Prisoner: "Who would want to be friends with a woman? They're hormonal and moany. I mean, nobody ever thinks, I'm gonna call a woman and see if they fancy a drink and a chat do they." Me: 🙄 Me: "I have male friends who do just that." Prisoner: "Well, call me old fashioned..." #PrisonStories

I'm just asking questions.

Trying to take a photo of the moon that actually looks like what I can see. Writing a novel. Same disappointment. #AmWriting

I interviewed Victoria Chen who gave the best answer to the question, What did you buy yesterday? #LitMag @theforge.bsky.social #LitInterview #Writers #SmashLits

*Optometrist hands person glasses* - “now, you wear them glasses AND YOU KEEP THEM GLASSES”

Spotify pushing “Teddy Swims vibes reimagined with AI music” by putting this in my Discover weekly playlist absolutely disgusts me.

I published such a smart and sassy story by Victoria Chen. You should read it. "Everyone was saying they were a people pleaser due to childhood neglect. Everyone was an asshole. I was waiting to be inspired."

I’ve not seen telly as compelling and bingeable as Blue Lights in ages.

This is such a good story by Rashmi Patel - I'm delighted we got to publish it. "“The land is wise,” the hostess said. “You’ll feel it soon.” She closed her eyes for a moment, as if absorbing some ancient pulse only she could detect. I closed my eyes too, just for a second. I felt nothing."

Hearty congratulations to the winners of this year's Forge Flash Competition, Kaitlyn Andrews-Rice and @acreegrahammacam.bsky.social ! 🎉🔥 Their pieces will be published in November. The full results are here: forgelitmag.com/2025/10/04/2...

Yes, please do read my little 👻🥊 story.

I'm so chuffed to have a little flash of mine in Ghost Parachute. Also, damn, look at the amazing line up! 🤩 #FlashFiction #👻

We are excited to present the October 2025 issue, which is our Nine Year Anniversary issue. We've put out an issue every month on the first since we started, making this our 108th issue. Cover illustrated by @genevievetyrrell.bsky.social. tinyurl.com/mtcaexjy

approx 1/3 of the way through september and submissions being open this month for Short Story, Long I pay contributors, pay artists for original art to pair with stories, nominate for awards, and generally rave a bunch on social media about the stories I love (and I LOVE all the stories I accept)

It’s only taken a century or so, but would you look at that, some badass women have invented a better solution to the speculum (which is essentially a torture device). www.brightvibes.com/lilium-specu...

i have a story in this from the lucy temerlin school for broken shapeshifters resident archives please support us smol indies and the strange things we do

support us and i will critique your manuscript! i know that sounds threatening for some reason

Our annual competition opens tomorrow. Free entries, $1000 prize. We’re looking forward to reading your exceptional work. #flashfiction #flashnonfiction #literarycompetition #LitWriters #FLM Please share.

#missingpersonbyphlur #DescribingSmellsIsHard

Oh! This flash essay by @sarahstarrmurphy.bsky.social is so good. #CNF #Essay. #💖 #WiseWomen #Flash #FlashNonFiction

Our story of the week is Why I Still Wash Used Saran Wraps and Dry Them on the Dish Rack by Christine H. Chen. @csquareh.bsky.social

Ah well, no harm done

My new Guardian Long Read. The one in which I talk about medical misogyny, my favourite Napoleonic battle, a handsome US civil war surgeon, cocaine pessaries, the terrors of Victorian medicine, punk icon Patti Smith, and lots (and lots) of vomiting.

An essential read by my dazzling pal @abistephenson.bsky.social "Far from languishing on the chaise longue without intervention, she could also receive the “rectal instillation” of morphine, laudanum or her own urine ..."

Every now and then I remember that this Plath finger puppet exists. #SylviaPlath #SheCouldNeverHaveImaginedThis

A ballet dancing bee. The wholesome content we need.

