iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Lyle Stiles @thewritestiles.bsky.social · 26/10/2025

Babies? Curses? And Were-Platypuses?... Check out my new MG short story, "The Baby Blight-A Halloween High Mystery" published by Starspun Lit ( complete with illustrations) here: www.starspunlit.org/issues/hallo...

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Reposted by Lyle Stiles

Phil Lewis @phillewis.bsky.social · 11/05/2025

This is too wholesome

I had the most wonderful flight home from Denver. I met the nicest young man who sat next to me. He offered to put my bag in the overhead compartment and helped me with my tray. He was always polite, saying "yes ma’am" or "no ma’am." Anyone would be proud to have him as a son or grandson—so polite.

People walking by were saying congratulations, great job, or even taking pictures. I turned and asked him, “Who am I sitting next to?” I looked at his Jaguar pants, smiled, and asked, “Are you an athlete?” He smiled and said, “I’m Travis. Yes, I was drafted by the Jags.” I already told my sons I want his jersey.

He’s so humble and down-to-earth—I would have never guessed he was a professional athlete. JACKSONVILLE JAGS, you did good! I will be buying tickets.

United Airlines, thank you for my seat assignment!

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Lyle Stiles @thewritestiles.bsky.social · 08/05/2025

“Your saliva smells like sardines.” “Yeah, well. I’m a cat.” “Now my face smells like sardines.” “I don’t care. I’m a cat.” Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow #booksky📚🪐

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Lyle Stiles @thewritestiles.bsky.social · 07/05/2025

“To all who walk the dark path...brighter days are coming. Clearer sight will arrive. And you will arrive too. No, it might not be forever. The bright moments might be for a few days at a time, but hold on for those days. Those days are worth the dark.” Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson #booksky📚🪐

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Lyle Stiles @thewritestiles.bsky.social · 06/05/2025

Can you hear that? That’s me smiling, y’all. I’m smiling so loud you can fucking hear it. I’m going to destroy the goddamn universe with my irrational joy and I will spew forth pictures of clumsy kittens and baby puppies adopted by raccoons. Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson #booksky 📚🪐

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Lyle Stiles @thewritestiles.bsky.social · 05/05/2025

“But for a society built on exploitation, there is no greater threat than having no one left to oppress.” The Stone Sky by N.K. Jemisin #booksky📚🪐

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Lyle Stiles @thewritestiles.bsky.social · 04/05/2025

But I think there’s another reason that winemakers tend to live a long time. Their lives revolve around nature and the cycle of seasons. You realize you cannot control nature, you can only adapt...When you come to peace with this, it’s not only humbling, but also freeing. Roctogenerians #booksky📚🪐

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Lyle Stiles @thewritestiles.bsky.social · 03/05/2025

“Look how cute little birdie is!” my mother said earnestly. “Let’s make a grave for him over there, so everyone can lay flowers on it.” And that’s what we did. Everyone cried for the poor dead bird as they went around murdering flowers, plucking their stalks. Convenience Store Woman #booksky 📚🪐

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Lyle Stiles @thewritestiles.bsky.social · 02/05/2025

“In order to rise From its own ashes A phoenix First Must Burn.” Parable of the Sower #booksky📚🪐

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Lyle Stiles @thewritestiles.bsky.social · 01/05/2025

The term doughnut came from Harrison Gregory, an 18th-century sailor, inspired by his mom. She made him a dough cake with nuts in it for his journey. When other sailors asked what he was eating, he said, “Dough and nuts”; this was quickly shortened to “doughnuts”. Why? by Riddleland #booksky📚🪐

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Lyle Stiles @thewritestiles.bsky.social · 30/04/2025

A proton is an infinitesimal part of an atom, which is itself of course an insubstantial thing. Protons are so small that a little dib of ink like the dot on this "i" can hold something in the region of 500,000,000,000 of them. A Short History of Nearly Everything #booksky📚🪐

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Lyle Stiles @thewritestiles.bsky.social · 29/04/2025

“Hope in the shadow of fear is the world's most powerful motivator.” Scythe by Neal Shusterman #booksky📚🪐

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Lyle Stiles @thewritestiles.bsky.social · 28/04/2025

The dolphins had long known of the impending destruction of planet Earth and made many attempts to alert mankind; but their communications were misinterpreted as amusing attempts to punch footballs or whistle for titbits, so eventually they gave up and left Earth by their own means… H2G2 #booksky📚🪐

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Lyle Stiles @thewritestiles.bsky.social · 27/04/2025

Greek philosopher Diogenes wrote in mythical jest that the god Hermes taught his son Pan (the half-man, half-goat frolicker) the practice of masturbation, and that he, in turn, could teach it to isolated shepherds tending to their flock. DIY by Dr. Eric Sprankle #booksky📚🪐

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Lyle Stiles @thewritestiles.bsky.social · 26/04/2025

