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Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean @russeldmclean.bsky.social · 1h

Listen to @sirbenfro.bsky.social -- he knows whereof he speaks, and frankly, LOVE AND OTHER POISONS by my brilliant wife @lesleymcdowell.bsky.social is too good to miss out on at this price on Kindle!

James Oswald @sirbenfro.bsky.social · 5h

'Excellent' Me

Lesley McDowell @lesleymcdowell.bsky.social · 6h

My story of a shocking real-life Victorian woman accused of murder is on special offer on Kindle for the whole of October! 'Enthralling' The Scotsman 'Gripping...memorably disturbing' The Herald

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Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean @russeldmclean.bsky.social · 2h

PS -- please buy my books. They're untouched by AI and you might find them quite exciting little reads...

Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean @russeldmclean.bsky.social · 2h

Phishing message/AI spam offering "visibility" for my book this morning -- four so far. All reported. I do worry something genuine will be caught up in this but frankly at this point, if you're unable to separate yourself from the AI masses you're clearly not going to be able to "promote" my books.

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Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean @russeldmclean.bsky.social · 2h

Phishing message/AI spam offering "visibility" for my book this morning -- four so far. All reported. I do worry something genuine will be caught up in this but frankly at this point, if you're unable to separate yourself from the AI masses you're clearly not going to be able to "promote" my books.

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Reposted by Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean

Kendra, regular version @kendrawcandraw.bsky.social · 14d

Please don't call it that

What You Will Need
• Experience: 5+ years as a video editor or producer-editor ("preditor").

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Reposted by Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean

Lesley McDowell @lesleymcdowell.bsky.social · 6h

My story of a shocking real-life Victorian woman accused of murder is on special offer on Kindle for the whole of October! 'Enthralling' The Scotsman 'Gripping...memorably disturbing' The Herald

Green and black book cover with title Love and Other Poisons

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Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean @russeldmclean.bsky.social · 15h

More horror for Halloween -- THE EXORCIST III (1990, dir. William Peter Blatty) in which detective Kinderman searches for a serial killer and finds connections to the death of Father Damian Karris during an excorism 15 years earlier. In an odd way I find this one more rewatchable than part I...

The cover over the blu ray of EXORCIST III shows a statue of Jesus missing a head and a cloaked figure with what appears to be a giant pair of shears...

Reposted by Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean

Orenda Books @orendabooks.bsky.social · 21h

🎥💀 A final reckoning…

💀 Atmospheric, dark & chilling, #BlackAsDeath is the twisty finale to the Áróra Investigation #Series from @liljawriter.bsky.social, t L Garcia

As Áróra & her friends search for answers that may lead them to places even darker than death… 23/10

📖 https://bit.ly/4kKvI0u

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Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean @russeldmclean.bsky.social · 22h

More reading -- GUNNER by @alanparks.bsky.social is an absolute gangbuster of a novel set in 1940s Glasgow following a man invalided from the front lines as he returns to Glasgow and gets caught in a mystery involving mutilated German bodies and... Rudolf Hess? Pacy, punchy & pure dead brilliant.

The cover of Gunner shows the silhouette of a man in a trenchcoat and trilby standing front of the Clyde river as German planes fly overhead.

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Reposted by Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean

Doug Mack @douglasmack.bsky.social · 1d

the most delightful version of logging on to see what news you've missed

Dr Ramsdell, whose phone had been on airplane mode when the Nobel committee tried to call him, told the BBC's Newshour Programme that his first response when his wife said, "You've won the Nobel prize" was: "I did not."

To which Ms O'Neill replied that she had 200 text messages that suggested he had.

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Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean @russeldmclean.bsky.social · 1d

Given their history and reputation, that blows my mind. But with my own prev experience of similar I don't know why I'm surprised. I'm hoping at the very least you get your damn rights back. It still shocks me how little protection the writers have in cases like this.

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Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean @russeldmclean.bsky.social · 1d

Honestly? Sod. Off.

Text from an email that says:

"We're seeking writers to evaluate AI-generated content, develop effective prompts, and review AI workflows.

Your writing skills could be directly monetized while contributing to the advancement of AI technology.

The position offers flexible, remote work at $15 hour (US

Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean @russeldmclean.bsky.social · 1d

No one wants a small press to shutter, especially one that's got kick-arse authors involved, but if you're in business, you need to have a plan of sorts. Not just a "well, sorry everyone, you're screwed". At the very least more transparency would be useful to help authors know why etc.

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Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean @russeldmclean.bsky.social · 1d

Having experienced something similar years ago (a press I was working for as a freelance editor shuttered overnight with no warning and suddenly I & authors were left owed with no recourse) I have complete empathy here. There should be a plan in place in these situations.

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Reposted by Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean

Beau Johnson 🇨🇦 🪓 @beaujohnson44.bsky.social · 1d

Do not buy my books from Amazon or Down and Out Books directly. I will not get paid. I should get paid, as per my contract, but in an email from D&O I’ve been told ‘no further payments will be issued.’
It absolutely blows it is ending this way, but man, pay your authors what they are owed.

