iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Grant Alba @grantalba.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

I'm 6 month in to switching completely to Linux. So far, it's great. First 4 months, I just had a Linux laptop and tried to do my normal stuff. Mostly it was fine. My biggest challenge is finding a graphics package I like. I'm now setting up servers to eliminate cloud stuff. Yay!

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Grant Alba @grantalba.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

They're significantly better stories and better writing according to almost every metric than most of the ones I read growing up from magazines and anthologies and collections. I get it. The market is nanoscopic compared to the past, and I'm not in the top 0.001% of writing.

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Grant Alba @grantalba.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Yep. I've a dozen shorts across a variety of domains, all of which were considered extremely strong by my writing groups, and none of them got anywhere in a year of submissions. I do not think my shorts are the best stories ever... but .../1

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Grant Alba @grantalba.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

Most of my favorite novels of the past few years have been by women. Maybe that's just me, but the male authors have been "comfortable" in their alignment with tropes, but the women have challenged me at every turn and that's way more interesting and ultimately enjoyable for multiple reads!

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Grant Alba @grantalba.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

I'm not a literary man. I'm an author and reader who "happens to be" a man, but I read everyone. I don't recall checking out the gender of the author's I read. And, like me, many authors are probably psuedonymic... So am I even male or am I merely writing as one?

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Grant Alba @grantalba.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

We should demand their rationale for voting YES on someone who is credibly close to being debarred! It's like demanding an unfrocked priest become the pope...

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Grant Alba @grantalba.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

PS. The BEST story I've written so far is 600.words.written in less than 5 minutes

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Grant Alba @grantalba.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

I like the thought... I think Twain would make for a more interesting story, especially if the MC is corresponding with a sibling on Prime... Could be hopeful, or despairing ... Lots of opportunities for many different short stories!

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Grant Alba @grantalba.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

We all know when we read real writing. A single turn of phrase that is magical in the midst of muddle. A line of dialog that resonates, even if the character is reciting a recipe or rabble rousing. Using language in the way we hear it in our heads, not the way grammarians say it should be done.

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Grant Alba @grantalba.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

Because perfect is illusory and entirely subjective. I'd rather have real, human work - messy, muddled, maudlin, morbid, magnanimous, and merry. Real writing with adverbs and flowery descriptions and tight dialogue and loose language and multiple offerings to Typios in every chapter. /2

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Grant Alba @grantalba.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

Absolutely! I grew up reading pulp novels that were quickly written, minimally edited and cheaply typeset... And they were magnificent! As I matured my reading also matured and I demanded more complexity in writing, more competence in editing, more beauty in typesetting... But never perfection/1

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Grant Alba @grantalba.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

Maybe they're thinking "make the world cup great again" in the US sense of "it's all just commercial shit so we're going to make sure our profits are outrageous" It's pandering to profiteering pedophiles.

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Grant Alba @grantalba.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

A perfect testament to the Drumpf Disadministration, no?

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Grant Alba @grantalba.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

That's the point. We don't have ports anymore because the English ports were "more cost effective" We don't have HQs anymore because "we're all British, after all" So the goods we do produce, are all "exported to England", and many then become English exports because if accounting rules.

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Grant Alba @grantalba.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

Remember those dwindling stockpiles of armaments? They're about to become stock-deserts.

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Grant Alba @grantalba.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

I've never understood that logic. If we export so much to England... Doesn't that imply they're somewhat dependent on us? Unfortunately we've been engineered into believing that they're the ONLY market. Orly?

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Grant Alba @grantalba.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

Just raise the price of electricity. That's the new "owning the high ground" Batteries are cheap. Hell - upscale our hydro systems for even more storage, and invest in tidal for the rest of the backfill. Scotland energy needs are secure. And excess gets sent to a grateful England... Or to Europe

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Grant Alba @grantalba.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

They did not change the constitution, so the law they forced in had no merit.

