Ermahgerd...it's happening, it's happening...it MIGHT be happening! Just had a FULL manuscript request for my third short story collection, UNFAMILIAR STORIES! (I shall celebrate this in the traditional manner by imbibing an entire can of squirty cream this evening.)

Ok, I’m sending up the HELP flare: I have one last spot to fill for Writing the Occult: Seekers on 30 May (virtual event) and I am struggling to find someone who can do it. **I need a UFO / UAP expert, please.** Where are they all hiding?! Have they been abducted?

A new story from me... KITCHEN JESUS is out in the wild, today! www.amidnightkindofplace.com/kitchenjesus...

...working on Book 4 of Frost Zone Stories & can't wait to present the 11 new stories from fantastic authors. Book 4 will arrive early autumn, then we'll be open for submissions for books 5 & 6! See books 1 -3 here: www.frostzonestories.com/p/issuesbook...

Spare 10 mins? Why not check out my strange story, "My God, What Has Happenend?" in this month's Penumbric release? :)

Today, I binge-read "I Who Have Not Known Men," (by Jacqueline Harpman) and I am not okay. What a story. Five out of five cracked spines from me.

It is Women in Horror Month, a reminder to read work by women all year 'round - we are always here. I once put together an issue to celebrate #WiHM and it is still free to read online: www.frostzonezine.com/p/issue-6.html

Looking for a weird short read to start off your Wednesday? www.exposedbonemag.com/pieces/negle...

4. This Echo Chamber Life by @sjtownend.bsky.social www.penumbric.com/archives/Oct...

p.s. (because no edit button!) I've read a lot of ghost stories, written some, but I smile when I think of this story - such an original idea for ghosts! 🖤👻

Happy Pub Day! TY for being part of FZS3: Jay McKenzie, @andyhumphrey11.bsky.social Thomas Nicholson, Damir Salkovic, E.F. Ritter, @improbablerex.bsky.social , @mikearhodes.bsky.social , Alistair Rey, Isabelle Nygren, @sjtownend.bsky.social @collyleonard.bsky.social @melodyemcintyre.bsky.social

Hey there. Latest story, now out, "Scion." Strangeness. Estrangement. And the history that gets lost in between. A son and father in a moving house. Deranged relatives at cross-purposes. A community fleeing a murderous intruder. A crumbling lunar colony in revolt. Hope folks enjoy. Twisty one.

Subbed some stories today. May March bring us all some wonderful acceptances x

It's Women in Horror month. Remembering Melanie today. Here's a link to all her titles in print. www.amazon.com/stores/Melan...

Frost Zone Stories book 3 officially arrives on Tuesday, but you can pre-order/order now (currently at reduced price in some places) The digest-sized paperbacks are the best way to read these short stories by ten talented dark fiction & quiet horror authors. www.frostzonestories.com/p/issuesbook...

The closing story in Frost Zone Stories book 3 is "Going Last" by SJ Townend @sjtownend.bsky.social books2read.com/u/mvgvoJ www.frostzonestories.com/p/issuesbook...

Horrific Scribes, Exhibit Five, "They F**k You Up," is now open! #Horror about parents f**king up their kids and vice versa. horrificscribblings.com @timbrownwrites.bsky.social @zaryfekete.bsky.social @matthollingsworth.com @sjtownend.bsky.social @pammerdrums.bsky.social @awhcolumbus.bsky.social

***Short Story Rec!*** (horror/weird fiction): “I Have Seen Seven Bad Things” by @sjtownend.bsky.social . Thoughts gravitating between “that was so weird” and “that was brilliant”. I’ve read this one probably half a dozen times, never gets old. You can read it in any one of these three books:

From @BagBonesPress over on X: Dear Bone Bags, Greetings. It's been a while... Our bones are itching to put out another charity horror story call. Is there anybody out there? Are you still writing? We're open to call-theme pitches. Please share your ideas in this thread. Love and darkness, BoB.

Second story in the TOC spotlight: "Good Jeans" by Andrew Humphrey @andyhumphrey11.bsky.social Frost Zone Stories 3 eBook may be ordered, releasing March 3. Paperback will be available around the same time. books2read.com/u/mvgvoJ

🔥SALE🔥 In honor of announcing the Table of Contents for BRAVE NEW WEIRD: The Best New Weird Horror Volume Four, Volume THREE is on sale now for 20% off at our webstore for a limited time🖤☠️ store.tenebrouspress.com/products/bra...

Spring's coming early to the Frost Zone, with book 3 tentatively planned to release on March 3rd. TABLE of CONTENTS and COVER:

Alex & I have 1 last cage match before we announce the final BRAVE NEW WEIRD ToC later this week. As usual the hard part’s the fun part: there’s SO MUCH AMAZING WEIRD to choose from. This scene’s amazing. Meantime: why don’t y’all check out our winners from years past? store.tenebrouspress.com

It is never not exciting to see your own story-words in print, on paper, in an actual book. AN ACTUAL BOOK! (Tales of Sley House 2025, Sley House Publishing.) @sleyhouseeditor.bsky.social

Jim writes great horror. Highly recommend his Changes collection.

