iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Holly Kybett Smith @kybettie.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

Feeling apocalyptically sad at the moment since my cat died earlier this week. Showing everyone pictures of him seems to be helping, so here. This is Angel and he was the best.

A picture of Angel, a white cat with a large head and large ears, with a red kiss-print on his forehead.

Picture of the same white cat curled up on a blanket with his paws in the foreground.

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Jay Hulme @jayhulmepoet.bsky.social · 24/09/2025

"Robert went mad in the way of saints; beautiful and holy and wild as anything. He grew into the cave, hands scratching at the earth; for weeks he watched the river."

The Madness of St Robert of Knaresborough By Jay Hulme - from The Vanishing Song'
Robert went mad in the way of saints; beautiful and holy and wild as anything. He grew into the cave, hands scratching at the earth; for weeks he watched the river. When knights and kings came with riches he told them things they never wanted to hear. Centuries later he still speaks to strangers, pilgrims to a past they cannot comprehend. If they listen, Robert offers them madness in whichever form they choose. One man chose murder. Buried the body in the cave. A sacrifice, perhaps. An atrocity instead of a prayer. More choose to go mad like him. A consecrated insanity. A heart crawling among the trees, fingers splayed across the stone, grafting themselves into the rock. They call out to God in rushing words - they sound like the echoing water, as it carves away at the cliff.

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Holly Kybett Smith @kybettie.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

My new library reservations are here!!

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Cursed Morsels @cursedmorsels.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

I was talking to my friend Mae today about how I wish more people cared about and read short stories. A great short story will take only twenty minutes to read but stick with you for twenty years. Wildly powerful artform! What's a short story that fits that description for y'all?

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Holly Kybett Smith @kybettie.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Decided to get a Storygraph so I can share what I'm reading with my friends (and snoop through what they're reading too). My one problem is that I really, really don't like giving star ratings. I just don't think there's a way to meaningfully condense the experience of certain books into a number.

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Holly Kybett Smith @kybettie.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

My reading habits have changed dramatically for the better since I got a library card. I've been reading more and taking more risks with my reading, knowing that - if I love something - I can buy my own copy, and if something is terrible, I've saved myself like a tenner

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Alex Zalben @azalben.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Here's the official announcement of Parton's passing from her reps, along with the request that in lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to be made to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library at www.imaginationlibrary.com

NASHVILLE, TN (August 25, 2026) – Global icon and humanitarian, Dolly Parton, known to the world as a beloved singer, songwriter, philanthropist, actress, playwright, and author died peacefully today in Nashville, Tennessee. She was 80 years old.

Dolly is preceded in death by her beloved husband of 59 years Carl Thomas Dean (1942 – 2025), her mother Avie Lee Caroline Owens (1923 – 2003), and father, Robert Lee Parton, Sr. (1921 – 2000).

A rhinestone life that shone bright enough for the world to see, Dolly will forever stand as an inspiration not only through her timeless music and prolific songwriting, but also her wit, warmth, and kindness that made us all feel like family. Dolly Parton’s legacy is one of love, compassion, and resilience. With a seven-decade career, she inspired multiple generations of artists and fans with her music and an unwavering commitment to making the world a better place. Her songs will continue to resonate with people of all ages, and her philanthropic work will have a lasting impact.

At Dolly’s request, a small, private service will be held for immediate family. Dolly’s fans and friends from around the world are encouraged to pay tribute to Dolly on social media by tagging @DollyParton or by leaving a message at www.dollyparton.com.

In lieu of flowers the family asks for donations to be made to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library at www.imaginationlibrary.com.

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Holly Kybett Smith @kybettie.bsky.social · 01/08/2026

Can't sleep. Thinking about the time I went for cocktails with a very smart author I admire and I ordered a Biscoff espresso martini because it looked like a smart drink but the bartenders daubed the rim of the glass with Biscoff so I had to lick it off like an animal

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Holly Kybett Smith @kybettie.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

I feel like being chronically ill should exempt me from having periods. I just don't think I should have to deal with both

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Holly Kybett Smith @kybettie.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

Mine have arrived too, and I'm so excited! Now to decide which I'm going to read first. Thank you @deadinkbooks.bsky.social! 🖤

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reni 🦌 @reniadeb.com · 24/07/2026

establish dominance at your next dinner party

screenshot from duolingo:

- translate this sentence
- ich esse alle kartoffeln
- i am eating all of the potatoes

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Ripley🪽 @skullingway.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

failure ❤️‍🩹 #art

Drawing of a tv with wings, and arrow has pierced through it. The screen is crying tears, beneath is a pink bow

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Holly Kybett Smith @kybettie.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

Update: TVL did not go how I wanted it to go, but at least there are the books. At least there are the books

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Holly Kybett Smith @kybettie.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

An article that definitely didn't make me cry. (Read it.)

