Sign in

Joe Willmore

@joewillmore.bsky.social
144 followers 127 following 192 posts

Photographer, consultant, writer.

PostsRepliesMedia
Joe Willmore @joewillmore.bsky.social · 12/10/2026
One opening line that has always stayed with me was from Ralph Peters' book "Call Each River Jordan." That opening was: "I will never forget the burning men." He was using the pen name Owen Parry at the time. It's a novel about the Civil War.
000
Reposted by Joe Willmore
The Atlantic @theatlantic.com · 12/10/2026
A novel’s first line carries enormous weight, Stephanie Bai writes in The Atlantic Daily. She asked The Atlantic’s writers and editors: What is one of the best first lines in modern literature?
bit.ly
Six of the Best First Lines in Modern Literature
It is a truth universally acknowledged that every great book must be in want of a great first line.
12213
Joe Willmore @joewillmore.bsky.social · 11/10/2026
Plus interwoven and overlapped with the whole "Lost Cause" mythology which rewrote the Civil War narrative.
000
Joe Willmore @joewillmore.bsky.social · 11/10/2026
Absolutely appalling.
000
Joe Willmore @joewillmore.bsky.social · 11/10/2026
Terrific article. And congrats for making that list--well-deserved.
010
Joe Willmore @joewillmore.bsky.social · 11/10/2026
Secret projects are cool!
010
Joe Willmore @joewillmore.bsky.social · 11/10/2026
It's stunning that they're still operating--what with continual attacks from the air, manpower shortages, short on cash. Ukraine continually defies all predictions.
000
Joe Willmore @joewillmore.bsky.social · 11/10/2026
I'm in the process of reading John Le Carre's "Agent Running in the Field."
010
Joe Willmore @joewillmore.bsky.social · 11/10/2026
Interesting points. I know this is an issue that Don Winslow wrestled with in his writing.
010
Joe Willmore @joewillmore.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
Exactly. When Biden was President, Trump criticized him because we were importing Russian oil before they launched their full-invasion of Ukraine. Biden cut it off. Trump claims this is a "trade deal." Actually, it's the US defying sanctions against Russia. Appalling!
020
Joe Willmore @joewillmore.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
I finished reading Alma Katsu's followup to the great "Red Widow"--her "Red London." What a great read. Multiple threads going on in this book and a great sense of the internal politics of the IC. I especially like the hint on the last page of what else might be coming. @almakatsu.bsky.social
010
Joe Willmore @joewillmore.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
I'm usually not into horror much. The genre I am writing about now is espionage/thriller. But the buzz on Incarnate has got me seduced. And "Between Two Fires" is excellent.
010
Joe Willmore @joewillmore.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
Quite good. I won't reveal anything with the ending or plot except that it sure makes it look like this is part of a trilogy (ie: a "Red" series).
000
Joe Willmore @joewillmore.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
I like to read two books at the same time--alternating between each selection. It helps my creativity as a writer. I just finished "Between Two Fires" and I'm on the last two chapters of Alma Katsu's terrific followup to "Red Widow" with "Red London." @almakatsu.bsky.social
120
Joe Willmore @joewillmore.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
I do my writing using Apple's Pages. When I submit something to an Agent or Editor, I use Pages to convert it to Word. But that copy shows no edit history, no revisions--just a pristine manuscript that looks like it was created at one sitting. I think Pangram would label my work as AI.
200
Joe Willmore @joewillmore.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
@buehlmeister.bsky.social is his bluesky handle if you want to follow him (you should). And you should definitely read "Between Two Fires."
000
Joe Willmore @joewillmore.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
I just finished reading a terrific book: "Between Two Fires" by Christopher Buehlman. Set in France during the Black Plague. Horror, medieval period, knights, honor, scoundrels, monsters, and the most fundamental question: is the orphan girl a witch or a saint?
120
Joe Willmore @joewillmore.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Well thank heavens the Russians have issued reassuring reports of "nothing to see here"--I can we can all sleep easily now.
020
Joe Willmore @joewillmore.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
I greatly fear that while we've talked a good game, we haven't kept up with the revolution in UAV threats on the battlefield--tactically and strategically. What the Iranians have done in the Middle East against US bases is another good example.
000
Joe Willmore @joewillmore.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
In August, during war games in Germany (Combined Resolve), a Ukrainian regiment (approximately 1,000 personnel) wiped out a US armored Brigade (3rd Armored Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division) so quickly that the exercise officials had to regenerate US forces: www.kyivpost.com/post/82293
