Writers! Vol. 2 of 'The Best Weird Fiction of the Year' is open to your submissions. Please adhere to the guidelines. undertowpublications.com/best-weird-f...

If you're looking for a story about grieving, revenant mothers, laying the undead to rest, about diaspora families who come together only at funerals, about how childhood neglect echoes through generations and the magic of plastic baby dolls. Then I am here to meet your very specific needs.

This is a good ‘un!

Submissions are open now for our final issue! The theme for this issue is 'endings' inner-worlds.ghost.io/submission-g...

Ok I can’t watch the final ep until Friday night and I have so much FOMO while also being addicted to social media checks thanks to adhd. Someone send help! I’m bound to spoil!

@shonak.bsky.social asked the @britfantasysoc.bsky.social's volunteer army to share their 2025 faves & I, of course, obliged. You'll see a few of them in the graphic, but for my full list (& those of the other amazing humans who run the BFS), head over here: britishfantasysociety.org/best-of-2025...

@shonak.bsky.social asked the @britfantasysoc.bsky.social's volunteer army to share their 2025 faves & I, of course, obliged. You'll see a few of them in the graphic, but for my full list (& those of the other amazing humans who run the BFS), head over here: britishfantasysociety.org/best-of-2025...

Written about sectarian belief in 1885; still bloody relevant today 🙄

Ok the three episodes dropped today have been binged while him and his mum were at the football. I am prepped for the big finale on New Year’s Day!

Meet Charlotte!

Hey writers: If an editor rejects a story outright, don't then resubmit the exact same story again the following year expecting a diff outcome. And if said editor points out your error when rejecting (again), and you apologise for submitting twice, don't then submit AGAIN the following year...

Some wise words in this month's Ask an Expert column - thanks @drrachelknightley.bsky.social!

Looking for someone to do a talk on the "romance of graveyards" - why our gothic hearts love them so much, any tales regarding love, death & cemeteries, etc. It’s for Writing the Occult: Love & Death which is, naturally, on 14 Feb. All online. Kicks off 1pm UK. writingtheoccult.carrd.co 🧵⬇️

Support indie horror this holiday season, please. We need you. We're waiting for you to find us. Click on any of the presses to find rad horror titles now. @nwreader.bsky.social @clashbooks.bsky.social @tenebrouspress.bsky.social @shortwavebooks.bsky.social @thirdestatebooks.bsky.social 1/3

*TEN PLACES LEFT* Join me for this six-workshop online Ghost Story Writing Course, starting this January. Beginners and experienced writers alike will explore this thrilling, chilling genre and pen their own ghostly tales. Find out more... ghoststorycourse.eventbrite.co.uk

Lookeeee! @shonak.bsky.social’s got a bucket list item!!

Sneaking in another research day at the BL before xmas… Come 1 Jan, I need to stop using research as procrastination, but right now I’m leaning in as much as possible 🫣

🚨ACQUISITION ANNOUNCEMENT🚨 For the longest night of the year, here's something dark & spooky: NORDIC NIGHTMARES: The Best of Nordic Horror ed. by Margrét Helgadóttir! This spooky older sister to NORDIC VISIONS, showcases nightmarish horror tales from 20 electrifying voices! https://bit.ly/4agCxFE

It’s official: my 81-year-old mother in law lasted longer at a gig than I did. I’ve gone home for a lie-down and she’s still there with Mr L, ready for the evening session. I totally blame @soundloungecio.bsky.social for looking after her so well and having such a sterling vibe 🖤

Christmas is coming, and so is murder. 1913 Napoleonic Britain Snow, monks, and music hall. Churchill and a muscle man The Dowager Empress Eugenie cordially invites you to her Christmas gathering at Farnborough Hill House Twiggy Voo? mybook.to/TwiggyVoo

Fancy a post-Christmas Regency and sapphic chill reading sesh in your pjs? Like and repost this skeet (is that really what we call them?) for a chance to win one of 3 signed copies of THE UNLIKELY PURSUIT OF MARY BENNET! Open worldwide until midnight 23rd Dec, winners drawn on Christmas Eve.

