The Ides of June 2025
Greetings from the Picklesverse!
It’s the 13th of June, so the Ides are upon us once again, and it’s time for me to say hello… Hello! Here’s what I’ve got for you today:
🌻 Thank you
🎁 New gift for subscribers
👩💻 Behind the scenes
Let’s get stuck in!
🌻 Thank you
I’d like to start with some big thank-yous. To everyone who joined this list recently – thank you! I’m so pleased you’ve discovered the world of ArkTech, and it’s wonderful to e-meet you.
To the people who’ve given ratings and reviews of Artificial Selection – thank you! Your kind words about the book mean the world to me.
To all of you who’ve been here for a while – thank you! I really appreciate all your support and your company on this journey.
With that in mind…
🎁 New gift for subscribers
I’ve decided to make a new freebie available to all of you lovely Picklesverse subscribers: ArkTech’s Glossary of Terms written by none other than ArkTech’s very own artificial intelligence, Ben.* Until now, this has been exclusively available in the hardback edition of Artificial Selection, but I want you to have nice things so I’ve decided to share it with you.
Big shout out to beta reader Clare W, who suggested I create the glossary in the first place.
*Well, OK – for absolute clarity, it was written by me in Ben’s voice. With all the controversy these days surrounding AI, I suppose I should make it extra clear that my AI character is written by a human.**
**Which makes me wonder if there’s such a thing as a Reverse Voight-Kampff test, which would detect humans posing as AIs. If not, as my day job involves working as the Head of Assessment Development for a company that makes tests and exams, perhaps I should suggest they develop this. (Or perhaps not…) Anyway, please don’t pelt me with rotten vegetables when you see the entry for IQUO. (You’ll learn more about them in Time Hack – I promise!)
Enjoy!
👩💻 Behind the scenes
I’m working hard to polish up this draft of Time Hack before I hand it over to my editor on the 1st of July. It’s SO CLOSE to being ready! But I’m still going to need all the available time (which is why this month’s email is a little shorter than usual).
Just to spice things up, I’ve also developed tendonitis in my right hand. Not from writing, I should add. I made the mistake of pruning in my garden during the Easter break. The lesson here – never attack a shrubbery.
Speaking of which, a Tom Gauld cartoon this month made me chuckle, so I thought I’d pass it on. (The Remains of the Day of the Triffids has got to be my favourite… I reckon Mr Stevens would be a dab hand with pruning shears!)
A note for those of you using screen readers: I’ve provided a transcript below the image as the picture is too text heavy to fit everything in the alt text box.
Combine Classics: Get those notable novels ticked off more quickly!
Remains of the Day of the Triffids – Ishiguro / Wyndham
Greats: Gatsby, Expectations, Glass Elevator – Fitzgerald / Dickens / Dahl
Watership Down and Out in Paris and London – Adams / Orwell
War, Peace, Pride, Prejudice, Crime, and Punishment – Tolstoy / Austen / Dostoyevsky
Walk in the sun,
Marianne