Nostr notes by Juliet E McKenna

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

2026-08-29T13:15:12+02:00

"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 ...

2026-08-26T13:14:40+02:00

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 ...

2026-07-09T12:58:41+02:00

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 ...

2026-06-06T18:32:49+02:00

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 ...

2026-05-20T08:20:25+02:00

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 ...

2026-05-04T10:12:05+02:00

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 ...

2026-03-29T11:09:31+02:00

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 ...

2026-03-16T12:26:24+01:00

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 ...

2026-03-10T11:45:30+01:00

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 ...

2026-02-05T11:17:20+01:00

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 ...

2026-01-09T11:45:25+01:00

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 ...

2026-01-03T11:45:59+01:00

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 ...

2025-11-16T12:38:31+01:00

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 ...

2025-11-14T13:14:23+01:00

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 ...

2025-10-27T12:22:27+01:00

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 ...

2025-08-19T11:27:55+02:00

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 ...

2025-08-18T11:06:52+02:00

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 ...

2025-08-03T11:42:12+02:00

"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 ...

2025-07-22T14:29:19+02:00

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 ...

2025-05-17T17:21:51+02:00

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 ...

2025-04-18T08:23:40+02:00

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 ...

2025-03-31T12:24:56+02:00

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.

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

2025-01-25T15:45:02+01:00

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

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

2024-11-21T10:30:44+01:00

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.

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

2024-09-09T10:52:39+02:00

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 😊

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

2024-08-28T10:52:08+02:00

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