Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

SJ Groenewegen @sjgroenewegen.co.uk · 7h

Made friends via social media, and kept up with others whenever I have moved places.

Also led to a few commissions, including my first novel.

And I have learned loads from lots of people from all over.

Conrad Hackett @conradhackett.bsky.social · 22h

Has anything great happened in your life because of social media?

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SJ Groenewegen @sjgroenewegen.co.uk · 9h

It’s 2124 & most people want the wars on Earth to end. When a bio-engineered child soldier escapes by chance to Scotland, she, an autistic gay Scot, a journalist, & a queer 71 year-old peace-broker forge a way to free the world of a powerful group of warmongering theocrats. #DVpit #A #SF #LGBT #ND

SJ Groenewegen @sjgroenewegen.co.uk · 10h

SJ Groenewegen @sjgroenewegen.co.uk · 15h

As that petition to parliament nears 3 million signatures - and is still waiting on a date for the parliamentary debate - I wrote some of my thoughts about UK Labour's adventures in digital ID.

ko-fi.com/post/UK-Labo...

UK Labour’s Adventures in Digital ID

SJ Groenewegen published a post on Ko-fi

ko-fi.com

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Reposted by SJ Groenewegen

SJ Groenewegen @sjgroenewegen.co.uk · 15h

As that petition to parliament nears 3 million signatures - and is still waiting on a date for the parliamentary debate - I wrote some of my thoughts about UK Labour's adventures in digital ID.

ko-fi.com/post/UK-Labo...

UK Labour’s Adventures in Digital ID

SJ Groenewegen published a post on Ko-fi

ko-fi.com

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SJ Groenewegen @sjgroenewegen.co.uk · 13h

Happy birthday 🥳

That’s a lovely pic of you, too.

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SJ Groenewegen @sjgroenewegen.co.uk · 13h

And in their election manifesto last year. Page 73.

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Reposted by SJ Groenewegen

Juliet E McKenna @julietemckenna.bsky.social · 15h

Book Quote Wednesday's word is 'strong' #BookQW
Dan and Fin know there's a threat out there, but it really would help if they knew what they were dealing with...
From Wizard’s Tower Press on 30th October 2025
For preorders, check your preferred retailer
www.amazon.co.uk/Green-Mans-H...

Cover for The Green Man's Holiday by Juliet E. McKenna. Artwork and layout by Ben Baldwin.

A mysterious animal with very sharp teeth peers out from a hollow in a pile of grey stones. Green foliage and white flowers surround it.

Book extract reads: ‘I don’t think we should split up. Not now. Not if there’s any chance that beast-thing will turn up again.’ I couldn’t decide which possibility worried me more: coming face to face with it on a hillside on my own or being away from the cottage when it smashed its way in and attacked Fin.
‘I agree.’ She sounded relieved.
We carried on stripping fibres from the nettles. We soon had enough for me to plait bundles of three or four into longer lengths. I could have made a much stronger, twisted cord, but I didn’t want to tie anything around these trees that would stay there long enough to damage them.
When Fin had finished stripping the last few stalks, I fetched the bucket from the shower room and filled it from the kitchen tap. I grabbed the cleanest-looking tea towel and picked up the tyre iron from the kitchen counter. I gave the tyre iron to Fin as she handed me a last handful of damp nettle strands.
We walked down the garden.

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SJ Groenewegen @sjgroenewegen.co.uk · 15h

As that petition to parliament nears 3 million signatures - and is still waiting on a date for the parliamentary debate - I wrote some of my thoughts about UK Labour's adventures in digital ID.

ko-fi.com/post/UK-Labo...

UK Labour’s Adventures in Digital ID

SJ Groenewegen published a post on Ko-fi

ko-fi.com

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SJ Groenewegen @sjgroenewegen.co.uk · 15h

Today’s noon-time (UTC +1/BST) picture of the sky.

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SJ Groenewegen @sjgroenewegen.co.uk · 16h

Just a suggestion, but how about having a look at what’s being shared on the #AutismArtOfThePossible tag rather than reacting to clickbait nonsense from HM the King’s opposition?

I’m referring to UK politics, but maybe there’s some general ideas of interest elsewhere.

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SJ Groenewegen @sjgroenewegen.co.uk · 17h

That misspelling also occurred in the Conservative Party's manifesto for the 2024 General Election, so it's a consistent thing... like this persistent weeping sore of a policy "idea".

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Reposted by SJ Groenewegen

Juliet E McKenna @julietemckenna.bsky.social · 17h

Book Quote Wednesday's word is 'strong' #BookQW
Dan Mackmain's physically fit and mentally tough. That means nothing in this situation. Want to find out what happens next?
The Green Man's War is a 99p Kindle UK deal for October.
www.amazon.co.uk/Green-Mans-W...

Cover art by Ben Baldwin shows a lethal, pale-scaled serpent-dragon or wyrm lurking in woodland. It looks straight at you as its forked tongue flickers between open, sharp-toothed jaws.

