Nostr notes by Juliet E McKenna

It's publication day for The Green Man's Debt. You can ...

2026-09-10T08:34:40Z

It's publication day for The Green Man's Debt.

You can find a wide roster of purchase links, UK and international, on the Wizard's Tower Press website.

https://wizardstowerpress.com/books-2/books-by-juliet-e-mckenna/the-green-mans-debt/

Happy reading 😁

#books #SFF #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy

Book Quote Wednesday's word is 'drip' #BookQW Dealing ...

2026-09-09T19:39:09Z

Book Quote Wednesday's word is 'drip' #BookQW

Dealing with the dangers the Green Man sends him to face has punctured any notion Dan Mackmain ever had that he was invulnerable.

Tomorrow you can discover the challenges the Hunter has for him in Ireland.

Amazon UK -
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Green-Mans-Debt-Juliet-McKenna-ebook/dp/B0HC3B5Q9V/

Other purchase links, UK and international -
https://wizardstowerpress.com/books-2/books-by-juliet-e-mckenna/the-green-mans-debt/

#Books #SFF #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy

Book Quote Wednesday's word is 'drip' #BookQW If Dan ...

2026-09-09T19:21:46Z

Book Quote Wednesday's word is 'drip' #BookQW

If Dan Mackmain had had the slightest idea of the challenge he'd face on this holiday, he'd have broken out in a cold sweat.

Don't miss this month's Kindle 99p ebook offer -
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Green-Mans-Holiday-Juliet-McKenna-ebook/dp/B0FNLVDS3V/

Price-matched from other retailers -
https://wizardstowerpress.com/books-2/books-by-juliet-e-mckenna/the-green-mans-holiday/

#Books #SFF #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy

Interesting evidence of the lack of human oversight of Meta's ...

2026-09-07T08:15:18Z

Interesting evidence of the lack of human oversight of Meta's algorithms on my Facebook this morning. Computer sees lots of stories and images of right-wing extremists blocking UK roads. Computer immediately sends out recurring adverts for blameless retailers who sell black balaclavas/ski masks.

The theme for this year's St Hilda's crime fiction ...

2026-09-05T13:45:38Z

The theme for this year's St Hilda's crime fiction weekend is Bad Apples - Enemies and Anti-heros.

Interesting speakers, as always. I am adding intermittent notes to an analysis/definition of the anti-hero, which I will likely share in due course.

#writing

If you see The Green Man's Debt will be published on 10th ...

2026-09-05T13:31:12Z

If you see The Green Man's Debt will be published on 10th September and realise you planned on catching up with The Green Man's Holiday?

Good news! The ebook is a UK Kindle 99p deal throughout September, and price-matched on other platforms. So you could buy both titles for £5.98... just saying... 😁

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Green-Mans-Holiday-Juliet-McKenna-ebook/dp/B0FNLVDS3V/

#books #SFF #Fantasy #FantasySeries

I'm away from home at a conference this weekend, in a room ...

2026-09-04T21:18:28Z

I'm away from home at a conference this weekend, in a room with a bedside light that switches off if it doesn't detect movement. I cannot overstate how irritating this is, when winding down by reading for a bit in bed.

Over on the blog, a few thoughts on what I have realised is ...

2026-09-04T10:08:46Z

Over on the blog, a few thoughts on what I have realised is particularly and personally significant about this weekend.

Why, exactly, thirty years ago, I binned the novel I was writing and started afresh...

https://www.julietemckenna.com/a-noteworthy-anniversary-why-thirty-years-ago-i-binned-the-novel-i-was-writing-and-started-afresh/

#books #Writing #WritingLife #SFF #CrimeFiction

Book Quote Wednesday's word is 'appear' #BookQW Dan ...

2026-09-02T08:38:47Z

Book Quote Wednesday's word is 'appear' #BookQW

Dan won't let anyone see his dismay, but this isn't good news. When he doesn't know what he's facing, any ally, even a fickle sylph, is worth having.

