Cover of “Assassin’s Apprentice” by Robin Hobb, with stylized font and a deer in the upper right corner.

Major reading slump, and so I’m revisiting an old favorite.

Honored to have two stories, “Empire State of Mind” (@frivolouscomma.bsky.social) and “What We Mean When We Talk About The Hole In The Bathroom” (@uncannymagazine.bsky.social) mentioned in here. Always a joy when a writer you admire really gets the core of your story 😭🙏

Really excited to be joining this virtual spec poetry open mic session!

Come read some of your poems or listen to me read some of mine ☕️ 📖

Hope everything is okay.

Screen capture of Gavagai. Photo header black and white with a building and trees. Dear/Deer by Abigail Kemske @abigailkemske 15 min read. Comment from Ozzy Hart @oscarhart “This popped up again in my feed - it will now and always become of my favorites!”

Oh myy. A reader said my story is now one of their favorites?! Much happy!🤩 🥹

It means a lot hearing from readers, so thank you Ozzy.

Really enjoying the stories and community over on @gavagai.com . And I’ll have another editor’s pick up in the near future. Check it out!

Story link 👇

Now I want to reread that one! I remember the title in the collection we read together, but strangely don’t remember much about that specific story. Also looking forward to seeing your piece about it!

Which Aickman story was it?

Oh wow, sounds amazing both ways.

I love those! Are those just little chocolate candies on the top?

@catherinemccarthy.bsky.social Hey Cath, did you see you’re on this list? 💙 💛

Sounds like a great experience! Thank you - We’re going to start tonight.

Yesss! My two older kids never had interest, so this was a pleasant surprise 😁

a young man with curly hair is standing in front of trees Alt: a young man with curly hair is standing in front of trees and jumps into the arms of a wizard

My youngest asked if he could watch Lord of the Rings (for the first time!) together with me.

I tried to play it cool, but it was hard.

More details and links to all more stories at www.abigailkemske.com

This was so good!! So much emotion packed into a short piece. And, of course, who doesn’t love a creepy doll? 😁

Ahhhhh I just read it and it was so good! Thanks for the rec, Abby!

Definitely will continue this deep dive. She seems to write exactly the kinds of stories I like to read. 😁

What a great idea! The Onion is the best.

(My daughter also turns 16 next week… time flies.)

Thanks! I’ll read this one tonight or tomorrow 😊

Yes, I probably should! What’s another one you’d recommend?

I read this in a public place and really had to fight those tears at the end, but wow that gave me a chill.

What We Mean When We Talk About the Hole in the Bathroom - Uncanny Magazine After dinner, the woman and her husband argue about the hole in their bathroom. It’s not such a big hole. Two feet by two feet, the kind you might drop your garbage into every Thursday night and never...

“What We Mean When We Talk About the Hole in the Bathroom“ is the first I’ve read by @angelaliu.bsky.social and it’s great.

An emotional tale of a couple growing apart, and the lingering effects of our parents into adulthood. And a strange hole.

Read here:
www.uncannymagazine.com/article/what...

15 and 10 for me!

5. An Elegy for Childhood Monsters by @gwendolynkiste.bsky.social

www.thedarkmagazine.com/an-elegy-for...

4. This Echo Chamber Life by @sjtownend.bsky.social

www.penumbric.com/archives/Oct...

Threaded Lives | The Saturday Evening Post A grandmother shares the patchwork stories of her life with her granddaughter.

3. Threaded Lives by @abigailkemske.bsky.social

www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2025/11/thre...

Soul Cakes by Catherine McCarthy “I remember the very first time we made soul cakes, Nan,” I say. Nan dons an apron printed with a charm of miniature bees. Her kitchen is a hive of activity and the heart of the home. Always has been.

2. Soul Cakes by @catherinemccarthy.bsky.social

inner-worlds.ghost.io/soul-cakes-b...

Last Stop on Route Nine - Nightmare Magazine “I thought you said you wouldn’t get lost,” Kai said. Charlotte’s teeth tightened to match the pressure of her hands on the rented Toyota’s steering wheel. They were already a half-hour late to the lu...

For International Women’s Day, here are some short stories by five of my favorite writers:

1. Last Stop on Route Nine by @tananarivedue.bsky.social

www.nightmare-magazine.com/fiction/last...

Book cover for Mazywood - a film reel unspooled to a cabin in the woods.

COVER REVEAL!!! A great launch in People yesterday -- and MAZYWOOD is already the #4 bestseller in Black Horror on Amazon! Please pre-order when you can so my publisher knows what's up. :) Out Sept. 22!

Preorder link: bit.ly/3OMpYco

Read more about Mazywood in People:
people.com/tananarive-d...

Hmmm, that is disappointing either way. Hope you are able to get some answers!

Ugh, that’s frustrating! I wonder if it was the teacher’s idea or something the school is making them do.