Ian Johnson
@youcanandyouwill.bsky.social
Writer. Northerner. Sausage. Words in Trash Cat Lit, Bull, The Bulb Region, Literary Garage, and that. BotN and Best Microfiction nominee.
So blown away by this and eternally grateful to the great @therelphian.bsky.social . So much amazing work in @trashcatlit.bsky.social
Trash Cat Lit@trashcatlit.bsky.social · last wk.We're also thrilled to announce our Best Microfictions noms 🦝 Many teeny tales to choose from, congrats to these five writers of smol 💜 George Lang @angelajoynes.bsky.social @jessebinger.bsky.social Emma Phillips @words-outwest.bsky.social Ian Johnson @youcanandyouwill.bsky.social 1/2
Our very first prose poetry issue is NOW LIVE 🦝 Twenty absolute stunners for you to savour. Huge thanks to Jude Potts @judepickledplum.bsky.social for her reading assistance. We'll start highlighting these beauts soon. For now, grab a brew and lose yourself 💜 trashcatlit.com/prose-poetry... 1/2
Prose Poetry, September 2026
We have twenty beautiful pieces in this, our first issue of prose poetry. Inspired by a very special raccoon, Jimothy, the theme was a celebration of tenacity and difference. Click on the images to…
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NEW in our Trash Family Bookfinder for your reading pleasure 🦝 @sophia-adamowicz.bsky.social with her dark folklore novel, The Brink www.amazon.co.uk/Brink-Sophia... @bronwengriffiths.bsky.social with her haunting novel of love and loss, Longshore Drift www.amazon.co.uk/Longshore-Dr...
Oof, the absolute titans of wordage in this one...
Trash Cat Lit@trashcatlit.bsky.social · 4w agoWe're thrilled to reveal the contributor line up for our very first prose poetry issue 🦝 Look out for this 20-piece issue on 28th September, it's a beaut 💜 @madeleinewrite.bsky.social Moira Ashley, Lavanya Arora, Polly Conway, @sandrinado.bsky.social @bronwengriffiths.bsky.social Rachel Jones 1/2
A tale inspired by an unfinished staffroom jigsaw, my morning commute over the mighty Tyne, and our long-suffering, precious teachers everywhere. Told in hope, hopefully. Thanks to wordsmith beta reading maestro @meanerharker.bsky.social apricotpress.co.uk/2026/09/09/p...
People, Passing, on Tyne
In this short story, Ian Johnson’s protagonist finds hope in seeking change.
apricotpress.co.uk
Apricot Press@apricotpress.bsky.social · 4w ago‘Miss Keeble makes herself small in the corner of the school’s empty staffroom, nursing her tepid mug of tea...’ In this short story, Ian Johnson’s protagonist finds hope in seeking change. apricotpress.co.uk/2026/09/09/p...
A bit of hope to look forward to with pieces by me and awesome writers including my buds @therelphian.bsky.social @meanerharker.bsky.social
Apricot Press@apricotpress.bsky.social · last mo.🍊 ANNOUNCING OUR ‘HOPE’ CONTRIBUTORS 🍊 Hello! I’ve been hard at work behind the scenes preparing pieces for publication under the current theme, 🕊️ HOPE 🕊️, and I’m delighted to be bringing you wonderful new work once again, starting tomorrow Friday 4 September.
Diving into another @trashcatlit.bsky.social triumph of a prompt issue. This from @keithwoodruff.bsky.social is a masterclass.
Keith Woodruff@keithwoodruff.bsky.social · last mo.My not so spooky ghost cow story is live. 🐮 Congrats to all the storytellers.Huge thanks to @therelphian.bsky.social for doing such an amazing job showcasing writers and their work😎 and to readers @leighloveday.bsky.social and @joclark.bsky.social trashcatlit.com/the-light-is...
So much fun meeting and hearing a talented bunch of writers. My first reading and didn't burst into flames. Thanks to the best @therelphian.bsky.social
Trash Cat Lit@trashcatlit.bsky.social · last mo.Tonight we celebrate our 2025 print anthology - What Comes to Light - with a two hour evening of readings. Ten wonderful writers will share their gorgeous stories about finding treasure in unexpected places. You can still register to join us up until 4pm today (BST). forms.gle/y9Z4ekenXA7f...
Poems! Two of 'em! At Ape House (not of this parish). On tentative tides... apehousemagazine.substack.com/p/two-poems-...
