Shark Hat
@shark-hat.bsky.social
Grumpy Englishperson. Ex-afper, Toastie, Fluorospherian. Likes sff, mysteries, science, comedy, human rights for all humans.
I went "what! Why didn't I know this!", went to preorder the new book, and found that I had already preordered it, months ago.
@tkingfisher.com has a new White Rat book (Daggerbound) coming out on 8/25, so if you haven't already read Swordheart you might want to pick it up while it's only $2.99.
www.barnesandnoble.com/w/swordheart...
www.barnesandnoble.com/w/swordheart...
Swordheart
Barnes & Noble’s online bookstore for books, NOOK ebooks & magazines. Shop music, movies, toys & games, too. Receive free shipping with your Barnes & Noble Membership.
www.barnesandnoble.com
August 2, 2026 at 11:31 AM
I went "what! Why didn't I know this!", went to preorder the new book, and found that I had already preordered it, months ago.
Reposted by Shark Hat
This book is so great! Paladin who banishes gods back to the spirit realm ends up on a road trip with a woman she doesn’t know is a trickster goddess in disguise. And then oh no, they fall in love! And fight some evil!
Purchase links can be found at linktr.ee/effiecalvin 🌈💜
July 31, 2026 at 9:22 PM
This book is so great! Paladin who banishes gods back to the spirit realm ends up on a road trip with a woman she doesn’t know is a trickster goddess in disguise. And then oh no, they fall in love! And fight some evil!
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Hi, vernacular architectural historian here! So what’s happened here is basically yeah that’s a gate to hell
Found this gate in York. It had a standard lock, plus a padlock and a chain holding it shut. It was very very securely closed. The only thing on the other side is a blank wall. The only conclusion I can make is that this is a magic portal to hell.
July 23, 2026 at 10:04 AM
Hi, vernacular architectural historian here! So what’s happened here is basically yeah that’s a gate to hell
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3. Very few film scripts are composed entirely in Homeric Greek. In fact, I can't think of any. That's a shame, but also understandable. It would be quite unlikely to do well at the box office.
July 14, 2026 at 12:40 PM
3. Very few film scripts are composed entirely in Homeric Greek. In fact, I can't think of any. That's a shame, but also understandable. It would be quite unlikely to do well at the box office.
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Currently trying to compile a list of the Toast canon for someone who has never encountered it before and I feel like the number one post is this: the-toast.net/2014/06/16/f...
July 9, 2026 at 5:47 PM
Currently trying to compile a list of the Toast canon for someone who has never encountered it before and I feel like the number one post is this: the-toast.net/2014/06/16/f...
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Reposted by Shark Hat
"let people enjoy things" well i enjoy rigorous cultural criticism how about that
May 13, 2026 at 4:37 PM
"let people enjoy things" well i enjoy rigorous cultural criticism how about that
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Me, a fantasy novelist drawing on historical sources for world-building, making sure the narrative's central characters have distinct and different names. Actual historical sources for names: everyone's called Michael.
May 10, 2026 at 2:52 PM
Me, a fantasy novelist drawing on historical sources for world-building, making sure the narrative's central characters have distinct and different names. Actual historical sources for names: everyone's called Michael.
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….which depicts an extreme, uncontrolled, predatory world in which unregulated companies rule by might. It literally feels like Cory is a historian explaining how we got to the Murderbot universe from here. /fin
May 9, 2026 at 12:54 AM
….which depicts an extreme, uncontrolled, predatory world in which unregulated companies rule by might. It literally feels like Cory is a historian explaining how we got to the Murderbot universe from here. /fin
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An accidental and astonishing reading juxtaposition: Enshittification (@doctorow.pluralistic.net), which lays out the patterns tech (and other monopolistic) companies use to benefit themselves at the expense of literally everyone else, and Network Effect (@marthawells.com)…. 1/
May 9, 2026 at 12:52 AM
An accidental and astonishing reading juxtaposition: Enshittification (@doctorow.pluralistic.net), which lays out the patterns tech (and other monopolistic) companies use to benefit themselves at the expense of literally everyone else, and Network Effect (@marthawells.com)…. 1/
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It's about as convincing as the people trying to de-anonymize and lock down the whole Internet under government control with a smug little "Ah, but we must protect the children!"
I teach the children daily, fuckers! They don't need internet locks, they need smaller class sizes and larger lunches!
I teach the children daily, fuckers! They don't need internet locks, they need smaller class sizes and larger lunches!
