Aaron Starmer
@aaronstarmer.bsky.social
Books, movies and existential crises.
YOU ARE NOW OLD ENOUGH TO HEAR THIS, NIGHT SWIMMING, SPONTANEOUS, RIVERMAN TRILOGY, LOCKER 37, MATH MYSTERIES, A MILLION VIEWS, THE ONLY ONES, MEME, DWEEB and travel books you haven't read.
www.aaronstarmer.com
YOU ARE NOW OLD ENOUGH TO HEAR THIS, NIGHT SWIMMING, SPONTANEOUS, RIVERMAN TRILOGY, LOCKER 37, MATH MYSTERIES, A MILLION VIEWS, THE ONLY ONES, MEME, DWEEB and travel books you haven't read.
www.aaronstarmer.com
Is art subjective?
Well, I came across these adjacent Letterboxd reviews for the SPONTANEOUS movie…
Well, I came across these adjacent Letterboxd reviews for the SPONTANEOUS movie…
December 7, 2025 at 10:37 PM
Is art subjective?
Well, I came across these adjacent Letterboxd reviews for the SPONTANEOUS movie…
Well, I came across these adjacent Letterboxd reviews for the SPONTANEOUS movie…
It's another STAR!
This one is from Publishers Weekly. They call the book "genuinely touching." But I have a soft spot for the "unrepentant weirdness of the setting."
Ha! I'll take it.
This one is from Publishers Weekly. They call the book "genuinely touching." But I have a soft spot for the "unrepentant weirdness of the setting."
Ha! I'll take it.
December 2, 2025 at 8:46 PM
It's another STAR!
This one is from Publishers Weekly. They call the book "genuinely touching." But I have a soft spot for the "unrepentant weirdness of the setting."
Ha! I'll take it.
This one is from Publishers Weekly. They call the book "genuinely touching." But I have a soft spot for the "unrepentant weirdness of the setting."
Ha! I'll take it.
Apparently it's International Wombat Day, so I suppose I should plug my wombat book. Yes, he's wearing a bow tie. He's also phosphorescent...and immortal.
October 22, 2025 at 12:47 PM
Apparently it's International Wombat Day, so I suppose I should plug my wombat book. Yes, he's wearing a bow tie. He's also phosphorescent...and immortal.
I'm sorry but you can't just call a movie STEVE. Especially one with Cillian Murphy starring in it.
September 29, 2025 at 5:20 PM
I'm sorry but you can't just call a movie STEVE. Especially one with Cillian Murphy starring in it.
Found this old Landlord Certificate from 1999. Monthly rent in Colchester was $234. Minimum wage was $5.15/hour, so someone could rent an apartment with a week of work at minimum wage. Wild. I don’t know what Colchester was like then, but it’s very nice now.
September 29, 2025 at 11:46 AM
Found this old Landlord Certificate from 1999. Monthly rent in Colchester was $234. Minimum wage was $5.15/hour, so someone could rent an apartment with a week of work at minimum wage. Wild. I don’t know what Colchester was like then, but it’s very nice now.
New Hemingway story just dropped…
September 25, 2025 at 8:45 PM
New Hemingway story just dropped…
The Newbery committee dropped the ball when they failed to recognize this one…
September 25, 2025 at 6:20 PM
The Newbery committee dropped the ball when they failed to recognize this one…
First reactions are trickling in for YOU ARE NOW OLD ENOUGH TO HEAR THIS. And I'm proud to announce that it's a Junior Library Guild Selection!
It's always an honor to be featured in the JLG boxes. This means a lot more kids will find the book in a lot more libraries. In other words: great news!
It's always an honor to be featured in the JLG boxes. This means a lot more kids will find the book in a lot more libraries. In other words: great news!
September 8, 2025 at 5:29 PM
First reactions are trickling in for YOU ARE NOW OLD ENOUGH TO HEAR THIS. And I'm proud to announce that it's a Junior Library Guild Selection!
It's always an honor to be featured in the JLG boxes. This means a lot more kids will find the book in a lot more libraries. In other words: great news!
It's always an honor to be featured in the JLG boxes. This means a lot more kids will find the book in a lot more libraries. In other words: great news!
I can't imagine what it means to be in graphic design/illustration right now. About 30 mins on ChatGPT (free version) yielded really good alternate covers for THE RIVERMAN TRILOGY. I can't imagine anyone will be able to tell the difference soon.
June 23, 2025 at 6:22 PM
I can't imagine what it means to be in graphic design/illustration right now. About 30 mins on ChatGPT (free version) yielded really good alternate covers for THE RIVERMAN TRILOGY. I can't imagine anyone will be able to tell the difference soon.
