Sign in

Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy

@mbaileywriter.bsky.social
5.1K followers 469 following 15K posts

Independent author (superhero, fantasy, urban fantasy), stage combat director/instructor in the central MA area. Native Cape Codder. Shares a bed with one wife, two dogs, and three cats. He/him/his. #fuckAI innsmouthlook.com

PostsRepliesMedia
Reposted by Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy
Brett White @brettwhite.bsky.social · 9h
I have now watched all of Strange New Worlds, seasons 1-4, as well as roughly 700 other episodes of Star Trek in the past 4 months. Strange New Worlds is exactly as silly, and as profound, and as well-written, as *all other Star Trek*
4324
Reposted by Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy
Frank Conniff @frankconniff.bsky.social · 7h
I might be a little less distrustful of AI if the dudes promoting it, supporting it, insisting on it, and advocating for it weren’t the worst fucking people on the planet.
16861168
Reposted by Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy
Jessica Ellis @baddestmamajama.bsky.social · 7h
It feels genuinely ridiculous having to say this, but the point of art is to connect with another human. Someone thought of that painting or melodic line or scene or paragraph that is suddenly making you weep, and that means that they saw you and understood you without even meeting you.
9928212
Reposted by Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy
Playboy @playboy.com · 9h
In a December 2025 YouGov poll, 44% of American men said they had not read a book in the past year. Not hot. Men, get to reading.
playboy.com
Playboy Recommends: Reading a Damn Book
Comedian Anthony Jeselnik wants to get more men hooked on reading fiction. It’s working.
519351
Reposted by Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy
Jeff VanderMeer @jeffvandermeer.bsky.social · 9h
They quoted me in this New Yorker piece about AI today. www.newyorker.com/culture/the-...
“Let’s say there’s a world or time line I exist in where A.I. has been subject to regulation. It is ethical. It has no footprint environmentally,” the novelist Jeff VanderMeer, a prominent critic of A.I., told me over the phone. “With those guardrails in place, would I read an A.I. book? All I can say is no. And the reason is, in part, because I want to read something coming from a particular mind.” Using A.I., he said, “feels like a betrayal of the whole point of why you’re a writer.”
10290872238
Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy @mbaileywriter.bsky.social · 9h
The Ashcroft High Monster Hunters Club – Preview Later this year (hopefully, contingent on editing and cover art getting finished), The Ashcroft High Monster Hunters Club will make its debut, kicking off what I'm currently calling The Dread Void Cycle, a series of interconnected but freestanding…
innsmouthlook.com
The Ashcroft High Monster Hunters Club – Preview
Later this year (hopefully, contingent on editing and cover art getting finished), The Ashcroft High Monster Hunters Club will make its debut, kicking off what I'm currently calling The Dread Void Cycle, a series of interconnected but freestanding YA horror novels. To whet everyone's appetites, I'm making the first two chapters available for reading. FYI, this is not the final edited version, so the final published edition might be a titch different.
112
Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy @mbaileywriter.bsky.social · 10h
Dropping a preview of my next #novel, the #YA #horror tale The Ashcroft High Monster Hunters Club, at 10 AM (EST), so watch this space.
000
Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy @mbaileywriter.bsky.social · 11h
Studio Theatre #Worcester, one of the #theater companies I work with, is holding a staged reading in November. If you're in the central MA area, come check out a developing play by a local creator and support local theater. www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticket...
zeffy.com
FIRST STAGES: Ghostlight on the Fifth
Studio Theatre Worcester is proud to present a staged reading of Ghostlight on the Fifth. This tremendous new work by playwright Carlos Fruzzetti is in…
011
Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy @mbaileywriter.bsky.social · 11h
Today's gAI slop cover, featuring that weird texturing that's become so common, plus a weirdly placed streetlight that someone manages to project light onto the water under the bridge despite being over the bridge at a completely different angle than the reflection.
120
Reposted by Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy
Hannah Vardit @hannahvardit.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
i worry that men think being A Good Guy is dramatically and heroically intervening on behalf of an endangered woman and then being publicly rewarded on a grand scale when actually being A Good Guy is just usually saying, “hey man that’s not funny” or “wow that’s fucked up” and there is no reward
10129803588
Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy @mbaileywriter.bsky.social · 13h
What's a poster you had in your room growing up? I loved this thing, but it always bugged me that the hinges on the poster were not on the same side as the hinges on my bedroom door.
010
Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy @mbaileywriter.bsky.social · 13h
How to build a record collection you love: * Go to a shop that sells vinyl * Buy albums by artists you like on vinyl I mean, fucking duh.
230
Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy @mbaileywriter.bsky.social · 13h
I was thinking he looked more like someone asked AI to portray a Dick Tracy villain as a real person, but this one's better.
010
Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy @mbaileywriter.bsky.social · 13h
In New England, Mr. Autumn Man is a heavy-set dude wearing a Patriots hoodie and cargo shorts carrying a large iced (extra cream and sugar) from Dunkin.
130
Reposted by Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy
Pookleblinky @pookleblinky.bsky.social · 16/02/2026
One reason Republicans are so laser targeted on trans kids existing, is that trans kids existing requires accepting the bodily autonomy and consent of children. Which is something republicans absolutely can't do, since they are pedophiles. Their transphobia and pedophilia is them being consistent
92241812
Reposted by Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy
dillon snook @dillonsnook.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
122990698
Reposted by Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy
Kasey Gifford @kaseygifford.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
I dont usually do this but everybody should block this asshole.
Ecu
4134938
Reposted by Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy
Victoria Strauss @victoriastrauss.com · 29/09/2026
A win on fair use: court rejects fair use defense of AI training
47628
Reposted by Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy
PizzaCake @pizzacakecomic.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
147114422085
Reposted by Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy
John Scalzi @scalzi.com · 29/09/2026
To be fair, the single most publicly-accessed example of "AI" in the world can't find its ass with a flashlight and it's right on top of the search listings, where the most accurate search result used to be. Every LLM suffers from token drift over time so it's only a question of WHEN they're wrong.
2162749
Reposted by Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy
Gail Simone @gailsimone.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
