iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Arne Knudson @aknudson.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

So I signed up for Royal Road. I have no idea how it’ll go, but I’m hoping I can get some good feedback and momentum. If you want to follow along, I’m posting a chapter every M/W/F through mid-October, at which point the entire book will be available: www.royalroad.com/fiction/1854...

royalroad.com

The Tale of Twoshirts

The Tale of Twoshirts is the debut novel in a 5-book fantasy series aimed at tweens, teens, young adults, and the young-at-heart. Twoshirts is an orphan goblin boy that befriended a genie, and wished ...

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funhistoryfacts.bsky.social @funhistoryfacts.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

Did you know that while Tom Dowd was famously a recording engineer & producer for hits like Derek and the Dominos' "Layla" and artists like Ray Charles, Willie Nelson, and Diana Ross, he worked as a physicist at the Manhattan Project back in 1945? Sadly, he died 8,647 days ago, in 2002.

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funhistoryfacts.bsky.social @funhistoryfacts.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

Did you know that Sidney Paget (the illustrator who gave Sherlock Holmes his iconic deerstalker hat) was born on October 4, 1860, exactly 8,647 weeks ago today? Some think he only got the job because the commission letter, sent to his brother Walter, was incorrectly delivered to Sidney instead!

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funhistoryfacts.bsky.social @funhistoryfacts.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

Did you know that Dora Bakoyannis made history when she was elected Mayor of Athens on October 20, 2002, becoming the first woman to lead the city in its 3,500-year history, exactly 8,647 days ago? She won with the largest margin in the city's history, and went on to oversee the 2004 Olympic Games.

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She had a great last day with a romp in the lake down at the park, and got to eat most of a hamburger. She loved people, she loved us, and we loved her. She was the best, and we’ll miss her.

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That porch in the background is the back porch where I take my eVscope astrophotography pictures from. We had to say goodbye this evening; her kidneys were failing, and she wasn’t doing well, and wasn’t going to ever get better.

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Fortunately, it’s chronic but manageable, and with daily medications to give her the hormones that her failed adrenal glands wouldn’t, she went on to live over 10 more years. The above picture is her years later, back in 2022, with one of our other pets, Muffin the budgie. They got along great.

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Arne Knudson @aknudson.bsky.social · 28/01/2026

We lost our elder family dog today, Poppy. Poppy went with us to Luxembourg when she was only about 2 years old, and when she started getting sick a few months later, we learned she had a disease called Addison’s, which – trust me – is hard to communicate in French.

Poppy, a grey schnauzer and lab mix, lying down with head between her paws, casually watching Muffin, a white-and-black budgerigar, who's about a foot (20cm) away.

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As history gazes back at Bezos, he'll forever be remembered for obsequiously bankrolling (and promoting!) a movie, directed by a guy in the Epstein files, about a softcore p*rn actress who's in the Epstein files, who married a guy in the Epstein files, who's still not released the Epstein files.

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Arne Knudson @aknudson.bsky.social · 08/01/2026

The ICE officer PUT himself in front of the car. The case is clearly expository, and the Supreme Court ruling was unanimous. If there is any justice, he must go to jail for life. ICE murders Americans, and the White House says that's fine.

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Arne Knudson @aknudson.bsky.social · 08/01/2026

The ICE officer murdered Renee Good. Read www.shawbransford.com/supreme-cour.... The totality of the circumstances - not the immediate threat - must be considered when using deadly force.

shawbransford.com

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Arne Knudson @aknudson.bsky.social · 13/12/2025

Well, crap. I took classes in Barus & Holley. My heart breaks for everyone on Brown's campus. I hate that this is normal.

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Arne Knudson @aknudson.bsky.social · 10/11/2025

#TheTaleofTwoshirts now has a dedicated page on my website, arneknudson.com/twoshirts - please check it out, leave a like, leave a comment, any feedback or engagement helps! Even if you don't like the book, you can still look at the pretty pictures I took with my telescope from my back yard.

arneknudson.com

Space on the back porch

Stars, nebulae, galaxies, and more

Arne Knudson @aknudson.bsky.social · 09/11/2025

#hopepunk #Q #YA #NA #F Pitch for #hopepit: #TheTaleofTwoshirts asks: what happens when the loathsome lordling learns that the one granting wishes isn’t the genie he captured, but his friend, the little goblin boy?

