My son just came into my room to tell me one of his very favorite directors just died. Béla Tarr. A Hungarian director who made very slow, strange films. Now I will have to watch them.

“The photos of asses and dicks, they’re fine.” So good to have another Chris-Gonzalez story in the world. I love this one!

My kid just texted from school to ask if I ever worked as a lawyer in Venezuela. I reminded her that my boss and I once had a two-hour private advocacy meeting with HUGO CHAVEZ for Human Rights Watch in Caracas. Oh how I wish our meetings back then had been more successful.

Happiest of pub days, @rebb003.bsky.social ! In the weeks before her death, my mother got such a kick out of Becky’s “so my parents are dead” videos. She thought they were hilarious. She would be so thrilled to see this wonderful book in the world. Full of great info, gallows humor, & grace. ❤️🪦

I've just learned there is a new sign-up link to join The Village. Here it is! It's a groovy space for us all to connect. And it's FREEEEEE! smokelong-quarterly.mn.co/plans/191340...

Update: the stew was perfect. It was like my mom was in the room with us. My kids were very happy and appreciative. It took all day, but I got a lot of reading done standing beside the stove.

I’m just a little surprised that Rubio didn’t say “vibes.”

I finished this book in 24 hours because it is so compelling & heartbreaking & beautifully & passionately written. We should all read it—& reflect on who we are & what we are willing to do. What is our role in the violent, imperialist, capitalist, racist system so may of us benefit from?

My kids have been asking for my mom’s beef stew since she died. Finally could face it. The meat is browned and the first cup of Beam is in the pot. There is so much Beam! At every stage, it’s: add another cup of JB! 😂

“Rules, conventions, morals, reality itself: all exist so long as their existence is convenient to the preservation of power. Otherwise, they, like all else, are expendable.” -Omar El Akkad

It's days like this that remind us that the United States was born out of slavery, the disenfranchisement of women, and the imperialistic genocide of indigenous peoples. Taking over a foreign government with military force to steal its oil is in keeping with our barbaric origin story.

The U.S. is now running a military dictatorship of Venezuela.

Spoiler alert: 2026 is going to be just as bad and just as stupid as 2025. In fact, judging by events today, it will be worse.

Pay attention to who makes coin off of this lawless abduction.

Absolutely lawless behavior. Trump and his lackeys must be impeached and held accountable for defying our constitution and international law. This is a shocking power grab to control Venezuela’s enormous oil supply, folks.

(Oh no. The thing I thought was a poem and then thought was a story might actually be CNF. This is not where I wanted to go with these thoughts. They are safer inside line breaks.)

In celebration of Mamdani's first day in office, the map from our 2016 NYC atlas celebrating Queens as the most linguistically diverse place on earth. (800 languages spoken in NYC, according to NY's Endangered Language Institute, which collaborated with us on this map.

The good folks over at @smokelong.bsky.social started a new community for us: The Village! I'm so excited about it that I contributed the very first Lit Mag interview where I talk about Split Lip's submissions & editing process & gush about @rpmirabella.bsky.social & K-Ming Chang! Join to read!

This is fantastic. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/01/01/u...

Extremely cool!

Adored this book.

I liked the finale of Stranger Things but my 14yo did not. I was happy for Prince to feature so prominently since he featured prominently in my 1980s too.

A new year’s message: “nothing is too tiny for the attentive eye.” —Mark Doty, speaking of lemon seeds in STILL LIFE WITH OYSTERS AND LEMON

Absolutely haunting new reality for writers … and for our entire society as the world embraces AI without considering the dire consequences. Must-read essay by @briangroh.bsky.social — Gift article: www.nytimes.com/2025/12/28/o...

