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Helen Rye

@helenrye.bsky.social
1.1K followers 1K following 556 posts

Writer, editor. UEA Prose MA and fledgling PhD researcher. Won some writing things. Published some writing things. @smokelong.bsky.social senior ed. She/her. AuDHD

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Reposted by Helen Rye
SmokeLong Quarterly @smokelong.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Sherrie Flick has now been with us for ten years! We are so very lucky to have her. Thank you for all you do, Sherrie. @sherrieflick.bsky.social
Background image of Sherrie Flick in a bright yellow cardigan with superimposed images of her book covers. Inset graphic with a black and white picture of Sherrie and text saying Sherrie Flick: 10 Year Smokeyversary. Celebrating Senior Editor Sherrie Flick: ten years at SmokeLong. 5,700 stories read. 3,650 days of insight, wisdom, and friendship. Thank you, Sherrie!
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SmokeLong Quarterly @smokelong.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
We are beside ourselves with glee to bring you Issue 93 of SmokeLong Quarterly. 12 amazing flash narratives by 12 amazing writers and cover art by Victoria Ojo. www.smokelong.com/issue-ninety...
Cover for SmokeLong Quarterly Issue 93. Journal title in light red. Names of contributors, date, logo, artist name, and Issue number in white. Image: shadow image of a young person or child with hair tied back raising their hands open in front of their face. Their shadow is in a pool of pale light surrounded by darkness.
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Ani King (they/them) @aniking.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Hi y’all! You know what would be rad? If you came to my remote launch party for Family Night on Oct 24 @1pm ET. More info in the alt text and at the registration link below. aniking.net/launchparty/
Image depicts event date information for the remote launch of Family Night by Ani King and features a full color picture of the book cover and black and white photos of Ani and their special guest readers. Event information is below: 

-- Saturday, October 24, 2026 at 1pm Eastern
-- Event Link to be provided after registration

Join Ani King for the launch of their debut flash fiction collection, Family Night: Stories (Mason Jar Press). Preorders are available at https://masonjarpress.com/chapbooks-1/family-night.

FAMILY NIGHT is by turns a lyrical celebration of queerness and an exploration of family and loss, often through a lens of magical realism. Ani King’s collected flash fiction stories explore relationships and connections: a teen girl attempting to summon her missing mother home with cigarette smoke and yacht rock songs; two sisters disputing how to care for an unhealthy elderly unicorn; a woman accidentally raising two daughters from the bones of her long-dead pet rabbits.

Ani will be joined by emcee and guest reader Katherine Plumhoff, with additional guests Claudia Monpere, Dawn Tasaka Steffler, Allison Field Bell, and Elizabeth Deanna Morris Lakes. Come hang out with us and enjoy conversation, readings, and giveaways as we celebrate Family Night!

-- Please note we are only collecting your email in order to send the calendar invite and event link.

-- This event will also be recorded.
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Radiant G🌈 @radiantg.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Sometimes my feed is just: [amazing art] looking for work [goated resume] looking for work [great writing] looking for work [banger music] looking for work Dave Slutbutt, CEO of Game Dev, has laid off 9000 people to buy a 4th house in Bora Bora. [industry veteran] looking for work
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SmokeLong Quarterly @smokelong.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Issue 93 cover reveal! Available to read on Monday September 21. Cover art by Victoria Ojo
Cover for SmokeLong Quarterly Issue 93. Journal title in light red. Names of contributors, date, logo, artist name, and Issue number in white. Image: shadow image of a young person or child with hair tied back raising their hands open in front of their face. Their shadow is in a pool of pale light surrounded by darkness.
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SmokeLong Quarterly @smokelong.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Promptember is coming. October 11th to November 2nd. An in-between sort of almost month of prompts, webinars, open mics. And Promptember is free. Yep. Zero dolares. This one is on us. Stay tuned for details.
Against a prairie landscape with horses dancing through the sky, the text reads "another mysterious, in-between month of live write-ins, workshops and prompts"
PROMPTEMBER
October 11 - November 2 2026
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Chris Terry-Enescu @cjterry.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Truly wild to have lived through moral panics about teenagers wearing hoodies and Muslim women wearing the head dress to now experience 'but is a large group of organised far right activists in balaclavas really that scary'
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SmokeLong Quarterly @smokelong.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Join us and Sarah Fawn Montgomery on September 12 for the webinar/workshop "Discovering Disabled Forms and Structures"! www.smokelong.com/product/disc...
smokelong.com
Discovering Disabled Forms and Structures with Sarah Fawn Montgomery - SmokeLong Quarterly
The writing workshop is a space where power and privilege often demand disabled, chronically ill, and neurodivergent writers translate our lived experiences for abled audiences in order to be valued. ...
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TechnicallyRon @technicallyron.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
Took a picture of my friends dog at the train station and may have created the best horror movie poster ever
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SmokeLong Quarterly @smokelong.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Congratulations to our Best Small Fictions nominees!
Against a dark background with a setting sun at the bottom and a rising sun at the top, the text reads 
The
SmokeLong Quarterly
BEST SMALL
FICTIONS
Nominations 2026
"Mojave Drive" by Margaret Dunn
"Jigger" by John Dufresne
"On Trees and Treefrogs" by L.A. Strycker
"Sutures" by Murray Dunsmore
"Mouth-Feel" by Sarah Juma
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Helen Rye @helenrye.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
My privilege to learn more about this artist and his work ❤️
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SmokeLong Quarterly @smokelong.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Sarah Fawn Montgomery will be joining us on September 12th at 10am ET to lead the 90-minute online workshop "Discovering Disabled Forms and Structures," and you can come even if you're not in SmokeLong Fitness. www.smokelong.com/september-on...
Text on the left half of the graphic: SMOKELONG LIVE WORKSHOP

