Nicola Griffith's Blog, page 2

Yorkshire Day!

Ay up, it’s Yorkshire Day! (Also Lammas or Lughnasadh; also the Feast Day for a couple of dozen saints, none of whom I feel are worth mentioning.)

This is a repost from my research blog last year which—for Reasons—seemed like a good idea to post here today.

So, what is Yorkshire? Well, it’s a large chunk of the north of England, the heartland of what in the Late Iron Age would have been Brigante territory.

Selected late Iron Age tribal territories—the coastline looks weird because I’ve taken into account the fens and marshland that would have formed barriers and boundaries between polities and peoples

To some it’s God’s Own Country. To others simply the most beautiful land on earth. To an ignorant few, an uncouth, untutored place where the accent is incomprehensible. It’s the biggest county in the UK—by a factor of… Well, when it was the historical county of three ridings, by a factor of a lot, and even now that it’s been divided into four ceremonial counties, North Yorkshire, on its own, is still the biggest in the UK. It encompasses moors, mountains, dales, cliffs, coasts, forests, lakes… Every landscape you can think of. So Yorkshire is big, and beautiful, and, well, belligerent.

It has always had its own identity. Lots of people born and bred there—like me—would think of themselves as Yorkshire folk first, and ‘English’ or ‘British’ second. It’s the UK equivalent of Texas: it inspires fierce loyalty. It has it’s own dialect, and several distinct regional accents—a mix of Iron Age Celtic rhythms, Old English, Norse, and, from the second half of the 20th century, Caribbean and South Asian, with a sprinkling of Polish.

The Domesday Book, compiled about a thousand years ago, noted which steadings, hamlets, demesnes etc stood where, and if you tot up all the mentions, to the tax-hungry Normans Yorkshire looked something like this:

Domesday Yorkshire

From 1889, Yorkshire had three administrative regions or Ridings: West (the largest), North, and South. Like this:

The three Ridings of Yorkshire

There was a Sheriff of Yorkshire until 1974 when there was another reorg which frankly is best forgotten—they took part of Yorkshire away and called it something else!—and then in 1996 that miserable reorg was itself reorged, and Yorkshire was reconstituted and then split into four ceremonial counties: West Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and the East Riding of Yorkshire.1 Like this:

Administrative counties: South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, and the East Riding of Yorkshire.

Why did I originally talk about all this on my research blog? Because I got tired of historians airily describing seventh-century Elmet as Basically West Yorkshire to which I’d always want to respond, Yes, but *which* Yorkshire?? That of course, will be the subject of an essay—though by ‘essay’ I suspect we might be reaching monograph territory: it will be at least 20,000 words long, with scores of maps and diagrammes—on all things Elmet. Where it was. What it was. Why it was, and when. The more I work on it the more I realise I’m really writing a summary of all I know and suspect about how The Britain of Imperial Rome became the Britain of Hild by the early seventh century. In other words, it may never be finished but it’s a deliciously knotty project.

But today is Yorkshire Day! I banish knottiness, exile it to the outer darkness of The South! Today we unproblematically celebrate all things Yorkshire: a strong brew, chip butties, and a pint or two of Tetleys. And if any you mardy buggers has owt to say to that, I’ll bray yer!

Yes, those in the east have always been a bit different; their accent’s pretty different too, probably because they were never Brigantes but Parisi—see that first map. ︎

Welcome to our solar system, Ammonite!

Ammonite, captured over several hours. Image credit: NAOJ, ASIAA

I imagine many of you have already heard this but just in case you might think I need to be notified by email or social media, yes, I know. And, yes, it’s very cool!

The Subaru telescope located at the Mauna Kea Observatory on Hawai’i has “found a new world within our Solar System,” affectionately (I hope) nicknamed ‘Ammonite‘ (more officially listed as ‘2023 KQ14’) by the team who spotted it. While they call it a ‘world’, it’s not a planet; technically, Ammonite is a sednoid, that is, a trans-Neptunian object with a large, semi-major axis and highly-eccentric orbit. And this one is pretty eccentric, with its perihelion between 50 and 75 AU and aphelion about 252 AU.1

I’m guessing this tiny new world (its diameter is calculated at somewhere between 220 and 380 kilometers) was dubbed Ammonite because, well, what else are you going to call a rock discovered by the FOSSIL (Formation of the Outer Solar System: An Icy Legacy) project? But I think it’s an excellent name, and will amuse myself by believing in my heart of hearts that really it’s named in honour of a certain novel. After all, NASA/JPL have already named a crater on Europa ‘Uaithne’…

Fir the geeks among us, there’s lots more info in this Nature article.

