An #AlternateHistory #Shortstory set in the 1930s that strides the line between #fantasy and #ScienceFiction; about monsters in the world, but it somehow ends on a hopeful note. I liked it very much. Enjoy! #Writersky #Authorsky #AmReading #AmReadingFiction kaleidotrope.net/autumn-2026/...

'Monsters in the World' by Jenny Rae Rappaport

kaleidotrope.net

I thought I had out-thought Trump when I stocked up on Ellington and Ensign Red whiskeys, the best flavored whisky brands, ahead of the tariffs. But now he's banned them. My stash won't last too far into 2027. Anyone tasted North Korean or Russian flavored whiskey? Those should remain available.

Rewriting, post-critique, I added two hundred words to a story to address points of confusion. A humor piece, it included a new running joke that I found funny but added complexity otherwise unrelated to the story. Pacing suffered. Just deleted all that. Addressed the same issue in 13 words. Onward.

Tyrannosaurus xkcd.com/3300/

If you like twisty plots, where you don't know what's really going on until the end, I highly recommend this story. It's psychological horror, not slasher #horror. Enjoy! #Writersky #AmReading #WritingCommunity #AmReadingHorror #WritersCommunity pseudopod.org/2026/07/10/p...

PseudoPod 1037: Playing Tricks

Dina had never seen her dad cry until the day he left. His face was puffy and wet with tears when he leaned down to kiss her cheek. “I’ll see you soon, okay, Button?” Dina stared at the scarred wood…

pseudopod.org

Just caught the #horror/#LoveStory #BoneLake on Netflix. The message: If she's willing to put an axe through the evil maniac's head and make him fall on a chainsaw, she's a keeper. I'm not sure how some folks aren't into romantic movies.

I'm impressed. A magazine (The Phantom Pulse) with submission via Google Form where you're asked for name, title, word count, if you used AI, and attach file. No option for anything else. Submission took 3 minutes. #Writersky #AmWritingFiction #WritingCommunity #WritersCommunity #AmWriting #Horror

Woh. Just caught an excellent #horror #movie on Hulu: #ControlFreak . Truly creepy body horror and a rumination on generational trauma. Highly recommended.

Ellington and Ensign—two best makers of flavored whiskies in my opinion—are both Canadian companies. I stocked up yesterday. Sure, the US is destroying the world climate, dropping bombs everywhere, and terrorizing hard-working immigrants, but raise the price on my alcohol? Trump's a monster.

Well, ultra-selective, fancy-pants journal that’s never published me before, if you're going to send a kind rejection letter well prior to closing your submission window that ends with "We look forward to reading further submissions from you,” your wish is my command. Here’s another. #AmWriting

Okay, the latest scammers to email went big. "Amazon MGM Studios" wants to acquire the movie rights to my novelette. Will Regal McDonalds be running the concession stand at the theaters that show it? #AmWriting #Writersky #Booksy #AmWritingFiction #WritingCommunity #WritersCommunity #WritingLIfe

NEW FREEBIE! Reposting my Queer Sci Fi's 2022 contest story, as the anthology has gone out of print. This one is called "Oysters and Other Slimy Creatures." Marine ecology and the rich asshats trying to destroy it. www.allandyenshapiro.com/qsf-stories #Writersky #Microfiction #queer #eco-SF

If you are looking for a fun, dumb movie, I totally recommend #Ick on Amazon Prime. #HarrisonCone 's portrayal of Dylan, a teen constantly quoting and misapplying things he didn't understand (e.g., Foucault) was hysterical.

Today's Google search history: Prices for gold coins Sponsorship requirements for EB-3 visas. How high must blood pressure be to cause death? Yes, officer, it was all for a short story. I'm not trying to hire Nacho Varga as a hitman. Besides, gold futures are trending downward anyway.

Latest blog post. Yes, it's about AI, but I got creative with it. No, it's not a rehash of what others are saying. I'm tired of that, too. www.allandyenshapiro.com/post/nibblin... #GenerativeAI #AI #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #WritersCommunity #TSEliot #Poetry #Authenticity #Writers #Writing

"It says federal agencies “should prioritize foundational research in the biological sciences over the life sciences.” From NYT reporting on a new report from the White House science advisor, the first not to have an advanced degree, and his Bachelor's is in political science. What does this mean?

