Marcelle Heath

Need some writing inspiration? ✏️ Check out these notebooks by @matchbooklitmag.bsky.social featuring flash prompts from contributor @kathyfish.bsky.social! buff.ly/UpOj2s9

The Box | matchbook

"The producers knew they had a hit even before the first episode."

New fiction: "The Box" by Joshua Jones Lofflin aka @jjlofflin.bsky.social

www.matchbooklitmag.com/mb/lofflin/t...

ICYMI

We are always talking about the light | matchbook Archive

"The sky is so big here, you say, stretching your arms wide as we wade through the tall grass at the base of the basalt cliffs."

New fiction: "We are always talking about the light" by Kate Lavelle

www.matchbooklitmag.com/mb/lavelle/w...

ICYMI

Small Douglas Fir bonsai in round gray container, twisted and slanting right. Gray bench and background siding.

Douglas Fir, more than four years old at this point, volunteer from neighbor’s tree. A lot of development in the past year, it is about 6 inches bottom of container to apex.

Pseudotsuga menziesii

#bonsai
#douglasfir
#pseudotsugabonsai

Departures by Dina L. Relles handed you the promised coffee with an apology: no sugar, no milk, I’m sorry. I don’t need those things, you said, and I fell in impossible love with you all over again. I’d come from my room carrying everything I wanted to happen that didn’t. Now the lobby was too bright and smelled like grapefruits and your face was weary in a way that felt intimate. You spoke quietly to me in the taxi, then held me twice at the terminal, which I took to mean you loved me too, despite.

it’s been a minute since i’ve published anything, so i’m especially grateful that @matchbooklitmag.bsky.social gave this little musing on love + leavings a home.

you can read the full piece here: matchbooklitmag.com/mb/relles/departures

Love this ❤️!

Congrats to our Best of the Net noms this year:

"Tether" by Meghan Phillips
"Queen" by Nora Nadjarian
"Meditation on Immigrant Moraine" by K Anand-Gall
"The Theory of Infinite Hurrahs" by Angela Townsend

@mcarphil.bsky.social
@noranadj.bsky.social
@kanandgall.bsky.social

Gregor, the Saint of Close Calls | matchbook

"Gregor does not believe in an afterlife, though he has more proof than most that one exists."

New fiction: "Gregor, the Saint of Close Calls" by Spencer Nitkey aka @spencerwriting.bsky.social

www.matchbooklitmag.com/mb/nitkey/gr...

💚💚💚

Pine bonsai, red-brown oval container, gray background and base

Pine bonsai wired, red-brown oval, gray base and background, informal upright

Pine bonsai recently wired, informal upright

Different information if it is Sylvestris or Virginiana

#pinebonsai
#bonsai
#pinusbonsai

Informal upright, slanting to left Hinoki cypress bonsai, under 1 foot tall. Rust brown small oval container from Benda family. Gray background.

Chameacyparis obtusa ‘Verdoni’

Hinoki cypress bonsai

Started in 2022, under 1 foot tall including container

Tom Benda family oval container

#bonsai
#hinoki
#hinokibonsai
#cypressbonsai

If you don’t have anything good to say, then say it in the group chat.

Black spruce bonsai in black mokko bonsai pot, gray background. Picea mariana

Picea mariana bonsai

Black Spruce bonsai

Placed this a bit too high when potting it this past spring, plan to fix it in the future, not yet wired.

Japanese pot, mokko-ish, from Shuho, purchased at Kaede Bonsai.

#bonsai
#picea
#piceamariana
#blackspruce
#blacksprucebonsai

Morella californica bonsai, broadleaf evergreen slanting left in round green Bruning pot, grey background Pacific Wax Myrtle

Morella californica bonsai, broadleaf evergreen slanting left in round green Bruning pot, grey background Pacific Wax Myrtle

Morella californica bonsai, broadleaf evergreen slanting left in round green Bruning pot, grey background, more growth Pacific Wax Myrtle

Morella californica bonsai

Pacific Wax Myrtle

Progression from purchase in May 2023, repot in January 2024, now September 2025, one wiring and removal, and pruned on four occasions.

Bruning round pot.

#bonsai
#myrtlebonsai
#broadleafevergreenbonsai
#pnwbonsai

Means of Survival | matchbook

"Bri tells me studies exclude female mice because their body temperatures vary too much."

New fiction: "Means of Survival" by Lucy Zhang

matchbooklitmag.com/mb/zhang/mea...

I went to the deep sea and everyone knew you

ICYMI

Mugo pine bonsai in brown oval container, significant deadwood on left upward, foliage on lower right.

Pinus mugo

Mugo pinus bonsai acquired this summer (Kyodai Bonsai) for future development—haven’t worked on it yet, good setup by others.

#bonsai
#pinusbonsai
#pinusmugo
#bonsaidevelopment
#pinebonsai

Meditation on Immigrant Moraine | matchbook

"Gazing out the window, I am grateful for this semi-tropical plant whose hardiness is a touchstone of relief in my life, a Thing That Cannot Be Destroyed."

New CNF: "Meditation on Immigrant Moraine" by K Anand-Gall

www.matchbooklitmag.com/mb/anand-gal...

Japanese Larch bonsai, upright and unwired, brown plastic oval bonsai pot. Gray siding background.

Larix kaempheri

Japanese Larch acquired this summer (Kyodai Bonsai) for future development

#bonsai
#larix
#larch
#larchbonsai

ICYMI

An Open Letter to the Portland Book Festival We, the undersigned writers & literary organizations, many of whom have been a part of the Literary Arts ecosystem in some way—whether the Portland Book Festival, as finalists or winners of the…

Hey if you are or have been a participant/attendee/admirer of the Portland Book Festival or other Literary Arts programming please consider signing on to this divestment ask!! lithub.com/an-open-lett...

Speed | matchbook

"She doesn’t turn onto Jewel. She keeps going. Straight. Takes her chances."

New fiction: "Speed" by Diane Gottlieb aka @dianegotauthor.bsky.social

www.matchbooklitmag.com/mb/gottlieb/...

ICYMI

Pinus nigra ‘Oregon Green’ in brown oval plastic bonsai pot, in development Austrian Black Pine ‘Oregon Green’

Pinus nigra ‘Oregon Green’ starting in development

Austrian Black Pine ‘Oregon Green’

#bonsai
#pinusbonsai
#bonsaidevelopment
#pinusnigra
#austrianblackpine

Birthmark | matchbook

"The birthmark changes shape if you look closely enough."

New fiction: "Birthmark" by Christina Tudor aka @christinaltudor.bsky.social

www.matchbooklitmag.com/mb/tudor/bir...

Congratulations!!

So Then We Planted Her a Rosebush | matchbook

“The coat closet at Aunt Belinda’s was always colder than the rest of the house.”

New fiction: “So Then We Planted Her a Rosebush” by Kathryn Kulpa aka @writesofkathryn.bsky.social

www.matchbooklitmag.com/mb/kulpa/so-...