Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Marie Brennan

Apex Magazine (is funding for 2026!) 🎉 @apexmag.bsky.social · 1d

NEW KICKSTARTER TIER JUST DROPPED!! 🌍✍️

Take your worldbuilding to the next level with @retreasure.bsky.social, complete with a 5 page critique!

This tier is limited to just TEN backers, so make sure you don't miss it! ⏰⬇️

www.kickstarter.com/projects/ape...

"Just Dropped: World Building from the Inside Out" with Apex Magazine Managing Editor Rebecca E Treasure. 60min class, including critique"

"Join Rebecca E Treasure as she puts her anthropology studies to use for once and talks about culture, creating worlds, and how to weave rich and unique environments and societies into your stories. Includes a 5 page critique with an emphasis on worldbuilding details, a 60m live class, and a PDF of the slides used for the class."

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Reposted by Marie Brennan

Apex Magazine (is funding for 2026!) 🎉 @apexmag.bsky.social · 1d

It's Kickstarter Christmas! 🎁✅

We just added a TON of new tiers, including affirmation critiques with Violet Lichen Managing Editor Nichole Lightner and short story critiques from the most important Apex team members of all: our slush readers! ✨ Don't miss out!

www.kickstarter.com/projects/ape...

"Flash Fiction Critique: 5 left of 10

Affirmation Critique with Rebecca Treasure: 8 left of 10

Affirmation Critique with Nichole Lightner: 5 left of 5

Slush Reader Critique: Three of Apex Magazine's amazing first readers will critique your short story, giving you three different perspectives! Our amazing slush teams read hundreds of stories each and every month and have developed a great eye for what makes a story work. Let their experience elevate your next submission. Stories can be up to 5,000 words!"

A cow is floating through space in a UFO tractor beam. His two little ghost friends float alongside, wearing space helmets. The cow's thought bubble reads, "$6,996!"

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Reposted by Marie Brennan

Lesley Conner @lesleyconner.bsky.social · 2d

The @apexmag.bsky.social 2026 Kickstarter is currently sitting at $6,717 of our $20K goal! That means we're a third of the way to funding four issues of Apex for next year! Can we hit 50% before the end of the week? www.kickstarter.com/projects/ape...

Apex Magazine 2026

An award-winning digital literary magazine of science fiction, dark fantasy, and horror.

www.kickstarter.com

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Marie Brennan @swantower.bsky.social · 2d

Alas, I too only have a bachelor's degree in archaeology. But I will pass this along to a professional friend in the field!

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Reposted by Marie Brennan

Apex Magazine (is funding for 2026!) 🎉 @apexmag.bsky.social · 4d

WE'RE 30% FUNDED!! 🎉🎉🎉 Apex will be open to nonfiction pitches FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER! ✨

Want to unlock the next chapter of Apex? Please consider backing our Kickstarter and help us keep publishing the strange, surreal, shocking, beautiful stories you love!

www.kickstarter.com/.../apexpu.....

30% UNLOCKED!

For the first time, Apex will open to nonfiction pitches. We are expanding our nonfiction editorial team! ZZ Claybourne has been our nonfiction editor for the past couple of years, and is doing a fantastic job. His editorial eye has elevated Apex’s nonfiction and has helped us discover many new voices. Rodney Carlstrom will be joining the Apex team as an associate nonfiction editor to help ZZ manage submitted nonfiction pitches.

cow floating in space with some astronauts next to the current Kickstarter number, "$6,000!"

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Marie Brennan @swantower.bsky.social · 3d

Happy Anti-Prime Day! Free shipping today and tomorrow at Bookshop.org -- support bookstores, not billionaires!

Bookshop: Buy books online. Support local bookstores.

An online bookstore that financially supports local independent bookstores and gives back to the book community.

Bookshop.org

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Reposted by Marie Brennan

Lesley Conner @lesleyconner.bsky.social · 5d

The @apexmag.bsky.social 2026 Kickstarter is starting the week at $5,797, only $203 away from 30% of our initial goal and opening to nonfiction submissions! www.kickstarter.com/projects/ape...

Apex Magazine 2026

An award-winning digital literary magazine of science fiction, dark fantasy, and horror.

www.kickstarter.com

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Reposted by Marie Brennan

Apex Magazine (is funding for 2026!) 🎉 @apexmag.bsky.social · 10d

Apex Magazine 2026 is A Project We Love on Kickstarter!! ❤️🍾🥂🎉

Thank you to everyone who's donated so far! If you haven't checked us out yet, don't be shy! There's room for everyone at the monster mash 👻🪦

www.kickstarter.com/projects/ape...

