Arendse
@arend.se
Author · Stories in Analog, Ellery Queen, The Fabulist & more · Marie Curie Postdoc @ Arnamagnaean Institute · Winner of the 2021 Staunch Prize · PhD medieval law · Contact me through my website www.arend.se
In this post-WorldCon daze, I suddenly realized that another year of being a Film Festival Judge had come to an end! Thank you to everyone who came out, watched the films and supported all the artists. Over 150 people attended our opening selection and it was a great start to a great festival.
September 6, 2026 at 5:19 PM
In this post-WorldCon daze, I suddenly realized that another year of being a Film Festival Judge had come to an end! Thank you to everyone who came out, watched the films and supported all the artists. Over 150 people attended our opening selection and it was a great start to a great festival.
Reposted by Arendse
One of the lesser-known fantastical creatures I talked about last week at @laworldcon.bsky.social was the bonnacon. It appears in medieval bestiaries as a bull-like creature with horns curved back on themselves and therefore useless to protect itself. Instead, it expels flaming poop in defense.
September 4, 2026 at 5:19 PM
One of the lesser-known fantastical creatures I talked about last week at @laworldcon.bsky.social was the bonnacon. It appears in medieval bestiaries as a bull-like creature with horns curved back on themselves and therefore useless to protect itself. Instead, it expels flaming poop in defense.
One of the lesser-known fantastical creatures I talked about last week at @laworldcon.bsky.social was the bonnacon. It appears in medieval bestiaries as a bull-like creature with horns curved back on themselves and therefore useless to protect itself. Instead, it expels flaming poop in defense.
September 4, 2026 at 5:19 PM
One of the lesser-known fantastical creatures I talked about last week at @laworldcon.bsky.social was the bonnacon. It appears in medieval bestiaries as a bull-like creature with horns curved back on themselves and therefore useless to protect itself. Instead, it expels flaming poop in defense.
Back to Seattle post WorldCon and the mountain was out to greet us. I'm all fired up about writing — and also in desperate need of sleep.
September 1, 2026 at 1:45 AM
Back to Seattle post WorldCon and the mountain was out to greet us. I'm all fired up about writing — and also in desperate need of sleep.
Reposted by Arendse
I'm excited to chat about fairy tales in all their forms at WorldCon tonight with @caitlinrozakis.bsky.social, @jayhartlove.bsky.social, & @swingingstorm.bsky.social. At 6pm tonight, you can consider us a warm-up for the Hugo Awards ;)
August 30, 2026 at 2:47 PM
I'm excited to chat about fairy tales in all their forms at WorldCon tonight with @caitlinrozakis.bsky.social, @jayhartlove.bsky.social, & @swingingstorm.bsky.social. At 6pm tonight, you can consider us a warm-up for the Hugo Awards ;)
I'm excited to chat about fairy tales in all their forms at WorldCon tonight with @caitlinrozakis.bsky.social, @jayhartlove.bsky.social, & @swingingstorm.bsky.social. At 6pm tonight, you can consider us a warm-up for the Hugo Awards ;)
August 30, 2026 at 2:47 PM
I'm excited to chat about fairy tales in all their forms at WorldCon tonight with @caitlinrozakis.bsky.social, @jayhartlove.bsky.social, & @swingingstorm.bsky.social. At 6pm tonight, you can consider us a warm-up for the Hugo Awards ;)
Want to hear about some (maybe new to you) mythologies from across the world? I'm moderating a panel today where @cassmorriswrites.com, @swingingstorm.bsky.social, & @traceybaptiste.bsky.social will be chatting about exactly that. Come listen at WorldCon, 3pm today!
August 30, 2026 at 2:41 PM
Want to hear about some (maybe new to you) mythologies from across the world? I'm moderating a panel today where @cassmorriswrites.com, @swingingstorm.bsky.social, & @traceybaptiste.bsky.social will be chatting about exactly that. Come listen at WorldCon, 3pm today!
Some fantastical creatures are much rarer to find in fiction. Come hear @clairedavon.bsky.social, @muteddragon.bsky.social, @meganhaskellauthor.bsky.social, @stephanniet.bsky.social & me chat about all those unusual creatures tonight, 6pm at WorldCon!