Discovering
Disabled
Forms and
Structures
Sarah Fawn
Montgomery

On the right side of the graphic: 
A photo of Sarah Fawn Montgomery, a woman with short brown hair, glasses, an intriguing smile and yellow-beige sweater. She's standing in a wooded area. 
Below the photograph: 
Saturday
Sept 12
10AM ET
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SmokeLong Quarterly @smokelong.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Come and hear Amy Hempel read and talk about her work! Support rescue dogs in the NYC area through www.everylastonerescue.org with your ticket! What a day. Sunday July 26, Noon NYC online.
Images and descriptions of rescue dogs looking healthy and adoptable
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SmokeLong Quarterly @smokelong.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
This Sunday July 26, a special 90-minute live interview and reading with Amy Hempel! Included with A SmokeLong Summer/$19 tickets available to anyone via link: www.smokelong.com/product/smok... Proceeds to NYC dog rescue, Every Last One www.everylastonerescue.org. Noon NYC online. Don't miss this.
Graphic with image of Amy Hempel; some covers of Amy Hempel's books; a dog with pleading eyes. Text: SmokeLong Master Series: Amy Hempel interview and reading, July 26, Noon NYC, online
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SmokeLong Quarterly @smokelong.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
Join SmokeLong on July 26th as we spend 90 minutes with Amy Hempel! Even if you're not doing A SmokeLong Summer 26, you can still attend for $19. All proceeds will go to Every Last One, dedicated to rescuing dogs in NYC. www.smokelong.com/product/smok...
smokelong.com
SmokeLong Master Series Interview and Reading with Amy Hempel - SmokeLong Quarterly
Date: July 26th Time: Noon NYC Zoom Link sent upon purchase. This is done by a human who occasionally sleeps. We send the link asap.  We’ll be donating all proceeds from this event to a charity chosen...
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SmokeLong Quarterly @smokelong.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
Delighted to announce our nominations for the Best of the Net Anthology @sundresspub.bsky.social: Non-fiction: "Organs" by Aimee Bender; "How To Mourn Your Mother" by Suzanne Biro Fiction: "Jigger" by John Dufresne; "On Trees and Treefrogs" by L.A. Strycker Art: Cover art, Issue 92 by Martins Deep
Text based graphic saying The SmokeLong Quarterly Best of the Net Nominations

Non-fiction: "Organs" by Aimee Bender; "How To Mourn Your Mother" by Suzanne Biro