One AU (astronomical unit) is the distance between the earth and sun ︎

George channels Murderbot

George has always longed for a role model—specifically a male or male-adjacent role model (the only downside of having two moms). Charlie, while fascinated with George’s obsession, doesn’t feel the same need, though he does occasionally take it upon himself to vet the candidates, beginning when they were just kittens.

CHARLIE: These guys, George? Seriously? They do have whiskers, but they’re very old, and there’s not a tail between them. Which is a good thing because they’d wag them all the time in enthusiasm whenever they dig up bones. Which they do a lot. Just like dogs, really.
GEORGE: [sigh]

By the time he’s 8 or 9 months old, George is beginning to cast his net wider. Maybe he’s really an alien adopted into an Earth family?

At this point Charlie got worried enough about his brother vanishing in a beam of light to visit shrieking cephalopods that he had a serious chat and explained that maybe a predator needed a more suitable mentor, perhaps one closer to home, literally and figuratively. And, lo! George discovered the Lion King—specifically, the lion king’s dad. But of course the dad goes away.

“Yes, yes, share your widom with me…”“Farewell, O my father!”

At this point George was so sad that Charlie once more took it upon himself to filter the candidates.

CHARLIE: No, George. Just no. Lucifer is *not* appropriate. For you.
GEORGE: But he’s so suave!
CHARLIE: He’s the devil, George! The actual devil! Besides, he’s *my* role model.
GEORGE: [sigh]

After that, George had a brief moment while watching Firefly (CHARLIE: Forget it, George. He dies…)1

And then he just…gave up for a while. Even after we finally replaced our ancient TV—one of the tiny and very early Aquos models—with something from this decade, he just wasn’t interested in anything except bathing mindlessly in Apple’s soothing screen savers.

Lately, though, he’s been paying attention to programming once again. Lately, too, I’ve been enjoying watching Murderbot.2 (Coincidence? I think not…)3 And George is happy. He feels he has perhaps at long last found a role model. After all, he, too, has somewhat different physiognomy to most apparent males of his phenotype; he, too, does not really understand humour but can still occasionally make people laugh; he, too, is a very efficient killer who enjoys premium quality entertainments; and he, too, often feels the need to check the perimeter.

George channels Murderbot

I imagine we’ll be watching a lot of Murderbot. At least I hope so. The alternative is too terrible to contemplate.

Oh noes, don’t say it’s cancelled…“…for no reason, George! None!” Except Joss Whedon never met a happy couple he didn’t want to destroy. ︎And I’m delighted it’s been renewed for a second season. ︎No, Spock never floated George’s boat—the whales on the other hand… ︎

Disability in Library and Information Services

Last month I discovered there’s a new journal in town:

Disability in Libraries and Information Studies (DisLIS) is an open access, multimedia journal run by information professionals who work in various types of information-oriented jobs. All members of the Editorial Board either have disabilities or have extensive experience with disability-centered work. Academic articles are peer reviewed using an open, collaborative review process; book reviews are editorially reviewed.

And just how did I find out? Well, I got an email request for an interview. And of course I said yes.1 You can listen or read to the interview here or download to read and listen at your leisure (it’s long). There are also programme and show notes, all throughly linked and referenced (they are, after all, information professionals).

I haven’t had time to read or listen yet (because long), but I do remember talking a lot to JJ Pionke about Spear, about music, the kind of disability tax that means crips end up paying $41,000 for a bathtub, the power of fiction, and the origin and evolution of the Disabled aspect of my identity. It’s essentially unedited—this is the raw me. Enjoy.

Pionke, JJ. (Host). (2025, June 25.) Interview with Nicola Griffith on Spear. [Audio podcast episode]. DisLIS Author Interviews series. DisLIS, 2. https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/disl... ︎

Ammonite on sale $1.99—one day only!

One-day only sale of Ammonite

Apple Books | Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Google Play

Ammonite was my first novel.

“Ammonite, by Nicola Griffith, is the first novel of a major talent.” — Denver Post“Uncompromisingly packed with non-dogmatic feminist and queer ideologies… Griffith reveal[s] herself to be fluent in presenting realistic science and its implications, capable of cinematic clarity in her prose, insightful with emotions and character.” — Washington Post Book World

It was a cut-rate little mass market paperback original, with no publisher support and zero marketing or publicity budget—in the days before social media. Yet it won a boatload of awards and was named #25 on Esquire‘s Best Science Fiction of All Time.

