As we start the new year, the editors of On Spec want to thank all our friends, writers, poets, and artists for thirty-five years of support and trust. Best wishes to all in your future endeavours. And if you are new to On Spec, you can get some excellent deals at @weightlessbooks.bsky.social

HI HELLO I AM IN THIS ISSUE OF LIGHTSPEED AND I AM VERY EXCITED (can you tell??). “Academic Neutrality” is a flash horror-satire about, well… academic neutrality. This story is the grossest and truest thing I have ever written. I can’t wait for you to read it!

Let the new year's reading begin! We have January issues of @lightspeedmagazine.com @nightmare-magazine.com @locusmag.bsky.social @flashfictiononline.bsky.social @foofarawpress.bsky.social, Sally Port, The Dark, Dirty Magick, @smallwondersmag.com, and more coming! weightlessbooks.com/2026/01/

A sneak peek at tomorrow’s issue of The Dark Magazine:

Guidelines for the additional four longer stories we are looking to add to our oversized March issue are here: https://foofaraw.press/mindlessly-massive-guidelines/

BCS #448 ebook out early today @weightlessbooks.bsky.social & Kindle Store and for subscribers, featuring stories of the magic in the world and relationships by Anaea Lay and @julesblywrites.bsky.social, cover art by Jereme Peabody: weightlessbooks.com/fiction/bene... www.amazon.com/Beneath-Ceas...

New issue of @bcsmagazine.bsky.social is here and on its way to subscribers! Featuring stories by Anaea Lay and Jules Bly @julesblywrites.bsky.social and cover art by Jereme Peabody: weightlessbooks.com/beneath-ceas...

#Booksky THE COMPLETE ASTREIANT is now available from @weightlessbooks.bsky.social! weightlessbooks.com/the-complete...

Our first magazines for 2026 are 2 days away, but in the meantime, we've just added @onspecmag.bsky.social #134 weightlessbooks.com/on-spec-maga... AND The Complete Astreiant series from @qospress.bsky.social weightlessbooks.com/the-complete...

Crucially, the delivery of gift ebooks does not rely on the US Mail

First issue of season 7 drops on Jan 1 with stories from Ben Daggers, E.J. LeRoy, Lyss Buchthal, Erica Weems, and Jeff Goldberg. Subscribe now to get it on release from us or @weightlessbooks.bsky.social—or wait for the weekly publication on the site to read for free! foofaraw.press#/portal/signup

I don't know who needs to hear this but ebooks are the perfect last-minute gift: virtually instant, doesn't need to be wrapped, and there's something for everyone - including, for example, sapphic gaspunk murder mysteries set on Jupiter: www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/...

This is some capitulating bollocks: 'Works that used LLMs at any point during the writing process must disclose this upon acceptance of the nomination, and the nature of the technology’s use will be made clear to voters on the final ballot.'

Looking for your next read? Check out our curated SFF reviews, author interviews, and upcoming releases in Locus Magazine. Start your literary adventure today! www.locusmag.com/

#Booksky Last book table for 2025! If you would like any of our print books in time for Xmas, we’re happy to bring them to AudreyRose Vintage in Minneapolis for pick up this Saturday 12/20 11-4PM! Local delivery (Twin Cities metro only) can be discussed. www.audreyrosevintage.com/events/witte...

I do not like AI a bit I do not like it in Fitbit I do not want AI at all I do not want it on my calls I do not like it, Sam Altman

Haven't picked up Sinister Societies yet? We're not saying this book could save your life, but maybe stay out of Paradise... 🌕 Buy wherever books are sold, or direct: links.ruadanbooks.com/buyS6 Illustration by Kip Ayers from @missmurdermercedes.bsky.social's The Witches of Paradise. #BookSky

The latest news about Mozilla's AI plans for Firefox is a huge disappointment. I started using LibreWolf a while back. It's a version of Firefox with privacy and security fixes. And I believe they're also disabling AI. (Anyone with more info on that last bit, please let me know.)

And with one post, they convinced me to uninstall Firefox. Bye bye. #noAI blog.mozilla.org/en/mozilla/l...

New today from @lunastation.bsky.social, All is Hell Bent (And Other Dispatches From Asgard), a collection of stories and poems by Jennifer Lyn Parsons: weightlessbooks.com/all-is-hell-...

New issue of @khoreo.bsky.social is here! weightlessbooks.com/khoreo-volum...

Choosing to focus, on hearing the news of Rob Reiner's passing, to remember this moment where he was so overcome with joy and laughter that he - the director of the movie - was one of many people banished from the set in order to finish filming.

Now that Amazon is using EPUB for everything there is absolutely no reason to bother with the kindle app. There was already absolutely no reason to buy an ebook from Amazon

Not sure about the "architects of AI" being the TIME person of the year, but Indie booksellers, librarians, & library workers are def our winners. They continue to fight book bans and support their communities by creating safe spaces, mutual aid drives, and opportunities for curiosity and escape 🩵

Very pleased to announce that Weightless Books is once again all caught up on @khoreo.bsky.social issues! Issues 3.4 through 5.3 are now available and going out to subscribers; issue 5.4 is forthcoming next week weightlessbooks.com/category/pub...

New from @pmpress.bsky.social, Spanish Punk, Screaming for Democracy in a Postdictatorial State, a study of punk in post-Franco Spain by David Vila Diéguez weightlessbooks.com/spanish-punk/

BCS #447 ebook out early today @weightlessbooks.bsky.social & Kindle Store and for subscribers, w stories of siblings and sacrifice by @annewilkins.bsky.social and @walterwriter.bsky.social J. Wiese, cover art by Jereme Peabody: weightlessbooks.com/fiction/bene... www.amazon.com/Beneath-Ceas...

