The Nazi SA - Sturmabteilung, or Storm Troopers - were often recruited from the dregs of society: barely literate failures incapable of holding down a job and only fit for murder and terror. The scum of Germany. Hitler gave them free rein to vent their rage on their betters. Sound familiar, America?

New anthology release day! Tell your friends! (Ebook now, hard copy soon). “Waterborne” is an anthology of liquid horrors, edited by @henryherz.bsky.social Features my horror-western “Where the Water Whispers,” along with many other terrifying tales. www.amazon.com/dp/B0GJ4F64X...

Not to brag, but I’ve hated him since the 80s.

Now I’m thinking about when I took a career assessment in my Senior year of High School. And my results told me I was suited to be either a police officer, or a cake decorator. 🤷🏼‍♂️

How's my 2026 going so far? Glad you asked...

A thought about Halloween (‘78). The bit where the other sitter drops a kid off with Laurie, and then her friends go to the house she’s sitting at, etc. Imagine being the homeowners and coming home, finding your kid gone and your house full of dead teenagers who’d clearly been fucking in your bed.

Josh is an old friend of mine. One of the smartest people I know, and a fighter. We’ve been talking about his run for Congress for a long time, and I’m super-stoked to see it finally begin. Check out his video, and follow and support him if he seems like he’s saying what you want to hear.

I was just talking to a friend about a really shitty movie I worked on back in the 90s with @willmckinley.bsky.social, and it turns out it’s on Tubi where you can watch it for free. Which is overpriced, if you ask me. tubitv.com/movies/46953...

How I'm walking out of 2025

If you’ve got gift cards burning a hole in your pocket, maybe check out my list of works? A couple of novels, and I’ve got lots of short stories in some tremendous anthologies. www.benmonroe.com/bens-fiction

2025 has been a tough year for me for a lot of reasons I don’t feel like going into. I crashed out over the last couple of days, realizing I’d been running on stress-induced adrenaline for the past few months. Looking forward to putting this year in the rear view mirror. Stay strong, y’all.

If you're an artist coming over from Twitter because of this bullshit they added, first of all: Really genuinely sorry they fucked you like this & I think it's extremely reasonable to be crashing out HARD right now Second: I'm gonna offer Bluesky tips and encourage ppl to share starter packs here

Just drove past the local Church of Christian Science. Which got me thinking about the the obvious extrapolation that there must therefore be Christian Mad Scientists. And anyway, so I figured out RFK Jr., I guess.

Happy Punch a Nazi Day to all who celebrate (which, I’m sad to discover doesn’t seem to be everybody).

As a caregiver of 22 years, I want you all to be as kind as you are able out here on these mean streets. “Someone you know is preparing for their first holiday without their husband, wife, mother, father, brother, sister, daughter or son. Be kind.”

The #1 movie from when you were 10 years old is how your 2026 is going to go. Bring it. I’m all outta fucks.

Have I mentioned lately that a novel of mine was published a couple of years ago? Well, it was, and some folks who’ve read it really enjoyed it. Maybe you will too. A great gift for the horror fan on your holiday list. Find the ways to buy it here: brigidsgatepress.com/product/the-...

Fuck these incompetent ghouls, their obsession with children's genitalia, and their psychotic need to enforce their misery agendas. I am absolutely seething right now.

"Show me how your 2025 went."

Happy birthday to Shirley Jackson, an all-time favorite of mine. To celebrate, here's my favorite Jackson paperback cover art, an image that famously captures the central theme of The Lottery: boobs.

Movie you’ve watched more than six times with a gif. Hard mode: no Stars (Wars nor Trek), LOTR, or Marvel. #moviesky #filmsky

I sincerely hope when @jamesgunn.bsky.social gets around to casting the new Batman, he continues this trend…

Is it irony that I’ve started watching videos of my Tai Chi teacher at half speed to make sure I’m really understanding them? Watching Tai Chi at half speed seems like it might be ironic… But Alannis Morrisette thoroughly confused me…. “It’s like TAAIIIII CHIIIIII at HAAAAALF speed!”