Book extract reads: The man by the door with the mattock said something I didn’t catch, but he was obviously warning the others. Sledgehammer guy looked around again. His mate with the pickaxe took a couple of steps towards a jewellery seller at the other end of the barn. She was tiny, wearing a long black dress, with purple hair that matched her lipstick and eyeshadow. If she was next on their list, there was nothing I could do.
I’d have to take that sledgehammer off the short-arse in front of me, then get past his mate with the mattock. No chance. My mother’s a dryad, but that doesn’t give me superpowers, not really. A dryad’s daughters take after their mothers and live for centuries in the unseen world alongside normal life. I’m tall and strong and hardly ever get ill, but I’ll grow old like my dad.
Billhook guy called out. I realised I hadn’t misheard mattock man guarding the door. Whoever these thieves were, they weren’t speaking English between themselves

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SJ Groenewegen @sjgroenewegen.co.uk · 18h

Looking forward to seeing you there!

SJ Groenewegen @sjgroenewegen.co.uk · 18h

Very much looking forward to attending this, my first time at WFC and British Fantasy Convention: two conventions for the price of one!

World Fantasy 2025 @worldfantasy2025.bsky.social · 19h

The souvenir book is being proof read, the programme is finalised. It's so close! It's not too late to register for World Fantasy 2025! We have wonderful guests, a lovely hotel & *two* Award ceremonies, the World Fantasy Awards and the British Fantasy Awards. worldfantasy2025.co.uk/about-the-co...

About World Fantasy Convention 2025 – World Fantasy Convention 2025

worldfantasy2025.co.uk

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SJ Groenewegen @sjgroenewegen.co.uk · 21h

Oh. Hello. Thank you, and I hope it doesn’t disappoint. But this was a lovely post to see.

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Reposted by SJ Groenewegen

Wole Talabi @wtalabi.bsky.social · 1d

Aussie folks. I'll be a panelist at the Perth festival of fiction in 2 weeks!

Solving crimes, heists, overcoming obstacles, finding happiness. Michael Robotham, Rachael Johns, Marcia Van Zeller and myself will discuss writing ways into and out of thrilling conundrums.

#perth #writer #shigidi

Flyer for festival of fiction.

Showing Michael Robotham, Rachael Johns, Marcia Van Zeller Wole Talabi and Jo Taylor.

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Reposted by SJ Groenewegen

Uncanny Magazine @uncannymagazine.bsky.social · 1d

ICYMI, SPOOKY SEASON is here again, Space Unicorns! Uncanny Magazine Issue 66 Part 2 is LIVE ON YOUR INTERNET! buff.ly/U9e7bru

Cover: Listen To Me and I’ll Tell You A Story by Ejiwa “Edge” Ebenebe. In an underwater scene tinted in sea green, a child-like being with flowing ochre-colored hair and dark sea green skin sits on a mass of orange-ochre and green tentacles talking to a school of salmon-color fish. In the foreground, another school of brown fish swimming away from the scene. The text "Uncanny," "September/October 2025," "Issue Sixty-Six," and the credits are in white.

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SJ Groenewegen @sjgroenewegen.co.uk · 1d

Happy birthday 🥳

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SJ Groenewegen @sjgroenewegen.co.uk · 1d

☹️ you won’t be at WFC.

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Reposted by SJ Groenewegen

Wizard's Tower Press @wtpress.bsky.social · 1d

With stories by Danie Ware, Juliet McKenna, Anna Smith Spark and many others, Fight Like A Girl #2 has been a feature on award short lists this year. Find out why people love it so much:
wizardstowerpress.co...

Cover of Fight Like A Girl #2. Art by Oisin McGann.

Image is of a brown-skinned girl in light armour wielding a Very Big Sword. She is surrounded by images of other things she might use to fight, not all of them obviously weapons.

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SJ Groenewegen @sjgroenewegen.co.uk · 1d

I support the response from the Equality Network here.

Thank you for all your incredible work.

Equality Network @lgbtiscotland.bsky.social · 1d

Today, Scottish Government published their analysis of responses to the consultation they held last year on a draft bill to end conversion practices. Please note that the analysis and responses contain upsetting content - we would advise caution to anyone reading the analysis or individual responses

Graphic with a pink to blue gradient background. It says "The Scottish Government has published the analysis for their consultation on Ending Conversion Practices." The Scottish Trans and Equality Network logos are in the bottom right.

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Reposted by SJ Groenewegen

Equality Network @lgbtiscotland.bsky.social · 1d

Today, Scottish Government published their analysis of responses to the consultation they held last year on a draft bill to end conversion practices. Please note that the analysis and responses contain upsetting content - we would advise caution to anyone reading the analysis or individual responses

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SJ Groenewegen @sjgroenewegen.co.uk · 1d

“As such, we are clear that any legislation must include protections for people on the basis of their gender identity, as well as their sexual orientation.”

www.gov.scot/publications...

Lots to do to ensure they stick to this declaration, but I for one applaud them on this.

Scottish Government Response to Consultation Analysis: ending conversion practices in Scotland

A Scottish Government response to the consultation analysis on ending conversion practices Scotland. This document responds to some of the issues raised in responses to the consultation and what the S...

www.gov.scot

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SJ Groenewegen @sjgroenewegen.co.uk · 1d

Strong and welcome words from the Scottish government today:

“52. We remain firm in our commitment to protect the human rights of transgender and non-binary people and to protect all people from these harmful practices. …

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SJ Groenewegen @sjgroenewegen.co.uk · 1d

That would be fantastic 😃