brucebethke.bsky.social @brucebethke.bsky.social · 05/09/2026Teaser. SS#27 is almost ready to release. Here's a first rough take on the cover art. 022
brucebethke.bsky.social @brucebethke.bsky.social · 24/08/2026Today on Stupefying Stories: answers to a pile of questions from the virtual mailbag. stupefyingstories.blogspot.com/2026/08/stat...stupefyingstories.blogspot.comStatus Update • 24 August 2026It’s the last week of August already ? There’s a lot going on here; a lot on my mind. Nonetheless my inbox is overflowing with questions a... 032
brucebethke.bsky.social @brucebethke.bsky.social · 17/08/2026My interview with HOSTS IN THE SHELL went live this past Saturday. Enjoy! hostsintheshell.buzzsprout.com/1930485/epis...hostsintheshell.buzzsprout.comAn interview with Bruce Bethke, author of 'Cyberpunk' (and inventor of the word!) - Hosts In The ShellThe term 'legend' gets bandied about... but today's guest absolutely 100% meets the necessary criteria, having invented the word 'cyberpunk' as the title of his seminal 1980 short story!! We are honou... 021
brucebethke.bsky.social @brucebethke.bsky.social · 24/07/2026Episode Four: Having narrowly escaped by taking a time jump off the sinking Titanic, Dawn lands in someplace safe, warm, dry -- and right in the middle of the Robot Uprising of 2347. Oh, for Pete's sake... youtu.be/momgv_YM9aYyoutu.beDawn of Time • Episode FourYouTube video by Stupefying Stories 000
brucebethke.bsky.social @brucebethke.bsky.social · 23/07/2026We now have 3 chapters of "Dawn of Time" up on the Stupefying Stories YouTube channel, so I 'spose we'd best start telling people that the thing exists. www.youtube.com/channel/UCc4...youtube.comStupefying Stories 021
brucebethke.bsky.social @brucebethke.bsky.social · 21/07/2026This turned out much better than I expected it would. youtu.be/AbbDZWa_kscyoutu.beDawn of Time • Episode OneYouTube video by Stupefying Stories 000
brucebethke.bsky.social @brucebethke.bsky.social · 13/07/2026Since we've talked so much about THE ODIN CHRONICLES in the context of our proposed podcast, and the fact that we already have 30 episodes produced ready to release, here is... stupefyingstories.blogspot.com/2026/07/the-...stupefyingstories.blogspot.comThe Odin Chronicles • Episode GuideWelcome to Odin III, a grubby little mining world on the dark and dusty backside of nowhere. It’s a world where everything that’s worth ha... 000
brucebethke.bsky.social @brucebethke.bsky.social · 11/07/2026Today's post, expanding on yesterday's post. stupefyingstories.blogspot.com/2026/07/help...stupefyingstories.blogspot.comHELP WANTED: Further ElucidationTo expand a bit on yesterday’s call for help : I’m looking for people who have experience with producing podcasts, or at least with consum... 000
brucebethke.bsky.social @brucebethke.bsky.social · 10/07/2026Today's post, and I do this with some apprehension: stupefyingstories.blogspot.com/2026/07/help...stupefyingstories.blogspot.comHelp Wanted: Podcast Geniuses NeededAs I continue to work towards the relaunch of Stupefying Stories , one fact has become clear. The days of Stupefying Stories SHOWCASE are... 000
brucebethke.bsky.social @brucebethke.bsky.social · 08/07/2026Today: Macbeth, The Musical Comedy! Just kidding... stupefyingstories.blogspot.com/2026/07/macb...stupefyingstories.blogspot.comMacbeth in the 21st CenturyHere’s today’s “Suddenly thought of while thinking about something else” idea: Has anyone done a rewrite of Macbeth as a modern novel? I’m n... 000
brucebethke.bsky.social @brucebethke.bsky.social · 08/07/2026Stupefying Stories returns from the dead, uncomfortably close to literally. stupefyingstories.blogspot.com/2026/07/wher...stupefyingstories.blogspot.comWhere Do We Go From Here? • 7 July 2026Three months later… A lot of questions have been coming in. It’s time I began answering them. Eschewing the usual FAQ format, here’s what ... 010
