iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @eliseswords.eurosky.social · 5h

Just saw the phrase 'puritanical Christian' and it reminded me of a statue of a Maori ancestral chief a family friend & I saw on a hike yesterday. Puritanical Christians had Whātonga's statue modified to conceal a certain appendage. The sculptor responded by 'restoring it' bigger than ever👍

Maori statue of ancestral chief Whātonga, in steel, many of its patterns symbolising different things, the paddle symbolising his exploration by sea. No, that's not a 'third leg' between the other two ;)

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Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @eliseswords.eurosky.social · 23/10/2026

Today's hike highlight was a fantail cracking it at me (too close to its' nest?) Tech issues won't let me share video, so here it is glaring. Then it was a leisurely sit in a front yard with many flowers, chatting to family while tui's zoomed around us, before dinner at a lovely Italian restaurant.

Black tailed, with white feather edges, orange and white breasted fantail with eye markings like frowning white brows over its dark top plumage appears to glare at viewer from its perch on a twig of a moss covered branch.

Tui perched on branch above container of sugar water. Sunlight on its plumage makes the otherwise black-looking feathers appear bright blue, or turquoise.

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Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @eliseswords.eurosky.social · 23/10/2026

Baby swamphen for #BirdofTheDay them #juvenile. With fuzzy bodies and adult sized feet, these guys look quite different to adults (pictured right for contrast.)

Fuzzy black young swamp hen, with long legs and feet 2/3's the length of its body, hustles along riverbank after siblings and parent (not in photo.)

Adult swamp hen, with dark blye and black plumage, orange feet with yellow and green stripes, and a red beak with a yellow tip, walking on grass.

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Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @eliseswords.eurosky.social · 22/10/2026

Test post of pics from yesterday's epic 20km hike on the Old Coach Road. It was fantastic seeing what gentler slopes and hiking poles could do for my stamina, despite Fibro.

Beech tree trunk (centred) surrounded by ferns and smaller trees with twisted branches, in dense temperate rainforest with a walking track down its middle, sun pouring in to make the leaves golden in the background.

Near-vertical view up the trunk of I'm not sure which type of giant Kauri tree, with many leaves from shorter trees hanging around it a different heights.

Selfie of Elise in white brimmed hat and sunnies, standing on the old viaduct (circa late 1800's), on steal columns rising above a forest of ferns, with kauri and other trees rising up the hillside in the background.

Late afternoon sunlight photo of a track (Old Coach Road) with dense forest left, grassy paddocks right, with wooden pole and wire fencing, a row of trees across the middle, hills lining the background, beneath clear blue sky.

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Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @eliseswords.eurosky.social · 21/10/2026

We've got both ends of Asexual Spectrum covered this week. From adventures by sea, land, ship & magic portal, with prob solving to life exploration (25 books $25), to the sexual end. Hope fellow aces are having a great week! 🖤🩶🤍💜 (I'm on an adventure in New Zealand 😉) 🌈📚🪐 itch.io/b/3946/asexu...

Asexuals on Adventures Itchio Book Bundle graphic. Oct19th-31st, on Itchio.

Background: Elise (the bundle organiser's) mum stands waving and tiny, on a hiking track along the spine sunny Victorian (Australia) mountains, with super short trees either side, on a sunny afternoon.

Secrets of the Sorcery War (Ruarnon Trilogy 2).
Elise Carlson.

Death Becomes Him.
Patrick Charlton-O'Shea.

How Six Saved the Frogs.
Blaine D. Arden.

Fourth World.
Lyssa Chiavari.

The Final Voyage of Avery Mothmere.
Helen Whistberry.

Tall Tales: Volume One.
Rabid Haberdashery.

Non-Player Character.
Veo Corva.

The Outsiders of Orkland.
Kenneth Feller.

Lantern.
Burgundy Athena Pendragon.

Justine Fixes Everything: Reflections on Mortality.
JoyceReynoldsWard.

From the Grave of the Gods.
Alan K. Dell.

First Light Book I: Event Horizon.
Barrows.