Dramatis Personae et Locus: Snippets about the characters and location, including the Gang, the allies, the antagonists, and the city of Akri.

Each chapter is headed by a quote from an in-universe historical book and author, to deepen the worldbuilding and give a humorous perspective on how times have changed. They don’t always agree with one another.

The First Page of the Prologue, which begins: “Born an orphan, and raised by Sister Persimmon at the Women and Children's Center of the Goddess of the Harvest, Twoshirts was an inquisitive child that could spin quite a yarn.”

An annotated map of the City of Akri. Crescent-shaped around Akri bay, there are three levels: the Up, the Down, and between them, the Left and the Right.

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“Step to me again, son, and it ends with me in the stocks and you in the hospital. And in a couple weeks, when we both get out and stand before the magister, my story’s going to be about a little girl in a prison cell, and a guard that put hands on me first. What’ll your story be?” [2/2]

Snippet 3: [1/2] (see you tomorrow!) #TheTaleofTwoshirts #hopepit #hopepunk #Q #YA #NA #F Sputtering dust and cursing, the guard started to get up, but Mr. McCoy put his hand out, gesturing for him to stop. In a low, fearsome growl that astonished Twoshirts in its quiet ferocity, Mr. McCoy said,

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Twoshirts considered for a moment. “Apocalyptic hellfire raining down… do you get that a lot?” Professor Thumbwhistle stood up from behind the desk. “Not since the last time I had to deal with it. Please, follow me.” [2/2]

Snippet 2: [1/2] #TheTaleofTwoshirts #hopepit #hopepunk #Q #YA #NA #F “The speech says to ‘exit the area in an organized fashion,’ but honestly, if there’s apocalyptic hellfire raining down, just skedaddle on out of there, quick as you can. Don’t bother with ‘utmost care’, just run.”

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“More than met, she’s my friend.” She snorted. “And you couldn’t’ve asked her for a new pair of sandals?” [2/2]

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Arne Knudson @aknudson.bsky.social · 07/11/2025

Snippet 1: (I'll post 3 today) [1/2] #TheTaleofTwoshirts #hopepit #hopepunk #Q #YA #NA #F “You know how weird that sounds, right? Goblin boy, owns nothin’ but a backpack and a pair of busted sandals, living in an abandoned kitchen with a bunch of orphans, and you’ve met a princess.”

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Boggle, as drawn by my eldest kid (they/them). A surly-looking hunched-back goldfish, about eight inches tall, with stumpy arms and legs, tiny angel wings, and a backpack. He rarely expresses an emotion other than dour piscine confusion. #TheTaleofTwoshirts #hopepit #hopepunk #Q #YA #NA #F

"Describing him was difficult; the best Twoshirts could manage was if you took a surly-looking hunched-back goldfish, about eight or so inches tall, gave it stumpy arms and legs plus a pair of tiny angel wings, you might get close to describing Boggle completely insufficiently. Boggle didn’t like to talk or make noises, and given his fish-shaped face, he rarely expressed an emotion other than dour piscine confusion."

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Arne Knudson @aknudson.bsky.social · 06/11/2025

Books that inspired me over the years: Any of the Wee Free Men books by Pratchett How to Train Your Dragon by Cowell The Princess Bride by Goldman The MUTTS comics by McDonnell #hopepit #hopepunk #TheTaleofTwoshirts

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#TheTaleofTwoshirts Twoshirts (goblin boy) Boggle (genie, invisible dour goldfish) Buds: Puffer, Any, Angie, Zig, & Zug Bads: Münch & the woman in black Prob: They got Boggle Fix: Your magic, my plans, and a one-armed guard? This is gonna be awesome. Humorous cozy fantasy #Questpit #Q #YA #NA #F

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The Tale of Twoshirts is a humorous cozy fantasy about a goblin boy who befriended a genie and wished he could grant wishes. Shenanigans ensue when a new friend makes an accidental wish, and mysterious woman in black captures the genie. #Questpit #Q #YA #NA #F #TheTaleofTwoshirts

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[4/4] What brings me hope are my wife & kids, writing, and people making a difference. It’s not easy to have hope in today’s world. But I hope for justice, tolerance, and joy, and I’d like to do something that makes the world a better place.

