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Ruth EJ Booth (she/they)

@ruthejbooth.bsky.social

2.7K followers 780 following 3.5K posts

SFFH Author/Critic. BSFA & British Fantasy Award Winner. Shoreline of Infinity columnist. GSFWC. #SGSAH funded. #StrathLife Queer Neurodivergent Human with Chronic Illness. Stories and more: https://linktr.ee/ruthejbooth

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Ruth EJ Booth (she/they) @ruthejbooth.bsky.social · Jun 9

New Shoreline of Infinity column out, in which I respectfully explain some of the "AI" issues and why authors don't want wood glue on their pizza.

www.ruthbooth.com/2025/06/hold...

@shoreinf.bsky.social

Shoreline of Infinity 39 cover by Vincent Kings. An abstract piece of dark green lines on a light pink background, resembling a mountain on its side made of organic shapes resembling flowers and other organic matter.

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Reposted by Ruth EJ Booth (she/they)

Juliet E McKenna @julietemckenna.bsky.social · 3d

NB This article is taken from Cory Doctorow's writing, so is worth reading, in case you were thinking it'd be pointless Sunday opinion piece handwringing.

The Guardian @theguardian.com · 3d

Way past its prime: how did Amazon get so rubbish?

Sick of scrolling through junk results, AI-generated ads and links to lookalike products? The author and activist behind the term ‘enshittification’ explains what’s gone wrong with the internet – and what we can do about it

www.theguardian.com

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Ruth EJ Booth (she/they) @ruthejbooth.bsky.social · 17h

I have a ticket, but no guarantees yet.

Ruth EJ Booth (she/they) @ruthejbooth.bsky.social · 17h

Puffin is my guy. Thank you for giving him the fancy I always knew he had in him.

Reposted by Ruth EJ Booth (she/they)

The Oatmeal @theoatmeal.bsky.social · 21h

Let’s talk about AI art.

theoatmeal.com/comics/ai_art

A cartoonist's review of AI art - The Oatmeal

This is a comic about AI art.

theoatmeal.com

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Reposted by Ruth EJ Booth (she/they)

Glasgow SF Writers' Circle @gsfwc.bsky.social · 19h

It's October, so it must be Gothic season! Check out this splendid new queer horror romance from our Heather Valentine, only available on The Pink Hydra.

@thepinkhydra.com @hexthervvv.bsky.social

www.thepinkhydra.com/issues/02022...

The Pink Hydra | Four Flowers in Formaldehyde - Heather Valentine

Four Flowers in Formaldehyde by Heather Valentine

www.thepinkhydra.com

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Ruth EJ Booth (she/they) @ruthejbooth.bsky.social · 21h

"Unforseen circumstances", sadly.

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Ruth EJ Booth (she/they) @ruthejbooth.bsky.social · 21h

Since I won't be making World Fantasycon, I'm planning a wee treat for next week (can't really call it a surprise if I'm telling you now). Stay tuned...

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Ruth EJ Booth (she/they) @ruthejbooth.bsky.social · 21h

#Academia #PhDChat Fantasy friends: Adam Grydehøj (ran the fabby Svalbard conference I attended in 2019) is co-convening this:

'Supernatural animals, mystical beasts, and uncanny creatures: Folklore in place'
9-13 Nov 2026, Guangzhou, China
folkknowledgeplace.org/post/3461-su...

Supernatural animals, mystical beasts, and uncanny creatures: Folklore in place | Published by Folk, Knowledge, Place

What can place tell us about supernatural animal legends? What can mythical creatures tell us about the way people conceive of and create place?

folkknowledgeplace.org

Ruth EJ Booth (she/they) @ruthejbooth.bsky.social · 1d

Her arguments are based on her anxiety about the increasing difficulty of life, not the actual source of it. To get past the combination of stress and propaganda, it may take several challenges to her worldview, all vitally important. Don't judge the impact you've had solely on the moment.

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Reposted by Ruth EJ Booth (she/they)

Lynne_SCILT @lynnescilt.bsky.social · 5d

Come join authors from @scotbpocwriters.bsky.social for a panel discussion. Writing Scotland's Future: Perspectives from Writers of Colour takes place 15/10/25 #BlackHistoryMonth at @unistrathclyde.bsky.social The Ramshorn. Lunch provided. Register for your free place: tinyurl.com/Writing-Scot...

