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Paul Rousseau

@paulwrites7.bsky.social

Twin Cities, MN writer. Invisible disability. Debut FRIENDLY FIRE: A FRACTURED MEMOIR (HarperCollins 2024) Also in Roxane Gay's The Audacity, Newsweek, SmokeLong, Wigleaf, San Francisco Chronicle. Read my stories & essays at https://paul-rousseau.com

1,216 Followers  |  802 Following  |  635 Posts  |  Joined: 18.10.2023  |  2.3933

Latest posts by paulwrites7.bsky.social on Bluesky

Your mouth to God’s ears!! Thanks a ton, dude. Not a better rec out there than from Danger Dan

30.07.2025 18:07 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

This book is unforgettable. Paul's prose is so good, so funny. Highly rec!

30.07.2025 17:55 β€” πŸ‘ 5    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
Online page of starred publishers weekly review of my memoir, friendly fire

Online page of starred publishers weekly review of my memoir, friendly fire

Did somebody say Friendship Day?

30.07.2025 17:04 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1
28.07.2025 15:54 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
My book fair display in the middle
Of a vineyard. Me smiling like a 90 degree dork

My book fair display in the middle Of a vineyard. Me smiling like a 90 degree dork

Wine-ing about books today

27.07.2025 15:33 β€” πŸ‘ 10    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1
My book fair display in the middle
Of a vineyard. Me smiling like a 90 degree dork

My book fair display in the middle Of a vineyard. Me smiling like a 90 degree dork

Wine-ing about books today

27.07.2025 15:33 β€” πŸ‘ 10    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1

I cleaned my entire kitchen with vinegar and now everything I cook tastes like a fried pickle is this what they mean when they say life hack?

24.07.2025 19:01 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
24.07.2025 02:06 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Black and white pic of the upper back/neck/head of someone. β€œAngel in the MediFold” by Paul Rousseau. 

In clammy triage room, Nurse says word. Mail. Male function. Have not done that for while. Ha. Wait. No.
Malfunction. Needs repair. Nurse says wiggle toes.
Can. Not. Nurse says lift hand. Could not after bang-pop-smoke. Can. Not now.

Black and white pic of the upper back/neck/head of someone. β€œAngel in the MediFold” by Paul Rousseau. In clammy triage room, Nurse says word. Mail. Male function. Have not done that for while. Ha. Wait. No. Malfunction. Needs repair. Nurse says wiggle toes. Can. Not. Nurse says lift hand. Could not after bang-pop-smoke. Can. Not now.

23.07.2025 20:48 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Angel in the MediFold

Resharing this short from monkeybicycle for Disability Pride Month β€” β€œAngel in the MediFold” monkeybicycle.net/angel-in-the...

23.07.2025 20:46 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 1
Chalk board with liquid chalk 
β€œLocal author book signing”
Squiggle Design 
β€œTrue story”
β€œDarkly funny”
β€œEnergetic page-turner”

Chalk board with liquid chalk β€œLocal author book signing” Squiggle Design β€œTrue story” β€œDarkly funny” β€œEnergetic page-turner”

Got this chalkboard to address the 4 most common questions/remarks I get at book fairs:

1. Did you write this?
2. Did this actually happen?
3. Is it too sad?
4. I don’t typically read nonfiction

Will it work? Who knows!

22.07.2025 18:46 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
If I can be honest from autofocus books. Off white cover with a faint red/orange gnarly looking bird (possibly a phoenix). Selected prose from the 4 years autofocus was an online journal.

If I can be honest from autofocus books. Off white cover with a faint red/orange gnarly looking bird (possibly a phoenix). Selected prose from the 4 years autofocus was an online journal.

A snippet of my contribution β€œabout accidental firearm discharge on campus”

A snippet of my contribution β€œabout accidental firearm discharge on campus”

A piece of mine is in the anthology of the summer, out today! IF I CAN BE HONEST from @autofocusbooks.bsky.social.

Incredible collection of writers and their work. My contributor copy is about to be put through the wringer.

15.07.2025 15:01 β€” πŸ‘ 7    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Post image Post image

The new Autofocus anthology, If I Can Be Honest, is out today! It commemorates the four years of the online journal that morphed into this press. Some of the best formally rich short personal prose you can find anywhere, if we may say so!

autofocusbooks.com/store/p/if-i...