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Holly Kybett Smith @kybettie.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

My kingdom for an iced vanilla latte

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sarah zedig 🐐 @hmsnofun.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

ARTS FUNDING WORKS

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Holly Kybett Smith @kybettie.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

Made an account on Threads because I felt like I probably should but Threads feels like a dark funhouse-mirror version of Bluesky and I don't like it at all.

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Holly Kybett Smith @kybettie.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

I feel like I've been spoiled for horror media lately, especially vampire media. TVL is giving me so much to chew over (and reading TVC at the same time - even more to chew over). I saw Obsession at the cinema this week and thought it was fantastic. All my library holds have arrived

A girl drinking bubble tea from a cup while three other bubble teas are being held out to her. She is also holding two bubble teas herself.

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reni 🦌 @reniadeb.com · 22/06/2026

GIRLS NIGHT

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Queer Liberation Library @queerliblib.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

our gay agenda?? the most queer books you’ve ever seen together in one place & the more $$ we raise in our annual fundraiser the faster we’re able to add to our collection (givebutter.com/qqlls-pride-...)

givebutter.com

Pride 2026 with Queer Liberation Library!

smut with a side of theory

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Jay Hulme @jayhulmepoet.bsky.social · 05/06/2026

We all have the ability to make the world a better place, each in our own way. I think it's fair to say that Anthony Head knew this, recognised it, and did far more than most to live up to the opportunities his fame afforded him in order to put good into this world whenever and wherever he could.

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Holly Kybett Smith @kybettie.bsky.social · 06/06/2026

You go weeks and weeks waiting for your library reservations to come through and then suddenly two are ready at once. And you aren't in town to collect them.

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G. Willow Wilson @gwillow.me · 26/05/2026

People don't long for "inconvenience." They long for permanence. And though streaming services may be convenient, people are waking up to the fact that we are paying rent-seeking middle men month after month for things we will never actually own.

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Holly Kybett Smith @kybettie.bsky.social · 24/05/2026

I wish I could snap my legs off at the hip and reattach them like a Barbie doll. I reckon that would feel great.

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Rascal Hartley @rascalhartley.bsky.social · 20/05/2026

The horror genre has historically and consistently made disabled people a spectacle and it's really super fucked, it's gotta do better and it starts with pointing this out. My labored breathing or my locked-up hands are not your horror villain.

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Holly Kybett Smith @kybettie.bsky.social · 20/05/2026

Four words: Talk. To. Disabled. People. If you don't know firsthand what it's like to face down an indifferent medical institution, to weigh brutal side-effects against the risks of an illness untreated, to have your autonomy denied... you need to ask. Because many of us can, in fact, tell you.

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Eric Orchard @inkybat.bsky.social · 18/05/2026

Faerie Castle. From my sketchbook. This is a drawing of the setting for the story I’m working on. Not quite there yet but I’m on the right track.

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reni 🦌 @reniadeb.com · 20/08/2025

sometimes reading a book is carrying it from room to room and not actually reading the book at all

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LaurenCDeutsch @laurencdeutsch.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

#Ootd is this 1954 bolero and evening gown by Jacques Fath. Fath designed dresses with an hourglass silhouette with fitted bodices and full skirts. He did this before 1947, so he may have influenced Dior's New Look or at least he had similar ideas. #Fashionhistory

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Gretchen Felker-Martin PRE ORDER CHIMERA 2.16.27 🍉 @scumbelievable.bsky.social · 11/05/2026

A little curiosity and focus will open up a world stretching back centuries that will shock you with how familiar it feels, how current and relatable its concerns are. Those people were humans just like you, and what they made is every bit as exciting as anything being made now!

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Gretchen Felker-Martin PRE ORDER CHIMERA 2.16.27 🍉 @scumbelievable.bsky.social · 11/05/2026

Capitalism lives in the eternal "now". It doesn't want you to know about history, it doesn't want you to know art has existed for tens of thousands of years, it wants you slavering for whatever's coming NEXT, whatever's HOT and NEW, and ignoring everything else. You do not have to do this.

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The Green Party of England & Wales @greenparty.org.uk · 07/05/2026

📢 Polling stations are now open! 📢 Want to replace the failing Labour Party and defeat the hateful message of Reform? Get yourself down to your local polling station and vote Green today! Every vote counts. Make sure your voice is heard 💚 Don’t forget your Photo ID for voting in England!

Vote Green Poster by Artist Raissa Pardini - Vote Green - Join for a real change, real hope.

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derek guy @dieworkwear.bsky.social · 05/05/2026

Pierre Bourdieu once argued that the question of whether something is art isn't answered by the artist's intention or even the object itself. Instead, the quality of being "art" is conferred by a community — curators, dealers, auction houses, audiences, etc. 🧵

Someone on Threads writes: "The Met Gala feels like real dystopian shit.

People can’t afford groceries or gas. But we’re going to celebrate this event which is nothing more than wealth porn."

