Reposted by Alyn SparkesDustin A. Chacón @lingdustin.bsky.social · 21hI've heard people make claims that AI would lead to a new Renaissance, but I didn't imagine it'd happen like this: 244172574588
Reposted by Alyn SparkesAlex Kanaris-Sotiriou @kanaratron.bsky.social · 08/09/2026One thing I like about working with a stylised art direction is how close you can get the 3D character to the original 2D concept. 615619
Reposted by Alyn Sparkess. e. smith @sesmith.lol · 08/09/2026All else aside there is nothing I want or need genAI to do for me. I like reading. I like doing research. I like playing around in spreadsheets. I like interviewing people. I like writing. I like doing these things for myself because I take pleasure in the doing and they make me a better thinker. 72192541
Reposted by Alyn SparkesAlex Winter @alexwinter.com · 08/09/2026RT if you've never had a tab of ChatGPT open, period. 2415741126
Reposted by Alyn SparkesIsabel J. Kim @isabel.kim · 25/08/2026IM RIGHT IM LITERALLY ALWAYS RIGHTclarkesworldmagazine.comWire Mother by Isabel J. KimClarkesworld Science Fiction and Fantasy Magazine and Podcast. 23809229
Reposted by Alyn SparkesFade In @fadeinpro.com · 22/08/2026The best film writing makes great movies even better. (This is exactly some of that.) 1164
Alyn Sparkes @sparkey.org.uk · 22/08/2026Thought I'd better add the page with details on - there are some carve-outs. help.kobo.com/hc/en-us/art...help.kobo.comKobo's Price Match GuaranteeKobo Price Match is available to customers in select regions, including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia/New Zealand, and parts of Europe (Portugal, Spain, Italy, Netherland... 110
Alyn Sparkes @sparkey.org.uk · 22/08/2026And if you want to buy books outright, they'll price match Amazon or anywhere else (after purchase) if the ISBNs match, and refund another 10% of the difference, even if the competitor's is a temporary sale price. 110
Reposted by Alyn SparkesAlejandra Caraballo @esqueer.net · 20/08/2026I've never seen such an effort to censor a document as I have the Amnesty International report on gender critical groups because of JK Rowling. They removed the report from the Wayback Machine and now I got a DMCA strike on my Google Drive for having it. It was deleted and removed from my account. 229114195344
Alyn Sparkes @sparkey.org.uk · 12/08/2026I loved the idea, and even more that your response to someone treating it as a joke was effectively, "No, for real, and this is how it would fulfill the same criteria as the NZ Haka." 000
Reposted by Alyn SparkesBobby Schroeder @ponett.dog · 12/08/2026steam AI disclosures are so funny. they clearly know they're in the wrong, but they still think they can find the magic combination of words so people will make an exception for them. guys you don't understand i HAD to use AI and the game only has a LITTLE slop and i'm just a little birthday boy 132147543
Reposted by Alyn SparkesSam. @darleysam.bsky.social · 11/08/2026I have in the past, no joke, resumed a book that I've not picked up for over a year, and within a few sentences was entirely back up to speed. You do not need AI to summarise your books for you, like a baby eating paste. 031
Reposted by Alyn SparkesAftermath @aftermath.site · 07/08/2026Hello local business, your AI ads are costing you customers: aftermath.site/ai-poster-ad-f... 21356751486
Reposted by Alyn SparkesSam. @darleysam.bsky.social · 08/08/2026Grabbed this immediately. 1 - the artwork is gorgeous 2 - I'm a huge mark for any kind of alien culture presented in an inscrutable way Don't know if this would interest @alexsteacy.bsky.social but hey, doesn't hurt to share! 011
Reposted by Alyn Sparkesunitednations1945.bsky.social @unitednations1945.bsky.social · 28/07/2026Must watch. If you don’t fully understand how international fascism works, watch this movie. Spoiler alert: it’s all about the money. Money = Power. 012
Reposted by Alyn SparkesAlyn Sparkes @alyn.social.swordandfiddle.co.uk.ap.brid.gy · 28/07/2026Really pleased to have been invited to have our film BOOTED shown as part of the inaugural South West Independent Film (SWIF) Homegrown Cinema Showcase. I'm going up to take the introduce the film and take questions after they've all been shown […] [Original post on social.swordandfiddle.co.uk] 012
Reposted by Alyn SparkesREwadent Evil @ewacat.bsky.social · 28/07/2026This is on Kobo Plus in the UK and i honestly think Kobo Plus is one of the greatest things, it's miles better than Amazon Unlimited. They stink at publicising what's available on it though, the choice is huge and varied and they simply don't boast about it enough 3221
