hence why I get pissy about rich-ass AI techbros stealing authors' stuff.
Gentle note to HR teams everywhere: Please do not start the second sentence of an application response with "We are thrilled" if it's not good news because for the slightest millisecond, an applicant might feel the stirrings of hope only to have them crushed a few words later 😩
![An email that reads: Hi Karen, Thanks again for your interest in the Senior Copywriter [blanked-out further job description] position here at [blanked-out company]. We are thrilled that you chose to apply, however at this time we have decided to move forward with other candidates whose experience more closely aligns with our current needs.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:kb6es7obgo7szunj3i2qklit/bafkreigvdc5bnipfh7ni44i6gk3egpjzvcruzfkr33xbc6tf33tqkidnzq@jpeg)
November 25, 2025 at 9:38 PM
Gentle note to HR teams everywhere: Please do not start the second sentence of an application response with "We are thrilled" if it's not good news because for the slightest millisecond, an applicant might feel the stirrings of hope only to have them crushed a few words later 😩
Several versions of my book are on there 😑. I see so many defend these sites because "f*** corporations." Meanwhile, the works on the sites get scraped and used to train LLMs. And who's doing that, you may ask? CORPORATIONS (Meta, Anthropic, etc). Who's getting f***ed, exactly, if not the author?
I posted a buy link here to "A Magical Inheritance" a few days ago, and 24 of you immediately went to Anna's Archives and fucking stole it from me.
Yes, stole it.
I do not get paid for your download there because YOU ARE STEALING FROM ME.
🖕
Yes, stole it.
I do not get paid for your download there because YOU ARE STEALING FROM ME.
🖕
November 24, 2025 at 12:19 PM
Several versions of my book are on there 😑. I see so many defend these sites because "f*** corporations." Meanwhile, the works on the sites get scraped and used to train LLMs. And who's doing that, you may ask? CORPORATIONS (Meta, Anthropic, etc). Who's getting f***ed, exactly, if not the author?
"He needed to appreciate her better in the summer, then he wouldn't have to see if she's open to hanging out when he's lonely in sweater weather. I know this is a lot to ponder."
- today in Explaining Old School American Top 40* to My Cat
*Cool Night, Paul Davis, #34 this week in 1981
#caturday
- today in Explaining Old School American Top 40* to My Cat
*Cool Night, Paul Davis, #34 this week in 1981
#caturday
November 22, 2025 at 4:09 PM
"He needed to appreciate her better in the summer, then he wouldn't have to see if she's open to hanging out when he's lonely in sweater weather. I know this is a lot to ponder."
- today in Explaining Old School American Top 40* to My Cat
*Cool Night, Paul Davis, #34 this week in 1981
#caturday
- today in Explaining Old School American Top 40* to My Cat
*Cool Night, Paul Davis, #34 this week in 1981
#caturday
It's been a ride quietly lurking on the reddit for my former company and seeing customers flipping out about recent typos. My team was already stretched way too thin and the AI-induced layoffs apparently opened the floodgates for errors. (FYI: AI isn't the answer for replacing editors, y'all.)
Stop laying off copy editors and then complaining about errors and lack of reader trust challenge
November 20, 2025 at 3:41 PM
It's been a ride quietly lurking on the reddit for my former company and seeing customers flipping out about recent typos. My team was already stretched way too thin and the AI-induced layoffs apparently opened the floodgates for errors. (FYI: AI isn't the answer for replacing editors, y'all.)
Still going great, you guys! (Red line means I actually got a "we didn't pick you" email. And the judiciary clerk and title clerk jobs are longshots because I'm currently taking paralegal classes - who doesn't love starting a new career path in your 40s??? - and don't have in-office experience yet.)
November 19, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Still going great, you guys! (Red line means I actually got a "we didn't pick you" email. And the judiciary clerk and title clerk jobs are longshots because I'm currently taking paralegal classes - who doesn't love starting a new career path in your 40s??? - and don't have in-office experience yet.)
