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John Bryant

@johnbryantwrites.bsky.social
2K followers 5K following 333 posts

Certified Sailor. ⛵ You had me at tacos. 🌮 Fueled by bourbon.🥃 I write stuff too.📚 Currently writing a historical fantasy joint called SLAVES OF GOD

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Reposted by John Bryant
Alan Baxter @alanbaxter.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Ways to help authors you love: - Review their books. - Share their posts. - Tell people about their books. - Learn the true name of the universe and manipulate it to make their book a bestseller. - Get your library to order in their books. - Ask local events to book them for appearances.
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John Bryant @johnbryantwrites.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
I just finished writing a disgusting scene with a despicable character and now I'm disgusted with myself. 😱 #amwriting #writesky
static.klipy.com
Man's Disgusted Reaction
Alt: Man's Disgusted Reaction
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John Bryant @johnbryantwrites.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
OK, chapter 8. Let's get into it. #amwriting #histfantasy "Wink never cried. He knew better." #sixwordstories #writeskty
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John Bryant @johnbryantwrites.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Holy crap! Did I finally just finish writing chapter 7?! I absolutely loved writing that one, but now it's time to dive into the next for SLAVES OF GOD. #amwriting #histfantasy #writesky
static.klipy.com
Energetic Kid Dancing in Classroom
Alt: A group of kids find out they're doing to see Black Panther and dance out of sheer joy in their classroom. One dances on his chair.
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John Bryant @johnbryantwrites.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
It's been a minute, but I'm channeling my old graphic designer days and working on the book cover for my #histfantasy joint SLAVES OF GOD. I'm feeling these fonts. #amwriting #writesky
The words SLAVES OF GOD and JOHN BRYANT on a parchment background. The title for my upcoming historical fantasy novel.
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John Bryant @johnbryantwrites.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
Wait... what sounds do hyenas make? Sure, folks know about the "laughing" but since they make appearances in my #histfantasy joint SLAVES OF GOD I should probably dig into it. #researchmode #amwriting #writesky www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKJj...
youtube.com
Weird hyena sounds
YouTube video by George Vlad
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Reposted by John Bryant
Chuck Wendig @chuckwendig.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
Everything is terrible but books are good. Especially books written by real people. Talk about your books. Show us your art. Let us see the cool stuff you make. You need it but we need it too. Art helps maker and receiver get their heads above the rough, churning waters of reality. No shame in it.
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Reposted by John Bryant
Climate.us @climate.us · 02/07/2026
Climate information should be reliable, clear, and available to everyone. Climate.us is an independent nonprofit protecting public access to trusted, science-reviewed climate knowledge. Explore: www.climate.us 🌍🧪 #ClimateUS #ClimateForUs #ClimateScience #Science
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Reposted by John Bryant
Marie Vibbert @reasie.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
Here is my pitch for why you should go to Confluence, the Pittsburgh Science Fiction Convention, July 24-26: 1. Free Beer in the Con Suite 2. Pitch sessions with agents 3. Workshops with me! 4. Triangulation Launch Party! 5. Pierogi 6. Musical guests all weekend! confluence-sff.org
confluence-sff.org
Confluence-sff.org
Confluence, Pittsburgh, PA's longest running SF/F/H conference. A program of Parsec Inc. www.confluence-sff.org
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John Bryant @johnbryantwrites.bsky.social · 28/06/2026
I stopped describing my characters' physical features & now I'm feeling this bit about Birdie from my #histfantasy joint SLAVES OF GOD. How do you picture her? A dagger masquerading as a damsel. A grifter in petticoats, charming as perfume and twice as intoxicating. #amwriting #writesky #WIP
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Reposted by John Bryant
Kendra James @kendrajames.bsky.social · 19/06/2026
The American Library Association is auctioning off a bunch of the classic celebrity “READ” posters along with a bunch of other full sized literacy posters. This is going to fix so many of my problems, I just know it. movieposters.ha.com/c/search/res...
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John Bryant @johnbryantwrites.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
I found a dog hair in my morning coffee. The joys of having a German Shepherd shedding machine. How's your day going? 🐶🍵 #writingcommunity
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John Bryant @johnbryantwrites.bsky.social · 30/05/2026
Today's #amediting adventure: purging my manuscript of stage directions. On the hunt for looked, glanced, stared, gazed, watched, see, eyes, and noticed. #writesky
media.tenor.com
a video game screen shows a character named raiden with a score of 12200 points
