iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Catherynne M. Valente @catvalente.bsky.social · 1h

Just started watching Todd In the Shadows (shoosh) & I…had no idea how many current country stars have the same gout-riddled, dead-eyed, rage-chewing, fungal colony facial haired, baby-scribble face-tattooed, revenant-toothed “look” like an infected foot trying to talk but only able to moan WHISKEY

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public health guy @publichealthguy1.bsky.social · 3h

If you live in the following states, TODAY is the last day to register to vote before the midterm elections: –Kansas –New Jersey –Oregon –West Virginia –Louisiana (online only) Go to IWillVote.com for more info

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Catherynne M. Valente @catvalente.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

The Childe was late getting ready for school so Velveteen did not get her usual walk to & from the playground where children worship her. She has spoken her truth (loudly), alerted Big Dog Media & I’m pretty sure I’m cancelled on HuSky.

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Kevin Marks @kevinmarks.com · 07/10/2026

The Valente test should replace both the Turing test and the Fermi paradox

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Catherynne M. Valente @catvalente.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

You know that might be a unifying theme in all the things I’ve written actually

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Catherynne M. Valente @catvalente.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

You know what? I’m feeling generous today. This is Chapter 13 of Space Opera, justifying why in the world sentience would be determined via an interstellar battle of the bands.

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Catherynne M. Valente @catvalente.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Sometimes you just can’t stop messing with a book even though it’s fine and you’re just sticking more frosting on top of frosting. Sometimes, when it “just needs one more little thing” it actually, truly DOES.

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Sporkamarink @strivingally.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Ooof first chapter and a quote has already kicked me in the teeth. Think about how desperate to be liked so many of the tech broligarchs are.

E-reader view of a page from Cat Valente’s book Space Oddity, with the following paragraph highlighted:
“People really will do the most frightful things to feel special, you've no idea. Marvelous things, too, but the frightful ones are a lot easier to pull off. The most dangerous being in the universe is somebody who's never felt special in all their lives. If you encounter one in a dark alley, run.”

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Catherynne M. Valente @catvalente.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

You know, it’s always charmed me that so so many people over the years have talked about Chapter 13 in Space Opera and called it out as special or their favorite part. Reader, Chapter 13 was the last part of Space Opera I wrote, turned out in 20 minutes and added in at the editorial buzzer.

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Sporkamarink @strivingally.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

I just finished a re-read of Space Opera by @catvalente.bsky.social and oh my stars that is such a gorgeous disaster ride of a book. Much like the Eurovision competition which inspired it, you don’t so much engage with the text so much as let it happen at you. And Chapter 13 is sublime.

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Catherynne M. Valente @catvalente.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Right?? And the story is told in that authoritative academic voice so he’s peeeeerfect. I usually hate listening to my own stories but this one I RUSHED to download.

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Catherynne M. Valente @catvalente.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

The 2nd book in my DOUBLE BOOK RELEASE DAY is… …this incredible work of image + word celebrating the work of the impossible-to-competently-adjective Brian & Wendy Froud, edited by @terriwindling.bsky.social Honored doesn’t cover it. At all. The Frouds built the interior of my heart amzn.to/4hLh1ea

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Catherynne M. Valente @catvalente.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Today’s a DOUBLE book release day for me! The first is this amazing, star-jammed anthology The Book of the Dead ed by @jonathanstrahan.bsky.social! My story is (very humbly) called This Is What Happens When You Die. I am SO proud of it; one of my favorite things I’ve ever written amzn.to/3WbT9ZZ

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Catherynne M. Valente @catvalente.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

OMG GUYS ALSO My story is read by the LEGENDARY Simon Vance in the audiobook I am SO EXCITED TO LISTEN TO

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Catherynne M. Valente @catvalente.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

I don’t care where you started out on the political spectrum If your kid comes out as trans & you don’t become a rainbow-clad, parade-cheering ally & rock-solid supportive girl/boy/enby dad/mom? You were never a parent at all You were a doll collector furious they didn’t stay in their packaging.

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Susannah R @susannahredelfs.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Since many of your short stories rank as the best I’ve ever read, I need to run not walk to buy a copy. Thank you! 🙏

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Catherynne M. Valente @catvalente.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

This is also my first published poem in quite awhile: Witch (Wood) Wood (Witch) about the fell bargain between a witch and her forest. What can I say; ask me to write something to accompany a legend’s painting and the strangest things come out…

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Catherynne M. Valente @catvalente.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

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Catherynne M. Valente @catvalente.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

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John Scalzi @scalzi.com · 05/10/2026

This is your occasional reminder that generative "AI" in particular could have been developed on public domain materials and/or licensed and compensated works but the major players intentionally, methodically and systemically chose to steal labor from working creative folks instead

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Natalia Cecire @ncecire.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

People who do not read back in action to stop anyone else reading either

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Catherynne M. Valente @catvalente.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

If you’d do it for their sports team, whether or not you even liked the sport they picked, you can do it for their deepest hearts and souls.

