Elena Gaillard
@elenagaillard.bsky.social
Orchid enthusiast, SFF reader, fantasy writer, graphic designer, knitter, birdwatcher, wine drinker, nasty woman. She/her.
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Elena Gaillard
@elenagaillard.bsky.social
· Oct 31
Hey, so I write books about chaos muppet witches in 1950s and 60s northern England. Are they spooky? Only if you get on their wrong side. They do tend to get on each other's nerves, tho. There may be some blood involved.
Reposted by Elena Gaillard
Those who like Donald are always the last to realize he is a sociopath without any empathy, who has no concern for anyone other than himself.
The rest of us realized that a long time ago.
The rest of us realized that a long time ago.
Marjorie Taylor Greene: "I sent those deaths threats directly to him in a text message & informed him of what his name calling & words were doing - it was a direct assassination threat on my son. And he was extremely - I won't repeat what he said - but it was extremely unkind. No sympathy. No care"
December 9, 2025 at 8:07 PM
Those who like Donald are always the last to realize he is a sociopath without any empathy, who has no concern for anyone other than himself.
The rest of us realized that a long time ago.
The rest of us realized that a long time ago.
Reposted by Elena Gaillard
Just one time, when a reporter asks Trump whether he thinks Hegseth should release the video, and he says, "Whatever he wants to do. I don't get involved with that," I'd like to see them follow up with, "What happened to that big, strong, powerful leader...on The Apprentice? Was that just an act?"
December 9, 2025 at 7:41 PM
Just one time, when a reporter asks Trump whether he thinks Hegseth should release the video, and he says, "Whatever he wants to do. I don't get involved with that," I'd like to see them follow up with, "What happened to that big, strong, powerful leader...on The Apprentice? Was that just an act?"
Reposted by Elena Gaillard
both the best Discworld book and the one most appropriate to public office
December 9, 2025 at 7:41 PM
both the best Discworld book and the one most appropriate to public office
Reposted by Elena Gaillard
Hello! My name is Alexandra, and I make comics!
SideQuested.com is a fantasy romcom, and its first book launches on March 26! Preorder NOW!
FamilyDemons.com is about what happens if suddenly magic is a thing, and a 15yo has to rescue her whole liar family!
All art by me, words by @kbspangler.com
SideQuested.com is a fantasy romcom, and its first book launches on March 26! Preorder NOW!
FamilyDemons.com is about what happens if suddenly magic is a thing, and a 15yo has to rescue her whole liar family!
All art by me, words by @kbspangler.com
December 8, 2025 at 11:22 PM
Hello! My name is Alexandra, and I make comics!
SideQuested.com is a fantasy romcom, and its first book launches on March 26! Preorder NOW!
FamilyDemons.com is about what happens if suddenly magic is a thing, and a 15yo has to rescue her whole liar family!
All art by me, words by @kbspangler.com
SideQuested.com is a fantasy romcom, and its first book launches on March 26! Preorder NOW!
FamilyDemons.com is about what happens if suddenly magic is a thing, and a 15yo has to rescue her whole liar family!
All art by me, words by @kbspangler.com
Reposted by Elena Gaillard
an excellent point – DJs developed blending as an art. And it is an art! When do it yourself, you generally don’t get what you get from a great DJ. The tech guys really think the computer can do what the DJ does, but it cannot. Instead, it makes something that sucks, then makes it the default
the last thing I ever want to listen to is an AI DJ. If I want to hear somebody blending records I know where to find that.
new iOS update is sleek and also defaults in Music to “you must want songs transition as they would on a dance floor.” so many people will wonder why they can’t just listen to an album. Apps > Music > Song Transitions > toggle off.
December 9, 2025 at 7:42 PM
an excellent point – DJs developed blending as an art. And it is an art! When do it yourself, you generally don’t get what you get from a great DJ. The tech guys really think the computer can do what the DJ does, but it cannot. Instead, it makes something that sucks, then makes it the default
Reposted by Elena Gaillard
What’s really frustrating is this isn’t just true of consumer applications. This is also the design ideology many large tech companies use when designing developer tooling, trust and safety tools, solutions that are meant to address harms like extremism and disinformation, etc.
