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While I focus on Technology, Innovation, and Publishing, because I have a platform, I also flag items that I think are important. I also try to include some resources & opportunities. It’s been a few weeks, so this issue has a lot of links. Please let me know what you think.
Important Items
How to Help Victims of the LA Wildfires
Inside Meta’s dehumanizing new speech policies for trans people
“A trans person isn’t a he or she, it’s an it,” reads a new guideline telling moderators what is now allowed on Facebook and Instagram.
https://www.platformer.news/meta-new-trans-guidelines-hate-speech/?ref=platformer-newsletter
Innovation
The Race to Translate Animal Sounds Into Human Language
With big cash prizes at stake—and AI supercharging research—interspecies translation is closer than ever. But what, if anything, would animals want to tell us?
https://www.wired.com/story/artificial-intelligence-translation-animal-sounds-human-language/
Robot that Watched Surgery Videos Performs with Skill of Human Doctor
https://hub.jhu.edu/2024/11/11/surgery-robots-trained-with-videos/
Technology
Fable, a Book App, Makes Changes After Offensive AI Messages
Google’s AI-Powered TV to Summarize News
The new version of Google’s TV operating system will use company AI to scrape news stories from across the internet and YouTube
AI could create 78M more jobs than it eliminates by 2030—report
Getty Images in Deal to Acquire Shutterstock
Publishing & Media
Did a Best-Selling Romantasy Novelist Steal Another Writer’s Story?
Tracy Wolff, the author of the “Crave” series, is being sued for copyright infringement. But romantasy’s reliance on standardized tropes makes proving plot theft tricky.
How Barnes and Noble made a comeback by revitalizing its philosophy
8 Newsletters Demystifying the Publishing Industry
Including The Not So Secret Agent by Sally Ekus and Publishing Confidential by Kathleen Schmidt.
https://electricliterature.com/8-newsletters-demystifying-the-publishing-industry/
Librarians and Allies Must Act to Secure the Future of Libraries and Intellectual Freedom
https://www.slj.com/story/Librarians-allies-Must-Act-Secure-Future-Libraries-Intellectual-Freedom
48 Books By Women of Color to Read in 2025
Books by Zora Neale Hurston, Laila Lalami, Andrea Long Chu, Angela Flournoy, and EL’s own Denne Michele Norris are among the most anticipated, per R.O. Kwon, in Electric Literature.
https://electricliterature.com/48-books-by-women-of-color-to-read-in-2025/
50 books we can’t wait to read in 2025, per TODAY
https://www.today.com/popculture/books/best-new-books-2025-rcna184522
The 39 Most Anticipated Books of 2025, per Time Magazine
https://time.com/7202423/most-anticipated-books-2025/
15 books we can’t wait to read, per USA Today
Resources & Opportunities
Is writing a non-fiction book one of your 2025 goals? Sign up for this virtual event featuring an agent and editor who have years of experience and have seen it all. Virtual 1/15/25 12-1pm ET. FREE for @WMG_NYC Members, $15 Non-Members.
https://www.womensmediagroup.org/event-5987937
Free Virtual Reading Event Celebrating Nikki Giovanni
The Publishing Triangle in collaboration with the Bureau of General Services—Queer Division, presents a special OUTspoken Reading Series event celebrating the life of Nikki Giovanni. 2/1 6pm Live or Streaming. Free.
LGBTQIA+ PRH Open Call for Submissions
MT @prhlgbtq We want to consider your work for publication! 
Please carefully read all four slides of this post for submission instructions. *Open to English-language works from writers worldwide. A literary agent is not required. The work must be previously unpublished (including never before self-published.)* #teamPRH
https://www.instagram.com/p/DEsoqeXRYwI/?igsh=X2dJRnQzem50
PENamerica 2025 Emerging Voices Fellowship
9 fellowships of $1,500 & participation in a virtual 5-month mentorship program. For writers who have not yet published a book & do not hold an advanced degree in creative writing
https://pen.org/emerging-voices-fellowship/
The London Library Emerging Writers Programme
Applications are free and close at 11am, Wednesday 26 February 2025.
https://www.londonlibrary.co.uk/about-us/ll-emerging-writers
Marvels of Media Festival Submission Form
MT @NYCulture 
@MovingImageNYC is accepting films, video games, and virtual reality experiences by autistic media makers for their 2025 Marvels of Media Festival! 
The call for submissions is open until January 15!
https://airtable.com/appcRKlFWHTnlQaVO/shry2wTh9uXSFwcW3
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