Kelly Pedro

The SmokeLong Grand Micro Contest 2025 - SmokeLong Quarterly The SmokeLong Grand Micro Contest (The Mikey) is now an annual competition celebrating and compensating the best micro fiction and nonfiction online. The grand prize winner of The Mikey is automatical...

The SmokeLong Grand Micro Contest. Previously published and unpublished micros considered, fiction, nonfiction, anything in between. Send us that stunning micro published in 2002 that disappeared when the journal went defunct. Or send something new. Deadline Nov 15 www.smokelong.com/the-smokelon...

Judgment Day by LM Fontanes Olivia knows the cat is judging her. Now that Matt took off with his dog and six Stop & Shop bags crammed with possessions, it’s pretty clear the cat blames her for the sho…

"But heat is heat and a cat understands that you grab what you can." Love this flash by my @smokelong.bsky.social peer @lorifontanes.bsky.social in Emerge Lit Journal. emergeliteraryjournal.com/judgment-day/

Such a great group of writers!

Friends, if you happen to be in Mississauga and you have questions about publishing, Noelle Allen will taking part in the publishing panel at the Canada Literature Festival tonigh, 6:30 pm in the Noel Ryan Theatre of that Hazel McCallion Library, at 301 Burnhamthorpe Rd. W.

2 million rally in Italy for Gaza as general strike halts key services ROME (AP) — More than 2 million people across Italy rallied in over 100 cities Friday for a one-day general strike to support the residents of Gaza and a humanitarian aid mission, Italy’s largest union said.

ROME (AP) — More than 2 million people across Italy rallied in over 100 cities Friday for a one-day general strike to support the residents of Gaza and a humanitarian aid mission, Italy’s largest union said.

Oh same — I think I'm up to 11 in a row! But YAY for the acceptance!! Can't wait to read it :)

SmokeLong Fitness — The Community Workshop - SmokeLong Quarterly In September 2022 SmokeLong launched a workshop environment/community christened SmokeLong Fitness. This community workshop is happening right now on our dedicated workshop site. If you choose to join...

Need more community? Writing in isolation? Our first October writing task goes live on October 6th, so you have a few days to think. We'd love to get all the new members in by Oct 1st so that we can do some onboarding before Oct 6th. Come write with us. #notacult www.smokelong.com/smokelong-fi...

SmokeLong Fitness — The Community Workshop - SmokeLong Quarterly In September 2022 SmokeLong launched a workshop environment/community christened SmokeLong Fitness. This community workshop is happening right now on our dedicated workshop site. If you choose to join...

Feeling isolated? Craving community? It's sign-up time to begin SmokeLong Fitness in October. Our community workshop of around 200 passionate writers from around the world is an honest, supportive group of talented and adorable people. Come write with us. #notacult www.smokelong.com/smokelong-fi...

🥰

Thanks so much for sharing!

Preserves - Tahoma Literary Review In winter, Lara eats root vegetables from the cellar—crisp carrots and sugar beets that snap between her calcified teeth. Outside, the snow is like

"Lara eats chocolate cake again when the man she loves brings it to her after his wife has gone into town to run errands." @kellypedro.bsky.social in @tahomareview.bsky.social
tahomaliteraryreview.com/selections/p...

List of award nominations with purple Monarch butterfly logo top centre and SmokeLong Quarterly logo top left. Text: Monarch Queer Literary Awards Nominations: Fiction: Man Spelt Backwards by Chi Pham; People of Color Monologue by Sam Mainz. Non-fiction: strangers breathe air into you by jj peña. Hybrid: Yes by Allison Field Bell; Best Western by C Ray Borck.

Announcing our nominations for the inaugural Monarch Queer Literary Awards! @monarch.gay @fifthwheelpress.bsky.social 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @seaheye.bsky.social, Sam Mainz, @jjpena.bsky.social, @allisonfieldbell.bsky.social, and C Ray Borck

"Because when you reveal in group that your stepfather denies everything and your mom believes him, Piper nods like she knows." What a gem by @dawnsteffler.bsky.social in @fictivedream.bsky.social. fictivedream.com/2025/09/08/m...

SO proud to be part of @reckonreview.bsky.social with this CNF #FlashFiction piece, which I wrote as part of @smokelong.bsky.social Fitness. It begins: "Maybe parallel universe me was born without a cleft palate. Maybe her philtrum is intact..."

Read more:
reckonreview.com/maybe-parall...