Demon Engine.
tRaum Books.

Carved By Water.
M. K. Nedjelkovic.

She-Devils of Makai.
Alina Lee.

The Dragon Next Door.
Vanessa Ricci-Thode

Merchants of Knowledge and Magic.
Shadow Spark Publishing.

In the Eye of the Beholder.
Beverly Anne Michel.

Wherever the Stars Call.
Ronove.

Create My Own Perfection.
E H Timms.

Reset.
L. B. Shimaira.

A Study on Magic and Crystals.
May Barros.

An Unexpected Invitation.
Ceillie Simkiss/ Candace Harper.

A Spark in Space.
Janina Franck.

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Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @eliseswords.eurosky.social · 20/10/2026

After a quiet countryside sunset last night, today I set off on a walk into the forest and part way up a mountain. The weather on NZ's North Island continues to be obligingly excellent.

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Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @eliseswords.eurosky.social · 19/10/2026

Happy Ace Week! 🖤🩶🤍💜 For this week & beyond we give you Asexuals on Adventures; by sea, land, spaceship, magic portal & more! Some of our aspec main characters are on world-saving quests. Others are exploring life, love, neurodivergence, mysteries or solving problems. 🌈📚 itch.io/b/3946/asexu...

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Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @eliseswords.eurosky.social · 18/10/2026

When you had to get up at 6am to catch a train, second breakfast of pancakes and maple syrup at 11am goes down nicely, with a glass of chardonnay, especially when the scenery outside your cabin looks like this. The countryside south of Hamilton and weather on NZ's North Island today are beautiful.

View of countryside hills and tree lined paddocks, with a bright blue sky and sunlight on bright green grass, viewed through a train carriage window.

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Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @eliseswords.eurosky.social · 18/10/2026

Update: Meta backed down on training their gen ai on any website shared on their platforms. Public backlash for the win!

Gist of text: Today Meta removed language from their TOS that would have allowed them to scrape any website associated or connected with Meta to train gen ai.

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Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @eliseswords.eurosky.social · 18/10/2026

Kia ora! Its been a glorious sunny in Auckland. Whale watching was mostly distant spouts of water & snatches of back, but it was lovely. I had a nice evening CBD wander too, and was glad my favourite trees from living here in 2019 are alive, well & still making pedestrians choose; over or under.

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Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @eliseswords.eurosky.social · 13/10/2026

Yeah, I took this of it with its mother when Dav wanted to go out and play catch again. They were too high up for him to notice then.

Baby ring tail possum beside its mother on smaller branches of the trunk of a leafless ornamental pear tree.

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Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @eliseswords.eurosky.social · 13/10/2026

Went to see what the dog was barking at. It was this little cutie nibbling on the lemon tree blossoms. Its not much longer my hand and wrist, so a fairly young baby ringtail possum. Its paws are blurred because they were in constant motion, too quick for my phone's camera speed.

Baby ringtail possum clutched lemon tree buds and peers at viewer from atop lemon tree, in pale twlight.

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Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @eliseswords.eurosky.social · 11/10/2026

Introducing 33 indie authors from; New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Europe, Africa, Canada, the US, Central & South America. Including our: countries, genres (Fantasy, SciFi, Romance & more), marginalised rep, direct stores, library & audio availability. 🪐📚 elisecarlson.com/2026/10/06/b...

Books Direct from Around the world (central text.)

Authors and their book images around it: Aimee Cozza, Kaya Skovdatter, L’Poni Baldwin,
Marat Earendel, JD Rivers, Mason Hawthorne, Cheyenne Brammah, L. B. Shimaira, Jessica M Taylor, Karen Lykkebo, Kai Zeal, C. B. Lansdell, Claudie Arseneault, Janina Franck, O.H. Phukdischidt, Jesse Pohlman, Artemis Quinn, Russell Phillips, C. R. Collins, M. K. Nedjelkovic, KQ Watson, Christa Mandler, M.C. Burnell, H.S. Kallinger, Bianca Sommerland, A.M. Weald, Anna Verner, Joyce Ch'ng, BG Hilton, Kenneth Feller, Elise Carlson, Patrick Charlton-O'Shea.

