A.J. Ponder

@ponderbooks

Author at Poet. Builder of worlds. Player of games. He, she, they.

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A.J. Ponder@ponderbooks· 11d

I have to admit I was a little surprised

Graph from https://whichparty.nz showing 99 and 98% compatibility with TPM and Green party respectively.
Then 97% with Labour and 93% with TPM and insignificant with the other three (no surprise there)

A.J. Ponder@ponderbooks· 11d

And OMG, just in case we didn't know how awful it was, TOP are being backed by the ATLAS backed New Zealand Initiative 😱🤮

A.J. Ponder@ponderbooks· Jun 27

Are you searching for dragons?

Picture headed by a large flaming dragon and with two cute dragons down the bottom.

Text: You have to read "The Dragon Society Papers" if you want found friends, a little bit of fight for what's right, and ALL the Dragons! :)

A.J. Ponder@ponderbooks· Jun 22

The Theft of Conservation Land Bill: People, it's time to stand up and be counted in your opposition to this awful landgrab at the heart and soul of our country. If you need some help, or just want to cover the main points fast go to yeahnahbills.org

a submission to the conservation amendment bill:

Kia ora koutou. As someone with a background in arts and science and growing up as the daughter of an artist who could not have made a living without our natural wilderness, this bill is a direct attack on everything I hold dear. Our treatment of our wilderness not only defines us as a country, but is the source of many people's livlihoods. Far more than its automated destruction would ever build. And having said that I imagine it is no surprise that:

I oppose this Bill.

To understand the grave consequences of this law, it is important to understand that public conservation land is, by definition, irreplaceable. It cannot be re-purchased on terms remotely comparable to its conservation value, and the indigenous biodiversity, freshwater systems and ecological corridors it protects do not regenerate on a political timetable. Loosening the disposal regime in the Bill is the legal mechanism by which decades of public land assembly can be reversed in a single parliamentary term. Forest & Bird have set out the kinds of places already at risk under that mechanism. That is too consequential a power to grant on the strength of a normal amendment Bill, especially one introduced without the public mandate to do it.

When you change the purpose section of a statute, you change everything downstream. The 1987 Conservation Act's purpose has anchored four decades of operational decision-making, case law, ministerial direction and departmental practice. Amending it to put development on the same footing as protection rebuilds the entire decision-making frame underneath. Future Ministers, future officials, future courts will read every operational provision through the new purpose. That is the change the Bill actually makes - and it is the change the committee should look at first.

The law firm Anderson Lloyd, in their legal analysis, characterise the Bill as 'big changes to New Zealand's 40-year-old conservation laws'. The Spino…

A.J. Ponder@ponderbooks· Jun 4

Tell your fam Want the Ministry of Works back? Vote Green #nzpol

A.J. Ponder@ponderbooks· May 22

A.J. Ponder@ponderbooks· May 21

Free Fantasy and Science fiction. Check it out to discover new works and authors! dashboard.bookfunnel.com/bundles/boar... 📚💙 🧙‍♂️⚔️

"Free Fantasy and Science Fiction" With a split image with a sunset and a dragon flying over a castle in the distance over the shoulder of a knight in armour.
And on the right, a woman with an eyepiece and a spaceship over a futuristic city and starry sky.

A.J. Ponder@ponderbooks· May 15

That was fun. I ended up (not very surprisingly) pretty Green (and quite surprisingly) TPM was right up there, too.

Graph showing compatibility with NZ parties according to : https://newswire.co.nz/voting-tool/
Green 90%
TPM 88%
Labour 76%
TOP 70%
NZ first 40%
National 28%
ACT 17%

A.J. Ponder@ponderbooks· May 11

The graph and show National voters need to see thanks to #BHN

A.J. Ponder@ponderbooks· May 3

Very much a statement of fact. So much so the right wing are now trying to pretend political compass is suddenly biased after 20 years. www.politicalcompass.org/nz2023

political compass
https://www.politicalcompass.org/nz2023
graph showing ACT as a far right party back in 2023 (Also shows National and NZ first being very far right and authoritarian.)

A.J. Ponder@ponderbooks· Apr 20

Wellington peeps, if you need one, this is your go home stay home warning.

An old pine tree has fallen across the road taking the power lines with it.

A.J. Ponder@ponderbooks· Apr 7

Don’t despair. Take your worthless dragons and transform them with The Dragon Transport and Pacification Society. Our work is fully warrantied.* www.worldanvil.com/w/faerland-a...

a red dragon with horns and a jaunty step

A.J. Ponder@ponderbooks· Apr 6

Went out looking for tardigrades to hopefully find a new species this morning. Which to be honest actually means scraping off moss and lichen and putting it into envelopes for the researchers. Still, crossing fingers they'll find that new species they were hoping for.

tardigrade (water bear) a very tiny creature with four pairs of legs ending in claws and all of about .5mm long.

