Josh Cook

An intro post for the latest BlueSky wave! I'm a writer & bookseller w/ @portersqbooks.bsky.social where I mostly hype books from small presses written by marginalized voices or works in translation. If you're into the books on this list www.portersquarebooks.com/category/sta... you dig my taste

Also, when I say the mainstream media helped create a completely fictional character named "Donald Trump" who just a slightly edgier version of a traditional Republican this is the shit I'm talking about

My fucking god the framing of credible new to the public rape allegations against Trump is goddamn criminal

You know what? If everyone picking up the new Sarah J Maas on Tuesday also picked up just 1 more book by an author they'd never heard of before it would actually have a pretty meaningful positive impact on the book industry. #BookSky

So there is a non-zero chance we have a stock market crash the week before midterm election?

Friends...it's madness. There is some kinda cost/benefit math going on at publishers & warehouses which doesn't seem to include us doing their customer service for them because we're the ones that actually talk to customers

Heyyyy #BookSky Do you have a favorite bookseller or bookstore? You can give a little gift back for all the work they've done by nominating them for a James Patterson Holiday Bonus! Help spend his $$$. Deadline to nominate is 10/29 so get crackin!

Get your ticket early! Hottest show in town coming next month. luma.com/vx6zs54d?ref...

Protest works. Organization is decisive. Draw your own conclusions. www.theguardian.com/world/2026/o...

Lula winning is great for the planet, great for Brazil, and great for people who aren't revanchist assholes everywhere in the world, but let's not forget that it's also going to make some of the worst people on Earth extremely sad and mad. We should enjoy that, as a little treat.

This AND SERBIA!!!!

The long-serving strongman leader of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, has conceded defeat in an election that pitted him and his right-wing party against a diverse student-led opposition movement that spent two years protesting his government.

You know what? If everyone picking up the new Sarah J Maas on Tuesday also picked up just 1 more book by an author they'd never heard of before it would actually have a pretty meaningful positive impact on the book industry. #BookSky

My favorite book of 2027 (Sensual World by Lauren Friedlander, who any smart publisher should scoop ASAP) was coming from them and they put the galley in the mail last week! Evil work to make a staff keep working in these conditions

There still doesn't seem to be an answer, unless I missed it. Fixated on the 2027 galleys THAT I ALREADY PHYSICALLY HAVE. Publishers are always on about how expensive galleys are so did they just light that money on fire?

Thinking of a friend who was canvassing in 2020 & talked to a Collins/Biden voter. When he asked why she wasn't voting for Collins she said, "Pingree hasn't really giving me a reason to vote FOR her," & I have struggled to understand what to do about that for 6 years.

October issue is out! You can read it here. Features Aurorama, @premeemohamed.com, a book about the origin of the Aladdin story, & the Weird Great Aunt I think (hope) so many readers enjoying Weird Girl Lit has been waiting for, & of course some love for #BookSky!

We authors and illustrators, often some of the most introverted people in the world, have been getting in-depth crash courses in our local, state, and national legislative processes, and we are forming strong, successful coalitions to keep our books accessible. www.authorsagainstbookbans.org

If a billionaire really wanted to use their money to serve American literary culture they'd establish a non-profit WHOLESALER specifically serving small & indie presses

It's a good one!!!!

Hello #BookSky I've caught up with online orders and have nearly deleted all the AI generated spam in the inbox! Who needs a book recommendation?!?!?!

Also! RE: Don't get left behind. Are you saying that AI companies won't sell their product to me if this whole thing happens the way they want? Because that's nonsense. Also, isn't AI supposed to make everything easy? If so, what exactly have I lost that I can't just regain with their magic wand?

I feel an "inevitable" technology doesn't need to beg college students to risk getting a failing if they get caught using it, to use it.

Actually, kinda nervous about this. I mean, I use the newsletter to hype cool and to organize and push my thoughts about them so, it is what it is, but at the same time, lotta first impressions tomorrow!

While I'm on the topic of voting, now is an excellent time to: 1. Check your voter registration with your Secretary of State or at vote.org, and 2. Look to see if there are any ballot questions - and if so, research them. Ballotpedia is a good source for background on this.

I don't know, maybe it's coming soon, but if I were whoever bought Catapult in the way they seemed to, I'd be reaching out to their union and putting out a statement cause they ain't lookin' good either at the moment

Ummmm....it's not impossible that I hit 100 new subscribers which is...a little hard for me to wrap my head around. Damn. THANK YOU!!!!!!!

I'm trying not to be cynical but I feel like if they were sold for good reasons to someone their fans are down with...the announcement would not look like this

Just me, out there, trying once again to lead you all to a pleasant, rather than panicked, shopping experience

Books I've read and enjoyed after seeing people talk about them on Bluesky: Murderbot The 3rd Policeman Little, Big The Sea, The Sea Across the Universe Gideon the Ninth Understanding Octavia E. Butler Gormenghast Rabbi Burns

Was it @joshuajfriedman.com who declared "BlueSky is the app for books?" Maybe @lollardfish.bsky.social Anyway, this post went around yesterday & I had the most new subscriptions...I think ever on a single day. October issue should go out tomorrow afternoon!

You know what, I will. This is what I have been pushing Dems to do both in my reporting and behind the scenes. Go on offense. The saturation of the airwaves with anti-trans ads is a weakness. Don't throw trans people under the bus. Capitalize on Republicans throwing themselves under.

There's no one whose book recommendations I enjoy more than Josh's!