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Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @eliseswords.eurosky.social · 09/10/2026

Indie Authors on Itch (/selling direct) & OR Bookshop.org, You're invited to participate in a Black Friday Anti-Sale! Participation deets in graphic👇 Please also fill this 6 Q Tally form tally.so/r/LZAZjv, to inform the #BlackFridayAntiSale books bingo card, & anti-sale description on my website.

Black Friday Anti-Sale on Itch And OR Bookshop.org information for participating authors.

To Participate
1. Use 'reverse sale' to mark your books up $1-ish on Itchio (and or mark your regular price up $1-ish on D2D to participate with your Bookshop.org link).
2. Name your sale 'Black Friday Anti-Sale'
3. Schedule it for: Nov 22-30th
4. Promote it on #BlackFridayAntiSale and #BuyIndie, with your price rise (eg. below)
5. Are your books library requestable? -say so in your post for financial accesibility!
5. Repost some fellow indies between Nov 22nd-30th!

Image below details: Black Friday Anti-Sale!
Displays regular prices crossed out, beside $1-ish increase with upwards arrow on its right, above all 5 of the tops of Elise's book covers.

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Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @eliseswords.eurosky.social · 08/10/2026

Me: Dav, come! Bring ball! I will throw it. [Mimes all that.] I'm too tired after 2 days teaching & with fibro to get up, bend over to pick up the ball, and throw it for you (let alone keep doing it!) Dav: the human is talking without meaning anything, again. Me: 🙃 (He brings it when I give up 😆)

Photo from perspective of seated human, looking over knee and slippered foot, across wooden deck and down one step at cute half-corgie lying on grass before deck chewing his tennis ball.

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Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @eliseswords.eurosky.social · 06/10/2026

With a new pinned post displaying my books, my cover image is freed up for another hobby; photography (often in blazing Aussie sunshine 😉).

3 photos
Left: jacaranda tree, branches and a mass of purple flowers, sun shining through them, clear blue sky beyond.

Centre: view looking out from a dark rocky cave in New Zealand, a wooden fence lining a walkway, sunlight leaves and daylight shinning in through the entrance.

Winter sunlight blazes through a row of tall mountain ash trees, and a few orange leaves left on a mostly bare autumn tree, to fall on bright green grass. At the gardens in Dandenong, Victoria, Australia.

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Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @eliseswords.eurosky.social · 05/10/2026

Here's a real time photo of Dav, whom we're dog sitting. I woke up too early and got up to keep him company, so naturally he decided to go back to sleep.

Part corgie cutie lying on his side on a blanket on a couch, eyes barely open.

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Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @eliseswords.eurosky.social · 05/10/2026

G'day! I write queer found families save-the-world Epic & Urban Fantasy. With friendship & banter +neurodivergent thinking, my MC's combat mysteries, monsters, magic & mayhem. Sympathetic/🩶villains are my fav. Direct elisecarlsonsffbooks.au Kobo kobo.com/series/ruarnon-trilogy Library requestable!

Ruarnon Trilogy graphic with paperback & ebook cover images, an enlarged sailing ship from book 2's cover, and a series blurb:

Against mysterious motives & ancient wars,
4 lost Aussies & a nonbinary heir pit;
Linh-near infallible stubborness.
Fiona-compassion. Michael-relentless logic.
Troy-a big heart & recklessness.
Heir Ruarnon-quiet strength, compassion
& the will to risk everything for peace.

Rep: Aussie (Linh, Fiona, Michael & Troy), nonbinary, autistic, ADHD, Aro-ace.

Manipulator's War Cover (#1)
Left corner: portrait of young Heir Ruarnon, their hair braided back, eyes outlined with kohl, wearing fitted bronze armour, a bronze disc kilt, holding a helmet in their left hand and leaning on a spear.
Main image: Red glyphs outline a stone archway, through which fire arrows rain down on torch-lit battlements atop a castle, at night time.