Image from Wikipedia: source:
Schokraie E, Warnken U, Hotz-Wagenblatt A, Grohme MA, Hengherr S, et al. (2012) - Schokraie E, Warnken U, Hotz-Wagenblatt A, Grohme MA, Hengherr S, et al. (2012) Comparative proteome analysis of Milnesium tardigradum in early embryonic state versus adults in active and anhydrobiotic state. PLoS ONE 7(9): e45682. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0045682

A.J. Ponder@ponderbooks· Apr 4

Yup, this cat cost us an arm and a leg last year. Sometimes life happens. My trick since covid is supermarket shop once a month if poss, otherwise bulk or Asian stores and the vegemarket.

One-eyed Tuxie cat yawning, sitting astride sofa back.

A.J. Ponder@ponderbooks· Mar 28

Yup, it utterly sucks that we have Nicola No Ferries Willis and Christopher I'm Not Aware Luxon running us off the cliff.

Christopher "I'm not aware" Luxon in a blue steel pose with "no fuel, no ferries, no clue" to the right of him.

A.J. Ponder@ponderbooks· Mar 27

Image has Christopher Luxon with a Blue Steel pose and his name
Christpher I'm not aware Luxon, with the "I'm not aware in a cartoon speech bubble.
On the right are the words, no fuel, no ferries no clue

A.J. Ponder@ponderbooks· Mar 19

I'm beginning to wonder why I took this screencap #auspol

Green poster action with us, March for forests 22 03 26
styalised dark green a very thin marsupial of some sort
10am Forrest Place Perth
Details here: marchforforests.org/location/perth

A.J. Ponder@ponderbooks· Mar 15

This is a cute one of Maisie lolling about for attention.

Upside down grey and white long haired tabbie cat looking up with her big yellow-green eyes.

A.J. Ponder@ponderbooks· Mar 15

And now it isn't - the correct version of The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Dragons & Magical Creatures & Demons is now live! www.amazon.com/dp/B0DSZX3XDP

In large gold writing : The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Dragons & Magical Creatures & Demons

Is over a picture of a dragon with its tail curled around a wax seal with decorative SPCD lettering and dragon wings.

USA Today bestselling author A.J. Ponder

A.J. Ponder@ponderbooks· Mar 14

Okay, my latest book, The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Dragons, is out in less than 24 hours. That should be just enough time for a coming soon, shouldn't it?! 📘🧙‍♂️⚔️

A.J. Ponder@ponderbooks· Mar 6

The cats today.

Maisie, a ling haired grey tabby looking a little fuzzy in front of the dragon cabinet.

Herbert, a black and white one=eyed tuxie cat posing nobly on the couch.

A.J. Ponder@ponderbooks· Mar 6

Glacerys, the birthday present miniature of the ice dragon in The Dragon Society Papers. Such a cute ice dragon. I really love the colourvin this one.

Glacerys the ice dragon miniature in front greenery, glimering ice blues and purple in the soft afternoon light.

A.J. Ponder@ponderbooks· Feb 17

Seems like the cartoon was prescient - like it knew it would be banned.

A.J. Ponder@ponderbooks· Jan 18

2 days to go before you can enter “Into the DeadLands”… the countdown rushes by … In a time of darkness and despair Ruby and her friends must find a way to fight Hades’ tryanny — before all the… https://ponderbooks.com/2-days-to-go-before-you-can-enter-into-the-deadlands-the-countdown-rushes-by/

A.J. Ponder@ponderbooks· Jan 15

Why yes, I have written a story featuring snakes, but maybe not in the way that's expected...snakes feature just a little bit—but I like my snakes cute and furry and magically hybridized with squirrels! There's a menagerie though, so there are snakes, reptiles, dinosaurs & other critters!

Miss Lionheart and the Laboratory of Death cover featuring Miss Lionheart's creation, Quetzee, a genetically engineered squirrel, snake hyrbid.

A.J. Ponder@ponderbooks· Jan 2

Reskeet with most recent pic of yr pet post.

One eyed black and white tuxie cat on the wooden deck with pot garden in the background.

A.J. Ponder@ponderbooks· Jan 1

Herbert out and about.

A.J. Ponder@ponderbooks· Jan 1

Maisie snuggled on the spare bed.

A.J. Ponder@ponderbooks· Jan 1

2026 Writing Goals & All the Best for the New Year Happy New Year Do you have your goals all lined up? I'd love to hear them. Art (and books) to create? Books to read? Special jobs. Exciting new opportunities? Let me know in the comments. So my big… https://ponderbooks.com/2026-writing-goals/

A.J. Ponder@ponderbooks· Dec 30

2025 Writing Goals (mostly writing goals) I've almost always sworn off New Year's resolutions. If I want to do something why wait until the New Year? But a New Year is a chance to revisit goals. And this year was all about writing.… https://ponderbooks.com/2025-writing-goals-mostly-writing-goals/