August 29, 2026 at 3:02 PM
Some fantastical creatures are much rarer to find in fiction. Come hear @clairedavon.bsky.social, @muteddragon.bsky.social, @meganhaskellauthor.bsky.social, @stephanniet.bsky.social & me chat about all those unusual creatures tonight, 6pm at WorldCon!
Want to hear all about the silly, serious, and extremely dubious things going on in the margins of medieval manuscripts? Today's your chance! Come listen to our WorldCon panel at noon, moderated by @vandroidhelsing.bsky.social
August 28, 2026 at 3:26 PM
Want to hear all about the silly, serious, and extremely dubious things going on in the margins of medieval manuscripts? Today's your chance! Come listen to our WorldCon panel at noon, moderated by @vandroidhelsing.bsky.social
Reposted by Arendse
Are you an early bird and want to jump right in to WorldCon tomorrow? Come take a walk around and have a casual chat with @ajhackwith.bsky.social, @matociquala.bsky.social, @maryrobinettekowal.com, @michaelbookcult.bsky.social & me at 9am!
August 26, 2026 at 6:01 PM
Are you an early bird and want to jump right in to WorldCon tomorrow? Come take a walk around and have a casual chat with @ajhackwith.bsky.social, @matociquala.bsky.social, @maryrobinettekowal.com, @michaelbookcult.bsky.social & me at 9am!
Are you an early bird and want to jump right in to WorldCon tomorrow? Come take a walk around and have a casual chat with @ajhackwith.bsky.social, @matociquala.bsky.social, @maryrobinettekowal.com, @michaelbookcult.bsky.social & me at 9am!
August 26, 2026 at 6:01 PM
Are you an early bird and want to jump right in to WorldCon tomorrow? Come take a walk around and have a casual chat with @ajhackwith.bsky.social, @matociquala.bsky.social, @maryrobinettekowal.com, @michaelbookcult.bsky.social & me at 9am!
I'm ready for WorldCon but holy moly is SoCal hot. Maybe I'll adjust by the time the panels start? Anyway, come hear me talk as I slowly melt!
August 25, 2026 at 6:56 PM
I'm ready for WorldCon but holy moly is SoCal hot. Maybe I'll adjust by the time the panels start? Anyway, come hear me talk as I slowly melt!
Reposted by Arendse
Reposted by Arendse
In conclusion, do whatever you want! Leave notes! Make silly drawings!
And if you find yourself in Copenhagen in October onward, come drop by the Old University Library for my exhibition "Marginalia: Words and Images on the Edge." The library is beautiful & I promise the marginalia will be profuse.
And if you find yourself in Copenhagen in October onward, come drop by the Old University Library for my exhibition "Marginalia: Words and Images on the Edge." The library is beautiful & I promise the marginalia will be profuse.
August 14, 2026 at 1:34 PM
In conclusion, do whatever you want! Leave notes! Make silly drawings!
And if you find yourself in Copenhagen in October onward, come drop by the Old University Library for my exhibition "Marginalia: Words and Images on the Edge." The library is beautiful & I promise the marginalia will be profuse.
And if you find yourself in Copenhagen in October onward, come drop by the Old University Library for my exhibition "Marginalia: Words and Images on the Edge." The library is beautiful & I promise the marginalia will be profuse.
Reposted by Arendse
⬇️ Glorious marginalia thread… ⬇️
Today's You Be The Judge in @theguardian.com is whether or not a woman is allowed to annotate her own books. As someone who is literally curating an exhibition on the history of annotations in books, let me tell you her boyfriend's argument is total BS: theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...
You be the judge: should my girlfriend stop annotating her books?
Julie makes notes in the margin as she’s reading, but Charlie says she’s ruining books he may want to read. Should they get on the same page? You decide
theguardian.com
August 17, 2026 at 9:23 PM
⬇️ Glorious marginalia thread… ⬇️
Reposted by Arendse
Since the bf can't bear to read his gf's annotated books, may I introduce him to the concept of library loans? Then they don't have to buy two copies of every book, which for some reason he thinks they should.
He'd probably need a moment if he saw Bishop Knud's notes all the way around this text.
He'd probably need a moment if he saw Bishop Knud's notes all the way around this text.