brucebethke.bsky.social @brucebethke.bsky.social · 29/06/2026I suppose it's time to sign in to Bluesky again and let people know that I'm still alive. Hey, people. Contrary to expectations, I'm still alive. 010
brucebethke.bsky.social @brucebethke.bsky.social · 16/02/2026With 2 weeks left before the Nebula Ballot cutoff, THE DAY WE SAID GOODBYE TO THE BIRDS has made the SFWA Recommended Reading list. Here's how to get your free copy. stupefyingstories.blogspot.com/2026/02/stat...stupefyingstories.blogspot.comStatus Update • 16 February 2026With two weeks left to go until the Nebula ballot cutoff, we’re please to report that THE DAY WE SAID GOODBYE TO THE BIRDS has made it on... 000
brucebethke.bsky.social @brucebethke.bsky.social · 13/10/2025Today on Stupefying Stories: Where did the spheres come from? What did they want? Their ominous silence didn't help. stupefyingstories.blogspot.com/2025/10/the-...stupefyingstories.blogspot.com“The Spheres of NilSpace” • by Rebecca A. DemarestWhen the first bubble appeared, in Mx. Zarblat’s regurgitation chamber, it was the size of a fruit a human might call a melon. It lasted o... 000
brucebethke.bsky.social @brucebethke.bsky.social · 23/09/2025Apparently bluesky back-burners your account if you don't post frequently, even if you don't actually have anything to say. Accordingly, here's a pic of my rain gauge. Five inches since last Friday. That Cessna A-37 Dragonfly washed out in the rain. Not a clue which kid lost it or how long ago. 000
brucebethke.bsky.social @brucebethke.bsky.social · 01/09/2025Today on Stupefying Stories: it's back-to-school time, with... oh no. Timothy. stupefyingstories.blogspot.com/2025/09/pres...stupefyingstories.blogspot.com“Presenting Ancient Humanity” • by Ruby Dae MellingerWhile Wilma took her seat and the other students clapped, the teacher let out a low, quiet sigh, seeing that Timothy was next to give his pr... 000
brucebethke.bsky.social @brucebethke.bsky.social · 25/08/2025Today on Stupefying Stories: a little reminder that Fall is just around the corner. stupefyingstories.blogspot.com/2025/08/in-f...stupefyingstories.blogspot.com“In Fall, After the Harvest” • by S. Travis BrownThe little cybernetic gadfly popped up as soon as I logged in. “ Dave Miller ,” it dutifully nagged, “ you are now 15 minutes overdue fo... 000
brucebethke.bsky.social @brucebethke.bsky.social · 13/08/2025We've been having trouble with cross-posting lately, so you've probably missed this. If you've self-published or indie-published a book lately, we'd love to help share your success story. stupefyingstories.blogspot.com/2025/08/writ...stupefyingstories.blogspot.comWriting 101 • Understanding the Publishing Ecosystem: an RFPContinued from: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 Supplemental reading: How to Get Rich Quick Writing Big Hit Bestsellers! RFP: It’s engineer-speak... 000
brucebethke.bsky.social @brucebethke.bsky.social · 13/08/2025Today: if you're craving something *really* dark today, read this! stupefyingstories.blogspot.com/2025/08/glos...stupefyingstories.blogspot.com“Glossary” • by Allan Dyen-ShapiroGlossary of Archaic Terms used in Monograph on Human Culture During the Period of Conquest (Kindle Edition) colonist (ˈkälənəst) The humans’... 000
brucebethke.bsky.social @brucebethke.bsky.social · 11/08/2025Success Story #1: Karl K. Gallagher explains what he's had to do to become a profitable indie author on Amazon. stupefyingstories.blogspot.com/2025/08/writ...stupefyingstories.blogspot.comWriting 101 • How I Did It, by Karl K. GallagherI started writing my first novel in 2013. After some work by a wonderful editor, I sent it off to a publisher I liked and set to work on th... 000