We had an unbearable tragedy occur this week in our community that has impacted our family & broken our hearts. My girls are deeply affected. I’m going to take time away from pressures of social media to spend time with my family. I wish you all a happy holiday. See you in the new year. 💔

We are THRILLED to announce our ✨Best Small Fictions Nominations✨ Lots of love to @sashabrown.bsky.social, JR Fenn, John Jodzio, @skyskkyy.bsky.social, Neeru Nagarajan buff.ly/2zs2H2a

I had the best time at Epiphany’s holiday reading celebrating their gorgeous new issue! Absolutely adored Wah-Ming Chang’s memoir, @jweirdo.bsky.social’s fiction and @saralippmann.bsky.social’s lovely words about the importance of literature and community at times like these. ❤️

I’m so excited for this benefit reading. I hope you can make it! Huge thanks to our former fiction editor @jonmcconn.bsky.social for the brilliant inspiration & legwork to harness AWP for community-building in this way. So thrilled to spotlight CHARM—a fantastic local literary organization!

We’re all being punished because a bunch of unattractive billionaires are mad they can only buy the faux respect of sycophants, and not real cultural influence.

The SLM FAM is 🔥! Big congrats to @caseymulliganwalsh.bsky.social @deeshaphilyaw.bsky.social @littlemissbleah.bsky.social @megiddings.bsky.social @jeanlucbouchard.bsky.social @kristinaten.bsky.social @bringonthelucie.bsky.social @adriennenovy.bsky.social @vanessahua.bsky.social @jondoyle.bsky.social

I sent some wisdoms & book recs for the new year & Nick was kind enough to share it. There's also a shout-out for a great holiday gift from the @yalereview.bsky.social. If you want to receive my newsletter in the future, you can sign up here: www.maureenlangloss.com/contact/

I’m hanging out with the gorgeous new issue of Harvard Review this morning! Love this lit mag!

I've ordered so many books for so many people lately. I am channeling my stress & sadness into supporting authors I love. I even bought books for my doctor! My godchildren will never have time to read all the words I'm giving them. Can I make my kids read Jane Eyre with me in 2026? We shall see!

Damn!!! We love to see it! Thank you @eleanorfuller.bsky.social for letting us know! And thank you to @chillsubs.bsky.social for doing this work! And thank you to everyone who voted! So thrilled to see this love. 🥰

Absolutely love the dark, uncanny world that @skyskkyy.bsky.social creates in MARIE, THE MOST BEAUTIFUL. Such an honor and joy to get to edit this piece! splitlipthemag.com/flash/1225/s...

It's hard to promote a new issue after the sad weekend of violence. But Eric Calloway's art really speaks to what I'm feeling this morning. I hope you will spend some time with HEAVY ARE THE CLOUDS. We also published our first fiction translation. So poignant. The entire issue is deeply moving. 💔

OMG

Fuck

A father and a son. What kind of father could take his son to commit a heinous hate crime?

SNOW

Heartbreaking and horrifying to go to bed reading about the mass shooting at Brown University and wake up to read about the mass shooting at a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach. Thinking of the victims, their loved ones, and those affected by the hate that drove these attacks.

That our kids have to grow up in a country where regular shootings happen in the very place they should feel most safe is horrific. My heart goes out to everyone at Brown or with loved ones there—and to all kids, parents, & faculty/staff around the country who live with the stress of gun violence.

Walking Max. Overheard a guy say to his golden retriever, “Excellent pee.”

I read this horrifying article that everyone’s been talking about. Ugh. But also, I found this one point VERY IMPORTANT & maybe something educators & parents should consider when giving kids things to read. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2025/12/12/u...

Normalize buying literary magazine subscriptions for friends and family for the holidays!! 🎁

🤔 I wonder what it could be!!! 💫

I am so pumped about this news!!! Huge congratulations to Brooke Randel whose memoir is so deserving of recognition—a beautiful, poignant piece of writing. Thank you to @jskin94.bsky.social for editing it & @krysmalcolmbelc.bsky.social for advocating for this special piece!

The ONE STORY archive? This IS cool to see!

Here’s a Peep & Post Road. Really enjoying this issue, especially these poems by Elisa Gabbert & @neonpajamas.bsky.social @postroadmag.bsky.social

Today at the grocery store a woman looked in my cart and said, "Wow, you must really love ginger." In, like, a very ginger-judgy way. The funny thing is, I was worried I hadn't bought enough ginger. But she clearly thought I was ginger-insane.