Happy holidays from FLARE Magazine! Whichever holidays you celebrate, we hope you have a great time and a safe holiday season! ❄️ ✨ I know it's easy to overdo & feel like you have to for the holidays, but please rest & take care of yourself when you need it! -xoxo, EIC @kellyesparza.bsky.social

Ugh...my #amquerying journey keeps getting delayed because my lupus is really bad. I have to see a cardiologist tomorrow because guess who's having heart issues? It's times like these I remember lupus can be serious and wish it wasn't😭

Submissions for Knee Brace Press's "Darkness" issue are open now until January 4! I hope you will submit your writing and art about chronic illness, disability, and neurodivergence to us! :)

My microfiction romantic New Year's Eve story published by @micromancemagazine.bsky.social is published today! The extended version was published in their holiday anthology! Read the story here:

I'm now also selling signed copies of my poetry chapbook about what it's like to live with lupus on my @ko-fi.com!

Although it’s been almost a year of being around, we made it on the FISH List of lively independent #litmags! Woohoo! FLARE is number 1282 out of 1848 lit mags that qualified! Thank you for curating all this, @charliefish.bsky.social! See the list here: www.fictionontheweb.co.uk/p/fish-list....

Screaming! My poetry chapbook that was published by #bottlecappress is FEATURED on the @reedsy.bsky.social discovery site & will be in their newsletter that reaches hundreds of thousands of readers!! Ahhh! Not every book gets picked up so this is amazing! The link to buy my book is in my bio! ☺️

Got a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review of my poetry chapbook A SPOONIE’S GUIDE TO SELF-ACCEPTANCE from an impressive reviewer at Reedsy! Read the full review here: reedsy.com/discovery/bo... If you haven’t yet, you can buy my book here: kelly-esparza-merch-and-books.square.site/s/shop FREE shipping AND a signed copy!

BIG news! My adult speculative mystery is a SEMI-FINALIST for the fiction category for the Tucson Festival of Books Literary Awards! In my #amquerying era but in a flare so I’ve been delayed BUT this means a lot as a @uarizona.bsky.social Creative Writing & English alum! ❤️ 719 subs total!🤯

Being chronically ill is rough these days! Trying to pick up some extra editing work! I have BAs in English & Creative Writing and 5+ yrs of editing experience + I was previously agented! I have edited books, query letters, business writing, poetry, short stories, essays, etc. Flexible w/ pricing!

Ahh! A reporter at the Auburn Journal wrote an article about my new poetry chapbook about lupus & me! I’m happy to use my voice to spread awareness! 💜🥄 Read the whole article here: goldcountrymedia.com/news/338640/... Buy my book here: kelly-esparza-merch-and-books.square.site/s/shop

#GivingTuesday2025 I'm running a 30% off sale on Etsy & if you buy my poetry chapbook about lupus, you'll get a FREE bookmark & sticker, w/ proceeds from both places going to the Lupus Foundation of America @lupus.org! If you just donate to @lupus.org, your donation is matched! Get the links below!

I have an Etsy shop and bookselling site as a Facebook professional page! Go follow it here: www.facebook.com/profile.php?...

Through my site, you can buy a signed copy of my poetry chapbook that’s about my life with lupus for $10 and it’s FREE shipping worldwide and through tomorrow, you can get a FREE bookmark! Buy here:

If you celebrate, Happy Thanksgiving from me to you! I am so incredibly thankful for the way FLARE has emerged as a community that many of us, myself included, needed this year! Your stories, your art--it all matters so much! 🧡 --EIC Kelly @kellyesparza.bsky.social

So thankful my book was shared with NewPages!

I'm running my 1st book giveaway! Follow @kellyesparza.bsky.social, tag someone, quote reblog and tag me! A random winner on 11/30/25 receives 1 FREE copy of my poetry chapbook published by #BottlecapPress & a bookmark! BONUS entry: add my book to Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/book/show/24...

It's that time again. FLARE gets to participate for the 1st time! If you like what FLARE does, vote for us for Chill Subs' Community Favorites Best Lit Mag Awards (@chillsubs.bsky.social)! Let's spread more awareness about what we're trying to accomplish! Vote: www.chillsubs.com/best-lit-mag...

My lit mag isn’t even a year old yet and it’s already getting recognized🥹

I’m selling bookmarks now as merch that goes with my poetry chapbook published by #BottlecapPress! Soon, I’ll be selling signed copies & stickers! Buy my bookmark here ($5 each): kelly-esparza-merch-and-books.square.site Buy my poetry chapbook here: bottlecap.press/products/aspoke

My poetry chapbook is on Goodreads! Add it here: www.goodreads.com/book/show/24... Buy my book: bottlecap.press/products/asp... #bottlecappress

My poetry chapbook is getting stocked in @uapoetrycenter.bsky.social, my alma mater @uarizona.bsky.social! 🤩 So thrilled! I am an alum with BAs in English and Creative Writing! Want to read my poetry chapbook published by #bottlecappress? Buy a copy here: bottlecap.press/products/asp...

Can't believe I've already sold a good number of copies!🥰 I am trying my best to sell to bookstores, get interviews, and reviews. If you're interested or have any knowledge, please feel free to get in touch! Buy my book: bottlecap.press/products/asp... #smallpress #bottlecappress #poetry

🚨BIG NEWS REVEAL🚨 So excited to share that I wrote a poetry chapbook about my lupus and the grief that comes with it. It's PUBLISHED with #BottlecapPress🥄🔥! Order your copy here: bottlecap.press/products/asp... #poetrycommunity #poet #smallpress #buymybook #writersofbluesky #newbooks

EIC Kelly has a new poetry chapbook out with Bottlecap Press! It's a collection about her lupus. If you feel like supporting a chronically ill writer and editor, here's a link to purchase: bottlecap.press/products/asp... Paperback copies are $10 each, and digital PDFs are $3.50 each.

