Welcome back, everyone!
Anyone else ready for the weekend? The last couple weeks have been busier than usual with social obligations and errands, and I’m ready to be a hermit!
For all my gamers, there’s going to be a Nintendo Direct tomorrow (6am PT/9am ET). Rumors are there may be an Animal Crossing announcement, and possible a release date for Hades II (though I’ve been playing early access and it’s fantastic).
What are your weekend plans?
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This link comes from Barb for any romance readers in the Toronto area. The Toronto Public Library is hosting a romance lit festival from August 21-24. I believe the event is free, though they encourage registering for specific events as space is limited.
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The site is featured and quoted in an academic article about genres and libraries!
From Deborah Tomaras, Librarian at Marist University:
I can finally send you the link to the published article on patrons, genres and libraries, available as open access here.
Fair warning that it’s very long, and very focused on genres in libraries and library genre vocabularies, particularly the Library of Congress’ Genre/Form Terms vocabulary (LCGFT).
The nutshell version is: patrons look for works of interest in library catalogs, using in-depth knowledge and terminology for subgenres also used and understood by publishers, review sites, social media communities, authors, etc.; and wouldn’t it be nice if library genre vocabularies could use those terms too?
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This news was put on our radar by Cleo and Lisa. Itch.io, “open marketplace for independent digital creators with a focus on independent video games,” has removed all NSFW games from their store pages and search results.
It seems like the aim, according to Itch.io, is to ban specific themes like SA, underage content, and beastiality, but NSFW bans also have a habit of sweeping up LGBTQIA+ content and any sexual content altogether, even if it doesn’t fall within their list of concerning topics.
You can find methods of fighting the ban here.
You can read Itch.io’s official statement here.
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If you’ve been swept up in the American Eagle ad campaign drama, romance author and cultural anthropologist Nikki Payne has an amazing Substack on the link between our TBR piles and the vision of a white utopia.
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Don’t forget to share what cool or interesting things you’ve seen, read, or listened to this week! And if you have anything you think we’d like to post on a future Wednesday Links, send it my way!
Thanks for posting the itch.io links and info. Itch.io sells books as well as games – that’s how I first heard of them and how I heard about the current situation.
Here’s a link with scripts for calling payment processors, that I got from an author newsletter – https://stop-paypros.neocities.org/
Not a new song, but a new video for Tim Minchin’s ‘Not Perfect’, a lovely little song that I found comforting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQDDbesNPJ4&list=RDBQDDbesNPJ4&start_radio=1
Thanks for the substack link. In general, I do not read romance set in the American South and I tend to find small town romance uncomfortable. This writing helps me understand why. I am becoming more aware that my reading choices do reflect unconscious bias on my part. This is a helpful way to continue to examine that.
The delisting of content is happening on Steam as well as itch.io. Here’s a Wired article with more information (non-paywall link): https://archive.ph/WmpG5
Wow, thank you for the Substack link. I always love an article that gives me vocabulary around the thinking I need to do.
@Jill Q Thank you so much for that link. I love it when Tim Minchin fandom pops up unexpectedly.
I don’t know how to share a link properly, but if I may recommend Mavis Staples’ song “Worthy,” I believe it’s also relevant to the SBTB community. It’s like a hug you can dance to.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=9wYU_4xDn8Y&si=j41SVkVR-TBZh92a
Piggybacking on the genes: https://www.today.com/food/news/dunkin-gavin-casalegno-ad-genetics-controversy-rcna221951