iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Ally Lester @cogenthippo.northsky.social · 15h

We have nearly got to the point where we can see the whole 1964 Vauxhall. It's been tucked away since 1980 and was only driven occasionally through the 1970s. We are replacing the polythene over the window and it's let the sun in. I'm a bit weepy. (Yes, it's for sale, but I have no idea how!)

Rear view of Vauxhall in shed, covered in plastic and cardboard.

Inside view of Vauxhall, walnut dash lit by sunlight.

Side view of Vauxhall, tucked under plastic, a 00 Hornby model railway board and a spare post holding up the shed roof.

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Ally Lester @cogenthippo.northsky.social · 06/10/2026

I keep forgetting I have a Halloween story! Will a rainy autumn day and an encounter with a mysterious black dog, a beautiful woman, and a fox cub change Alice's mind about whether she's ready to start dating? allester.itch.io/sleeping-dogs #LGBTQRomance #Sapphic #LesFic #wlw #QueerBooks 💙📚🌈📚

The cover of Sleeping Dogs, A short sapphic Halloween story. The cover is bright orange with the silhouette of a sleeping black dog and a ribbon of bats.

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Ally Lester @cogenthippo.northsky.social · 06/10/2026

Good morning, Bluesky. The fog is down so low you can't see the hills, but I'm determinedly sat outside in a waterproof with my cup of tea, enjoying the quiet. #Quantocks #Somerset #Misty #Autumn

Grey cloud cover above the invisible hills. Trees in the foreground.

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Ally Lester @cogenthippo.northsky.social · 01/10/2026

At my friend Sara's art exhibition. So many beautiful things! She works with images of natural objects, resin and crystals. You can visit until 24th October, or browse online: #Art #HumanArtist #Creative bridgygallery.co.uk/product-category/garage-gallery-exhibition/lucidity/

Sara White-Badger with some of her nature-inspired, reiki-infused art at Bridgy Gallery, Bridgewater, Somerset.

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Ally Lester @cogenthippo.northsky.social · 01/10/2026

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Ally Lester @cogenthippo.northsky.social · 01/10/2026

Out today! Leap of Faith, a low-heat sapphic short story set in a Welsh animal sanctuary with a tall blonde, a curvy brunette and a recalcitrant pig. Pick up your copy for $1.99! 🐖 books2read.com/leapoffaithlester #BookSky #LGBTQRomance #Sapphic #LesFic #LesbianRomance #QueerBooks 💙📚🌈📚

Green book cover with cream test. Silhouette of two leaping hares with text Leap of Faith by A L Lester, a sapphic short story.

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Ally Lester @cogenthippo.northsky.social · 28/09/2026

Here's the cover of Leap of Faith, out on Thursday! I seem to have managed to set up pre-orders, so if a low-heat sapphic short story set in a Welsh animal sanctuary with a recalcitrant pig is your thing, I have you covered! books2read.com/leapoffaithlester

A dark green book cover with the silhouette of two leaping hares. Text reads 'Leap of Faith by A L Lester, A Sapphic Short Story.

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Ally Lester @cogenthippo.northsky.social · 17/09/2026

We empathise. Also excellent for getting full of soil when one is digging for cat shit.

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Ally Lester @cogenthippo.northsky.social · 12/09/2026

Frenchie would like to remind you that it's nearly tea-time for Good Dogs.

Bichon Frise staring soulfully at the camera.

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Ally Lester @cogenthippo.northsky.social · 12/09/2026

Been for a wander round the field. It feels very autumnal.

The last few walnuts on one of the walnut trees.

Heavily laden apple tree with smallish, yellow-orange fruit.

Heavily laden apple tree with bright red apples.

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Ally Lester @cogenthippo.northsky.social · 05/09/2026

Okay's here's Chapter #9 of Mel and Penny's story. I think there's going to be one more. Hopefully. If I can get myself in gear. It's taking me ages because my house is full of toddlers. Well, one toddler! This is free to all all Patreon members, whatever level. www.patreon.com/ally_lester/...