Reposted by Alyn SparkesAlyn Sparkes @alyn.social.swordandfiddle.co.uk.ap.brid.gy · 30/05/2026Ooh, forgot that we got our second set of laurels for Booted! I know, kinda blasé about it now! Anyway, thanks to the "We Make Films" Festival for considering the film good enough to make it to semi-finalist! If you've not seen the film yet, it's […] [Original post on social.swordandfiddle.co.uk] 011
Reposted by Alyn SparkesMichael Kupperman @mkupperman.bsky.social · 30/05/2026If someone had told me 20 years ago "In 20 years you'll be using a much shittier, buggier version of photoshop, but you won't own it! You'll rent it for a quarter of a thousand dollars every year!" I would have murdered them 27673122
Reposted by Alyn SparkesSimon Pegg @simonpegg.bsky.social · 19/05/2026It all started to go wrong when cameras followed Maureen Rees behind the wheel of a car, and the public started laughing at other, everyday, people. 112216
Reposted by Alyn SparkesDave Bulmer @demontomatodave.bsky.social · 18/05/2026Wow! If you could see the list of 46 people I know, many of them top-tier good guys, who I just saw on the "follows Neil Gaiman" list, you'd be scrambling to make sure you're not accidentally one of them. I *know* that they do not know. 34530
Reposted by Alyn SparkesM. Kaspar ➡ MIGW @archomath.net · 08/05/2026If you see an oral history of tom holland's umbrella lip sync battle performance, you must share an oral history of tom holland's umbrella lip sync battle performance 04017
Alyn Sparkes @sparkey.org.uk · 23/04/2026To help celebrate the Bard's birth, @amysparkes.bsky.social has dropped the price of the ebook of "The Players: Act 1" to 99p/c and wrote a little newsletter/blogpost about his influence on her writing. buttondown.com/AmySparkesAu... #HappyBirthdayShakespeare #HistoricalFictionbuttondown.com#HappyBirthdayShakespeare - Discover THE PLAYERS for 99p!Hello, everyone! And happy birthday to one of my absolute favourite writers, William Shakespeare! What a legacy he left behind! Did you know? Shakespeare was... 020
Reposted by Alyn SparkesFolk London magazine @folklondon.co.uk · 08/04/2026If you use an AI poster to promote your event - and too many folk singers and events are doing this - you'll get no coverage in Folk London. No pasaran 0135
Reposted by Alyn SparkesVictoria Strauss @victoriastrauss.com · 08/04/2026Scam alert: if you get the invite below to the Bournemouth Writing Festival, it's a scam (confirmed for me by the festival director). See the highlighed phrase. I've gotten similar reports of fake invites to the Edinburgh Book Festival, and I'm sure there are others. 54142
Reposted by Alyn SparkesSword and Fiddle Productions Limited @swordandfiddle.co.uk · 02/04/2026Great to have our first set of festival laurels to put on the poster. Thanks to Folkestone Film Festival for the Hono(u)rable Mention! 011
Alyn Sparkes @sparkey.org.uk · 28/03/2026Yes, point is that you don't get to decide the rate limits that allow your own service to work. That's not decentralised in anything other than marketing-speak. There are truly decentralised protocols, but you've chosen a centralised one financed by crypto. Your choice, but people should know. 100
Alyn Sparkes @sparkey.org.uk · 28/03/2026Whoever it is setting the rate limit you say that you breached. It's been changed now to allow your service to work - it can be changed again. 200
Alyn Sparkes @sparkey.org.uk · 28/03/2026Not that decentralised if there's one central authority you need to stay in good standing with in order to operate effectively. 110
Reposted by Alyn SparkesEd Newton-Rex @ednewtonrex.bsky.social · 16/03/2026Fantastic news in the UK today - the government has apparently ditched its plan to force creatives to 'opt out' if they don't want AI companies training on their life's work. www.thetimes.com/uk/technolog... 🧵 1/4 2330221037
Reposted by Alyn SparkesThe Guardian @theguardian.com · 09/03/2026Revealed: UK’s multibillion AI drive is built on ‘phantom investments’theguardian.comRevealed: UK’s multibillion AI drive is built on ‘phantom investments’Exclusive: Rented datacentres and ‘supercomputer’ site that’s still a scaffolding yard raise questions for Starmer’s push to ‘mainline AI into veins of economy’ * From press release … to scrap metal site: the Essex supercomputer that’s still a scaffolding yard A multibillion-pound drive to “mainline AI into the veins” of the British economy is riddled with “phantom investments” and shaky accounting, a Guardian investigation has found. Since 2024, successive Conservative and Labour governments have proclaimed massive deals to build new datacentres, create thousands of jobs and construct a supercomputer. Continue reading... 169738
Alyn Sparkes @sparkey.org.uk · 01/03/2026It's taken three years, but it's great to see this finally out in the world. @simonalison.bsky.social @amysparkes.bsky.social you're the only people I can find on here! 021
