Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Lisa Gold: Research Maven

American Writers Museum @americanwritersmuseum.org · 1d

Join us this Friday, Oct. 10 at 6:30 p.m. at the University of Chicago as we talk horror writing and religion with @bymattruff.bsky.social, author of LOVECRAFT COUNTRY, alongside Tananarive Due and Juan Martinez. Free to students!

Register here: bit.ly/46EnYIF

Horror Writing and Religion - An American Prophets Program

Leading writers of horror and suspense—Tananarive Due, Matt Ruff, & Juan Martinez—discuss the role of religion in their work and the genre.

bit.ly

3

Reposted by Lisa Gold: Research Maven

Elizabeth: Ghost in the City @kikutowne.bsky.social · 4d

Gonna put this on a sandwich board and wear it on the street while ringing a bell like a town crier:

“AI is the asbestos we are shoveling into the walls of our society and our descendants will be digging it out for generations,” he continued.”

David Slack @slack2thefuture.bsky.social · 4d

🎈📌👶 futurism.com/future-socie...

Cory Doctorow Says the AI Industry Is About to Collapse

Famed sci-fi author and tech journalist Cory Doctorow has a spectacularly grim warning about the coming AI-fueled economic disaster.

futurism.com

1 39 66

Reposted by Lisa Gold: Research Maven

John Scalzi @scalzi.com · 5d

I've already informed my publishers that as the sole owner of the copyrights of my works, I expect any sums received by them to be forwarded to me. We'll see how that goes.

Edward Hasbrouck @edwardhasbrouck.bsky.social · 5d

Note that most authors will only get $1,500 per book -- the publisher will get the other half. More from the NWU: nwu.org/anthropic/

Settlement of AI lawsuit gets tentative approval; some writers will get paid, but mostly only if they make claims | NWU

On September 25, 2025, Judge William Alsup of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California gave preliminary (tentative) approval to a proposed $1.5 billion settlement of some of the...

nwu.org

8 34 370

Reposted by Lisa Gold: Research Maven

The Atlantic @theatlantic.com · 5d

Jane Austen. Spike Lee. MrBeast. “Modern Family.” The Atlantic’s new AI Watchdog search tool lets you see which creative works tech companies may have used to train their generative-AI models: https://theatln.tc/vQSlfiyC

4 13 45

Reposted by Lisa Gold: Research Maven

Cotton Candy Clouds Podcast™️ @tcccpodcast.bsky.social · 5d

Please do read the novel, "Lovecraft Country". The phrase “the book is always better” is not hyperbole - the book is full of extra gems.

3 4

Reposted by Lisa Gold: Research Maven

Courtney Milan @courtneymilan.com · 7d

Hey authors, the official list of Anthropic works is available for searching.

secure.anthropiccopyrightsettlement.com/lookup

Submit a Claim

secure.anthropiccopyrightsettlement.com

52 920 1.1K

Reposted by Lisa Gold: Research Maven

Matt Ruff @bymattruff.bsky.social · 8d

I'll be at the University of Chicago on Friday, Oct. 10 as part of the @americanwritersmuseum.org American Prophets series, talking about "Horror Writing & Religion" with Tananarive Due and Juan Martinez.

Details/tickets here: tinyurl.com/bdh6zhtd

2 8 14

Reposted by Lisa Gold: Research Maven

Victoria Strauss @victoriastrauss.com · 12d

New #WriterBeware blog post: An update on the historic Bartz v. Anthropic settlement. It's been preliminarily approved by the court, but many questions remain about the claims process, the timeline, and exactly which works are included writerbeware.blog/2025/09/26/b...

