In our 19th episode of The Nerd Count Podcast, we welcome the award-winning author, actress, playwright, tour guide and all around creative force Leanna Renee Hieber! Listen on your favorite pod app! @leannareneehieber.bsky.social @mercuriodrivera.bsky.social

A 3d render I did two years ago illustrating a scene from my novel SPACE TRUCKER JESS, "A Little Early for the Bazaar". (The cover art is by the great Paul Chadeisson, used with permission.) No AI was used.

I know it's a ways off, but I'm doing a panel on September 22nd: Scientific American Panel: Science in Fiction, featuring Heather Frances, Isabel J. Kim, Matthew Kressel, and Sarah G. Pierce, Moderated by Brianne Kane. And there will be a food and wine reception after! Info and RSVP link in thread.

Next month at our Fantastic Fiction at KGB reading series, join us with guests Suzanne Palmer & Kailee Pedersen, Wednesday, Aug 12th, 7pm at the KGB Bar. Come one, come all! @datlow.bsky.social @kaileepedersen.bsky.social

What's this?! A new NERD COUNT PODCAST episode!? Mercurio and I come to you live from (and on the way to!) the Readercon convention in Burlington, MA, where we interview these ten amazing people about their past and present Readercon experiences and more! Podcast link in thread.

Tattooine sun

My publisher is giving away 20 free copies of the new audiobook of QUEEN OF STATIC, my second book in the Worldmender series after KING OF SHARDS. Leave a comment for ONE chance to win, re-skeet this post for TWO chances. Winners will be notified after July 22.

Here are Ellen’s photos from the July 8th Fantastic Fiction at KGB reading series, with guests Victor Manibo & Sam Rebelein. Both read from their work to a large and enthusiastic audience! www.kgbfantasticfiction.org/2026/07/14/p... @victormanibo.com @datlow.bsky.social @rebelsam94.bsky.social

This ad is the most creepy-ass dystopian sh*t I've ever seen. "Tell us your personal secrets. We promise we won't use it to manipulate you or make you dependent on us for affirmation, or use it to sell you products."

Lunch stop, on our way to Readercon, w/ Ellen Datlow and David Mercurio Rivera. @datlow.bsky.social @mercuriodrivera.bsky.social

Got my contributor copy of The Year's Top Hard Science Fiction, edited by Allan Kaster, which contains Threat Assessment, the novella I co-wrote with Mercurio D. Rivera. Lots of great stuff in here from Vera Brook, Isabel J. Kim, Nancy Kress, Derek Künsken, Peter Watts and more.

TONIGHT! Join us with Sam Rebelein & Victor Manibo, for our Fantastic Fiction at KGB reading series, 7pm, at the KGB Bar. Come one, come all! @rebelsam94.bsky.social @victormanibo.com @datlow.bsky.social

Now through July 5th, the ebook of THE RAINSEEKERS is on sale for $1.99 across all retailers. “A vivid, poignant, and compassionate story about our desperate search for meaning...whether on Earth or far beyond it.” —Veronica Roth, New York Times bestselling author of the DIVERGENT series

The audiobook of my novel QUEEN OF STATIC has been released into the world, narrated by Stefan Rudnicki and published by Skyboat Media. Available wherever audiobooks are sold. Special thanks to you know who for making this possible.

Hey folks, the ebook of my novella THE RAINSEEKERS, about a former influencer tasked with interviewing a group of pilgrims hoping to experience the first rain on Mars, is on sale across all retailers for just $1.99 from June 29 (today) through July 5!

Spotted Frank Firefly in the daytime garden today, showing up early for work.

On Tuesday, June 30th, the audiobook of my novel QUEEN OF STATIC drops, narrated by the amazing Stefan Rudnicki. You can preorder the audiobook now. Also, the ebook of the first book in the series, KING OF SHARDS, is on sale this week for $1.99.

Next month at our Fantastic Fiction at KGB reading series, join us with Sam Rebelein & Victor Manibo, Wednesday, July 8th, 7pm at the KGB Bar. Come one, come all! @rebelsam94.bsky.social @victormanibo.com @datlow.bsky.social

C and me from a boat ride around NY harbor this past weekend, celebrating out friends' wedding anniversary. I was tempted to stand on the bow and start quoting Whitman.

Happy to announce the publication of THE TOP HARD SCIENCE FICTION STORIES 10, which contains our novella "Threat Assessment" that @mercuriodrivera.bsky.social and I wrote together, along with stories from Nancy Kress, Isabel J, Kim, Peter Watts, Derek Künsken and more. Available now!

Here's Ellen’s photos from the Jun 10th KGB reading with guests Nicholas Kaufmann & A.C. Wise. Nick read a fabulous story and Alison read excerpts from her terrific new novel. @nicholaskaufmann.bsky.social @acwise.bsky.social @datlow.bsky.social www.kgbfantasticfiction.org/2026/06/16/p...

I had the pleasure of being on the If This Goes On (Don’t Panic) podcast with hosts Cat Rambo & Alan Bailey. We talk about writing with authenticity, writing unfamiliar cultures, D&D, RPGs, my novels Space Trucker Jess and The Rainseekers, AI, plagiarism, and more! @itgodp.bsky.social

Tonight, join us with Nicholas Kaufmann & A.C. Wise, for our Fantastic Fiction at KGB reading series, 7pm at the KGB Bar. Come one, come all. @nicholaskaufmann.bsky.social @acwise.bsky.social @datlow.bsky.social

I've been head down, working on the new book, not posting much, but I have a few cool (writing) things to mention, all coincidentally happening in June by no plan of my own but by some synchronistic plan of the universe. More to come soon. (The pic is a tree from my folks' backyard).

Happy to see that my short story "Model Collapse" which originally appeared in Reactor Magazine was listed as a notable story in the 2026 edition BEST AMERICAN SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY, edited by Olivie Blake. @reactorsff.bsky.social @datlow.bsky.social

This month at our Fantastic Fiction at KGB reading series, join us with Nicholas Kaufmann & A.C. Wise, Wednesday, June 10th, 7pm at the KGB bar. Come one, come all! @nicholaskaufmann.bsky.social @acwise.bsky.social @datlow.bsky.social

How I feel after opening my laptop to read the news each day

Here are Ellen’s photos from this month’s Fantastic Fiction at KGB, with guests Siobhan Carroll & Micaiah Johnson. Both read to a very nice and enthusiastic crowd. @siobhancarroll.bsky.social @micaiahjohnson.bsky.social @datlow.bsky.social www.flickr.com/photos/35025...

I almost missed this review of my story "Espie Droger Dreams of War" (March issue of LIGHTSPEED) in Locus Magazine. "It’s a story that glows with a fierce sense of righteous anger as Kressel excoriates those who choose to be cogs in the machinery of inhumanity and destruction."