The way tech companies constantly do stuff that nobody asked for really tells you a lot about their bigger ideology. They tell themselves that you will like it over time. What they mean is you’ll learn to endure it, or you’ll give up. quality of UI is not actually anywhere on their radar
new iOS update is sleek and also defaults in Music to “you must want songs transition as they would on a dance floor.” so many people will wonder why they can’t just listen to an album. Apps > Music > Song Transitions > toggle off.
December 9, 2025 at 7:34 PM
What’s really frustrating is this isn’t just true of consumer applications. This is also the design ideology many large tech companies use when designing developer tooling, trust and safety tools, solutions that are meant to address harms like extremism and disinformation, etc.
Reposted by Elena Gaillard
Need a bird break? Here's a thread of my favorite bird-in-profile shots from around the Pacific Northwest. One photo per bird, starting with this Anna's hummingbird, nesting.
#BirdOfTheDay #SideViews #birds #Photography #nature #wildlife #BirdPhotography #BirdSky #PNW
#BirdOfTheDay #SideViews #birds #Photography #nature #wildlife #BirdPhotography #BirdSky #PNW
December 9, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Need a bird break? Here's a thread of my favorite bird-in-profile shots from around the Pacific Northwest. One photo per bird, starting with this Anna's hummingbird, nesting.
#BirdOfTheDay #SideViews #birds #Photography #nature #wildlife #BirdPhotography #BirdSky #PNW
#BirdOfTheDay #SideViews #birds #Photography #nature #wildlife #BirdPhotography #BirdSky #PNW
Reposted by Elena Gaillard
I don't know, I just feel like being a healthy solvent self employed person with no criminal record who speaks excellent English should count for more than knowing the seven kingdoms of the Heptarchy.
December 9, 2025 at 1:26 PM
I don't know, I just feel like being a healthy solvent self employed person with no criminal record who speaks excellent English should count for more than knowing the seven kingdoms of the Heptarchy.
Reposted by Elena Gaillard
My PT is studying for his British citizenship test so we were practicing between sets. What absolute bloody nonsense it is. "How long ago was the Bronze Age" yeah wow imagine a British citizen not knowing that, the state would collapse.
December 9, 2025 at 1:07 PM
My PT is studying for his British citizenship test so we were practicing between sets. What absolute bloody nonsense it is. "How long ago was the Bronze Age" yeah wow imagine a British citizen not knowing that, the state would collapse.
Reposted by Elena Gaillard
1) don't Platform Nazis, not here for it, always a poor decision
2) but if you're going to platform Nazis, for sure spotlight their feeble, warped, incel asses ad nauseam
2) but if you're going to platform Nazis, for sure spotlight their feeble, warped, incel asses ad nauseam
PIERS: “You’re not gay?”
FUENTES: “No. But women are very difficult to be around.”
P: “Should they vote?”
F: “No.”
PIERS: “They should stay home?”
FUENTES: “Yeah.”
PIERS: “So you’re just a misogynistic dinosaur. Have you ever had sex?”
FUENTES: “No.”
PIERS: “Wow. Says the guy who never got laid.”
FUENTES: “No. But women are very difficult to be around.”
P: “Should they vote?”
F: “No.”
PIERS: “They should stay home?”
FUENTES: “Yeah.”
PIERS: “So you’re just a misogynistic dinosaur. Have you ever had sex?”
FUENTES: “No.”
PIERS: “Wow. Says the guy who never got laid.”
December 9, 2025 at 7:28 PM
1) don't Platform Nazis, not here for it, always a poor decision
2) but if you're going to platform Nazis, for sure spotlight their feeble, warped, incel asses ad nauseam
2) but if you're going to platform Nazis, for sure spotlight their feeble, warped, incel asses ad nauseam
Reposted by Elena Gaillard
PIERS: “You’re not gay?”
FUENTES: “No. But women are very difficult to be around.”
P: “Should they vote?”
F: “No.”
PIERS: “They should stay home?”
FUENTES: “Yeah.”
PIERS: “So you’re just a misogynistic dinosaur. Have you ever had sex?”
FUENTES: “No.”
PIERS: “Wow. Says the guy who never got laid.”
FUENTES: “No. But women are very difficult to be around.”
P: “Should they vote?”
F: “No.”
PIERS: “They should stay home?”
FUENTES: “Yeah.”
PIERS: “So you’re just a misogynistic dinosaur. Have you ever had sex?”
FUENTES: “No.”
PIERS: “Wow. Says the guy who never got laid.”
December 9, 2025 at 1:34 PM
PIERS: “You’re not gay?”