Bartz v. Anthropic Settlement: An Update for Authors - Writer Beware

BACKGROUND A year ago, a group of authors filed suit against AI company Anthropic over its creation of an enormous library of digitized books to train its Claude LLMs, arguing that because Anthropic d...

writerbeware.blog

2 13 32

Reposted by Lisa Gold: Research Maven

Tajja Isen @tajjaisen.bsky.social · 12d

I spent the summer reporting this essay on why it seems harder than ever to sell a book right now—especially if it isn't a debut and comes with the dreaded "sales track." I'm grateful to the writers, agents, editors, publishers & experts who spoke to me for this piece: thewalrus.ca/the-publishi...

The Publishing Industry Has a Gambling Problem | The Walrus

Companies keep betting on the next bestseller. Literature is poorer for it

thewalrus.ca

22 350 860

Lisa Gold: Research Maven @lisagold.bsky.social · 12d

Today the ebooks of four of Matt Ruff's novels are on sale in the U.S.:
-- LOVECRAFT COUNTRY is $1.99
-- BAD MONKEYS is $1.99
-- 88 NAMES is $1.99
-- SEWER, GAS & ELECTRIC is $2.99

You can read about all of his novels on his website: bymattruff.com

5 10

Reposted by Lisa Gold: Research Maven

Eileen Clancy 🧿 @clancyny.bsky.social · 18d

Historians and researchers, you must prepare for this eventuality online. Some stuff will go away.

Less likely; but I predict it'll happen – anything in physical govt archives that touches upon currently contentious matters could be made inaccessible. Create high quality copies of crucial docs.

Sarah J. Jackson @sjjphd.bsky.social · 18d

This moment is disturbing even in the mundane: I’ve started taking screenshots of historical sources I’m using in research from the national park service, the smithsonian, and the national archives, just in case they get taken down. It’s now a part of my process and takes time I have to plan for.

3 14 38

Reposted by Lisa Gold: Research Maven

Nisi Shawl @nisishawl.bsky.social · 20d

Okay, and here is the crowdfunding campaign for my next project, which now I guess is going to have to be amazing and foundational and wildly essential and move us all: www.gofundme.com/f/help-nisi-... Help how you can. That's what I'm doing.

Donate to Help Nisi Shawl write the book of her dream!, organized by Eileen Gunn

Nisi Shawl, a wise and wonderful writer of science fiction and fantasy, had a… Eileen Gunn needs your support for Help Nisi Shawl write the book of her dream!

www.gofundme.com

29 38

Reposted by Lisa Gold: Research Maven

Nicola Griffith @nicolaz.bsky.social · 18d

This is a nifty write up of both sets of novels—go read GENERATION LOSS!—plus an interview with me about why Aud, with her “slivers of strangeness” is a “unique character who could enliven a book in any genre”. Quite right!

The badass return of crime novels by Nicola Griffith and Elizabeth Hand

Griffith’s Aud Torvingen novels and Hand’s Cass Neary series are back in new editions and they’re terrific.

www.dailybulletin.com

5 33 82

Reposted by Lisa Gold: Research Maven

Matt Ruff @bymattruff.bsky.social · 27d

My good friend @nisishawl.bsky.social, the author of Everfair and Kinning, is having a fundraiser for a book she literally dreamed into existence. You can check out the details here:
www.gofundme.com/f/help-nisi-...

Screen shot of the GoFundMe page for Nisi Shawl's Five Petals of Thought fundraiser.

5 6

Reposted by Lisa Gold: Research Maven

Matt Ruff @bymattruff.bsky.social · Sep 8

I am 60 years old today.

bymattruff.com/2025/09/08/60/

Photo of an old man sitting at his breakfast table, drinking yerba mate.

8 2 35

Lisa Gold: Research Maven @lisagold.bsky.social · Sep 5

You can read about all of Matt Ruff's novels on his website: bymattruff.com

He also wrote a brief introduction to his novels on his blog: bymattruff.com/introductory...

bymattruff.com – This is the author Matt Ruff's website

bymattruff.com

1

Lisa Gold: Research Maven @lisagold.bsky.social · Sep 5

...with Ayn Rand, a billionaire building the Tower of Babel, a Walt Disney conspiracy with homicidal robots, eco-terrorists, a mutant sewer shark & much more. Blurbed by Thomas Pynchon: "A post-Millennial spectacular--dizzingly readable!"

