Margaret's May 2023 Nearly Monthly News
Thank you Jennifer Jacob, friend of the NMN, who heeded the call in the last newsletter and sent lovely photos of some May flowers at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden!
Meanwhile in Los Angeles, my May was largely consumed by major Hollywood labor action.
I really thought that we'd see a last minute deal, but when the WGA's proposals and the AMPTP's responses came out, it was clear this walkout was unavoidable. Since then, it's been pencils down, and I've been hitting the picket lines. Thank you to everyone who has reached out in recent weeks to check in!
If you want to support the strike, please consider donating to the Entertainment Community Fund, which provides assistance to everyone in entertainment affected by the work stoppage, not just writers. Spreading support and awareness on social media is also a huge help. And if you're in Los Angeles or New York, feel free to come on out and join us on the lines!
From my Desk
For obvious reasons, I don't have anything new on the TV side to report, but I am super-excited to announce my short story, "We Are Happy to Serve You" is in the current (May/June) issue of The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction!
This is my first story for F&SF, and it's a bit surreal to see my name in the table of contents of a magazine from which I collected one of my very first rejections back in college. (It came in the mail and everything. I still have it.) Physical copies of the magazine are available in most larger or SFF-centric bookstores and a digital version is available through Weightless Books.
Fittingly for the current moment, this very short story touches on labor issues and the limitations of artificial intelligence. Also, chicken tenders.
What I'm Reading This Month
I was all set to use this space to talk about how I'm reading The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman (which is delightful), but then Vanity Fair dropped an excerpt from Maureen Ryan's new book Burn it Down, a deep dive into the patterns of bias and abuse in Hollywood.
The Vanity Fair piece is about ABC's hit show Lost, but Ryan underscores that Hollywood's problem is not one of toxic individuals, but of a pervasive culture that tolerates, even fosters, abuse. Ryan has been doing bang-up entertainment journalism for years, and I'm looking forward to getting my hands on the full book.
From the Cutting Room Floor of the Duolingo Dystopia
A lot of feelings coming out this month, and Duolingo is no exception:
Big mood, Lily. Also, quality use of a semi-colon.
And That's the Nearly Monthly News!
Once again, thanks to everyone who has reached out in recent weeks with messages of support and encouragement. It really does mean a lot, especially as I suspect it'll be a few more newsletters before we see the end of this strike. In the meantime: Questions? Comments? Drop me a line! Otherwise, I'll see you in June!