Alt: Rraiden from with Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance uses his sword to hack and slash a pole like a bajillion times.
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John Bryant @johnbryantwrites.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
Who's watching From? If you saw the doll episode, you know. New fear unlocked 😱
media.tenor.com
a blurry picture of people walking down a street with houses in the background
Alt: A scene from the TV show, From. Sherrif Boyd walks down the road through town, ringing a bell.
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John Bryant @johnbryantwrites.bsky.social · 23/05/2026
Yeesh! Things you learn while researching for your novel. In the early 1800s, part of the leather tanning process involved soaking hides in vats of stagnant urine 😱 #researchmode #amwriting
media.tenor.com
a man with glasses and a mustache is wearing an orange shirt with the word ew on it
Alt: Eddie Murphy from the movie Norbit. He has a look of disgust on his face and says: "Ew."
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Reposted by John Bryant
NYC Midnight @nycmidnight.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
The 4th annual 500-word Fiction Challenge begins on May 29th and will challenge writers worldwide to create short stories no longer than 500 words in 48 hours. Learn more, register, and read previous winning stories at www.nycmidnight.com/500. Happy writing!
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John Bryant @johnbryantwrites.bsky.social · 04/04/2026
When one of the big bads in your #histfantasy joint SLAVES OF GOD is Anansi, you gotta research how spider webs are built. #amwriting #afrofantasy #writesky 📚🕷️
Diagram of a spider web with the title, "Spider Web Anatomy." It shows the structure of a spider web, calling out spiral lines, radial lines, and drag lines. From Nebraska Game & Parks.
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Reposted by John Bryant
Addy Bross 🌈 they/xe @aebrossbooks.com · 25/03/2026
This. All of this. Support indies if you want to see the stories that trad pub doesn't and won't publish.
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John Bryant @johnbryantwrites.bsky.social · 12/03/2026
Dayum! The new Soulive is solid open.spotify.com/track/0z2Lou... #nowplaying 🎶🎧 #amwriting #writesky 📚
open.spotify.com
Xl
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John Bryant @johnbryantwrites.bsky.social · 07/03/2026
It's #amwri̇ti̇ng day! In chapter 7 of my #histfantasy joint SLAVES OF GOD, Anansi's 6 sons, Damu ya Buinui (Blood of the Spider), step through a tear in the world and set foot on the shores of the American South in the early 1800s. #afrofantasy Oh, the drama!
Anansi the spider sits in the center of a web while surrounded by six smaller spiders, his six sons.
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John Bryant @johnbryantwrites.bsky.social · 09/02/2026
Chapter 7: If the lion doesn’t tell his story, the hunter will. Stories traveled faster and further than people. But in this foreign land, Nanyamka’s story hadn’t been told. Not yet, anyway. #OpeningLines #amwriring #histfantasy #afrofantasy
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John Bryant @johnbryantwrites.bsky.social · 08/02/2026
And now ,,, chapter 7. #amwriting #histfantasy #afrofantasy 📚
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John Bryant @johnbryantwrites.bsky.social · 26/01/2026
"You write in order to change the world... if you alter, even by a millimeter, the way people look at reality, then you can change it."—James Baldwin
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John Bryant @johnbryantwrites.bsky.social · 26/01/2026
Had a visit from writer's block over the weekend so I spent some time working on a book bio for SLAVES OF GOD. It's pretty generic, but it's only a first pass. More to come. What's your book bio? #writesky #authorsky #writingcommunity
A rough pass a the book bio for my urban fantasy joint, SLAVES OF GOD: Slaves of God is a Southern Gothic historical fantasy rooted in the early American frontier, where enslaved people, con men, and old gods collide, for readers of Toni Morrison, Colson Whitehead, and Octavia Butler who crave brutal honesty, moral reckoning, and a story that refuses to let them look away.
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John Bryant @johnbryantwrites.bsky.social · 17/01/2026
Let it snow! ❄️ #stlwx
It's snowing on Cherokee Street in St. Louis.
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John Bryant @johnbryantwrites.bsky.social · 09/01/2026
I ain't siding with AI-authors, but use AI detectors with a grain of salt. One of my characters, Reverend Copeland, is prone to spouting Bible verses. ZeroGPT thinks this passage from Psalm 23 KJV is AI-generated. 🤔🤖 #amwriting #histfantasy #afrofantasy
Screenshot of an AI detector showing the pasted text is AI-generated. The text is from Psalm 23 in the KJV Bible: “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”
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Reposted by John Bryant
#BluePit - A Storytelling Hype & Pitch Event @bluepit.bsky.social · 29/12/2025
#BluePit is ready to kick off 2026! Creators in the #WritingCommunity, #GameDev & #IndieDev, #TTRPG, and #Comic communities get ready to pitch or promote your projects! #BluePit will be taking place on Jan 13th, 2026! And #BluePitHype starts January 8th! #WriteSky #Writers #AmAgenting #LitAgents
#BluePit
A Storytelling Hype/Pitch Event

