We've officially reached a sci-fi marker, i.e., the date mentioned in the title of one of Ray Bradbury's most famous stories: "August 4th, 2026: There Will Come Soft Rains." Not gonna lie: the world's looking ominous enough that I could go for a wee bit of a apocalypse right at the moment.

the siren song of a new short story idea when I’m supposed to be working on revising my novel

Benjamin Netanyahu is a war criminal.

Scenes today from Massachusetts or Fallout 4? You be the judge!

Contributor @barrettbowlin.bsky.social has made me think of a new writing prompt: A random selector provides three academic articles in unrelated fields, from which you must draw while writing a story.

Barrett Bowlin@barrettbowlin.bsky.social · 4w ago

Selections from today's Adventures in Novel Research:

Selections from today's Adventures in Novel Research:

A huge, HUGE congratulations to @jenniferpashley.bsky.social, whose new thriller, THE HOUSE GUEST, came out yesterday. On Tuesday, 7/28, I get the absolute privilege of talking w/ Pashley about her work over at Provincetown Bookshop. Come on over and say hi! provincetownbookshop.com/events/56860...

"The House Guest": A Conversation with Author Jennifer Pashley & Barrett Bowlin | The Provincetown Bookshop

Cape Cod's oldest bookstore - a doorway to discovery in Provincetown

provincetownbookshop.com

Going forward, Nazi tattoos are a dealbreaker. Right? Right?!

Fun quote for today, for no reason or occasion whatsoever: “I find out of long experience that I admire all nations and hate all governments.” —John Steinbeck, Travels with Charley (1962)

This birthright ruling is why I just refuse to tolerate all the Democrat garment rending over NY voters choosing progressive candidates. They are incapable of governing in this moment. The politics of appeasement and centrism gets us to a 5-4 decision on the constitutional question.

Dave Housley@housleydave.bsky.social · last mo.

Spent the weekend w 40 writers at @barrelhouse.bsky.social Writer Camp and had so many great conversations about writing and publishing and movies and just about everything. Realizing now that one thing that never came up is the idea of using AI in creating writing. Most likely b/c that idea sucks.

She’s not active on BlueSky, but, holy shit, @laurenhough.bsky.social’s new memoir, MONSTER OF A LAND, is fucking outstanding. This Sunday, 6/28, I’m getting the chance to talk with her about the book at Riffraff bookstore & bar, in Providence. Come see us and say hi! (And buy Lauren’s book!)

My brother, if we win the Democratic Party primaries then we ARE the Democratic Party

Jaime Harrison@jaimeharrison.bsky.social · last mo.

I say this with no ill will or animosity: if you hate the Democratic Party, then please don’t run for our nomination. Don’t use our resources. Don’t rely on our volunteers. Don’t use our infrastructure. Don’t ask Democrats to invest their time, money, and energy in your campaign.

I'm still doing a GoFundMe to help my parents rebuild after a devastating house fire. The costs of doing so, with an uninsured house, are extremely high. My parents are elderly and low-income and my disabled brother lives with them. I deeply appreciate shares of this link! gofund.me/ac93c03d5

Donate to We Lost Everything to a Fire. Help My Family Rebuild., organized by Chloe Clark

On January 24th, our childhood home burned down. Our parents lost 50… Chloe Clark needs your support for We Lost Everything to a Fire. Help My Family Rebuild.

gofund.me

This is what happens when you put people who don’t read in charge.

So apparently some administrative type w/ a kink for upholstered frotteurism just published a work about going to church, eating lead paint, & spying on one’s neighbors? Accept no imitations, friends! Come read the original “Communion” at @reckonreview.bsky.social. reckonreview.com/communion-fi...

Further proof that we are so fucking dumb: www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

Nearly 160 sick with flu at US air force base after Hegseth ends mandatory vaccines

Reports say Texas recruits ill from outbreak, which comes weeks after defense secretary made flu vaccine optional

theguardian.com

"These characters are sad, and, despite getting everything they want, nobody’s happy." Who You Would Be at the End of the World: @barrettbowlin.bsky.social interviews @housleydave.bsky.social about Aliens Attack! (@masonjarpress.bsky.social). 🛸 buff.ly/z7W7ZKM

Learning about incredible works of literature past their initial publication dates is a goddamn joy, like what just happened to me with @cwblackwell.bsky.social's "The Kings of Ghost City," c/o @reckonreview.bsky.social. Holy hell, it's a precise, outstanding story. reckonreview.com/the-kings-of...

I am very chuffed to have won the PEN/Bernard & Ann Malamud Award. I really love short stories, both reading and writing. www.penfaulkner.org/2026/06/15/e...

In March, @housleydave.bsky.social was awesome enough to Zoom with me and chat about his novel, Aliens Attack! (c/o @masonjarpress.bsky.social). It's an outstanding book, & Dave's an outstanding person, so, yeah, you should come check out our @therumpus.net interview. therumpus.net/2026/06/15/w...

Who You Would Be at the End of the World: a Conversation with Dave Housley - The Rumpus

“his process of building and connecting stories together into a larger work… You can start off with one version that you send out to lit mags, and then you can design another version that connects to ...

therumpus.net

Big huge thanks to @barrettbowlin.bsky.social and @therumpus.net for posting this interview about ALIENS ATTACK!, the end of the world, literary fiction, David Bowie music and movies, Walter Tevis, and...the "Housley-verse?" therumpus.net/2026/06/15/w...

Who You Would Be at the End of the World: a Conversation with Dave Housley - The Rumpus

“his process of building and connecting stories together into a larger work… You can start off with one version that you send out to lit mags, and then you can design another version that connects to ...

therumpus.net

A huge, HUGE (!!!) thanks to @meaganlucas.bsky.social and the team at @reckonreview.bsky.social for publishing my creepy-ass, lead-paint story, “Communion.” (Seriously, I owe them an insane amount of bourbon and brownies for this.) reckonreview.com/communion-fi...

New fiction today! Bowlin is the author of the collection, Ghosts Caught on Film. His short fiction & essays appear in places like Best American Mystery & Suspense, TriQuarterly, Barrelhouse, Ninth Letter, The Rumpus, & Salt Hill. He lives & teaches & rides trains in MA. @barrettbowlin.bsky.social

how does this keep happening

Investors: "Oh, the jobs report was better than expected?" "It was." [long silence] "I'm scared. Hold me." www.nytimes.com/2026/06/05/b...

Stocks Slide as Investors See Rates Rising After Strong Jobs Data

nytimes.com

Congratulations to everyone who said it would get this bad. Your prize is watching everyone who disagreed now claim no one could have predicted it would get this bad.

You, there! Yes, you! If you live anywhere near the cities mentioned in @housleydave.bsky.social's post below, you absolutely need to go see him & @aaronburch.bsky.social in conversation. Both of their latest books are fucking stellar, and you'll be supporting indie bookstores while you're there!

Dave Housley@housleydave.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Hey me and @aaronburch.bsky.social are heading out on a mini-tour next week and if you're in/around Morgantown (6/10), Pittsburgh (6/11), Columbus (6/12), come hang out and talk about our new books, writing, aliens, indie publishing, magic, bigfoot, slaw dogs, etc. Hope to see you weirdos soon!