Secrets of the Sorcery War Cover (#2)
Blue glyphs in a stone arch frame a pair of tall cliffs, through which a ship sails on bright blue water, into the sunshine of a natural harbour.

War in Sorcery's Shadow Cover (#3)
Purple glyphs around a stone arch in a stone wall, through which blackened clouds loom over a castle with many crystal towers. Lightning crashes against, and partially reveals, a magic dome shield around the castle.
In the foreground lie desolate hills and dry plains, with leafless, dried-up trees, spears stuck into the ground, and a skull.

Trilogy Covers by Glint of Mischief

Sythe Series covers for books 1-3 and series blurb;

At Sythe School, Rarkin’s got;

Trauma to Heal from
Friends to Make
Queer identities to Figure Out
Autism helping + hindering it all.

When a crime boss goes rogue, Rarkin’s
Monster Containment teamwork is frontline.
Leading Rarkin to a key role in a revolution.

Key Rep: nonbinary, autism, aro-ace, ADHD, Chronic illness (book 3+)

Walking the Knife’s Edge Cover (Sythe Series #1)
Rarkin stands in foreground, wearing leather jacket and jeans, holding a stun gun raised to shoot left. Miona stands on his right, smiling with boxing gloved fists raised. Behind them are rolling green, countryside hills and streams.

Countering the Hands of Crime (Sythe Series #2)
Rarkin’s Monster Containment team stand in a row, wearing baggy green uniforms. Amon (they/them) holds a long range gun, Rarkin (he/him) holds a stun gun and Miona (she/her) and Rinth (he/him) wear padded boxing gloves, before the high metal gate and stone fence of Monster Containment. A multicolour magic shield rises across the sky behind them.

Skirting the Fire's of Revolution (Sythe Series #3)
Rinth (he/him), Miona (she/ her), Rarkin (he/him) and Amon (they/ them) wear blue uniforms with kit belts, and stand in a dimly lit, derelict street at night, with some rubble around them burning. They hold glow in the dark yellow stun guns, Amon holding a pair of batons.

Cover art by Lawrence Mann.

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Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @eliseswords.eurosky.social · 03/10/2026

Trans Authors, For Trans Awareness Month (exact dates Nov 1st-15th), I'm putting together a Trans SciFi & Fantasy Bundle. (Note: its best to submit a book you won't be using for my Trantasy & Queer Fantasy bundle, running Dec 20th -Jan something 😉) Sign up form: is on my discord or I can DM it!

Trans Fantasy & SciFi
Itch Bundle
Nov 1-15th

Eligibility & Genre:
The author is trans -including nonbinary- and the book is some form of Fantasy or Scifi.
Plot-central trans (and LGBTQIA+) themes are welcome, but not required.

Genre NOTE: I am hosting a Trantasy Bundle in Dec (20th-Jan 10th) for fantasy, so if you wish to participate in that too, please enter a different book in each bundle, if possible.

Preorders: Pre-orders are welcome, if your book releases within 5 weeks of the bundle's end date. Please state the release date in your Itch book description, so readers know when they can download your book.

Categories: YA and Adult Fiction, novellas and full length novels.

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Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @eliseswords.eurosky.social · 03/10/2026

It's good fun. There was a blue wren eager to share lunch with the meercats too.

Blue wren with a tiny piece of boiled egg in its beak, on the gravel floor of the meercat enclosure.

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Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @eliseswords.eurosky.social · 03/10/2026

There were kangaroos, confused about noises from the dinosaur section. An emu wandering loose and having a grand time. A swamp hen and its chicks -wild visitors roaming the grounds. And an orange bellied parrot (which had no desire to display its belly.)

Front-on photo of kangaroo staring ahead, paws hanging before it, as is the kangaroo standing behind.

Swamp hen mother sticks her head in a bush, her three tall, black fluffy bodied chicks trotting along behind her on large, long toed feet.

Orange parrot sits on a perch peering towards the viewer, revealing its yellow and light green breast, darker green wings with blue tips, and paler blue tail feathers.

