It’s still dark out. The world is cold, drizzly, and quiet. It is so early that my head hurts and my eyes itch. My vision is blurry. I am not a morning person. I don’t know how you morning people do it.

It’s also time for my annual warm and fuzzy salute to allergy season

Didn’t sleep for more than an hour or two last night, and am driving three hours today. If I owe you something, I am aware of it, and will get it to you as soon as possible.

In keeping with sharing when my students are fans of writers I know, this week's student shout-out is for @ceejthemoment.bsky.social

#WiHM First found poem for today is @marysangiovanni.bsky.social #booksky

If you like werewolves and you haven't read this anthology, you're missing out. Check it out: www.amazon.com/Strange-New-...

If you’ve never read her, check out the works of @marysangiovanni.bsky.social. For meticulous craft, for inducing dread, for sheer storytelling, she’s one of the best in the business.

Will have some good news and upcoming shenanigans to report soon. 😏 Not quite yet, but soon…

Aww 🥰 thanks 😊

Aww thank you! 😊 💕

My first-ever art show!

The @scaresthatcare.bsky.social Women’s Writing Symposium has gone very well. Very proud of @marysangiovanni.bsky.social and our guest speakers. Day 2 starts in just a few hours. And leads into AuthorCon VI tomorrow scaresthatcare.org

Drunken @briankeene.bsky.social: (sigh) I love these pillows. If I were a pillow, I’d make love to these pillows. Me:… Also me: 👀

Sooo...IF I brought back the Cosmic Shenanigans podcast, would that be of interest? For those unaware of it, it was a podcast I did years ago exploring a different cosmic horror work each week. There's a lot of great stuff that's come out that I want to talk about. Would you tune in? Thoughts?

This week's inspirations as noted by my students are @brianevenson.bsky.social @silviamg.bsky.social and @gradyhendrix.bsky.social. Further proof that what you do matters. Even when you're not sure anyone is listening, they are.

This week's inspirations as noted by my students are @gradyhendrix.bsky.social and @gwendolynkiste.bsky.social Keep on rocking on!

@kozeniewski.bsky.social @briankeene.bsky.social Ahhhh! Ahhh! Pinwheels! Pinwheels in my head! Voices! Angry fish!

Happy Valentine’s Day to @marysangiovanni.bsky.social — my friend of 25 years, my wife of 3 years, my soulmate, and the girl who once clung to my excess body hair to keep from drowning in the shallow end.

Taking train home from NJ. This trip’s adventure has brought us a crazy (I hope) man screaming at everyone that we don’t know, we don’t KNOW, we’re all going to DIE, & a woman who had THE most corporate voice I’ve ever heard possibly breaking up w/ someone via Bluetooth while typing on her laptop.

Women’s Symposium announcement! A generous benefactor is offering three tickets to the event. If you are in need and you would like to attend, please contact Sonora Taylor through the website: scaresthatcare.org/womens-sympo....

For those who are curious about what it’s like to discuss feelings with @briankeene.bsky.social…

Ten Reasons Why You Should Attend the STC AuthorCon Women’s Writers’ Symposium (A Thread): 1) You identify as a woman, & you are a writer. You know what the climate of the world/this country is like toward women right now. You know what it is like in publishing for us. Your solidarity is needed.

Why thank you, Lord Samper! 😃

Happy birthday to @marysangiovanni.bsky.social! Celebrate her latest spin around the sun by joining us at the table for dumplings on an episode Eating the Fantastic, where you'll learn the reason she’s no longer afraid of vampires — plus much more! www.scottedelman.com/2018/05/12/c...

In the continuing effort to give shout-outs to the authors my students find inspiring, a shout out to R. L. Stine, @gradyhendrix.bsky.social, and Kerri Maniscalco!

For the morning crowd

Delighted to be nominated. For those interested in Strange Stones, it’s in bookstores as well as online stores!