There is plenty of room in comics for purely realistic dialog, even transcripts dialog. I just don’t prefer it in fantasy stories. Brevity tends to be better, and clarity plays a greater role.
2465
Reposted by Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy
Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani @mayor.nyc.gov · 29/09/2026
The Talmud teaches that anyone who sustains one soul, has sustained an entire world. For generations, Jewish New Yorkers have sustained our city. Today, we are launching the first-ever municipal Strategy to Combat Antisemitism.
292141702781
Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy @mbaileywriter.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Weekly Update – September 29, 2026 As I mentioned last week, I submitted my manuscript for The Ashcroft High Monster Hunters Club to my editor last week. That means I'm in an exciting yet, simultaneously, boring and frustrating part of the novel-writing process, which is waiting for her to finish.…
innsmouthlook.com
Weekly Update – September 29, 2026
As I mentioned last week, I submitted my manuscript for The Ashcroft High Monster Hunters Club to my editor last week. That means I'm in an exciting yet, simultaneously, boring and frustrating part of the novel-writing process, which is waiting for her to finish. Once I have her edits and my cover art, that's when things kick into high gear, but until then?
000
Reposted by Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy
Stephanie King @stephstephking.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Writers, if you are against AI, do not put your writing into ANY tool that is itself AI. Not to check grammar, not to "prove" you wrote it yourself. Everything you give them becomes part of their data, even if it's only to "improve their service" or whatever BS they tell you.
7611228
Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy @mbaileywriter.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Have we gotten to the point in the angry "Meryl Streep can't voice Aslan because Aslan is male" discourse where someone points out "Only male lions and manes, lionesses don't, so, ha, checkmate!"?
000
Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy @mbaileywriter.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Today's gAI slop cover, featuring a love so strong it melded their hands into a single unit. Seriously, though, books aimed at queer readers are great, they're needed, we need more of them, but slapping slop on the cover isn't going to encourage anyone to pick up the book or share it with others.
160
Reposted by Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy
Qasim Rashid, Esq. @qasimrashid.com · 28/09/2026
To the people complaining these sex abuse cases have created a world where men now have to think 10 times before they touch a woman. Yes, that's the point. It's called consent. Welcome to human decency.
297152023567
Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy @mbaileywriter.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Addendum: if you as a guy say that to another specific guy, and any other guy within earshot starts getting agitated or looks guilty, congrats, you've found another one, keep an eye on him too.
085
Reposted by Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy
Josh Ruben @joshruben.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
If you’re looking for a place to put your grief and rage, leave a voicemail . Cornell University Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards: (607) 255-4680
011853
Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy @mbaileywriter.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
I know money is tight for a lot of people and we're all looking to save a buck where we can, BUT! If you ask a rank-and-file retail or customer service worker for a discount and they say no, *accept the no.* Don't argue, don't haggle, don't demand to speak to a manager to ask them for a discount.
111
Reposted by Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy
Alan Baxter @alanbaxter.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
👇👇👇👇👇👇
2188
Reposted by Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy
El Gunto @elgunto.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Colored version !
4488126
Reposted by Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy
Jamie McKelvie @mckelvie.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
With the conversations happening here today, I'm thinking about how Ellis gets to have a "second chance" without doing any of the work to change or even meaningfully apologise to the scores of women he harmed and manipulated. All he had to do was wait a while.
2407109
Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy @mbaileywriter.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Fastest way to get a guy pushing his novel with a gAI slop cover to dirty delete his post and/or block you? Ask, "Who did your cover art?"
050
Reposted by Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy
Alex A. Pagliuca @alexpagliuca.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
We can’t simultaneously protect women and protect masculinity. Men aren’t inherently a danger to women, but traditional masculinity is. Also, you CAN’T protect women, in the environment that supports traditional masculinity. It’s not possible, and in this way, it sets “good men” up to fail too.
14114
Reposted by Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy
Drew Webb 🏳️‍🌈 @archeryfan93.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
We need to clone the NYC mayor
0166
Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy @mbaileywriter.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
From today's ebook newsletter, a gAI slop cover on a novel about a delightful AI-powered robot who learns to love.
210
Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy @mbaileywriter.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
As someone who loves the original and thinks pretty much every sequel is at best fine and at worst laughably terrible, I would absolutely be on-board with this.
000
Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy @mbaileywriter.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
My quick hot take on the Choosin' Texas hoo-hah: A lot of people have strong personal preferences in musical genres and don't often stray from those genres, so of course a whole lot of people have never heard OF the song, much less heard it.
010
Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy @mbaileywriter.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
I will always remind people that Stein has never held anything higher than a municipal elected office (town meeting rep). Every other race she's run in, she didn't just lose, she got crushed. Destroyed. There is no good reason to listen to or respect her political hot takes.
361
Reposted by Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy
Veronica Bailey (she/her) @empheliath.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Getting Nadja to look right at the camera was a challenge, but 100% worth it.
A white woman with black glasses, red hair, and bangs smiles into the camera on the left of the photo. A brown dog is next to her at the right of the photo, also looking right down the lens. The dog has brown eyes, floppy ears, and a black nose.
061
Reposted by Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy
Eniko Fox @enikofox.com · 27/09/2026
i posted an epiphany i had about why i hate AI so much on fedi and i wanna post it here but it won't fit and i don't wanna cut it down to size so fuckit i'm just posting a screenshot
Eniko Fox
@eniko@mastodon.gamedev.place

