muttering “breakin’ the law, breakin’ the law” when I miss a deadline from legal

Belting AND IF YOU DONT LOVE ME NOW, YOU WILL NEVER LOVE ME AGAIN when I cc people on the email chain

Gen Z coworker keeps owning my shit by saying “she was born the year Chernobyl happened”

save me crispy Diet Coke. crispy Diet Coke save me

this story is about a haunted vibrator. there is an exorcism, but not by a priest. it is so much fun and I’m mad I didn’t write it. please enjoy pitheadchapel.com/pulse/

Put one of Sheldon’s stories in front of me w/out saying who wrote it, I’m confident I’d be able to tell it’s his. Love how unique, skillful, and engaging his writing always is!!

one day I am gonna live somewhere I don’t have to clear snow

The next 804 lit salon will be on January 17th in DC. You can register for the event below www.eventbrite.com/e/804-lit-sa...

hey this is super nice 😊

Sheldon Birnie one of my faves doing it rn. So excited to get to feature this one today and share it with you all! "Buddy walked into the lake with his shambling gait, legs struggling against the pull and push of the waves as they rolled into shore." https://www.havehashad.com/q6q46

on earth we’re briefly posting

ebook or audiobook of Where the Pavement Turns to Sand a steal of a deal, you guys

i'm lucky i don't live with anyone bc i'm singin' "I'll Believe in Anything" while throwing my voice like the Wolf Parade guy

chatted with @jillianluft.bsky.social about all kinds of writing stuff on AFWP take the work seriously, don’t take yourself seriously 😊 open.spotify.com/episode/3jB6...

made a list of some of our favorite things from 2025 ! subs open today at noon arizona time, until we reach our caps xraylitmag.com/x-r-a-y-2025...

If you're looking for a short story collection to start your year, here's a bunch of recs from Short Story, Long contributors: ashortstorylong.substack.com/p/short-stor... Also, I collected them all in a @bookshop.org list for ease of purchase: bookshop.org/wishlists/11...

has anyone in the history of the world ever won a gift card for answering a feedback survey

fuck it, we ball* *bartend 9hrs in sequins wish me luck

End the year by emailing/tagging/etc. a writer who wrote something that inspired you, brought you joy, meant something to you this year!

Without further ado, here are my favorite stories of 2025, to give you something to read today. Other than my two favorites, these are in chronological order. My FAVORITE story of 2025 was this one by @keersteemack.bsky.social in @xraylitmag.bsky.social xraylitmag.com/portrait-of-...

if anyone wants an absolute master class in longer short stories may I scream from the rooftops about Alexander MacLeod

A bunch of fave short story collections of the year from Short Story, Long contributors!

Thrilled to be on this list with some buds! Thanks @aaronburch.bsky.social for putting this together and thanks @keersteemack.bsky.social for the kind words!

i wrote this piece long ago + @matchbooklitmag.bsky.social was kind enough to give it new life, which somehow suits all this year-end wistfulness. grateful to anyone who spends time with it 🤍

hello Winnipeg come hang 😊

If you grew up somewhere you couldn’t wait to escape, Winesburg, Ohio will recognize you immediately. shop.maudlinhouse.net#winesburg-ohio

December reads

nicest bday gift is writing something and someone saying hey this was fun and good

Keep your stick on the ice.

A Boxing Day special for you to “enjoy” farewelltransmission.net/2025/12/whit...

if you are feeling lazy today and want something to do I wrote a nice story for you. there is audio if you are feeling extra lazy I don’t judge 😊 open.substack.com/pub/ashortst...

okay yeah this is it this it the hangover that kills me i had a good run it was nice knowing ya

regrettably left off this week's mixtape: Joe Pesci's "Vincent LaGuardia Gambini Sings Just For You" (1998)

feels like the time to remind everyone that 1. Joe Pesci sings 2. Joe Pesci made whole albums 3. Joe Pesci’s oeuvre has Christmas songs 4. put some respect on Joe Pesci’s name

forgot to hit "publish" on this yesterday. wrapping up the year on Short Story, Long with some lists — some more best & fave stories of the century (so far) this week, and some of our fave story collections of 2025 next week. check out some of these faves! add some of your own in the comments!

it’s my birthday today. people keep asking how old i am. i tell them. they tell me they never would have guessed. i tell them i bathe in the blood of my enemies to stay young. we never speak again

Dave stories are my fav stories there should be a collection

v v exciting

This story is so fucking good. I’m mad I didn’t write it. Not often a story gives you a lol irl but this one did multiple times

Aug was kind enough to let me ramble a bit about not asking permission, for one second, to be creative No one gives one single fuck if you do it but you. Keep going. I’m proud of you 😊

my entire job

NEVER ENOUGH just did not hit the same way and that's all i'll say about that

send me your music-inspired micros!

"In the basement the television is on, and Robert Stack is waiting for me, his gray trench coat perfectly still against a black void. 'In the closet under the stairwell, remove the wood paneling...'" @iamchrisscott.bsky.social leads us into impossible architectures, new today on hex!

www.identitytheory.com/about/micro-... @identitytheory.bsky.social

15/10 recommend pubbing with SSL. Aaron is so thoughtful and such a sharp reader. he let me be windy about writers and readers and litfic vs genre and things - thanks to anyone who reads the story, and the interview

guys. guys. GUYS this is Archie, he is as big as I am, please say hi

I made! a lot! Of things! Up! but I’m glad it was entertaining Thank you for the kind words Andrew!

We love a Lucia Berlin call

yelling IM JUST A GIRL at my car when it informs me the tires need air