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Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @eliseswords.eurosky.social · 03/10/2026

Had a lovely day with the housemates today. From a safari ride & wandering through animal enclosures at Werribee Zoo, to Laksa King (best Malaysian food in Melbourne 😉), and wine at the local wine shop. Really appreciated the African animals (haven't been there yet.) But I enjoyed some locals too⬇️

Sleepy, slightly mad spattered rhino lying down in a row with its friends on the lawn of Werribee Zoo's safari area.

Ostrick standing side on, with its head turned to face the viewer, on the far side of the bar of a safari bus. Bushes and gum trees in background.

A lion cub lying snuggled back into it's mother's chest. She sits peering over its shoulder. Seen through wire fence at Werribee Zoo.

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Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @eliseswords.eurosky.social · 01/10/2026

Melbourne PSA: avoid driving through tunnels under train tracks. And if you're parked in the street, especially where blocked drains and flash flooding are a risk, maybe check your car is high and dry. (This is in Caulfield about 5 mins ago.)

Flooded tunnel beneath train tracks, water halfway up ute tyres. Photo taken through windscreen from passenger seat.

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Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @eliseswords.eurosky.social · 30/09/2026

Good Queer News! I'm catching up on emails and I just saw that Gaudelope (a French territory in the Caribbean), celebrated its FIRST ever Pride march, Kreyol Pride, in late July. With police and government support. (Yes, All Out allout.org/en/, an LGBTQIA+ advocacy group helped with that 😉).

Screenshot of Instagram post with a photo of Guadolope (French territory in the Caribbean) celebrating its first ever pride in its streets in late July.

Post text: History was made in Guadeloupe! Last Saturday, July 25, marked the 1st KRÉYÒL PRIDE – filling the streets with pride, resilience, love, and the freedom to be ourselves! ✊🏾✨

Massive love and respect to the incredible local organizers, activists, artists, and community members in Guadeloupe who bravely fought to bring this moment to life. Their strength and determination opened doors that won’t ever be closed.

A special thank you as well to the international community who signed the petition created by Nolwenn Termon and stood in solidarity to help ensure this march could happen safely, with dignity and respect.

A monumental milestone for LGBT+ visibility in the Caribbean, led by those who live it every day. May this be the first of many! ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

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Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @eliseswords.eurosky.social · 29/09/2026

(Cape Barren) Geese and their young on Kangaroo Island for #BirdofTheDay theme bird's beginning with #EFG. The nest was on the path and we had to walk around it. But these geese seemed fairly placid compared to the ones I met in England.

Cape barren goose (grey feathers, yellow beak) sits on large nest made of sticks, on grassing ground, in the middle of a walking track.

Two adult Capte Barren Geese graze in a paddock with two goslings.

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Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @eliseswords.eurosky.social · 29/09/2026

Was a lovely sunny day for a walk in Cranbourne Botanic Gardens with my dad. The native flowers were in bloom, the willy wag tail was wagging its tail, and I got my first ever proper look at a bell bird (they're normally so high up mountain trees that you can't see them.) #BloomScrolling

Large golden banksia flowers, with red edges, in bright sunshine.

A white (desert?) flower, with punk tipped petals still unfurling in centre, smaller ones around it with yellow edged petals.

Bright yellow and orange grevillea flowers, with large leaves, on a sunny day.

White daisy-like flowers with a monarch butterfly perched on one.

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Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @eliseswords.eurosky.social · 28/09/2026

I've had very little time and energy to be sociable between teaching and studying, so today it was lovely to have brunch with a friend and a stroll along the beach. This week actually feels like school holidays!

Bright sun shines in clear blue sky above green waters, clear over golden sand in the shallows, breaking very gently on the shore.

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Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @eliseswords.eurosky.social · 27/09/2026

I don't normally think of cormorants as #seabirds, but this cormorant colony was hanging out at a beach on Port Phillip Bay so 🤷. #BirdoftheDay

7 cormorants stand on dark rocks above a calm Port Phillip Bay, beneath a cloudy sky.

