Val Nolan's avatar

Val Nolan

@vallescurarule.bsky.social

227 followers 346 following 384 posts

Research Fellow in Aberystwyth English Dept.; Author of Neil Jordan - Works for the Page; co-author of Spec-Fic for Newbies; Sturgeon & BSFA finalist; stories in Year's Best SF, Best of British SF, Interzone, Opulent Syntax, Nature Futures... He/Him.

Val Nolan's avatar Val Nolan @vallescurarule.bsky.social
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Thanks so much for being part of it! 😀

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Val Nolan's avatar Val Nolan @vallescurarule.bsky.social
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Thank you so much for your great questions, Lauren! 😀

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Val Nolan's avatar Val Nolan @vallescurarule.bsky.social
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Not having to hear about Tory nonsense every day anymore is going to be such a *genuine* relief 😀

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Gabino Iglesias's avatar Gabino Iglesias @gabino.bsky.social
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Write that thing. Make it weird. Make it sad. Make it funny or kinky or scary or whatever you want. Write what makes you happy.

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Val Nolan's avatar Val Nolan @vallescurarule.bsky.social
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We've made it to the mid-season point of #StarTrekProdigy's *excellent* second season and, no spoilers, it has to be said that 'The Devourer of All Things I & II' are *tremendous* Star Trek episodes brimming with treats for fans old and new! 😀 🖖

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E.M. Faulds's avatar E.M. Faulds @bethkesh.bsky.social
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The WEALTH of Scottish SFF coming out at Worldcon this year. As is only correct. 😽

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Val Nolan's avatar Val Nolan @vallescurarule.bsky.social
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Had a dream last night that we somehow got a second little kitten. But, also, it had swallowed a small radio and so it didn't so much meow as play Hip Hop when it wandered past 😂

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Val Nolan's avatar Val Nolan @vallescurarule.bsky.social
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Happy Independence-From-Conservative-Misrule-Day to voters heading to the polls in the UK today!

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Val Nolan's avatar Val Nolan @vallescurarule.bsky.social
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A "#1 New Release" banner you say...? Well now... 😀

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Reposted by Val Nolan

INTERZONE's avatar INTERZONE @interzone.press
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If you’re able, help @strangehorizons.bsky.social get to its base and rally to some of these amazing stretch goals:

✨ At $15,000, a special issue on Afro-Surrealist sf!

✨ At $16,500, a special issue on sff × Ageing

✨ At $18,000, SH will raise artist pay to $300 **more 👏 money 👏 for 👏 artists!!!**

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Val Nolan's avatar Val Nolan @vallescurarule.bsky.social
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The perfect book for friends, lovers, writers, writing tutors, nerds, geeks, and anyone who has ever wanted to know more about literature's most exciting fields! *Spec Fic for Newbies Vol. 2* is out now! Find yourself a copy here: www.lunapresspublishing.com/product-page...

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Val Nolan's avatar Val Nolan @vallescurarule.bsky.social
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Three episodes into the new season of #StarTrekProdigy and... How is this *even better* than season one?! 😃 This is absolutely *fantastic*! 🖖

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Luna Press Publishing's avatar Luna Press Publishing @lunapress.bsky.social
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We are excited to share that Nova Scotia Vol 2: New Speculative Fiction from Scotland is now ready for pre-order! Editors @neilwilliamson.bsky.social and Andrew J. Wilson have curated stories from amazing Scottish writers. And let's not forget the gorgeous cover art by @jennicoutts.bsky.social.

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Val Nolan's avatar Val Nolan @vallescurarule.bsky.social
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For when people just won't leave you alone... SPEC FIC FOR NEWBIES 2, out July 2 from Luna Press, looks at the history of Last Person Left Alive stories, lists important considerations, and provides two activities to get you started writing! Pre-order now! linktr.ee/specficforne...

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Val Nolan's avatar Val Nolan @vallescurarule.bsky.social
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'Mindwalk' is such a *knock out* episode of #StarTrekProdigy. Absolutely fantastic (and super fun!) performances by Brett Gray and Kate Mulgrew!

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Paul Duane's avatar Paul Duane @paulduane.bsky.social
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I think the reason Philip K Dick is still the predominant SF writer of the last century is, he was the only one who foresaw a future where everything would be boring, inconvenient and dehumanising, and where the only way you can win is to somehow refuse to give up your humanity.