900 CE: People believed in tempestarii (weather mages)—evil sorcerers summoning sailors in flying ships to cause storms to steal crops from farmers’ fields, a form of witchcraft hysteria. Farmers never caught the sailors, but did accuse neighbors of being tempestarii. Weird Middle Ages #booksky📚🪐

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Lyle Stiles @thewritestiles.bsky.social · 25/04/2025

"I’m not saying he intentionally threw me out of a moving car, just that an opportunity presented itself and that my father is a dangerous man who shouldn’t be trusted." Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson #booksky📚🪐

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Lyle Stiles @thewritestiles.bsky.social · 24/04/2025

“I have heard there are troubles of more than one kind. Some come from ahead and some come from behind. But I've bought a big bat. I'm all ready you see. Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me!” —Dr. Seuss📚🪐

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Lyle Stiles @thewritestiles.bsky.social · 23/04/2025

“He felt that his whole life was some kind of dream and he sometimes wondered whose it was and whether they were enjoying it.” The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams #booksky📚🪐

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Lyle Stiles @thewritestiles.bsky.social · 22/04/2025

2300 BC: The chief priest of Sumeria created a hymn to praise God. This celebration of the deity, “The Exaltation of Inanna,” is the world’s 1st known poem. But it has another claim to attention—both the 1st God and this 1st known priest-poet were female. Who Cooked the Last Supper? #booksky📚🪐

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Lyle Stiles @thewritestiles.bsky.social · 21/04/2025

I’m from the South, and in Texas we offer drinks to strangers even when we’re at the liquor store. In Texas we call that “southern hospitality.” The people who own the store call it “shoplifting.” Let's Pretend This Never Happened #booksky 📚🪐

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Lyle Stiles @thewritestiles.bsky.social · 20/04/2025

Research points to one woman as the original “gene fount” for the whole human race. She lived in Africa 300,000 years ago. Her descendants migrated & spread across the globe, giving rise to everyone living today. She is known as "Mitochondrial Eve." Who Cooked the Last Supper? #blacksky #booksky 📚🪐

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Lyle Stiles @thewritestiles.bsky.social · 19/04/2025

In 2023, it was a Christmas miracle of sorts for Brenda Lee when “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” propelled by TikTok, finally hit No. 1 on the Billboard chart, 65 years after it was released. Lee, at 78, became the oldest living person to have a No. 1 song in the US. Roctogenerians #booksky📚🪐

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Lyle Stiles @thewritestiles.bsky.social · 18/04/2025

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, Nothing is going to get better. It's not.” The Lorax by Dr. Seuss📚🪐

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Reposted by Lyle Stiles

#DVpit - Diverse Voices Pitch @dvpit.bsky.social · 17/04/2025

Marginalized creators! Polish up those manuscripts, #DVPit returns October 2025 on bluesky with over 40 participating agents and editors! #booksky #writersky

returning october 2025
#DVPit
now on bluesky
40+ participating agents & editors (and counting)
follow us at @dvpit.bsky.social for more updates!

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Lyle Stiles @thewritestiles.bsky.social · 17/04/2025

My most important talent—or habit—was persistence. Without it, I would have given up writing long before my first novel. It’s amazing what we can do if we simply refuse to give up. And this applies to anything that's important, but frightening. Bloodchild & Other Stories-Octavia Butler #booksky📚🪐

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Lyle Stiles @thewritestiles.bsky.social · 16/04/2025

"Drink up," said Ford, "you've got three pints to get through." "Three pints?" said Arthur. "At lunchtime?" Ford nodded and replied, "Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so." The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy #booksky 📚🪐

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Lyle Stiles @thewritestiles.bsky.social · 15/04/2025

I saw my gynecologist at Starbucks and she looked right past me like she didn’t know me. So I stood there wondering if that’s something she does on purpose to make her clients feel less uncomfortable, or whether she just genuinely didn’t recognize me without my vagina. Jenny Lawson #booksky📚🪐

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Lyle Stiles @thewritestiles.bsky.social · 14/04/2025

“I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.” The Fellowship of the Ring #booksky📚🪐

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Lyle Stiles @thewritestiles.bsky.social · 13/04/2025

"Mr. Dent," Prosser said. "Yes?" replied Arthur. "Here's some factual information for you. Have you any idea how much damage that bulldozer would suffer if I just let it roll straight over you?" "How much?" said Arthur. "None at all." The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy #booksky 📚🪐

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Lyle Stiles @thewritestiles.bsky.social · 11/04/2025

Health concerns didn't kill the corset; it was World War I. Metal for ammunition led the US War Industries Board in 1917 to urge women to stop buying corsets. Coincidentally, the very first modern bra had been patented only three years earlier, by debutante Caresse Crosby. Mobituaries #booksky📚🪐

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Lyle Stiles @thewritestiles.bsky.social · 10/04/2025

It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo...full of darkness. Sometimes you didn't want to know the end, because how could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it’s only a passing thing this shadow. Even darkness must pass. The Two Towers #booksky📚🪐

