Author | Lightnews

M Shelly Conner

@mshellyconner.bsky.social

3.8K followers 340 following 150 posts

🏳️‍🌈 👩🏽‍❤️‍👩🏿 Writer- author of award-winning novel EVERYMAN (Blackstone)| Professor |Foodie w/texture challenges | Homesteader | Repped by Beth Marshea at Ladderbird Literary Agency

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M Shelly Conner @mshellyconner.bsky.social · Nov 16

This was a journey. Excited to be working on novel 2. #booksky #blacksky #bvm #authors

Image of a book cover in blue background with a woman figure merged with a tree and another curled woman figure as its roots.

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M Shelly Conner @mshellyconner.bsky.social · Mar 15

Excited to be moderating a panel at #DallasLiteraryFestival with @deeshaphilyaw.bsky.social Renee Simms and Latoya Watkins.
Also already fangirling to catch festival headliner @tomiadeyemi.bsky.social
#BlackBookSky
#blacksky
#bvm
#blackwriters
#blackwomen
#booksky

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M Shelly Conner @mshellyconner.bsky.social · Mar 15

It'll definitely turn up now.

M Shelly Conner @mshellyconner.bsky.social · Feb 16

Ava DuVernay

#AskAnAuthor
#bvm
#blacksky
#booksky
#writingcommunity

David Galle @davidgalle.bsky.social · Feb 16

1️⃣6️⃣ Your book is hitting the big (or small) screen! Who’s your dream director?
Who would bring your story to life exactly as you imagine it?

Repost with your answer and tag #AskAnAuthor so others can find it! Like and share to pass on your wisdom. 💡

#WritingCommunity #Booksky

Background: A blurred image of a woman sitting surrounded by stacks of books.

Text: # AskAnAuthor
Daily prompts from @davidgalle.bsky.social

16th February
Your book is hitting the big (or small) screen! Who’s your dream director?

Support your fellow # AskAnAuthor writers! Engage with their posts through likes, replies, and reposts.

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M Shelly Conner @mshellyconner.bsky.social · Feb 16

My novel available in hardcover, paperback, ebook and audiobook.

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Reposted by M Shelly Conner

Stephen King @stephenking.bsky.social · Feb 16

Don’t buy stuff on February 28. Money’s the only thing these dicks understand.
#resist

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Reposted by M Shelly Conner

Alt National Park Service @altnps.bsky.social · Feb 15

Don’t lose hope. Remember, Watergate took over two years to fully unravel from the initial break-in to Nixon’s resignation. Just like then and now, Americans are losing faith in their government. We are documenting every illegal action and will hold this administration and Elon Musk accountable.

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Reposted by M Shelly Conner

Ida Bae Wells @nhannahjones.bsky.social · Feb 15

“The Maryland National Guard must decline events which celebrates individuals based all or in part on immutable characteristics,” the memo said.

Douglass was an abolitionist, suffragist, orator and author. That’s what we celebrate him. Let’s be clear: This bars celebrating him because he was Black.

Maryland National Guard out of Frederick Douglass parade after DoD order

Strict guidance from the national defense department crushed plans for a parade held in honor of Frederick Douglass’ 207th birthday because it was being held during Black History Month.

www.thebaltimorebanner.com

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50501: The People’s Movement ❌👑 @50501movement.bsky.social · Feb 10

Join 50501 in a National Day of Action on Monday, February 17th. We are reclaiming President's Day - a day that is supposed to be celebrating the Presidency. Unite to limit executive overreach. Find your protest at https://buff.ly/417VjtT, or create one.

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Alt National Park Service @altnps.bsky.social · Feb 15

The 50501 Movement has planned protests at all 50 state capitols and the U.S. Capitol on Presidents’ Day at noon. While mainstream media isn’t covering it, many YouTubers have stepped up to provide coverage.

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M Shelly Conner @mshellyconner.bsky.social · Feb 14

Simply Beautiful by Al Green but I'll listen to any rendition.

nai THEE black barbie 🦋 @astoldbynai.blacksky.app · Feb 14

1. What is the most beautiful love song ever, in your opinion?

Reposted by M Shelly Conner

Gabrielle A. Perry, MPH @geauxgabrielle.bsky.social · Feb 13

Tuberculosis killed 1/4th of Europe not too long ago. We are now in the largest TB outbreak in U.S. history. A man who doesnt believe in vaccines is now the head of our country’s public health.

The U.S. ERADICATED measles 25 years ago. It’s now surging.

RFK Jr. called it fake.

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M Shelly Conner @mshellyconner.bsky.social · Feb 14

Adoption Noire has been doing work to redress this by representing Black hoping to adopt couples. But there's still a fair amount of anti-LGBTQ from the birth mothers. We're going through DCFS now.