The Green Man’s Debt is published 10th September 2026.Visit Wizard's Tower Press for UK and international buying links.

https://wizardstowerpress.com/books-2/books-by-juliet-e-mckenna/the-green-mans-debt/

#books #SFF #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy

Book Quote Wednesday's word is 'appear' #BookQW Dan ...

2026-09-02T08:35:02Z

Book Quote Wednesday's word is 'appear' #BookQW

Dan does his best not to look out of place at Fin’s sister’s wedding, but honestly he’d rather be facing supernatural monsters...

The ebook is a UK Kindle 99p deal through September and will be price-matched elsewhere.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0FNLVDS3V

#books #SFF #UrbanFantasy

Kitchen notes. Ah yes, now I remember why I don't often cook ...

2026-09-01T18:06:29Z

Kitchen notes. Ah yes, now I remember why I don't often cook moussaka. It's such a bloody faff!
(Apply your local dialect expression for a multi-stage, many pans and processes recipe)

If you see The Green Man's Debt will be published on 10th ...

2026-09-01T09:19:09Z

If you see The Green Man's Debt will be published on 10th September and realise you had planned on catching up with The Green Man's Holiday over the summer?

Good news! The ebook is a UK Kindle 99p deal throughout September. So you could buy both titles for £5.98... just saying... 😁

Wizard's Tower Press will price-match this offer on other platforms. We always have to wait to be certain the Amazon offer is going ahead. These things are never guaranteed.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Green-Mans-Holiday-Juliet-McKenna-ebook/dp/B0FNLVDS3V/

#books #SFF

The first day of the month means the countdown begins to ...

2026-09-01T08:59:18Z

The first day of the month means the countdown begins to publication day for The Green Man's Debt on 10th September.
You can find a comprehensive roster of UK and international pre-order/purchase links on the Wizard's Tower Press website.

https://wizardstowerpress.com/books-2/books-by-juliet-e-mckenna/the-green-mans-debt/

I have read a technical but comprehensible explanation of the ...

2026-09-01T07:32:53Z

I have read a technical but comprehensible explanation of the OpenAI 'rogue software' event - with close attention as the detail relates to IT at the outer limit of my personal understanding.

Summing up is clear

"If you optimize a model to find exploits, you should expect it to find them — and prepare for that. OpenAI did not. They built a model, took the safeguards off, gave it the ExploitGym task, let it run, and didn't even monitor it. That's human decision-making."

https://mail.cyberneticforests.com/models-dont-go-rogue/

"Sharp rise in incidents of AI escaping users’ control" ...

2026-08-29T11:15:12Z

"Sharp rise in incidents of AI escaping users’ control" says the newspaper article?

Journalists really need to stop describing these incidents in terms implying software has agency and intent. It does not. The people who created a faulty and dangerous product are the ones responsible for whatever happens, and must be held to account, with punitive financial penalties for damage done.

This framing also offers plausible deniability to those with deliberate malicious intent.

Book Quote Wednesday's word is 'question' #BookQW ...

2026-08-26T11:14:40Z

Book Quote Wednesday's word is 'question' #BookQW #BookSky

Dan Mackmain wants to know why he's been sent to Ireland. He's careful not to give anything away while he searches for answers.

Visit Wizard's Tower Press for UK and international retailer buying links.

https://wizardstowerpress.com/books-2/books-by-juliet-e-mckenna/the-green-mans-debt/

#Books #SFF #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy

Here's an offer that's surely too good to miss? The fifth ...

2026-07-09T10:58:41Z

Here's an offer that's surely too good to miss? The fifth annual Best of British SF/F bundle.

https://storybundle.com/blog/2026bestofbritishsffbundle

As well as The Green Man's Heir, you'll spot Fight like a Girl Volume 2 from Wizard's Tower Press, and I have a story in that.

