Kevin MacDonell (he/him)
@kevinmacdonell.bsky.social
Writer and lifelong diarist. Nova Scotia, Canada. Creative nonfiction, personal essays. Recent/forthcoming: Malahat Review, Queen’s Quarterly, Grain, Dalhousie Review, Camel, Rural Delivery, Riddle Fence, Globe & Mail. A.I.-free since 1969.
Pinned
Hi, new followers! I’m Kevin (he/him). Cape Breton, Nova Scotia raised. Diarist, writer of CNF, essays, memoir. Not very clever. Bewildered mostly. Recovering middle-management cog. Formerly lost in dark wood; emerging out the other side. Finally giving power and time to creative work.
Baffling to me that the School of Journalism at University of King’s College still uses X/Twitter. You’re free to use any platform you like, Truth Social even, but if I see that logo in your newsletter, I’m gone. What does it take to realize X is both evil and worthless for engagement?
December 1, 2025 at 1:12 PM
Baffling to me that the School of Journalism at University of King’s College still uses X/Twitter. You’re free to use any platform you like, Truth Social even, but if I see that logo in your newsletter, I’m gone. What does it take to realize X is both evil and worthless for engagement?
Reposted by Kevin MacDonell (he/him)
Hey! I'll be selling my novels and poetry (including a new single poem folded zine of "Peace Dog") here Saturday alongside my friend Sheila who will have paintings and other crafts for sale!
happeningnext.com/event/st-geo...
happeningnext.com/event/st-geo...
St. Georges Community Advent Sale at 5429 Nora Bernard St, Halifax, NS B3K 1A8, Canada on 29th November, 2025
St. George's Community Advent Sale happening at 5429 Nora Bernard St, Halifax, NS B3K 1A8, Canada on Sat Nov 29 2025 at 10:00 am to 02:00 pm
happeningnext.com
November 25, 2025 at 8:12 PM
Hey! I'll be selling my novels and poetry (including a new single poem folded zine of "Peace Dog") here Saturday alongside my friend Sheila who will have paintings and other crafts for sale!
happeningnext.com/event/st-geo...
happeningnext.com/event/st-geo...
Cool. I like it.
Can “adversarial poetry” save us from AI?
Turns out, the Terminator movies would have been more realistic if Sarah Conner had a poetry MFA. In a new paper titled “Adversarial Poetry as a Universal Single-Turn Jailbreak Mechanism in Large L…
lithub.com
November 23, 2025 at 12:49 PM
Cool. I like it.
Reposted by Kevin MacDonell (he/him)
Tomorrow in Halifax I am hosting a poetry reading to celebrate two years of my micropress, Opaat Press. This reading will feature more than fifteen poets and is free and open to all. I'd love to see you there! Saturday, November 22, 2-4 pm, Halifax Central Library, Paul O'Regan Hall.
November 21, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Tomorrow in Halifax I am hosting a poetry reading to celebrate two years of my micropress, Opaat Press. This reading will feature more than fifteen poets and is free and open to all. I'd love to see you there! Saturday, November 22, 2-4 pm, Halifax Central Library, Paul O'Regan Hall.
Easier: Stop using Gmail now.
If you use GMail, AI (Gemini) was turned on yesterday by default and now scans all of your content for machine learning. To turn off, go to Settings>General and scroll down. Uncheck the box for "Smart features."
There's other "Smart" add-ons as well, but that's the one that reads your content.
There's other "Smart" add-ons as well, but that's the one that reads your content.
November 21, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Easier: Stop using Gmail now.
Reposted by Kevin MacDonell (he/him)
For Hal-Con 2025, we published a free zine featuring flash fiction pieces and excerpts by 13 Nova Scotian writers of sci-fi, fantasy, and horror.
For a limited time—from now until December 15—you can download and enjoy the PDF version of the zine!
writers.ns.ca/announcement...
For a limited time—from now until December 15—you can download and enjoy the PDF version of the zine!
writers.ns.ca/announcement...
