Fantasy and science fiction writer/artist with a tendency towards ecology and quietly strange things. Keeper of invertebrates and fish. Enjoys walking simulators and Second Life. Multiply marginalised. Website: http://www.polenthblake.comhttps://bsky.app/profile/polenth.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/polenth.bsky.social/post/3mvjmotam2k2sStill on target for having the book ready before the weekend (release is aimed for the 25th). I ate dumplings and now have tea.15 Sep 2026 02:53 +0000at://did:plc:g4iu2lptzcebrcu3nylnduyw/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvjmotam2k2shttps://bsky.app/profile/polenth.bsky.social/post/3mverpj5bns26Editing went well! This is final error checking stuff. There will be a brief preorder, which I'll announce, but the bulk of marketing will be once the book is out. Soft launches and all that. The book is called Wereconifer! (People are still going to say "Wait, you have a new book?" in six months.)13 Sep 2026 04:40 +0000at://did:plc:g4iu2lptzcebrcu3nylnduyw/app.bsky.feed.post/3mverpj5bns26https://bsky.app/profile/polenth.bsky.social/post/3mvejmdqeds2nI think YouTube has finally noticed me going "don't recommend channel" on anything with an AI thumbnail because now I'm getting recommendations for comedy videos making fun of AI.13 Sep 2026 02:15 +0000at://did:plc:g4iu2lptzcebrcu3nylnduyw/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvejmdqeds2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/polenth.bsky.social/post/3mvcarjftxc2rSo, in busy times, this weekend is family time (we've got snacks for a home film watch). Next weekend is Flights of Foundry, which is new to me. Between things, I'm still editing/formatting with a goal to be done before the con starts. (New book out at the end of this month!)12 Sep 2026 04:32 +0000at://did:plc:g4iu2lptzcebrcu3nylnduyw/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvcarjftxc2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/polenth.bsky.social/post/3mv7nberbek2xMy last Worldcon claim to fame is I managed to mushroom the general discussion chat on Discord right before the server was locked down for this year. Fungus is forever. 🍄11 Sep 2026 03:37 +0000at://did:plc:g4iu2lptzcebrcu3nylnduyw/app.bsky.feed.post/3mv7nberbek2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/polenth.bsky.social/post/3mv6vldffjc25I missed that we can now remove ourselves from the discover feed, so I've selected that (it's in privacy settings). Though I mostly keep replies locked down to followers, it's nice to open them up for things like rec posts without getting spam/trolls.10 Sep 2026 20:33 +0000at://did:plc:g4iu2lptzcebrcu3nylnduyw/app.bsky.feed.post/3mv6vldffjc25https://bsky.app/profile/polenth.bsky.social/post/3mv3ukqonc22mMy new glasses have arrived! I can see distant details again.09 Sep 2026 15:37 +0000at://did:plc:g4iu2lptzcebrcu3nylnduyw/app.bsky.feed.post/3mv3ukqonc22mhttps://bsky.app/profile/polenth.bsky.social/post/3mv2gm4irec2kOne of my plans for the next few months is to run through basic French courses on YouTube. I understand French well enough to watch shows, but I can't translate it to English and I'm vague on some grammar things. So, trying to strengthen the connection between languages.09 Sep 2026 01:55 +0000at://did:plc:g4iu2lptzcebrcu3nylnduyw/app.bsky.feed.post/3mv2gm4irec2khttps://bsky.app/profile/polenth.bsky.social/post/3mv2atksbvs2eI did fish tank stuff today and noted my danios are around two years old now (aquarium lifespan is around 2-5 years).09 Sep 2026 00:11 +0000at://did:plc:g4iu2lptzcebrcu3nylnduyw/app.bsky.feed.post/3mv2atksbvs2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/polenth.bsky.social/post/3muxnxvuy622aI have new writing pens, though I won't be doing watches of recorded panels until after I'm done getting Wereconifer ready. Somewhat busy month in many ways, but everything should slow down a bit after that.07 Sep 2026 23:29 +0000at://did:plc:g4iu2lptzcebrcu3nylnduyw/app.bsky.feed.post/3muxnxvuy622ahttps://bsky.app/profile/polenth.bsky.social/post/3mussjabgzs25The thing with Voldemort and her magic school is a lot of people aren't really into the books. They want to watch stuff on a screen from a big mainstream company. Maybe buy some toys. So, here's some fairly recent live action school magic, from youngest target age first.06 Sep 2026 01:07 +0000at://did:plc:g4iu2lptzcebrcu3nylnduyw/app.bsky.feed.post/3mussjabgzs25https://bsky.app/profile/polenth.bsky.social/post/3mupxqqy5ds2nI've eaten ice cream so it's bonus story work time. I also need to write an about the author type thing.04 Sep 2026 22:02 +0000at://did:plc:g4iu2lptzcebrcu3nylnduyw/app.bsky.feed.post/3mupxqqy5ds2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/polenth.bsky.social/post/3mul5c6rui22hI'm not very good at being social at conventions, but I feel secure in the knowledge that there's always someone worse at it (I did not try to get anyone to collaborate with me).02 Sep 2026 23:58 +0000at://did:plc:g4iu2lptzcebrcu3nylnduyw/app.bsky.feed.post/3mul5c6rui22hhttps://bsky.app/profile/polenth.bsky.social/post/3mt3qhsdyhk2tThe one minute (x30 speed) version of my partial solar eclipse video! It's somewhat funny that the YouTube code for it starts with SUN. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUNsEcRGctQ #SolarEclipse15 Aug 2026 03:33 +0000at://did:plc:g4iu2lptzcebrcu3nylnduyw/app.bsky.feed.post/3mt3qhsdyhk2thttps://bsky.app/profile/polenth.bsky.social/post/3muieszrbsc2fI went for a walk and have new pens on order. More editing today, though the end is in sight.01 Sep 2026 21:35 +0000at://did:plc:g4iu2lptzcebrcu3nylnduyw/app.bsky.feed.post/3muieszrbsc2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/polenth.bsky.social/post/3mugn72bp5k23I did a first go through the file with copyedits from family. Time to watch some murder!01 Sep 2026 04:59 +0000at://did:plc:g4iu2lptzcebrcu3nylnduyw/app.bsky.feed.post/3mugn72bp5k23https://bsky.app/profile/polenth.bsky.social/post/3mughpphin22qThe thing about Christmas films is there are already a whole ton of them and I haven't seen all of them. So it's very easy to skip one that doesn't exactly have that festive vibe. (I will be rewatching Jingle Jangle though.)01 Sep 2026 03:21 +0000at://did:plc:g4iu2lptzcebrcu3nylnduyw/app.bsky.feed.post/3mughpphin22qhttps://bsky.app/profile/polenth.bsky.social/post/3mufymzbk422vThat's most stuff over for me for Worldcon now. Highlights were the Meet the Island Fox panel discussing their conservation, the CERN tour, and South Side Symphony. My only fear of missing out in being virtual is not being able to get a fox toy.31 Aug 2026 22:51 +0000at://did:plc:g4iu2lptzcebrcu3nylnduyw/app.bsky.feed.post/3mufymzbk422vhttps://bsky.app/profile/polenth.bsky.social/post/3mudwxhd7ss2fHad supper and tea. Now relaxing a bit and catching up with some other stuff. (I don't watch the awards, so this is basically free time for me until it's back to panels tomorrow.) I solved the pen problem as I found a brown pen of the same type. I will need to order more black pens though.31 Aug 2026 03:16 +0000at://did:plc:g4iu2lptzcebrcu3nylnduyw/app.bsky.feed.post/3mudwxhd7ss2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/polenth.bsky.social/post/3mudbomcjns2tSnacking on fruit and listening to jazz. This is the Joshua Christian Childress Quintet. South Side Symphony was also really interesting (I probably should have taken notes for that one as it had history too).30 Aug 2026 20:55 +0000at://did:plc:g4iu2lptzcebrcu3nylnduyw/app.bsky.feed.post/3mudbomcjns2thttps://bsky.app/profile/polenth.bsky.social/post/3mu62uumlds2fTook too many notes. I've run out of ink in two of my pens! I still have one to write, but will need some new ones after this. Anyway, the CERN tour was fun.28 Aug 2026 19:10 +0000at://did:plc:g4iu2lptzcebrcu3nylnduyw/app.bsky.feed.post/3mu62uumlds2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/polenth.bsky.social/post/3mu3ormestk2xI'm not doing a detailed panel thread this year for Worldcon, though it's begun. Looks like they're having microphone/streaming issues in the ACC rooms, but I jumped over to one at the Hilton. (And the virtual only panels earlier were fine.)27 Aug 2026 20:28 +0000at://did:plc:g4iu2lptzcebrcu3nylnduyw/app.bsky.feed.post/3mu3ormestk2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/polenth.bsky.social/post/3mu2bpfooak2cI got a reasonable picture of my desk despite it being overcast today. As you can see, I've expanded the cuddly toy storage. Also the rainbow notebook is my new panel notes one.27 Aug 2026 07:02 +0000at://did:plc:g4iu2lptzcebrcu3nylnduyw/app.bsky.feed.post/3mu2bpfooak2chttps://bsky.app/profile/polenth.bsky.social/post/3mtz4wijkvk2xI need to cook and freeze some meals, but then I'm ready for Worldcon. Family has other food. I have a clean desk.26 Aug 2026 20:04 +0000at://did:plc:g4iu2lptzcebrcu3nylnduyw/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtz4wijkvk2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/polenth.bsky.social/post/3mtwx7k66c22uTime to tidy my desk so I actually have space for my notebook and all the snacks I'm going to eat.25 Aug 2026 23:16 +0000at://did:plc:g4iu2lptzcebrcu3nylnduyw/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtwx7k66c22u