Person holding two books and smiling

Book giveaway!!! I just got my author copies of SALTCROP and I’m giving two away! Sign up for my newsletter before Friday 9/5/25, 11AM EST for a chance to win! More details 🧵

New micro out today, which began as part of @smokelong.bsky.social Fitness. Thank you so much!

SmokeLong Fitness — The Community Workshop - SmokeLong Quarterly In September 2022 SmokeLong launched a workshop environment/community christened SmokeLong Fitness. This community workshop is happening right now on our dedicated workshop site. If you choose to join...

PSA! We need to get September new members in today so that everyone has the chance to become familiar with the workshop site before the first September writing task (goes live on Sept 1st). Write with us. We are nice.
www.smokelong.com/smokelong-fi...

Haha — I totally get that. 😅

Have you seen me? Frances Orrok   Have you seen my hat you say and it’s not just any hat it’s the funny tight cap that flattens your ears and goes under your helmet to stop the wind and I know this is important…

"you say, it’s minus 4 outside and there is only one glove, and the smallest says she needs two bunches not one and so I give everyone a banana and carry her kicking into the car" I feel so seen in this @francesorrok.bsky.social micro in @pitheadchapel.bsky.social pitheadchapel.com/have-you-see...

Preserves - Tahoma Literary Review In winter, Lara eats root vegetables from the cellar—crisp carrots and sugar beets that snap between her calcified teeth. Outside, the snow is like

Lara shakes her head slightly, and the woman’s hair becomes wild, electrified.

“Then I need you to leave,” the woman says.

“I can’t. My life is here.”

The woman laughs, crests a hand over her eyes. “What life?”

@kellypedro.bsky.social in @tahomareview.bsky.social !!

Thank you for sharing!!!

A screenshot of a section of an article that reads: 1) There should be a clean clear surface with much disturbance below 2) An anagogical level 3) Sentences that can stand strikingly alone 4) An animal within to give its blessing 5) Interior voices which are or become wildly erratically exterior 6) Control throughout is absolutely necessary 7) The story’s effect should transcend the naturalness and accessibility of its situation and language 8) A certain coldness is required in execution. It is not a form that gives itself to consolation but if consolation is offered it should come from an unexpected quarter. A novel wants to befriend you, a short story almost never.

Thinking about Joy Williams’ essential attributes of a short story today

Solo - Tahoma Literary Review After Ryan Brod In this city I go for a run only on evenings when the wind is substantial, it’s easier on the lungs, and the ribbon of asphalt adjacent to

"...the time of the mind is a knife and it chops the world in livable slices..." Read Abhinav's excellent flash CNF, "Solo" in @tahomareview.bsky.social. tahomaliteraryreview.com/selections/s... #FlashCNF

Preserves - Tahoma Literary Review In winter, Lara eats root vegetables from the cellar—crisp carrots and sugar beets that snap between her calcified teeth. Outside, the snow is like

Thanks to @tahomareview.bsky.social for publishing my flash, "Preserves." Written in a 2023 @smokelong.bsky.social workshop, it's since gone through many changes. Thanks to workshop mates, and Steve Himmer @necessaryfiction.com who offered such kind feedback. tahomaliteraryreview.com/selections/p...

Ah thank you so much for reading and sharing!

Preserves - Tahoma Literary Review In winter, Lara eats root vegetables from the cellar—crisp carrots and sugar beets that snap between her calcified teeth. Outside, the snow is like

We're reading "Preserves," a terrific flash fiction by @kellypedro.bsky.social at @tahomareview.bsky.social

We're collecting some info for future projects. If you've participated in a SmokeLong workshop (and maybe even if you haven't), please take a few minutes and reply to our survey. It's anonymous. fx4n25ehm8e.typeform.com/to/A78qM4SM

Being a SmokeLong Fellow in 2024 changed everything for me. Get support and feedback from the best flash editors around — and more importantly, you get to read the queue, which is such an incredible learning experience! Happy to answer questions.

Thank you for sharing, Claudia ❤️

Flash Fiction: Pineapples by Kelly Pedro “The smoke helps the pineapples grow the same size,” he says, “but first they have to bring them to within an inch of their lives.” And I roll my eyes because he’s not really talking about pineappl…

"I know this is also his way of telling me the truth. That when he was a boy he lost friends, but translating Morse code while serving as a soldier, he was also likely the reason others did too." Beautiful @kellypedro.bsky.social @jmwwjournal.bsky.social
jmwwblog.wordpress.com/2025/06/18/f...