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Reposted by Grant Alba

Trabbles 💫 Commissions Closed @trabbles.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

I have limited commissions open for July! This is my main source of income while i continue my job search, so I really appreciate shares! vgen.co/Trabbles ko-fi.com/trabbles

A pale purple skinned woman with her eyes closed peacefully, warm golden light surrounding her. She has pink hair in long, large braids and golden earrings, necklaces, and tips on her ears. Amaris belongs to Ortani

#vgen #commissions #commissionsopen #opencomm #vgencomm

A male figure with a large scythe kneels on the ground. Behind him, a golden circle of suns is breaking apart. The ethereal plane behind him swirls with mist and magic, infecting his arms and stripes of himself, remaining pink and incorporal. Mei belongs to Piezer0

Kronya from fire emblem three houses and hopes is smirking, holding a dagger dripping in blood. She wears her scorpion inspired outfit, black with straps and orange accents, tall boots that go over the knee. Kronya is posed as if she is leaping down and catching blood dripping from her knife with her left hand. Sponsored by JackSeeker

#vgen #commissions #commissionsopen #opencomm #vgencomm

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Grant Alba @grantalba.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

And many of those goods are counted as English products because their HQ is in England and that's where the revenues are reported.

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Grant Alba @grantalba.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

I would have thought that murdering such oligarchs would actually save lives... But maybe I'm just an optimist

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Grant Alba @grantalba.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

Translation from British to American... Y'all's fucked.

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Grant Alba @grantalba.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

#BibleStudy #Religion #Christianity #Atheism Just to reassure Texans... I was actively studying and being groomed for priesthood in my early to late teens. That active study is why I became an atheist by the time I was 14, and was an out atheist by 16. #TheMoreYouKnow

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Grant Alba @grantalba.bsky.social · 14/06/2026

I joined the discord, so can send you a synopsis if you let me (you've locked DMS, sensibly) If you want to read the whole thing... I can also send the ebooks (still writing the third). I can send you the notes on the other stories, too, as the whole thing is interconnected.

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Grant Alba @grantalba.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

1. what genre do the covers suggest? 2. do they connect thematically? 3. does the deign language support the overall arc & throughline? (we can discuss what I intended, but I'd like to hear what it says to you absent too many prompts) Looking forward to hearing your thoughts

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Grant Alba @grantalba.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

and paid. Look forward to working with you. I can send you copies of the first two ebooks ... and the WIP for the third :) if that's helpfl, or we can just chat about sysnopis, direction, characters, and overall arc. Questions...

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Grant Alba @grantalba.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

Honesty is worth it. If you have a look at the post you can maybe suggest a price (I've made a request on your site)

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Grant Alba @grantalba.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

Need additional eyes looking at it artistically. Not formal graphic design, per se, but does it 'say' what I think it does (to someone with more artistic talent, versus a regular reader who can maybe draw a 'cat')

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Grant Alba @grantalba.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

My first novel protag is, indeed, an orphan - something he blames himself for and that caused him to become insular... he only grows up when he accepts relationships (and more importantly that THEY are necessary to resolution). My MC suffers from SC syndrome, I guess.

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Grant Alba @grantalba.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

I really need people to provide some realistic critique from a number of perspectives. Artistically (I'm not the best designer in the world... so do these even work?) And am I selling a pig i a poke (do the covers say what they SHOULD say?) Happy to discuss $$ - real work shouldn't be free,.

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Grant Alba @grantalba.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

My writing is focused on agency. The trilogy (finishing real soon now!) spans a few decades and follows a threesome (it just happened that way) from earth to galaxy. I'm opening up the patreon so there's lots of background there... And THIS post = my branding. www.patreon.com/GrantAlba/po...

patreon.com

Creating a cohesive brand | Grant Alba is Writing

Creating a cohesive brand by Grant Alba is Writing on Patreon. Join Grant Alba is Writing's community for exclusive content and updates.