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Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean @russeldmclean.bsky.social · 1d

I have never been more consistently disappointed by anyone than Nick Clegg. First the awful power-sharing with Cameron that pushed me away from the Lib dems, and now becoming an AI-vangelist at the expense of genuine humans? *sigh*

The Verge @theverge.com · May 26

Nick Clegg says asking artists for use permission would ‘kill’ the AI industry

Paul McCartne, Elton John and others signed an open letter.

buff.ly

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Chris Brookmyre @brookmyre.bsky.social · 1d

Heads up for a rare London appearance for Marisa and myself. We'll be taking part in the St Andrew's Book Festival on November 29th, alongisde Allan Gaw, and we'll be chaired by none other than the incomparable @damedenisemina.bsky.social.
Details at the link:
www.ticketsource.co.uk/standrewsboo...

www.ticketsource.co.uk

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Reposted by Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean

Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean @russeldmclean.bsky.social · 1d

This by @lesleymcdowell.bsky.social is an incredible book, folks! And its only 99p on yer Kindle devices this month so GET BUYING AND READING! Poison, scandal, sexy bits and bad men getting their just deserts-- what more would you want from a novel?

Lesley McDowell @lesleymcdowell.bsky.social · 5d

A fabulous review of LOVE AND OTHER POISONS in today's Herald ❤️❤️❤️ 'gripping throughout...an enthralling and memorably disturbing portrait' @wildfirebooks.bsky.social @headlinebooks.bsky.social

Pic of woman found guilty of murder and text of book review

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Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean @russeldmclean.bsky.social · 1d

More October horror watches with COUNT YORGA, VAMPIRE (1970 dir. Bob Kelljan) - the count poses as a Hungarian mystic looking to add to his vampiric harem. Ridiculous schlock of the finest calibre with a great central turn from Robert Quarry... part of @arrowvideo.bsky.social's blu ray collection.

The blu ray edition of THE COUNT YORGA COLLECTION shows the counts face complete with vampire teeth, with a background a woman with a stake through her chest and a man carrying a body as two other women look on.

Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean @russeldmclean.bsky.social · 1d

Come on Scottish Parliament -- you know you want to!

Damian Barr @damianbarr.bsky.social · 1d

🙏🏻 for the UK please.

RTÉ News @news.rte.ie · 3d

The Basic Income for the Arts scheme will be put on a permanent footing in the Budget tomorrow

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Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean @russeldmclean.bsky.social · 1d

This by @lesleymcdowell.bsky.social is an incredible book, folks! And its only 99p on yer Kindle devices this month so GET BUYING AND READING! Poison, scandal, sexy bits and bad men getting their just deserts-- what more would you want from a novel?

Lesley McDowell @lesleymcdowell.bsky.social · 5d

A fabulous review of LOVE AND OTHER POISONS in today's Herald ❤️❤️❤️ 'gripping throughout...an enthralling and memorably disturbing portrait' @wildfirebooks.bsky.social @headlinebooks.bsky.social

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Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean @russeldmclean.bsky.social · 2d

It was absolutely superb! Readers are in for a total treat!

Reposted by Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean

Cynethryth @cynethryth.com · 2d

This was my own experience as well. Spent a whole day being upskilled by a MS guy on something. He spent a long time claiming Copilot was soooooo much faster at doing stuff, and by the time he got it to generate an answer to his question, I had already googled and read the information he wanted.

your #3 source for absurdist true crime 🔨 @davidgerard.co.uk · 2d

youtube comment

> Lol the timing; I work in IT for a large publishing company - and my god the meetings with microsoft sales team is all AI AI AI COPILOT COPILOT COPILOT.
> I had to flat out tell their VP we're not buying any fucking copilot - whereupon she revealed that the only thing she is being measured on for Q4 is sales of copilot, so if that's off the table the conversation is not interesting. LMAO

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Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean @russeldmclean.bsky.social · 2d

A change of pace: Harry Harrison's BILL THE GALATIC HERO - an anti-war satire where a farmboy gets pressganged into fighting against the evil "chingers", an alleged 7 feet tall reptilian race. The plot is loose, the tone is darkly subversive & it's still hugely funny, even decades after its release.

The cover of Harry Harrison's BILL THE GALATIC HERO shows a man in a spacesuit being hurtled away from an explosion in deep space. Oddly, he appears to have a right arm where his left arm should be...

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Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean @russeldmclean.bsky.social · 2d

Also read @damedenisemina.bsky.social's THE SECOND MURDERER -- Philip Marlowe tracks a missing heiress even though he doesn't trust the case from the start. Mina takes us places Chandler would never have dared but keeps the feel and style of the original series. As a Chandler & Mina fan, I loved it!

The cover of THE SECOND MURDERER shows a woman on a palm lined road dressed in 1940s dress. Two cars speed past us in the foreground.

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Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean @russeldmclean.bsky.social · 2d

Due in November, @radiomukhers.bsky.social's latest, THE BURNING GROUNDS reunites Wyndham and Bannerjee... Their sharply drawn friendship remains a huge draw to the series as they investigate a death connected to 1920s Indian cinema... a crackingly vibrant and emotionally affecting mystery. Go read.

The cover of THE BURNING GROUNDS by Abir Mukherjee shows a train speeding away from an Indian city, with clouds of smoke being heaved into the red and yellow sky...

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