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Reposted by Marie Brennan

Myna Chang @mynachang.bsky.social · 8d

New interview with Marie Brennan today - hear about her Hugo-winning poem, novels, short stories, and some gorgeous art!

@swantower.bsky.social

Author Interview * Marie Brennan

The first-ever Hugo award for a poem was awarded to Marie Brennan at Worldcon 2025. In addition to poetry, Marie is an accomplished author of novels and short stories. Thanks to Marie for talking w…

mynachang.com

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Reposted by Marie Brennan

Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association @sfwa.bsky.social · 9d

This week on Planetside… An exclusive interview with the very first Hugo winner for speculative poetry.

Read “The First Hugo for Poetry: An Interview with Marie Brennan” by Holly Lyn Walrath:
www.sfwa.org/2025/09/30/t...

@hollylynwalrath.bsky.social @swantower.bsky.social

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Reposted by Marie Brennan

M.A. Carrick (Marie Brennan + Alyc Helms) @macarrick.bsky.social · 10d

We have spiffed up the BackerKit store for the Rook and Rose pattern deck with new images of the actual products (as opposed to the Kickstarter mockups), and also SIGNED BOOKS! Check it out:

pattern-deck.backerkit.com/hosted_preor...

Pre-order Rook and Rose Pattern Deck on BackerKit

Oracle cards for divination and games -- shipping now!

pattern-deck.backerkit.com

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Reposted by Marie Brennan

Elizabeth Bear @matociquala.bsky.social · 10d

Check out this kickstarter and support queer voices in spec fic!

OTHERSIDE - Kickstarter is LIVE! @othersidespec.bsky.social · 12d

WE'RE LIVE! AND WE ARE SO EXCITED! Back now to support a new magazine of speculative fiction by 2SLGBTQIA+ authors and artists! Snag some amazing rewards, including discounted subscriptions! Support queer art! And help us SMASH DAY ONE!

www.kickstarter.com/projects/hyb...

OTHERSIDE Kickstarter art. Text says OTHERSIDE Kickstarter LIVE NOW! over our purple and banner art with the Wanderer, a small figure on floating rocks, on the right.

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Reposted by Marie Brennan

Apex Magazine (is funding for 2026!) 🎉 @apexmag.bsky.social · 10d

HAPPY KICKSTARTER DAY!! 🎉🎉🎉

Kick(start) the first day of Spooky Month with us and come check out the cool stuff we've got planned for you!! 🎃✨

👽 www.kickstarter.com/projects/ape...

two skeletons are shaking hands in a cemetery .

Alt: spooky scary skeletons silly symphony dance

media.tenor.com

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Reposted by Marie Brennan

Holly Lyn Walrath @hollylynwalrath.bsky.social · 10d

It has been a delight to witness the love for speculative poetry after @swantower.bsky.social won the first EVER poetry Hugo award! Here’s my interview with the winner, you gotta read it! 🏆 Congrats Marie!

Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association @sfwa.bsky.social · 11d

This week on Planetside…

The Hugos presented their first award for poetry at Worldcon in 2025.

Learn what that means for the genre in “The First Hugo for Poetry: An Interview with Marie Brennan” by @hollylynwalrath.bsky.social & @swantower.bsky.social: www.sfwa.org/2025/09/30/t...

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Reposted by Marie Brennan

Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association @sfwa.bsky.social · 11d

This week on Planetside…

The Hugos presented their first award for poetry at Worldcon in 2025.

Learn what that means for the genre in “The First Hugo for Poetry: An Interview with Marie Brennan” by @hollylynwalrath.bsky.social & @swantower.bsky.social: www.sfwa.org/2025/09/30/t...

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Marie Brennan @swantower.bsky.social · 11d

@indiaholton.bsky.social's AN ORNITHOLOGIST'S FIELD GUIDE TO LOVE was a delightful bit of diversion, recommended for anybody who's on board with their Victorian lady scholars deploying helicopter parasols.

R.R. Virdi | Buy The First Binding (from TOR) @rrvirdi.bsky.social · 11d

Recommend a piece of art (any medium) that's not yours that you've recently enjoyed or re-enjoyed. Just something you think might help someone else, cheer 'em up, escapism, w.e.

Just wondering. :)

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Reposted by Marie Brennan

R.R. Virdi | Buy The First Binding (from TOR) @rrvirdi.bsky.social · 11d

Recommend a piece of art (any medium) that's not yours that you've recently enjoyed or re-enjoyed. Just something you think might help someone else, cheer 'em up, escapism, w.e.

