Cara M Bassett (Author)
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carambassett.bsky.social
Cara M Bassett (Author)
@carambassett.bsky.social
180 followers 47 following 460 posts
Hello! Missouri-based reader 💙📚, writer✍️, and bookmark maker🔖😁

Currently reading📖: Polysecure

Author of "V for Vern" and the serial "A Greater Closeness"

Updating Storygraph as I read!

Pfp by Bo Walker
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carambassett.bsky.social
Cara M Bassett (Author) @carambassett.bsky.social · Apr 29
I'm looking forward to a full return in May.

In the meantime, here is an #ad for the anthology I was in & a message addressing the AI usage.

Thank you for supporting me as I learn & grow as an author.

Email me if you'd like a limited edition copy shipped to you!

#scififantasy #writesky #books
Limited Time Offer- while supply lasts! Help Wanted: Inquire Within An anthology by Strange Moon Press With a limited-editiom cover (Free sticker) Designed by Cara M Bassett- Author of V for Vern $15 with local delivery Additional S&H for non-local orders Contact me on FB or at carambassett@gmail.com for orders or with questions A note to audiences: I do not condone the usage of generative AI for art, especially art meant to be sold. I was unaware when I submitted to this anthology that the art being used was generated with AI. I have learned from this experience and will know better in the future. I discovered the cover art was made using AI after I’d already placed my order for copies. I have already spoken with the publisher privately regarding the usage and future projects. After selling copies to family and friends who were eager to support my work, I sat with the rest of my inventory, unsure of how to proceed ethically. Eventually, I came up with a plan for the books I have remaining: a free sticker used as a limited-edition recovering, designed by myself and printed locally. By purchasing one of these books, you support me as a local author. I have already paid for these and have no intention of buying more from the publisher, but am still really proud of the work I put into the story inside. You may purchase copies from the publisher’s website, but only the copies bought from me will come with the new cover and will support me directly. Thank you and I hope you enjoy my work, as well as the work from the authors included in the anthology. Praise for V for Vern "It's REALLY good!" "Vern is such a vibe. I loved all the descriptive language... You could really feel the mystery of it" "It left me wanting more" With the curveballs he’d been thrown throughout the night, staying positive felt like quite a challenge, but he was determined to try. Facing adversity with a positive attitude was just the kind of thing top recruiters looked for in applicants. Plus, this summer was bound to make one hell of an admissions essay.
carambassett.bsky.social
My goal this week is to finish writing my July entry for @magicinprogress.bsky.social !

(Don't forget you can read previous issues for free & vote your fav stories thru the end of June!)

💙📚
#lgbtqwriteathon #queerwriters #pride #writesky #writingcommunity #litmag #indieauthor #scifi #supportindie
June 22, 2026 at 11:06 AM
carambassett.bsky.social
#group #writesky #writingprompts #writingcommunity

Can you guess what today's excerpt is about?

Hint in alt text
Before I even have to choose how to delegate the task to the next person in line, it pops in my hand. No effort necessary. The pop is explosive and leaves my fingers with a light sting. A few people in the group scream. The cook jumps and then shakes her head, as though it was a prank I somehow managed to pull. I am embarrassed, no effort necessary. 🥐🥫
June 19, 2026 at 10:57 AM
carambassett.bsky.social
A collection of thought-provoking or endearing short fictions that made for excellent reading at meals or before bed. Many stood out to me as memorable, a few lacked substance. Overall, the collection was varied &engaging 7.5/10

💙📚 #booksky #bookish #booklover #fiction #shortstory #flash #anthology
Flash Fiction Forward Edited by James Thomas & Robert Shepard 80 Very Short Stories
June 16, 2026 at 4:20 PM
carambassett.bsky.social
I think around midday, like sometime between 11-2:30, often while snacking on my lunch😊

#junejottings #writingprompts #writingcommunity #writesky #amwriting #authorslife
amritac.bsky.social Amrita C @amritac.bsky.social · Jun 15
Hiya #JuneJottings Day 15!

Writing practice question today. When do you do your best writing? Crack of dawn, burning the night oil, middle of the afternoon, on the commute?