No word of a lie, I'm looking at this roster and thinking, 'read that, it's great, ooh, so's that, and that, and that...' As well as making note of the titles I haven't yet read from writers I enjoy 😁

#books #SFF #Fantasy

Recollections and reflections are circulating after Anthony ...

2026-06-06T16:32:49Z

Recollections and reflections are circulating after Anthony Head's untimely death.

I remember him pushing back hard at 'I didn't see it, so who knows?' responses from some, when J Whedon's bad character was exposed. Tony Head was clear that abusers work hard to hide what they do from those who would call them out.

He also had no time for 'why didn't younger cast members speak up?' He said them not feeling able to tell him was his responsibility and he was sorry for it. A good man.

I am old enough to remember when Google Search's arrival was ...

2026-05-20T06:20:25Z

I am old enough to remember when Google Search's arrival was a game changer for access to the truly global and astonishingly useful worldwide web of shared knowledge and expertise. I really did not expect to witness its death throes, poisoned by ignorance, arrogance and greed.

"Google announces glasses are back and search is getting an AI makeover" https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/may/19/google-glasses-search-ai?CMP=share_btn_url

I learned over the weekend of a Swedish monumental rune stone in ...

2026-05-04T08:12:05Z

I learned over the weekend of a Swedish monumental rune stone in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford. Knowing so many artefacts now in UK museums were 'acquired' in highly dubious ways, I winced and wondered how some larcenous academic had hauled this one back to Oxford.

But no! It's one of pair which were a gift to the University by King Karl XI in 1687,
Which gets the Ashmolean off the hook. I'm interested in my Swedish friends opinions on this, regardless.

For more info
https://artofthemiddleages.com/s/main/item/4266

I gather the SF&F subgenre formerly referred to as ...

2026-03-29T09:09:31Z

I gather the SF&F subgenre formerly referred to as 'blokes in cloaks' is now to be known as 'mantasy', and may be considered the counterpart to 'guy fi'. You may now go on with your day.

From the BBC. "Organisations worldwide are racing to develop ...

2026-03-16T11:26:24Z

From the BBC. "Organisations worldwide are racing to develop a universally recognised label for "human-made" products and services as part of the growing backlash against AI use."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj0d6el50ppo

This is among the reasons why The Society of Authors have launched the Human Authored initiative.

Please note I am currently far too busy to moderate a discussion thread. See the Human Authored website's FAQs for answers to queries.

https://humanauthored.co.uk/faqs/

I am one of the nearly 10,000 authors contributing our names to ...

2026-03-10T10:45:30Z

I am one of the nearly 10,000 authors contributing our names to Don't Steal This Book; a protest launched today at the London Book Fair.

If AI developers wish to use our work in their software they can ask us for permission. If we agree, they can pay us to license it on clearly defined terms.

This is how copyright operates.

Tech companies ignoring copyright is theft. For the UK government to even consider allowing this to continue is a disgrace.

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/mar/10/thousands-authors-publish-empty-book-protest-ai-work-copyright

#books #writing

In case you were unaware that GenAI software developers are also ...

2026-02-05T10:17:20Z

In case you were unaware that GenAI software developers are also exploiting and abusing workers in the global South to support their plausible word-mulch vending machines.

There is no explicit detail in this article, but you may find the implications of the experiences described distressing. If in doubt, no need to read.

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2026/feb/05/in-the-end-you-feel-blank-indias-female-workers-watching-hours-of-abusive-content-to-train-ai

UK pals, Can anyone give me an eyes-on-the-ground (you know what ...

2026-01-09T10:45:25Z

UK pals, Can anyone give me an eyes-on-the-ground (you know what I mean) report on current road and driving conditions along the route of the M1 through Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, today Friday 9th January, please and thank you?

UK folk might like to watch Michael Palin's Venezuela ...

