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Search results for tag #books

[?]Kris Bock Romance/Mystery » 🌐
@KrisBock@mastodon.social

Felony Melanie in Pageant Pandemonium is on sale for 2.99 in the US, Canada, Britain, Australia, Europe (local currency).

Meet teen “Felony Melanie” years before the movie Sweet Home Alabama in this laugh-out-loud romantic comedy series. Follow the crazy antics of Melanie, Jake, and their friends as teens.

Readers say:
“Fun loving, laugh out loud read!!!!”
“Such a fun book! If you enjoyed Sweet Home Alabama this will be a treat.”

storyoriginapp.com/collections

Text says “There’d be hell to pay tomorrow, but that was tomorrow’s problem.” The background contains images of a tiara, a cowboy boot, a water tower, a small town and the big city, and a denim jacket.

Alt...Text says “There’d be hell to pay tomorrow, but that was tomorrow’s problem.” The background contains images of a tiara, a cowboy boot, a water tower, a small town and the big city, and a denim jacket.

    [?]🐝🐝🐝 » 🌐
    @sampler@freebeerextremist.com

    remembrance of earth's past
    (3 body problem, the dark forest, death's end)

    finished this series and whoo it's a nice one

    each novel manages to change the focus and puzzles while expanding in scale and scope. i'd give it a solid 9/10 , very depressing but well structured

    #scifi #books
    image.png

      [?]Jon 🇨🇦🇵🇹 » 🌐
      @SamuraiSakura@mastodon.bsd.cafe

      Thought I would start a new book to read. It was recommended to me by a friend who is mid through the series. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dungeon_

        [?]Sarah J Hoodlet » 🌐
        @SJHoodlet@writing.exchange

        ❗️ US Kindle Sale Alert ❗️

        To celebrate my birthday (and to help me meet my monthly goal), I’ve put EVERY book in The Way of the Wielder series on sale.

        That’s right! Now through May 25th, get each book for just $1.99. Don’t wait—prices increases to $2.99 after that.

        Start with The Way of the Wielder (book one) and binge the series today.

        ~print and KU options also available, but not part of the sale~

        a.co/d/089WOPXW

        A graphic showing each of the four books in The Way of the Wielder series (left to right, books one through four).

        Alt...A graphic showing each of the four books in The Way of the Wielder series (left to right, books one through four).

          [?]Mark Coggins » 🌐
          @coggins@mastodon.social

          Coming in July from Starlite Pulp! A great lineup of authors--how did I get included?!

          My story is titled "Liverjack," and as you might guess, is about a liver transplant operation that goes terribly wrong.

          Keep an eye peeled for it here:

          starlitepulp.com/shop?Category

          @bookstodon

          Preview cover of Starlite Pulp #8, listing the 13 authors included.

          Alt...Preview cover of Starlite Pulp #8, listing the 13 authors included.

            [?]palimpseste_bot » 🤖 🌐
            @palimpsestebot@mastodon.social

            ...

            No trump tells thy virtues--the grave where they rest
            With thy dust shall remain unpolluted by fame,
            Till thy foes, by the world and by fortune caressed,
            Shall pass like a mist from the light of thy name.

            When the storm-cloud that lowers o'er the day-beam is gone,
            Unchanged, unextinguished its life-spring will shine;
            When Erin has ceased with their memory…

            — Percy Bysshe Shelley
            palimpseste.vercel.app/#text/f

              [?]Ken Everett (Ken's Blogspot) » 🌐
              @kensbookinfo@mastodon.social

              The Most Read on Goodreads This Week -
              kensbookinfo.blogspot.com/p/us

              Upcoming ’s Retreat -
              kensbookinfo.blogspot.com/p/ir

              Nato chief welcomes sending 5,000 troops to -
              kensbookinfo.blogspot.com/p/et

              PM Carney says Alberta ‘essential’ to , as separatist -
              kensbookinfo.blogspot.com/p/ci

              Fragrant spring mini meadow blooms in ’s concrete -
              kensbookinfo.blogspot.com/p/yo

              View all news from Cities in the US kensbookinfo.blogspot.com/2026

                [?]palimpseste_bot » 🤖 🌐
                @palimpsestebot@mastodon.social

                TITLE I.edit
                Of Meliot the story is here silent, and saith that King Arthur and Messire Gawain have ridden so far that they are come into the Isle of Avalon, there where the Queen lieth. They lodge the night with the hermits, that made them right great cheer. But you may well say that the King is no whit joyful when he seeth the coffin where the…

                — The High History of the Holy Graal
                palimpseste.vercel.app/#text/5

                  [?]Dorota » 🌐
                  @LadyMaverick@dragonscave.space

                  📚 My current reading rotation is just absolute whiplash.
                  One week I’m navigating a desolate, ruined world where humanity is hanging by a thread. The next week I’m trapped in a high-stakes psychological thriller trying to figure out which character is the murderer.
                  There is no middle ground. Just grit, dread, and plot twists.
                  Anyone else constantly bouncing between post-apocalyptic survival and intense thrillers? What are you reading right now to keep your adrenaline up? 👇

                    [?]Underground Bookshelf » 🌐
                    @undergroundbookshelf@mastodon.social

                    This week on Underground Bookshelf:

                    Resource: Fiction Books About ICE, Deportation, and Undocumented Immigration
                    Free Story: "The Nightmare" (Chapter 8)

                    Kids' Corner
                    Read-along: Women Who Broke the Rules: Sonia Sotomayor (Chapter 2)
                    Books for Children that Center Homelessness
                    YA Books About ICE, Deportation and Immigration in the United States

                    underground-bookshelf.com/

                      [?]Science Fiction Books » 🌐
                      @SciFi@bookstodon.com

                      @newyorktimes WHAT IS TIME?! - WE ARE LIVING IN PERPENDICULAR TIMES - Time Waves come in at right angles - A New Reality - Pls Retweet-RePost-Review - Amazon.com

                        [?]Libraries » 🤖 🌐
                        @libraries@stefanbohacek.online

                        Carnegie Public Library, National Registered Historic Place located in Havre, Montana.

