Notices by Lili Saintcrow (lilithsaintcrow@raggedfeathers.com)

"...what worries me is that what we’re witnessing nationwide are not the actions of an agency that believes it will ever be subject to meaningful oversight or legal authority ever again."
https://www.doomsdayscenario.co/p/ice-believes-it-will-never-face-accountability-again

"Now, all of a sudden, this once-fringe network of corporate secessionists finds itself knocking on open doors at the dead center of global power."
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2025/apr/13/end-times-fascism-far-right-trump-musk

An incredibly interesting half-hour video from the Second Story about why there "hasn't been another Tolkien". The answer is... not what you think.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BBrDhgGz1k

The history dovetails with my recent realisation that for trad publishers, the enemy isn't censorship, IP theft, or the plagiarism slop machine. No, the base assumption for tradpub C- and managerial suites is that the enemy is *writers demanding a fair price for their artistic labour*.

It must be noted that without authors, publishers don't have anything to edit, proof, market, sell, profit from. Yet the managerial and above echelons of tradpub consistently treat authors like the biggest threat in the world, penalizing us at every turn.

It's very odd.

Earlier today at the No Kings protest in East Vancouver, WA. The crowd was already considerable, and just kept growing. Overwhelming support from motorists.

I can't stress how rare and stunning this is. Protests generally happen over the river in PDX, or (very) small ones in downtown Vancouver.

Back from a local No Kings protest. Absolutely gobsmacked at the size of the crowd.

It was good to not feel so alone. And the signs were AMAZING.

A retelling of Beauty & the Beast, complete with a curse, a rose garden... and a magical library. ROSE & THUNDER is $1.99USD in ebook through these retailers until June 24. https://books2read.com/rosethunder

"Internal 82nd Airborne Division communications reviewed by Military. com reveal a tightly orchestrated effort to curate the optics of Trump's recent visit, including handpicking soldiers for the audience based on political leanings and physical appearance."
https://www.military.com/daily-news/2025/06/11/bragg-soldiers-who-cheered-trumps-political-attacks-while-uniform-were-checked-allegiance-appearance.html

One major fuelling component to the “AI” tulip-craze is the fact that the management and C-suite classes love that unlike human employees, a chatbot can be verbally abused without visible, immediate consequence—even mild consequence like a flash of disgust on a wage-serf’s face.

Another component is the managerial/C-suite misperception that an “AI” is basically “free”, which means wages formerly paid to human wage-serfs can be used for said managerial/C-suite compensation instead.

Yet another component is that the managerial/C-suite class is *perfectly* aware of the mass theft from creatives, and deeply pleased by the idea of somehow getting vengeance on the people they envy--those who actually labour and *make* things.

Many successful grifts are attractive because they are initially perceived to take the risk out of abusive behaviour, granting permission or power to act like a total shitheel at the same time as "cheating the system" into "free money". It's hard to tell which concept is more beloved of bagholders.

So, if someone is "all in" on the "AI" grift, the chances are incredibly high their dedication to the ongoing bubble is part sunk costs fallacy, part fear of being held accountable for abusive behaviour, and part the expectation that they are entitled to free money by signing on.

If you say, "Lili, that sounds... like a cult," yep, it uses some of the same psychological and emotional functions and vulnerabilities!

The fact that chatbots are basically text-based slot machines helps too; they are engineered to be addictive.

When you are dealing with an "AI" all-in grifter or true believer, it helps to understand all of the above *so you can protect yourself*, both from being personally sucked in as a bag holder and from the toxic behaviour of those who are already lost in the plagiarism pink sauce.

...and now I finish my coffee, because thinking about this nonsense is so bloody depressing. Ugh.

During the month of June, my love song to Wyoming, Baba Yaga, and the perils of growing up--RATTLESNAKE WIND--is $1.99USD in ebook on Kindle. https://openroadmedia.com/ebook/rattlesnake-wind/9781504080170

There are stages of grieving a murdered series; I think I've entered the numbness phase for this one. I don't think I'll ever quite get to *acceptance*, mind you, but the reprieve is welcome.

A desperate client. A fascist-punching shapeshifter. A plan made of weapons-grade insanity.

Run, Coyote. RUN.

https://hornedlarkpress.com/product/coyote-run/