Two Poems
by Ian Johnson
apehousemagazine.substack.com
We resume tomorrow with two of my favorite writers, but before then, stop what you are doing and read this absolutely hilarious story by another one of my favorite writers, aka recent TBR contributor, Ian Johnson (@youcanandyouwill.bsky.social), published earlier this year in Hawkeye. 🔗👇
Honoured @sarpsozdinler.bsky.social (a real one) has given a home to my slice of misanphropy at the @bulbregion.bsky.social. An ode to gob shites everywhere...
The Bulb Region@bulbregion.bsky.social · 2mo ago“[P]eople are perverts—not always sex perverts. Mortgage perverts. Thing perverts. Power perverts, essentially. When you’re young, you’re a functional pervert with peers that are also perverts...” The one and only @youcanandyouwill.bsky.social is in the region today with an absolute cracker. 🔗👇
It's now just one week until our evening of readings 🦝 Come along and listen to eleven wonderful stories celebrating treasure in unexpected places. Register for a slot at this Zoom event via link on our Home page trashcatlit.com 1/2
Stoked to be in the Urban Pig pen with a slice of toxic transformation, forged in the @trashcatlit.bsky.social prompt foundry. Choose your poison 💉
Urban Pigs Press@urbanpigspress.bsky.social · 2mo agoOur latest short story in the ‘Transformation’ call out is ‘Toxicology’ by Ian Johnson. urbanpigspress.co.uk/2026/08/21/t... @youcanandyouwill.bsky.social #shortstory #writingcommunity
I was so pleased to be published by @flashficfestuk.bsky.social in their festival anthology volume eight. It's packed with stellar writers. I just want it to be known that my story has been printed incomplete. For anyone reading the book, my story is missing the final 100 words. 1/2
My melancholic uber short short on nature, disassociation, sprinkle of avarice, maybe? Thanks to my gang @trashcatlit.bsky.social @therelphian.bsky.social
Trash Cat Lit@trashcatlit.bsky.social · 3mo agoToday we're spotlighting Ian Johnson @youcanandyouwill.bsky.social and his layered micro 🦝 We loved how landscape was used as a character - both nostalgic and raw - in a tiny piece packed with emotion. Reader Leigh said: "hints of things unspoken" Read and listen: trashcatlit.com/the-tragedy-...
Inside the prose and process of Bath Short Story longlistee TM @meanerharker.bsky.social - a unique voice - always feeling, always poetic - very lucky to know her!
Trash Cat Lit@trashcatlit.bsky.social · 3mo agoIt's Friday and sweltering in the bin, here's a cool spotlight from Zoe Davis @meanerharker.bsky.social and a delicious side of Q&A 🦝 We loved how this relatable conversation and homespun setting was made palpably emotional with vivid turns of phrase. trashcatlit.com/roots-grippi... 1/2
A blumin' longlisting today for this trier, the Bath Short Story Award, no less. Stunned, thrilled, delighted! Congrats and best of luck to all, particularly my writing bud @meanerharker.bsky.social @bathshortstory.bsky.social www.bathshortstoryaward.org/2026/07/07/l...
Longlist BSSA 2026
Many congratulations to the writers longlisted in our 2026 Award and big thanks to all those from around the world who entered. We receive many similar titles among our entries. If your story is on…
bathshortstoryaward.org
Some absolute leafy lushness within (completed it, mate). Here is my short short offering, written 10 years ago on holiday in the New Forest. Did not imagine it would appear in, errr, TRIPLE Wigleaf longlisted @trashcatlit.bsky.social. Hope sprouts eternal - trashcatlit.com/the-tragedy-...
The Tragedy of the Commons
Ian Johnson Listen to Ian read his story It really is the greenest place I’ve ever seen, like, Jaysus wept, and sloshed a mealy trench, a pauper’s plate – emerald/olive/pea, for pasture and p…
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Trash Cat Lit@trashcatlit.bsky.social · 3mo agoIt's HEEEEEERE - our sixth seasonal issue for Summer 🦝 Twelve marvellous short fictions bringing plantife to the bin 🌳 Grab a cuppa tea or a frothy whatchamacallit and get stuck into these treasures. trashcatlit.com/general-issu...
