The wonderful @gregvaneekhout.bsky.social, who was one of my Clarion instructors, gracefully signed and sent a copy of Weird Kid, which was described by one of my sixth graders as, 'The first book he's ever actually liked'. I love my job(s). Faces cropped out for obvious reasons.

Apparently a couple of people have received emails from @thecosmicbgr.bsky.social soliciting money in exchange for marketing/editorial help. For the record, that is not a service we currently offer, and those emails are scams. Ignore them. Emails from me always come from sam@thecosmicbackground.com

Breaking my social media embargo to say that the ending of Stranger Things is the worst thing I've ever seen, and I literally sat and watched my grandfather die. Gonna teach a new writing class on how not to do any of that audience-winking cynical happy-ending bullshit.

This review in Tangent (which I've never heard of) by David Wesley Hill (who I've never heard of) is a prime example of a talentless hack attacking a story he doesn't understand because it makes him feel stupid. Spoiler: He is stupid. @diabolicalplots.com. tangentonline.com/e-market-mon...

Diabolical Plots #128, October 2025 - Tangent Online

Diabolical Plots #128, October 2025 “(Skin)” by Chelsea Sutton “Resurrection Scars” by Sheila Massie Reviewed by David Wesley Hill Let me admit this straight out—I detest (hate) parentheses. Next to the semi-colon, they're my (least) favorite punctuation mark. They (jarringly!) interrupt the flow of narrative, jolting the reader from the story, and (if a punctuation

tangentonline.com

Little known fact: @samasherwriter.bsky.social was so distraught by the closure of Daily Science Fiction that he wouldn't stop whingeing about it. So @crsutton.bsky.social told him to start a magazine or shut the fuck up. And that's how they started magazine. That and Asher selling his shoe

Please go give these lovely people some money so they can keep putting out excellent work.

Sam Asher@samasherwriter.bsky.social · last yr.

It's officially fundraising time over at @thecosmicbgr.bsky.social, and we're doing things a little differently this year. Help a pro-paying, deeply-progressive, 100% human magazine continue to thrive. We'll love you for it. gofund.me/ca0c2b7d

In case you missed it, we're now using Ko-fi and we're pushing OF DREAD, DECAY, AND DOOM to June 2026. This is an open-ended funding situation which worked great for us for our first anthology, OF SHADOWS, STARS, AND SABERS, and also leads to faster author payouts! Let's get this book made.

Stars and Sabers@starsandsabers.bsky.social · last yr.

News: we are postponing the horror anthology OF DREAD, DECAY, AND DOOM to June 2026 to explore other funding opportunities. We do have one available, via Ko-fi. Learn more about the book and find that link on its book page: www.starsandsabers.com/books/of-dre... #books #horror #horrorbooks

'Pumpkin spice season' has always felt ridiculous, but this year in particular the whole idea of this being news makes me want to vomit. We're all broke, and terrified, and sliding into oblivion while the world burns. But oh look, cinnamon.

USA TODAY@usatoday.com · last yr.

The Pumpkin Spice Latte is back at Starbucks: See entire fall menu

Let's focus on supporting each other this year. Indie authors, publishers, magazines & editors need to stay connected! Keep yourself integrated into the SFFH world by reading Locus! Support our nonprofit and help us create the network we all deserve... https://locusmag.com/

Not to toot @thecosmicbgr.bsky.social's horn too hard, but we respond faster, and are more reliable than the vast majority of magazines. We have statistics to prove it. We also pay writers $0.10 a word, and pay our artists $100 per piece.

PLEASE SHARE! Writers! Uncanny Magazine is OPEN to Short Story Submissions from August 25 to September 8! We can't wait to read your stories!!! buff.ly/xB0IZOX

Can confirm, I have several other jobs. The nice thing about being a writer, though, is that when people ask me what I do, I don't have to say 'soul-crushing minimum wage trudgery which tarnishes my soul' and can just point them at my first book.

yay pineapple@yaypineapple.bsky.social · last yr.

This can't really apply to most writers, though, can it? The vast majority of writers (even published ones) don't make enough money to live off, I thought?

I don't think I can be a writer anymore. Sorry everyone.

G. Willow Wilson@gwillow.me · last yr.

Avid readers have probably already seen their favorite authors--many of whom rely on these grants to buy time to finish their books--posting in shock about the form rejections they've received from the NEA. Well, here is the obituary. www.npr.org/2025/08/26/n...

We need less than $800 to get us to our basic goal of existing for another year. That is so close. And yet, as they say, really fucking far away.