Just wondering. :)

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Reposted by Marie Brennan

OTHERSIDE - Kickstarter is LIVE! @othersidespec.bsky.social · 12d

Our co-founders made the mistake of taking a quick break after we funded... only to come back and find out WE ALREADY HIT OUR FIRST STRETCH GOAL?! ISSUE 5 IS NOW FUNDED! We are one step closer to funding Year TWO! Thank you so much, everyone!

www.kickstarter.com/projects/hyb...

Over a hazy purple background, there's the header "stretch goals." The first goal, of $6900, is now illuminated in rainbow with a picture of an open lock next to it. The remaining goals of $8300, $9700, and $11000 show a closed lock next to them.

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Reposted by Marie Brennan

Blue sky nice guy @rajandelman.bsky.social · 12d

The bees have discovered Brutalism

Cube Enthusiast @killhamster.bsky.social · 13d

Nature is healing

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Marie Brennan @swantower.bsky.social · 15d

A helpful script for calling your senators and telling them to hold firm against anti-trans legislation in the budget:

bsky.app/profile/thre...

emily moonlight @threnody.bsky.social · 25d

so: what do we need you to do? two things.

1.call your D/I senators. find contact info here: reps.fyi

what do we need you to say? try the call script below. adapt it; make it your own! there are bailout points written in, in case you get nervous. but please *call.* 🧵

Hi, my name is [YOUR NAME] and I'm one of Senator [THEIR NAME]'s constituents. House Republicans are trying to insert a multiple articles of anti-trans legislation, including a full transgender healthcare funding ban, into the F-Y '26 budget. I'm calling to tell the Senator to stand up for trans Americans and vote NO on any bill with that language. This IS worth forcing a shutdown.

[you can stop here at 0:20 if you want to bail out—but it's better if you don't]

This care funding ban follows the map the G-O-P charted while attacking abortion. Democrats lost that fight by giving in to the G-O-P an inch at a time. Giving an inch at a time on trans care will devastate trans Americans and it'll get Democrats nothing in return but contempt.

[you can stop here at 0:40 if you want to bail out—but it's better if you don't]

Right now, the most popular Democrat in the U-S, [Zo-RAHN Mom-DA-nee], is campaigning on making trans healthcare cheaper and easier to access, and he's only got more good will because of it.

[you can stop here at 0:50 if you want to bail out—but it's better if you don't]

I'm asking the Senator to refuse to allow any anti-trans language including a healthcare ban in the F-Y '26 bill. Do not vote for any bill with that language. This IS worth forcing a shutdown. Standing with trans people is the right thing to do and it's politically smart. Voters and donors show up for Democrats who fight.

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Reposted by Marie Brennan

Interstellar Flight Press @interstellarflight.bsky.social · 15d

At Interstellar Flight Mag, R. Thursday interviews Marie Brennan, winner of the first Hugo Award for poetry. magazine.interstella...

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Marie Brennan @swantower.bsky.social · 17d

In an odd way, I find this post reassuring. This feeling that we're living in unprecedently awful times? Turns out there's very apt precedent, within living memory. And the world didn't end back then, either. We just gotta push the rock back up the hill.

qqueenofhades.tumblr.com/post/7955336...

how long, o lord, before you let him die

It struck me today, in a helpful if unwelcome fashion, that we are basically just replaying 1952, because: Republican president primarily advised by hard-right ideologues replaces unpopular Democratic...

qqueenofhades.tumblr.com

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Reposted by Marie Brennan

A. E. Lanier @aelanier.bsky.social · 18d

Also prolly good to specifically mention that trans rights are fucking non-negotiable given how hard the regime is going after trans folks rn.

Marie Brennan @swantower.bsky.social · 19d

Call your reps/senators & tell them: DO NOT cave to the craptastic Republican budget, which cuts health care even further. Is a shutdown bad? Yes. Is going along with their agenda worse? YES. Hang this disaster around their necks, not ours.

(Remember, you can call after hours if you're nervous!)

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Reposted by Marie Brennan

Marie Brennan @swantower.bsky.social · 19d

Call your reps/senators & tell them: DO NOT cave to the craptastic Republican budget, which cuts health care even further. Is a shutdown bad? Yes. Is going along with their agenda worse? YES. Hang this disaster around their necks, not ours.

(Remember, you can call after hours if you're nervous!)

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Marie Brennan @swantower.bsky.social · 19d

Call your reps/senators & tell them: DO NOT cave to the craptastic Republican budget, which cuts health care even further. Is a shutdown bad? Yes. Is going along with their agenda worse? YES. Hang this disaster around their necks, not ours.

(Remember, you can call after hours if you're nervous!)

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