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Catherynne M. Valente @catvalente.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

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Catherynne M. Valente @catvalente.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Fascinatingly, in this shitstew of AI “ascendancy,” Alexa, of all things, is MUCH worse. It’s getting basic facts wrong (Next Gen premiered in 1993! 1/2 cup of butter is 2 sticks!) & can no longer seem to understand verbal music requests, or if it does, will ONLY play a live cover by a drunk lemur

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Catherynne M. Valente @catvalente.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

I think I’m just going to keep our birthday sign up year-round. There’s a lot of ways to be “on party business” after all. Best find one before you knock!

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Catherynne M. Valente @catvalente.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

No, theyre not expressing anything. The machine is machining in order to increase engagement

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Josh Fruhlinger @jfruh.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

this place is not a place of honor. no highly esteemed deed is commemorated here

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Catherynne M. Valente @catvalente.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Whose followers include many people behind the hard AI push to begin with

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Catherynne M. Valente @catvalente.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

It’s legit one of the weirdest things to happen on this Plane of Weirdest Things that of all the Weirdest Things, fucking Harry Potter and the Methods of goddamned Rationality might ultimately end the bloody world.

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Catherynne M. Valente @catvalente.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

The easiest, least risky path to friendship is “oh you liked that, so did I!” Make that impossible, and few will be able to form enough non-familial connections to rise up against so much as our own ennui, let alone The Regime.

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Catherynne M. Valente @catvalente.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Art, music, movies, books, tv shows, plays, games, these are a huge part of how we form bonds, know we can vibe with another human being. AI “art” seeks to replace it with algorithmically personalized content no other person experiences. It sticks a stake in the heart of human connection.

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Brian Smith @ambientrelish.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

If you see this, recommend a short book. Comfort Me With Apples, by @catvalente.bsky.social

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Space Witches, Esq. @popelizbet.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

we all know what the universe says about clippy thanks to @catvalente.bsky.social

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Space Witches, Esq. @popelizbet.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

happy birthday, Grape Crush. thanks for making @catvalente.bsky.social s Garbagetown less lonely. (Read THE PAST IS RED).

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Catherynne M. Valente @catvalente.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

And yet no one’s laying out plans to collectively punish half the population and take their right to vote away forever this time.

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Catherynne M. Valente @catvalente.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

You know, it’s funny. During the Lindsey Clancy case, I saw so much fury & threats to *take our voting rights* over “women” defending her but very little actual defending beyond “PPP is real so maybe NGRI.” But I sure do see a TON of actual extremely passionate defending of the Cornell 57.

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Eric Kim (김현철) inkskratch.com @inkskratch.com · 30/09/2026

Maybe art is hard because it requires people to listen and be human and it's a skill these assholes obviously did not take the time to cultivate

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Catherynne M. Valente @catvalente.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Every month on Patreon I post progress pics of my slow, mostly inept remodeling/reclaiming of my “quirky” 125-year-old Maine house. This month: master bathroom windows—this room has been slow but soon will be done & ready to be shown in full! www.patreon.com/catvalente/p...

patreon.com

Rough Mechanicals: The Slooow Bathroom | Catherynne M. Valente

Rough Mechanicals: The Slooow Bathroom by Catherynne M. Valente on Patreon. Join Catherynne M. Valente's community for exclusive content and updates.

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Catherynne M. Valente @catvalente.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

The Scouring of the Scones and The Cerealmarillion ;)

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Catherynne M. Valente @catvalente.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

The Childe’s #LordoftheRings is accomplished! Tag urself I’m the Bacons of Gondor Are Lit (Full write-up on Patreon: www.patreon.com/catvalente/p...)

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Catherynne M. Valente @catvalente.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

And for the old Livejournal crew, I swear this actually happened… Opened the book of Japanese fairy tales & handed the Childe the Table of Contents. Said pick any one you want & I’ll read it to you. Childe peruses & goes: “Yuki-Onna! She sounds cool I pick her.”

Catherynne M. Valente @catvalente.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

We’ve had some talks about the movie. 1. Yes. 2. Childe does not see it as sad because “it gives me a good feeling that the departed aren’t really gone” 3. As their mother I can read between the lines of their reactions & I think the longing to unite a broken family is a big part of it 😔

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Catherynne M. Valente @catvalente.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Sometimes I wonder if @seananmcguire.bsky.social isn’t the Childe’s actual biological aunt…

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Catherynne M. Valente @catvalente.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

As the Childe’s birthday party wound down this weekend, a group of adults were talking about homeowner nonsense & Childe calmly deadpans: “When you think about it we’re all homes.” Adults: “Wh…at?” *8-year-old waves their arms in the air excitedly & yells: “TO BACTERIA AND PARASITES!”

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Catherynne M. Valente @catvalente.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

On the bright side, the Childe asked if there was a book of Kubo, I said no, then they asked if I could buy them a book of Japanese fairy tales since Kubo is one & I got to be Magic Mum. “Buy? No. Whose house do you think this is? We have three. Which one do you want to start with?”

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