Also there are 11 more days to submit your queer speculative stories already published in 2025! The editors love reading far and wide, so please especially consider submitting work from journals and anthologies they might not be aware of. www.neonhemlock.com/were-here

And just like that, SFWA capitulates. Keep fighting. It works.

Psst @britfantasysoc.bsky.social members: The member profile cupboard is getting bare again... Let's get you into the spotlight! So, 3 things in this thread. Starting with ⬇️ Not done one yet? Email [email protected] and I'll send you the form. 🧵

Meet Laura! As an aside, I stayed at Treowen as the pandemic was swirling, attending a haunted writing retreat put on by the inimitable @vickybrewster.bsky.social. It's also where I met @alexdavis1981.bsky.social, who was one of the tutors. Totally changed my life trajectory. Special place, that.

Yes, I’m at the library. No, it’s not because the MIL arrived yesterday for 2 weeks for Xmas. I mean, the solitude is just a bonus to research needs 🫣

Tomorrow! Who has tickets?

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

Mr L gets an early Christmas present by interviewing the guy behind the BBC's Doctor Who audiobooks!

More vampires in the spotlight this week thanks to @nicoleeigener.bsky.social 🧛‍♀️

While it’s a shame Mr L misses seeing Tim Marshall in person tonight at the @britishlibrary.bsky.social (💪 support the strikers), it’s good he gets to see it online (for free). And I’m loving Tim’s response to the “Gulf of America” bullshit 🦘🐨🇦🇺

These volumes are ESSENTIAL for genre writers. I'm telling you: ESSSSSENNNNTTIALLLLL.

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...

Rumour has it that there's a horror writers festive drinks meet-up in London Town on Saturday... The organiser doesn't appear to be on this platform, so lemme know if you want the details.

This photo wins the internet today

Writing the Occult 2026 themes announced: Save the date(s)! Tickets on sale in time for Christmas. Keep an eye on here, or writingtheoccult.carrd.co

Rick reckons that Discworld thing is alright, all told

Have agreed dates and themes for the 2026 season of Writing the Occult! Stay tuned for details (once I get a chance to do all the marketing bits and bobs)

Folk horror in Canary Wharf, or just worker drones waiting for the office to reopen tomorrow?

This week's Romancing the Gothic 'Blast from the Past' is this talk introducting the Gothic author Sheridan Le Fanu (most famous, perhaps, as the author of 'Carmilla'!) Want to know more about the author famous for his sapphic vampires? Check it out! youtu.be/HIwgqyuY1nA

I don’t tend to wade into these things, but I gotta say I always thought Tarantino was overrated. Never liked his stuff and didn’t get the reverence 🤷‍♀️

3 guesses what I’m off to see at the IMAX 😂 There’ll be a special extended intro with GDT himself, too, plus his very tall monster bloke.

Allen Ashley heads to Greenwich, London, to review the in-person exhibition “Pirates” at the National Maritime Museum. britishfantasysociety.org/exhibition-r...

Get your applications in!

World, meet Sophia and her dystopian YA magic!

Fascinating discussion happening over at the @britfantasysoc.bsky.social online: crafting fantasy through a Muslim lens. Mr L grew up in the UAE and is enjoying immensely. Nice hosting, @ohmz.bsky.social. With Soraya Bouazzaoui, Tanweer Dar, Nafiza Azad & Noor A Jahangir.

Good morning! Today is the publication day of the 1927 occult novel POSSESSED by Rosalie and Edward Synton, discovered by me and reprinted by the British Library for their Tales of the Weird line. There now follows a thread about the authors. If you buy a copy, use the hashtag #SYNTONSPOSSESSED

Gary's gone back to 1965 for this month's slice of televisual nostalgia

The final online talk of 2025 is on SUNDAY 7 Dec - tickets at bit.ly/flaevents Follow the @folklorelibrary.bsky.social #Eventbrite page to keep up with all our events. I'm currently in the process of lining up speakers for 2026! #online #WhatsOn #folklore #tradition #heritage #education #learn