Women’s Symposium announcement! A generous benefactor is offering three tickets to the event. If you are in need and you would like to attend, please contact Sonora Taylor through the website: scaresthatcare.org/womens-sympo....

Calling all Women Writers of specific, particularly horror! Our programming schedule is now up. Tickets are still available - and remember, this is a separate ticketed event from AuthorCon proper. scaresthatcare.org/womens-sympo....

A very Happy Birthday to @ramseycampbell.bsky.social!

My sisters and I from my birthday 10 years ago. 🤣

Thanks, folks! 😃

I’m honored to be nominated. Congratulations to all the nominees! 😃

You know, I used to read about WWII & wonder if in the face of such deadly fascism, such unadulterated EVIL, I would be brave enough to resist. Would I hide ppl, stand up to Gestapo & SS in the streets, protest what a madman was doing to our country…. 1/3

I heard this quote and love it: “If they stand behind you, give them protection. If they stand beside you, give them respect. If they stand against you, give them hell — and show no mercy.”

Tonight, the President of the United States has launched an unconstitutional war of aggression, dooming another generation to spill their blood for oil, and lay waste to a sovereign nation. I demand that Congress exercise its power, halt this conflict, and impeach this war criminal president.

Happy New Year. Welcome to the new age. Throw open the portals and polish off your ancient altars - we have some summoning to do!

I just asked my niece if what she was saying was “rizz” or “sus” and she laughed me back to the Stone Age where I belong. Apparently I didn’t use the former correctly, and no one uses the latter anymore. I used to be cool. 😜

I would commit murder for Mucinex Cold & Cough right now.

Thanks, all. Despite all this, I did get to spend time w/ @briankeene.bsky.social, my daughter, & the rest of my family, and that’s worth any amount of trouble. ❤️❤️❤️ And I got some good loot!

Not phone, it turns out. Email hacked. Money stolen. Tested positive for Covid this morning. Nightmares. Headaches. Deadlines. But all this is ok becuz @ least we have a strong, sensible econ— Uh, peace w/ our neigh— Er, a fair system for immig— Equality for — Well…at least it’s almost 2026.

Phone was hacked. If u get any weird texts/msgs/links from me, don’t click on them. Have to spend afternoon unfucking this mess. I am hot-tears-&-swear-muttering seething right now. I want Biblical-style vengeance. Instead, I get to go to Geek Squad. At the mall. The day before Christmas Eve.

So sorry to hear about James Ransone's passing. He was great in everything he did. No one should ever feel so alone. Rest in Peace, Deputy So-and-So. You were a light in the dark.

I remember when I first got this new thing called email, & every time a cute little envelope appeared in my Inbox, I’d get so excited. Now, I have approximately 8000 of them. I am less excited than I used to be. Not that I don’t appreciate hearing from people. It’s just overwhelming sometimes.

Working on writing/ghostwriting/teaching/household/symposium/book coaching stuff over the next two months. If I owe you something, I’m working on it. Please bear with me.

@briankeene.bsky.social is sharing pictures from Necon on his Patreon this week. Here's a pic from my first Necon, with Brian, @marysangiovanni.bsky.social @jeffstrand.bsky.social @cgolden.bsky.social James A. Moore and many other friends, at The Lobster Pot in Bristol RI.

So right now, @briankeene.bsky.social is making dinner. More accurately, he’s playing air-guitar across the kitchen and belting out Rush’s “Red Barchetta” and occasionally making the drum solo noises in his pjs and bathrobe, and it is as charming and adorable as it sounds.

Remember, this programming is separate from the Women’s Symposium programming; just a heads-up

If you are attending @scaresthatcare.bsky.social's AuthorCon VI as a professional, and you would like to be involved in Programming, please fill out this brief questionnaire. Deadline is December 16. forms.office.com/r/ctEjc4cF8c

The aim of the symposium is to offer practical, actionable advice, positive support, and to enable women to hold each other up whilst celebrating ourselves