"He caught his sweetheart cheating with a man he deems unworthy, aka an 'alley-cat-coat-wearing,
punch-bucket-shoe-wearing crumbcake.' That's poetry right there, Clarence."
- today in Explaining Old School American Top 40* to My Cat
*The Rain, Oran "Juice" Jones, #13 this week in 1986
#caturday
punch-bucket-shoe-wearing crumbcake.' That's poetry right there, Clarence."
- today in Explaining Old School American Top 40* to My Cat
*The Rain, Oran "Juice" Jones, #13 this week in 1986
#caturday
November 15, 2025 at 5:31 PM
"He caught his sweetheart cheating with a man he deems unworthy, aka an 'alley-cat-coat-wearing,
punch-bucket-shoe-wearing crumbcake.' That's poetry right there, Clarence."
- today in Explaining Old School American Top 40* to My Cat
*The Rain, Oran "Juice" Jones, #13 this week in 1986
#caturday
punch-bucket-shoe-wearing crumbcake.' That's poetry right there, Clarence."
- today in Explaining Old School American Top 40* to My Cat
*The Rain, Oran "Juice" Jones, #13 this week in 1986
#caturday
Back porch cam: There's a person at the back door
The "person":
The "person":
November 14, 2025 at 2:34 PM
Back porch cam: There's a person at the back door
The "person":
The "person":
Kill the chyron, MLB. I need to see Judge's dog(s?).
November 14, 2025 at 12:38 AM
Kill the chyron, MLB. I need to see Judge's dog(s?).
My cramps & tension headaches beg to differ. Also: when I had a wisdom tooth pulled in 2013, the doc sent me home with oxy and Rx-strength ibuprofen. When the novocaine wore off, I was in AGONY but too chicken to take the oxy, so I took the ibuprofen. It worked. Well. Like, I would fight him on this
JD Vance calls ibuprofen "useless medication" and implies it's not "necessary, safe and effective."
November 12, 2025 at 11:48 PM
My cramps & tension headaches beg to differ. Also: when I had a wisdom tooth pulled in 2013, the doc sent me home with oxy and Rx-strength ibuprofen. When the novocaine wore off, I was in AGONY but too chicken to take the oxy, so I took the ibuprofen. It worked. Well. Like, I would fight him on this
AFIAK, she grew up in the same neighborhood I did, where my dad still lives. While it's definitely in the more modest part of what many would consider a fairly well-off town, seeing it described as "working class" is WILD.
I don’t think any of us are fully prepared for the level of self-pity and absolution that’s going to be in Olivia Nuzzi’s (hilariously titled) “American Canto”
November 12, 2025 at 1:42 AM
AFIAK, she grew up in the same neighborhood I did, where my dad still lives. While it's definitely in the more modest part of what many would consider a fairly well-off town, seeing it described as "working class" is WILD.
"So I knew this song my whole life and assumed it was about a ship that sank in the early 1900s...and then in my 30s I found out it sank in 1975 via Casey Kasem in a 1976 episode of AT40 on iHeart. No, really."
- today in Explaining The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald by Gordon Lightfoot to My Cat
- today in Explaining The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald by Gordon Lightfoot to My Cat
November 10, 2025 at 7:53 PM
"So I knew this song my whole life and assumed it was about a ship that sank in the early 1900s...and then in my 30s I found out it sank in 1975 via Casey Kasem in a 1976 episode of AT40 on iHeart. No, really."
- today in Explaining The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald by Gordon Lightfoot to My Cat
- today in Explaining The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald by Gordon Lightfoot to My Cat
🎶 Beautiful Mount Airy Lodge 🎶 is a staple of my region circa the 80s/early 90s but this resort also had a banger of jingle:
m.youtube.com/watch?v=KYvd...
m.youtube.com/watch?v=KYvd...
November 8, 2025 at 7:15 PM
🎶 Beautiful Mount Airy Lodge 🎶 is a staple of my region circa the 80s/early 90s but this resort also had a banger of jingle:
m.youtube.com/watch?v=KYvd...
m.youtube.com/watch?v=KYvd...