J. D. Hellen

I'll #rest during today's storm.
#7syllablesentence

Stay safe, East Coast!

FOLLOWING THE HEARSE by Carleton Whaley Driving through the Detroit suburbs, cutting through traffic, honking and cursing at other drivers, the brothers make their way to the crematorium. It is difficult to keep up with the long hearse. Tra...

we have a story by Carleton Whaley @carletonwhaley.bsky.social !

it’s about two brothers who are going through the final steps of their brother’s death – following the funeral hearse that goes to the crematorium. a great story – read it !!

xraylitmag.com/following-th...

Catching a little local horror

Let’s talk about AI art.

theoatmeal.com/comics/ai_art

THE RAGE

Just one #tweak, and it's approved.
#7syllablesentence

He turned his wrist, listening to the last of the liquid swirling around inside the can. He promised to try harder, to #sublimate his incessant craving with healthy distractions—walking the dog, getting around to chores.

But the soda was already in the house. And he wasn't a wasteful man.
#vss365

If you never #bend, you'll break.
#7syllablesentence

I #wave and hope to forget.
#7syllablesentence

“That's it?” I want to bite my tongue, but I'm tired of the disappointment. “Nothing good. It's always #scrutiny with you.”

Mom's lips are tight, wordless. It's her eyes that speak. But before I can make sense of them, she looks away, at the door.

This will never be good enough for her. #vss365

Writers' Input Requested: Please take my poll & share it with your writer friends! If asked to subscribe, unsubscribe after & it's fine

Quick poll for writers!

open.substack.com/pub/kristent...

"Kerfuffle" is a fun word to use in everyday conversation. 😉 You're welcome.

PseudoPod 992: Chattering Spines My neighbors smile when they burn. The flames melt the flesh from their bones, revealing the full six inches of sharp spines that brought them here. I swear they sigh in relief. Hell, I would…

“My neighbors smile when they burn.”

Chattering Spines, by Mike Wyant Jr

Narrator: Dave Robison
Host: Alasdair Stuart
Audio: Chelsea Davis

This is a PseudoPod original

C/W immolation, guns, animal harm

pseudopod.org/2025/09/05/p...

Mailing envelope with a lip stamp

ABSOLUTE PLEASURE: QUEER PERSPECTIVES ON ROCKY HORROR edited by Margot Atwell, foreword by Carmen Maria Machado

Something super fun came in the mail! Grateful for Margot Atwell starting the Kickstarter and all the backers getting this project out there! Looking forward to reading these pieces. It's always RHPS season in my book, but it's especially fun this time of year. 👄👠🕸️

Holy crap. If you want a read that tears into you, check this out.

Can of Dogfish Head SEAQUENCH ALE. Art shows a cephalopod with a lime.

My husband's drink for tonight. It's amazing outside. 🐙🍋‍🟩 #InverteFest

Intricate spider web

Check out that silk work. 🕷️🕸️ #InverteFest

Honestly, I kind of get it.

Two black ants of different sizes. A smaller ant is dragging a larger ant (on its back) across asphalt. Image is close up.

This was hard to capture. What's going on here? #InverteFest

Labor Day Weekend plans 🐛🪲🐙

The ghosts that haunt us ... and the reasons we stay with them. It's the question asked of any story about a haunting: why didn't you just leave? But if accounts of people who have stayed in haunted houses are any indication … it's never that simple.In this book, ...

If you like your #ghost stories dark, scary, and full of sharp social commentary, read our Shirley Jackson Award-winning anthology Why Didn't You Just Leave. This weekend, we're offering the ebook for free. It's best to read it right before bed. #booksky 👻

dl.bookfunnel.com/tg9np8e7ap

Suddenly, Seymour is standing beside you. A moment ago you were alone in the room. His eyes are black and depthless. The lights go out.

This actually made my jaw drop.

A Hopeful Author Apologizes to a Literary Agent for an Email Error Please know I appreciate your patience and understanding, and that I love you

Our brains when we query: open.substack.com/pub/kristent...

A fanned stack of zines from CURSED MORSELS. TECH BRO TERRORS is on top of the stack.

Something exciting came in the mail today—a bunch of zines from @cursedmorsels.bsky.social! If you've read them, do you have a favorite?

9 Books About Female Friendship in Every Decade of Life - Electric Literature Romance has nothing on the impact of a lifelong best friend

Books to read if you find a failed friendship more shattering than a failed romance.

Enjoyed this!

Absolutely love this

This piece is amazing!!!

LONESOME DOVE by Larry McMurtry

How many of you have taken a trip to Lonesome Dove? I'm finally getting around to reading this. I wanted something that would completely immerse me in a world.