May 5, 2026 at 12:10 PM
It's about as convincing as the people trying to de-anonymize and lock down the whole Internet under government control with a smug little "Ah, but we must protect the children!"
I teach the children daily, fuckers! They don't need internet locks, they need smaller class sizes and larger lunches!
I teach the children daily, fuckers! They don't need internet locks, they need smaller class sizes and larger lunches!
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I thought this felt relatable
April 22, 2026 at 7:37 PM
I thought this felt relatable
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ELVISSHE TECH SUPPORTE:
Has thou tryed turninge thy computir off and then restartinge it undir a brighte colde moon yn a sharp green glade yn spring to the sounde of harpes?
Has thou tryed turninge thy computir off and then restartinge it undir a brighte colde moon yn a sharp green glade yn spring to the sounde of harpes?
March 13, 2026 at 3:14 AM
ELVISSHE TECH SUPPORTE:
Has thou tryed turninge thy computir off and then restartinge it undir a brighte colde moon yn a sharp green glade yn spring to the sounde of harpes?
Has thou tryed turninge thy computir off and then restartinge it undir a brighte colde moon yn a sharp green glade yn spring to the sounde of harpes?
Reposted by Shark Hat
#SomethingBeautiful the shops on the Ponte Vecchio when they're looking all closed up and medieval, shop as casket.
March 14, 2026 at 6:46 AM
#SomethingBeautiful the shops on the Ponte Vecchio when they're looking all closed up and medieval, shop as casket.
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The incredible women of Paralympics GB 🔥
Find out more about the Paralympics, including when and where to watch and who to look out for: https://womeninsport.org/news/2026-winter-paralympics-everything-you-need-to-know/
#WinterParalympics #MilanoCortina #WomensSports #DisabilitySport
Find out more about the Paralympics, including when and where to watch and who to look out for: https://womeninsport.org/news/2026-winter-paralympics-everything-you-need-to-know/
#WinterParalympics #MilanoCortina #WomensSports #DisabilitySport
March 6, 2026 at 8:00 AM
The incredible women of Paralympics GB 🔥
Find out more about the Paralympics, including when and where to watch and who to look out for: https://womeninsport.org/news/2026-winter-paralympics-everything-you-need-to-know/
#WinterParalympics #MilanoCortina #WomensSports #DisabilitySport
Find out more about the Paralympics, including when and where to watch and who to look out for: https://womeninsport.org/news/2026-winter-paralympics-everything-you-need-to-know/
#WinterParalympics #MilanoCortina #WomensSports #DisabilitySport
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#fabulamurina (mouse story) 491
hodie diēs librorum orbis terrarum est (Today is World Book Day). Silvius simulat personam e libro esse - eruca ieiunissima est! (Silvius is pretending to be a character from a book - he is The Very Hungry Caterpillar!)
#WorldBookDay
hodie diēs librorum orbis terrarum est (Today is World Book Day). Silvius simulat personam e libro esse - eruca ieiunissima est! (Silvius is pretending to be a character from a book - he is The Very Hungry Caterpillar!)
#WorldBookDay
March 5, 2026 at 9:32 AM
#fabulamurina (mouse story) 491
hodie diēs librorum orbis terrarum est (Today is World Book Day). Silvius simulat personam e libro esse - eruca ieiunissima est! (Silvius is pretending to be a character from a book - he is The Very Hungry Caterpillar!)
#WorldBookDay
hodie diēs librorum orbis terrarum est (Today is World Book Day). Silvius simulat personam e libro esse - eruca ieiunissima est! (Silvius is pretending to be a character from a book - he is The Very Hungry Caterpillar!)
#WorldBookDay
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In my occasional series titled Things You Didn't Know about Sikhs, pretty much all the parmesan you get from Italy is made by Sikhs...
How Sikh farmers saved Parmesan in Italy
When you sprinkle Parmesan on your pasta, you probably imagine rustic Italian farmers and centuries-old family traditions. But did you know that Parmesan cheese
www.masalathai.com
February 13, 2026 at 1:17 PM
In my occasional series titled Things You Didn't Know about Sikhs, pretty much all the parmesan you get from Italy is made by Sikhs...
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Back in the Doctor Who New Adventures days, the guidelines said not to put the Daleks in your novel pitch, because Virgin didn't have the rights and so COULDN'T use them. Loads of hopeful writers stuck them in anyway. Coldly put, it meant less competition for everyone else!