#SuperCedar by #byredo. This is a really soft scent, cosy, warm. Stupidly expensive. It feels like a fragrance that someone would have to get close to you to smell. 6/10 #TryingToDescribeFragrancesIsHard #WritingExercise

It’s *really* hard to describe a scent, but I am going to try. (I’ve amassed quite a collection of discovery sets & beauty box samples so figured I’d start reviewing them.) #fragrances #GlossierYou

How do they get AWAY with this? I mean, however American your accent might be, PRUSSIAN?!

“A few months later I noticed that I had been charged publicity expenses on my royalty statement for the drinks I thought I was being treated to.”

👀 It's me! I am proud to be a Library Champion. Equal access for all - information, books galore, games, companionship, and a safe space - what a beautiful thing that is. 🫶📚📖

So delighted to see @camilleuadams.bsky.social featured in P&W and very surprised and honored to be mentioned! Working with writers is my favorite thing and I cannot wait to read Camille’s book!! (You can read “Up Covigne Road” at forgelitmag.com/2023/03/20/u...)

I was looking for a quote to share from this nonfiction triptych by @nancyhuggett.bsky.social but it's ALL so good I couldn't pick. You'll just have to read it. (So glad to publish such powerfully truthful work.)

So many thanks to @theforge.bsky.social for picking this weird little triptych. Thank you @saracrowley.bsky.social for finding it & fixing it & sharing it (& for the amazing author questions.

I think WDYDY is the most soothing of all pods; a gentle companion & a much needed smile (+ @phlaimeaux.bsky.social's voice is 👨‍🍳😗 to drift off to). I just read this extract from Where Reasons End by Yiyun Li, "If days are where we live... I will always want to know how people live in their days."

Reminder I’m giving away a paperback copy of The Stardust Grail in my newsletter tomorrow! Sign up before Friday 11am EST! #booksky #bookgiveaway Link ⬇️

Public #Libraries change lives by providing free IT services, supporting those seeking to return to work. This #LibrariesWeek we are celebrating all the ways that libraries support and sustain economic growth. www.cilip.org.uk/page/librari...

I'm picking work @theforge.bsky.social this month - as is my lovely co-managing editor @sarahstarrmurphy.bsky.social. I'm pretty sad right now so if you have something with a little light to it, a smidge of hope, a dash of humour, I'd love to see it. forgelitmag.com/submit/

We are saddened by the passing of Nahid Rachln. She was kind enough to send us this beautiful flash back in 2017, when we had only been publishing for a year. She lives on in her work 🙏 forgelitmag.com/2017/01/23/t...

Funny, poignant, smart - Liechtenstein by Sarah Kartalia is up @theforge.bsky.social today.

Q: Who is funny, sassy, witty, a great writer, my pal, and in McSweeney's? A: @sarahstarrmurphy.bsky.social ✨

I love my job as the guy who adds a fake “keep me signed in” checkbox to every website that does nothing

"You know what produces 72% of the world’s oxygen but doesn’t get its own special day? That’s right, motherfucking algae." A snarky delight by @sarahstarrmurphy.bsky.social

Where have all the v-neck t-shirts gone?

Greeting the 1 magpie I can see outside in the big tree all the neighbours can also see. Bringing bad luck to the inhabitants of 14 houses seems a lot of power for a bird. My dad taught me to say "Good Morning, Magpie" (or afternoon/evening) & I wish he hadn't - it stuck! #BonkersSuperstitions

Time off work, gardening & listening to this superb and informative new podcast = doing life right. I didn't expect to be quite so moved by @sturdyalex.bsky.social but crikey. Narcissus - not what you think you know. Orpheus, worra twit!

Splendid news.

Things I expected to see more in life based on my childhood comics: - magicians wearing tuxedos - ‘Keep off the grass’ signs - pies cooling on windowsills - people shaking their fists - anvils

Meet Bob, my pet algae. He’s just had his first rinse and water change and is ready to carry on being groovy.