We are utterly chuffed to find out that TWO Trash Cat Lit published pieces (out of 119 in 2025) made the Wigleaf Top 50 Longlist 🦝🦝 MASSIVE congratulations to Fiona @fionamckay.bsky.social and Delphine @delgeo14.bsky.social 💜 Links to their Wigleaf-worthy stories in comments 🌟 1/3
Staggered and grateful to be in this gorgeous publication amongst so many talented writers and artists with my wee poem. www.abridged.zone/andre-souza-...
Abridged@abridgedmagazine.bsky.social · 3mo agoWe're pleased to present Abridged 0 - 110: Parallax. Read it for free at www.abridged.zone/abridged-0-1... The print edition will be available in Libraries throughout N. Ireland and at the usual places soon. We'll see you in Void Gallery in Derry on Saturday night from 6pm! Image by Marisol Mendez.
As well as the genuine community (sub opportunities, beta reads, endless support) @trashcatlit.bsky.social and the unbelievable @therelphian.bsky.social provides writers... this as well?! Are we paying for this?! Is heaven missing an angel?! Who else is doing this?! Get involved ASAP!!!
Trash Cat Lit@trashcatlit.bsky.social · 3mo agoDid you know we have a Trash Cat Bookfinder. A stack of hold-in-your-hand reads by/featuring Trash Family. If you love their stories on TCL, here's how you get more 🦝 trashcatlit.com/trash-family... 1/2
We have three more days of teasers for our summer issue, coming 1st July 🦝 Ian Johnson @youcanandyouwill.bsky.social packs his micro with vivid landscape, nostalgia and regret Carlotta Dale @carlottadale.bsky.social blends LA realism with fantasy as her MC becomes curious about a neighbour's tree
Back in the bin, my happy place! Looking forward to reading green business from friends old and new!
Trash Cat Lit@trashcatlit.bsky.social · 4mo agoHere They Be! 🦝 The twelve contributors to our Kingdom of Plantae issue 🌳 We'll tease their wonderful stories in the coming days - then launch the issue on July 1st. Clara Cooke @lucimcummings.bsky.social @carlottadale.bsky.social @meanerharker.bsky.social @chrisdotydunn.com... 1/2
...Ian Johnson’s “American Sllop” rewrites the Old West to pollute that era with forgeries and duplications more perverse than any you’ll find on a modern-day feed. www.3ammagazine.com/3am/american...
American Sllop – 3:AM Magazine
I. In which Dr. Hawthorne comes to town ~ The snakeskin wagon that caused such bluster in the broadsheets from Oregon to Illinois kicked dust over the saloon steps. The menfolk—wranglers, drunks, mali...
3ammagazine.com
It's our penultimate trio of treasures from our 2025 print anthology - now free to read online 🦝 In Happy Birthday, You Geriatric POS Ian Johnson @youcanandyouwill.bsky.social uses humour, absurdity and excellent voice to tell a layered story of family trashcatlit.com/read-what-co... 1/3
Some dusty Americana from me, back in the brilliant @mrbullbull.bsky.social (thanks to equally brilliant @thedrevlow.bsky.social). Early Springsteen meets Making a Murderer. Home is where the hurt is🐔
MrBullBull@mrbullbull.bsky.social · 4mo ago"She & Peewee were a meeting of vacant minds & serpent spines. I was there when Peewee skewered his testicles in junior high, breaking into the junkyard, so spawn seemed unlikely. Small mercies." - Ian Johnson mrbullbull.com/newbull/fict...
Yay! First time amongst this fine, flashy deluge with a genuine good boy #nffd2026
National Flash Fiction Day@natflashfictionday.bsky.social · 4mo agoFlashFlood: 'Good Dog Above' by Ian Johnson #nffd2026
A week left on Summer subs for your stories celebrating the Kingdom of Plantae 💚 Here's what Guest Reader, Leigh @mrlovelyday.bsky.social would love to see in the binbox. Think of those spaces less commonly considered, and how genre can influence everything 🦝 trashcatlit.com/summer-mood/
If you're considering subbing to our Summer call - please remember, we want stories about plant-life in all its forms. The Kingdom of Plantae being celebrated. Do check out our Mood Board to see what we mean. We'll also have prompts popping up here 💚 trashcatlit.com/summer-mood/
Summer Mood
We are wheeling out our green bin for this summer general submission call. Stories do not have to be set in summer – but they do have to be GREEN in some way, embracing the phyto-world. We ar…
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