Echoes In a reflective exchange by a fire, an old man discusses the nature of echoes and memories, emphasizing the need for new beginnings rather than merely revisiting the past.

My Dearest M – Chapter 30 (Final Act) The narrative revolves around a woman reflecting on love, loss, and self-discovery during her visit to Ireland, culminating in a transformative encounter with a writer at a bar.

Someone Yet Still The speaker reflects on heartache, building a protective cave while battling inner turmoil. Despite efforts to shield themselves, the emotional tide remains relentless, prompting questions of resilience.

Instincts The author reflects on the importance of trusting instincts, contrasting intuition with reliance on systems, and recognizes a gradual return to valuing instinct in life decisions.

To the End An encounter at the edge of the world reveals deep connections forged through loss and discovery, as an old man's wisdom guides a traveler home.

Two Faces of Humanity The author reflects on encounters with Barack Obama and a manipulative cult leader, illustrating the complex interplay of empathy and moral ambiguity in human nature and storytelling.

Convincing you to read my novel by the first sentence! 🫦🥀‼️ 🇮🇪 🍀 #amquerying, begging really, for #litagents or #Editor interest. #WritingCommunity #gothic #horror #writesky “The Red Thirst - A Gothic Tale of Ireland”

“A Year to Love" Before Sunrise × The Midnight Library At the world’s edge, where magic hums in the sea and time forgets itself, two souls are called together to rediscover what love means. #Q #A #LF #QuestPit Romance, love, magic.

Raised by corporate vampires with little freedom or choice, Alex is used to Yakuza business rivals and back-alley deals. But nothing prepares him for Jason, a witty bartender who challenges everything he knows, and who harbors secrets as deadly as the vampires after him. #questpit #PR #Q #A #writing

"The Body Forfeit" Altered Carbon × Never Let Me Go In a world where bodies can be stolen, a killer moves through flesh like smoke. To stop them, Sam must trade bodies himself—each jump eroding the line between hunter and hunted. #Q #A #SFF #QuestPit

“The Red Thirst" Mexican Gothic × Starve Acre When a grieving man unearths the Dearg-Dú—the hunger that haunted Le Fanu, Stoker—he awakens a curse older than blood. To free her, he must face the god who made her. #Q #A #H #DF #LF #QuestPit

Time?

Discovery Day The proposed holiday, Discovery Day, celebrates humanity's realization of shared consciousness, fostering unity and connection amidst the loss of individual solitude.

Starve Acre + Slewfoot #TheRedThirst On Ireland’s haunted coast, grief is a ritual—and blood is the offering. To save the spirit he’s bound to, he must face the monster who made her. #A #GhostPit #amquerying #IrishMyth #LiteraryHorror #GothicHorror

The Lighthouse Witches + Mexican Gothic #TheRedThirst At Ireland’s edge, a man discovers a castle that bleeds. Beneath its stones lies a woman’s sorrow—and a hunger that calls him home. #GhostPit #A #amquerying #DarkFantasy #GothicHorror

Here is my list for #GhostPit 1. Which Witch 2. Rutello: Arealia and the Last Flame 3. Ghosts of Our Past 4. The Doll Murders 5. Rutello: The Dark Veil 6. Arterin Academy Feedback/critiques are welcome.

A House with Good Bones + Starve Acre #TheRedThirst He came to Ireland to die. Instead, the earth remembered his name just as it remembered hers... A modern #GH of grief, guilt, and the cursed soil that feeds on both. #amquerying #A #PH #PitDark

Slewfoot + The Lighthouse Witches #TheRedThirst Ireland remembers. When an outsider disturbs a buried grave, the old gods stir, and a woman’s curse hungers again beneath the cliffs. Love, loss, and folklore entwine in a tale of ancient vengeance. #amquerying #A #GH #Pitdark

Mexican Gothic + Starve Acre #TheRedThirst When a grief-stricken man flees to Ireland’s rugged coast, he awakens the Dearg-Dú—a betrayed woman’s spirit thirsting not for blood, but for guilt. In freeing her, he may damn himself. #IrishMyth #amquerying #GH #PitDark #A

The Body Forfeit (Querying) In a world where bodies can be traded, one man’s first transfer forces him to question what it means to be human—and what he’s willing to lose.