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Holly Kybett Smith @kybettie.bsky.social · 05/05/2026

It's a sculpture celebrating the form; it's a jilted Victorian ghost bride; it's the statue at the far end of the cemetery that you *swear* just moved; frankly it's everything

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Holly Kybett Smith @kybettie.bsky.social · 02/05/2026

Had a fabulous day at Portsmouth Comic Con!! Thank you to all the organisers who kept everything running, especially when it started tipping down and everyone crowded inside. Also thank you @maggiestiefvater.bsky.social - it was lovely meeting you! 🖤

Me, riding the bus. I'm wearing big pink sunglasses and a pink top.

Me posing next to Maggie Stiefvater at her signing table.

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Holly Kybett Smith @kybettie.bsky.social · 02/05/2026

Currently flip-flopping between three different books because I'm not in the mood to just sit down and see one through. I forget that you can do this. Sometimes it breaks the immersion but other times it's just the thing.

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Holly Kybett Smith @kybettie.bsky.social · 29/04/2026

Insomnia has me vividly remembering the first time I stayed up all night reading fanfic. I was 15. It was Death Note. I saw the sun seeping in through the curtains at 4am and knew I'd doomed myself to an exhausting day at school. (But honestly? I think it was worth it.)

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sara “THE RED SACRAMENT” hinkley @boneysoups.bsky.social · 29/04/2026

If you preorder The Red Sacrament you too can be as cool as Holly Kybett Smith

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alix e. harrow @alixeharrow.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

when we mourn le guin, we mourn one of our greatest writers & thinkers. but we also mourn one of our all-time greatest haters

All you do is take all the sex out, and use little short words, and little dumb ideas, and don't be too scary, and be sure there's a happy ending. Right? Nothing to it. Write down. Right on.

If you do all that, you might even write Jonathan Livingston Seagull and make twenty billion dollars and have every adult in America reading your book.

But you won't have every kid in America reading your book. They will look at it, and they will see straight through it, with their clear, cold, beady little eyes, and they will put it down, and they will go away. Kids will devour vast amounts of garbage (and it is good for them) but they are not like adults: they have not yet learned to eat plastic.

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Holly Kybett Smith @kybettie.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

Just preordered my copy of The Red Sacrament by @boneysoups.bsky.social (so excited!!) along with a copy of The Fan Fiction Studies Reader (@transformativeworks.org), which I just know is going to be a treat.

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Jay Hulme @jayhulmepoet.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

Make bad art. Especially if your job is making good art. You gotta let go my friends. You gotta create just for the sake of creating. Let it out. Make a mark. Share it with nobody but yourself. Indulge in the act of creation. It's what humans are made for.

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🌈 Hailey Piper 🌈 @haileypiperfights.bsky.social · 18/10/2024

Remember, a first draft's only job is to exist

"is this a pigeon?" meme, except it's a writer looking at a perfectly normal first draft and asking "Is this the worst thing ever written?"

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Tuisku 🫐 @tuiskuh.bsky.social · 22/04/2026

Wrote a long post on my tumblr about how if we all just got really into one form of weird and experimental art, our conversations about art would be so much better, and I thought I would share it here also

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Holly Kybett Smith @kybettie.bsky.social · 22/04/2026

I think the best you can really do is write earnestly. It won't always be good. It won't always be exactly what you intended. But if it's earnest, if you love it and you aren't ashamed to love it, you'll have written something you can be proud of.

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Holly Kybett Smith @kybettie.bsky.social · 21/04/2026

Hi! I'm Holly, and I write things. Hang about for queer & Gothic horror about vampirism, chronic illness, late-stage capitalism and the UK's seaside towns. Newsletter: ligaments.substack.com Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/thelibrarybat

Me, wearing a pink jacket and a white crochet hat. I have short black hair and winged eyeliner.

The cover of Extra Teeth Issue 9, featuring an illustrated fish on a grey background, surrounded by teeth.

Writer Announcement for Blood & Brocade, with an excerpt of one of my essays that reads, "Angela Carter's short story, The Lady of the House of Love - collected in The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories - retells the tale of Sleeping Beauty as that of a vampire trapped in an endless cycle of history she is doomed to repeat. The protagonist languishes amongst the ruins of that which was once beautiful, wearing her mother's soiled wedding gown, and kills every visitor despite her loneliness. Why? Because that's just what vampires do. The familiar narrative of waking the Sleeping Beauty from her slumber becomes, in this tale, something of an exorcism."

Me, getting ready for a Zoom call. I have black hair and glasses and I'm dressed in all pink.

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Karen Carpenter’s Halloween @kellylink.bsky.social · 20/04/2026

This Is Just To Say I have turned off the AI features that were in the update and which you were probably hoping to monetize Fuck you they were stupid so unnecessary and so annoying

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Dominique Baker @bakerdphd.bsky.social · 19/04/2026

Books books books books books books books books books books books books books books books

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Holly Kybett Smith @kybettie.bsky.social · 21/04/2026

Finished reading Hilary Mantel's Beyond Black earlier this month and I can't stop thinking about it. Maybe it's a silly thing to say about a ghost story but I feel haunted. (In a good way.)

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