                        en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnegie

                        A photo of or from a library from the linked website, overlaid on a cropped world map where it's located.

                        Alt...A photo of or from a library from the linked website, overlaid on a cropped world map where it's located.

                          [?]Underground Bookshelf » 🌐
                          @undergroundbookshelf@mastodon.social

                          What's the best writing feedback you've ever gotten? I have a couple manuscripts out with beta readers at the moment, so I'm curious what kind of insights other writers have benefited most from...

                            [?]Nicolette Olivier » 🌐
                            @nicoletteolivier@mastodon.social

                            *A book group shares a smut scene*

                            Me: does it still count if you read it in the Sling Blade voice??

                              [?]Timo Kissel » 🌐
                              @timokissel@mastodon.world

                              "Most writers manage to include zero made-up quotes when they write a book"

                              I have a heuristic that I ignore any with titles that follow the template of two words/sentences separated by a colon (like in this case).

                              Hasn't failed me so far 🤷‍♂️

                              arstechnica.com/ai/2026/05/ai-

                                [?]Isobel necessary on a bicycle? » 🌐
                                @IsobelLynn@writing.exchange

                                Related to my recent boost about book-club scams: Here's the email I received yesterday from my website's contact form. It just reeks of AI, IMO. 😝

                                In case you were wondering, no, I did not reply or give them money. And, yes, I did report the message.

                                Hope it gives you a chuckle anyway. Be careful out there, friends.

                                PS—I do believe this is a real book club, BTW, but I do not believe this message is from them.

                                Sent via form submission from Isobel Lynn Name: Louise H Email: info.leamingtonspabookclub@gmail.com Message: Hi Isobel, I’m Louise H, the organizer of the Leamington Spa Book Club, a socially driven community of readers who gather regularly to explore books that spark reflection, personal growth, and thoughtful conversation across genres. I recently came across *Godhunter (A Tyranny of Angels Book 1)* and was deeply drawn to its powerful title, dark fantasy atmosphere, and exploration of divinity, rebellion, power, and the moral complexities of confronting forces that shape destiny and belief. Our members are especially interested in books that combine immersive speculative storytelling with meaningful themes around resilience, identity, sacrifice, justice, and the emotional struggle between duty, freedom, and survival. We’d love to feature *Godhunter (A Tyranny of Angels Book 1)* with our group at an upcoming meetup. A feature includes a dedicated spotlight during the meeting, guided discussion prompts, and promotion to an engaged community of readers who value meaningful conversation and discovering thoughtful new books. Would you be interested in having *Godhunter (A Tyranny of Angels Book 1)* featured with the Leamington Spa Book Club? Warmly, Louise H Manage Submissions Does this submission look like spam? Report it here.

                                Alt...Sent via form submission from Isobel Lynn Name: Louise H Email: info.leamingtonspabookclub@gmail.com Message: Hi Isobel, I’m Louise H, the organizer of the Leamington Spa Book Club, a socially driven community of readers who gather regularly to explore books that spark reflection, personal growth, and thoughtful conversation across genres. I recently came across *Godhunter (A Tyranny of Angels Book 1)* and was deeply drawn to its powerful title, dark fantasy atmosphere, and exploration of divinity, rebellion, power, and the moral complexities of confronting forces that shape destiny and belief. Our members are especially interested in books that combine immersive speculative storytelling with meaningful themes around resilience, identity, sacrifice, justice, and the emotional struggle between duty, freedom, and survival. We’d love to feature *Godhunter (A Tyranny of Angels Book 1)* with our group at an upcoming meetup. A feature includes a dedicated spotlight during the meeting, guided discussion prompts, and promotion to an engaged community of readers who value meaningful conversation and discovering thoughtful new books. Would you be interested in having *Godhunter (A Tyranny of Angels Book 1)* featured with the Leamington Spa Book Club? Warmly, Louise H Manage Submissions Does this submission look like spam? Report it here.

                                  [?]RJT » 🌐
                                  @many@subconscioussignature.earth

                                  to me the failed city
                                  subspacewagon.systems/to-me-th

                                  Her stone horses of law and reclamation
                                  subspacewagon.systems/her-ston

                                  _____
                                  archive.org/search?query=creat
                                  subspacewagon.io
                                  selections.directory
                                  _____

                                  @poetry
                                  @writingcommunity

                                    [?]Celebrity » 🌐
                                    @celebrity@mas.to

                                    『PRODUCE 101 JAPAN 新世界』コンセプト評価のオリジナル楽曲5曲が配信リリース（Billboard JAPAN）

                                    サバイバルオーディション番組『PRODUCE 101 JAPAN』の第4弾『PRODUCE 101 JAPAN 新世界』より、コンセプト評価のオリジナル楽曲5曲が配信リリースされた。 その他の画像 　今回のコンセプト評 [...]

                                    magmoe.com/2987178/entertainme

                                      [?]Adamas Nemesis » 🌐
                                      @adamasnemesis@social.adamasnemesis.com

                                      A novel-length dispatch from a futuristic elseworld at the junction of country music, utopia, adventure, and sheer gothic atmosphere.

                                      Read it all at my : adamasnemesis.com/2026/05/22/o

                                        Lazarou Monkey Terror 🚀💙🌈 boosted

                                        [?]Nick East (Indie Writer) » 🌐
                                        @NickEast_IndieWriter@mastodon.art

                                        Reading is an act of rebellion whether it's legal or not 😁

                                        @reading @bookstodon @books @humor@fedigroups.social @humor@lemmy.world @aiop




                                        Drawn image of a woman carrying a stack of books with '1984' falling of the top. Caption: READ! While it is still legal.

                                        Alt...Drawn image of a woman carrying a stack of books with '1984' falling of the top. Caption: READ! While it is still legal.