I have a new favorite actress. #IndeNavarette was unbelievable in #Obsession. Her performance made the movie; it's been a while since a horror movie truly creeped me out. The movie is on Peacock, which means it's free for Comcast subscribers. Watch it.

From "realizing it's not a great idea to do at the same time" category, I'm reading through slush where I'm expected to be brief and say why stories should be rejected (also accepted, but more of the former) while critiquing stories for a Codex contest--written on short deadline, positivity expected

#Readercon I would love to see a crowd at my reading tonight. 8 pm Empower/Embrace room. I'll be reading from the longish short story I put out in April with Water Dragon Publications: "The Eliminator." #Readercon35 #TimeTravel #Writersky #AmWriting #AmWritingFiction #WritingCommunity #Sci-Fi

Holy shit! Researchers at U. of Minnesota just made an artificial cell from purified components that will feed, grow, replicate DNA, divide, and even evolve by natural selection. I just downloaded it; I'm about to start reading. #Writersky #AmWriting #AmWritingFiction biotic.org/research/spu...

Biotic | SpudCell

SpudCell and Biotic — announcement and media factsheet.

biotic.org

My latest blog post includes my schedule for #Readercon. I'd especially love it if people attend my reading from "The Eliminator" on Thursday, July 9 at 8 pm. This night only is free to the public. #Readercon35 #Writersky #AmWriting #AmWritingFiction www.allandyenshapiro.com/post/readercon

Cloud Atlas is $1.99 today on Book Bub. I consider it one of the best literary fiction books (with serious genre elements--the movie made from it, which wasn't as good, leaned into the science fiction aspects) written this century. If you've never read it, that's a really good use of two bucks.

Current stats: 41 current submissions to short story markets, 8 planned submissions, 16 stories waiting for me to search for another place to send or rejections to open a market, 1 story awaiting a critique group meeting, 3 sold stories awaiting publication. #AmWriting #AmWritingFiction #Writersky

Just watched the first episode of #TheVampireLestat . Who else thinks it was totally cool? I can't believe I just watched an episode called "Detroit" and I'm psyched for the next one, even if it is called "Toledo." And no, I'm not joking.

This makes a hell of a lot of sense.

My latest blog post. Trying to shed light on issues of at least tangential relevance to the fiction I write, as always. #AmWriting #Writers #Writing #Writersky #Authorsky #WritingCommunity #WritersCommunity #Palestine #Israel #Zionism #AntiZionist www.allandyenshapiro.com/post/if-you-...

I finally realized the strategy. Exhaustion. When outrages become daily events, those who would otherwise speak out are too exhausted to do so. How long until 2028?

Alex Ip 葉清霖@alexip718.com · 5mo ago

BREAKING: in May 2026, *every single one* of the 599 refugees admitted in the U.S. were white South Africans. In FY 2026, the U.S. has admitted a total of 6,665 white South Africans, three Afghans (back in November 2025), and nobody else. For reference, the U.S. admitted 100,060 refugees in 2024.

I like their AI policy a lot. I intend to submit something to them, and I had decided to do so even before I saw this. Wish me luck!

Barrelhouse@barrelhouse.bsky.social · 5mo ago

On the eve of our submission window opening, we felt we should add an AI policy

And bookshop.org is also carrying "The Eliminator." Same price as Amazon, but the money goes to a nonprofit that gives 80% of the take to indie bookstores. If you want to read the first scene and a half, go to Amazon and click "free sample." #timetravel #Booksky bookshop.org/p/books/the-...

The Eliminator

Check out The Eliminator - <p><em>Gabriela is an eliminator, an assassin traveling through time to prevent the intercorporate wars. And save her son.</em></p><p>Although she adores the era's music, th...

bookshop.org

And now you have your choice of billionaire to buy from. Same price everywhere, but the paperback of "The Eliminator" can be pre-ordered from Barnes and Noble and Amazon, and the digital version is also available from Apple Books, Google Play and Kobo. waterdragonpublishing.com/product/elim...

The Eliminator by Allan Dyen-Shapiro

Gabriela is an eliminator, an assassin traveling through time to prevent the intercorporate wars. And save her son.

waterdragonpublishing.com