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[3/4] I wrote the book because I like humorous stories about friends solving problems together. And even though it’s cozy fantasy, I wanted to push the reader to examine prejudice, fairness, and personal joy, and why we should hope for the best.

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[2/4] My first book, The Tale of Twoshirts, is about a goblin boy that befriended a genie and wished he could grant wishes like his friend. As a member of one of the “low races,” he’s witness to, and the subject of, systemic & overt racism.

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Congressman Don Beyer @beyer.house.gov · 30/10/2025

[1/4] I'm Arne! I'm a humorous fantasy and scifi author for kids & kids-at-heart. I favor rich, diverse characters and deep worldbuilding, creating a space for everyone to fairly ask tough questions like how to be happy, or how we can be our better selves. #hopepit #hopepunk #TheTaleofTwoshirts #Q

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"If we had a contingency fund." You mean like this contingency fund the Trump Administration just deleted off their website? The one they are legally required to use to keep SNAP funded? www.notus.org/trump-white-...

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John Scalzi @scalzi.com · 30/10/2025

Over on Whatever, I offer some thoughts on the new "Grokipedia," through the lens of the article it has up about... me. (Spoiler, it's not great, for the reasons you probably suspect) whatever.scalzi.com/2025/10/30/a...

whatever.scalzi.com

A Review of Grokipedia, Using Myself as Test Subject

What? You didn’t know that Grokipedia exists? Well, it does, and it’s Elon Musk’s attempt to run Wikipedia out of town on a rail: An “AI”-generated compendium of infor…

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Arne Knudson @aknudson.bsky.social · 30/10/2025

Someone once described my style as "Mr. Rogers goes to Mordor." The Tale of Twoshirts is about a goblin boy who befriended a genie and wished he could grant wishes. The fun happens when a new friend makes an accidental wish, and an annoying lordling captures the genie. #Ghostpit #YA #NA #Q

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Arne Knudson @aknudson.bsky.social · 25/10/2025

@legaleagle.tv I'm hoping you or Liz will have a piece about how, this past Friday, the 9th circuit stayed its previous stay regarding deployment of federal troops because ... (checks notes) ... the DoJ lied to the court. lawandcrime.com/high-profile...

lawandcrime.com

9th Circuit reverses victory for Trump admin in National Guard case after feds get caught lying

By Friday, the full 9th Circuit administratively stayed the panel's own stay – "[w]ithout objection from the panel."

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Arne Knudson @aknudson.bsky.social · 24/10/2025

So once the Orange Cheat-o announced he was tearing down the East Wing, what's your guess as to how many foreign intelligence agencies started infiltrating construction, electrical, and HVAC companies? www.nytimes.com/1964/05/20/a...

nytimes.com

In Moscow, Walls Have Ears(40); U.S. Embassy Finds Microphones After Demolishing Room (Published 1964)

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Arne Knudson @aknudson.bsky.social · 22/10/2025

Check out this photo and my other telescope pictures at arneknudson.com!

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Arne Knudson @aknudson.bsky.social · 22/10/2025

Got out the telescope last night and got an few excellent photos of Comet C/2025 A6 (Lemmon).

Comet C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) from a Unistellar eVscope 2. The coma is bright white with hints of blue-green. There are two tails: a diffuse orange tail, and a narrow tail in the middle of the larger tail. The narrow tail is brighter and longer. Both start at the coma and stretch up and to the right. Photo taken October 21 2025, with a 2 minute exposure.

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Arne Knudson @aknudson.bsky.social · 17/10/2025

The Tale of Twoshirts, book two, full first draft, done. Not sure on the title yet, and probably won't publicize it, since it's a bit of a spoiler for the end of book one. Still working on finding an agent and eventually a publisher, but it feels great! Time for bed.

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Arne Knudson @aknudson.bsky.social · 16/10/2025

Brown (ever true!) finally stood up to Trump. Academic freedom, independence, and diversity are critical to resisting fascist agendas. The rejected compact limits enrollment by international students and forces strict definitions of gender. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/15/u... #brownriseup #nokings

nytimes.com

Brown University Rejects White House Deal for Special Treatment

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Arne Knudson @aknudson.bsky.social · 07/10/2025

Achievement unlocked: this past weekend I submitted query letters to my first batch of potential agents for book 1. Now we wait... (and finish writing book 2 of #TheTaleOfTwoshirts!)