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Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @eliseswords.eurosky.social · 27/09/2026

I write 🏳️‍🌈& ND found families save the world SFF, w. mystery, monsters, magic, action &adventure Elise Carlson ✨Epic Fantasy Manipulator's War Secrets of the Sorcery War War in Sorcery's Shadow 🔫Urban Fantasy Walking the Knife's Edge Countering the Hands of Crime 📚 kobo.com/series/ruarnon-trilogy

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Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @eliseswords.eurosky.social · 27/09/2026

Last night when my housemate, her partner and I wanted to watch tv on my 3 seater couch, and Dav wanted to join us, we learnt 3 people & a dog works fine. (Though Dav spent most of the time sleeping on my lap 😉).

Dressing gown covered legs of Elise, ginger fur of Dav, dressing gown covered legs of Elise's housemate's partner, and pij pants and slippers of Elise's housemate lined up on a three seater couch, with a chair as snack table on the tv on an old wooden sideboard opposite.

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Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @eliseswords.eurosky.social · 25/09/2026

Dropping a fiery sunset from the other night, as I say goodnight! (A very late one 😉).

Swath of sunset clouds angled bottom right to top left, peach rimmed, purple topped, with an orange horizon, bluer skies top right, and the tree line and a large tree silhouetted in the foreground.

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Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @eliseswords.eurosky.social · 23/09/2026

Apparently the Aussie magpie is a member of the corvid/ crow family, and can therefore be included in #BirdOfTheDay alt them #Corvids. Related; their warbling is a lovely and the sound I was happiest to hear when I moved back to Australia from England.

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Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @eliseswords.eurosky.social · 22/09/2026

With Ace Week🖤🩶🤍💜 coming up Oct 25-31st, I'm putting together an Itchio bundle called 'Asexuals on Adventures'. Main criteria: at least one main character is somewhere on the asexual spectrum (aro-ace is fine👋) and see eligibility graphic for 'Adventure'!⬇️ Sign up form: on my discord or I can DM!

Asexuals on Adventures, Coming Oct 19-31st on Itchio.

Ace flag and purple background.

Main text: 'Adventure' for the purpose of this bundle could be of a fantastical, scientific, or other speculative nature, or historical. Ideally it involves travel/ exploration, and may involve quests (from personal in scale, to save a people/ save the world.)

Eligibility & Genre:
At least one Main Character is somewhere on the asexual spectrum.
Plot-central ace (and LGBTQIA+) themes are welcome, but not required.

Adventure. There needs to be a big adventure, ideally one involving geographical travel. Eg. Exploring space/ a fantasy world, time travel, an alternate history, an underworld of demons, a society of vampires. Sexual exploration involving long distance travel and experiences of other places (eg a road trip) is welcome. Murder mysteries involving long distance travel (eg. multi city/ country investigations and some experience of those places) are welcome.

Given Adventure, I'm anticipating Fantasy, SciFi & other Speculative Fiction. Possibly Historical, mystery/ crime, romance, NSFW.

Preorders: Pre-orders are welcome, if your book releases within 5 weeks of the bundle's end date. Please state the release date in your Itch book description, so readers know when they can download your book.

Categories: YA and Adult Fiction, novellas and full length novels.

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Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @eliseswords.eurosky.social · 21/09/2026

Ripple of water Whisper of wind Bright skies above Beautiful things All is quiet All is still World a painting Beyond🪟sill Pause on rushing Pause your haste Moment short &not to waste Final flutter Last birdcall Call to peace One 1&all Take respite To drink in light Before the quiet Of the night

Pink edged sunset clouds, over pale blue and yellow sky, reflect in rippling pool surrounded by grasses and small bushes.

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Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @eliseswords.eurosky.social · 20/09/2026

This is Dav. He's staying with us for 5 weeks and likes accompanying me on my daily walks. I've missed a few sunsets lately, but today we timed it perfectly.

Sunset sky with peach rimmed, purple clouds slanting diagonally up to the left. Grassy foreground with sunset gold rimmed part corgi, ginger Dav eyeing the viewer, tongue out and ears pointed to the side.