Reposted by Alyn SparkesSword and Fiddle Productions Limited @swordandfiddle.co.uk · 25/02/2026Had a bit of fun this morning making a wide poster for our short film. It's released on Sunday afternoon on vimeo.com/swordandfiddle if anyone's interested. 1/3 #Film #FilmMaking #ShortFilm #Devon #Walking 121
Reposted by Alyn SparkesHildur Knútsdóttir @hildur.bsky.social · 18/02/2026I regularly see people wondering how it's possible that there are so many musicians and writers and film makers and artists from a tiny nation like Iceland. And the answer is really simple: State funding for art education and artists. I literally get a salary from the government to write books. 222223696032
Reposted by Alyn SparkesAmy Sparkes @amysparkes.bsky.social · 09/02/2026So excited to reveal the three winners of the Writing Magazine Children's Book Prize: Picture Book category. Many congratulations to Alex Lumsden, Zahrah Riaz and Catherine Friess! Your stories were fantastic! @writersonline.bsky.social #WritingCompetition #picturebooks #BookSky 151
Alyn Sparkes @sparkey.org.uk · 01/02/2026Lovely review of @amysparkes.bsky.social book from a magazine that actually knows its stuff when it comes to historical writing! 000
Alyn Sparkes @sparkey.org.uk · 19/01/2026Only just realised FadeIn has a Linux install package (or 3). That's saved me some hassle since I had to wipe a Win10 laptop and stick a Linux distro on it. 100
Reposted by Alyn SparkesJohn Abernathy @john-abernathy.bsky.social · 17/01/2026Photo by Pierre Lavie. Yes this is me. And I threw my Leica. It landed on the bass plate with hardly a scratch. Another Photographer grabbed it along with my phone and I was able to track him later. I was held face down tear gas deployed right in front of me and pepper sprayed directly into the eye. 12973969614526
Reposted by Alyn SparkesAmy Sparkes @amysparkes.bsky.social · 06/01/2026I'm delighted to announce the Writing Magazine Children's Book Prize 2025 longlist: Chapter Books. Many congratulations to everyone on the list! And thank you to everyone who entered. Shortlist announced early next week. More here: www.storygodmother.co.uk/index.php/op... #KidLit 031
Reposted by Alyn SparkesBookshelfie ⭐️ @bookshelfie.bsky.social · 25/12/2025Congratulations to the winners of the 2025 Bookshelfie Awards! Happy holidays everyone! 3453
Reposted by Alyn SparkesErik Jonker @erikjonker.bsky.social · 12/11/2025If you value your right for free expression i would advise everyone to also have a Mastodon account, as a backup or using them both (as i do). Much more flexible, full control, more difficult to block (you can change instances) etcetera 173
Alyn Sparkes @sparkey.org.uk · 12/11/2025Surely it's now everyone's civic duty to use a VPN whether or not they feel they need it for their own protection. 040
Alyn Sparkes @sparkey.org.uk · 10/11/2025I'm glad you're OK with me posting about it. I certainly didn't deliberately ask for an advanced copy - just ordered it from @penandswordbooks.bsky.social 110
Alyn Sparkes @sparkey.org.uk · 10/11/2025#bookpost day. In the middle of reading Elisabeth Wheatley's Oath of the Wolf, and I get Little Kingdoms by @alexharvv.bsky.social drop through the letter box! Not sure if I'm going to try to parallel read, but I'm wondering if I'll find evidence of Cenric's lineage in there somewhere! 031
Reposted by Alyn SparkesThe Longest Johns - NEW TOUR 2026 @thelongestjohns.bsky.social · 27/10/2025Sometimes it's just a matter of perspective... Find out what we've been looking at on, ooh, say, Friday 7th of November over on Youtube? #TheLongestJohns #FolkMusic #Shanty #HAUPBSFS 0152
Reposted by Alyn SparkesElise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️⚧️ @eliseswords.eurosky.social · 12/10/20253.5 more days for this bundle! My Manipulator's War (epic & portal fantasy) has multiple main & secondary characters with ADHD (some also being autistic 😉). Its fast pace and my love of complex worlds and plot twists & turns are all indebted to my ADHD. 🌈📚🪐📚💙 itch.io/b/3300/adhd-... 01310
Reposted by Alyn SparkesBig Green Books @biggreenbooks.bsky.social · 03/10/2025SIGNED BOOK NEWS! You can pre-order a SIGNED copy of "It's Not a Cult" by Joey Batey. The whole premise of the book is wild! Folk horror ftw! Check it out HERE. biggreenbookshop.com/signed-copie... 0135
Reposted by Alyn SparkesAmy Sparkes @amysparkes.bsky.social · 04/10/2025ADHD Awareness Month Fiction: 22 items for $25.00 itch.io/b/3300/adhd-... Proud to have THE PLAYERS: ACT 1 included in this fabulous bundle - available // 1st & 15th October. A big thank you to @eliseswritings.bsky.social for organising. #neurodiversity #adhd #historicalfiction 2104