Marie Brennan
@swantower.bsky.social
Author of the Memoirs of Lady Trent. Also one half of M.A. Carrick. She/her.
Pinned
Marie Brennan
@swantower.bsky.social
· Jan 7
Okay, this is a thread for U.S. folks, but also anybody facing political woes at home. I'm pinning this to my profile as an irregularly updated thread for advice and links on how to take action/take care of yourself. Scroll through it any time you need reminders (that's what I'll be doing myself).
I just updated my "appearances" page, and it includes several online events coming up in the next two months!
www.swantower.com/appearances/
www.swantower.com/appearances/
Public Appearances - Swan Tower
Last updated: October 13th, 2025. February 23rd — Reddit AMA on behalf of The Pixel Project March 7th, 8:30 Eastern Time — “A Voice of Her Own” (livestreamed YouTube panel on women in historical fan...
www.swantower.com
February 9, 2026 at 6:31 PM
I just updated my "appearances" page, and it includes several online events coming up in the next two months!
www.swantower.com/appearances/
www.swantower.com/appearances/
Reposted by Marie Brennan
From this week's short fiction readings, I really enjoyed @swantower.bsky.social 's "The Final Voyage of the Ouranos" in Sunday Morning Transport:
www.sundaymorningtransport.com/p/the-final-...
www.sundaymorningtransport.com/p/the-final-...
February 8, 2026 at 8:24 PM
From this week's short fiction readings, I really enjoyed @swantower.bsky.social 's "The Final Voyage of the Ouranos" in Sunday Morning Transport:
www.sundaymorningtransport.com/p/the-final-...
www.sundaymorningtransport.com/p/the-final-...
Reposted by Marie Brennan
And after ending that recording, we discovered that our lovely editor included bonus ARCs of books by @anuja-v.bsky.social, @mollyoneillwrites.bsky.social, and @oranjessie.bsky.social!
youtu.be/kS6ZZ4TF7ng
youtu.be/kS6ZZ4TF7ng
Bonus ARCs in the box!
YouTube video by Marie Brennan
youtu.be
February 6, 2026 at 9:32 PM
And after ending that recording, we discovered that our lovely editor included bonus ARCs of books by @anuja-v.bsky.social, @mollyoneillwrites.bsky.social, and @oranjessie.bsky.social!
youtu.be/kS6ZZ4TF7ng
youtu.be/kS6ZZ4TF7ng
Reposted by Marie Brennan
Unboxing The Eye of Leviathan by M.A. Carrick!
YouTube video by Marie Brennan
youtu.be
February 6, 2026 at 9:30 PM
Reposted by Marie Brennan
I've told this story on ContrabandCamp but it's worth sharing for BHM because it's one of the greatest stories ever.
A thread.
A thread.
February 4, 2026 at 5:07 AM
I've told this story on ContrabandCamp but it's worth sharing for BHM because it's one of the greatest stories ever.
A thread.
A thread.
Reposted by Marie Brennan
"The perfect side eye doesn't exist" proved wrong😍
This is Bowie. He overheard you talking about his rubber ducky jacket. Jealousy is a disease. Hopes you get well soon. 12/10 (IG: bowiethegoldenbear)
February 3, 2026 at 5:17 PM
"The perfect side eye doesn't exist" proved wrong😍
Reposted by Marie Brennan
how much unchecked influence over society & government do they have to have before we quit saying billionaires and start saying oligarchs
February 4, 2026 at 8:32 PM
how much unchecked influence over society & government do they have to have before we quit saying billionaires and start saying oligarchs
Reposted by Marie Brennan
This is great! Fellow scholars, volunteer to guest lecture for Minnesota faculty struggling to teach during shutdown!
Someone made an actually-organized version of this!!
February 4, 2026 at 8:17 PM
This is great! Fellow scholars, volunteer to guest lecture for Minnesota faculty struggling to teach during shutdown!
Reposted by Marie Brennan
I think this would have the opposite effect of what is intended. Instead of supressing the vote you’re going to end up with angry people even more determined to cast a ballot bsky.app/profile/marc...
🚨BREAKING: Steve Bannon said Tuesday that the federal government is planning to send Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers to patrol polling stations during this year’s midterm elections. www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/...
Steve Bannon says ICE will ‘surround the polls’ as Trump doubles down on taking over elections
Trump doubled down on his comments to nationalize voting Tuesday during an Oval Office press conference. “If you think about it, a state is an agent for the federal government in elections,” Trump sai...
www.democracydocket.com
February 4, 2026 at 7:29 PM
I think this would have the opposite effect of what is intended. Instead of supressing the vote you’re going to end up with angry people even more determined to cast a ballot bsky.app/profile/marc...