kyivpost.com
Ukrainian Drones ‘Wiped Out’ US Armored Brigade in Germany’s War Games
The American brigade was tasked with assaulting positions reinforced by Ukrainian troops. But its heavily armored personnel carriers quickly became easy targets.
100
Joe Willmore @joewillmore.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Yep. That's the perniciousness we face with AI.
000
Joe Willmore @joewillmore.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Congrats!
110
Joe Willmore @joewillmore.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Yeah. It's an easy way to commit fraud--so many authors aren't aware of class actions suits/settlements that they're apart of.
010
Joe Willmore @joewillmore.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Are these two different jobs or one job with multiple skill sets? Inquiring minds want to know.
001
Joe Willmore @joewillmore.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Touche'
000
Joe Willmore @joewillmore.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
You called it--very weird!
000
Joe Willmore @joewillmore.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
Well stated.
011
Joe Willmore @joewillmore.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
The Trump Administration has threatened to tear down the Kennedy Center if the court does not approve their planned changed. Absolutely appalling. Everything this man touches, he destroys or wrecks.
000
Joe Willmore @joewillmore.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
"A SPY IN THE HOUSE OF LOVE" by Anais Nin (and my autocorrect wanted to keep changing her last name to "Sin"!)
010
Joe Willmore @joewillmore.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
The Great Wave of Kanagawa
020
Joe Willmore @joewillmore.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
appalling!
000
Joe Willmore @joewillmore.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Yep. Sad.
000
Joe Willmore @joewillmore.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
I love visiting LA, just came back from hitting the Getty Villa and the Broad among others. I've also started reading "Everybody Knows." Your craft and power with language has me cringing with the idea of visiting LA, all the cynicism, double-dealing, and distrust. Damn!
000
Joe Willmore @joewillmore.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
The Maltese Chicken
110
Joe Willmore @joewillmore.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
I'm reading "On Writing" right now.
010
Joe Willmore @joewillmore.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
It's nonfiction...Steven Pressfield's "The War of Art." On the fiction side Georges Simeon's "Maigret and the Burglar's Wife."
000
Joe Willmore @joewillmore.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Love Alma's work.
010
Joe Willmore @joewillmore.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Woah!
000
Joe Willmore @joewillmore.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
You in an XL All Blacks shirt--that would definitely turn heads. Then you'd just need to learn how to do the HAKA.
010
Joe Willmore @joewillmore.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
Silhouette of a statue framed by the gallery entrance at the Getty Villa #gettyvilla #silhouette, #statue
020
Joe Willmore @joewillmore.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
Wow. Appalling
020
Joe Willmore @joewillmore.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
Yep. So far I haven't come across something that works well for writers.
010
Joe Willmore @joewillmore.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
BTW, congratulations. The NYT just published an article on the 50 greatest thriller books of the 21st Century. Blacktop Wasteland, Razorblade Tears, and All the Sinner Bleed made the list. Based on votes by 291 novelists, critics, booksellers, and librarians.
000
Joe Willmore @joewillmore.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
Appalling. I do a lot of photography and have just started looking in to "AI Poison" software. www.technologyreview.com/2023/10/23/1...
technologyreview.com
This new data poisoning tool lets artists fight back against generative AI
The tool, called Nightshade, messes up training data in ways that could cause serious damage to image-generating AI models.
110
Joe Willmore @joewillmore.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
Yep. Especially when it's a character with depth that comes alive. I wonder that too about some of the people you've created.
110
Joe Willmore @joewillmore.bsky.social · 02/08/2026
Ugh!
000
Joe Willmore @joewillmore.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Thanks
010
Joe Willmore @joewillmore.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Hah!
010
Joe Willmore @joewillmore.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
So funny!
000
Joe Willmore @joewillmore.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Diamond Beach, Iceland #iceland, #blacksand, #beach, #glacier, #Fellsfjara, #Jokulsarlon,
150