Hal-Con Zine available as a free ebook
Featuring Brittni Brinn, Peter C Church, Gus Doiron, Joshua Elliott, Lindsey Harrington, Richard Levangie, Cole Martin, Baleigh McWade, Jude Mire, JS Sarick, Sunil Sarwal, Nailah Tataa, & Brenna Thibo...
writers.ns.ca
November 19, 2025 at 3:05 PM
For Hal-Con 2025, we published a free zine featuring flash fiction pieces and excerpts by 13 Nova Scotian writers of sci-fi, fantasy, and horror.
For a limited time—from now until December 15—you can download and enjoy the PDF version of the zine!
writers.ns.ca/announcement...
For a limited time—from now until December 15—you can download and enjoy the PDF version of the zine!
writers.ns.ca/announcement...
Reposted by Kevin MacDonell (he/him)
The 2026 lit mag rankings are now available from my website! They include an overall ranking, as well as separate rankings for fiction, flash fiction, non-fiction and poetry. If you find these helpful, please show your support by liking & sharing 🙏
November 9, 2025 at 7:41 PM
The 2026 lit mag rankings are now available from my website! They include an overall ranking, as well as separate rankings for fiction, flash fiction, non-fiction and poetry. If you find these helpful, please show your support by liking & sharing 🙏
Wisdom on seasons.
A Circling Story – Holly Haworth
How can noticing seasonal changes be a radical act in a culture fixated with endless growth? Chronicling the microseasons of the Georgia Piedmont, Holly Haworth witnesses the archetypal story of death...
emergencemagazine.org
November 16, 2025 at 2:40 PM
Wisdom on seasons.
Reposted by Kevin MacDonell (he/him)
My new working definition for asap.
November 15, 2025 at 7:52 PM
My new working definition for asap.
Reposted by Kevin MacDonell (he/him)
Congratulations to Sheree Fitch, winner of the $40,000 #MattCohen Award: In Celebration of a Writing Life. #WTAwards #canlit Thank you to Lorraine Greey for her continuous support of this prize.
November 14, 2025 at 12:22 AM
Congratulations to Sheree Fitch, winner of the $40,000 #MattCohen Award: In Celebration of a Writing Life. #WTAwards #canlit Thank you to Lorraine Greey for her continuous support of this prize.
Reposted by Kevin MacDonell (he/him)
Tim Berners-Lee’s original “design for the [world wide] web was an antidesign, refusing to impose particular structures, leaving space for unanticipated uses and possibilities.” —@around.com
How the Web Was Lost | James Gleick
The Internet was not meant to suck.
www.nybooks.com
November 13, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Tim Berners-Lee’s original “design for the [world wide] web was an antidesign, refusing to impose particular structures, leaving space for unanticipated uses and possibilities.” —@around.com
Reposted by Kevin MacDonell (he/him)
“Who we were, who we are, and who we will be: these are condemned to remain…strangers to each other.” Philip Weinstein explores philosophical and literary approaches to the end of life.
What Aging Can Teach Us About Creativity and Fulfillment
“Death is the mother of beauty; hence from her, Alone, shall come fulfilment to our dreams And our desires.” –Wallace Stevens, “Sunday Morning” * These haunting lines by Wallace Stevens promise mor…
buff.ly
November 11, 2025 at 5:00 PM
“Who we were, who we are, and who we will be: these are condemned to remain…strangers to each other.” Philip Weinstein explores philosophical and literary approaches to the end of life.
Taking suggestions for a German word for that feeling on exiting a stationery store empty-handed after searching through rack upon rack of pricey greeting cards and failing to find a single one suitable for a loved one.
November 10, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Taking suggestions for a German word for that feeling on exiting a stationery store empty-handed after searching through rack upon rack of pricey greeting cards and failing to find a single one suitable for a loved one.
Reposted by Kevin MacDonell (he/him)
Pulling all ads from Meta, removing all official government accounts from the site formerly known as Twitter would be an easy place to start
Canadian PM Mark Carney: "Large American online platforms have become seas of racism, misogyny, antisemitism, islamophobia and hate in all its forms... My government will act."
