There's a trail southwest of Denver named Little Scraggy, which is some top-notch trail naming. It also has these wild boulder formations here and there along the way.

Planthopper insects must live a lot longer than I would've thought.

Dude thinks maybe AI didn't have his best interests at heart, missing entirely the problem of it not even having a heart.

Planthopper insects must live a lot longer than I would've thought.

The 8 known character arcs are as follows: 1. Flight of cannonball 2. Line of suspension bridge cable 3. Ridge of sand dune 4. Route of comet 5. Line traced by turning sunflower 6. Nautilus shell 7. Corn maze 8. Used dental floss

I’m posting a new short story each week in 2026 & the story this week (#20 of 52) begins: "Brandon could count on his fingers the number of people he knew who liked asking for help, and his father was not one of the fingers; his dad was as far away from the fingers as possible." "The Shed Desk" 👇👇

Writing tip: Pronouns cost more, but they're worth it. Amateur nouns just don't have the necessary training and experience.

Writing tip: Pronouns cost more, but they're worth it. Amateur nouns just don't have the necessary training and experience.

My first book is available for preorder. Check it out below. If you have any questions about quality, production, or usefulness of the work, I’m happy to talk. If not, go ahead and buy a copy!

The skies will continue until morale improves.

The skies will continue until morale improves.

Hey, what's that up ahead along the trail? Oh! Rattlesnake. Hi, Mr. Rattlesnake. I'll just be over here.

Farm kitten! This cute little fella is going to grow up to be a professional mouser.

I’m posting a new short story each week in 2026, and the story this week (#19 of 52) begins: "When the soul leaves the body, it makes a sound like opening a pickle jar, when the little button in the lid pops up." "At the Warehouse of Souls." 👇👇👇

I’m posting a new short story each week in 2026, and the story this week (#19 of 52) begins: "When the soul leaves the body, it makes a sound like opening a pickle jar, when the little button in the lid pops up." "At the Warehouse of Souls." 👇👇👇

What do we want? Anachronistic vocabulary! When do we want it? Posthaste!

Author, bookseller, and publisher friends: Please keep posting your positive stories about selling books through Bluesky, and I'll package them up and show them to publishers so that we can get more book publishers and even more authors and book conversation here!

I was in Grand Rapids, MI, for work this week, and I had an hour to kill, and there was a Chihuly exhibit at the sculpture gardens.

I’m posting a new short story each week in 2026, and if you like stories about insane conceptual art crypto schemes, this one is for you. (And, I’m so delighted by Erin's logo for this fictional cryptocoin!) Story #18 of 52 is "The Crypto Artist." nickarvin.substack.com/p/the-crypto...

When writing historical fiction, I've thought about using AI to flag any words inappropriate for the period. Haven't tried it as of yet. I am curious if anyone would have an objection beyond the generic "no one should use AI for anything ever."

I’m posting a new short story each week in 2026, and if you like stories about insane conceptual art crypto schemes, this one is for you. (And, I’m so delighted by Erin's logo for this fictional cryptocoin!) Story #18 of 52 is "The Crypto Artist." nickarvin.substack.com/p/the-crypto...

As I was climbing the stairs up the side of a big biogas tank, a bird flashed away in front of my face. Then I saw the nest, next to a temperature probe.

"It was important to maintain both generational integrity and cultural complicity while not erasing desire or complex feelings around agency." Read @rachellayown.bsky.social's interview w/ @saralippmann.bsky.social on "Hidden River" (@tortoisebooks.bsky.social). chireviewofbooks.com/2026/05/05/d...

Abandoned shuffleboard courts. (Do people still play? My grandparents taught me on courts like this, and I loved it.)

I hate this. tribune.com.pk/story/260613...

Construction site or Brutalist sculpture?

We've been taking our lawn out in phases of about 500 sq ft per year and replacing it with mulch and low water plantings. Lavender, rabbit brush, goldenrod, and sand cherry in the pic. 500 sq ft is manageable for us when we're doing the work ourselves.

Goodbye grass. Hello mulch.

Doesn't happen very often, but every once in a while in my job I get to use the phrase "angle of repose" in a non-ironical, non-metaphorical, technical sense, and it always makes my day.

Up now, #17 of 52 Fictions: "The Last Little Man with Wings." It begins like this: "They kept the little man with wings in an antique birdcage made of American chestnut. It was a large, ornate birdcage with a sofa and a TV inside. Crowds of people came to look..." Check it out at the link! 👇

We finally had some rain and now there are lovely puddles.

The trouble with taking writing seriously, is that the more seriously you take it the harder it is to write. (Tibor Fischer)

Up now, #17 of 52 Fictions: "The Last Little Man with Wings." It begins like this: "They kept the little man with wings in an antique birdcage made of American chestnut. It was a large, ornate birdcage with a sofa and a TV inside. Crowds of people came to look..." Check it out at the link! 👇

I mentioned the Dewey Decimal System at work the other day, and everyone under 40 looked at me like I'd suddenly spoken in Klingon. Alas.

Reminds me of Herman Sorgel's "Atlantropa" concept to dam the Straits of Gibraltar, drain the Mediterranean, and do some racism. Anyway, surely this would have no unintended consequences.

I was just reading about Lincoln wandering around the streets of Richmond after it fell to the Union with no bodyguard except for like 10 rando sailors who happened to be on hand. Times have changed. Of course in hindsight it didn't work out too well for Lincoln, alas.

Buy yourself a book today, you deserve it!

Big news!!!🌷🌷🌷My next book, SOCIAL DISTANCING, will be published by @semiotexte.bsky.social in March 2027!!!🎉🎉🎉 Watch out, world...💐💐💐

So, there's a certain feeling of knowing something that's impossible to know, and that's in this week's story. Posted today! #16 of 52 Fictions — "The Ruined Room" 👇👇 nickarvin.substack.com/p/the-ruined...

Happy paperback pub day to me. We Lived on the Horizon has achieved its final form (thankfully before sapient cities decide they need to do a population correction via class). www.simonandschuster.com/books/We-Liv...

So, there's a certain feeling of knowing something that's impossible to know, and that's in this week's story. Posted today! #16 of 52 Fictions — "The Ruined Room" 👇👇 nickarvin.substack.com/p/the-ruined...

Swallow Hill Music is walking distance from our place & every so often we wander over there to see whoever happens to be playing. Last night, it was this guy, Marty O'Reilly. The man was holy crap *amazing*. If you have a chance to see him, I highly recommend. www.youtube.com/watch?v=riSl...

So, I sat down in an Uber, and this week's story sort of landed in my lap... #15 of 52 Fictions — "The Uber Driver's Tale" "The Uber driver said he was done driving Uber." nickarvin.substack.com/p/the-uber-d...

Many great assholes suggested here. Thanks all!

hi friends! I wrote a story that’s an actual eBay description for an actual item: you can read it, you can bid (for a good cause) as part of the #significantobjects2026 project: www.ebay.com/itm/26764354...

Reader friends, help a fella out -- I'm looking for examples of*assholes* in fiction. To be clear, not necessarily bad people or villains, but plain old assholes.

The first rule of Show Don't Tell Club can only be communicated by mime.

Beautiful light this evening in Apex Park.

So, I sat down in an Uber, and this week's story sort of landed in my lap... #15 of 52 Fictions — "The Uber Driver's Tale" "The Uber driver said he was done driving Uber." nickarvin.substack.com/p/the-uber-d...

Huh. Toke up, olds.