Reposted by Marie Brennan
Reposted by Marie Brennan
In less than a week the Kennedy Center has effectively closed and our local DC paper has been gutted, both by billionaires.
I don’t think immigrants are our problem in this country.
I don’t think immigrants are our problem in this country.
February 4, 2026 at 5:38 PM
In less than a week the Kennedy Center has effectively closed and our local DC paper has been gutted, both by billionaires.
I don’t think immigrants are our problem in this country.
I don’t think immigrants are our problem in this country.
Reposted by Marie Brennan
Bookshop.org is teaming up with Draft2Digital to allow self-publishers to sell ebooks on the Bookshop platform www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/...
Bookshop.org Teams with Draft2Digital
The online bookselling platform has partnered with the self-publishing company to allow self-published authors to sell e-books on its site.
www.publishersweekly.com
February 4, 2026 at 5:54 PM
Bookshop.org is teaming up with Draft2Digital to allow self-publishers to sell ebooks on the Bookshop platform www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/...
Reposted by Marie Brennan
Today, I am matching donations to any org in this list, up to $1000. Reply here or DM me with receipt. www.standwithminnesota.com
Stand With Minnesota
Stand With Minnesota is a hub for supporting, learning, and taking action to support Minnesotans impacted by ICE and federal enforcement.
www.standwithminnesota.com
February 4, 2026 at 5:20 PM
Today, I am matching donations to any org in this list, up to $1000. Reply here or DM me with receipt. www.standwithminnesota.com
Reposted by Marie Brennan
Blumenthal, running through a list of proposed reforms, says that the right to seek redress agents violating their rights can be accomplished with four words added to current U.S. code, and adds:
"Rights without remedies are empty promises."
"Rights without remedies are empty promises."
February 3, 2026 at 8:21 PM
Blumenthal, running through a list of proposed reforms, says that the right to seek redress agents violating their rights can be accomplished with four words added to current U.S. code, and adds:
"Rights without remedies are empty promises."
"Rights without remedies are empty promises."
Reposted by Marie Brennan
But also, this may be one of the best conflict-of-interest statements ever?
![Screenshot of an excerpt from the article in the previous post. Text reads: "[Disclosure: Prior to his election, the author was Councilor Green's DM in a Dungeons & Dragons campaign.]"](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:rgzw2gfpyanm42hqkxvewh7l/bafkreih5jmgp4g2tttv4fhreve7hcaumxv5effmceh3osbl2khhtfibsky@jpeg)
February 3, 2026 at 5:18 PM
But also, this may be one of the best conflict-of-interest statements ever?
Reposted by Marie Brennan
Are you a freelancer hoping to level up your bookkeeping before tax season? UVW-CWA has joined forces with freelancer-specialist tax firm Brass Taxes for a webinar. Open to non-members!
February 11th, 10AM Pacific on Zoom
Art by Cleveland Mosher
Sign up: actionnetwork.org/events/brass...
February 11th, 10AM Pacific on Zoom
Art by Cleveland Mosher
Sign up: actionnetwork.org/events/brass...
February 3, 2026 at 5:35 PM
Are you a freelancer hoping to level up your bookkeeping before tax season? UVW-CWA has joined forces with freelancer-specialist tax firm Brass Taxes for a webinar. Open to non-members!
February 11th, 10AM Pacific on Zoom
Art by Cleveland Mosher
Sign up: actionnetwork.org/events/brass...
February 11th, 10AM Pacific on Zoom
Art by Cleveland Mosher
Sign up: actionnetwork.org/events/brass...
Reposted by Marie Brennan
Strange Horizons stands with immigrants in the US as they experience intensified anti-immigrant operations.
We have the opportunity to lend our strength as a global community.
Read our full statement:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
We have the opportunity to lend our strength as a global community.
Read our full statement:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
Statement on ICE Operations in the USA
Strange Horizons stands with immigrants in the US facing these conditions.
strangehorizons.com
February 3, 2026 at 11:41 AM
Strange Horizons stands with immigrants in the US as they experience intensified anti-immigrant operations.
We have the opportunity to lend our strength as a global community.
Read our full statement:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
We have the opportunity to lend our strength as a global community.
Read our full statement:
strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...