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Lyle Stiles @thewritestiles.bsky.social · 09/04/2025

“I vow to become the change that might have been” Scythe #booksky 📚🪐

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Lyle Stiles @thewritestiles.bsky.social · 08/04/2025

“Seems to me-" Lee said, feeling for the words, "seems to me the place you fight cruelty is where you find it, and the place you give help is where you see it needed....” The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman #booksky📚🪐

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Lyle Stiles @thewritestiles.bsky.social · 07/04/2025

“he still knows how to rouse his rabble, how to reach out to poor people, and sic them on other poor people. How much of this nonsense does he believe, I wonder, and how much does he say just because he knows the value of dividing in order to conquer and to rule?” Parable of the Talents #booksky📚🪐

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Lyle Stiles @thewritestiles.bsky.social · 06/04/2025

God is Change, And in the end, God prevails. But meanwhile Kindness eases Change. Love quiets fear. And a sweet and powerful Positive obsession Blunts pain and Diverts rage. Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler #booksky📚🪐

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Lyle Stiles @thewritestiles.bsky.social · 05/04/2025

“I mused for a few moments on the question of which was worse, to lead a life so boring that you are easily enchanted, or a life so full of stimulus that you are easily bored.” Lost Continent by Bill Bryson #booksky 📚🪐

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Lyle Stiles @thewritestiles.bsky.social · 04/04/2025

"I found that I couldn't muster any belief in a literal heaven or hell, anyway. I thought the best we could all do was to look after one another and clean up the various hells we've made right here on earth." Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler #booksky 📚🪐

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Lyle Stiles @thewritestiles.bsky.social · 03/04/2025

“In this hour, I do not believe that any darkness will endure.” The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien #booksky 📚🪐

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Lyle Stiles @thewritestiles.bsky.social · 02/04/2025

The telephone's inventor, Alexander Bell, wanted people to say “Ahoy” when answering the phone. But Thomas Edison thought “Hello” should be used instead. Sidenote: “Hello” wasn't an English word at the time. It was a sound hunters made when gathering a hunting party. Why? By Riddleand #booksky 📚🪐

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Lyle Stiles @thewritestiles.bsky.social · 01/04/2025

“Being a practiced liar doesn't mean you have a powerful imagination. Many good liars have no imagination at all; it's that which gives their lies such wide-eyed conviction.” The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman #booksky 📚🪐

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Lyle Stiles @thewritestiles.bsky.social · 31/03/2025

“It is very hard for evil to take hold of the unconsenting soul.” A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin #booksky 📚🪐

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Lyle Stiles @thewritestiles.bsky.social · 30/03/2025

Frodo: "I wish the Ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened." Gandalf: "So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.” The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien #booksky 📚🪐

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Lyle Stiles @thewritestiles.bsky.social · 29/03/2025

The Tree of Ténéré was an acacia tree in the Sahara Desert—the only tree for 250 miles in any direction. Then, in 1973, the tree was destroyed by a truck driver, probably drunk, and apparently so incompetent he could not avoid the only tree for 250 miles in any direction. Mobituaries #booksky 📚🪐

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Lyle Stiles @thewritestiles.bsky.social · 28/03/2025

“It is possible to be crazy and paranoid and totally insane— and still be right. Maybe the problem with everyone is that the world has become so insane they’re not out of their minds enough to comprehend it.” We Sold Our Souls by Grady Hendrix #booksky 📚🪐

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Lyle Stiles @thewritestiles.bsky.social · 27/03/2025

“All that you touch You Change. All that you Change Changes you. The only lasting truth Is Change.” Parable of the Sower #booksky 📚🪐

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Lyle Stiles @thewritestiles.bsky.social · 26/03/2025

“What had been destroyed made what remained that much more precious. That much more solid. That much more important.” The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires #booksky 📚🪐

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Lyle Stiles @thewritestiles.bsky.social · 25/03/2025

"I just can’t do it!" Tricia said. “I guess I'm too much of a grammar nazi!" Ava wondered, not for the first time, why anyone would so proudly declare themselves to be any kind of nazi. FINNA by Nino Cipri #booksky 📚🪐

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Lyle Stiles @thewritestiles.bsky.social · 24/03/2025

“Dying isn’t the important thing. It’s nothing more than the punctuation mark on the end of your life. It’s everything that came before that matters. Punctuation marks, most people skip right over them. They don’t even have a sound.” The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix #booksky 📚🪐

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Lyle Stiles @thewritestiles.bsky.social · 23/03/2025

We are lucky to be here. And by "we" I mean every living thing. To attain life in this universe is an achievement. As humans we're doubly lucky: We enjoy not only the privilege of existence but also the ability to appreciate it—and even make it better Short History of Nearly Everything #booksky📚🪐

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Lyle Stiles @thewritestiles.bsky.social · 22/03/2025

“Let's start with the end of the world, why don't we? Get it over with and move on to more interesting things.” The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin #booksky 📚🪐

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