Promotional flyer for 'Writing Scotland's Future: Perspectives from Writers of Colour' event on Wednesday 15 October 2025 at The Ramshorn, 98 Ingram Street, Glasgow G1 1EX. Panel of writers of colour will comprise: Titilayo Farukuoye, Yasmin Hanif and Safina Mazher. QR code in bottom right corner links to registration page.

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Reposted by Ruth EJ Booth (she/they)

Dr Kat Day (she/her) @chronicleflask.katday.com · 1d

“One doesn’t have to operate with great malice to do great harm. The absence of empathy and understanding are sufficient. In fact, a man convinced of his virtue even in the midst of his vice is the worst kind of man.”

—Charles M. Blow, journalist and political analyst

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Ruth EJ Booth (she/they) @ruthejbooth.bsky.social · 1d

For some reason missing the second image of this, but the full text of Williams' quote, including "you are taking in the Human Centipede of content", is in the alt text of this image.

Jon Potter @rettopnoj.bsky.social · 1d

Alt text:

Please, just stop sending me AI videos of Dad. Stop believing I wanna see it or that I'll understand, I don't and I won't. If you're just trying to troll me, I've seen way worse, i'll restrict and move on. But please, if you've got any decency, just stop doing this to him and to me, to everyone even, full stop. It's dumb, it's a waste of time and energy, and believe me, it's NOT what he'd want.
To watch the legacies of real people be condensed down to 'this vaguely looks and sounds like them so that's enough', just so other people can churn out horrible TikTok slop puppeteering them is maddening. You're not making art, you're making disgusting, over-processed hotdogs out of the lives of human beings, out of the history of art and music, and then shoving them down someone else's throat hoping they'll give you a little thumbs up and like it.
Gross.
And for the love of EVERYTHING, stop calling it 'the future'. AI is just badly recycling and regurgitating the past to be reconsumed. You are taking in the Human Centipede of content, and from the very very end of the line, all while the folks at the front laugh and laugh, consume and consume.

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Ruth EJ Booth (she/they) @ruthejbooth.bsky.social · 1d

Best Cat Auntie.

Reposted by Ruth EJ Booth (she/they)

Glasgow SF Writers' Circle @gsfwc.bsky.social · 1d

Hey, overseas friends! We've got a lot of spooky story news coming this week, so why not throw us a follow if you're not already?

@hexthervvv.bsky.social @neilwilliamson.bsky.social

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Ruth EJ Booth (she/they) @ruthejbooth.bsky.social · 1d

Pretty sure ,"mistburned" is a euphemism for "on E".

Ruth EJ Booth (she/they) @ruthejbooth.bsky.social · 1d

The Mad King basically stole his schtick off of John Robertson's The Guardian. I will brook no other canon.

Ruth EJ Booth (she/they) @ruthejbooth.bsky.social · 1d

I should not be this excited to play Mad King Says for the first time in this season tomorrow. #GuildWars2

a drawing of a person with a sword and a flame coming out of their chest

Alt: Against a background of forest floor, twisted trees and a moon with an evil laughing face is s humanoid skeleton in armour with a flaming pumpkin for a head. He's dancing.

media.tenor.com

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Ruth EJ Booth (she/they) @ruthejbooth.bsky.social · 1d

Yes, you should. And try to remember to sort teacoffee.

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Ruth EJ Booth (she/they) @ruthejbooth.bsky.social · 1d

*moves mouse ineffectually*

Ruth EJ Booth (she/they) @ruthejbooth.bsky.social · 1d

Sometimes the evidence we didn't evolve for this climate is reeeeally fucking clear.

Ruth EJ Booth (she/they) @ruthejbooth.bsky.social · 2d

TTW it's so overcast you don't want to go outside, so you're sat inside with your SAD lamp, trying to build up enough happiness chemical so you can go out into the gloom.

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Ruth EJ Booth (she/they) @ruthejbooth.bsky.social · 2d

Such a videogame livestream mood.

Reposted by Ruth EJ Booth (she/they)

Ewamore, Quoth the Raven @ewacat.bsky.social · 2d

god, the modern world is amazing. the hot water tap in the office kitchen is showing an error message

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Ruth EJ Booth (she/they) @ruthejbooth.bsky.social · 2d

Just be glad it's not sending you Cialis spam.

Ruth EJ Booth (she/they) @ruthejbooth.bsky.social · 2d

Did you check behind the fridge?