“Gripping and gutsy, rich in layers of feminist and queer thought, Ammonite gleefully throws a stick of dynamite into the sci-fi firmament.” — Esquire“Ammonite is utterly believable, and at times heart-wrenching in its emotional power; the characterisation is impeccable.” — New Statesman and Society“Ms. Griffith is an astonishingly gifted writer… Her work is of the very best in the lesbian and gay literary field.” — Allen Ginsberg

Curious about why I’ve been inducted into the SFF Hall of Fame?

“Ammonite is a self-assured, unselfconscious, convincing depiction of a world without men…doing what only SF can do, and doing it with skill and brio. It answers the question ‘When you eliminate one gender, what’s left?’ (‘A whole world,’ is the answer.)” — Ursula K. Le Guin“Nicola Griffith’s first novel, Ammonite, flies all the banners of traditional sf but beneath the banners, it is armed to the teeth against convention.” — Interzone

Why I was recently honoured as the 41st Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master?

“Ammonite represents a major, no, make that a revolutionary change…a remarkable departure from the commonplace.” — Locus“A serious assault on conventions so enormous that it is very much more dangerous, sometimes, than writing about lesbianism.” — Dorothy Allison“Pays homage to Ursula K. Le Guin’s Left Hand of Darkness without inviting invidious comparisons.” — New York Times Book Review

Well, this is where it all began.

“Probably the best debut novel of the year—an accomplished, moving, intelligent, and graceful examination of gender roles, and a helluva good read.” — The New York Review of Science Fiction“Pays homage to Ursula K. Le Guin’s Left Hand of Darkness without inviting invidious comparisons.” — New York Times Book Review

So here’s your chance to try it—for just $1.99—today only. All US platforms (maybe Canada too, but you should check that). If you’ve already read it, buy it for a friend. Perhaps they’re curious, too…

Bookshop.org | Apple Books | Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Google Play

winner, Tiptree awardwinner, Lambda Literary Awardwinner, Premio Italiarunner up, Locus First Novel Awardshortlist, British Science Fiction Awardshortlist, Arthur C. Clarke AwardEsquire, Best 75 Sci-Fi Novels of All Time

Apple Books | Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Google Play

Lapis Earth

My absolute unit of a Grand Master award arrived!

My Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award arrived yesterday…

I kept trying to get a decent picture of it to show the lovely colours of all the different stones.1 I tried dim light, bright light, sunlight… All the things. None of them conveyed its true glory—and sheer size. It’s well over 30 cm tall, maybe 11 cm square, and its weight is not trivial (though only about half what it might be if it were made of glass).

Then I lugged it into my office and stuck it on my desk while I decide what to do with it. Serendipitously I put it in front of a padded mailer (which I’m about to sent out to the winning bid on one of my Locus pledges) and that made everything look much nicer.

Well, that’s better

So then I futzed about a bit more and finally got a picture of the lapis sphere. It’s huge—at least squash-ball size—and in front of the buff envelope it looked its proper colour. Also remarkably like our planet turning serenely in space.

So here you go: my Damon Knight Memorial planet, Lapis Earth.

Lapis Earth floating serenely in luciteSee The glory of a grand gong for an annotated image of what’s what. ︎

Aud begins to meet UK readers

The Aud books have been out in the UK 5 days. I don’t really have much of a window into how they’re selling and/or how readers are responding, but I know that at in Edinburgh and London at least she’s beginning to find her way into new hands. I am jealous—I still don’t have my author copies.

Here’s Canongate in Edinburgh—home of Caongate Books, home of Aud in the UK.

A Canongate on Canongate, Edinburgh (thanks @sailboat@mastodon.scot)

And here’s Daunt’s, a bookshop in London, where apparently Aud was spotted face-out in a high-traffic area of the shop.

Aud Daunts her public (Daunt’s in London displaying STAY face out—thanks Magda)

If anyone else has pictures, or simply reports of sightings of Aud out and about, I’d be happy to hear about it. (Pet pix a bonus!)

Today! At last!! Aud in the UK!!!

The three Aud novels published in the UK by Canongate, 3 July 2025.Buy

Bookshop.org | Amazon UK | Waterstones | WH Smith

Today, for the first time, the Aud trilogy (The Blue Place, Stay, Always) will be published in the UK. It only took 27 years. I know I’m not even remotely an impartial observer but these books kick ass. I love them with a crazy love. And I would dearly like UK readers to go buy a copy—and then tell me what you think.

Do you know any other queer noir/not-noir novels 1 praised by Dennis Lehane, Val McDermid, Dorothy Allison, Lee Child, Manda Scott, Francis Spufford, Laurie King, Ivy Pochoda, Robert Crais, Alex Gray, Elizabeth Hand, James Sallis, and more? No? Then maybe you should go find out what brings together such disparate writers in their love.