E. Catherine Tobler@ecatherine.com · last yr.

The Cosmic Background is cooking! ...see what I did there? Let's nuke this campaign! 😬

I'd like to remind all of our writers that @charliejane.bsky.social just called you bold and startling.

Charlie Jane "Lessons in Magic and Disaster" Anders 🏳️‍⚧@charliejane.bsky.social · last yr.

Now more than ever, we need to be supporting our indie fiction mags, especially ones that feature bold, startling writing. Please give what you can! 💝

Ai is the current guest editor @thecosmicbgr.bsky.social, and look how awesome they are. If you want us to keep having awesome guest editors, maybe check out our year 3 fundraiser. gofund.me/e5c7b7a3

Donate to Support The Cosmic Background's Diverse Voices, organized by Sam Asher

For two years, The Cosmic Background has been the world's premier venue for f… Sam Asher needs your support for Support The Cosmic Background's Diverse Voices

gofund.me

Ai Jiang || 江艾🎐@aijiang.bsky.social · last yr.

Another announcement you say? 👀 I’m excited to say that my short story collection 💭MEMORIES ARE ONLY VALUABLE IF THEY CAN BE LOST💭will be forthcoming with @shortwavebooks.bsky.social spring 2027, and will include I AM AI as well! 🙇🏻‍♀️🤍

As part of @thecosmicbgr.bsky.social's fundraising efforts, we're delighted to offer our whole-ass guide on writing successful flash fiction, released in parts at every $400 interval. Here's part 1. www.thecosmicbackground.com/how-we-start

How We Start

As promised, as we raise money for Year 3 of The Cosmic Background, we'll be posting editor Sam Asher's guide to writing Flash on here, in sections, every week. These posts will be removed one month a...

thecosmicbackground.com

I've been the primary caregiver to our daughter her whole life, so at this point I must be the Superman of fertility.

19thnews@19thnews.org · last yr.

A new paper by Nobel Prize-winning economist Claudia Goldin has found that countries where men take on more of the household labor and child care — in other words, those who buck traditionalism’s standards of the provider husband and homemaker wife — have higher fertility rates.

In case anyone's curious about what it's like to run @thecosmicbgr.bsky.social, this is a part of how I afford it. It's GoFundMe, and delivering people Popeyes for $3 a go. I do that as an extra job to pay writers. My car always smells like chicken, and I'm a vegetarian. Never doubt my love.

I'm not saying that if you don't support @thecosmicbgr.bsky.social your dog will die, but I'm not saying it won't happen either. Are you willing to take that risk?

Erik Grove@erikgrove.com · last yr.

Support the Cosmic Background. For my dog. For ALL of our dogs.

This question is only unsettling if you're a dipshit who has way too much time on their hands. The most unsettling question of our times is surely, 'Can I afford to feed my kid this evening?'

The Guardian@theguardian.com · last yr.

Can AIs suffer? Big tech and users grapple with one of most unsettling questions of our times

It's officially fundraising time over at @thecosmicbgr.bsky.social, and we're doing things a little differently this year. Help a pro-paying, deeply-progressive, 100% human magazine continue to thrive. We'll love you for it. gofund.me/ca0c2b7d

Donate to Support The Cosmic Background's Diverse Voices, organized by Sam Asher

For two years, The Cosmic Background has been the world's premier venue for f… Sam Asher needs your support for Support The Cosmic Background's Diverse Voices

gofund.me

@aijiang.bsky.social is hard at work, and we'll be letting the first batch of writers know today if, alas, their piece didn't quite make it for our special issue over at @thecosmicbgr.bsky.social.

I'm not saying I'm a suggestible person, but I am saying that watching a single episode of House Hunters International made me decide we're moving to Costa Rica.

@thecosmicbgr.bsky.social is gearing up for our third annual Kickstarter this fall. In the past we've mostly sent out merch and offered 1-1 talks, but is there anything else you like to see from a magazine's Kickstarter?

This is the wisdom that all millennials need. Waking up and reading emails in bed is not healthy. Emails should be read in the email room. Right before we go on AIM.

Kim Kelly@kimkelly.bsky.social · last yr.

things were better when the computer lived in its own specific room and you only went in there sometimes

I think when people see me at cons, they see 6'2 guy who knows what he's doing, but the reality is that I spent maybe 1/10th of my time in Seattle having a Little Cry in the bathroom. I think @lpkindred.bsky.social (my elder brother, who I often have little breakdowns to) can attest to that.(1)

Does anyone else love grocery store circular day?