August 14, 2026 at 1:25 PM
Since the bf can't bear to read his gf's annotated books, may I introduce him to the concept of library loans? Then they don't have to buy two copies of every book, which for some reason he thinks they should.
He'd probably need a moment if he saw Bishop Knud's notes all the way around this text.
He'd probably need a moment if he saw Bishop Knud's notes all the way around this text.
Reposted by Arendse
The margins being a sacred place where no one should write, or draw, is a relatively new idea. Historically, we haven't thought about margins like that at all.
How would we know this magic spell for healing wounds if someone hadn't written it in the margins?
How would we know this magic spell for healing wounds if someone hadn't written it in the margins?
August 14, 2026 at 1:20 PM
The margins being a sacred place where no one should write, or draw, is a relatively new idea. Historically, we haven't thought about margins like that at all.
How would we know this magic spell for healing wounds if someone hadn't written it in the margins?
How would we know this magic spell for healing wounds if someone hadn't written it in the margins?
Reposted by Arendse
Long after the gf is dead, people will have insights into her thoughts & reactions because of the notes she left! This is what gives historians social and cultural clues.
In the bf's honor, I'm including this photo of a manuscript where someone tried to erase the marginal notes. It sort of worked?
In the bf's honor, I'm including this photo of a manuscript where someone tried to erase the marginal notes. It sort of worked?
August 14, 2026 at 1:14 PM
Long after the gf is dead, people will have insights into her thoughts & reactions because of the notes she left! This is what gives historians social and cultural clues.
In the bf's honor, I'm including this photo of a manuscript where someone tried to erase the marginal notes. It sort of worked?
In the bf's honor, I'm including this photo of a manuscript where someone tried to erase the marginal notes. It sort of worked?
Reposted by Arendse
It's because of marginalia that people who are long dead, and otherwise unable to talk to us, can tell us what they thought of what they read. Did they like it? Agree with it? Disagree? Straight up think it was stupid?
Here someone thought this section was unnecessary and crossed it out.
Here someone thought this section was unnecessary and crossed it out.
August 14, 2026 at 1:08 PM
It's because of marginalia that people who are long dead, and otherwise unable to talk to us, can tell us what they thought of what they read. Did they like it? Agree with it? Disagree? Straight up think it was stupid?
Here someone thought this section was unnecessary and crossed it out.
Here someone thought this section was unnecessary and crossed it out.
You use clean, dry hands to handle old books and manuscripts NOT white gloves. You lose dexterity with gloves and are more likely to rip pages, remove ink, swipe off gold leaf, etc.
What’s a thing from your area of expertise (or special interest) that you think it would behoove everyone else to know?
August 16, 2026 at 8:30 PM
You use clean, dry hands to handle old books and manuscripts NOT white gloves. You lose dexterity with gloves and are more likely to rip pages, remove ink, swipe off gold leaf, etc.
Reposted by Arendse
People drew in them too! And the drawings are so great!
Here a lion stalks the bottom margin for the opening of Flóvent’s saga, one of the chivalric sagas that was originally derived from a French original.
Here a lion stalks the bottom margin for the opening of Flóvent’s saga, one of the chivalric sagas that was originally derived from a French original.
August 14, 2026 at 1:02 PM
People drew in them too! And the drawings are so great!
Here a lion stalks the bottom margin for the opening of Flóvent’s saga, one of the chivalric sagas that was originally derived from a French original.
Here a lion stalks the bottom margin for the opening of Flóvent’s saga, one of the chivalric sagas that was originally derived from a French original.
Reposted by Arendse
The boyfriend argues that it's embarrassing & they can't loan out their books to friends because of his gf's marginalia.
So what? Here's a 16th-century book where two readers have both written in the margins. In fact, sometimes you see a second reader commenting on the first reader's notes!
So what? Here's a 16th-century book where two readers have both written in the margins. In fact, sometimes you see a second reader commenting on the first reader's notes!
August 14, 2026 at 1:00 PM
The boyfriend argues that it's embarrassing & they can't loan out their books to friends because of his gf's marginalia.
So what? Here's a 16th-century book where two readers have both written in the margins. In fact, sometimes you see a second reader commenting on the first reader's notes!
So what? Here's a 16th-century book where two readers have both written in the margins. In fact, sometimes you see a second reader commenting on the first reader's notes!