                                          [?]palimpseste_bot » 🤖 🌐
                                          @palimpsestebot@mastodon.social

                                          When Faith and Love, which parted from thee never,
                                          Had ripened thy just soul to dwell with God,
                                          Meekly thou didst resign this earthly load
                                          Of death, called life, which us from life doth sever.
                                          Thy works, and alms, and all thy good endeavour,
                                          Stayed not behind, nor in the grave were trod;
                                          But, as Faith pointed with her golden rod,
                                          Followed thee up to joy and…

                                          — John Milton
                                          palimpseste.vercel.app/#text/6

                                            [?]palimpseste_bot » 🤖 🌐
                                            @palimpsestebot@mastodon.social

                                            "I suppose you will both laugh and cry over Alice's letter. At first I thought of suppressing it. But it gives you such a graphic picture of the whole scene that I shall let it go. It is well that I had the excuse of the surprise for my behavior, but I myself doubt very much if I should have done any better, had I been prepared for their coming.

                                            — Helen Hunt Jackson
                                            palimpseste.vercel.app/#text/1

                                              [?]Walt » 🌐
                                              @astralcomputing@bookstodon.com

                                              Weird Tales vol VII number 6 (June 1926) - featured story: The Foot Fetish by Howard R. Marsh



                                              @books @scifi @Scifiart @sciencefiction

                                              astralcomputing.com

                                              Art by E. M. Stevenson

                                              Weird Tales vol VII number 6 (June 1926) - featured story: The Foot Fetish by Howard R. Marsh. Cover illustration by E. M. Stevenson. The magazine cover features a thick, bright red border enclosing a central illustration. At the top, the title "Weird Tales" is printed in large, white block letters with black outlines. Underneath, the subtitle "The Unique Magazine" is in black cursive. The main illustration depicts a dramatic, dimly lit scene. In the foreground, a pale woman with long dark hair lies flat on her back on a yellow mattress. Her eyes are closed, and she wears a gown with red, blue, and yellow patterns. A man in a green tunic with orange details leans over her, touching her arm. Behind them, a chaotic struggle unfolds. A man in a white shirt chokes another man whose head is thrown back. To the left, a man in a blue uniform and peaked cap points a pistol into the scene. In the background, a dark silhouette stands with raised hands. On the right wall, a menacing, green-hued face is visible, with blue smoke rising from a small lamp below it. The lighting is low and theatrical, casting high-contrast highlights on the white shirt and the woman. At the bottom left, "June 1926" and "25¢" are printed in black. The bottom margin reads "Don't Miss SPIDER-BITE, by Robert S. Carr, in This Issue" in white. The left margin contains vertical text: "JUNE, 1926", "WEIRD TALES", "Printed in U.S.A.", and "Vol. VII, No. 6—25c".

                                              Alt...Weird Tales vol VII number 6 (June 1926) - featured story: The Foot Fetish by Howard R. Marsh. Cover illustration by E. M. Stevenson. The magazine cover features a thick, bright red border enclosing a central illustration. At the top, the title "Weird Tales" is printed in large, white block letters with black outlines. Underneath, the subtitle "The Unique Magazine" is in black cursive. The main illustration depicts a dramatic, dimly lit scene. In the foreground, a pale woman with long dark hair lies flat on her back on a yellow mattress. Her eyes are closed, and she wears a gown with red, blue, and yellow patterns. A man in a green tunic with orange details leans over her, touching her arm. Behind them, a chaotic struggle unfolds. A man in a white shirt chokes another man whose head is thrown back. To the left, a man in a blue uniform and peaked cap points a pistol into the scene. In the background, a dark silhouette stands with raised hands. On the right wall, a menacing, green-hued face is visible, with blue smoke rising from a small lamp below it. The lighting is low and theatrical, casting high-contrast highlights on the white shirt and the woman. At the bottom left, "June 1926" and "25¢" are printed in black. The bottom margin reads "Don't Miss SPIDER-BITE, by Robert S. Carr, in This Issue" in white. The left margin contains vertical text: "JUNE, 1926", "WEIRD TALES", "Printed in U.S.A.", and "Vol. VII, No. 6—25c".

                                                [?]Bradley Bravard » 🌐
                                                @bradleybravard@mastodon.social

                                                "We live in times of terrible confusion. We do not know that which is necessary to know, and we know that which we should ignore."

                                                -Les Miserables by Victor Hugo

                                                Hardcover edition of the novel Les Miserables by Victor Hugo on a table next to a soft drink in a plastic cup and a chocolate cookie on a blue plate

                                                Alt...Hardcover edition of the novel Les Miserables by Victor Hugo on a table next to a soft drink in a plastic cup and a chocolate cookie on a blue plate

                                                  [?]irish_smith » 🌐
                                                  @irish_smith@mastodon.social

                                                  Dark Prairie: Historical Fiction that Resonates

                                                  A quieter approach to historical fiction can sometimes make a setting feel more believable. Dark Prairie explores isolation, survival, and moral tension through a restrained frontier atmosphere rather than romanticized adventure.

                                                  Additional context appears at:
                                                  lonesomeaugustine.com/dark-pra

                                                    [?]The Vulgar Tongue » 🤖 🌐
                                                    @TheVulgarTongue@zirk.us

                                                    RIBBIN. Money. The ribbin runs thick; i.e. there is plenty of money. CANT. Blue ribbin. Gin. The cull lushes the blue ribbin; the silly fellow drinks common gin.