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Tom Gauld 's avatar Tom Gauld @tomgauld.bsky.social
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Beware of the book festivals! (My latest Guardian Books cartoon)

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Val Nolan's avatar Val Nolan @vallescurarule.bsky.social
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This section contains my favorite dumb joke in the whole book... 😂

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Val Nolan's avatar Val Nolan @vallescurarule.bsky.social
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From jokey asides & snarky characters to parody & satire, Comedic Fantasy adds some to a genre that can be all swords & fire. SPEC FIC FOR NEWBIES 2, out July 2 from Luna Press, unpacks this subgenre & provides tips on landing the jokes! Pre-order now! linktr.ee/specficforne...

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Val Nolan's avatar Val Nolan @vallescurarule.bsky.social
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Current reading... Absolutely *top-notch* account of how an iconic show came to be! Recommended for anyone interested in how TV is made and anyone craving a hit of 2000s nostalgia!

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Val Nolan's avatar Val Nolan @vallescurarule.bsky.social
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Dimensions, realms, discrete domains, alternate histories & parallel worlds...SPEC FIC FOR NEWBIES 2, out July 2 from Luna Press, peels back the layers of The Multiverse and provides activities to get you started writing! Pre-order now! linktr.ee/specficforne...

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Daniel Abraham's avatar Daniel Abraham @abraham.bsky.social
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One of the interesting things about the Internet is that we’re actually living through a dark age. Future historians are unlikely to have records of this period.

Paper and ink last. Digital storage, less so.

variety.com/2024/tv/news...

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Katie Mack's avatar Katie Mack @astrokatie.com
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We got tricked by science fiction into thinking a futuristic city is all about flying cars and crystal towers and hologram billboards but what it really looks like is nice apartment blocks, good mass transit, pedestrian zones with shade trees and safe bike lanes.

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Val Nolan's avatar Val Nolan @vallescurarule.bsky.social
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Think I've finished a new story today (yay!). Obviously need to let it breathe for a while before going back to it to see if it's *actually* finished (!), but this is a good feeling overall 😀

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Val Nolan's avatar Val Nolan @vallescurarule.bsky.social
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Want to take your horror off the beaten path? SPEC FIC FOR NEWBIES 2 (July 2 from Luna Press) heads to Places People Shouldn't Go with a look at the history & the psychology of daredevil behavior, plus activities to get you started writing! Pre-order now! linktr.ee/specficforne...

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Val Nolan's avatar Val Nolan @vallescurarule.bsky.social
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Our #StarTrekProdigy rewatch reached 'All the World's a Stage' tonight. Not just an exceptional episode of this series, but a *top* Star Trek episode full stop! 🖖

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Mary Robinette Kowal 's avatar Mary Robinette Kowal @maryrobinette.bsky.social
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Silent Spaces is now live on Kickstarter! Back it now to receive the collection of Short Stories and various other exciting rewards all geared around my Lady Astronaut Series. www.kickstarter.com/projects/mar...

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Val Nolan's avatar Val Nolan @vallescurarule.bsky.social
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This section, quite appropriately, was a blast to write 😂

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Val Nolan's avatar Val Nolan @vallescurarule.bsky.social
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Ready to write the party to end all parties (with a touch of social commentary thrown in for funsies)? SPEC FIC FOR NEWBIES 2, out July 2 from Luna Press, takes you to the shocking, satirical, subversive Carnivalesque & provides activities to get you started! Pre-order now! linktr.ee/specficforne...

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Val Nolan's avatar Val Nolan @vallescurarule.bsky.social
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What if you could hack your body the same way you can hack a computer? SPEC FIC FOR NEWBIES 2, out July 2 from Luna Press, digs beneath the skin of Biopunk, offering a guide to this body-mod subgenre & activities to get you started! Pre-order now! linktr.ee/specficforne...

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Abigail Nussbaum's avatar Abigail Nussbaum @abigailnussbaum.bsky.social
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Over at @lawgunsmoney.bsky.social, some thoughts on how the term "AI" is increasingly being used to describe all algorithmic tools, new and preexisting, as a way of obscuring the fact that LLM-based text and image generators are effectively useless. With examples from my own workplace.

3 replies 63 reposts 113 likes

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Dr. Damien P. Williams: Magus, Werewolf, Cyborg, Bi's avatar Dr. Damien P. Williams: Magus, Werewolf, Cyborg, Bi @wolvendamien.bsky.social
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I literally warned y'all about exactly this kind of harmful outcome from GPT integrations, & even told you *why/how* it'd happen. And if it's showing in résumé sorting, then bet it's about break as having been happening in patient portals & police reports & lending application sorters & on & on & on

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