Diabolical Plots, Small Wonders, and Strange Horizons: Review by Charles Payseur locusmag.com/review/...

And unbelievably I was accepted into Beneath Ceaseless Skies too. I have a short story in here called "A Good Brother". Thank you Scott H. Andrews for your invaluable help getting this story into shape!

New issue of @bcsmagazine.bsky.social is here! Featuring stories by @annewilkins.bsky.social and Walter J. Wiese and cover art by Jereme Peabody: weightlessbooks.com/beneath-ceas...

Did you know you can get a subscription or individual issues via our independent distributor Weightless Books? It’s true. Here’s a link to our December issue 😊 @weightlessbooks.bsky.social weightlessbooks.com/flash-fictio...

Thank you! BCS ebook subscriptions are available exclusively through indie ebook store @weightlessbooks.bsky.social. Weightless has lots of other indie & SF/F zines too. Subscribe, get delivery to your e-reading device and support indie commerce as well as zines. weightlessbooks.com/beneath-ceas...

Zines in SF/F that are nonprofits AFAIK and thus worthy of your support on this Giving Tuesday. (Pls add others you know of!) BCS @strangehorizons.bsky.social @reckoningmag.bsky.social @escapepod.org @podcastle.org @pseudopod.org

Other nonprofits AFAIK in SF/F and thus worthy of your attention on this Giving Thursday. (Pls add others!) @odysseyworkshop.bsky.social @clarionwest.bsky.social @clarionucsd.bsky.social IIRC? Speculative Literature Foundation @locusmag.bsky.social Magazine many conventions & local SF societies

In 2025, we've spent $6,500 per month to ship 35,000 pounds of books to 10,823 readers behind bars. That's a lot of stories told, skills learned, and wisdom gained. On Giving Tuesday, your gift will provide books for the next patrons. $50 reaches 9 more readers: www.bookstoprisoners.net/donate-money

Today is Giving Tuesday, for donating to nonprofits. BCS's parent co. is a 501c3 nonprofit, so donations & Patreon support are tax deductible (consult a tax professional). We'd appreciate your support. www.patreon.com/beneath_ceas... www.beneath-ceaseless-skies.com/support-bcs/...

Mark your calendars! We are kicking off our End of Year Giving Campaign on the 2nd, Giving Tuesday! Donate at bwc.io/locus2025 (link in bio) through December and see your gift doubled via a $100,000 match challenge. The campaign is live now if you just can't wait.

December issue of @foofarawpress.bsky.social zine has arrived! weightlessbooks.com/foofaraw-zin...

We now have December issues of @nightmare-magazine.com, @lightspeedmagazine.com, @clarkesworldmagazine.com, Forever, @locusmag.bsky.social,@fantasymagazine.it, @lunastation.bsky.social, Dirty Magick, The Dark, and @smallwondersmag.com! weightlessbooks.com/2025/12/

BCS parent co. is 501c3 nonprofit; donations are tax deductible. Tomorrow is Giving Tuesday! If you believe paying writers & First Readers a worthy cause, pls consider supporting us, recurring or one-time. THANK YOU. www.patreon.com/beneath_ceas... www.beneath-ceaseless-skies.com/support-bcs/... 3/3

We publish many new & emerging authors; they deserve pro pay. Our First Readers write personalized comments in ALL replies; they deserve pay. If you read BCS & you're able to support, please consider it. If you have, THANK YOU. www.patreon.com/beneath_ceas... weightlessbooks.com/genre/fictio... 2/3

BCS Patreon has fallen below the monthly amount we need to pay our authors a pro rate and our First Readers a worthy honorarium ($125/mo). Sometimes folks need to lower or pause their support; we understand. But less than 1% of BCS readership donates or supports. www.patreon.com/beneath_ceas... 1/3

Oh this would be fantastic! The whims of a landlord are a big reason why small businesses struggle to stay in business, so being able to own their building will be a HUGE contribution to their long term sustainability.

Black Friday reminder: You can support independent bookstores and get great deals without lining the pockets of billionaires 😌

It’s time! Blackout Friday! Please join unions 💪 & organizers 🤝 worldwide and BUY NOTHING 💸🙅from big chains this weekend! Instead support small & local businesses 💵 🙌 while sending the message: the People Will Not Tolerate Corporate Complicity With Authoritarianism & Worker Oppression!

a post about Psychopomp in 2026 please read and share thank you very much

In among the rest of the madness of the past few weeks, I wrote a post for @britfantasysoc.bsky.social about what it's like being published by a small press & my experience with the recent release of Wiz Duos 3 at the fantastic @wtpress.bsky.social britishfantasysociety.org/launching-wi...

wrote an article for @thebookseller.com outlining to the industry why small presses are the lifeforce & future of book production. Pls share esp w people who may not know what small press publishers do! www.thebookseller.com/comment/dont...

A new issue of The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction is here at last from new publisher Must Read Magazines! Featuring @nnedi.bsky.social, @mauricebroaddus.bsky.social, @matthewkressel.net and @mercuriodrivera.bsky.social, @justinkey.bsky.social and more: weightlessbooks.com/the-magazine...

In BCS #445 & podcast 354: "The Crow's Second Tale" @marissalingen.bsky.social "So Kiris knew, even at the age of five: no one should only know one story. And if she was the only one who had spotted the problem, she would have to be the one to fix it." www.beneath-ceaseless-skies.com/stories/the-...