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Grant Alba @grantalba.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

assuming it takes half a day to really produce something you'd release. that's less than $3 an hour! or about $8 an hour for the more 'expensive' ones. I remember getting charged $100 for a bad caricature in SF more than 30 years ago (literally 10 minutes of work). Good skills, but... Charge more!

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Grant Alba @grantalba.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

I do have a solid commission based question. I've 'developed' my own 'design language' for my trilogy and 'universe'. Would you be willing to have a look from an artists perspective? NO questions. No Prompts. No pre-emptive expectations. Just... critique and maybe suggest a new direction? DM.

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Grant Alba @grantalba.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

Good for you. Free is a luxury. If I CHOOSE to give something - that's one thing (I'm trying to build audience for my writing so my patreon is now completely free). BUT - if you ASK me to create something... then that's gonna cost you something in return. #PayforPlay

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Grant Alba @grantalba.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

I write a story about this 'Exceptional US Exceptional Isolation-by-choice'... (and apologies for pushing a link) www.patreon.com/GrantAlba/po...

patreon.com

Free to Run | Grant Alba is Writing

Free to Run by Grant Alba is Writing on Patreon. Join Grant Alba is Writing's community for exclusive content and updates.

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Grant Alba @grantalba.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

#booksky #StrangerThanFiction #Trump #ShitShow A few months ago I wrote a short story inspired by what I hoped was a transitory blip in reality. It's become much more than that... It's a quick, if disturbing, read and I'd love to hear your thoughts. www.patreon.com/GrantAlba/po...

patreon.com

Free to Run | Grant Alba is Writing

Free to Run by Grant Alba is Writing on Patreon. Join Grant Alba is Writing's community for exclusive content and updates.

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Grant Alba @grantalba.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

Because they threw away any hope of actually competing over the past 30 years of downsizing. They don't have the skills to compete AT THE PRICE POINT REQUIRED. They can make ever enshittified "luxury", but nothing affordable or actually good quality. China learned how to make stuff. And innovate.

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Grant Alba @grantalba.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

Prostate? I ain't never prostate masel' t' nobody, 'ceptin' me be Mr Trump! Or words to that effect. Tell them "that's not a homophone" and see their heads melt in real time

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Grant Alba @grantalba.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

It's not that. They're assured by "people they trust" that vaginas exist, and by those same people that "climate" is just weather, so always changes. Yep. Stupid, authoritarian followers, one and all (even the allegedly smart ones)

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Grant Alba @grantalba.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

Let's be honest. We don't need to bE masterminds with genius level intelligence. We just need to be smarter than them. So... Gerbil and above should work

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Grant Alba @grantalba.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

Was that permission, or récognition ? You may grind your teeth - your call and I'll make lotsamoney! Or. You *may* grind your teeth n that's bad !

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Grant Alba @grantalba.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

Accept that it's fiction and therefore full of "simplification to serve the story"? The alternative Is wailing and gnashing of teeth (qnd I don't know about you but my dentist already makes too much money from me, thxvrymch)

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Grant Alba @grantalba.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

I've always thought it as more social fiction than science fiction. Utopian ideals are more sociology (very very soft sociology) than hard numbers and logic.

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Grant Alba @grantalba.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

Every trailer I've. Seen just reinforces the very simple. Fact that THIS supergirl is much more than a Mary Jane. I'm looking forward to it, and I'd gotten kinda bored by superhero movies in general. My daughter thinks it'll kick ass, too!

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Grant Alba @grantalba.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

Does that make me superhuman, then? Every page had an offering to Typios (long may she rain [sic])

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Grant Alba @grantalba.bsky.social · 23/05/2026

I'm going to post individual items for sale on Patreon (craft, polemic, prose, and even poetry). I'll also package larger pieces for wider sale (ebooks and paperbacks) through the normal channels. My trilogy is close... 30k more words and edits should be feasible by the fall.

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