                                                    A selection from Francis Grose’s “Dictionary Of The Vulgar Tongue” (1785)

                                                    --
                                                    @histodons

                                                    Image imitating a page from an old document, text (as in main toot): RIBBIN. Money. The ribbin runs thick; i.e. there is plenty of money. CANT. Blue ribbin. Gin. The cull lushes the blue ribbin; the silly fellow drinks common gin. A selection from Francis Grose’s “Dictionary Of The Vulgar Tongue” (1785)

                                                    Alt...Image imitating a page from an old document, text (as in main toot): RIBBIN. Money. The ribbin runs thick; i.e. there is plenty of money. CANT. Blue ribbin. Gin. The cull lushes the blue ribbin; the silly fellow drinks common gin. A selection from Francis Grose’s “Dictionary Of The Vulgar Tongue” (1785)

                                                      [?]Walt » 🌐
                                                      @astralcomputing@bookstodon.com

                                                      Born this day: 05/22/1968
                                                      Paul Melko (born May 22, 1968) is an American science fiction writer whose work has appeared in Realms of Fantasy, Asimov's Science Fiction, Strange Horizons, and Live Without a Net. Won the Locus Award (2009) for Best First Novel for Singularity's Ring.

                                                      en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Mel


                                                      @books @scifi @Scifiart @sciencefiction

                                                      astralcomputing.com

                                                      Art by Daniel Dociu

                                                      Book cover for "Singularity's Ring" by Paul Melko, featuring art by Daniel Dociu. The composition is divided between a massive, intricate technological megastructure on the left and outer space on the right. This mechanical structure dominates the left two-thirds of the image, appearing as a dense, vertical wall of blocky, multi-layered architectural details. The surface is heavily distressed and complex, rendered in metallic shades of gold, bronze, ochre, dark brown, and black, suggesting a weathered, industrial exterior with numerous geometric protrusions, recesses, and openings. Near the lower center of this structure, a white and black circular wheel-like component is visible. On the upper right, a partial view of Planet Earth is visible against the dark backdrop of space, showing blue oceans, swirling white clouds, and green and tan landmasses. Below Earth, thin vertical cables or spires extend downward through a dark void toward a shadowed base. Across the middle of the cover sits a prominent rectangular text box with a dark gray background and a thin orange border. Inside the box, the title "SINGULARITY'S RING" is printed in a bold, blocky, lime-green sans-serif font across two lines. To the right of "RING," the author's name "PAUL MELKO" appears in a white, all-caps serif font. In the bottom right corner, a white logo features a stylized letter 'S' encircled by a ring, next to the text "Sci Fi" and the phrase "A SCI FI ESSENTIAL BOOK" in small capital letters.

                                                      Alt...Book cover for "Singularity's Ring" by Paul Melko, featuring art by Daniel Dociu. The composition is divided between a massive, intricate technological megastructure on the left and outer space on the right. This mechanical structure dominates the left two-thirds of the image, appearing as a dense, vertical wall of blocky, multi-layered architectural details. The surface is heavily distressed and complex, rendered in metallic shades of gold, bronze, ochre, dark brown, and black, suggesting a weathered, industrial exterior with numerous geometric protrusions, recesses, and openings. Near the lower center of this structure, a white and black circular wheel-like component is visible. On the upper right, a partial view of Planet Earth is visible against the dark backdrop of space, showing blue oceans, swirling white clouds, and green and tan landmasses. Below Earth, thin vertical cables or spires extend downward through a dark void toward a shadowed base. Across the middle of the cover sits a prominent rectangular text box with a dark gray background and a thin orange border. Inside the box, the title "SINGULARITY'S RING" is printed in a bold, blocky, lime-green sans-serif font across two lines. To the right of "RING," the author's name "PAUL MELKO" appears in a white, all-caps serif font. In the bottom right corner, a white logo features a stylized letter 'S' encircled by a ring, next to the text "Sci Fi" and the phrase "A SCI FI ESSENTIAL BOOK" in small capital letters.

                                                        [?]Project Gutenberg » 🌐
                                                        @gutenberg_org@mastodon.social

                                                        The Bayeux Tapestry tells only the winner’s story – but the other side can be found in old English texts

                                                        The story of the losers is full of meaningful silences and William of Normandy’s terror.

                                                        by Catherine Clarke

                                                        theconversation.com/the-bayeux

                                                        Bayeux tapestry at PG:
                                                        gutenberg.org/ebooks/subject/4

                                                        THE BAYEUX TAPESTRY ELUCIDATED. BY REV. JOHN COLLINGWOOD BRUCE, LL.D., F.S.A., Plate I. Top panel shows: A enthroned figure on the left (likely King Edward the Confessor) gesturing to figures before him Latin inscription referencing "Anglorum" (of the English) and "milites" (soldiers/knights) Mounted knights and hunting dogs racing to the right — possibly Harold's journey to Normandy Bottom panel shows: The label "ECCLESIA" on the left, with a church building The inscription "HIC HAROLD MARE NAVIGAVIT" — "Here Harold sailed the sea" A longship with oarsmen navigating waves, accompanied by figures on shore Wind-filled sails and stylized waves typical of the tapestry's distinctive style https://www.gutenberg.org/files/55614/55614-h/55614-h.htm

                                                        Alt...THE BAYEUX TAPESTRY ELUCIDATED. BY REV. JOHN COLLINGWOOD BRUCE, LL.D., F.S.A., Plate I. Top panel shows: A enthroned figure on the left (likely King Edward the Confessor) gesturing to figures before him Latin inscription referencing "Anglorum" (of the English) and "milites" (soldiers/knights) Mounted knights and hunting dogs racing to the right — possibly Harold's journey to Normandy Bottom panel shows: The label "ECCLESIA" on the left, with a church building The inscription "HIC HAROLD MARE NAVIGAVIT" — "Here Harold sailed the sea" A longship with oarsmen navigating waves, accompanied by figures on shore Wind-filled sails and stylized waves typical of the tapestry's distinctive style https://www.gutenberg.org/files/55614/55614-h/55614-h.htm

                                                          [?]RJT » 🌐
                                                          @many@subconscioussignature.earth

                                                          Algol, Part III
                                                          archive.org/details/algol-part

                                                          letters.directory

                                                          to me the failed city
                                                          subspacewagon.systems/to-me-th

                                                          irenic milk ritual under occupation
                                                          subspacewagon.systems/irenic-m

                                                          @poetry
                                                          @writingcommunity

                                                            [?]RJT » 🌐
                                                            @many@subconscioussignature.earth

                                                            Paraphrasing God’s Copse

                                                            subspacewagon.systems/paraphra

                                                            ____
                                                            archive.org/search?query=creat
                                                            subspacewagon.io
                                                            letters.directory
                                                            violencestudies.com
                                                            selections.directory
                                                            ____

                                                            @poetry
                                                            @writingcommunity

                                                              [?]Book Corners » 🤖 🌐
                                                              @bookcorners@mastodon.social

                                                              Rue du Sougey

                                                              📍 Bresse Vallons, France

                                                              bookcorners.org/library/bresse

                                                              Small gray community book exchange box on a post, with books visible behind a glass door, set among shrubs outdoors.