#WritingPrompts #WritingCommunity #AmWriting #WriteSky #WritingPrompt #AuthorsLife
Hiya #JuneJottings Day 15! Writing practice question today. When do you do your best writing? Crack of dawn, burning the night oil, middle of the afternoon, on the commute? #WritingPrompts #WritingCommunity #AmWriting #WriteSky #WritingPrompt #AuthorsLife
June 15, 2026 at 2:09 PM
carambassett.bsky.social
June 12, 2026 at 2:21 PM
carambassett.bsky.social
#gripe #writesky #writingprompts #writingcommunity
Something about the old man’s gait was familiar to Destiny, albeit it was absent of the gripes and groans she would expect.
June 11, 2026 at 12:57 PM
carambassett.bsky.social
I'm trying to stop getting distracted by books and lock in at work but my verification test is sending me mixed signals🤔

💙📚😋
#booksky #booklover #bookish #read #readmore #reading #books #fiction #scifi #fantasy #readers #writingcommunity #readnotreede #stayinschool #haha
Captcha test that says the letters "reeDe"
June 10, 2026 at 2:56 PM
carambassett.bsky.social
An imaginative #alternatehistory #novella following one simple premise: what if cowboys rode hippos? Strikingly fun and left me hungry for more 8.5/10 💙 📚

#booksky #bookish #booklover #cowboy #western #hippo #althist #scifi #queer #lgbtqia #riverofteeth #sarahgailey #audiobook #hoopla #readharder
"Man-eating hippo mayhem is my new favorite mayhem. Gailey's debut is a gift of violent, unexpected glee." -Kevin Hearne River of Teeth Sarah Gailey Read by Peter Berkrot
June 9, 2026 at 1:37 PM
carambassett.bsky.social
This was my 3rd year in a row reading all of the nominees in preparation for the best #novella at the #nebulaawards ! They were such a joy to read, everyone really deserved the praise👏👏👏

💙📚
#booksky #scifi #fantasy #sff #nebula #awards #bookish #booklover #readmore #sfwa #61stnebulas #fiction #read
sfwa.bsky.social Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association @sfwa.bsky.social · Jun 7
Oh the mighty novella! How much we admire your power - especially when we see Nebula Finalist lists like this one. The writers here have built wonderfully rich worlds in tight, potent packages. How many of these novellas have YOU read during Nebula season?

#61stNebulas #SFWA
The Nebula Award for Novella Disgraced Return of the Kap’s Needle, by Renan Bernardo (Dark Matter INK) ★ The River Has Roots, by Amal El-Mohtar (Tordotcom; Arcadia) ★ The Death of Mountains, by Jordan Kurella (Lethe) Automatic Noodle, by Annalee Newitz (Tordotcom) But Not Too Bold, by Hache Pueyo (Tordotcom) “Descent”, by Wole Talabi (Clarkesworld 5/25)
June 8, 2026 at 6:36 PM
Reposted by Cara M Bassett (Author)
magicinprogress.bsky.social
Read these stories and more on Moonlightcovenpublishing.com/magic-in-progress and press the green "Vote Now" button to rank your favorites! #vote #scifistories #scifireaders #supportindieauthors #freereads @carambassett.bsky.social
June 8, 2026 at 6:30 PM
carambassett.bsky.social
In #AGreaterCloseness (which you can #read for FREE this month at Moonlightcovenpublishing.com

The main opposing forces are the Resistance, aka "the Houses," & the Federation

Marco has always been loyal to the Feds, but his confidence is shaken by his sister, Maya

#writesky #juniplex #sff #litmag
June 5, 2026 at 11:19 AM
carambassett.bsky.social
For my shorter wips, I find inspiration from word prompts or paintings. For longer wips, I find myself inspired by dreams or thinking of scenarios in my head and the circumstances that would lead to them ( #POE started as a dream!)

#lgbtqwriteathon #queerwriters #pride #writesky #writingcommunity
June 3, 2026 at 11:11 AM
carambassett.bsky.social
I found this quick #audiobook on #Hoopla and decided to give it a listen in the hopes of learning more about #FridaKahlo
Although it was short, I was impressed by what I was able to learn 5/10

💙📚 #booksky #bookish #biography #booklover #history #icon #artist #art #kahlo #brilliantbio #history #nf
Brilliant Bio Frida Kahlo Narrated by Tyler Perkins
June 2, 2026 at 1:29 PM
carambassett.bsky.social
#ReadingRoundUp for #May! All of my graphs are provided by #storygraph

How many #books did you read in May? Which was your favorite?