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Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @eliseswords.eurosky.social · 20/09/2026

I've assembled 24 Authors to bring you Punk Spec Fic We've got Cyberpunk (+ cards), & bio☣️ or nanopunk🧬 Steam & Dreampunk Hopepunk for dark times! Ecologically sustainable Solarpunk Aetherpunk w. magic tech. Elfpunk &dragons!✨ Most have Queer Rep. All have Mini Blurbs. 🌈📚🪐 itch.io/b/3913/punk-...

Punk Spec Fic Book Bundle Graphic, bordered by 24 covers, with bright blue, purple, pink, orange background.

Text: Punk Spec Fic, 24 books for $24, Sept 20-30.

Books & Authors;
Walking the Knife's Edge (Sythe Series #1), Elise Carlson.

CyberSnow, A.E. Bross.

Memento Moreau. Conrad Altmann.

Sting of the Shore: Stories & Poems. Devan Barlow.

Visual Snow. L. B. Shimaira.

Snowstorm & Overgrowth, Claudie Arseneault.

Run With the Hunted, Jennifer R. Donohue.

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Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @eliseswords.eurosky.social · 19/09/2026

Something #golden for #BlueSkyArtShow, a nearly upside-down rainbow lorikeet munching on banksia seeds in a banksia tree, in the golden last light of the day, Mornington.

Upside down rainbow lorikeet showing off its red beak as it pecks at a banksia seed pod, its blue head, green back and bright yellow breast, surrounded by banksia tree leaves and seed pods, a tree trunk on its right.

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Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @eliseswords.eurosky.social · 16/09/2026

We're dog sitting, and we took the dog out for a night time garden visit just as two possums climbed down from our roof. One was obliging enough to pause for a photo shoot after sampling our plum blossoms. I suspect its the same pair I drove a cat away from the other night.

Ring tail possum with a grey back, white underside, cute pink nose and round ears, with black patches around its eyes peers down from blossom branches just starting to bud.

The same possum pauses while climbing along a steel fence, to peer curiously at the large human observing it.

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Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @eliseswords.eurosky.social · 14/09/2026

Heard a possum scamper over the roof, then a cat growling. Cat didn't stop till I shone a torch & told it to go away. The little ring tail possum it scared frozen scampered away above me. Then a 2nd possum climbed down & they played chassy, startling a bird out of a tree. Backyard's lively tonight!

Nervous possum backlit by my porch clings to a branch and peers nervously back through the tree towards a cat was growling at it.

The second possum sits on a branch peering at the viewer in the light of my porch, pausing its pursuit of the first possum to gaze at the big silly human.

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Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @eliseswords.eurosky.social · 14/09/2026

Welcoming @clh2oars.bsky.social, @barrows.itch.io, @aimeecozza.com & @atthisarts.com To bolster the SciFi & Fantasy sections of this blog of 32 Spec Fic authors, our books, LGBTQIA+/ Disability/ BIPOC rep, & where you can buy direct from us! 🌈📚🪐 elisecarlson.com/2026/08/09/q...

Fantasy and SciFi Direct From Authors.
Author and book photos of: A.E. Bross, Burgundy Athena Pendragon, G.M. Nair, Patrick Charleton-Oshea, Janina Franck, Stephanie Caye, C. R. Collins, Veo Corva, P. J. C. Cahill, Rien Gray, Nicole Hidalgo, May Barros, JD Rivers, Kit Muse, Sadhbh Frost, Niranjan, Barry Ryerson, Elise Carlson, R. A. Meenan, Kay F. Atkinson.

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Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @eliseswords.eurosky.social · 13/09/2026

FYI, after Sept 30 my Epic & SciFi Fantasy will no longer be available on Bookshop.org, Barnes & Noble, Apple or Hoopla (I'm leaving DraftToDigital) My ebooks will remain on: Kobo (+national partners), Direct, Itch & Libraries (Libby) Paperbacks: Direct Only 🌈📚🧠📚🏳️‍⚧️ elisecarlson.com/ruarnon-tril...