15.07.2025 18:41 β€” πŸ‘ 22    πŸ” 7    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 5
If I can be honest from autofocus books. Off white cover with a faint red/orange gnarly looking bird (possibly a phoenix). Selected prose from the 4 years autofocus was an online journal.

If I can be honest from autofocus books. Off white cover with a faint red/orange gnarly looking bird (possibly a phoenix). Selected prose from the 4 years autofocus was an online journal.

A snippet of my contribution β€œabout accidental firearm discharge on campus”

A snippet of my contribution β€œabout accidental firearm discharge on campus”

A piece of mine is in the anthology of the summer, out today! IF I CAN BE HONEST from @autofocusbooks.bsky.social.

Incredible collection of writers and their work. My contributor copy is about to be put through the wringer.

15.07.2025 15:01 β€” πŸ‘ 7    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Matchmaking for Psychopaths by Tasha Coryell: 9780593640302 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books Love is a dangerous game when your clients are killers…from the bestselling author behind Love Letters to a Serial Killer. When Lexie's fiancΓ© runs off with her so-called best friend on...

You should be able to find MATCHMAKING FOR PSYCHOPATHS at your favorite bookstore. If they don’t have it, request that they order it!

Link to purchase online here: www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/735556...

15.07.2025 13:15 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 4    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Me standing behind my booth at the book fair for grown ups holding friendly fire

Me standing behind my booth at the book fair for grown ups holding friendly fire

Candy bowl is officially full

12.07.2025 16:06 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

That’s so ridiculously kind, Elizabeth. Makes all the difference, thank you!

11.07.2025 19:42 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Packing accordingly!

11.07.2025 17:37 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
Boxes and boxes of my memoir plus my tuxedo cat making sure everything is in tip top shape thank god for her

Boxes and boxes of my memoir plus my tuxedo cat making sure everything is in tip top shape thank god for her

Word on the street is some 7,000 people are showing out for this book fair tomorrow.

11.07.2025 17:31 β€” πŸ‘ 7    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1
Monochrome Geralt from the Witcher video games 
β€œThe Witcher in concert” I think his horse Roach and perhaps the antlers of a leshen are behind him. Def a bit of forest

Monochrome Geralt from the Witcher video games β€œThe Witcher in concert” I think his horse Roach and perhaps the antlers of a leshen are behind him. Def a bit of forest

Tickets locked down!!!

09.07.2025 17:07 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

I know I’m biased but friendly fire looks killer in a glorious, fat stack of great books

03.07.2025 22:59 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

The organizer said this was the single best meeting they’ve had since the book club started over 2 years ago 🀠

27.06.2025 17:46 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Talked about FF for 2 hours with these lovely people! 

Me at a meeting room in the library with a circle of book clubbers around me. Emojis over the face to keep anonymity

Talked about FF for 2 hours with these lovely people! Me at a meeting room in the library with a circle of book clubbers around me. Emojis over the face to keep anonymity

26.06.2025 22:45 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1

So basically nothing can go wrong

26.06.2025 15:23 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Visiting a book club that read my memoir today, reminds me of the time after a big reading, this dude hovered around me, rapidly craning his neck as if there was a wall between us he was peeking around.

I was like β€œhey man” nodding heavily.

Then he said, β€œyour head isn’t even that deformed!”

26.06.2025 15:23 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1

The Wigleaf Top 50 2025 will be up soon. This is the final one helmed by Shome Dasgupta, who has done so much for the series. Huge thanks @laughingyeti.bsky.social πŸ™

22.06.2025 18:02 β€” πŸ‘ 69    πŸ” 15    πŸ’¬ 3    πŸ“Œ 1

Psychedelic postmetal sounds killer!

21.06.2025 18:12 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

I do love the reassuring heft of a LP! To my ears a good one is the best tone around.

My SG strangely feeds back on every F# note across the fretboard it’s like magic wood or something.

21.06.2025 17:25 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

That sounds killer! My splurge guitar is a custom shop 61 SG with the maestro tailpiece. Huge fan

21.06.2025 17:08 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
Gibson Murphy Lab Greatest Hits Collection 1960 Les Paul - "Beauty of the Burst" β€’  SN: 05091
YouTube video by Wildwood Guitars Gibson Murphy Lab Greatest Hits Collection 1960 Les Paul - "Beauty of the Burst" β€’ SN: 05091

If you’re into 10k Les Pauls 😭 youtu.be/dSfM4iisKDg?...

21.06.2025 16:27 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

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