Jim Marino

Apex was one of the first pro markets I published in 2021, so it's deeply important to me as an author. But even far before that, Apex was already one of my top places for reading SFF.

Every Manic Pixie Dream Girl is basically a hacky attempt to imitate Diane Keaton's screen persona.

It typically fails because it tries to do without Keaton's intelligence and individuality. But worse, it's a totally solipsistic version: Annie Hall ONLY as seen by Alvy Singer.

Chicago priest Fr. Larry Dowling describes procession to ICE facility: “No one had the courage to speak directly to us. No one from Homeland Security could stand in the presence of the Monstrance holding the Blessed Sacrament. No wonder. Evil is repelled, recoils in the presence of Christ.”

Diane Keaton was a romantic lead not because she was beautiful, as Hollywood reckons beauty, but because she was funny and charming.

She made her parts better than the scripts themselves deserved. She had to.

B & W photo of Diane Keaton with the original cast of Hair. She has her hands to her face and a startled, somewhat bleary expression, as if she's emerging from a daze.

In the original Broadway cast of Hair, 1968 (photo by Richard Avedon)

In his 1642 address to the painter’s guild in Leiden, the artist Philips Angel said that the greatest painters could properly distinguish among a range of fabrics. In order to create the dazzling costume worn by this graceful woman, Terborch would have set up a mannequin with satin drapery so that he could closely observe and record every gradation of reflected light. Terborch built up the shimmering fabric with a network of fine flicks and sweeps of the brush, occasionally adding and wiping away tiny bits of paint to make the dress shine.

Portrait of a Woman https://clevelandart.org/art/1944.93

y'all, this book is the one if you love magic, revolution, and words—imagine Miyazaki & Russell Hoban & the Bread and Puppet Theater all hanging out together

Apex Magazine 2026 An award-winning digital literary magazine of science fiction, dark fantasy, and horror.

WE'RE 30% FUNDED!! 🎉🎉🎉 Apex will be open to nonfiction pitches FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER! ✨

Want to unlock the next chapter of Apex? Please consider backing our Kickstarter and help us keep publishing the strange, surreal, shocking, beautiful stories you love!

We are thrilled to announce that our NEW Large Language Model will be released on 11.18.25.

"A.I." doth keepe showinge up yn productes lyke that annoyinge relative doth keepe showinge up at familye gatheringes

Pro tip: If "Harvard and Trump" are in the news, start with @theharvardcrimson.bsky.social for the most up-to-date and well-sourced coverage.

Their story right now: www.thecrimson.com/article/2025...

Large Language Muddle | The Editors The AI upheaval is unique in its ability to metabolize any number of dread-inducing transformations. The university is becoming more corporate, more politically oppressive, and all but hostile to the ...

“…there’s still time to disenchant AI, to provincialize it, to make it uncompelling and uncool.”

www.nplusonemag.com/issue-51/the...

Doesn’t Islam actually teach this?

(That he’a a prophet who will return, but not the ultimate prophet and certainly not divine.)

If the pollsters can distinguish between three types of Protestant, maybe they could distinguish between say, Muslims and Buddhists.

Something I think we’re not talking about enough with all this autism bullshit is how, no matter what, it’s always blamed on the pregnant mother.

Claudia Cardinale and Robert Redford dying in the same week puts the world in a hotness deficit not seen since at least the 19th century

Last night was the 90th anniversary ceremony of the Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards. I can’t think of a more relevant time to reflect on books that help us understand race and human diversity. Grateful to the jury led by the brilliant Natasha Tretheway and to the Cleveland Foundation.

As you cancel streaming services, here is a casual reminder that only 16% of Americans read for pleasure anymore, and your local library has hundreds or thousands of books you haven't read.

They would love to see you stop by and renew your library card.

How to delete your account without agreeing to the new TOS:

In the dialogue box asking you to agree, DO NOT click agree. Instead, click on the TOS link which will open another tab. In the top right of that tab you can go to your account settings and delete your account.

Academia.edu wants permanent rights to your likeness, signature, voice, name, etc. to be used in any setting. My answer was "absolutely not." Log in, click on "privacy policy" when prompted to accept the new terms (don't accept!" then find "account settings" @ dropdown, scroll down to delete.

This

Wait, a shaky supposition about Shakespeare confidently presented as fact?

The short answer is no. We have no idea what he played.

“Any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind. And therefore never send to ask for whom the bell tolls.”

-John Donne, Meditation XVII, Devotions on Emergent Occasions

We don’t yet know what motivated the person who shot and killed Charlie Kirk, but this kind of despicable violence has no place in our democracy. Michelle and I will be praying for Charlie’s family tonight, especially his wife Erika and their two young children.

Happy namesake-rubbed-out-by-the-Mob-OTD-in-history-day to all who celebrate.

Wait. I guess that’s just me.

Anyway, my Mafia namesake got rubbed out #OTD in 1931. Cheers.

Okay. I'm grateful for your time.

Umm ... yes? I missed Andrew Lang, so I don't know what age he's best for.

But yes, collections are great.

O @kellylink.bsky.social, I'm asking your advice on building a library of classic fairy tales for my daughter (now 5). I'm planning age-appropriate purchases over time (and happy to make them from @bookmoon.bsky.social).

What should I get, at what ages? No one knows this better than you.

Is the both-sidesing simply (and temporarily) too hard? Maybe they need to maintain some shred of credibility for their future both-sidesing efforts.

Interview quote from the author about her story “Through the Machine”: “What I’d like readers to take away from this is that there’s value to art. That it is in fact an essential service that provides us with something that can improve our lives just by being exposed to it. I also want readers to understand there are real people behind the art we consume. People whose livelihoods and emotional well-being depend on it. People just trying to cover their basic needs by doing a job they love. This should matter.”

Putting the focus back on art today. If you need something to read over the weekend, may I humbly suggest “Through the Machine.” If reading for awards, please keep it in mind. Find it here in print and audio: www.lightspeedmagazine.com/fiction/thro...