I've been to so many cons where agents and publishers say their top tip is "read the submission guidelines", and I was always like, surely not, surely that's table stakes, like... and y'all, I'm here to say-read the submission guidelines! Wow. Number one reason for an instant no has been this.
February 5, 2026 at 5:21 AM
Back in the Doctor Who New Adventures days, the guidelines said not to put the Daleks in your novel pitch, because Virgin didn't have the rights and so COULDN'T use them. Loads of hopeful writers stuck them in anyway. Coldly put, it meant less competition for everyone else!
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It makes me utterly furious that all the ruin and waste caused by austerity is left for others to try and clean up, so many years later, but that also it can't repair all that was was broken.
Eg this money can never re-open my local library, whose building was taken over for other purposes.
Eg this money can never re-open my local library, whose building was taken over for other purposes.
The government has pledged £27.5m to the Libraries Improvement Fund as part of a £1.5bn package to be invested in cultural organisations over a five-year period 👇 #BookSky
Government pledges £27.5m to Libraries Improvement Fund as part of £1.5bn package
ebx.sh
January 22, 2026 at 2:05 PM
It makes me utterly furious that all the ruin and waste caused by austerity is left for others to try and clean up, so many years later, but that also it can't repair all that was was broken.
Eg this money can never re-open my local library, whose building was taken over for other purposes.
Eg this money can never re-open my local library, whose building was taken over for other purposes.
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I fear that as a society we have learned the wrong lessons from soap operas, we have taught ourselves to explain everything three times because the viewer probably walked away to change loads of laundry, but we have not taught ourselves the important art of Evil Twin–Maxxing
January 21, 2026 at 9:39 PM
I fear that as a society we have learned the wrong lessons from soap operas, we have taught ourselves to explain everything three times because the viewer probably walked away to change loads of laundry, but we have not taught ourselves the important art of Evil Twin–Maxxing
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I absolutely love this series--detective mystery with magic, ongoing romance set in a matriarchal fantasy city, beautifully imagined. If you haven't read them, treat yourself!
#Booksky We’re releasing an omnibus tomorrow 12/15! Get all 6 Astreiant books by Melissa Scott and Lisa A. Barnett in one glorious ebook edition. Astreiant is also eligible for the Best Series Hugo this year! queenofswordspress.com/product/comp...
December 17, 2025 at 1:59 PM
I absolutely love this series--detective mystery with magic, ongoing romance set in a matriarchal fantasy city, beautifully imagined. If you haven't read them, treat yourself!
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Great thread; both for the idioms, and also because it's just really fascinating to get glimpses into historical lives through letters.
Clay letters from ancient Mesopotamia are alive with idiom, sayings, and everyday language that I love.
Here are just a few random ones so you can enjoy them too.
Here are just a few random ones so you can enjoy them too.
December 17, 2025 at 3:51 PM
Great thread; both for the idioms, and also because it's just really fascinating to get glimpses into historical lives through letters.
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I'm the king of kings
I'm not the king of kings
but I'm the wreckage of a king
but really I'm not actually a king
but I am...
Shattered visage in the desert by the stone legs
wrinkles its lip at you.
See my works, ye mighty, and despair!
I'm not the king of kings
but I'm the wreckage of a king
but really I'm not actually a king
but I am...
Shattered visage in the desert by the stone legs
wrinkles its lip at you.
See my works, ye mighty, and despair!
October 31, 2025 at 12:34 PM
I'm the king of kings
I'm not the king of kings
but I'm the wreckage of a king
but really I'm not actually a king
but I am...
Shattered visage in the desert by the stone legs
wrinkles its lip at you.
See my works, ye mighty, and despair!
I'm not the king of kings
but I'm the wreckage of a king
but really I'm not actually a king
but I am...
Shattered visage in the desert by the stone legs
wrinkles its lip at you.
See my works, ye mighty, and despair!
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Making lace on the train.
October 26, 2025 at 9:12 AM
Making lace on the train.
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My favourite stretch of the Antonine Wall, the Roman frontier in Scotland, can be found at Dullatur. Here the Wall's enormous ditch is remarkably well preserved, tangible evidence of the impressive scale of this 38-mile-long monument.
#RomanSiteSaturday
#RomanSiteSaturday
October 25, 2025 at 7:53 AM
My favourite stretch of the Antonine Wall, the Roman frontier in Scotland, can be found at Dullatur. Here the Wall's enormous ditch is remarkably well preserved, tangible evidence of the impressive scale of this 38-mile-long monument.
#RomanSiteSaturday
#RomanSiteSaturday