2026-01-03T10:45:59Z

UK folk might like to watch Michael Palin's Venezuela travelogue on Channel 5's catch up service for some background round about now, or read his accompanying book - which is rather startlingly a Kindle ebook 99p deal at the moment. I have no idea when that price was set.

Tabletop game playing pals. Can you recommend a four player game ...

2025-11-16T11:38:31Z

Tabletop game playing pals. Can you recommend a four player game that's focused on cooperation towards a common aim rather than doing down the other people around the table? Please and thank you.

Can anyone recommend an opensource/ shareware/cheap alternative ...

2025-11-14T12:14:23Z

Can anyone recommend an opensource/ shareware/cheap alternative to Adobe Acrobat, please and thank you?

I'm taking the day off after a very busy weekend at MCM Comic ...

2025-10-27T11:22:27Z

I'm taking the day off after a very busy weekend at MCM Comic Con, and Bristolcon, which was most enjoyable and ticked all the professional requirements for publicising my work in the week when The Green Man's Holiday is published.

I'd like to share this wonderful gift to mark the new book from Penny Hill, skilled needlewoman and expert on embroidery, fabrics and much more besides. If you're at World Fantasy Convention 2025 more of her work will be in the art show. Do take a look!

An update from the Society of Authors on licensing deals for AI ...

2025-08-19T09:27:55Z

An update from the Society of Authors on licensing deals for AI training rights currently being offered by a couple of big trad publishers.

You will be unsurprised to learn these deals are wholly inadequate on many levels, including the fact the publisher gets far too much of the cash.

https://societyofauthors.org/2025/08/07/bloomsbury-ai-deal/

#writing #books

I follow @dieworkwear on Bluesky. While I have little interest in ...

2025-08-18T09:06:52Z

I follow @dieworkwear on Bluesky. While I have little interest in fashion, his expertise is fascinating, and frequently includes bits of social history. He also offers insightful observations beyond that.

Such as: "Sometimes I see people like 20 tweets deep into an argument with Grok. Like, what are you doing brother? You are trying to win an argument with a vending machine."

1/?

"If generative AI could REALLY make the next GTA in 6 months ...

2025-08-03T09:42:12Z

"If generative AI could REALLY make the next GTA in 6 months with 10 staff, or write the next bestseller, or produce 10 blockbusters a day? They wouldn't be trying to sell it to YOU. They would keep it for themselves and guard it from you ferociously."

I've seen this quote without attribution a couple of times. Whoever said it, they're spot on.

So Google AI is no longer telling us Mary Shelley and Jane Austen ...

2025-07-22T12:29:19Z

So Google AI is no longer telling us Mary Shelley and Jane Austen were sisters*. That doesn't mean it's now 'right' or 'better'. It's just different, and there's no way to know why.

Has some new stolen material been uploaded? Given how widely this nonsense was shared and mocked, was there some manual intervention?

Whatever has happened, a source that cannot be verified or or relied on to remain consistent is useless.

1/2

Bringing this from writer Joseph Malik over from Bluesky. I think ...

2025-05-17T15:21:51Z

Bringing this from writer Joseph Malik over from Bluesky. I think it's spot on.

"Subtext separates a novel from a novel-length story. Subtext is the part that AI can't--and never will--generate. It can't read for subtext. It can read Cliff's Notes to determine an existing novel's subtext, but there is no mathematical or logical process to create it. Subtext is uniquely human."

It's the conclusion to a 3-post thread. You can find that via my mentions if you're so inclined.

#writing #books

Every feminist I know supports their sisters, cis and trans, and ...

2025-04-18T06:23:40Z

Every feminist I know supports their sisters, cis and trans, and their non-binary siblings, concerned with domestic violence, public safety, equal pay, employment protection, access to healthcare, and other discrimination issues. Obsessing over who uses which loo isn't feminism. It's bigotry.

On Trans Day of Visibility, like every other day of the year, I ...

2025-03-31T10:24:56Z

On Trans Day of Visibility, like every other day of the year, I continue to accept, respect and support trans people.