You can buy now or borrow from your local library. Enjoy!

Buy

Bookshop.org | Amazon UK | Waterstones | WH Smith

They use some of the prose style of noir but they don’t do noir, in the sense that Aud, the protagonist, does not trap herself in an ever-downward spiral. The three books between them describe a hopeful arc—with, y’know, lots of sex, and scams, and seamy cityscapes. Aud, like Hild, has an essential joy in life no matter what tight spot she finds herself in… ︎

Pulling the wings off flies

There are certain people in the world who are so uncaring of others’ needs and feelings that they are untroubled by conscience—they have no conscience. These are the people who as children pulled the wings off flies for fun, just because they could. These are people who, when they have power, kill other people.

Here today, by ‘people’ I am referring specifically to the current US administration. There are literally dozens of decisions the Trump administration and its minions in Congress have made that will kill people at home and abroad. Remember that: dozens.1 I’m going to mention just two as examples, one foreign, one domestic.

Domestically:

According to the Congressional Budget Office, a non-partisan agency, the OBBB (‘one big beautiful bill’) package just passed by the Senate and now back with the House would increase the federal deficit by $3.4 trillion over the next 10 years. 11.8 million Americans will lose their health insurance in the next decade due to the bill’s changes to Medicaid and the ACA, while more than half Americans will pay fewer taxes.

According to the Yale Budget Lab, after taking into account tax and social safety net changes, the poorest 20% of U.S. households will lose an average of 2.9% of their real income. The real income of the next 20% of households would remain flat. The top 60% of households (those earning over about $36,500 a year) will all benefit—but those in the top 20% (earning over about $120,500) will benefit massively—and just look at how much the top 5% (earning >$265,000) will gain.

At those low incomes, nearly 3% can mean the difference between survival and not: the old, the frail, the ill, the disabled will die—most especially the old, fail, ill and disabled people of colour. Can you spell ‘eugenics’?

Then add in the ballooning deficit, and what they will mean in terms of the value of the dollar and the ability of the US to borrow, and things get virulently worse, very quickly. In the short term, many people in the US will die; in the long term, many many people will die.

Internationally

Again, I’m going to talk about just one decision (of so many, so very many): the shuttering of USAID. I just looked at a new paper in The Lancet: 2

Higher levels of USAID funding—primarily directed toward LMICs, particularly African countries—were associated with a 15% reduction in age-standardised all-cause mortality (risk ratio [RR] 0·85, 95% CI 0·78–0·93) and a 32% reduction in under-five mortality (RR 0·68, 0·57–0·80). This finding indicates that 91 839 663 (95% CI 85 690 135–98 291 626) all-age deaths, including 30 391 980 (26 023 132–35 482 636) in children younger than 5 years, were prevented by USAID funding over the 21-year study period. USAID funding was associated with a 65% reduction (RR 0·35, 0·29-0·42) in mortality from HIV/AIDS (representing 25·5 million deaths), 51% (RR 0·49, 0·39–0·61) from malaria (8·0 million deaths), and 50% (RR 0·50, 0·40–0·62) from neglected tropical diseases (8·9 million deaths). Significant decreases were also observed in mortality from tuberculosis, nutritional deficiencies, diarrhoeal diseases, lower respiratory infections, and maternal and perinatal conditions. Forecasting models predicted that the current steep funding cuts could result in more than 14 051 750 (uncertainty interval 8 475 990–19 662 191) additional all-age deaths, including 4 537 157 (3 124 796–5 910 791) in children younger than age 5 years, by 2030.

Which boils down to

USAID funding saved nearly 92 million lives during the 21 years analyzedincluding over 30 million children under age 5as result of o USAID, 14 million people will die within 5 years—14 million preventable deathsand 14 is just the average—it could be as many as 19 million So what’s my point?

Do not try to appeal to the administration or Congress’s better natures. They don’t have one. They understand power. The power we have is our voice and our vote. Use it. Thinks of the tens of millions of people—real people, with real lives—who are dying now and will die in the future because people like us gave those wing-pullers power. Take their power away. Please.

Possibly hundreds. So many I truly don’t know where to start. Pandemic readiness, science funding, space funding, climate research, Gaza, Ukraine, tariffs, climate regulations, the ACA… ︎The full text, open access: do read it. ︎

Spear audiobook sale: $4.99!

The audiobook of Spear is for sale for $4.99, July 1 – July 13

It’s for sale on Audible worldwide for two weeks, starting today; I’m not sure about other platforms. But I hope so, because I loved doing the narration and I’m proud of it, and the more people who get to listen to it the happier I’ll be. And that’s a great price!