iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Sarah Painter

Tom Gauld @tomgauld.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

My latest books cartoon for @theguardian.com

Panel 1
Caption: With the windows open in the summer heat, a breeze blows through the punctuation factory, scattering newly-minted marks across the countryside.

Image: a small factory with windows open and punctuation marks coming out

Panel 2
Caption: Confused locals find their conversations peppered with unexpected pauses and unwanted emphasis.

Image: Two people talking as punctuation marks float around them One says

This, is “very odd”

The other replies

…(Indeed)*

Panel 3
Caption: Naturalists note that the effect is not limited to human communication.

Image: A duck on a pond surrounded by punctuation marks says
Qu’ack?

Panel 4
Caption: Fortunately, a cloud of exclamation points drift into a district council meeting which proceeds with unusual efficiency

Image: Councillors talk in a cloud of exclamation points
Something must be done!! !
Close the windows! !!
Install air conditioning! !!
Immediately!!! !

281275423 0

Reposted by Sarah Painter

Ben from Spookily Drawn Swords @glenatron.bsky.social · 29/04/2026

I started the first of this series yesterday and I'll be finishing it today because these books are an irresistible ride. At this price you can't go wrong.

155 0

Sarah Painter @sarahpainter.bsky.social · 03/01/2026

Still have to pinch myself that I have readers. So grateful! #authorlife #fantasybooks

060 0

Reposted by Sarah Painter

Rosemary Mosco @rosemarymosco.com · 30/04/2025

Bird photography tips, an oldie that is hopefully useful for spring migration right now.

A comic called Bird Photography tips. A good bird photo shows a cape may warbler perched on a branch, with excellent lighting, subject in focus, and field marks clearly visible. A great bird photo shows the warbler in mid hop, labeled with peerless athleticism, levitation??, powerful. An excellent bird photo shows a little round warbler facing the camera, labeled borb, round, and a good bird. An exceptional bird photo shows the bird zooming forward mid flight, labeled nyooooom.

154123982503 0

Reposted by Sarah Painter

Tom Gauld @tomgauld.bsky.social · 28/04/2025

My latest @newscientist.com cartoon

Title:
SOME GRAMMATICAL VOICES FOR USE IN SCIENTIFIC WRITING

ACTIVE VOICE
e.g.
Our team collected samples and then we tested them.

CLICKBAIT VOICE
e.g.
We collected some samples...
You won't believe what happened next!

PASSIVE VOICE
e.g.
Samples were collected and tested.

HAIKU VOICE
e.g.
Quiet science lab.
Workers arrive with samples.
The testing begins.

PASSIVE-AGGRESSIVE VOICE
e.g. We did all the collecting and testing.
No need to thank us.
Just doing our job.

CONSPIRACY VOICE
e.g.
Mysterious "Samples" were harvested and covertly "tested" by so-called scientists.

7250041893 0

Reposted by Sarah Painter

Stephanie Burgis @stephanieburgis.bsky.social · 20/02/2025

This week's Thursday snippet is, of course, from Wooing the Witch Queen, out in the UK today! stephanieburgis.com/books/wooing-the-witch-queen #romancelandia

In the centre of this image is the beautiful British cover of Wooing the Witch Queen, by Stephanie Burgis. The illustration shows a man in a cloak riding headlong through the night towards an ominous castle with an illuminated, crowned female figure in its doorway and bats flying overhead in the moonlight. A potion vial surrounds that central image and is further framed by leaves and branches. Crows sit on the branches, and a tagline reads: Love can be a witch. A blurb from Sangu Mandanna reads: ‘Warm and lovely’
On the lefthand side of the image around the cover is a stalk of herbs, surrounded by magical stars; on the righthand side is a fountain pen. The text above and below the cover reads: ‘He had to remember that she was infinitely more likely to kill him than to kiss him…’
Out Now in the UK!

1197 0

Reposted by Sarah Painter

Ian McQue @ianmcque.bsky.social · 27/01/2025

tree house

Ink drawing, a tree growing up and around a house, or a house growing out of a tree

181998259 0

Reposted by Sarah Painter

Katharine Hayhoe @katharinehayhoe.com · 09/01/2025

I am a climate scientist and this is correct ⬇️

318318509153 0

Sarah Painter @sarahpainter.bsky.social · 07/12/2024

Ahhh! I loved writing The Island God, but was nervous about creating a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy. Endings are hard, so it feels very gratifying to get a review like this. Thank you! 🤩

140 0

Reposted by Sarah Painter

Get To Know Nature @gettoknownature.bsky.social · 19/11/2024

Common Grackle doing its best Dracula impression. Gracula I guess? #birds 🌿

A dark bird with iridescent blue and purple feathers stands on the edge of a bird feeder, looking directly towards that camera with wings spread. This pose makes it look rather intimidating and like a vampire

592876497 0

Sarah Painter @sarahpainter.bsky.social · 28/02/2024

If someone contacts you via TikTok pretending to be me, it's not me... I am not active on TT. I have been alerted that there is a scam account messaging folk. Gah.

151 0

Sarah Painter @sarahpainter.bsky.social · 21/02/2024

So, I have the Cold From Hell and am typing this from my sick bed *pauses for world to acknowledge my incredible work ethic* but I wanted to let you know that I have a new book out tomorrow. Huzzah! Contemporary/cosy fantasy with a dash of mystery 😊 www.book2read.com/TheBookKeeper

041 0

Reposted by Sarah Painter

John Scalzi @scalzi.com · 25/01/2024

I bought an original comic from Tom Gauld. It's a delightful thing to have in the house.

123725 0

Sarah Painter @sarahpainter.bsky.social · 12/10/2023

**Spooky Season Deal!** The first two books in my Crow Investigations urban fantasy mystery series are just 99p/$0.99 for the next couple of days. 👻 The Night Raven books2read.com/TheNightRaven The Silver Mark books2read.com/TheSilverMark

031 0

Sarah Painter @sarahpainter.bsky.social · 12/10/2023

I loved chatting with George! 😊

021 0

Sarah Painter @sarahpainter.bsky.social · 18/09/2023

Read the new Nina Stibbe memoir in a day and then did that thing of narrating my life in a Stibbe-esque voice for the next week. Not out loud, thankfully.

030 0

Sarah Painter @sarahpainter.bsky.social · 10/09/2023

First post... So much pressure. Must be erudite. Or informative. Or maybe inspirational... Argh! Think... Think... Come on, Sarah, think! Meep. *nailed it*

2110 0