I don't understand being trans, but - good news! - I don't have to.

I know who I am better than anyone else does, and I have always found other people know who they are too. Simple.

Checking a reference for something, I've had occasion to ...

2025-02-20T11:52:00Z

Checking a reference for something, I've had occasion to reread Ursula K Le Guin's Foreword to 'Tales from Earthsea'. The following passage struck me forcefully in the light of current international events.

"Past events exist, after all, only in memory, which is a form of imagination. The event is real now, but once it's then, its continuing reality is entirely up to us, dependent on our energy and honesty.

(continues)

This morning's pause for thought. The techbros are selling ...

2025-02-04T09:36:35Z

This morning's pause for thought. The techbros are selling generative AI to investors on the economic model of a primary school cake sale. Other people provide the essential ingredients and do the crucial work, bearing the costs, and the sellers keep the income. No. I am not their mum and this isn't funding for new gym equipment.

Fascinating article. Basement adventures showed me why ChatGPT ...

2025-01-25T14:45:02Z

Fascinating article.

Basement adventures showed me why ChatGPT can only ever be garbage.

https://buttondown.com/surekhadavies/archive/basement-adventures-showed-me-why-chatgpt-can/

"I revised and re-wrote chapters MANY times. I consulted a lot of materials that weren’t maps, compared books and prints to the maps, and only then figured out what the maps meant. There were lots of rabbit-holes, many of them with cool treasure at the end ... If you ask gen AI to give you a draft, or “inspiration” (seriously?), or content, this is not what you get. "

#writing

Fellow straight folk. Please read this article if you ever think ...

2025-01-12T09:20:56Z

Fellow straight folk. Please read this article if you ever think your gay and lesbian friends are 'overreacting/oversensitive' to current right-wing attempts to relegitimise homophobia. This is recent history and these attitudes were everywhere, not just in the military https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c70e0gep19xo

Quick polite request: if you're recommending or discussing a ...

2025-01-07T09:54:57Z

Quick polite request: if you're recommending or discussing a TV show or movie that you're watching via streaming, could you please mention the platform it's on. Thanks.

The Society of Authors has joined a new coalition of rights ...

2024-12-16T10:45:10Z

The Society of Authors has joined a new coalition of rights holders including publishers, authors, artists, music producers, specialist interest publications, unions, and photographers calling on government to spur growth in the creative and tech sectors by protecting copyright.

Launching today (Monday 16 December), the Creative Rights in AI Coalition has published three key principles for copyright and generative artificial intelligence (AI) policy.

https://societyofauthors.org/2024/12/16/creative-rights-in-ai-coalition-calls-on-government-to-protect-copyright-as-ai-policy-develops/

#writing #books

In the UK, all a predatory man needs to get access to a Ladies ...

2024-11-21T11:35:49Z

In reply to nevent1q…pcu2
_________________________

In the UK, all a predatory man needs to get access to a Ladies loo is overalls, a bucket and mop.

This whole panic is as artificial and cynical as the 'predatory lesbians in changing rooms' scare of the 1980s - which I remember clearly enough to see the hate rhetoric about trans people is often word for word the same.

It's a divisive distraction being whipped up for political gain.

Your reminder that legislation to curb the rights of trans people ...

2024-11-21T09:30:44Z

Your reminder that legislation to curb the rights of trans people to use restrooms or do anything else means everyone's behaviour, clothing etc will be opened up to intrusive and unwanted scrutiny and potential challenge in our daily lives.

This is not a 'them' issue. Trans rights are human rights.

So many good books! It can be hard to keep track 😊

2024-11-18T15:12:28Z

In reply to nevent1q…zxsy
_________________________

So many good books! It can be hard to keep track 😊

@npub1pq8…jykv that's from Wizard's Tower Press 😁

2024-11-18T14:30:25Z

Weightless Books (npub1pq8…jykv) that's from Wizard's Tower Press 😁

This is completely brilliant. "When you think of the English ...