brucebethke.bsky.social @brucebethke.bsky.social · 10/08/2025Today, I decided to pause what was mushrooming into the "Understanding the Publishing Ecosystem" series and issue a call for success stories. The details are here. stupefyingstories.blogspot.com/2025/08/writ...stupefyingstories.blogspot.comWriting 101 • Understanding the Publishing Ecosystem: an RFPContinued from: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 Supplemental reading: How to Get Rich Quick Writing Big Hit Bestsellers! RFP: It’s engineer-speak... 000
brucebethke.bsky.social @brucebethke.bsky.social · 29/07/2025Today's post: following up on yesterday's post, some notes to help you understand how publishing actually works. stupefyingstories.blogspot.com/2025/07/writ...stupefyingstories.blogspot.comWriting 101 • Understanding the Publishing EcosystemI know I said I was going to let Writing 101 rest a while, but a few recent conversations have made this post seem necessary. Lately I’ve ru... 000
brucebethke.bsky.social @brucebethke.bsky.social · 28/07/2025Today's post: a painful observation about the state of the SF/F publishing business. stupefyingstories.blogspot.com/2025/07/its-...stupefyingstories.blogspot.comIt’s Amazon’s world. We just rent space in it.I got a query from an old friend the other day. And by old, I mean old : this is someone I’ve known for more than fifty years. After a l... 010
brucebethke.bsky.social @brucebethke.bsky.social · 27/07/2025Today: stupefyingstories.blogspot.com/2025/07/stat...stupefyingstories.blogspot.comStatus Update • 27 July 2025Enough people have asked that it’s time for me to respond. Where have I been for the past two weeks? Answer: Busy. Really, really busy. Rath... 000
brucebethke.bsky.social @brucebethke.bsky.social · 11/07/2025Today: stupefyingstories.blogspot.com/2025/07/the-...stupefyingstories.blogspot.comThe Never-ending FAQ • Addendum, 11 July 2025Following up on the 9 July Never-ending FAQ post … Q: Pete Wood asks: “How come there are no questions in the FAQ?” A: Because I’m really b... 000
brucebethke.bsky.social @brucebethke.bsky.social · 09/07/2025Today: stupefyingstories.blogspot.com/2025/07/the-...stupefyingstories.blogspot.comThe Never-ending FAQ • 9 July 2025Questions have been piling up while I’ve been busy with Otogu, so this is going to be a combination FAQ and status update. Quick, Robin, to ... 000
brucebethke.bsky.social @brucebethke.bsky.social · 05/07/2025Today: One of the weirder things about being me is that people seem to think I should be some sort of judge, arbiter, or elder spokesman for the cyberpunk genre. Here's what *I* think of that idea. stupefyingstories.blogspot.com/2025/07/ask-...stupefyingstories.blogspot.comAsk Dr. Cyberpunk • with your host, Bruce BethkeThis being the Independence Day holiday weekend, we’re running The Best of Ask Dr. Cyberpunk today. This column was originally posted on Fe... 010
brucebethke.bsky.social @brucebethke.bsky.social · 03/07/2025stupefyingstories.blogspot.com/2025/07/goin...stupefyingstories.blogspot.comGoing to Readercon 24? (Plus, our 4th of July Sale!)Allan Dyen-Shapiro will be at Readercon 34 , July 17-20! Better yet, he’ll be there with print copies of The Day We Said Goodbye to the ... 000
brucebethke.bsky.social @brucebethke.bsky.social · 01/07/2025Today: Vote early! Vote often! And remember, likes are nice, but shares and retweets boost the signal! stupefyingstories.blogspot.com/2025/07/its-...stupefyingstories.blogspot.comIt’s Time To Nominate Your Favorite Stories!All good things must end someday, and this includes The Pete Wood Challenge. After a four-year run and more than 230 published stories, it’s... 000