I just announced the news! It's pinned to my profile!

🚨BIG NEWS REVEAL🚨 So excited to share that I wrote a poetry chapbook about my lupus and the grief that comes with it. It's PUBLISHED with #BottlecapPress🥄🔥! Order your copy here: bottlecap.press/products/asp... #poetrycommunity #poet #smallpress #buymybook #writersofbluesky #newbooks

Some exciting writing news! No, this isn't related to the vague news lol! But my extended romantic flash fiction story has been published as an ebook for @micromancemagazine.bsky.social's Kissmet Quarterly & as a physical copy soon! It's a holiday anthology! Ebook: www.amazon.com/dp/B0FY3XWKBB

I get to announce some news soon! No, it’s NOT about my novels and querying lol! I wish, but no.

Happy Halloween! Special Issue 2: Health Scares is out now! Read the issue here: flaremagazinecom.wordpress.com/special-issu... Our Contributors (1/2) asv.bsky.social riwritesatnight.bsky.social Bella Melardi Carrie Farrar Chris Kads Jade Cox John Masterson Katie Larson ligerlillie.bsky.social

NOT QUITE DEAD YET x GLASS ONION Abby doesn't expect to get murdered while attending a party in a snowy cabin. As a ghost, Fate is a big deal & her soul intertwines w/ another guest. By 12 a.m., she must solve her own murder b4 her fated soulmate at the party dies too. #GhostPit #A #MM #Spec #PN

Well, in addition to participating in #pitdark on Twitter, I will be participating in #ghostpit here because well, my book has ghosts.🤪

We have reports of the FIRST known offer of rep by a literary agent has been received due to #DVpit 2025! Less than 2 weeks is so fast, but is proof that the marginalized voices that participated are needed in publishing! We are so proud of everyone who put their work out there! #booksky #writersky

Welp, I'm royally screwed. Drop by the shop, grab a comm, sign up for a membership, leave a one-time donation—I could TRULY use your help picking up the slack of a scammer client!

Anybody need edits? I can edit for cheap based on budget. I found out I will be getting a laptop screen extender and a lap desk because my lupus is bad, and I need to be able to work at my stable job during the week without being at my desk. I can work this weekend! #editorforhire #editor

When your lupus decides to make your joints painful, swell, and fatigued, guess it's time to write since I can't work at my desk😭 Trying to find the silver lining lol

Perfect writing setting: it’s raining outside and is chilly, but you’re inside, sitting in your writing armchair, writing away (or reading!)😍

Reading fast is my superpower. I read 3 books in a week🙈🫣

The way lupus has really just made me feel horrible for weeks now. I promise to get my #DVPit pitches sent soon, but I gotta take care of myself. ❤️‍🩹😭

If you feel like hiring an editor for your book, query package, etc., please consider me (5 yrs editing experience, BAs in English/Creative Writing)—I’m feeling unwell from lupus and have to rest so I could use the extra pay! I’m flexible w/ prices! kellyesparza.wordpress.com/editing-writ...

I’m just a girl standing in front of all the scientists out there, asking for a cure to lupus😆 Brought to you by feeling sick with my #chronicillness alllllll week long🤣, last week, & for like the last few weeks of Sept.😭🤣 Shoutout to the chronically ill/disabled folks out there! We’re warriors!💜

Keep those pitches pinned! I got another like after 8 pm EST!

As #DVPit winds down, I just want to thank everyone for your support on my pitches. Somehow I'm walking away with 6 agent likes, the most I've ever gotten for a pitch event. 🫶

NOT QUITE DEAD YET x GLASS ONION At a party in a snowy cabin in the woods, Abby Martinez doesn’t expect to: ❌confront her estranged sis 💔face her ex 🔪get murdered As a ghost, Abby must solve her own murder before more guests die & pass on to the afterlife. #DVPit #A #M #Spec #Latinx #OWN #DIS #F #P

For those of us with hashtag and search issues, follow the feed for DVPit! bsky.app/profile/did:...

NOT QUITE DEAD YET x GLASS ONION At her sis’s party, Abby Martinez doesn’t expect to: 😡 find out her sis is still angry over a fight 1 yr ago 💔 face her cheating ex 🔪 get murdered As a ghost, Abby must solve her own murder b4 more guests die & pass on to the afterlife. #DVPit #A #M #P #F #Latinx

NOT QUITE DEAD YET x GLASS ONION When Abby Martinez attends her estranged sister’s bachelorette party, she doesn’t expect to get stabbed in the back, literally. Now she must solve her own murder before any of the other guests die & to pass on to the afterlife. #DVPit #A #M #P #F #Latinx #DIS #OWN

TOMORROW (Oct 8th) is #DVpit! Any unagented Marginalized writer or artist seeking out representation is invited to participate from 8AM - 8PM ET! Please make sure you review our rules & guidelines before the event: dvpit.carrd.co#faq #writersky #booksky #artistsky #weneeddiversebooks

Ahhh #DVPit is tomorrow! The last time it was around, I was querying for the first time and shortly got my first agent right after. Now that she's left agenting, I'll be participating again! Manifesting for all the industry likes, but I mostly can't wait to connect with other marginalized folks! 🕯️🧵

Who's participating in #DVPit on Wednesday? I will be!