Thanks to @youbigtalker.bsky.social for the shout-out on her Substack. elenidvlachos.substack.com/p/grabbing-a... I'm honored to have my story appear in the same issue as her powerful CNF "Starving Art."

My creative nonfiction flash piece explores art, animal, and icon; the sacred and sacrilege. Big thanks to #TheSpotlongReview for publishing! elenidvlachos.substack.com/p/starving-a... #writersky #writingcommunity #authorsky #newwriting

To me, "voice" is the joy of an unexpected ride. It is when your quirky friend says something at once embarrassing and true and wonderful and terrible. You ask: what’s next? #TheWhiteHot #WritingCommunity #WriterSky My latest "Reading like a writer" > > elenidvlachos.substack.com/p/voice-all-...

For all you flashers out there

Why wait to go to the perfect #writingretreat? Create your own! My one-week experiment in Spetses, Greece: elenidvlachos.substack.com/p/my-island-... #WritingCommunity #WriterSky #Authorsky

My favorite part of #FightClub arrived in the Afterward, which might imply this was a one-star book for me, but the actual takeaway from my reading like a writer experience was more complex than star rankings: elenidvlachos.substack.com/p/im-talking... #WriterSky #onwriting #readerwriter #booksky

Just published: My First Rescue Can! A satirical look at one reaction to the rescue movement. Spoiler: It involves canimal rights. Thanks to Laughs not Slaughs for publishing! medium.com/laughs-not-s... #humorwriting #veganhumor

While writing, I often forget the mundane—plates, pens, tissue boxes—in favor of the central drama or dialogue. In so doing I miss a large part of what makes us human: our accessories and what we do with them. On reading #Audition by #KatieKitamura as a #writer: open.substack.com/pub/elenidvl...

"While it may have looked like a shooting, it was actually a 'rapid de-escalation outcome.' We recognize that phrases like that may sound invented, which is why we ask you to repeat them anyway."

A class-action lawsuit notes that detainees refer to the California City ICE Detention Facility as a “torture chamber” and “hell on Earth.” An attorney said that conditions are so terrible that those held there are resigning themselves to self-deportation. newyorkermag.visitlink.me/2qOQj9

Recently, I listened to an excellent #HiddenBrain podcast episode “Murder Mystery” exploring why we are drawn to true crime. I just finished Jesus’ Son by the late Denis Johnson. You will understand why this is a segue if you’ve read him: open.substack.com/pub/elenidvl... #nowreading #writers

Whether we call it imposter syndrome or low-self esteem, many writers struggle pursuing individual voice... Regardless of the supposed requirement to toss aside the need for permission, reading adventurous works eschewing conventional standards gives me courage: open.substack.com/pub/elenidvl...

A year in books--what were your top reads in '25? "Absorb as many stories as you physically can. Introduce yourself to lots of great writing. To lots of mediocre writing too. This is your most important task.” —Haruki Murakami elenidvlachos.substack.com/p/2025-in-bo...

Just started #James by Percival Everett after slogging through the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. #currentlyreading #nowreading

For all you creatives--such an inspiring interview w/ #RickRubin on the creative process. He also helped naysayers hear hip-hop as "music" by mixing the familiar with the lesser known in Walk This Way. Is the known/unknown marriage a key to creating idea accessibility? youtu.be/QGKFVmxbGBw?...

I am #currentlyreading Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar. In the vein of Pound's observation "poetry is news that stays news," there is much to appreciate here in Akbar's astute observations. Have you read it? #martyr #kavehakbar

Currently reading #LastExitToBrooklyn. A little rough around the edges (a little?) & most likely added "to read" due to author's lack of a guiding hand & my own novel's attempting same [(no use of " " -- even no apostrophes to avoid holding down the "shift" key (!) used "/" instead (eg, isn/t)].

Pelvis chickens 😆

Introducing...Paxon's Prose Pantomime! A new weekly series where Paxon interprets prose from established literature via his pantomime talents. Up first: "they jog their hands around their waist..." open.substack.com/pub/elenidvl...

Just finished reading #SelfHelp by #LorrieMoore. Picked up the collection after reading "How to become a writer." Such excellent work, published in 1985--how did I not know about this author/book? So good. Have you read any of her work?