About a year ago, I tested out some generative AI to see how it would handle book covers. The results were mediocre at best. I tried yesterday and got this for THE RIVERMAN in about 5 minutes. Not perfect, but leaps and bounds over where it was, and such little effort.
June 13, 2025 at 12:47 PM
About a year ago, I tested out some generative AI to see how it would handle book covers. The results were mediocre at best. I tried yesterday and got this for THE RIVERMAN in about 5 minutes. Not perfect, but leaps and bounds over where it was, and such little effort.
It's apparent that AI in publishing will first make its way through the indie and freelance world, but this ad from Ingram via Publisher's Weekly is clearly pitting authors against other publishing professionals. And with marketing budgets and distribution so unbalanced, I fear it's going to work.
June 12, 2025 at 1:37 PM
It's apparent that AI in publishing will first make its way through the indie and freelance world, but this ad from Ingram via Publisher's Weekly is clearly pitting authors against other publishing professionals. And with marketing budgets and distribution so unbalanced, I fear it's going to work.
Cozy new home just hit the market!
May 22, 2025 at 8:51 PM
Cozy new home just hit the market!
Laughing and crying at the same time…
April 25, 2025 at 10:01 PM
Laughing and crying at the same time…
Everything about this interaction displays the pointlessness of clickbait debates about art on social media.
April 10, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Everything about this interaction displays the pointlessness of clickbait debates about art on social media.
A picture of Cory Booker with me, my wife and oldest daughter right before he started his speech…and a picture of us right now.
April 2, 2025 at 12:10 AM
A picture of Cory Booker with me, my wife and oldest daughter right before he started his speech…and a picture of us right now.
Finally the algorithm found the right ad for me.
March 28, 2025 at 12:12 PM
Finally the algorithm found the right ad for me.
Got it on the first try.
March 23, 2025 at 11:02 PM
Got it on the first try.
The photos in this NY Times piece look like stills from an A24 horror movie. www.nytimes.com/2025/03/23/s...
March 23, 2025 at 5:39 PM
The photos in this NY Times piece look like stills from an A24 horror movie. www.nytimes.com/2025/03/23/s...
Just finished up Spring of Deception in Vermont, but I guess these days every season is a spring of deception.
March 21, 2025 at 11:28 AM
Just finished up Spring of Deception in Vermont, but I guess these days every season is a spring of deception.
First of all, today is not a weekend. Also, every one of these movies already opened, some over a month ago. AI search results are that stupid friend who claims to be a “cineaste” while confidently saying shit like, “Steven Spielberg directed my favorite movie: Home Alone.”
March 17, 2025 at 10:55 PM
First of all, today is not a weekend. Also, every one of these movies already opened, some over a month ago. AI search results are that stupid friend who claims to be a “cineaste” while confidently saying shit like, “Steven Spielberg directed my favorite movie: Home Alone.”
Only if they’re closers.
March 10, 2025 at 2:37 PM
Only if they’re closers.
A, um, well it’s certainly an answer to “what’s the best opening scene in movies?”
March 6, 2025 at 9:44 PM
A, um, well it’s certainly an answer to “what’s the best opening scene in movies?”
It may be 2 months until the release of NIGHT SWIMMING (which Kirkus Reviews calls "beautifully lyrical" and "utterly absorbing"), but RIGHT NOW is the best time to order it.
That's why I've partnered with my local indie, Bridgeside Books, to provide signed pre-orders.
That's why I've partnered with my local indie, Bridgeside Books, to provide signed pre-orders.
February 21, 2025 at 8:39 PM
It may be 2 months until the release of NIGHT SWIMMING (which Kirkus Reviews calls "beautifully lyrical" and "utterly absorbing"), but RIGHT NOW is the best time to order it.
That's why I've partnered with my local indie, Bridgeside Books, to provide signed pre-orders.
That's why I've partnered with my local indie, Bridgeside Books, to provide signed pre-orders.
I know I should stay far away from X/Twitter, but the endless parade of vile responses to this post tell you everything you need to know about how wretched that place, and the fans of its owner, have become.
February 6, 2025 at 9:43 PM
I know I should stay far away from X/Twitter, but the endless parade of vile responses to this post tell you everything you need to know about how wretched that place, and the fans of its owner, have become.
"Dad, what's symbolism?"
"Well..."
"Well..."
January 31, 2025 at 8:08 PM
"Dad, what's symbolism?"
"Well..."
"Well..."