To be a kid at heart

Hitchcock, Mimetic Violence, and the Death of American Innocence Forgive me for retreating to a more academic mood. On Friday, I was watching the Ed Gein story, and as I did, these thoughts formed. Alfred Hitchcock didn’t invent horror; he revealed it. Beneath the shadows, the blood, and the…

Lately…

Silence

To neighbor well

My Dearest M – Chapter 7 After reconnecting with an old crush, intense feelings of love and vulnerability emerge. Their bond deepens, leading to emotional and physical intimacy amidst complicated circumstances.

Principles What principles define how you live? If I had to name the principles by which I live, they wouldn’t be chiseled into marble or gilded in certainty—they’d be written in sand, rewritten by every tide that’s touched my life. I’ve come to believe, as Seamus Heaney once wrote, that “hope and…

If I Were Not Afraid to Fail I reflect on the transformative nature of love, embracing vulnerability, and the beauty of connection. If only I weren't afraid to fail at falling in love.

My Dearest M – Chapter 6 The author reflects on personal trauma from a strict upbringing and toxic relationships, seeking closure and understanding, while facing profound struggles in life and work.

On Rejection Rejection is a vital part of a writer's journey, urging refinement and patience, while ultimately leading to a meaningful connection with the right agent.

The shared existence of my works The author reflects on how their works, starting with My Dearest M, explore themes of loss, love, and identity, creating a shared existence.

Imagining The Red Thirst Imagining characters from The Red Thirst novel I am currently working on

My Writing Routine: Bury ’em deep I share a glimpse into my life, balancing fishing and writing, detailing daily routines, manuscript work, and the struggles of self-doubt in creativity.

My Dearest M – Chapter 5 The journey through Ireland reflects deep personal connections, bittersweet memories, and the contrasting beauty of places, marked by emotional highs and lows.

Today What details of your life could you pay more attention to? The honest answer is today. Not some distant past, not a moment buried years ago, but this one—the air I’m breathing, the sky above me, the sound of the sea or the chatter of voices nearby. Too often, I let today slip through my…

Hard work? In what ways does hard work make you feel fulfilled? For most of my adult life, I worked with words, thoughts, and people. I sat in an office chair, listening, guiding, and carrying others through their storms. It was good work, meaningful work, and I loved the crisis teams I was part…

Transforming Pain into Strength: The Role of Writing The author values resilience, emphasizing transformation through loss and empathy, using storytelling as a means to connect and share human experiences.

Today’s daily writing prompt The author reflects on their heritage from Louisiana and Appalachia, emphasizing the significance of food, storytelling, and community in shaping identity and inspiring their writing.

Malin Head – the lines of ley My mystical connection to Ireland is through ley lines, revealing personal significance and guiding their journey towards understanding and purpose amidst ancient landscapes and personal experiences.

My Dearest M – Chapter 4 The narrative explores personal loss, reconnections, and the desire for healing, intertwining relationships, professional challenges, and poignant Irish memories.

Good enough Being the best version of yourself is sometimes being just good enough. Whether in my profession, love, or writing, that’s all I can be

A wee short story about a mink on the boat Here is an expanded bit. Sometimes, the mood hits me. We had a mink slip on board yesterday when we left and didn’t realize it until we were well away. Everyone took great care to make sure the little critter was safe and sound, but about 12 hours after…

Favorite album What's your all-time favorite album? There are certain voices that carry the weight of a whole people, and Tyler Childers’ Can I Take My Hounds to Heaven? is one of them. It is not just an album—it is an invocation, a reimagining of old faith through Appalachian soil and song.…

The Waterfalls of County Donegal Taken at the Wee House of Malin

Untitled What would your life be like without music? A Life Without Irish Music I often wonder what my life would look like stripped of Irish music, and the thought feels like imagining a world without breath. The ballads and rebel songs are not just melodies to me—they are memory, defiance, and…

My Dearest M – Chapter 3 You can find the previous chapters here. When we returned, all the red flags that I had ignored or displaced from view or said I would get to later continued to unfurl. I am a slower processor, I admit. I like to observe quietly and consider all options – like, am I the…

Synopsis: A Year to Love Synopsis of a love story, romantasy, about how fate works to pull two souls together - in Ireland.

The Writer’s Duty: Empathy as Resistance landonmcalister.com/2025/09/12/t... #writingcommunity #booksky #empathy #charliekirk

Any feedback from the #gaeilge community?

Fili Fridays: Mo ghrá geal an Irish/English poem about love and beauty