I’ve made the (controversial) choice not to use quotation marks (speech tags) around dialogue in my #WIP. Should I die on this hill? More in this short #Substack: elenidvlachos.substack.com/p/dont-quote... #litfic #literaryfiction #speechtags #writing #writers #howto #books #novels

Finally bought this for my new #Kobo. How beautifully O' Brien breaks writing rules. Admittedly, I was intrigued by the author's own life trajectory and autobiographical nature of this work. Have you read? #nowreading #literaryfiction #litfic #writing #writers #books #novels #leavinglasvegas

In what other industry do we celebrate rejection? My latest on tiered rejections: elenidvlachos.substack.com/p/for-the-lo... Have you received a tiered rejection? ❌ Leave a comment below 📩 #tieredrejections #submitting #writers #writing #literaryjournals #literaryfiction

Now reading! Enjoying the gorgeous prose so far ... have you read anything by Vuong? #literaryfiction #vuong

Anyone else in the writing community here on Substack? Let me know your link. Mine follows: elenidvlachos.substack.com?r=ez5db&utm_...

From my 2019 piece, Stranger. "Xenos is the needle that weaves unknown threads into the fabric of civilization. Sometimes that needle is piercing, invasion, colonialism. Other times, it’s holding everything together — including our civilization." medium.com/@elenivlacho...

Began #4321 by Paul Auster. Adjusting to 4 different lives of the protagonist, but enjoying overall. Have you read? My husband thought it was Auster's own efforts to encapsulate his life's possibilities near the edge of his own end, which I find possible. #nowreading #paulauster

Do people make trailers for short stories? It is a lot of fun. I made a 30-second trailer to celebrate A View of Hotel Poseidon. I think I captured its "tone." #humor #fiction #shortstories www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1Wr...

A View of Hotel Poseidon takes a satirical look at the fictitious story behind actual terrible reviews of a hotel. For this is a time we all need to laugh, especially at our own species. Big thanks to @rfpress.bsky.social (love the graphic!) #newfiction www.roifaineantpress.com/post/a-view-...

Hello living beings--check out the latest from Roi Fainéant Press, including some of my words arranged in a humorous fashion. Link below:

Sunday! So excited to share this story with you, and read all of the incredible authors in this edition. You can follow this great press below ⏬

Ready for some amazing fiction! Join us Sunday for a satirical look at the fictitious story behind actual terrible reviews of a hotel. “A View of Hotel Poseidon” by Eleni Vlachos @youbigtalker.bsky.social is a welcome bit of humor as our own Poseidon sinks under the weight of late stage capitalism.

So excited to be publishing my short story "A View of Hotel Poseidon" in the fab @rfpress.bsky.social Sunday! Story is fictitious, reviews are actual. IRL the hotel's reviews were so bad they were comical. Bugs, bloody sheets, drunken staff. How did things get so bad? #newfiction #shortstory

Just finished: Orbital (review on Goodreads) Now reading: American Pastoral. And you?

Loads of #literary #magazines are coming to Bluesky, here is a great list to follow! PLEASE SHARE TO HELP THEM LEAVE TWITTER! #litmags #writer #writingcommunity go.bsky.app/7cWNC2j

I came across #MaryGaitskill in a "Best American Short Stories" compilation where I read her moving story "This is Pleasure." I knew I had to read more of her work. Completely enamored with her descriptive so-purple-its-black-and-blue writing. 🧠✨ #nowreading Veronica.

Now playing! My band's song about one particular Beat of the #beatgeneration as set out in On the Road but more broadly about celebrating madness youtu.be/IUTz95qhXEI?... #newindierock #kerouac

Anyone else track referrals, or why they added a book to read on a spreadsheet? 🤓 Well, I forgot to do that for this one, so I worked backward. Turns out Elaine (Seinfeld) is based on the author's daughter, whom Larry David dated. Yates, her surly father, was depicted in "The Jacket." #nowreading

Our 'lil song about the difficulties of connecting with humans is up with both a regular and lyric video. Meet epipen: www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEBb...

Have you read Ferrante? I keep hearing about this book and had to pick it up. Elena told her her true identity over coffee since we almost share the same name. JK! #NowReading

Began this book in 2021, and am about at 50%. It's a book I pick up whenever I want to feel relaxed or put into a meditative state. Barry Lopez was such a thoughtful and meticulous person and author. His own childhood story is harrowing, but he somehow manages to find the heart of every beast.

When I'm not writing, I'm drumming. Our new single (indie-pop-rock) has hit the stream-waves! All the links to your favorite platforms: linktr.ee/belovedbinge

Currently reading! I first heard an excerpt on a podcast. An American told the protagonist: "I was on your side [of the war]." Response: "Which side was that?" Here, the Vietnam war is portrayed through a refreshingly non-USA lens, told as a spy story. Have you read? #thesympathizer #vietthanhnguyen

Earlier this year, I became obsessed with the writing habits of authors I enjoyed reading, and created a short video series called "Writer-Reader." I covered Joyce Carol Oates, Milan Kundera, and several more. <10 min each. Here for those also interested: youtube.com/playlist?lis...

First post. (But prob not the first to make this joke?)