Left side: images of all 3 Ruarnon Trilogy (epic fantasy) covers; Manipulator's War, Secrets of the Sorcery War and War in Sorcery's Shadow.

Trilogy blurb: 4 lost Aussies + One nonbinary Heir become catalysts for peace.
Evolving monsters.
Forgotten weapons.
Save a mind, save the world.

Right Side: Sythe Series (SciFi-Fantasy) covers for 4 books; Walking the Knife's Edge, Countering the Hands of Crime, Skirting the Fires of Revolution (out in 2027) and Waging Wars Beyond all We Knew (out in 2028).

Series blurb: At Sythe School & Monster Containment, Rarkin’s got;
trauma to heal from
trust & self worth issues to overcome
queer friends to make.

When a crime boss goes rogue. Rarkin proves too capable and finds himself at the centre of a revolution.

Background: close up of rainbow magic shield protecting Bellaria across the sky, from Sythe Series Book 2's cover.

Art Credits: Lawrence Mann for Sythe Series covers, Glint of Mischief for Ruarnon Trilogy covers.

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Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @eliseswords.eurosky.social · 13/09/2026

Yeah they were a lot cheekier there than I've seen in Melbourne. Mind you, the duck was too. I couldn't get my timing right to capture it pecking at mum's backpack, trying to open it.

Duck standing very close to a backpack it was pecky at, trying to open, a moment earlier.

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Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @eliseswords.eurosky.social · 13/09/2026

Oh wait, I do have a photo for #BirdoftheDay theme #AngryBird. This miner was not impressed when someone drank their coffee, and ate their cookies too.

Miner with yellow and dark and light grey feathers grips side of table, glaring with open beak at empty plates with empty coffee cups on them, in a courtyard of Adelaide botanical gardens.

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Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @eliseswords.eurosky.social · 13/09/2026

Might go with #BirdoftheDay alt theme for today; #MyBestSide. Seen in Mornington, VIC. Its the only bird I've spotted that flew slow enough, in a predictable enough loop that I could get a decent phone shot. Anyone know what it is?

Large bird with light brown head, white breast and long black wings and beak glides through a bright blue sky.

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Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @eliseswords.eurosky.social · 13/09/2026

Now my photos are posting again, here's the sunset photo I got home to my phone just in time to take yesterday, while the sun still had the clouds aglow.

Sunset over an urban street. Layer of dark purple sunset clouds, with smaller ones below glowing peach in light of the set sun, with pale blue and yellow skin the background, and leafless trees and a big bush and power lines silhouetted in the foreground.

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Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @eliseswords.eurosky.social · 12/09/2026

Black swans swimming across the Altona Beach side of Port Phillip Bay, for #BirdoftheDay's theme #BirdsInAbstract. And a family of spoonbills wading a shallow inlet near the bay, fishing for dinner at sunset.

Black swans swimming in shallow waters of Port Phillip Bay, beneath a white cloudy sky.

Four spoonbills sweep an inlet four dinner, wading along, the pale pinks and blues of the sunset sky above the headland and sea reflected in the inlet behind them.

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Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @eliseswords.eurosky.social · 09/09/2026

Took today's evening walk at Bird Dinner O'clock. Watched a crane snap up a fish, then a yabby? (pictured). And the 10 ducklings and their parents nibbling so quickly in twilight that they blurred.

Crane standing behind reeds, almost body deep in a lake, chomping a yabby in it's beak.

11 native Aussie ducklings wandering across grass together, the mother walking with them, the father standing back off the side of the photo, to hiss at walkers on the path who get too close.

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Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @eliseswords.eurosky.social · 08/09/2026

Perhaps they will take inspiration from across the pond 🤔

5 'Vote for Clive Palmer billboard Signs' that have been edited by the public to read:
Vote 0 Rump Riot.
Pay your workers.
Sold out. Sold out. Sold out. Clive Palmers is Scomo's sugar daddy.
Freedom, freedom, freedom Climate Changed. Fuck off fascists.
Freedumb and freeduma. We can never trust clive or craig. Vote NO United Australia Party.

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