@markpeters.bsky.social Thanks for all your editorial support with this anthology. You're a star x And thanks to all the wonderfully creative authors who submitted stories to us at Bag of Bones Press for our Skin call in 2024.

Frost Zone Stories Book 3 is out this spring with 10 awesome stories by the authors: (order subject to change) Jay McKenzie Andrew Humphrey Thomas Nicholson Damir Salkovic E.F. Ritter Rex Burrows Mike A. Rhodes Alistair Rey Isabelle Nygren SJ Townend

I've just discovered a new cupboard in my classroom that I swear wasn't there last term. Should I open the cupboard door? I'm going to open the cupboard door. If you don't hear from me again, please tell someone to check the cupboard.

Mission accomplished.

Stunned to find my horror story on Ellen Datlow's Best Horror Recommendations list 😍 Scratch is one of my favourite pieces, published in Bag of Bones Press (@sjtownend.bsky.social) SKIN anthology and my horror collection, Sick Ink (links in thread) To see it highlighted in this list is amazing 🖤

Congrats to all of the wonderful Skin authors (Bag of Bones Press, edited by me and Mark Peters) who got a mention in Ellen Datlow's Best Horror of the year recommended list! JP Relph, Rob Shearman, Jim Horlock, to name a few! SKIN, a charity anthology, is available to buy here: amzn.eu/d/asR60dC

Nobody was around to tell me not to start a new online horror and sci-fi magazine, so. Stay tuned.

A selection of great indie books I read this year. I highly recommend all of these!👇📚 (See list below, left to right)

The Lion of the Desert by MatthewJBenecke Sick Girl Screams by @sjtownend.bsky.social The World of Vile Wonder (antho), edited by @coyhall.bsky.social Harrowfield by @stephellis.bsky.social Mad Days by @elfordalley.bsky.social The Skin We Feel Most Comfortable In by @craigwallwork.bsky.social

My story, YELLOW CAR, is now available to read, along with many other horrifying journey-themed tales, in this anthology from Hell Bound Books: www.amazon.com/HellBound-Hi...

Fancy a Bristol-based Christmas horror story from me? Check out WHEN ONE DOOR CLOSES published by Horrific Scribes here: horrificscribblings.com/when-one-doo... You can read more horrifying tales by other authors too at horrificscribblings.com

My nine-year-old son, unprompted, just broke into the robot dance for the entire of his one hour long school carol service performance. No other kid was dancing. Made my Christmas! 🤣

Writing the Occult's 2026 season is now officially on sale! Explore the events: www.eventbrite.com/cc/writing-t... 🧵⬇️

On the 13th of December, your Trash Cat gave to you... a reduced price on our charity anthology until Christmas Eve 🦝 Grab one, gift one, read one for less of your penny-monies. All proceeds to The Wildlife Trusts for the badgers and stuffs. mybook.to/WhatComesToL...

Massive thanks to @sjtownend.bsky.social for reviewing this anthology and singling out my story as the reason for picking it up in the first place! Hiding Under the Leaves is still available from @theslabpress.bsky.social as a great Chrissy pressie for the folk horror fan in your life...

A short review of HIDING UNDER THE LEAVES (an anthology of folk horror from The Slab Press) here, from me: www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

I have no idea if these award eligibility posts actually DO anything other than lay bare the good and silly work I've been lucky to achieve in 2025. 11 short stories published (on top of finishing my first novel)! I'm very grateful to all the editors and publications who've given my words a go!

last couple weeks of december when things slow down is usually when i try to catch up on short spec fic (try, being the operative word, always behind). if you've got recs for strange stuff in semi-pro mags that stuck out to you and that you think flew under the radar would def be interested to know.

TWO blocks of cheese in the fridge? Well played, Past Me, well played.

Show me your pets! But balanced on your arm.

Like #writing? Love quiet horror? My interview with @storyradio.bsky.social is out today, featuring an incredible reading by @terryholland.bsky.social. We talk about the Silent Screams charity anthology and whether horror can ever be literature. Listen here: pca.st/episode/bb24... #writingcommunity

I'm incredibly proud of every author Strange Wilds Press has published in our debut anthology. This is the first year we've nominated stories for the Pushcart Prize. Congratulations Akis Linardos Nicole Lynn, @neilwilliamson.bsky.social, @marisca.bsky.social, @sjtownend.bsky.social, and Kuzma Mac.

Hubby @kundalinisteve.bsky.social and I have collected donations to a charity fund for those in need at the holidays. Reach out if you need a little extra money via PayPal to get by. It's not enough for rent or a car payment, but it's enough for groceries and smaller gaps.

Nineteen Little Stab Wounds will be available 11.26-11.30 to raise money for Transgender Law Center. Paperbacks $10 (shipping included) ebooks $5. Every cent goes toward TLC. Link goes live tomorrow so keep your eyes open—there are limited quantities of paperbacks. More info in alt text.

Woke to a sweet acceptance for a ghost story in my haunted inbox this morning from Frost Zone Press! Thank you for taking on my work, @frostzonestories.bsky.social :)