What It Is:
An event designed to uplift storytellers of any media. All works are welcome, regardless of the stage (e.g., Drafting, Editing, Querying, On Submission, or Published).

When:
Jan 13, 2026 (24 Hours)

#BluePit Rules:
Limit 3 posts per WIP; multiple works allowed.
Include correct emojis to appear in media specific feeds
Use appropriate tags (see Tag list)
All images must include ALT text. No AI.
Everyone is encouraged to like and repost
Use the #BluePit feeds to find and support others.
Agents, editors, and publishers are welcome to participate and can also use #BluePit feeds without a BlueSky account

Emojis
Writing (e.g. “#bluepit 📖”)
Game Dev (e.g. “#bluepit 🎮”)
Comics (e.g. “#bluepit 💥”)
TTRPGS (e.g. “#bluepit 🎲”)

Questions?
BluePit.Carrd.Co
@BluePit.Bsky.Social
@ZProspero.bsky.social
#BluePit Tags

MEDIA:
#BluePit 💥 - Comics
#BluePit 🎮 - Game Dev
#BluePit 🎲 - TTRPGs
#BluePit 📖 - Writers

STAGE:
#W - Work In Progress
#Q - Querying
#OS - On Submission
#P - Published

AUDIENCE:
#PB - Picture Book
#MG - Middle Grade
#YA - Young Adult
#A - Adult
#NA - New Adult

REPRESENTATION:
#OV - Own Voices
#LGBT- LGBTQIA+
#DIS - Disabled Creators
#WF - Women's Fiction
#POC - Person of Color
#ND - Neurodivergent
#TR - Transgender

GENRE
#F - Fantasy
#R - Romance
#H - Horror
#SF - Sci-Fi
#M - Mystery
#PN - Paranormal
#C - Crime
#HS - Historical
#SP - Speculative
#PO - Poetry
#NF - Non-Fiction

