iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

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David Roberts @volts.wtf · 06/08/2025

OK, y'all, as I mentioned, I went to see Paul Simon play last night. I found it unexpectedly moving, quite profound actually, and I want to do a short thread about it. I'll start by saying that, for a whole bunch of reasons, aging & mortality have been much on my mind lately.

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H S Norup @hsnorup.bsky.social · 11/05/2025

I‘m buzzing after the virtual @scbwi-bi.bsky.social Book Launch Boot Camp with the three powerhouses that are @candygourlay.bsky.social @moohara.bsky.social and @authorsaragrant.bsky.social and wonderful #scbwi peeps. Highly recommended for anyone seeking inspiration prior to launching a new book!

A glimpse at my notes from the SCBWI book launch boot camp.

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Candy Gourlay @candygourlay.bsky.social · 01/05/2025

Thanks for coming, Nadia, so pleased that it all came together!

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Candy Gourlay @candygourlay.bsky.social · 01/05/2025

Thank you for watching! I hope it was super helpful!

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Em Lynas @emlynas.bsky.social · 28/04/2025

One week only! To celebrate our SECRET LIVES OF PICTURE BOOKS event tonight @candygourlay.bsky.social and I are getting the pens out and supporting our local UK indies. You can order signed & dedicated copies of Bear and Hare from bookcornershop.co.uk/product/9781... Still time to sign up...

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Candy Gourlay @candygourlay.bsky.social · 16/04/2025

@beyondbiasbooks.bsky.social I've only just seen this sweet post! Thank you so much!

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Candy Gourlay @candygourlay.bsky.social · 16/04/2025

Hahaha my grandmother will be turning in her grave!

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Candy Gourlay @candygourlay.bsky.social · 18/02/2025

Yes! My newsletter is called The House of Procrastination 😄

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Candy Gourlay @candygourlay.bsky.social · 14/02/2025

Thanks James! So nice to see you here!

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Candy Gourlay @candygourlay.bsky.social · 13/02/2025

Feelings I need to get rid of and feelings I need to remember. I was having the sads, then I made a comic about things I loved in school visits #kidlituk #kidlit #comics open.substack.com/pub/houseofp...

open.substack.com

Feelings I need to get rid of and feelings I need to remember

I was feeling glum when we did List Comics at @janeporter's weekly comics class

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Candy Gourlay @candygourlay.bsky.social · 13/02/2025

It really is! I'm really enjoying SUBSTACK and the relief of longer, more considered thought

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Sarah McIntyre @sarahmcintyre.bsky.social · 12/02/2025

A handwritten letter on my illustration work desk to my local MP, Mel Stride, asking him to help UK children's book illustrators keep our copyright during the current AI policy consultation ✍️ @mrsteveantony.bsky.social @alcs-uk.bsky.social @societyofauthors.bsky.social (Typed out in the alt text)

Dear Mr Stride, can you please help me and other UK children’s book illustrators?

The governing is considering AI policy measures that would make us, as copyright holders, ‘opt out’ if we don’t want tech companies breaching our copyright to train their systems. The big companies then use our own art in competition against us.

The UK ought to be proud of its children’s book tradition. Our artwork is exported all over the world, and by giving it away free, we’re ruining the industry. Children will be poorer: there’ll get dumbed-down, mechanical books that have no real person thinking hard about each aspect of them.

My colleague Steve Antony described it:
“It’s like allowing someone to break into my house and steal my belongings so that they can research, recycle and resell them, unless I stick a label on each and every one of my belongings that says ‘DO NOT STEAL’, even though the objects are clearly not theirs and clearly within someone else’s house. That house bring my copyright. It’s absolutely ridiculous, makes no sense, completely destroys existing copyright laws and insults every single one of us.”

Please, could you stand up for us and out copyright? If you could mention our concerns to Feryal Clark, Minister for AI & Digital Governent, and to Chris Bryant, Minister for Creative Industry, Arts & Tourism, I’d greatly appreciate it.

Warmest wishes, Sarah McIntyre,
Illustrator & Author, Bovey Tracey

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Candy Gourlay @candygourlay.bsky.social · 13/02/2025

Thanks Lou! So nice to see you here

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David Barker @dbarker22000.bsky.social · 13/02/2025

Happy 8th book birthday to my amazing wife, @fionawritesbooks.bsky.social Do Not Eat The Egg is out today! 🥳👏😍

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Garen Ewing @garenewing.bsky.social · 13/02/2025

Please credit artists! Cover reveals, using for publicity, using to illustrate a post, reposting, using for a joke - if you don't know the artist take a minute to look them up. It's really important for the artist, it's the right thing to do - and it even helps in the battle against AI. Thank you!

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A.F. Harrold @afharrold.com · 13/02/2025

Now (still) in paperback! Try #TheWorldsWeLeaveBehind, by me and #LeviPinfold. A strange and shadowy kids book for our times, puzzling over revenge/justice/forgiveness in the dark woods of ethics. An other-people's-shoes machine, with the creepiest art I know. I like it, you/your kids might too...