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M Shelly Conner @mshellyconner.bsky.social · Feb 14

It can be extremely cost prohibitive. There also is a narrative given to birth moms that encourages the idea that the best financial placement for their child is with a white or interracial couple. I've seen this in the "preference sheets" as well as "traditional family only" which excludes same-sex

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M Shelly Conner @mshellyconner.bsky.social · Feb 14

My wife & I are currently entering the foster/adoption process. As two Black queer women in the south, private adoption wasn't an option. Many agencies don't work with same-sex couples. There's many more adoption consultants, high price marketing firms. This is how they purchase Black babies.

Rosa Sparks @rosasparks.bsky.social · Feb 14

There are some successful stories regarding adoption but overall it is a system that preys on poor and global majority citizens for their children.

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Reposted by M Shelly Conner

Alt National Park Service @altnps.bsky.social · Feb 14

One of our supporters shared this with us—people are getting creative tonight!

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M Shelly Conner @mshellyconner.bsky.social · Feb 14

I don't trash other authors. I do trash folk who talk reckless about Black women.
If that person also happens to have written some books...🤷🏾‍♀️
"College educated Black women read more than all other groups."
#blacksky #bvm #blackskyover40 #authors #writers #writingcommunity
#blackwomen

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M Shelly Conner @mshellyconner.bsky.social · Feb 12

Sucks...cause it took me a while to "trust" Google docs. Now I'm all in with Docs, Slides, Drive, etc.

M Shelly Conner @mshellyconner.bsky.social · Feb 12

So your Word & Google docs can be scraped to train AI?
I've been using Living Writer (pricey) for my writing but all my teaching notes, lectures, etc are housed in Google. I even use Classroom as my main platform.
Guess part of my sabbatical will be to disengage Google.
#writingcommunity

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M Shelly Conner @mshellyconner.bsky.social · Feb 12

Omar Tyree saying Black women don't swim because they don't wanna mess up hair and nails...
But not knowing the history of racist policies around public swimming pools is ignorant AF.
Pictured: the author and her swimming pool on her Arkansas homestead
#blacksky #bvm #booksky #authors #writers

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M Shelly Conner @mshellyconner.bsky.social · Feb 12

When negotiating my publishing contract I insisted on:
1)A Black woman editor
2)A Black woman's art as cover design
3)A Black woman as audiobook narrator.
This is how we hold the door open. My book got work for 3 Black women. #bvm #booksky #authors #blacksky #writers

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M Shelly Conner @mshellyconner.bsky.social · Feb 11

I live in Arkansas now. There's Jazzercise, Arby's and a JC Penny in my town.
The gays are a bit in...arrears. 😏

M Shelly Conner @mshellyconner.bsky.social · Feb 11

And brunches.

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M Shelly Conner @mshellyconner.bsky.social · Feb 10

"Hello, little enemy."

@nkjemisin.bsky.social gone Parable of the Sower prophecy on us.

N. K. Jemisin @nkjemisin.bsky.social · Feb 10

A bunch of people have sent me this. I just want everybody to know this is NOT my fault. (This time.)

The Independent @the-independent.com · Feb 10

Something is happening inside the Earth, scientists say

M Shelly Conner @mshellyconner.bsky.social · Feb 10

It's like Whitney Houston and Luther made singing look effortless.
But then you pick up that karaoke mic...

I like the analogy cause it doesn't mean don't sing.
It just means recognize the skill & work it takes to make it a profession.
#writers #bvm #booksky #authors

Mia McKenzie @miamckenzie.bsky.social · Feb 10

People are saying this is true of all creative work and sure but when I said "I just realized," I meant I'd just had a specific thought, right before bed, about bad poetry in particular. Lol.

Mia McKenzie @miamckenzie.bsky.social · Feb 10

I just realized that the reason so many people are bad at poetry (and creative writing generally) is that because great poetry sounds and feels effortless, people assume that it *is* effortless. When in truth that effortless quality is actually the result of hard creative work.

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M Shelly Conner @mshellyconner.bsky.social · Feb 9

This is one of the main functions of art.
Sustaining life especially in dismal times.
It's also why art by the disenfranchised (i.e. Black, queer ME) is inherently political. My fiction tells the stories of people this current administration is fervently trying to erase.

lizzo @lizzobeeating.bsky.social · Feb 9

And that’s why we make it.

Even when it feels ‘unimportant’ or when the world is in shambles… because I know somebody, somewhere needs a fight song or a singalong… or to move they body and feel something deeply personal & real for a second. An escape. A reminder. A hug. A connection. 💜

jael holzman @jael.bsky.social · Feb 9

music sustains me :)