Kate Sibson
shadowcat47.bsky.social
Kate Sibson
@shadowcat47.bsky.social
Biomedical Scientist. Cat mother. Sci-fi/fantasy reader and reviewer. Lone gamer. SPSFC judge
Reposted by Kate Sibson
What does volunteering as a reader for the Small Spec Book Awards mean? It means that you get to read some incredible books (FREE!) and uplift fantasy, science fiction, and horror writers from small and independent presses. Join us and do some good this new year!

#SSBA #SSBA2026 #BookSky
January 6, 2026 at 8:02 PM
Reposted by Kate Sibson
The fifth #SPSFC is about to close for entries and we're looking for a few more judges:

spsfc.space/2025/11/07/l...

Come for the free books. Stay for the Discord community full of self-published authors and avid science fiction readers.
November 7, 2025 at 8:38 PM
Reposted by Kate Sibson
The winner of the fourth #SPSFC is Saint Elspeth by @wickwelker.bsky.social, a tightly crafted tale of a doctor who survived first contact and nuclear apocalypse.

"They just arrived, inadvertently triggered humanity to tear itself to pieces, landed, and vanished."

www.amazon.com/Saint-Elspet...
August 6, 2025 at 10:42 PM
Reposted by Kate Sibson
With four places announced out of six, the fourth #SPSFC is faced with the dilemma of what to announce next.

By a margin of just 0.392, second place goes to "action packed" On Impulse by Heather Texle, led by migraine-afflicted ex-space cop Reliance Sinclair.

www.amazon.com/Impulse-Reli...
August 6, 2025 at 10:24 PM
Reposted by Kate Sibson
Third place in the fourth #SPSFC goes to the second chances resurrection romp Yours, Celestially by @al-distortion.bsky.social. Judge: "I needed this in my life right now at a time where I had more than a few negative thoughts in my head about being who I am."

www.amazon.com/Yours-Celest...
August 6, 2025 at 9:46 PM
Reposted by Kate Sibson
Fourth place in the fourth #SPSFC is claimed by the "rollicking space opera" Whiskey and Warfare by @emhamill.bsky.social. A found family of golden-years space mercs reunite to stop a genocide.

www.amazon.com/Whiskey-Warf...
August 6, 2025 at 9:25 PM
Reposted by Kate Sibson
Fifth place in the fourth #SPSFC goes to the richly constructed noir cyberpunk thriller Accidental Intelligence by @geektells.bsky.social. A judge loved that the dark reign of AI began when a videogame "learned so well and so fast that it gained sentience."

www.amazon.com/Accidental-I...
August 6, 2025 at 8:59 PM
Reposted by Kate Sibson
After 306 days and 175 novels, the fourth #SPSFC has chosen its winner along with five finalists as runners-up.

Sixth place goes to the "awesome high-concept" Bisection by @jennelikejennay.bsky.social. You can share one brain and still not understand someone.

www.amazon.com/Bisection-Sh...
August 6, 2025 at 8:29 PM
A review for one of our @spsfc.bsky.social quarterfinalists. It's Drowning Earth by Sean Willson

www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
February 16, 2025 at 10:03 PM
Moving on with the #SPSFC4 reviews, today's is The Finding Machine by Lucy Lyons

www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
December 12, 2024 at 4:12 PM
It's the start of Advent, so time for another #SPSFC4 review! Next up we have The Grandmaster's Gamble by Paul G. Zareith

www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
December 3, 2024 at 1:28 PM
Reposted by Kate Sibson
Since I have a bunch of new followers, I want to share this starter pack again. If you’re looking to follow more self-pub reviewers, then check this one out! Would love some shares as well! 💜

go.bsky.app/245qQTt
November 17, 2024 at 9:51 PM
OK, let's see if I can do this. My first review for #SPSFC4 was The Hounds of Gaia by Sean Tirman.

www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
November 15, 2024 at 9:24 PM
Hi everyone! I'm judging again for #SPSFC4 with Team Ground Control to Major Tom. I'll be dropping reviews here as well as the other place.
November 13, 2024 at 10:10 PM