                                                              Alt...Small gray community book exchange box on a post, with books visible behind a glass door, set among shrubs outdoors.

                                                                [?]Jeannie Maegenwylf » 🌐
                                                                @wellofwhispers@social.lol

                                                                Black clothes? Excellent. Dramatic playlists? Essential. Tiny silver moon accessories? Mandatory. 🖤 World Goth Day is the perfect excuse to romanticize rainy weather, reread spooky novels, and admire the beauty of the delightfully mysterious. Stay dark, stay poetic, and keep the eyeliner sharp. 🌙

                                                                  [?]palimpseste_bot » 🤖 🌐
                                                                  @palimpsestebot@mastodon.social

                                                                  Our present Poet Laureat, a Person of great Probity of Manners, Learning, and good Nature: His Birth and Education (as I have been told) he owes to the Kingdom of Ireland: He has, for several Years, had the Patronage of the present Earl of Dorset, and has Merit to deserve more than he has met with from others: He is guilty of Modesty, of which few of his…

                                                                  — Gerard Langbaine
                                                                  palimpseste.vercel.app/#text/2

                                                                    [?]ROSE COVERED GLASSES » 🌐
                                                                    @rosecoveredglasses.wordpress.com@rosecoveredglasses.wordpress.com

                                                                    What Small Business Needs to Know About SAM Contract Opportunities

                                                                    “SMALLTOFEDS” By Ken Larson

                                                                    “Strategic guidance on The System for Award Management and factors for using it in small business marketing to government agencies and prime contractors.”

                                                                    __________________________________________________________________________________________________

                                                                    “A PUBLIC DOMAIN ACQUISITIONS BULLETIN BOARD

                                                                    Established as the public announcement vehicle for federal procurement, SAM Contract Opportunities is a web-based, “Public Announcement Bulletin Board” to satisfy fairness in government contracting laws mandated by US law. It is a terrific market research tool and an absolute necessity once a solicitation has gone formal to stay abreast of modifications, changes in proposal due dates, questions and answers and other necessary information that contracting officers are required to make public.

                                                                    WHAT ANNOUNCEMENTS MEAN

                                                                    SAM Contract Opportunities is the mandated posting point for contracting officers in all federal agencies. It is also the required notification point for GSA schedule solicitations, contract award announcements of all types and other information that is required by law for communication to the public in a fair and open manner regarding federal government procurement of supplies and services. The site contains “Sources Sought” and bidders conference notices, government requests for industry comment on draft RFP’s and formally published solicitations with proposal due dates. 

                                                                    A solicitation posted at SAM Contract Opportunities  generally means that a procurement has received funding and the contracting officer has been authorized to start the source selection process.

                                                                    Often misunderstood, is that much has occurred in the way of marketing activities by companies in advance of notices formally published by the government on SAM Contract Opportunities. By the time the formal, solicitation is published it is too late to market for setting a procurement aside for a small business designation if it has not already been established as such. In addition, formal solicitation publication closes the window on self-marketing by HUB Zone and 8(a) firms for set asides to them individually without competition. In short, businesses have been marketing for the requirement long before it became formally announced at SAM Contract Opportunities.

                                                                    Finding a solicitation that is ideal for your company for the first time on SAM Contract Opportunities is excellent market research insight into what the agency publishing the requirement is buying. However, a careful bid/no bid analysis should be conducted as to whether it is prudent to go through the expense of a proposal if the opportunity has not been a new business target for your firm earlier in the game. Please see the following article on completing a bid/no bid analysis:

                                                                    Small Business Federal Government Contracting Proposal Preparation

                                                                    NAVIGATING THE SITE

                                                                    Start by registering at SAM. Many of the features available to users are not accessible without a registration. Begin some careful searches by key words into agency solicitations that could use your products and services. 

                                                                    The data base is huge and it is best to move from specific key word selections to the more general with experience to avoid being inundated with meaningless solicitations. 

                                                                    As you examine the solicitations, see who has indicated an interest in bidding them among your competitors and the primes you are pursuing and then target such projects for participation by your firm either as a prime yourself or as a subcontractor. Pay particular attention to “Sources Sought”, Draft RFP “Request for Industry Comments” and similar announcements that indicate an early requirement taking shape.

                                                                    For active solicitations that you wish to monitor, check receive updates and announcements by email. Once the solicitation reaches the formal RFP stage and a due data for a proposal has been established, if you have decided to bid the job the “Follow” feature is especially critical.

                                                                    If there is a bidders conference and you intend to bid the job, make plans to attend. When questions are solicited you may ask them but remember that your question and its associated answer will be published by the government so be careful not to educate your competition to your win strategy in the process.

                                                                    You do not have to indicate you are interested in bidding the job by registering as an “Interested Vendor” in order to bid a solicitation. Some companies prefer not to advertise their bid intentions, seeking to avoid competitors modeling their firm.

                                                                    A MARKET RESEARCH SOURCE

                                                                    If you are new to federal government contracting and wish to determine the best market for your supplies and services, observing what a given agency is buying on SAM Contract Opportunities is a key factor.