GAME SYSTEM:
#D20 - 20-sided die based
#D6 - 6-sided die based
#D100 - 100-sided die based
#NAR - Narrative based
#DUN - Dungeon Crawler
#RO - Rogue-Like
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John Bryant @johnbryantwrites.bsky.social · 28/12/2025
Letters to words to sentences to paragraphs. #amwriting #writesky
Close up of keyboard keys. The letters QWER, ASDF, ZXC and the ALT key are visible.
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John Bryant @johnbryantwrites.bsky.social · 27/12/2025
TFW you wake up bright and early to work on your manuscript and your PC starts with a blue screen of death. 😱
media.tenor.com
a close up of a man 's face with the words " nooooo " written below it
Alt: A close up of a panicked man 's face with the words " nooooo " written below it
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John Bryant @johnbryantwrites.bsky.social · 26/12/2025
Taking advantage of time off from the day gig so I can get words outta my head and onto the page. #amwri̇ti̇ng 📚
Diptych image. On the left, and open laptop with words on its screen, inside a coffee shop. On the right, I'm wearing glasses and headphones while rocking my New Orleans Saints hoodie.
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John Bryant @johnbryantwrites.bsky.social · 24/12/2025
“The truest writers are those who see language not as a linguistic process but as a living element.”—Derek Walcott
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Reposted by John Bryant
Bonita’s Tiffs @bontifficating.bsky.social · 10/12/2025
#Felt “You hit publish, and nothing happens. No likes. No shares. Silence. But writing isn't about applause. It's about leaving pieces of yourself for someone else to find. Sometimes it takes days. Sometimes it takes years. But write anyway.” #bvm
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John Bryant @johnbryantwrites.bsky.social · 23/11/2025
Phew! I finally finished chapter 5!! 🎉 SLAVES OF GOD is a labor of love, so it's a great feeling to make progress on my historical fantasy joint. #SmallVictories #amwriting #writesky
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John Bryant @johnbryantwrites.bsky.social · 21/11/2025
My historical fantasy joint SLAVES OF GOD started off as a sweeping epic with multiple characters, but has since evolved into a tighter, more intimate journey with few key characters. I feel like that was the right move. 🤔
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John Bryant @johnbryantwrites.bsky.social · 20/11/2025
"Follow the Sun" is a mantra from my historical fantasy joint, SLAVES OF GOD. 🌞 #amwriting #Novmemeber 20
media.tenor.com
a man wearing glasses stands in front of a lush green forest
Alt: A man in glasses stands in front of a lush green forest, then turns to see a total eclipse.
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John Bryant @johnbryantwrites.bsky.social · 14/11/2025
Yo! It's Indie Author Day. It's a good day to support your indies. #indieauthors #writesky #writingcommunity
Celebrate with us! November 14th, 2025 is Indie Author Day.
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John Bryant @johnbryantwrites.bsky.social · 11/11/2025
Here's mine! SLAVES OF GOD #openinglines #writesky #amwriting
Opening lines to SLAVES OF GOD by John Bryant:

Long before the old gods set foot in Lafayette County, it had taught its children to fear anything they couldn’t chain or break.
For generations, that fear passed into the land, the people, and the secrets they kept. It seeped into the very bones of the place.
Lingered like rot.
Even the stagecoach into the burgeoning town of Purity felt it. Always ran late, especially on Sundays, as if reluctant to deliver strangers into a place that clung to its ways.
Still, the townsfolk relied on the rickety old coach to maintain their ties to the world beyond, no matter how erratic or unpredictable its schedule.
But things in Purity had a way of playing out when and how they ought to.
At least, that’s what folks said.
Wink heard that kind of talk before. And soon enough, things inevitably went sideways.
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John Bryant @johnbryantwrites.bsky.social · 10/11/2025
Many years ago, I used to own an ice cream catering company: www.instagram.com/getfrostbite 🍧 #Novmemeber 10
instagram.com
Instagram
Create an account or log in to Instagram - Share what you're into with the people who get you.
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John Bryant @johnbryantwrites.bsky.social · 10/11/2025
Not sure where this quote comes from, but be an ocean.
Motivational text that reads: "If you are an ocean, be an ocean. Don't be a pond just because people can't swim."
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John Bryant @johnbryantwrites.bsky.social · 09/11/2025
2-8 ⚜️🏈 Who dat?
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Reposted by John Bryant
Sage T. Greene, Author @sagetgreene.bsky.social · 01/11/2025
#Novmemeber 1 Introduce yourself using predictive text. You can try phrasing this in different ways (for example, "I'm ___ and I write about..."). Then tell us what you REALLY write about!
1. Introduce yourself w/predictive text (e.g. “I’m _ and I write about...”)

