“We never end up with the book we began writing.” Wise words from @pegalfordpursell.bsky.social at @mcwconf.bsky.social that feel especially relevant as my project shapeshifts thanks to stellar feedback from my workshop crew. #mcwc25 #mendocino #books #writing #thelostartist

Looking forward to this. @mcwconf.bsky.social Still time to register. Join us!

Hey, #Californiawriters! WTAW Press and Betty Books founder and EIC @pegalfordpursell.bsky.social will be teaching a seminar at the Mendocino Coast Writers' Conference in July! Registration ends on June 30 or whenever spots are filled, so register now. mcwc.org/afternoon-ev... #writersconference

A packed house at @booksonthepark.bsky.social for @anitafelicelli.bsky.social's amazing story collection: "How We Know Our Time Travelers" from @wtawpress.bsky.social. In convo w/Nayomi Munaweera and hosted by @karjohnson.bsky.social. HIGHLY recommend this book!

If I vowed to organize 100 notable small press books for 2025, who's in as reviewers? All genres, all small & micro presses. (Does this already exist? If no, why not? If yes, disregard everything to this point.)

What a joy it was to speak with @hannahbae.bsky.social about publishing (@wtawpress.bsky.social ) How We Know Our Time Travelers by @anitafelicelli.bsky.social for the @sfchronicle.com. The feature is wonderful!

In our latest newsletter, @pegalfordpursell.bsky.social celebrates the launch of Betty’s first title, TAKE ME WITH YOU NEXT TIME by @janishubschman.bsky.social! We’re so grateful to our incredible community—every reader, supporter, and team member—for making this dream a reality!

when I signed with Stillhouse, they told me a good outcome for an indie collection=selling 1000 books over the life cycle of the book. This is my goal! If you're looking for a readable, sad/happy, humane collection, SAD GROWNUPS may be for you tinyurl.com/4warnpbr (Please share if you don't mind 💙)

Brand new work! I can’t wait to hear it!

Excited to be part of this lineup for @wtawpress.bsky.social virtual Summer Salon on Aug. 1!

I’m so excited for this event tomorrow with Molly Giles. Long before I moved to the Bay Area, and could have imagined publishing her debut memoir, I revered her short story collections, especially her flash stories. And we’ll be at this gorgeous bookstore in Guerneville. If you can, join us!

Happy Summer Solstice! Our newsletter is fresh off the press with authors' thoughts about the season. tinyurl.com/2uyhup8u

@wtawpress.bsky.social & @bettybooks.bsky.social had an amazing reading at the Sonoma Community Writers Festival. Can’t wait to get these authors together again @olgaz.bsky.social @anitafelicelli.bsky.social @lillianhowan.bsky.social @joannackalbus.bsky.social #michellecruzgonzales #genannewalsh

If you missed this in all the fun last week have a look! I wrote one too. Why not sign up for Betty’s new newsletter? wtawpress.eo.page/pxr1w

I loved this evening together with my compatriots at WTAW!

Relive the gloriousness!

Heads up, friends, my FREE monthly Art of Flash Fiction newsletter drops tomorrow. I have added paid content into the mix as well, but subscribers to the free version will continue to your monthly article. artofflashfiction.substack.com Photo by Michał Mancewicz on Unsplash

Wrote a bit about Victor Heringer - one of my favorite discoveries of the year - and Elisa Shua Dusapin for WWB's year end list, which is full of great books: wordswithoutborders.org/read/article...

Thrilled to be working with @jnnyl.bsky.social !

I couldn’t be with my dad this weekend at Minidoka, the American concentration camp in Idaho for Japanese Americans during WWII, so I brought his poems instead.

Today, in my newsletter, some tips for choosing the perfect ghost outfit! Read the whole thing for free here: aubreyhirsch.substack.com/p/tips-for-c...

In our latest newsletter, @anitafelicelli.bsky.social talks with our host, John Freeman, about his luminous literary journal, drawing to a close this autumn with a final issue, themed “Conclusions.” www.altaonline.com/california-b...