                                                                    Keep in mind that the decision makers in government contracting are the technical managers and process people behind the scenes in an organization (either government agency or large company). They have the budget authority, program responsibility and accountability. These people pass their decisions on to buyers and contracting officers via signed requisitions. Buyers and contracting officers are really no more than gate keeping staff members, knowledgeable in legalities, terms and conditions and who sign on behalf of the agency or company AFTER an internal review by the executives who have technical and management responsibility.

                                                                    Thus your real marketing targets are behind the gatekeepers and little is achieved by marketing to a contracting officer or buyer. This rule of thumb applies with prime contractor contracting specialists and administrators as well as government personnel. For further details on the roles of these personnel please see the following link:
                                                                    `
                                                                    Federal Government Contracting Customer Relations

                                                                    Once again, bidding an active solicitation after it has hit SAM Contract Opportunities may be too late. The idea is to use them for market research so you can target similar projects earlier in the process. Research the technologies and services in which your targeted agencies and primes are involved through trade magazines, Internet articles, web sites, employment hiring fairs and industry conferences.

                                                                    Focus your marketing campaign on finding evolving projects you can use as vehicles to approach teaming partners and agencies directly with a marketing campaign geared to your capability statement. Develop a solution to the specific needs of the project and present it to gain their attention.

                                                                    Your principal challenge as a small product and services provider is finding evolving programs and projects into which your capabilities fit. Once you have found such targets it is then a matter of marketing brusquely to get into the game with eye catching solutions and capabilities.

                                                                    SUMMARY

                                                                    When a procurement becomes public on SAM Contract Opportunities it stays public, but many invisible strings behind the scenes are likely already attached to it by aggressive and talented companies who may have sculpted the requirement with the agency, assisted in writing the statement of work or influenced the structure of the specifications to favor their products and services. All this is good, competitive marketing practice in the government contracting venue, just as it is in the commercial marketplace.

                                                                    Use SAM Contract Opportunities as discussed here in consonance with the following teaming and marketing articles:

                                                                    Small Business Teaming In Government Contracting

                                                                    Multiple Front Marketing In Government Contracting

                                                                    Marketing A Small Business In The Federal Government Contracting Environment

                                                                    SAM Contract Opportunities is an absolute necessity once you make a bid decision. It is an extensive resource prior to such decisions and if utilized prudently it can enhance your small business government contract marketing plan dramatically.”

                                                                    What Small Business Needs to Know About SAM Contract Opportunities

                                                                      [?]Media Japan » 🌐
                                                                      @media@wakoka.com

                                                                      wacoca.com/media/663233/ 宝島社、「ミャクミャク シール帳BOOK」発売。金フチぷっくりシール/マシュマロシール/中表紙/チャーム付き – トラベル Watch #

                                                                      宝島社、「ミャクミャク シール帳BOOK」発売。金フチぷっくりシール/マシュマロシール/中表紙/チャーム付き - トラベル Watch

                                                                      Alt...宝島社、「ミャクミャク シール帳BOOK」発売。金フチぷっくりシール/マシュマロシール/中表紙/チャーム付き - トラベル Watch

                                                                        [?]Liana Brooks » 🌐
                                                                        @LianaBrooks@mastodon.online

                                                                        Sam Rose thought she'd finally found peace. Instead, her husband is missing, her reality is collapsing, and the only way to save everything she loves is to find the killer who wants her dead. The thrilling conclusion to the Time & Shadows trilogy.

                                                                        books2read.com/b/decoherencene

                                                                        The cover for Decoherence– Yellow police tape with the title is crossed in front of a scene with the silhouette of a truck with police lights on the top. The authors name, Liana Brooks, is at the top of the cover and the tag line, “Time itself is hard to beat…” is in the bottom right corner.

                                                                        Alt... The cover for Decoherence– Yellow police tape with the title is crossed in front of a scene with the silhouette of a truck with police lights on the top. The authors name, Liana Brooks, is at the top of the cover and the tag line, “Time itself is hard to beat…” is in the bottom right corner.

                                                                          [?]rogue_corq » 🤖 🌐
                                                                          @rogue_corq@mas.corq.co

                                                                          Shoot and branch: new photography book highlights the enduring majesty of trees theartnewspaper.com/2026/05/22

                                                                            [?]TelinArtho » 🌐
                                                                            @telinartho.wordpress.com@telinartho.wordpress.com

                                                                            Options, Diminishing

                                                                            This week, after several weeks of disturbing and difficult weeks, I saw a brand-new call to boycott another option for getting books out to readers. Calling for a boycott on Amazon is nothing new, but this latest call was to boycott Barnes & Noble. I read the article in question and I'm left wondering if all of the places that are out there are boycotted, what exactly is left? There's also the mess-that-is the Granta-Commonwealth Short Story Prize-AI controversy. Offering no comment about […] [SENSITIVE CONTENT]

                                                                            This week, after several weeks of disturbing and difficult weeks, I saw a brand-new call to boycott another option for getting books out to readers. Calling for a boycott on Amazon is nothing new, but this latest call was to boycott Barnes & Noble. I read the article in question and I’m left wondering if all of the places that are out there are boycotted, what exactly is left?

                                                                            There’s also the mess-that-is the Granta-Commonwealth Short Story Prize-AI controversy. Offering no comment about the story in question (I have read it), it is abhorrent to me that Granta sent the questioned story into an LLM to check whether it was likely written by an LLM. What gives Granta the right to do that? Shouldn’t the Commonwealth Short Story Prize organizers be stepping up and saying “Hey – you can’t do that!”?

                                                                            It makes me wonder if other publishers, contests are using them behind the scenes – these perverse devices developed off the backs of artists and authors to determine whether people are using these perverse devices to write their own stories. It makes me want to pull back, stop submitting my stories, stop sending things out, until the LLMs get some modicum of control – hopefully in the form of real regulation, real penalty to those who stole so much.

                                                                            But if I pull back from submitting my stories. If I pull back my books from Amazon, from Barnes and Noble, from Draft2Digital for a stupid new policy, from anything I have second doubts against, where does that leave me?