The header for my Patreon fiction posts. Handwriting on a purple background, behind a pile of books, flowers, a pen, a pocket-watch, a map and the silhouettes of some rooks, and a dragon-fly.

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Ally Lester @cogenthippo.northsky.social · 25/08/2026

Self promo alert! I have a duology I originally intended to be a trilogy, but is nicely finished as it is. Set in rural England in the early 1920s, with sapphic, gay and trans MCs. There are screaming monsters from beyond the void, awkward sex and erotic hair brushing. 1/3 💙📚 🌈📚 🏳️‍🌈📚 #QueerWriters

Cover of The Fog of War by A. L. Lester. Two women in 1920s outfits face awayaway from each other on a blue background.

Cover of The Quid Pro Quo by A. L. Lester. Two men in 1920s outfits on a green background.

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Ally Lester @cogenthippo.northsky.social · 11/08/2026

The real question is how many cups of tea are needed to get the sun to come up?

Tray of teapot, almond milk, mug,glasses case, stevia on an outside table.

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Ally Lester @cogenthippo.northsky.social · 03/08/2026

allester.co.uk (all books, blog, head-cannon) allester.itch.io (buy direct) www.patreon.com/ally_lester/ (Patreon is free atm) francesfoxbooks.co.uk (my higher-heat mm alter-ego)

The cover of Reluctant Rockstar by Frances Fox. SlSlightly sweaty tattooed bare chested man with long hair and arms spread behind the title text.

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Ally Lester @cogenthippo.northsky.social · 03/08/2026

Self promo incoming! Yay me! /wrestles imposter syndrome into hessian sack/ I write queer romance with a range of LGBTQ+ MCs, lots of it historical and some of it with magic and time-travel. Also contemporary short stories. And I write higher-heat stuff as Frances Fox. Links below. 🌈📚💙

Cover of Lost In Time by A L Lester. Two men in 1920s clothing standing either side of an open pocket watch.

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Ally Lester @cogenthippo.northsky.social · 30/07/2026

That was very therapeutic. I encourage fellow authors to participate.

"What one thing would most reduce your frustration with ai?" "If the whole culture of pretending LLMs are anything more than enormous predictive text machines was yeeted into the sun"

What AI related service, training, tool or community do you wish existed for authors? Compulsory identification and shaming of authors who use it in any way in their business model.

Describe a recent moment where AI let you down? When AI companies stole all my work to train their LLMs.

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Ally Lester @cogenthippo.northsky.social · 30/07/2026

The latest chapter of Mel & Penny's story is up on the Patreon. It's free to read and you don't have to be a member to view it. I'm not sure whether it's a low-heat short sapphic romance or a treatise on social media planning. You decide! #Sapphic #Romance #BookSky www.patreon.com/ally_lester/...

Patreon post header, a collage with old documents in the background, plants, books, a pen, a pocket-watch, some crows and a dragonfly.

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Ally Lester @cogenthippo.northsky.social · 21/07/2026

I put the wrong link to the Sapphic Romance and Fiction Collection in my email last week and I am mortally embarrassed. For those of you who clicked through and were foxed by my hopelessness, here is the right one! /retreats back to Cupboard of Technical Shame/ books.bookfunnel.com/bfhostffroms...

Blue background with some books and flowers. Text says "Sapphic Romance and Fiction Collection". The URL is https://books.bookfunnel.com/bfhostffromsl/tfi5sgbih4

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Ally Lester @cogenthippo.northsky.social · 15/07/2026

I did not enjoy this afternoon, for complely mundane reasons, and now I am both full of pizza and still irritated. However, there is a cat next to me.

A black cat with white paws asleep on a tarpaulin-covered bench in front of some green shrubs.

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Ally Lester @cogenthippo.northsky.social · 06/07/2026

My annual courgette-based world takeover bid has begun.

A pile of courgettes and cucumbers on a wooden table.