FUENTES: “No. But women are very difficult to be around.”
P: “Should they vote?”
F: “No.”
PIERS: “They should stay home?”
FUENTES: “Yeah.”
PIERS: “So you’re just a misogynistic dinosaur. Have you ever had sex?”
FUENTES: “No.”
PIERS: “Wow. Says the guy who never got laid.”
FUENTES: “No. But women are very difficult to be around.”
P: “Should they vote?”
F: “No.”
PIERS: “They should stay home?”
FUENTES: “Yeah.”
PIERS: “So you’re just a misogynistic dinosaur. Have you ever had sex?”
FUENTES: “No.”
PIERS: “Wow. Says the guy who never got laid.”
Reposted by Elena Gaillard
I can’t believe I’m 100% team Morgan here, but sometimes God’s work is mysterious, I guess.
PIERS: “You’re not gay?”
FUENTES: “No. But women are very difficult to be around.”
P: “Should they vote?”
F: “No.”
PIERS: “They should stay home?”
FUENTES: “Yeah.”
PIERS: “So you’re just a misogynistic dinosaur. Have you ever had sex?”
FUENTES: “No.”
PIERS: “Wow. Says the guy who never got laid.”
FUENTES: “No. But women are very difficult to be around.”
P: “Should they vote?”
F: “No.”
PIERS: “They should stay home?”
FUENTES: “Yeah.”
PIERS: “So you’re just a misogynistic dinosaur. Have you ever had sex?”
FUENTES: “No.”
PIERS: “Wow. Says the guy who never got laid.”
December 9, 2025 at 7:43 PM
I can’t believe I’m 100% team Morgan here, but sometimes God’s work is mysterious, I guess.
Reposted by Elena Gaillard
New Standing Room Only! Today's excerpt is a reminder that fascists are as small as they are evil.
Subscribe today! salon.com/newsletter
Music by Chloe Slater.
Subscribe today! salon.com/newsletter
Music by Chloe Slater.
December 9, 2025 at 3:21 PM
New Standing Room Only! Today's excerpt is a reminder that fascists are as small as they are evil.
Subscribe today! salon.com/newsletter
Music by Chloe Slater.
Subscribe today! salon.com/newsletter
Music by Chloe Slater.
Reposted by Elena Gaillard
Me: Slow year
Me: Only two novellas, three novelettes, and four short stories out this year, plus a handful of essays
Me: Surely I must flagellate myself for eighty-five centuries
premeemohamed.com/eligibility-...
Me: Only two novellas, three novelettes, and four short stories out this year, plus a handful of essays
Me: Surely I must flagellate myself for eighty-five centuries
premeemohamed.com/eligibility-...
December 9, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Me: Slow year
Me: Only two novellas, three novelettes, and four short stories out this year, plus a handful of essays
Me: Surely I must flagellate myself for eighty-five centuries
premeemohamed.com/eligibility-...
Me: Only two novellas, three novelettes, and four short stories out this year, plus a handful of essays
Me: Surely I must flagellate myself for eighty-five centuries
premeemohamed.com/eligibility-...
Reposted by Elena Gaillard
the thing is, they hate the ACA, they don’t particularly care about replacing it with anything (let alone improving it) and they’ve so totally cocooned themselves in right wing news and groups that they think everyone else agrees
do these men not have, y'know, staffers to tell them not to say stupid shit like this? "don't mock the premium increases everyone is about to start feeling," is literally the easiest, most obvious advice anybody can give Thune, AND YET ...
December 9, 2025 at 7:43 PM
the thing is, they hate the ACA, they don’t particularly care about replacing it with anything (let alone improving it) and they’ve so totally cocooned themselves in right wing news and groups that they think everyone else agrees
Reposted by Elena Gaillard
lmao, sure, go ahead, antagonize people that are going to see huge price hikes while you’re taking subsidies away from them, great strategy
John Thune says Republicans have decided to vote on the Crapo-Cassidy health care bill as an alternative to Democrats’ bill to extend ACA funds.
He criticizes the expiring ACA funds as “Biden Covid bonuses.”
He criticizes the expiring ACA funds as “Biden Covid bonuses.”
