Martha Bayne

"It is unclear to me how this "concept," which seems to be a general summation of what it is like to be a person in the world, is something that someone could claim to have developed." hahahahahah

This is the ninth (9th) major profile of Emanuel since December 2024 that failed to mention Laquan McDonald.

Catapult acquired an entire fourth imprint, Hawthorne Books -- for which I have to assume acquisition felt like a lifeline, because that's why small presses look for homes at larger houses -- *less than a year ago.*

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

That Elizabeth Koch got a book deal for her branded psychobabble shouldn’t shock me, but it does. Her money will buy a blue chip media rollout, but who tf is the expected market for this?

“Catapult management could not be reached for comment, it remains unclear what will happen to the 16 frontlist titles across Catapult’s four imprints that are slated for spring 2027.” Shocked to learn that bored billionaires don’t answer the phone. www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/...

The full subtitle, cut off here, is "St. Louis Craft Brewing in the Shadow of Anheuser-Busch," about the rise of craft beer in a city once defined by Budweister -- and a great gift for the Midwestern beer nerd in your life.

Happy pub day to GATEWAY BEER! I'm the regional trade editor at @illinoispress.bsky.social and I say that St. Louis counts as our region :) www.press.uillinois.edu/books/?id=p0...

Free admission with code “ jimrocks”.

Struggling to engage with the concept of “father and son Republican operatives Timmy and Tommy Teepell.” Come on man can even one thing be like 5% less stupid

I worked with Jim Newberry for years @chicagoreader.com & it's been a joy reconnecting to work on this book @illinoispress.bsky.social. Huge thanks to Selena Fragassi & @chicago.suntimes.com for shining this light on Jim's gorgeous work. chicago.suntimes.com/music/2026/1...

SCOOP: 'Tommy' from the now-viral exchange with Abdul El-Sayed is Thomas Teepell, a former staffer for Republican Senator Josh Hawley with close ties to Christian Nationalist Sean Feucht. He's the son of a former Bobby Jindal staffer whose consultant work was instrumental in getting Hawley elected.

The only tix left for YOU CAN SEE EVERYTHING tonight were in the first two rows ... so here we go. Those closeups are going to be CLOSE

losing control of the media narrative two weeks out from an election is exactly the kinda thing you'd turn to a disciplined and talented press secretary to mop up

y’all aren’t gonna believe this shit* www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/...

Mapquest continuing their anti-authoritarian arc

Student journalism is the best journalism. Click to see me looking v serious about urban agriculture thechronicleclc.com/clc-cultivat...

Just an update here: I tried emailing multiple USA Today editors, reporters and PR people numerous times for more clarity about the use of @nbedera.bsky.social's quotes, and received zero replies. They did, however, give this vague statement to @wamc.org: www.wamc.org/news/2026-10...

there is an entire chapter about SNL, specifically centered on Lorne Michaels, in my 2023 book Burn It Down. Because the echoing silence about the man has always bothered me too. Sure there are profiles of him, but they are puffery & follow a formula. Anyway, fyi: bookshop.org/p/books/burn...

I've spent the afternoon working at a small Chicago Public Library branch with a diverse population of non-native English speakers, confused teens, lonely elderly who long to chat, and a few personal hygiene challenged, and I am coming here to say that these librarians are SAINTS. #respect

This happened at online pubs too. "We need blogs!" "How is that different than what we already publish?" "It's! A! Blog!"

This:

In 2016, Dennis Hastert admitted to the sexual abuse of multiple teenage boys. Federal prosecutors alleged that Hastert had molested at least four boys as young as 14 years of age during his time as a high school wrestling coach.

what an asshole

I’ve been working for several years with the alums assembling data on Carleton College’s failures toward its sex assault victims. Turns out history does repeat itself.

"The Hours Are Long But the Pay is Low" Spotted in the wild at McNally Jackson books in NYC by my eagle-eyed editor @marthabayne.bsky.social Now, don't hurt yourselves rushing on over there to snap it up. @millerscave.bsky.social @illinoispress.bsky.social #booksky📚 #alternativecountry

Cynthia was a true original and an indefatigable force, and I still can’t quite believe she’s gone. She was reviewing the copy edits on her latest book, ”On the Heartland Road,” when she died, and it’ll be out next summer from @illinoispress.bsky.social. I’m honored to help bring it to completion.

Sinead O’Connor and dancers of a certain age, at the site of my first job after college: it’s like my whole life has collapsed into one modern dance event! www.nytimes.com/2026/09/08/a...

man, shut the fuck up

PUT IT IN MY VEINS

This man is a fucking monster who limped away from Chicago's mayor's office because he'd become unelectable after closing 50 schools and half of our city's publicly funded mental health care clinics, and covering up the fact that Chicago cops murdered a teenager. Stop whitewashing his ass!

I still have my original copy of this absolute work of art

Nothing starts the day off right like learning your grant application has been denied on a technicality.

Perpetually annoyed by the folks using speakerphone on the Metra but making an exception for the person blasting "I Will Always Love You" this a.m.

DHS repeatedly said that an aggressive Chicago apartment raid was prompted by intel on a Venezuelan gang takeover. Records reveal the real story behind the raid: targeting alleged squatters with the landlord’s blessing. 👂 Listen to the full episode:

Tim Curry and Dolly Parton have taught us not only that you should be bigger, weirder, gayer, and freakier, but also that those qualities are what people will love about you. The things that make you strange and amazing are the things that will resonate with other strange and amazing people

In which I do a podcast

was literally looking at this clip on Saturday dammit

what the actual f

Like Jimmy Carter, Dolly Parton is proof that being kind and loving to everyone, while rejecting hatred and bigotry, is a choice, regardless of where you were born or how you grew up.

Dolly Parton's family asked that, in lieu of flowers, fans make a donation to the singer's Imagination Library. Here's what the charity does ⬇️ www.rollingstone.com/music/music-...