#cdnpoli
#cdnpoli
November 10, 2025 at 1:59 PM
Pulling all ads from Meta, removing all official government accounts from the site formerly known as Twitter would be an easy place to start
I’m nearly done ridding my inbox of all newsletters that display the X/Twitter logo. Sad to see these go: Capilano Review, EVENT, Dartmouth Book Exchange, Ampersand Review, CBC News (two newsletters), Grain, Public Books, and Electric Literature. But it’s long past time to move off that platform.
Elon Musk makes himself far-right fixture after White House departure
The Tesla CEO once hinted he was done with politics – but he’s been leaning further into the international far right
www.theguardian.com
November 9, 2025 at 3:01 PM
I’m nearly done ridding my inbox of all newsletters that display the X/Twitter logo. Sad to see these go: Capilano Review, EVENT, Dartmouth Book Exchange, Ampersand Review, CBC News (two newsletters), Grain, Public Books, and Electric Literature. But it’s long past time to move off that platform.
Reposted by Kevin MacDonell (he/him)
One of the most beautiful things about the Irish is their respect for the arts. You find live music at most bars, I went to a literary pub crawl & saw monuments & museums dedicated to writers, poets, musicians, etc.
They understand the value of supporting artists & I wish Canada did, too.
They understand the value of supporting artists & I wish Canada did, too.
Ireland is locking down basic income for artists. Could Canada follow suit? | CBC Radio
Ireland has made permanent its three-year pilot program that gave monthly income payments to thousands of artists. Canadian artists are hoping to use that program's success to build momentum for guara...
www.cbc.ca
November 7, 2025 at 4:05 PM
One of the most beautiful things about the Irish is their respect for the arts. You find live music at most bars, I went to a literary pub crawl & saw monuments & museums dedicated to writers, poets, musicians, etc.
They understand the value of supporting artists & I wish Canada did, too.
They understand the value of supporting artists & I wish Canada did, too.
Well, I know which anthem wins. Good start.
October 31, 2025 at 11:57 PM
Well, I know which anthem wins. Good start.
Reposted by Kevin MacDonell (he/him)
Come celebrate with us at our book launch: November 26 at 7 pm at The Great Hall, Queen's College (210 Prince Philip Drive). Readings. Laughter. Games (yes, games... with prizes!). Snacks. Fun. We'll have a grand time!
Hope you can join us!
@memorialup.bsky.social
Hope you can join us!
@memorialup.bsky.social
October 29, 2025 at 1:33 PM
Come celebrate with us at our book launch: November 26 at 7 pm at The Great Hall, Queen's College (210 Prince Philip Drive). Readings. Laughter. Games (yes, games... with prizes!). Snacks. Fun. We'll have a grand time!
Hope you can join us!
@memorialup.bsky.social
Hope you can join us!
@memorialup.bsky.social
Reposted by Kevin MacDonell (he/him)
Love when a CEO undermines the work that their company produces www.theguardian.com/business/202...
AI can help authors beat writer’s block, says Bloomsbury chief
Publisher last week reported jump in revenue in academic and professional arm thanks to AI licensing deal
www.theguardian.com
October 27, 2025 at 3:16 PM
Love when a CEO undermines the work that their company produces www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Reposted by Kevin MacDonell (he/him)
What beats writers block is not treating your body like a factory. What beats writers block is healthcare. What beats writers block is gardening, & rest, & food, & companionship, & reading, & leisure, & anti-capitalism—but of course that’s not a very profitable thing to write, & won’t sell LLMs.
AI can help authors beat writer’s block, says Bloomsbury chief
Publisher last week reported jump in revenue in academic and professional arm thanks to AI licensing deal
www.theguardian.com
October 27, 2025 at 12:29 PM
What beats writers block is not treating your body like a factory. What beats writers block is healthcare. What beats writers block is gardening, & rest, & food, & companionship, & reading, & leisure, & anti-capitalism—but of course that’s not a very profitable thing to write, & won’t sell LLMs.