Bearded man sat at table pondering the book in the post.

The book mentioned in the post on a table in Waterstones.

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Jon Biddle @jonnybid.bsky.social · 13/02/2025

The latest Read for Empathy collection has been launched. As always, it's full of absolutely superb books, including graphic novels, poetry, picturebooks and non-fiction. The work @empathylabuk.bsky.social are doing is incredibly important. More information here: www.empathylab.uk/rfe

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The Bookseller @thebookseller.com · 13/02/2025

Imprints are great business, but is their prestige and value getting diluted as they proliferate?, asks Sarah Moorhouse 👇 #BookSky

thebookseller.com

Have we reached peak imprint?

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Sam Subity @subity.bsky.social · 07/02/2025

Hey Middle Grade book fans! Check out my year-end wrap-up of the MG market, hot off the presses! All the data you didn't know you wanted to know. 🤓 www.samsubity.com/mg-landscape...

samsubity.com

Middle Grade Book Landscape 2024 | Sam Subity

A first look at the middle grade books published so far in 2024 with stats on publisher share, genre popularity, point of view, and gender.

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Books for Keeps, the children's books review journal @booksforkeeps.bsky.social · 12/02/2025

The #Carnegies25 longlists are announced 💥 From 119 nominations the librarian judges have selected 35 to longlist, 19 titles for the Carnegie Medal for #Writing & 16 for the Carnegie Medal for #Illustration. Is your favourite on these lists? #KidLitUK buff.ly/3CJMtsU

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Candy Gourlay @candygourlay.bsky.social · 12/02/2025

So can anyone tell me how to add myself to relevant starter packs ... and any starter packs I should belong to?

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Candy Gourlay @candygourlay.bsky.social · 12/02/2025

Is there a starter pack I can join for British KidLit authors?

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Wayne Public Library @waynepubliclibrary.bsky.social · 01/02/2025

It's Black History Month and we're celebrating with a book a day. Feel free to join us! ✨ Book 1 of 28: The Color Purple by Alice Walker #BlackHistoryMonth #BlackHistory #BookSky

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Wayne Public Library @waynepubliclibrary.bsky.social · 12/02/2025

Celebrate Black History Month with us by posting a book a day! ⭐ Book 12 of 28: Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson #BlackHistoryMonth #BlackHistory #Booksky

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Candy Gourlay @candygourlay.bsky.social · 12/02/2025

Hello! Are there any librarians on BlueSky or are you still over on the social media platform that shall not be named? If you're here, let's follow each other!

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Candy Gourlay @candygourlay.bsky.social · 12/02/2025

I've been posting my comics over on The House of Procrastination, on Substack. Here's a review of The Brutalist ... in comics 😀 open.substack.com/pub/houseofp...

open.substack.com

The Brutalist: a comics review

I loved most of it but it was hard to watch so many sex scenes next to my young niece

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The Carnegies @carnegiemedals.bsky.social · 12/02/2025

It is finally time! We are excited to reveal the longlists for the 2025 Carnegie Medals for Writing and Illustration. 🎉 Congratulations to the wonderful authors and illustrators longlisted for the #Carnegies2025! 🖌️📖✨ View the full list here: carnegies.co.uk/2025-longlis...

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Candy Gourlay @candygourlay.bsky.social · 11/02/2025

Well based on the last half hour, it's been very pleasant! 😊

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Candy Gourlay @candygourlay.bsky.social · 11/02/2025

Thanks, Fleur! So happy to see so many friendly faces here! Apart from yours because you have a book for a face!

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Candy Gourlay @candygourlay.bsky.social · 11/02/2025

Very! Are you here now, Caroline? Should I spend time here?

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Candy Gourlay @candygourlay.bsky.social · 11/02/2025

So are you active here like you were on Twitter?

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Candy Gourlay @candygourlay.bsky.social · 11/02/2025

Thanks, Tracey! Are we going to spend more time here now?

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Lou Minns @louminns.bsky.social · 11/02/2025

Know someone 11-16 living in Stoke? The aim in these free workshops is to write 100 words on The Places That Make Us. 100 stories will be chosen for publication in our anthology - published in 2026 to kick off the next 100 years of Stoke authorship #100Books#100Years @lisablowerwrite.bsky.social

Stoke on Trent celebrates its centenary. Dr Lisa Blower has launched a project 100 books in 100 years to reStoke the local narrative. This poster is of Lou Minns a local born writer, and invites 11-16 year olds to book on to a free creative writing course. Dates: Hanley library 11/2/25 Stoke Library 19/2/25 Tunstall Library 20/2/25

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Candy Gourlay @candygourlay.bsky.social · 11/02/2025

If you're a CREATIVE, this should go to the top of your TO DO LIST. Act now. Don't hesitate.

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