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Kaela

@mikaelawalker.bsky.social

110 followers 390 following 90 posts

Lover of books, arts & crafts and animals. Aspiring writer of poetry & stories. Battler of chronic physical & mental health issues.

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Kaela @mikaelawalker.bsky.social · Aug 30

Also, there's an interesting non-fiction short book I read after this called Electric Dreams: On Sex Robots and the Failed Promises of Capitalism by Heather Parry. It links to themes within Some Body Like Me, makes a good companion read.

Kaela @mikaelawalker.bsky.social · Aug 30

Mine did, but it was at an author event at the Helensburgh Book Festival, so there was extra promotional like this there. And I'm a magpie for these things so I nabbed one.

Kaela @mikaelawalker.bsky.social · Aug 9

I'm reading Other Minds: The Octopus & The Evolution of Intelligent Life by Peter Godfrey-Smith. Hoping to finish it before it's due back at the library next week.
Been trying to read more non-fiction, and this is a bit different to the historical true crime books I usually pick up. 🐙

Kaela @mikaelawalker.bsky.social · Aug 8

I feel like so many underrate anthologies & short stories in general. I have read so many impactful stories that have only been a few pages long. I have been moved to tears by some short stories (which can be awkward at the park, but I can blame hayfever 🤧).

Kaela @mikaelawalker.bsky.social · Aug 8

Apparently, it couldn't be bothered to even give a name to the area where I live 😄
Also, it seemed to go all out with everywhere except Northern Ireland & Ireland, where it was like nah there's just 4 places.

Kaela @mikaelawalker.bsky.social · Aug 8

On another note: Why does autocorrect often change correct words but not obviously misspelt ones like 'avouds'? 🙄

Kaela @mikaelawalker.bsky.social · Aug 8

If you think about it 'everyone' also avoids separating people into groups & addressing them by their differences, as well as avouds excluding people. Thus, overall, 'everyone' feels more community minded to me.

Kaela @mikaelawalker.bsky.social · Jul 7

But even if it could do this, I'd still rather pay more for translated books if human translators get to keep their jobs.

Kaela @mikaelawalker.bsky.social · Jul 7

A lot of translation relies on understanding context, culture, dialect, turns of phrase & many other factors. AI might be able to translate directly, but can it translate correctly & reflect the author's meaning in an understandable way?? I highly doubt it.

Kaela @mikaelawalker.bsky.social · Jul 7

Bottom Row
Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Activist by Judith Heumann
Mean Baby by Selma Blair
Haben: The Deaf-Blind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law by Haben Girma

Kaela @mikaelawalker.bsky.social · Jul 7

Middle Row
To Exist As I Am: A Doctor's Notes on Recovery and Radical Acceptance by Grace Spence Green
A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking
Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories from the Twenty-First Century edited by Alice Wong

Kaela @mikaelawalker.bsky.social · Jul 7

Top Row
Sitting Pretty: The View from My Ordinary Resilient Disabled Body by Rebekah Taussig
The Diving-Bell and the Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby
Against All Odds by Ellie Goldstein

Kaela @mikaelawalker.bsky.social · Jul 7

July is Disability Pride Month, so here are some non-fiction books by disabled authors and/or about living with disability. #DisabilityPrideMonth

Books shown are:
Top Row
Sitting Pretty: The View from My Ordinary Resilient Disabled Body by Rebekah Taussig
The Diving-Bell and the Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby
Against All Odds by Ellie Goldstein

Middle Row
To Exist As I Am: A Doctor's Notes on Recovery and Radical Acceptance by Grace Spence Green
A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking
Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories from the Twenty-First Century edited by Alice Wong

Bottom Row
Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Activist by Judith Heumann
Mean Baby by Selma Blair
Haben: The Deaf-Blind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law by Haben Girma

Kaela @mikaelawalker.bsky.social · Jul 5

Usually, my tastes in non-fiction verge towards historical or true-crime (or the two together), but I'm glad I branched out into something a bit different. End/

Kaela @mikaelawalker.bsky.social · Jul 5

It ends up being more about reflecting on humanity & human needs than the science & technology of future robotics.
It came up with many deep points about robotic companions, which had me thinking back to themes in Some Body Like Me by Lucy Lapinska, and I'm glad I read the two close together. 2/

Kaela @mikaelawalker.bsky.social · Jul 5

Electric Dreams: On Sex Robots & the Failed Promises of Capitalism by Heather Parry 4⭐️
This was a really thought-provoking read that starts with the topic of Sex Robots but delves so much deeper into issues such as sexuality, colonialism, misogyny, regressive feminism, capitalism & more. 1/ #books

Kaela @mikaelawalker.bsky.social · Jul 4

Not long back from a fab @hburghbookfest.bsky.social event promoting Liam McIlvanney's new book with fellow crime writer Neil Broadfoot.
It was great to get their insight into writing crime fiction.
I picked up each of their books, The Good Father & No Quarter Given, which they both signed for me.

Kaela @mikaelawalker.bsky.social · Jun 27

Thanks for all the recommendations 😊

Kaela @mikaelawalker.bsky.social · Jun 25

Yay, I get to complete my set 😊

Kaela @mikaelawalker.bsky.social · Jun 24

5⭐️ Read
Some Body Like Me by Lucy Lapinska is a beautifully written story about identity, love & the definition of being alive. With great skill, Lapinska merges sci-fi with romance to create an emotional & impactful novel. I loved this book & it will be a permanent addition to my bookshelf. #books

Kaela @mikaelawalker.bsky.social · Jun 24

The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
Ancillary Justice by Ann Lecki
This How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone
The City We Became by N.K. Jemesin

Kaela @mikaelawalker.bsky.social · Jun 24

Books listed are:
Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield
The Long Way to a Small & Angry Planet by Becky Chambers
Transcendent 3 by Various
The Space Between Worlds by Micah Johnson
Some Body Like Me by Lucy Lapinska

Kaela @mikaelawalker.bsky.social · Jun 24

A few Science-fiction & Speculative fiction books I put together for the Helensburgh Community Hub to celebrate & show our support for Pride month.

If you have any other recommendations for fantasy LGBTQIA+ books, please fire away. 🏳️‍🌈
#pridemonth

Books listed are:

Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield
The Long Way to a Small & Angry Planet by Becky Chambers
Transcendent 3 by Various
The Space Between Worlds by Micah Johnson
Some Body Like Me by Lucy Lapinska
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
Ancillary Justice by Ann Lecki
This How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone
The City We Became by N.K. Jemesin

Kaela @mikaelawalker.bsky.social · Jun 19

Second batch of bookmarks made for celebrating Pride month 🏳️‍🌈 at the Book Nook in the @helensburghcommunityhub
If you missed picking one up earlier in the month, I should be dropping these off on Saturday.
Designed & made by me. #pridemonth

Heap of bookmarks with designs of a shelf of books in LGBTQIA colours. Also showing reverse side of bookmark which have stripes of rainbow colours.

Kaela @mikaelawalker.bsky.social · Jun 15

Books listed are:

Sixteen Souls – Rosie Talbot
Cemetery Boys – Aiden Thomas
Iron Widow – Xiran Jay Zhao
Felix Ever After – Kacen Callender
Hell Followed With Us – Andrew Joseph White
Pet – Akwaeke Emezi
Infinity Son – Adam Silvera
The Brightness Between Us – Eliot Schrefer
Spellbound – F.T. Lukens