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Marisa Kabas @marisakabas.bsky.social · 29/09/2025

SCOOP / UPDATE — Disney saw more than 1.7 million total paid streaming cancelations during the period 9/17-9/23, a Disney source confirms to me. The total includes Disney+, Hulu and ESPN.

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Arne Knudson @aknudson.bsky.social · 24/09/2025

Twoshirts (goblin boy): Think you can still hit it? Puffer (teenage ogre): <throws the barrel of olive oil> <explodes on the deck of the ship> <flames spread> Angie (human girl): Nice throw. Puffer: Thanks. #TheTaleOfTwoshirts, aka Mr. Rogers goes to Mordor. #unhingedpit #F #MG #YA #Q #cozyfantasy

Gru whiteboard meme: Be an annoying little lordling / Capture the Genie / His friend, the little goblin boy, grants the wishes / His friend, the little goblin boy, grants the wishes

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Arne Knudson @aknudson.bsky.social · 22/09/2025

Another activity (popping up on multiple municipal subreddits) is identifying the companies that are advertising on the Sinclair- and Nexstar-owned stations, specifically during Kimmel's preempted slot, and boycotting them until they pull their ads.

Arne Knudson @aknudson.bsky.social · 19/09/2025

Yep, cancelled my Disney+ / Hulu account today. #BoycottDisney #BoycottABCNetwork -- anyone know how we can boycott or otherwise hose Nexstar and Tegna?

Adam Bonin @adambonin.bsky.social · 18/09/2025

Reposted by Arne Knudson

My mom called me last night about the Kimmel firing, saying "This is how Hitler got started!" I quickly responded, "By firing the late night tv hosts?" Turns out, mom was right.

Goebbels Ends Careers of Five 'Aryan' Actors Who Made Witticisms About the Nazi Regime

Feb. 4, 1939

February 4, 1939, Page 1

BERLIN, Feb. 3.—Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels today ended the professional careers of five "Aryan" actors and cabaret announcers by expelling them from the Reich's Chamber of Culture on the grounds that “in their public appearances they displayed a lack of any positive attitude toward National Socialism and therewith caused grave annoyance in public and especially to party comrades.” The five include perhaps the best known German stage comedians who survived previous Chamber of Culture purges and still dared to indulge in political witticisms—namely, Werner Finck, Peter Sachse and “The Three Rulands,” represented by Helmuth Buth, Wilhelm Meissner and Manfred Dlugi. Their expulsion means that they are henceforth forbidden to appear before the public in Germany.

Besides motivating this action in an official communiqué, Dr. Goebbels also publishes a long article in the Voelkischer Beobachter in which he denounces them as “brazen, impertinent, arrogant and tactless" and generally imitators and successors to Jews. Simultaneously he denounces the "society rabble that followed them with thundering applause—parasitic scum, inhabiting our luxury streets, that seems to have only the task of proving with how little brains people can get along and even acquire money and prominence."

As regards the details of the "crimes" of which the five are accused, Dr. Goebbels mentions that they made political witticisms about the colonial problem, the Four-Year Plan and Chancellor Hitler's monumental building program and one of them even raised the question of whether there was any humor left in Germany today.

What amused the public most, however, and presumably roiled the National Socialist authorities most—although Dr. Goebbels does not mention it—is that they deftly, but unmistakably, caricatured some gestures, poses and physical characteristics of Nat…

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John Scalzi @scalzi.com · 17/09/2025

Dat's me! I'm in that photo! Woohoo! Great talk, ton of laughs, and highly recommended. Plus the follow-up on the Shadow War of the Night Dragons, that was super cool.

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Tonight's event is well attended, I guess

The crowd at my event tonight. They seem happy to be here!

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2/2 As an example, I went to see @scalzi.com at Third Place Books tonight, and told him I had started pitching my first book, and if I was lucky I'd hit him up in a year for a Big Idea post, he gave me a high five. Scalzi, one of my favorite authors, high fived me! Not the other way around!

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1/2 As a total noob in the "convince people to read stuff you wrote" industry, my biggest shock was how much not-even-close-to-writing stuff I'm going to have to do. But the second biggest was how authors don't just support each other, they're each others' biggest cheerleaders.

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