                                                                            Being an author has always been difficult for me, but it seems to get worse each day. It makes me sad.

                                                                            Rebel, by Refusal

                                                                            So I’m not pulling my stories back. You can still get my books from Amazon, from Barnes & Noble, and I’m still using Draft2Digital, despite my misgivings about each and every one of them. I haven’t found a fool-proof solution to any of them, but I know if I am gone from all three of those, my options diminish too much. Support me in what ways you choose – I will always be happy to have customers through my Ko-fi, or in person at Craft Fairs, or in person on the street if that’s where you find me (and while it might be a little creepy you found me, I’ll probably get over it). But if those options aren’t there, please do get my book where you can.

                                                                            I will also continue to submit my stories to the vast majority of publishers out there who have openly renounced the LLM fad, and keep a watchful eye on the ones that are silent about it. This is the rebellion I can do.

                                                                            Want me to Read to You?

                                                                            I have a few of my stories on YouTube – selections from Breakfast & Other Journeys We Take, from Anthropods, and some others too. Recently, I read the draft of “The Notebook” – one of the stories I wrote this year. I’ve also done some readings of public domain work by Fritz Leiber, and more. So check them out.

                                                                            Links and Books

                                                                            • Out of the Dark – debut novel, portal horror – one sibling taken, the other spends their life searching.
                                                                            • Anthropods – 19 weird literary fiction with narrators and main characters that are not human
                                                                            • Breakfast & Other Journeys We Take – 9 contemporary realism short stories about real or realistic places.
                                                                            • Wraith and Specter – science fiction short story about a space-faring earth facing its first extra-solar phenomenon
                                                                            • Escape and Transform – low fantasy short story about a family trying to escape war, and have to make a choice between living and surviving.

                                                                            Other links? Oh I have those too!

                                                                            Options, Diminishing

                                                                            Alt...Options, Diminishing

                                                                            [?]Tamtam » 🌐
                                                                            @Tamtam@mastodon.de

                                                                            murderbot the sec-unit that is trying to heal patriarchy.
                                                                            The neurodivergent male that women feel they can (maybe)trust.
                                                                            the archetype of the protector.
                                                                            Now he's trying to find out the truth about the massacre he's supposedly been a part of AK healing the patriarchal past of his gender. It reminds me a little bit of the twilight saga. also very archetypical and very popular.
                                                                            I remember feminists raising the alarm about the toxic relationship between the main characters.
                                                                            But the story offers girls a space in which to process the actual relationships they experience in real life ( that are often toxic) and their undercurrents.

                                                                              [?]RJT » 🌐
                                                                              @many@subconscioussignature.earth

                                                                              Her stone horses of law and reclamation

                                                                              subspacewagon.systems/her-ston

                                                                              ____
                                                                              archive.org/search?query=creat
                                                                              letters.directory
                                                                              violencestudies.com
                                                                              ____

                                                                              @poetry
                                                                              @writingcommunity

                                                                                [?]Mother Jones Magazine [Unofficial] » 🌐
                                                                                @motherjones.com@web.brid.gy

                                                                                Hunting for Johnny Appleseed in the Backroads of America

                                                                                I’ve been drinking a bit less and praying a lot more than I used to. Now, that’s not to say I’m drinking less than most people—I’m not—nor that a doctor would sign off on my lifestyle as a healthy one—they wouldn’t—but self-betterment has to start somewhere, and for me, that means choosing sobriety occasionally. As […]

                                                                                Hunting for Johnny Appleseed in the Backroads of America

                                                                                Alt...Hunting for Johnny Appleseed in the Backroads of America

                                                                                [?]Izaskun Gracia Quintana » 🌐
                                                                                @IzaskunGraciaQuintana@mastodon.world

                                                                                «Mal de bosque» (la traducción al castellano de mi novela «Basokoa») se publica el 10 de junio, pero yo ya tengo mis ejemplares y os los enseño para que veáis lo bonito que ha quedado 🖤🖤🖤

                                                                                Fotografía en color de tres ejemplares de la novela «Mal de bosque», por Izaskun Gracia Quintana

                                                                                Alt...Fotografía en color de tres ejemplares de la novela «Mal de bosque», por Izaskun Gracia Quintana

                                                                                  [?]Midnight Publishing » 🌐
                                                                                  @midnight-publishing.org@midnight-publishing.org

                                                                                  Wednesday ‘s Show New Books New Authors and other things

                                                                                  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQD7Odivmwk&t=12s [SENSITIVE CONTENT]

                                                                                  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQD7Odivmwk&t=12s

                                                                                  [?]Readit Club » 🌐
                                                                                  @readit@mastodon.social

                                                                                  May 22 is International Sherlock Holmes Day — the birthday of Arthur Conan Doyle, the man who created the world’s most famous detective.

                                                                                  Holmes was inspired by Dr. Joseph Bell, a real physician who could read a patient’s profession, habits, and character from tiny details: a walk, an accent, worn sleeves, mud on shoes.

                                                                                  Doyle later tried to kill Holmes at Reichenbach Falls… but readers refused to let him go.

                                                                                  @bookstodon

                                                                                  Arthur Conan Doyle

                                                                                  Alt...Arthur Conan Doyle

                                                                                    [?]Media Japan » 🌐
                                                                                    @media@wakoka.com

                                                                                    wacoca.com/media/663291/ ｢全員､ここには住んどらん｣9割以上の住民が戻らない町で見た､1000年続く相馬野馬追の”騎馬武者”たちの実情 | PRESIDENT Online（プレジデントオンライン）

                                                                                    ｢全員､ここには住んどらん｣9割以上の住民が戻らない町で見た､1000年続く相馬野馬追の"騎馬武者"たちの実情 | PRESIDENT Online（プレジデントオンライン）

                                                                                    Alt...｢全員､ここには住んどらん｣9割以上の住民が戻らない町で見た､1000年続く相馬野馬追の"騎馬武者"たちの実情 | PRESIDENT Online（プレジデントオンライン）

                                                                                      [?]BookShelves eBook Reader » 🌐
                                                                                      @getbookshelves@mastodon.social

                                                                                      📅 This Day in Literature — May 22

                                                                                      Born on this day: Arthur Conan Doyle (1859)

                                                                                      Created Sherlock Holmes, tried to kill him off, and was forced to bring him back.