A prompt game for the month of November, titled #Novmemeber (as in meme). Hosted by @sagetgreene.bsky.social . The bottom says "Have fun, interact, and remember alt text!" There is a silly emoji face with wild eyes and tongue sticking out, and some fall-style leaves in the corners.
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John Bryant @johnbryantwrites.bsky.social · 23/10/2025
Welp! I'll be at #BooksByTheArch 2026. Guess I need to get my butt in gear and finish SLAVES OF GOD by October. #authorproblems #writesky #amwriting 📚
Artistic rendering of the St. Louis skyline featuring the Gateway Arch with the words "Books by the Arch." The indie author festival is returning October 17th, 2022 at the Downtown St. Louis Hyatt.
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John Bryant @johnbryantwrites.bsky.social · 16/10/2025
I can't trust a literary festival that touts their inaugural event as first annual. 😐
media.tenor.com
a man with a beard says words are hard in front of a bunch of guitars
Alt: A man with a beard says "Words are hard" in front of a bunch of guitars
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Reposted by John Bryant
The Authors Guild @authorsguild.org · 14/10/2025
Authors!! Let’s talk ANTHROPIC SETTLEMENT. We’re holding a virtual meeting this THURSDAY at 6 PM to go over everything you need to know about the Anthropic settlement, determining eligibility and filing claims. It’s free to attend but please register here: authorsguild.org/event/anthro...
authorsguild.org
Anthropic Settlement: What Authors Should Know - The Authors Guild
Copyright holders recently secured preliminary approval of a $1.5 billion class settlement in the Bartz v. Anthropic case, in which authors Andrea Bartz, Kirk Johnson, and Charles Graeber led a class-...
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John Bryant @johnbryantwrites.bsky.social · 08/10/2025
"Censorship by the Numbers" from @amlibraryassoc.bsky.social www.ala.org/bbooks/censo... #BannedBooksWeek #LetFreedomRead
ala.org
Censorship by the Numbers
Every year, the American Library Association compiles data on censorship attempts in libraries around the United States based on reports from the field and media coverage.
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John Bryant @johnbryantwrites.bsky.social · 06/10/2025
Pooped? 😂 #typo #amwriting #writesky
I almost didn't catch the typo in my work in progress: "Davis picked himself up. Brushed pollen and grass from his clothes. His old bones creaked and pooped as he stretched."
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Reposted by John Bryant
We Need Diverse Books @weneeddiversebooks.bsky.social · 02/10/2025
🔔 Apply for a Walter Dean Myers Grant today! The Walter Dean Myers Grant program was established to provide grants of $2,000 each to promising diverse writers and illustrators who are currently unpublished. Follow the 🔗 below (also in our bio) to apply ⬇️ 💻 bit.ly/WalterGrantsApp
Blue graphic with a bright pink box at the top that says, “Apply Today!” Beneath that, in all caps are the words “Walter Grants” followed by a brief description that says, “WNDB’s Walter Dean Myers Grants provide promising unpublished writers and illustrators $2000 to support their career development” To the left of the text is an illustration of a person with long black hair sitting at a desk and writing in a word doc. At the bottom of the graphic are the dates “October 1st through October 31st,” denoting the application period for Walter Grant applications. In the bottom right hand corner of the graphic is a light green box containing the URL “bit.ly/WalterGrantsApp”, which will direct folks to the application form.Blue graphic displaying a mock-up internet browser window. At the top of the window is a search bar containing the URL “bit.ly/WalterGrantsApp”, which will direct folks to the application form for WNDB’s Walter Grants. Beneath that, the mock-up browser window is titled “About Walter Grants” and contains the following description: “The Walter Dean Myers Grant provides a financial boost to promising writers and illustrators from diverse backgrounds who are currently unpublished. Each grantee receives $2000 to hone their craft and support their career development. The Walter Grant can be used in a variety of ways, from attending conferences to purchasing new writing devices to covering childcare.”
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John Bryant @johnbryantwrites.bsky.social · 06/10/2025
Banned books speak volumes to those who listen. 📚 #BannedBooksWeek #LetFreedomRead www.ala.org/bbooks
ala.org
Banned & Challenged Books
ALA compiles data on book challenges from reports filed by library professionals in the field and from news stories published throughout the United States.
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John Bryant @johnbryantwrites.bsky.social · 05/10/2025
Finally! ⚜️🏈 Who dat!!
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Reposted by John Bryant
Courtney Milan @courtneymilan.com · 02/10/2025
Hey authors, the official list of Anthropic works is available for searching. secure.anthropiccopyrightsettlement.com/lookup
secure.anthropiccopyrightsettlement.com
Submit a Claim
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