1 2

Lisa Gold: Research Maven @lisagold.bsky.social · Sep 5

SET THIS HOUSE IN ORDER is an award-winning literary exploration of the relationship between two people who both have multiple personalities.

SEWER, GAS & ELECTRIC is a satirical sci-fi novel set in NYC in 2023 (but published in 1997)...

1

Lisa Gold: Research Maven @lisagold.bsky.social · Sep 5

The ebooks of 4 of Matt Ruff's novels are on sale in the U.S. right now:
-- LOVECRAFT COUNTRY and its sequel THE DESTROYER OF WORLDS are only $1.99 each.
-- SET THIS HOUSE IN ORDER is $2.99.
-- SEWER, GAS & ELECTRIC is $2.99.

The cover of Matt Ruff's novel LOVECRAFT COUNTRY

The cover of Matt Ruff's novel THE DESTROYER OF WORLDS: A RETURN TO LOVECRAFT COUNTRY

The cover of Matt Ruff's novel SET THIS HOUSE IN ORDER

The cover of Matt Ruff's novel SEWER, GAS & ELECTRIC

1 1

Reposted by Lisa Gold: Research Maven

Dave Dobson @davedobson.bsky.social · Aug 16

Another cool WorldCon panel, this one about adapting books to TV and movies.

From L to R:

Luke Elliott, moderator
Caitlin Rozakis: Leah's Perfect Gift
Matt Ruff: Lovecraft Country
Leigh Bardugo: Shadow and Bone
Holly Black: Spiderwick Chronicles
Nicholas Binge: Ascension

2 1 4

Reposted by Lisa Gold: Research Maven

Nisi Shawl @nisishawl.bsky.social · Aug 8

The Five Petals of Thought is coming real! Fundraiser for supporting me as I write this artifact of an alt history philosophical movement: www.gofundme.com/f/help-nisi-...

Donate to Help Nisi Shawl write the book of her dream!, organized by Eileen Gunn

Nisi Shawl, a wise and wonderful writer of science fiction and fantasy, had a… Eileen Gunn needs your support for Help Nisi Shawl write the book of her dream!

www.gofundme.com

3 38 38

Reposted by Lisa Gold: Research Maven

Matt Zoller Seitz @mattzollerseitz.bsky.social · Jul 28

I adored the music of Tom Lehrer, who died yesterday at the ripe old age of 97. I wrote an appreciation of him here, with links to some of his best work. There is also a shout-out to Dr. Demento. www.rogerebert.com/tributes/lif...

Life is Like a Piano: Tom Lehrer (1928-2025) | Tributes | Roger Ebert

A tribute to the iconic political musical satirist, who passed this weekend.

www.rogerebert.com

10 73 270

Reposted by Lisa Gold: Research Maven

Sarah Weinman @sarahweinman.com · Jul 27

RIP Tom Lehrer, truly one of the greatest to ever do it, a satirist beyond compare, a brilliant wordsmith, a cheeky fellow, I loved him and his work beyond reason.

Tom Lehrer, Musical Satirist With a Dark Streak, Dies at 97

www.nytimes.com

14 130 460

Lisa Gold: Research Maven @lisagold.bsky.social · Jul 23

The ebooks of two of Matt Ruff’s novels are on sale in the U.S. for only $1.99 each: his award-winning sci-fi thriller BAD MONKEYS, and his virtual reality gaming cyberthriller 88 NAMES.

1 6 11

Reposted by Lisa Gold: Research Maven

Matt Ruff @bymattruff.bsky.social · Jul 12

Also, on October 10 I'll be at the University of Chicago Divinity School along with Tananarive Due and Levi Holloway for a panel discussion on horror writing and religion, hosted by the American Writers Museum.

1 2 3