SE Daniels

My mutt dog waiting patiently for me to return with my coffee.

Rescue dogs are the best.

There’s no such thing as a small election. Voting is an act of citizenship. It’s the acknowledgment of those who came before who were denied a voice in the course of their nation. Let’s send a message that we’re still here, and our voices matter.

There’s nothing as thrilling as a cover reveal, and Interim Poetics have outdone themselves with this gorgeous cover.

I’m honored to be among the authors featured in this special print edition, and now I’m extra excited to receive my contributor’s copy.

The best part of Halloween.

A totally accurate depiction of the birds of North America as interpreted by Quentin and Owen Reiser.

Look what came in the mail today!

That’s right. I bought a copy of Quentin Reiser’s Field Guide to Birds because I will always support glorious weirdos wherever I find them.

Yes. I’m yet another LISTERS evangelist, so consider this your call to go watch the best film you’ll see this year.

“…The smell makes you feel something in the space between your
heart and your stomach...
In that feeling is the dying of summer, the rise of fall, the coming of winter, and threaded throughout, a season of funerals and flowers left on a grave.“

Yes. He’s writing about an apple.

You’re a beautiful lunatic.

Been there. I once got called in for a full day interview that involved me white-boarding game progression to overhaul an existing franchise. It was basically a game jam for their existing team. At the end of my 8 hour day, the studio decided they weren’t hiring and pulled the position.

As a writer, I’ve come to cherish the customized rejection. The Missouri Review rejected a piece with a note: “Our staff especially admired your method of description and creation of scenes.” I’ve printed that one out as a sort of talisman. In this business, we learn to frame our own success.

Perhaps this is a good thing. Maybe this is how dystopia becomes utopia and these apex predators will consume themselves like an ouroboros while the rest of us return to the roots of our humanity.

Still, it’s tough to watch your industry turn into a game of corporate centipede.

Little graphic that says the books selected for 100 Small Press Books for 2025 will be announced in LitHub on December 1.

This past year, I have been reading gobs of novels and short story collections published by small presses. I nominated three for inclusion in 100 Notable Small Press Books of 2025. If you shared your novel with me, thanks! I enjoyed reading all of them.

#100SmallPress

Text reads: Fed up with your world? Visit ours. clarkesworldmagazine.com Includes our robot mascot's head looking up and over at the cover of a recent issue that has a building on a hill with red tubes bursting through the walls and into the sky. A small robot and some people approach the woods in front of the building. Ok, so maybe that place has problems too, but at least it's pretty to look at. I won't say that won't happen in the real world because you never know who will decide to invest in the BuildingDestroyer(tm) after seeing that picture instead of buying a subscription and supporting real human artists and authors. Those people probably wouldn't support us anyway because we hate their so-called "AI" and mock their little toys when we have the opportunity to. But yes, visit our world. The stories are good. Really. At least we think so. Can't hurt to try, can it? Stay as long as you like. There's nineteen years of stories, many in audio too. Just don't forget to stop to eat and drink and sleep and take care of yourself. And when you're ready, go back to the real world and fight your monsters or just breathe. You can come back any time. I suppose I should stop rambling now. I apologize for the lack of a screaming possum in this ad, but trust that it is there in spirit.

Sometimes you just need to escape for a little while. Short stories are great for that.
Visitors welcome. Subscriptions are good too.
clarkesworldmagazine.com

I highly recommend going to search and following @why.bsky.team Quiet Posters.

As it true in life, the folks who say the least are the most worth hearing.

The rabbit hole that is social media means I rarely remember how I find a profile I follow. This thread on random goodwill posts that includes a $1500 Rauschenberg poster will be the exception. A rabbit hole that spawned a rabbit hole.

It’s also the best palliative for the flu.

Baker & Taylor to Cease Operations | American Libraries Magazine Despite measures to continue operations and preserve pending contracts with libraries, the book distributor Baker & Taylor will shutter.

B&T, founded in 1828, was one of the largest distributors of print and audiovisual materials for more than 4,000 libraries. Without B&T, small rural libraries will feel the pinch, and yes, that means a loss for all of us.

americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2025/10/08/b...

It's hard to pick my favorite, though I keep refreshing to page to see if I can find one.

Today's "kat thought." You can't punch a sandwich, but you can press one.

Proof the American people still value the arts. Let the grant writing begin.

Why am I just finding out about this? The rest of my day: refresh, refresh, Cheese!, refresh.

Of course you do.
And how were they?

It’s a rare and wonderful thing when one can say they get to work with people both talented and kind. Working on @thekillingstone.com has been one of those rare experiences. Thanks to Liam from all of us @questiongames.bsky.social for making our Mephistopheles come to life.

One of my favorite things about our new game are the creatures that live on the battle line. Our artists and animators were just incredible. Look at this little guy - his name is "Sacred Vessel." He may not look like much of a warrior, but he's incredibly fun to play. #cardbattles #steamnextfest

The Killing Stone Is A Folk Horror Board Game Where Everything Is Story - Aftermath Plus it *sounds* really good

Heartfelt thanks to @rcmacleod.bsky.social for the review of "The Killing Stone" demo. All of us @questiongames.bsky.social are so proud of this game. We can't wait to release the full version early next year.

aftermath.site/killing-ston...

YouTube video by Vincent Dawn 1 Hour Of David Lynch Listening To Rain, Smoking And Reflecting On Art

How do we measure the impact of one life upon another? What if you never meet? What if one person never knows the other exists? Can we still reach through the ether and improve of another person's day? Year? Yes. Yes we can. Thank you David Lynch. You made my life richer.

youtu.be/bL6fLdOK_FM?...

I haven't been on Bluesky as you can tell! I'll find Lizzie. I'd love to follow her. My hope is that I'll have the stamina for social media shenanigans (or rather that my feed will keep the noise of society to a minimum and maximize all my book nerds).

Greetings fellow narrative nerds! I've officially abandoned X, though I metaphorically abandoned it back when the blue bird flew away.

I'll try to track down my #bookcommunity and #litmags, but if you recognize me, come say hi!

This is heady company. My essay in @NarrativeMag is falling in the ranks, but it’s giving way to such wonderful stories. Every one worth the read.

Guns and America. It’s a polarizing topic. This essay was conceived during my 2015 road trip after passing through Lawton, Oklahoma. It’s an honor to have it published by Narrative Magazine.

www.narrativemagazine.com/issues/fall-...

“Also, the English language is total chaos. It’s a flock of birds drunk on berries flying into an airplane turbine. Good luck divining narrative truth from the spray of blood and feathers, everyone.”

I feel this.

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