You will be visited by 3 spirits

Thought for the morning: I guess if we have to be living in a world that’s becoming more and more like an 80s RPG, it’s better to be Cyberpunk than Call of Cthulhu.

I’ve had multiple MRIs. I have no idea how someone could be given that exam and not know what part of the body is being scanned. Not only is it obvious from what direction they’re cramming you in, but the techs always ask to confirm “we’re scanning your (X) today, correct?” He’s a damn fool.

“John Carter was here.”

Please don't let the fear of not doing something well stop you from trying it for the first time. Write a messy story. Paint a crappy flower. Whittle the worst wooden bear of all time. The best gift you can give yourself is to have fun and grow.

Post your favorite "Lord of the Rings" character. Wrong answers only.

Watching Stranger Things season 5. Extremely realistic moment just happened: Mike pulled out the Demogorgon figure he had in the first episode. In-world it’s been four years since that happened. And now the figure is half-painted. #IYKYK #PileOfShame

Fascinating reading about unheralded women game designers in the C19th. daily.jstor.org/the-hidden-h...

Happy… thanks…giving… from… W..K…R…P… youtu.be/BGFtV6-ALoQ?...

I was going to say “Here Comes the Sun,” but reading the replies reminded me of so many other great songs, so I’ll have to say: “all of them.”

Do you want the Innsmouth Look? Because this is how you get the Innsmouth Look: www.vice.com/en/article/s...

Suddenly find myself thinking I’m overdue for an Elric of Melnibonè reread…

If you see this, post your getaway vehicle

One of the ways I manage anxiety is by cleaning and organizing. Spent the afternoon blasting out the bedroom. Reorganized bookshelves, put stuff in storage while taking other stuff out. Threw stuff away. Sitting here choking on clouds of dust, but the room is tidy, and I feel a little more peaceful.

Been in a cave, forty days Only a spark to light my way… I wanna give out, I wanna give in… This is our fate, this is our sin… But I still believe…

On this Trans Day of Remembrance, we remember the bright and courageous trans people whose lives were stolen by hatred. Their absence is felt across our city. We will honor them by building a New York where every trans person can live safely, fully and freely.

Going through old photos on my phone, and found this… to quote Lou Costello, “I’m a baaasaad boy..”

Name a film with a forest. I mean…

I’m currently dealing with a really difficult coworker. I might have to involve HR so I’ve started documenting all the “issues” throughout the day. It’s cathartic to write all this down. A feeling of “Oh, now that I see it all laid out, no the problem isn’t me, it’s really just that she’s terrible.”

Happy Life Day! youtu.be/YRrm59Z_0w4?...

I’m sure this will end well… www.popularmechanics.com/science/arch...

@haileypiperfights.bsky.social A pal is reading "All The Hearts You Eat," and wonders: "a bit shy of the two-thirds mark, where Honey puts on the stereo and plays something orchestral. Was it Britten’s Sea Interludes? The description is a good fit and it would be fine for the pathetic fallacy."

I've been fortunate to have known a lot of Marines. All of them exceptional people, whose companionship enriched my life in ways they'll probably never realize. The USMC celebrates its 250th anniversary today, and I'm thinking about all of them, whether still with us, or gone but never forgotten.

If you’re in a Frankenstein mood, these are some great suggestions. I’ll also note you should check out “Blood in the Soil, Terror on the Wind” from @brigidsgatepress.bsky.social which features -two- Frankenstein westerns (one of which I wrote).

Ooooh we’re halfway there! Halfway to the end of this Kickstarter campaign, and it’s about 80% funded! Kick in a few bucks now, so you can be one of the cool kids!

So apropos of nothing, last night I started watching the Muppet Show on D+. And while it’s not a cure for <gestures around>, boy it sure is a balm.

California voters be like...