💙📚 #booksky #bookish #booklover #reading #readmore #bookreview #reader #fantasy #scifi #history #audiobooks #literature #romance #memoir #autobiography #literacy
June 1, 2026 at 4:49 PM
carambassett.bsky.social
A girl goes missing at a summer camp in 1975, igniting unspoken prejudices and unrighted wrongs, including the buried memories of the missing brother she never knew. Interwoven stories of varying interest, a 5/10 for me 💙📚 #booksky #bookreview #bookish #booklover #mystery #lizmoore #crime #thriller
New York Times bestselling author of Long Bright River The God of the Woods A Novel Liz Moore
May 28, 2026 at 1:40 PM
carambassett.bsky.social
#unknown #wipsnips #writesky #writingcommunity #writingprompt
"You should not fear the unknown. What is done with his life from here is no longer in your hands. Hold your ground."
May 27, 2026 at 12:12 PM
carambassett.bsky.social
This may not be a full trope/anti-trope, but I am a sucker for a bittersweet ending. Both in the stories I read and those I write.

I like when people are happy and sad at the same time in the simple, real-life, inextricable way.
#mememay #writesky #booksky #writingcommunity #bookish #tropes
sagetgreene.bsky.social Sage T. Greene, Author @sagetgreene.bsky.social · May 26
#Mememay 26

Anti-tropes: what are some tropes that you've purposefully avoided in your WIP? OR, are there any tropes that you've put a twist on?
26. Anti-tropes (tropes you've purposely avoided or put a twist?) A prompt game for the month of May, titled #Mememay. Hosted by @sagetgreene.bsky.social . The bottom says "Have fun, interact, and remember alt text!" There is a silly emoji face with wild eyes and tongue sticking out, and some flowers in the corners.
May 26, 2026 at 2:30 PM
carambassett.bsky.social
39 women and 1 young girl wake up in a bunker with rationed resources & no memory of how they got there. After years, they finally get their chance to escape to find a landscape that answers few questions. 9/10 💙📚 #booksky #booklover #bookreview #horror #jacquelineharpman #bookish #surrealism #scifi
I Who Have Never Known Men Jacqueline Harpman Translated by Ron Schwartz
May 22, 2026 at 11:04 AM
carambassett.bsky.social
#thought #writesky #writingprompts #writingcommunity
However, nearly four years ago, she had been the unexpecting recipient of a wayward letter that sparked a secret which she never thought herself capable of keeping.
May 21, 2026 at 10:41 AM
carambassett.bsky.social
My favorite main character opted for a job deep in the mines when given the option of that or fresh desert air.

BUT! He also famously preferred to escape into the desert wasteland rather than face certain capture so🤷

#writesky #writingcommunity #writingprompt #awesomecharacters
charliedeltawrites.bsky.social 💀🫜 Charlie (Chelizabeth) Delta 🦊👻 @charliedeltawrites.bsky.social · May 19
Tell me more about your #AwesomeCharacters

Wow it's hot here today! ☀️

How does your character like to beat the heat?

Hit the beach? Stay indoors where it is air-conditioned? Explore an underground cavern? Ice cream?

#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
May 20, 2026 at 10:34 AM
carambassett.bsky.social
The interwoven story of a modern female #playwright as she uncovers and tells the story of her ancestor- a female playwright who wrote for #shakespeare. At times the emotional scenes felt melodramatic, but overall I enjoyed 6.5/10 💙📚 #booksky #histfic #jodipicoult #bookish #booklover #bookreview
#1 New York Times bestselling author Jodi Picoult A Novel By Any Other Name
May 19, 2026 at 11:14 AM
carambassett.bsky.social
I had heard lots of praise for this book, but I knew nothing about the story. It is a breathtaking historical tale of a fictional movie star's life, the glamorous, the tragic, and the downright ugly. 8/10 💙📚 #booksky #bookish #booklover #bookreview #audiobook #libby #storygraph #lgbtqia #histfic
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo Taylor Jenkins Reid The international bestseller
May 15, 2026 at 11:55 AM
carambassett.bsky.social
A beautiful reimagining of a classic. I read this a couple years ago and gave it a 9/10. I loved it so much, it took me two years to work up the courage to finally read her other novel #Circe (which of course, did not disappoint)
canuhavjoy.bsky.social Joy @canuhavjoy.bsky.social · May 14
No Agenda Book Club
Selection #21
The Song of Achilles
by Madeline Miller

"Those seconds, half seconds, that the line of our gaze connected, were the only moment in my day that I felt anything at all."

#bookclub #booksky #queerbooks
Book cover for The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
May 14, 2026 at 1:23 PM
carambassett.bsky.social
I read this a few years ago as a part of my annual challenge to myself to read every #novella nominee of the #NebulaAwards and really enjoyed it! I gave it an 8/10😁
cozyreading.bsky.social Cozy Reader 🎃📚🐈‍⬛ @cozyreading.bsky.social · May 14
Next up: Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher.

#booksky
Paperback copy of Thornhedge by T Kingfisher laying on a white comforter.
May 14, 2026 at 1:21 PM