So very excited for this one! Please join in!

Lion and Angel Dividing the Maple Between Them, Jane Hirshfield. Poem for my father today. For my family. Everywhere

It is so good!

My relevant rereading and reading material today.

Wendy J Fox has a great list of fall books from small presses to read. So many titles I can’t wait to read. t.co/ykQsyDk0ow

"I tap out bumps from the vial in the bathroom and text him pictures of myself smiling on the train, in the bar, on the street, so he knows I’m alright, I’m happy, I’m having a good time without him.” —Joanna Acevedo, OUTTAKES, coming 9/25! www.wtawpress.org/product-page... #SundaySentence

pre-orders are up for my new novel & here’s the cover, EXHIBIT will be out in May ‘24!!! EXHIBIT has been an 8-year obsession & it’s full of desire & ambition & revenge & queer exuberance & I’m so glad to get to share it with y’all 🖤💌 www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/635517/exhibit-by-r-o-kwon/

Place is everything, arguably, in memoir. I’ve been feeling stuck in my WIP since my mother died 2021. My last remaining aunt got in touch after decades. She and my mother were estranged. She’s filling me in on mysteries: my mother, grandmother, where I was born. It’s everything.

Of law, of language, of fashion, of concealment, of violence, of water, of long lines, of image, of Octavia Butler and trauma and writing the long poem by accretion and much more! So excited to drop this new episode with Jennifer A Sutherland, author of Bullet Points: A Lyric (River River Books).

Mark your calendars! Our 1st annual Kevin McIlvoy Book Prize for an unpublished book of prose opens 9/30. Winner receives $2500 cash prize, publication, contract with royalties. All submissions considered for publication. Final judges:Nina McConigley, Joan Silber & Peter Turchi. 

This looks great

My September Art of Flash Fiction newsletter. Let's talk about beauty. open.substack.com/pub/artoffla...

I came across this, 14 years later. 💔 Obviously am not in Paradise.  But if two opportunities (?) were presented, then, isn’t it possible that there could be more even now? 

reminder that we're open & want to read your weirder shorties! currently about half full; accepting until 9/30 or 200 subs!

September is here, and that means Brevity: A Journal of Concise Literary Nonfiction is officially open for submissions! We seek flash nonfiction of 750 words or fewer in any style and on any subject, for our upcoming 76th and 77th issues. Emerging writers encouraged! brevitymag.com/submissions/

Seeking a couple of writers for reviews: Black writers to write a feature/review for Nicole Sealey's the ferguson report: an erasure Taiwanese writer/homecook to write a feature/review for Clarissa Wei's MADE IN TAIWAN Please reach out to [email protected]. (Both are for Anomaly.)

Spotted in a parking lot! OG WTAW Press sticker!!!

Now booking for a 2-week asynchronous class on writing flash through immersive settings! 12/4-12/16 Cost $125 12 spots available! More info at my website!

Looking forward to this first issue- looks amazing.

The wonderful Cathy Ulrich asks me two questions about my most recent story published in Milk Candy Review, SALT, one of which explores the necessity of salt for the orphans and which image in this #flash is my favorite ☺️ milkcandyreview.home.blog/2023/09/11/t...

Was asked the other day what one piece of advice I'd give to writers trying to get their books published, and a bunch of practical industry "tips" swirled around in my brain but one bigger truth popped out of my mouth instead: Don't forget that the writing is the fun part.

I’m part of this! It’s this Sunday morning. You can message/email any of the readers or Smokelong Quarterly for the zoom link!

Did a Substack interview (conducted on Instagram!!) for a cool newsletter, The Isthmus, "dedicated to world literature and gaining a broader perspective on the literary arts." Got to gush a bit about some of my favorite translators... theisthmus.substack.com/p/interview-...

If you're a teacher who's using REFUSE TO BE DONE in your classes, would you mind letting me know where and for what courses? It'd be useful for me to have a few examples for something! (Also: THANK YOU.)