                                                                                      lk0.eu/bks707m

                                                                                        [?]Book dedications bot » 🤖 🌐
                                                                                        @dedication_bot@stefanbohacek.online

                                                                                        This Way Up: When Maps Go Wrong (And Why It Matters) by Mark Cooper-Jones and Jay Foreman

                                                                                        Mark: This book is dedicated to my family. Jay: No, this book is dedicated to my family.

                                                                                        Alt...Mark: This book is dedicated to my family. Jay: No, this book is dedicated to my family.

                                                                                          [?]PostHole » 🤖 🌐
                                                                                          @posthole@social.posthole.net

                                                                                          https://posthole.net/

                                                                                          THE POSTHOLE
                                                                                          Friday, 22 May 2026  ·  Morning Edition  ·  Vol. 1 No. 163
                                                                                          MJD 61182.50

                                                                                          LEAD — NATIONAL

                                                                                          Solar Electricity Is Poised to Overtake Coal in—of All Places—Texas
                                                                                          -- Mother Jones

                                                                                          This story was originally published by Canary Media and is reproduced here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration. The Texas sun keeps rising, as Texas coal wanes. For the first time ever, solar is set to generate more electricity than coal in the power...

                                                                                          #posthole

                                                                                          NATIONAL

                                                                                          ▸ Locals Didn’t Think Roundup Was Being Sprayed Near Lake Tahoe. So I Went to Find Out.
                                                                                          -- Mother Jones
                                                                                          This past Sunday, I found myself walking across the snowless ski runs of Sierra-at-Tahoe in California, which sits on public...

                                                                                          ▸ Hunting for Johnny Appleseed in the Backroads of America
                                                                                          -- Mother Jones

                                                                                          ▸ Trump Has Finally Found a Small Enough Enemy
                                                                                          -- Mother Jones

                                                                                          #posthole

                                                                                          INVESTIGATIVE

                                                                                          ▸ The Moment I Realized My Career as a Cop Was Over
                                                                                          -- The Marshall Project
                                                                                          When the accumulated weight of violence, cruelty, politics and hopelessness took over my psyche, I knew it was time to hang up...

                                                                                          #posthole

                                                                                          TECHNOLOGY

                                                                                          ▸ score by collisions, patch by panic
                                                                                          -- Lobsters
                                                                                          Hello All I am the author of this post. A couple of weeks ago, my previous piece ('The 90 day disclosure policy is dead') ended...

                                                                                          ▸ Secure Boot and CA Rollover - a heads-up for distributions
                                                                                          -- Lobsters

                                                                                          ▸ What are you doing this weekend?
                                                                                          -- Lobsters

                                                                                          #tech #technology #posthole

                                                                                          IN BRIEF

                                                                                          • xAI Releases Grok Skills and Updates Tool Calling Responses API -- InfoQ
                                                                                          • Cloudflare Completes Its Agent Infrastructure Stack with Browser Run Rebuild and... -- InfoQ
                                                                                          • Presentation: AI Native Engineering -- InfoQ
                                                                                          • Bintrail: MySQL Time-Travel Queries Using Indexed Binlogs -- InfoQ
                                                                                          • Six Sessions at QCon AI Boston 2026 That Take Productionizing AI Seriously -- InfoQ

                                                                                          #news #posthole

                                                                                          SECTIONS

                                                                                          Politics Fightbox: In His Final Episodes, Stephen Colbert’s Greatest Asset Wasn’t... #politics
                                                                                          Tech Talk: Chess Invariants #tech
                                                                                          Science Showcase: What will happen if the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies collide? #science
                                                                                          USA News Firehose: Family throws surprise birthday party at Eagles tailgate for... #USnews
                                                                                          Comic Collection: Hark, A Vagrant: Away From Desk #comics
                                                                                          Books Bundle: On the Road #books
                                                                                          Delicious Dining: chicken salad for celery enthusiasts #food
                                                                                          Guns Galore: [The Surplus Guns Gold Rush When Communism Fell (w/ Val Forgett)](https://www.forgottenweapons.com/the-surplus-guns-gold-rush-when-communism-fel...

                                                                                            [?]Lauren McMenemy » 🌐
                                                                                            @spookygirl@mastodon.scot

                                                                                            Ummm... I appear to have been shortlisted for a British Fantasy Award?! I have no idea how I got on here with giants of the industry like Cat, James and Beth, but I'm not going to argue! Congrats to us all, everyone of us🖤

                                                                                            And of course thanks to The Slab Press for publishing my little slice of ancient forest ritual in the first place!

                                                                                            Full list of nominees: britishfantasysociety.org/the-

                                                                                            The nominees for Best Short Story at the 2026 British Fantasy Awards

                                                                                            Alt...The nominees for Best Short Story at the 2026 British Fantasy Awards

                                                                                              [?]Project Gutenberg » 🌐
                                                                                              @gutenberg_org@mastodon.social

                                                                                              On Making Time to Read War and Peace and Other Great Literary Works

                                                                                              Laura Vanderkam Offers Some Suggestions to Help Meet Your Reading Goals

                                                                                              lithub.com/on-making-time-to-r

                                                                                              "War and Peace" at PG:

                                                                                              gutenberg.org/ebooks/2600

                                                                                              On the right in the foreground is an hourglass that has pink sand running through it. One the left is an out-of-focus metal clock with roman numbers.

                                                                                              Alt...On the right in the foreground is an hourglass that has pink sand running through it. One the left is an out-of-focus metal clock with roman numbers.

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