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Ally Lester @cogenthippo.northsky.social · 19/06/2026

I have been annoyingly incapable of doing any creative work this week. There's been a lot of pre-fostering admin going on, which has filled my head. This morning I'm up early and instead of working I am weighted down by a dog. Sorry.

Author weighed down by a grubby Bichon Frise and unable to leave their chair.

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Ally Lester @cogenthippo.northsky.social · 13/06/2026

Thanks for asking! I have a handy graphic for the Border Magic books that disappeared as I posted the thread. Here it is. Either Inheritance of Shadows, The Flowers of Time or The Fog of War are good places. And An Irregular Arrangement is free when you join my newsletter: allester.co.uk/newsletter

The reading order of the Border Magic collection. Inheritance of Shadows or The Flowers of Time or Lost in Time or The Fog of War are good places to begin.

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Ally Lester @cogenthippo.northsky.social · 04/06/2026

Mr AL and I have had an afternoon out-out. Pub lunch at Burrowbridge, smooch round the Levels in new (electric!) car, sat in the RSPB nature reserve with the herons and fiddled with the birdsong id app, sang Pink Pony Club on the way home. #SmallJoys

The ruined church on Burrow Mump, backlit by a glowering sky. Framed by oak trees.

View of the Somerset Levels from the ridge at Curry Rival, by the RSPB nature reserve. The land is very flat and very green, with a small red farmhouse in the foreground.

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Ally Lester @cogenthippo.northsky.social · 01/06/2026

#SameViewDifferentDay The view from our bedroom window. The grass is coming up in the field in the distance. Its been drizzling today, so it'll be even greener tomorrow.

The view from our bedroom window. The garden is surrounded by shrubs and trees and has a large fish pond. To the far right is a scrambler rose in full bloom.

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Ally Lester @cogenthippo.northsky.social · 30/05/2026

#SameViewDifferentDay This morning at 5am. The scrambler rose at the back right is amazing this week. There's elderflower and I think something called blackcurrant tree bottom left.

Garden from out bedroom window this morning at 5am.

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Ally Lester @cogenthippo.northsky.social · 21/05/2026

Slight change of plan. We did do some sitting by some trees, but it was via Exeter, where I aquired these dungarees and was forced to have a cup of tea in Waterstones. Oops. #BookSky

A pair of Lucy and Yak dungarees in Vulvaree fabric and four books. "Queens", "Muslim Women in Britain from 1850 to 1950", "Wasted" and "Super Gay Poems".

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Ally Lester @cogenthippo.northsky.social · 20/05/2026

#SameViewDifferentDay It was damp and grey this morning, but everything is still so green.

View of the garden from out bedroom window. Trees, lawn, fish pond.

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Ally Lester @cogenthippo.northsky.social · 16/05/2026

Strike that! He was in the corner of the living room! He has now been safely liberated back in the hedgerow. #BunnyGate

Mr AL searching for the strange noise in the corner of the living room behind a dog crate and a large potted geranium.

More of Mr AL searching for the strange noise in the corner of the living room behind a dog crate and a large potted geranium.

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Ally Lester @cogenthippo.northsky.social · 15/05/2026

#SameViewDifferentDay This is absolutely my favourite week of the year.

The view of the garden from our bedroom window. Shrubs and trees around the edges, the fish pond centre right. The ploughed field is still just visible back right through a gap in the trees.

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Ally Lester @cogenthippo.northsky.social · 13/05/2026

Do you like FF historical romance with screaming monsters from beyond the void and erotic hair brushing? Yes? Then I have you covered! books2read.com/thefogofwar 🌈📚 #sapphic #romancelandia #booksky #lesfic (Look at me, doing self-promo like a real human person! 🙄)

Infographic for The Fog of War. Cover of book and text saying "Sylvia watched Lucy, transfixed. Her mouth was so soft against Sylvia’s skin. Very carefully, she turned Sylvia’s hand over and pressed her mouth to the thin skin of her inner wrist, not dropping her eyes. Sylvia shivered."

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