December 9, 2025 at 7:35 PM
lmao, sure, go ahead, antagonize people that are going to see huge price hikes while you’re taking subsidies away from them, great strategy
Reposted by Elena Gaillard
I mean it just seems like a substantial portion of the country is taking their cues about masculinity from dudes who clearly used to be the universally disliked weird bully who smelled odd and ate his own boogers at recess
December 9, 2025 at 7:43 PM
I mean it just seems like a substantial portion of the country is taking their cues about masculinity from dudes who clearly used to be the universally disliked weird bully who smelled odd and ate his own boogers at recess
Reposted by Elena Gaillard
Masculinity is crying when things don't go your way now
December 9, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Masculinity is crying when things don't go your way now
Reposted by Elena Gaillard
Everything else aside, the idea that this is a model for many men of *masculinity* is so wild. This? This is "manly"? This is how people think it's cool to act?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-wG...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-wG...
Dave Portnoy Demands NFL Investigate Pete Carroll & Raiders For Rigging
YouTube video by Clasher Sports
www.youtube.com
December 9, 2025 at 2:40 PM
Everything else aside, the idea that this is a model for many men of *masculinity* is so wild. This? This is "manly"? This is how people think it's cool to act?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-wG...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-wG...
Reposted by Elena Gaillard
For some men (and women) sports seem like an outlet for emotional volatility, for others it seems like a trigger for it. Maybe if we didn’t appoint major media figures based primarily on bed-head and extreme mood lability the culture would be better.
Everything else aside, the idea that this is a model for many men of *masculinity* is so wild. This? This is "manly"? This is how people think it's cool to act?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-wG...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-wG...
Dave Portnoy Demands NFL Investigate Pete Carroll & Raiders For Rigging
YouTube video by Clasher Sports
www.youtube.com
December 9, 2025 at 7:40 PM
For some men (and women) sports seem like an outlet for emotional volatility, for others it seems like a trigger for it. Maybe if we didn’t appoint major media figures based primarily on bed-head and extreme mood lability the culture would be better.
Reposted by Elena Gaillard
REPORTER: A number of your members said they would support releasing a video of that Sept 2 strike publicly. would you support that?
THUNE: Well, I'm happy with what they are doing
THUNE: Well, I'm happy with what they are doing
December 9, 2025 at 7:44 PM
REPORTER: A number of your members said they would support releasing a video of that Sept 2 strike publicly. would you support that?
THUNE: Well, I'm happy with what they are doing
THUNE: Well, I'm happy with what they are doing
Reposted by Elena Gaillard
The way tech companies constantly do stuff that nobody asked for really tells you a lot about their bigger ideology. They tell themselves that you will like it over time. What they mean is you’ll learn to endure it, or you’ll give up. quality of UI is not actually anywhere on their radar
new iOS update is sleek and also defaults in Music to “you must want songs transition as they would on a dance floor.” so many people will wonder why they can’t just listen to an album. Apps > Music > Song Transitions > toggle off.
December 9, 2025 at 7:26 PM
The way tech companies constantly do stuff that nobody asked for really tells you a lot about their bigger ideology. They tell themselves that you will like it over time. What they mean is you’ll learn to endure it, or you’ll give up. quality of UI is not actually anywhere on their radar
Reposted by Elena Gaillard
I am brimming with holiday spirit
December 8, 2025 at 12:47 PM
I am brimming with holiday spirit
Reposted by Elena Gaillard
If they aren’t a registered charity and they aren’t registered with the Fundraising Regulator (example logo below), it’s probably one of these scammy orgs where the ‘profit’ is a tiny fraction of the money you handed over and some bastard gets rich on your good intentions. Give to a real charity.
December 9, 2025 at 8:12 AM
If they aren’t a registered charity and they aren’t registered with the Fundraising Regulator (example logo below), it’s probably one of these scammy orgs where the ‘profit’ is a tiny fraction of the money you handed over and some bastard gets rich on your good intentions. Give to a real charity.
Reposted by Elena Gaillard
My #RomanceColumn best romances list for the NYT is live today! It’s impossible to pick just a few books from so many, but as the song says, impossible things are happening every day, so let’s get to it! (Gift link)
#Romancelandia #booksky
#Romancelandia #booksky
The Best Romance Novels of 2025
www.nytimes.com
December 9, 2025 at 6:10 PM
My #RomanceColumn best romances list for the NYT is live today! It’s impossible to pick just a few books from so many, but as the song says, impossible things are happening every day, so let’s get to it! (Gift link)
#Romancelandia #booksky
#Romancelandia #booksky