Unlikely Stories

Successful statewide Louisiana politicians want power. To them, prosperity is counterproductive. A lot of Louisiana voters seem to believe, directly or indirectly, that if they punish New Orleans, God will bless the rest of the state.

James Steck is back, with three poems on being a million miles old, dancing too much, and grinding out inhuman sentences at www.unlikelystories.org/content/les-... #poetry #litmag #smallpress

"Blue city" is understating the case. Landry hates New Orleans, specifically and openly, and everything it represents. His first excursions into politics in Lafayette were based entirely on anti-LGBTQ sentiment. When that failed, he expanded to racism and successfully ran for state office.

Well, did it accept?

Welcome back Peycho Kanev, who brings us two poems on heavy sighs, shameful losses, and ill-lit places full of white hope at unlikelystories.org/content/days... #poetry #litmag #smallpress

Yeah, that's a big one. I was sitting with a close friend, and her close friend, and her friend started talking about how Covid wasn't real. Because of the social makeup, I spent several minutes saying, "that's counterfactual," before I realized I didn't need to do that and it would never work.

Check out “East vs. West,” a short story by newcomer David August on deteriorating treaties, open warfare, and not knowing what country you're in at unlikelystories.org/content/east... #fiction #litmag #smallpress

Regina Rheda is back, with her short story “Gold for the Good,” on fascist propaganda, communist slogans, and six-year-olds who need to pee at www.unlikelystories.org/content/gold... #fiction #smallpress #litmag

Lavender Ink and Bar Redux Present "A Limited Number of Miracles" by Jonathan Penton: a book release party in New Orleans. With Jonathan Penton, Carolyn Hembree, Skye Jackson, and Laura Mattingly. Tuesday, November 18, 8pm. Bar Redux, 801 Poland Ave. 21+. There will be cake.

It's time to celebrate Jonathan Penton's new book, "A Limited Number of Miracles: a walk through the New Orleans Sculpture Garden" from Lavender Ink! Come to Bar Redux on Tuesday, November 18 at 8pm and hear poetry from Skye Jackson, Carolyn Hembree, Laura Mattingly, and Jonathan Penton!

Give a warm welcome to mk zariel, who brings three poems on love under fascism, transitioning like ripened fruit, and checking the Signal chat at unlikelystories.org/content/flow... #poetry #smallpress #litmag

Welcome back Dennis Formento, who brings us two poems on mind dictation and how the sword that kills you is also the sword that saves at unlikelystories.org/content/the-... #poetry #litmag #smallpress

the forced self-censorship gibberish we all have to do on social media now is having a devastating effect on the way people communicate with each other. nobody in a healthy society is saying "unalived"

NO KINGS DAY protest tomorrow, Saturday, 10/18. In New Orleans: Lafitte Greenway 3:30 to 5:30 pm. Also, there's a Stop the Grain Train fundraiser at Pirogue's Whiskey Bayou in Arabi!

Thank you!

full cover of "A Limited Number of Miracles: a walk through the New Orleans Sculpture Garden" by Jonathan Penton. Blurbs by Cassandra Atherton, Gina Ferraria, Kenning JP García, and Julie Kane.

Here it is: the full cover of my forthcoming book, "A Limited Number of Miracles!" We should have copies within the next few weeks, so pre-order it now at www.lavenderink.org/site/shop/a-limited-number-of-miracles/

A screenshot of How to Report ICE zine, the Chicago edition by @meganpiont

Goodnight, friends.

Check out the zines by @meganpiont.bsky.social on reporting 🧊🧊🧊, customized for various cities.

They are free to reproduce. So print and fold some copies to share!

drive.google.com/drive/u/0/mo...

Stay safe. Keep your community safe.

I love you.

win harms, recently deceased poet

Rest in Poetry, win harms.

Just sayin'...

A Sardine on Vacation continues with Episode 86: Pope Sixtus on Vacation, in which the long-dead pontiff rants about the natives interfering with his vacation at unlikelystories.org/content/pope... #litmag #smallpress

Read This When Things Fall Apart by Kelly Hayes | Pilsen Community Books A bundle of letters to activists and organizers on the frontlines in catastrophic times from Let This Radicalize You co-author Kelly Hayes In social movements, some heartbreaks are all but inevitable.

My publisher’s been very patient. I’m not doing everything I said I’d do to promote this book (out in a few weeks) because I’m an organizer in a city under federal attack. My days are full and emotionally exhausting. Any help getting the word out means a lot. It's a book people need right now.

Check out “Streets as Clean as These,” a barely-fictional story by newcomer Sean Cahill on persecuting the homeless and the destruction of the judiciary at unlikelystories.org/content/stre... #fiction #smallpress #litmag

Is satire, yes? Skeet is joking? Maybe?

Complicated Grief by Mark DuCharme out now! We here at C22 are proud to bring to you Complicated Grief by Mark Ducharme, the latest in our Open Editions series of chapbook releases. Written toward the end of the pandemic, Complicated Grief i…

Complicated Grief by Mark DuCharme out now from C22 Open Editions! Written toward the end of the pandemic, Complicated Grief interrogates and refracts the emotional layers of public crisis. Read for free or buy in print!

c22press.wordpress.com/2025/10/08/c...

It really can't be said enough: the goal of the "anti-woke" movement was always to destroy social norms against bigotry. And it worked. And there's a whole lot of purportedly "left" thinkers & commentators who helped it -- indeed, it couldn't have been done without them.

They should feel bad.

Everyone welcome Maceo Nightingale, who brings us two poems on urine tests, silver leashes, and thunder thighs for lustful eyes at www.unlikelystories.org/content/spla... #poetry #litmag #smallpress

Please welcome Devayani Anvekar, who brings her projective poem “Illumination” on deep hollows, pinpoint holes, and blistering rays of high flames at unlikelystories.org/content/illu... #poetry #litmag #smallpress

Ernie K-Doe at the Mother-in-Law Lounge in Treme, New Orleans

Come meet Pat Jolly, artist and cultural icon, who brings thirteen photographs exploring the past and present of New Orleans at unlikelystories.org/content/thir... . Thanks to Leona Strassberg Steiner for putting this exhibit together! #visualart #photography #neworleans #nola #litmag #smallpress

VOTER EDUCATION GUIDE: SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2025 - ANTIGRAVITY Magazine This voter education guide is published primarily as a resource and does not constitute an endorsement of any candidate or proposition by ANTIGRAVITY Magazine. Welcome once again to your ANTIGRAVITY v...

And of course our Voter Education Guide for the October 11 election is live! Dig in! antigravitymagazine.com/feature/vote...

Welcome back Heath Brougher, who brings us three poems on opinion-headed zeitgeisters, simulacric smackstackey musings, and the beginning of the beginning of the end at unlikelystories.org/content/of-r... #poetry #smallpress #litmag