brucebethke.bsky.social @brucebethke.bsky.social · 27/06/2025Today: Pete Wood Challenge Week wraps up, with the gold going to... stupefyingstories.blogspot.com/2025/06/the-...stupefyingstories.blogspot.com“The Marks in the Walls” • by Sophie SparrowWhen someone is miserable for a long time, it leaves an aura, a trace that seeps into the walls. You feel it viewing property: some places ... 010
brucebethke.bsky.social @brucebethke.bsky.social · 26/06/2025Today: the Pete Wood Challenge medal round continues, with the silver going to... stupefyingstories.blogspot.com/2025/06/fart...stupefyingstories.blogspot.com“Farther Galaxy’s Choose Your Own Adventure” • by C. L. SidellCam and Becca begin the interactive activity. Signs flicker above the first three-pronged fork they encounter. red // blue // WHITE U... 011
brucebethke.bsky.social @brucebethke.bsky.social · 25/06/2025Today: Pete Wood Challenge Week advances to the medal round, with the bronze going to... stupefyingstories.blogspot.com/2025/06/the-...stupefyingstories.blogspot.com“The Unicorn Farm” • by Carol ScheinaMellie was seven when she discovered the unicorn farm. The unicorns’ brilliant coats glistened like sunbeams through raindrops. Manes float... 000
brucebethke.bsky.social @brucebethke.bsky.social · 24/06/2025Today: Pete Wood Challenge Week continues, with... stupefyingstories.blogspot.com/2025/06/may-...stupefyingstories.blogspot.com“May Your Path Be Blessed Forever” • by Jeff CurrierNyota Njeri strained to decouple the ruptured hose, her slippers sliding through pooling biogel. “Dr. Njeri, primary burn cannot be dela... 000
brucebethke.bsky.social @brucebethke.bsky.social · 23/06/2025Let's see how Bluesky handles this image. books2read.com/The-Day-We-S... 000
brucebethke.bsky.social @brucebethke.bsky.social · 23/06/2025Today: It's another Pete Wood Challenge Week! Five new stories by five authors, all stemming from the same prompt, and beginning with... stupefyingstories.blogspot.com/2025/06/flas...stupefyingstories.blogspot.com“Flashes” • by Gideon P. SmithThey say life flashes before your eyes at the end. That’s what Happy Trails Hospice Services promises—a virtual reality tour for your f... 000
brucebethke.bsky.social @brucebethke.bsky.social · 13/06/2025Today: stupefyingstories.blogspot.com/2025/06/writ...stupefyingstories.blogspot.comWriting 101 • Part 2: Mary Sue, Totally Badass SurvivalistOne of the few benefits of being my age is that it helps you to develop a sense of historical perspective. Most people, it increasingly seem... 010
brucebethke.bsky.social @brucebethke.bsky.social · 12/06/2025Today: stupefyingstories.blogspot.com/2025/06/writ...stupefyingstories.blogspot.comWriting 101 • Sidebar: Hello, Mary Sue, Goodbye, CredibilityThere’s a character you should all know and dread: “Lieutenant Mary Sue Je’nerik, the youngest cadet ever to make commissioned rank in Star ... 000
brucebethke.bsky.social @brucebethke.bsky.social · 11/06/2025Today: news, new book releases, and more! stupefyingstories.blogspot.com/2025/06/the-...stupefyingstories.blogspot.comThe Never-ending FAQ • 11 June 2025A lot of questions have piled up in my inbox since the last Never-ending FAQ post , most of which are variations on “Where are you?!” and “... 000
brucebethke.bsky.social @brucebethke.bsky.social · 02/06/2025Today: New book! stupefyingstories.blogspot.com/2025/06/book...stupefyingstories.blogspot.comBook Release: THE DAY WE SAID GOODBYE TO THE BIRDS • by Allan Dyen-Shapiro“Genocide Joe” is a marked man. Once a highly respected corporate microbiologist, now the scapegoat for a GMO-caused ecological disaste... 021
