Janni Lee Simner
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jannileesimner.bsky.social
Janni Lee Simner
@jannileesimner.bsky.social
Writer and struggling idealist. Author of the Bones of Faerie trilogy. www.simner.com
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"The dragons are not all dead, as we thought. Maybe the wizards are not all dead, either." --Ursula K. Le Guin, The Farthest Shore
Reposted by Janni Lee Simner
TIL about a memorial ceremony in Iceland in 2019 to mark the end of a glacier, changing the place name from Okjökull to Ok (jökull = glacier). Uncompromising wording on the bronze plaque:
"This is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it".
December 7, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Reposted by Janni Lee Simner
For Tucsonans I’d add @azluminaria.org, @tucsonagenda.bsky.social, and @tucsonsentinel.com. For everyone I’d add @erininthemorning.com.
NEW — I put together a list of independent journalism subscriptions that would make great holiday gifts. From music to politics, astronomy to alcohol, tech to social justice, there’s something for [almost] everyone. Support indie media *and* surprise and delight your loved ones!

My guide:
Giving the gift of independent journalism: a guide
The Handbasket has subscription suggestions for almost everyone on your list.
www.thehandbasket.co
December 6, 2025 at 6:49 PM
For Tucsonans I’d add @azluminaria.org, @tucsonagenda.bsky.social, and @tucsonsentinel.com. For everyone I’d add @erininthemorning.com.
NEW — I put together a list of independent journalism subscriptions that would make great holiday gifts. From music to politics, astronomy to alcohol, tech to social justice, there’s something for [almost] everyone. Support indie media *and* surprise and delight your loved ones!

My guide:
Giving the gift of independent journalism: a guide
The Handbasket has subscription suggestions for almost everyone on your list.
www.thehandbasket.co
December 6, 2025 at 6:49 PM
But when they do flow? They have serious power.
Between Bones of Faerie and the current project, I clearly think rivers have serious power.

Pretty bold coming from a writer who lives someplace they don't even flow year-round.
December 4, 2025 at 8:19 PM
Between Bones of Faerie and the current project, I clearly think rivers have serious power.

Pretty bold coming from a writer who lives someplace they don't even flow year-round.
December 4, 2025 at 8:18 PM
Reposted by Janni Lee Simner
The attacks on trans rights, which are basic human rights, are a terrible injustice and an attack on truth and fact as well. Everyone should be deeply alarmed and it should be disqualifying for a politician to support such discrimination.
December 4, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Reposted by Janni Lee Simner
This is actually quite brilliant, up to and including the final sentence 🔥
December 1, 2025 at 11:09 AM
If you’re in Arizona and also didn’t vote for this, let Senator Gallego know — his number is (480) 697-3600.
December 1, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Reposted by Janni Lee Simner
Solidarity to our striking baristas in Atlanta, GA! We're 15 days into our national ULP strike 💪

Baristas are on strike in over 65 cities, demanding: higher pay, better hours, & an end to union busting. Until Starbucks brings us NEW proposals, you’ll see us on the picket line. #NoContractNoCoffee
November 27, 2025 at 12:51 PM
Morning Tucson!
November 21, 2025 at 2:28 PM
I often forget just how good it feels to get into the mountains, even for just a little while.
November 21, 2025 at 2:27 AM
Reposted by Janni Lee Simner
New — I wrote about the myriad ways journalism’s moral rot manifests, and how our crumbling institutions have created the conditions for it to fester:
Moral rot in elite journalism is killing the whole field
The Nuzzi/RFK Jr. mess and the revelation of Esptein's journo pals lay bare a profound moral absence at the heart of our free press.
www.thehandbasket.co
November 18, 2025 at 10:03 PM
I’ve walked away twice from unacceptable short story contract terms, and not regretted it at all either time. Not being afraid to walk away when we need to is so, so important.
Did you read my post from last week about how contract woes caused me to withdraw an accepted story from F&SF, ending my 54-year quest to be published in that magazine? But wait (as the saying goes) — there's more! Scroll down at the link for an update. www.scottedelman.com/wordpress/20...
A dream denied: My 54-year quest to publish a short story in F&SF ‹ Scott Edelman
www.scottedelman.com
November 18, 2025 at 4:37 PM
Just playing another round of “is it light pollution or is it the aurora?”
November 13, 2025 at 3:46 AM
Reposted by Janni Lee Simner
People say wolves are intelligent, but a third of our staff was able to beat them in head-to-head Chutes and Ladders.
November 10, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Reposted by Janni Lee Simner
HAVE YOU VOTED YET? 🇺🇸
November 4, 2025 at 2:02 PM
As someone who -has- voted blue for centrist and conservative dems for decades because yes, the alternative was always worse, I feel betrayed and lied to by so much of my party for not being willing to do the same thing they repeatedly asked of me when -they- became the ones uneasy with a candidate.
And of course, this comes after spending decades lecturing progressives on how they have to vote for centrist democrats because the republican alternative is worse. But the moment a progressive is the nominated candidate, “Vote blue no matter who” goes out the window.
November 3, 2025 at 8:06 PM
City Council and school funding here. It all matters. Vote, even if the races and propositions on your ballot aren’t making headlines.
Tomorrow I will only be voting for township trustees and local board of education members, but I will be voting. I will say that if I were voting in California, I'd be voting for Prop 50, and if I were voting in New York City, I'd be voting for Mamdani for mayor. Wherever you are, vote!
November 3, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Reposted by Janni Lee Simner
I hope that romance novels will be written about people who meet each other on neighborhood ICE monitoring patrols. They will see each other regularly on the streets, be drawn to each other by the visible whistles around their necks, get to know one another, fall in love, and end fascism.
November 3, 2025 at 2:02 PM
I love this entire series so much.
This has been a really rough few days. I recently learned of a controversy around our book THE PRINCESS IN BLACK AND THE PRINCE IN PINK. Some were outraged that Deseret Book carried it (a chain of bookstores in the west). Deseret Book appears to have complied to their demands and removed it. 1/
November 3, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Arizona and Hawaii welcome the rest of the country back to standard time.
November 3, 2025 at 2:36 AM
Reposted by Janni Lee Simner
This needs to be shared and seen.
I'm shaking almost too hard to type. I entered SLC airport and heard screams and cries for help. I could see people gathered around, watching. I sped over to discover this woman face down on the floor, four grown men pushing her down, while she cried "HELP ME" and pled for her child.
October 30, 2025 at 2:48 PM
This needs to be shared and seen.
I'm shaking almost too hard to type. I entered SLC airport and heard screams and cries for help. I could see people gathered around, watching. I sped over to discover this woman face down on the floor, four grown men pushing her down, while she cried "HELP ME" and pled for her child.
October 30, 2025 at 2:48 PM