I advanced to round 3! Congrats to everyone else moving into the next round! Just think: even if we don't move to the final round, we still have gotten 3 short stories out of this experience (Doesn't hurt that we can now call ourselves "semi-finalists" 😉)

Kayla is timid in her motherhood, unsure how best to raise her young daughter. When a surprise pregnancy pushes the family to move to a house in the suburbs, they move into 1511, a sentient home that knows exactly how care for them, with or without their consent. #ABCPit #CamptRevPit #WIP #A #H

My setting is one that sends shivers down my spine at just the thought...the suburbs...

When I was a kid (18/19) I wrote portal fantasies (though didn't we all?) I've been writing sci-fi for years and just started in with horror with this novel.

Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya's lecture "Architecture of a Haunted House" made me consider haunted places more deeply. I asked myself what it would take to make a beautiful house terrifying even in the middle of the day. So 1511 was born (or built).

My monster is the sentient house (who may or may not seduce the main character like a little bit). #CampRevPit #CRPNightcrawlers

A little late on this one! Kayla's greatest fear is harm coming to her children, but this butts up against her fear of confrontation and the judgement of others. #CRPNightcrawlers #CampRevPit

Can I have two?? I've liked watching/playing daylight horror; combining this with the literary horror I've read is a big part of my WIP! #CRPNightcrawlers #CampRevPit

Hi, #CRPNightcrawlers! I so appreciate the support already as I join in with my first horror novel. The combo of attending the Tin House lecture "The Architecture of a Haunted House" and reading Our Wives Under the Sea inspired me to give it a go.

So excited to join you all! This is actually my first horror novel, so I'll be thrilled to learn more from y'all!

April Reader @chelsea-utecht.bsky.social is a speculative fiction writer & lit teacher with work in Bluestem Magazine, Shooter Literary Magazine, The Gravity of the Thing, Thirteen Bridges Review & more. She lives in Sarajevo, Bosnia with her husband, 2 sons & former street dog/current princess.

Made it to the second round in @nycmidnight.bsky.social 's #shortstorychallenge2026 ! So proud and honored! Now I just have to write this second story.. 😬

The anger in my heart! ...then I realized the date...You got me, Freewrite...

I was a guest judge on the Poetry Pea Podcast ❤ The episode is out! poetrypea.com/s9e12-poetry...

It comes with badges too?? Just what I needed on a low-energy writing day! With my pre-Freewrite words, this brings my horror novel to 30k! @getfreewrite (come on, Freewrite, BlueSky is the place to be!) #freewrite #getfreewrite #writeon

*gasp* Who is that on the masthead there? So excited to be a reader with The Masters Review! mastersreview.com/about/

Ah...submitted to the NYC Flash Fiction Contest yesterday. Just in time for... Up for a tiny writing challenge? The 7th annual 100-word Microfiction Challenge by @nycmidnight.bsky.social kicks off on March 20th! Learn more at nycmidnight.com/100

Joining Freewrite's Write Your Heart Out Challenge to write every day in February? Join me?

So excited to be part of Right Hand Pointing's latest issue. This piece means so much to me, so it warms my heart to see it find a home. www.issues.righthandpointing.net/162

Stunning essay by Elif Shafak: www.newstatesman.com/long-reads/2...

Up for a writing challenge? Join me in the 20th annual Short Story Challenge by @nycmidnight.bsky.social on January 23rd! Learn more at nycmidnight.com/ssc

So excited to be part of ScribesMicro's issue 51! You can read my micro-fiction pieces "Loosely Tied" within the issue here :) www.fairfieldscribes.com/issue-51.html/

Discussing books with my almost 4yo son: "Did you know Mama wrote a book?" "Really?" "Yes, four books actually." "Oh. That's...not enough." I suppose you're not wrong...

After publishing "Resting" with @fiveminutelit.bsky.social , I will be a guest reader this month! Consider sharing your own micro-memoir: www.fiveminutelit.com/submissions Can't wait to read them!

My piece "Suburbs" is in Bluestem's summer issue <3

I've been travelling and am about 3 weeks late sharing this! I am the featured fiction writer on Thirteen Bridges Review this month! So honored to be included! www.thirteenbridgesreview.com/july-25-stor...

He’s thinking of some cemetery or memorial from our recent trip. “People resting there so we have to be quiet.”—"Resting" by @chelsea-utecht.bsky.social in case you missed it https://www.fiveminutelit.com/resting

So excited to have a piece published on 101 Words! 101words.org/golden-days/

I’m about to kiss my son’s forehead, planting sweet dreams, when he turns as though struck.—"Resting" by @chelsea-utecht.bsky.social https://www.fiveminutelit.com/resting

It's been a busy month for writing! I have another piece, this one micro-non-fiction, with Five Minutes:

Excited to see "Earth Day" in 365 Tomorrows! 365tomorrows.com/2025/05/05/e...

Thinks he can do better, huh? #amwriting or #waswriting...

Peak art in Tbilisi.