brucebethke.bsky.social @brucebethke.bsky.social · 19/05/2025Today: New story! stupefyingstories.blogspot.com/2025/05/as-m...stupefyingstories.blogspot.com“As the Moon Rises” • by Isabelle D’AmatoI hasten through the dark and snowy woods, as quickly as the poor horse will carry me. Dusk is falling fast and an icy wind is rising, pierc... 032
brucebethke.bsky.social @brucebethke.bsky.social · 16/05/2025Today: stupefyingstories.blogspot.com/2025/05/writ...stupefyingstories.blogspot.comWriting 101 • Sidebar: Visualization TechniquesSometimes, when I’m having trouble writing a scene, I’ll take a step back from trying to express it in words and just try to see the moment... 020
brucebethke.bsky.social @brucebethke.bsky.social · 12/05/2025Today: new story! stupefyingstories.blogspot.com/2025/05/outp...stupefyingstories.blogspot.com“Outpost” • by Gordon Pinckheard“Mother,” Isaac called out to the Colony’s management system, “I’d like to talk to someone Earthside.” Isaac was bored. He had finished les... 043
brucebethke.bsky.social @brucebethke.bsky.social · 05/05/2025Today: new story! stupefyingstories.blogspot.com/2025/05/catg...stupefyingstories.blogspot.com“Catgut Variations (on a G string)” • by M. David BlakeI once owned a violin, covered with green silk, wrapped in gold and gauze, bound with iron chains and hidden in a teak-wood cask. It was a... 020
brucebethke.bsky.social @brucebethke.bsky.social · 03/05/2025Today: stupefyingstories.blogspot.com/2025/05/ask-...stupefyingstories.blogspot.comAsk Dr. Cyberpunk • with your host, Bruce BethkeAnd now, as threatened promised last week: INVASION of the DISCODROIDS! I’ve been taking some deep dives into the archives lately, to fin... 010
brucebethke.bsky.social @brucebethke.bsky.social · 01/05/2025Today: stupefyingstories.blogspot.com/2025/05/writ...stupefyingstories.blogspot.comWriting 101 • Day 4: Why do you want to write?Why do you write? You’ve probably noticed that thus far, I’ve scrupulously avoided talking about the special considerations involved in wri... 010
brucebethke.bsky.social @brucebethke.bsky.social · 29/04/2025Today: stupefyingstories.blogspot.com/2025/04/writ...stupefyingstories.blogspot.comWriting 101 • Day 3: Who Are You?We humans love stories. We love to hear them. We love to tell them. We love to pass a good story on to others. Stories are how we learn. ... 010
brucebethke.bsky.social @brucebethke.bsky.social · 28/04/2025Today: New Story! stupefyingstories.blogspot.com/2025/04/big-...stupefyingstories.blogspot.com“Big Bang Enlightenment” • by Sam W. PisciottaJenny scowls, her foot tapping out the passing moments as if marking my silence. The brochure lies on the table between us. Big Bang, Incor... 000
brucebethke.bsky.social @brucebethke.bsky.social · 26/04/2025Today: stupefyingstories.blogspot.com/2025/04/ask-...stupefyingstories.blogspot.comAsk Dr. Cyberpunk • with your host, Bruce BethkeBy now enough people have seen this photo that some have begun to ask: “What the Hell is all that stuff?” This, my friends, is where “Cybe... 020
brucebethke.bsky.social @brucebethke.bsky.social · 25/04/2025Today: stupefyingstories.blogspot.com/2025/04/note...stupefyingstories.blogspot.comNotes Toward Building a Writers’ CommunityI must admit, I’ve always found writers to be puzzling. I am one. I’ve had some success at being one, as you may have noticed. I grew up in ... 010
brucebethke.bsky.social @brucebethke.bsky.social · 24/04/2025Today: stupefyingstories.blogspot.com/2025/04/writ...stupefyingstories.blogspot.comWriting 101 • Day 2: What is a story?It’s kind of funny, really. My parents were both public school teachers. I grew up in a house that was simply overflowing with books and ... 010