Reposted by Marie Brennan
You can look at the Epstein files and conclude that only bad people have billions of dollars, but I think it’s also possible that having billions of dollars cauterizes your humanity
February 3, 2026 at 6:56 PM
You can look at the Epstein files and conclude that only bad people have billions of dollars, but I think it’s also possible that having billions of dollars cauterizes your humanity
Do you have skills in marketing, design, data, engineering, or other adjacent fields? @tech4campaigns.bsky.social is looking for volunteers!
www.techforcampaigns.org
www.techforcampaigns.org
Tech for Campaigns | Fight extremism, help Democrats win
We deploy world-class tech talent to volunteer for Democratic political campaigns. Do you have the skills and a passion for change? Join our community!
www.techforcampaigns.org
February 2, 2026 at 8:15 PM
Do you have skills in marketing, design, data, engineering, or other adjacent fields? @tech4campaigns.bsky.social is looking for volunteers!
www.techforcampaigns.org
www.techforcampaigns.org
Reposted by Marie Brennan
I have recently been informed that the motto of the USS Athena, the campus of Starfleet Academy, is "wisdom begins in wonder" and I am having a moment.
January 31, 2026 at 7:54 AM
I have recently been informed that the motto of the USS Athena, the campus of Starfleet Academy, is "wisdom begins in wonder" and I am having a moment.
Reposted by Marie Brennan
Good night, #FlowerReport.
Thank you for encouraging
different ways of seeing life.
Dream well.
Alt text would have been:
On the end of a stem is a bead of water. Refracted, upside down within the bead is a bright pink and white wild radish flower, that can also be seen, blurred, beyond.
Thank you for encouraging
different ways of seeing life.
Dream well.
Alt text would have been:
On the end of a stem is a bead of water. Refracted, upside down within the bead is a bright pink and white wild radish flower, that can also be seen, blurred, beyond.
February 2, 2026 at 4:07 AM
Good night, #FlowerReport.
Thank you for encouraging
different ways of seeing life.
Dream well.
Alt text would have been:
On the end of a stem is a bead of water. Refracted, upside down within the bead is a bright pink and white wild radish flower, that can also be seen, blurred, beyond.
Thank you for encouraging
different ways of seeing life.
Dream well.
Alt text would have been:
On the end of a stem is a bead of water. Refracted, upside down within the bead is a bright pink and white wild radish flower, that can also be seen, blurred, beyond.
Reposted by Marie Brennan
DEAL ALERT
Driftwood by @swantower.bsky.social
Within the Shreds, a rumor goes around that Last has died. Drifters come together to commemorate him. But who really was Last? Lying liar, or heroic savior?
#Fantasy #BookSky
Buy:
www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/...
Driftwood by @swantower.bsky.social
Within the Shreds, a rumor goes around that Last has died. Drifters come together to commemorate him. But who really was Last? Lying liar, or heroic savior?
#Fantasy #BookSky
Buy:
www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/...
Driftwood ebook by Marie Brennan - Rakuten Kobo
Read "Driftwood" by Marie Brennan available from Rakuten Kobo. **[STARRED REVIEW] “Exploring found family, adaptation, and hope in the face of apocalypse, Brennan imbues this high-con...
www.kobo.com
February 1, 2026 at 3:30 PM
DEAL ALERT
Driftwood by @swantower.bsky.social
Within the Shreds, a rumor goes around that Last has died. Drifters come together to commemorate him. But who really was Last? Lying liar, or heroic savior?
#Fantasy #BookSky
Buy:
www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/...
Driftwood by @swantower.bsky.social
Within the Shreds, a rumor goes around that Last has died. Drifters come together to commemorate him. But who really was Last? Lying liar, or heroic savior?
#Fantasy #BookSky
Buy:
www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/...
Reposted by Marie Brennan
Texas: the voter registration deadline is just a few days away on Monday, February 2nd.
To check your registration visit IWillVote.com
To check your registration visit IWillVote.com
January 29, 2026 at 1:51 PM
Texas: the voter registration deadline is just a few days away on Monday, February 2nd.
To check your registration visit IWillVote.com
To check your registration visit IWillVote.com
Pleased to say S1 holds up well! The humor that felt too broad on a first watch balances better when marathoning the whole thing, and the dramatic aspects are more evident. Especially love the arc with Gurathin -- it pays off so satisfyingly.
I find myself with a powerful urge today to do nothing but rewatch the first season of Murderbot, and yes, I *do* see the meta in that statement.
January 31, 2026 at 12:16 AM
Pleased to say S1 holds up well! The humor that felt too broad on a first watch balances better when marathoning the whole thing, and the dramatic aspects are more evident. Especially love the arc with Gurathin -- it pays off so satisfyingly.
Update: yep, watching. While "cleaning the den" (*some* actual cleaning is getting done).
I find myself with a powerful urge today to do nothing but rewatch the first season of Murderbot, and yes, I *do* see the meta in that statement.
January 30, 2026 at 8:16 PM
Update: yep, watching. While "cleaning the den" (*some* actual cleaning is getting done).