2024-11-16T10:02:20Z

This is completely brilliant.

"When you think of the English tradition of Morris dancing, you might not picture a group of young, gender non-conforming, drag kings who dress like "chimney sweeps" - but that will be because you've not seen Molly No-Mates"

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c245nq3r29qo

NB a local Cotswold Morris side of breast cancer survivors perform wearing pink* and raise funds for cancer research.

(*I'm aware there's debate over campaigns using that colour - that's a separate conversation.)

In case you were thinking generative 'AI' is created by ...

2024-10-25T07:56:47Z

In case you were thinking generative 'AI' is created by clever software.

"Appen employs 1 million contractors who speak more than 500 languages and are based in 200 countries. They work to label photographs, text, audio and other data to improve AI systems."

An incidental detail in a news story about lots of them not being paid thanks to a computer screw up.

I wonder which countries and how much people are paid, given the awful exploitation in social media monitoring.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/oct/25/contractors-training-amazon-meta-and-microsofts-ai-systems-left-without-pay-after-appen-moves-to-new-platform

I find people's 'my favourite whatever' lists ...

2024-09-14T06:53:40Z

I find people's 'my favourite whatever' lists interesting, but I find making these choices impossible personally.

My favourite book? Right now? Last year? Five years ago? As a kid? For plot? For character? For relaxation? For a mental challenge? OK, I've got ten titles for each category, now what?

Oh, and I've just remembered...

This does at least guarantee I'll never use these things as answers to security questions.

For the attention of those who are members of the UK's ...

2024-09-09T08:52:39Z

For the attention of those who are members of the UK's Society of Authors. Management Committee elections are underway, and I am one of nine candidates standing for four seats on the board. I have served my initial three year term, and am seeking re-election for a second and final term.

I urge you to read the candidate statements, and use your vote to elect those writers whom you feel confident will work to protect the professional interests of all authors.

Thank you 😊

Tom Gauld's cartoon for The Guardian 31st August 2024. For ...

2024-09-02T09:06:54Z

Tom Gauld's cartoon for The Guardian 31st August 2024.

For the non-writers, panel three arrives between two-thirds and three-quarters of the way through writing the book.

Those who live with writers or meet one regularly for coffee, beer, wine, table top gaming or some other activity will confirm this.
#writing

On Bluesky, author Hal Duncan writes "the non-gendered term ...

2024-08-28T08:52:08Z

On Bluesky, author Hal Duncan writes "the non-gendered term Author's Pet is perfectly fine for a protagonist who has the entire reality of the novel warped around them to lavish this vehicle of vicarious gratification with unearned adoration at the expense of credibility and any consideration, on the author's part, of other characters."

Decoupling the self-insert issues around Author's Pet writing from the sexist subtext of the original term 'Mary Sue' is an excellent idea.

#writing

In this news coverage of Imane Khelif and her participation in ...

2024-08-04T09:56:26Z

In this news coverage of Imane Khelif and her participation in Olympic women's boxing, we are seeing a case study in real time for that adage about a lie going six times around the world before the truth has got its boots on (or whatever variant).

Which would be fascinating if a blameless and dedicated young sportswoman wasn't being pilloried and quite likely endangered

comprehensive write-up here

https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/summer/boxing/olympics-imane-khelif-angela-carini-boxing-controversy-1.7282002

It's time for a bit of promo as reaching readers becomes ...

2024-07-09T09:12:36Z

It's time for a bit of promo as reaching readers becomes increasingly difficult - I see so many of my fellow writers are finding the same at present.

My current contemporary fantasy series is inspired by British myth and folklore, ancient and modern. Dan Mackmain is mostly human, but he is a dryad's son, and that means the Green Man sends him to solve problems when the mundane and the uncanny collide.

Signal boosts very much appreciated

#books #Bookstodon #SF #SFF #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy