Courtney Schafer
@courtneyschafer.bsky.social
Enjoying as many mountain adventures as I can in NZ's Southern Alps. Semi-retired figure skater. Avid SFF reader & author of the Shattered Sigil trilogy. Still writing, albeit slowly. Mother to one awesome teenage human and one crazy energetic spoodle.
Yeah, looks like Night Shade did not. My books are in the set pirated by Anthropic, but I won't see any compensation thanks to that. Ah, publishing. What a trash fire of an industry.
New #WriterBeware blog post: Did your contract require your publisher to register your copyright? Don't assume they did. writerbeware.blog/2025/08/29/i...
If Your Publisher Promised to Register Your Copyright, Check Your Registration Now - Writer Beware
A couple of years ago, while searching the US Copyright Office’s public copyright registration database on behalf of an author wanting to know if their copyright had been registered as required by the...
writerbeware.blog
September 6, 2025 at 9:37 PM
Yeah, looks like Night Shade did not. My books are in the set pirated by Anthropic, but I won't see any compensation thanks to that. Ah, publishing. What a trash fire of an industry.
Made it through my mastectomy surgery! Took 11 hours but of course I was happily asleep the whole time. Now for the nail biting wait for pathology & the long recovery.They have me on the good drugs so for now there isn't pain. But the checks on the reconstructed area every hour do make sleeping hard
August 16, 2025 at 12:49 AM
Made it through my mastectomy surgery! Took 11 hours but of course I was happily asleep the whole time. Now for the nail biting wait for pathology & the long recovery.They have me on the good drugs so for now there isn't pain. But the checks on the reconstructed area every hour do make sleeping hard
State of the Schafer: in which there is more cancer, but also more mountains courtney-schafer.blogspot.com/2025/08/stat...
State of the Schafer: in which there is more cancer (but also more mountains)
If you follow me on Facebook or BlueSky, you might've seen that I've been posting pics from recent adventures in California's Sierra Nevada...
courtney-schafer.blogspot.com
August 14, 2025 at 8:17 AM
State of the Schafer: in which there is more cancer, but also more mountains courtney-schafer.blogspot.com/2025/08/stat...
And of course, it's not the Sierra without some roaring cascades of whitewater
August 1, 2025 at 2:15 AM
And of course, it's not the Sierra without some roaring cascades of whitewater
It's past peak wildflower season, but I still saw some lovely flower displays along the trail (N Fork of Big Pine Creek).
August 1, 2025 at 2:13 AM
It's past peak wildflower season, but I still saw some lovely flower displays along the trail (N Fork of Big Pine Creek).
Started off my Sierra adventures with an acclimatization hike to one of the most beautiful lakes easily accessible from east side. It has a boring name (Second Lake) but an incredible view.
August 1, 2025 at 2:10 AM
Started off my Sierra adventures with an acclimatization hike to one of the most beautiful lakes easily accessible from east side. It has a boring name (Second Lake) but an incredible view.
After many years, I have returned to the Sierra Nevada for a few adventures. Eastern Sierra and Owens Valley are just as majestic as I remember. God I love these mountains.
August 1, 2025 at 2:01 AM
After many years, I have returned to the Sierra Nevada for a few adventures. Eastern Sierra and Owens Valley are just as majestic as I remember. God I love these mountains.
State of the Schafer: Another Big Catch-up, in which I share what I've been up to in the past months courtney-schafer.blogspot.com/2025/05/stat...
State of the Schafer: Another Big Catch-up
Once again, it's been a while. This time, my silence has mostly been due to work. In addition to being Head of Data Science at New Zealand'...
courtney-schafer.blogspot.com
May 17, 2025 at 2:07 AM
State of the Schafer: Another Big Catch-up, in which I share what I've been up to in the past months courtney-schafer.blogspot.com/2025/05/stat...
Reposted by Courtney Schafer
So Wired Magazine did a profile of me! www.wired.com/story/murder...
How Murderbot Saved Martha Wells' Life
Martha Wells created one of the most iconic characters in 21st-century science fiction: Murderbot, reluctant savior of humanity. Then she faced an existential threat of her own.
www.wired.com
November 26, 2024 at 2:27 PM
So Wired Magazine did a profile of me! www.wired.com/story/murder...
State of the Schafer: in which I am busy, but not too busy to vote courtney-schafer.blogspot.com/2024/11/stat...
State of the Schafer: Busy, but not too busy to vote
Let's start with good news! In my last post, I mentioned that my first follow-up mammogram had turned up some new areas of concern. I didn'...
courtney-schafer.blogspot.com
November 2, 2024 at 5:25 AM
State of the Schafer: in which I am busy, but not too busy to vote courtney-schafer.blogspot.com/2024/11/stat...
State of the Schafer: a mixed bag of news and a whole lot of pics (from Aoraki Mt Cook National Park, Japan, Wellington, and local adventures) courtney-schafer.blogspot.com/2024/06/stat...
State of the Schafer: Deep in gratitude
Friday marked a public holiday in New Zealand to celebrate Matariki, which in Māori tradition signals winter taking hold of the land. It's m...
courtney-schafer.blogspot.com
June 30, 2024 at 8:02 PM
State of the Schafer: a mixed bag of news and a whole lot of pics (from Aoraki Mt Cook National Park, Japan, Wellington, and local adventures) courtney-schafer.blogspot.com/2024/06/stat...
At long last I have seen the aurora australis! Every other time it's been strong, either sky was too cloudy or I was too tired. Tonight was epic. Red & green beams visible to naked eye
May 11, 2024 at 10:24 AM
At long last I have seen the aurora australis! Every other time it's been strong, either sky was too cloudy or I was too tired. Tonight was epic. Red & green beams visible to naked eye
Reposted by Courtney Schafer
Really good read 👇🏻
(I have an intense love for the Eastern Sierra corridor of California that stretches from Ridgecrest up to the Nevada border so this was doubly interesting)
(I have an intense love for the Eastern Sierra corridor of California that stretches from Ridgecrest up to the Nevada border so this was doubly interesting)
This story, about the lessons that Owens Lake has for the Great Salt Lake, came out just about a year ago and was probably my favorite at Grid so here’s the archived version because bad people nuked it from the internet
Utah’s Great Salt Lake may turn into a toxic dust bomb. Can a dried-up California lake help stop it?
A sign warns of harsh conditions at Owens Lake near Lone Pine, California, on Feb. 28. The dry lakebed used to be the single biggest source of dust pollution in the United States. Climate change and e...
authory.com
March 13, 2024 at 12:39 AM
Really good read 👇🏻
(I have an intense love for the Eastern Sierra corridor of California that stretches from Ridgecrest up to the Nevada border so this was doubly interesting)
(I have an intense love for the Eastern Sierra corridor of California that stretches from Ridgecrest up to the Nevada border so this was doubly interesting)
Reposted by Courtney Schafer
New Year’s Eve ONLY —
THE WATER OUTLAWS ebook is $2.99!!!!
🗡 Genderdiverse bandits.
🌟 A female protagonist in her 40s.
🏮 Like a Hong Kong martial arts movie, but super, duper queer.
us.macmillan.com/books/978125...
THE WATER OUTLAWS ebook is $2.99!!!!
🗡 Genderdiverse bandits.
🌟 A female protagonist in her 40s.
🏮 Like a Hong Kong martial arts movie, but super, duper queer.
us.macmillan.com/books/978125...
The Water Outlaws
A 2023 Pick for Vulture | The Washington Post | Publishers Weekly | Men's Health | IGN | Polygon | Goodreads | Amazon | Nerd Daily | WeAreBookish | Paste | B...
us.macmillan.com
December 31, 2023 at 5:28 AM
New Year’s Eve ONLY —
THE WATER OUTLAWS ebook is $2.99!!!!
🗡 Genderdiverse bandits.
🌟 A female protagonist in her 40s.
🏮 Like a Hong Kong martial arts movie, but super, duper queer.
us.macmillan.com/books/978125...
THE WATER OUTLAWS ebook is $2.99!!!!
🗡 Genderdiverse bandits.
🌟 A female protagonist in her 40s.
🏮 Like a Hong Kong martial arts movie, but super, duper queer.
us.macmillan.com/books/978125...
Looking back at the latter half of 2023, which was certainly a better experience for me than the first: courtney-schafer.blogspot.com/2023/12/the-...
December 31, 2023 at 10:35 PM
Looking back at the latter half of 2023, which was certainly a better experience for me than the first: courtney-schafer.blogspot.com/2023/12/the-...
Summer is off to a good start with a lovely day out on the Skyline Ridge track, ascending Roy's Peak and Mt Alpha.
November 26, 2023 at 1:36 AM
Summer is off to a good start with a lovely day out on the Skyline Ridge track, ascending Roy's Peak and Mt Alpha.
Been silent for a while because I was visiting family in the US (first time seeing them since pre-pandemic!). On the long journey home to NZ, when the plane flew over the Sierra I got treated to a pretty neat view of Half Dome.
October 19, 2023 at 6:41 PM
Been silent for a while because I was visiting family in the US (first time seeing them since pre-pandemic!). On the long journey home to NZ, when the plane flew over the Sierra I got treated to a pretty neat view of Half Dome.
After a week of wild weather, I'm feeling very appreciative of this glorious spring sunshine
September 25, 2023 at 1:01 AM
After a week of wild weather, I'm feeling very appreciative of this glorious spring sunshine
Reposted by Courtney Schafer
Since I'm new here and seeing new faces, I thought I'd introduce you to my pandemic books, which didn't do well, b/c pandemic. If you like stories with found families and LGBTQ+ families kicking Nazis to the curb, you might like these:
August 23, 2023 at 11:09 AM
Since I'm new here and seeing new faces, I thought I'd introduce you to my pandemic books, which didn't do well, b/c pandemic. If you like stories with found families and LGBTQ+ families kicking Nazis to the curb, you might like these:
Happiness is a new T. Kingfisher book! After a kinda rough week (nothing serious, just a bunch of smaller stresses, but they added up fast), I'm sooooo looking forward to diving into this.
I have a new book out today! Called THORNHEDGE! Available in most of the usual places you get books! It is very sweet and only has a couple dead bodies.
August 19, 2023 at 3:53 AM
Happiness is a new T. Kingfisher book! After a kinda rough week (nothing serious, just a bunch of smaller stresses, but they added up fast), I'm sooooo looking forward to diving into this.
Reposted by Courtney Schafer
I haven't posted much here (scrolling SM is a struggle with my disability), but I would love for you to pick up my new science fiction novel, MERU. It's got space travel, genetics, and posthumans with solar wings.
The ebook is on sale this week at Amazon for only $2.49. Get it cheap while you can!
The ebook is on sale this week at Amazon for only $2.49. Get it cheap while you can!
August 7, 2023 at 5:23 PM
I haven't posted much here (scrolling SM is a struggle with my disability), but I would love for you to pick up my new science fiction novel, MERU. It's got space travel, genetics, and posthumans with solar wings.
The ebook is on sale this week at Amazon for only $2.49. Get it cheap while you can!
The ebook is on sale this week at Amazon for only $2.49. Get it cheap while you can!
Reposted by Courtney Schafer
This week only 8/7 - 8/13 FURIOUS HEAVEN is on ebook sale (on Amazon USA) for $2.99 as part of a Kindle Big Deal promotion. A fantastic price for hours and HOURS of space opera reading enjoyment.
Amazon.com
www.amazon.com
August 8, 2023 at 8:02 PM
This week only 8/7 - 8/13 FURIOUS HEAVEN is on ebook sale (on Amazon USA) for $2.99 as part of a Kindle Big Deal promotion. A fantastic price for hours and HOURS of space opera reading enjoyment.
The pupster makes a great giraffe
August 8, 2023 at 1:13 AM
The pupster makes a great giraffe
Reposted by Courtney Schafer
I always tell young writers, “Not everyone has to like your work. Some people hate artichokes. That doesn’t make them a bad vegetable.”
People are like stories — there are 131 different basic kinds and every individual is wired to be able to appreciate and enjoy at most 97 of them.
(I use this when I explain why it’s fine to be completely unable to read X work of classic literature or SFF or whatever)
(I use this when I explain why it’s fine to be completely unable to read X work of classic literature or SFF or whatever)
July 23, 2023 at 11:22 PM
I always tell young writers, “Not everyone has to like your work. Some people hate artichokes. That doesn’t make them a bad vegetable.”