OH. right! i get it now!

i get why AI is so depressing to me. because covid already shrunk my world to almost nothing, where almost all of my life revolves around socializing and watching videos on the internet (which is being ruined by AI) and creating creative works through coding (which is being ruined by AI), often using open source tools and libraries (which are being ruined by AI)

i already had so little and now even that is being rotted away before my eyes
Sep 26, 2026, 06:16 PM
288 boosts
2 quotes
593 favorites
6652371495
Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy @mbaileywriter.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
New Horrified!
020
Reposted by Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy
Sift @siftmicro.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
I cannot stress it enough- even if you think it'll turn out bad, if you have a idea *do it anyway*. Write your story, create your characters, draw if the mood is there. Creating content is not a contest. There are no prizes. There are no deadlines for a hobby. Practice zoning out and having fun
4289114
Reposted by Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy
Premee Mohamed @premeemohamed.com · 27/09/2026
Pls send authors nice emails about their work Otherwise it's a wasteland of slopscammers and "Were is the addiobook I want addio" "Wy is ur book not for sale in my nation no one has ever herd of" "I live on Enceladus & I cannot find ur bok"
724238
Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy @mbaileywriter.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Chloe doesn't want me to write today.
1150
Reposted by Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy
Erin Reed @erininthemorning.com · 27/09/2026
The worst part about twitter is there are a number of people who think they have to be active there who are left-leaning but have had their brains absolutely cooked by the site. You can't inundate yourself in exposure to that stuff without it having an impact on you.
691812257
Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy @mbaileywriter.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Having recently read (and enjoyed the hell out of) this book, this website is sending me. Click the "attend" link. Trust me.
010
Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy @mbaileywriter.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Read this and show it to anyone who legitimately thinks that voting for a third-party rando in a presidential race does a damned thing to change anything. Voting third-party is an arrogant display of privilege. It's pretending to do something while doing nothing. It's the "don't blame me" vote.
131
Reposted by Michael C. Bailey - Indie Author, Stage Combat Guy
Zvi @fredfred.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Remixed Nancy strip. Panel 1: nancy sees bank sign “visit our loan department”. Panel 2: Nancy in front of the bank manager’s desk: I’d like to borrow two hundred quatloos. Banker: what for? Panel 3: Nancy: Captain Kirk is fighting the Gamester’s champions. Banker: He is? Panel 4: banker and Nancy in the stands of an arena watching Kirk fight that green-haired woman from Gamesters of Triskelion
14519