Fiction: "Jigger" by John Dufresne; "On Trees and Treefrogs" by L.A. Strycker

Art: Cover art, Issue 92 by Martins Deep
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Reposted by Helen Rye
SmokeLong Quarterly @smokelong.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
Yay!!! That was a writing task by @helenrye.bsky.social. 😃
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Helen Rye @helenrye.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
Another show where the main characters look too alike for me to follow, does nobody consider the faceblind
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flyingrodent @flyingrodent.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
TL/DR: we are all catastrophically worse off as a result of this bullshit, and our democracy has taken quite devastating damage from it, and all of it is because some of the most selfish and unpleasant people in the country threw a massive hissy fit at not being listened to.
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Dan Sohege @danielsohege.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
Having overseen a massive rollback of human rights, it does feel petty for Starmer to talk about Labour having been "morally bankrupt". especially after calling human rights' supporters "extremists" and a Home Sec who told refugee rights advocates to "fuck off". www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...
independent.co.uk
Emotional Keir Starmer’s resignation speech in full as PM quits
Sir Keir Starmer stepped out of Downing Street accompanied by his wife Victoria to cheers and applause from his team
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Ballot Box Scotland @ballotbox.scot · 22/06/2026
For many LGBT folk like me, and especially trans folk, Keir Starmer will be remembered in the same way as Margaret Thatcher: with deep contempt for having overseen a deeply hostile, queerphobic government, which rolled back human rights and set society back by at least a decade. Good riddance.
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SmokeLong Quarterly @smokelong.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
Issue 92 of SmokeLong Quarterly is live! Featuring the winners and finalists of The SmokeLong Quarterly Award for Flash Fiction 2026 and the winners of the SmokeLong Workshop Prize. All of it is gold. www.smokelong.com/issue-ninety...
SmokeLong Quarterly Issue 92 cover, June 2026. Digital painting on a blue background of a Black man with a sailing ship on his head. Cover art by Martins Deep. Featuring the winners of The SmokeLong Quarterly Award for Flash Fiction and the SmokeLong Workshop Prize.
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SmokeLong Quarterly @smokelong.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
It's cover reveal time! Issue 92 is out on Monday June 15. Including the winners and finalists of The SmokeLong Quarterly Award for Flash Fiction and the SmokeLong Workshop Prize. Cover art by Martins Deep.
SmokeLong Quarterly Issue 92 cover, June 2026. Digital painting on a blue background of a Black man with a sailing ship on his head. Cover art by Martins Deep. Featuring the winners of The SmokeLong Quarterly Award for Flash Fiction and the SmokeLong Workshop Prize.
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matchbook literary magazine @matchbooklitmag.bsky.social · 31/05/2026
Submissions deadline is June 2 at midnight! That's about 57 hours left.
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SmokeLong Quarterly @smokelong.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
We've planned a party. Come dance with us! The registration deadline for A SmokeLong Summer 26 is tomorrow! May 23rd! www.smokelong.com/a-smokelong-...
The image show a six squirrels in party attire dancing in a conga line. The wording "The Conga Line" is in an arc over a sun with "A SmokeLong Summer 2026" in the middle. The background is a beach and a teal sky with a couple of clouds.
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SmokeLong Quarterly @smokelong.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
We have a shortlist! Please help us celebrate the top 23 titles on The SmokeLong Quarterly Award for Flash Fiction 2026 shortlist! Anonymous judging is ongoing. www.smokelong.com/the-smokelon...
smokelong.com
The SmokeLong Quarterly Award for Flash Fiction — The Shortlist! - SmokeLong Quarterly
Thank you to everyone who sent in work for our judges to consider this year. Narrowing down the field from 1200 entries to the list of 23 stories below has been a grand task for our 16 judges, an inte...
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SmokeLong Quarterly @smokelong.bsky.social · 21/05/2026
Two days left to register! We'll be sending out invitations to join the workshop site on May 23rd! A SmokeLong Summer 26! www.smokelong.com/a-smokelong-...
smokelong.com
A SmokeLong Summer 26 - SmokeLong Quarterly
A SmokeLong Summer 26 is closer than you think. This year we’re starting early and staying late. The summer just got longer. As always, at the heart of A SmokeLong Summer is our peer-review workshop i...
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SmokeLong Quarterly @smokelong.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
The SmokeLong Quarterly Award for Flash Fiction Long List is Live! Congratulations to everyone on the list and to everyone who entered this year! Anonymous judging ongoing! www.smokelong.com/the-smokelon...
A poster tacked onto a bulletin board with the wording The SmokeLong Quarterly Award for Flash Fiction LONG LIST. At the center of the image is an old-fashioned polaroid camera.
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Adam Bienkov @adambienkov.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
A leading 'Raise the Colours' flag activist, who claims to be fighting to "protect our women" from migrants, has pled guilty to assaulting a woman bylinetimes.com/2026/05/18/f...
bylinetimes.com
'Flag Man' Behind Nazi-Linked Anti-Migrant Protests Pleads Guilty to Assaulting Woman
Craig Kitts, who says he is fighting to 'protect our women and children' from migrants, admitted to assault by beating
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Helen Rye @helenrye.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
And this is (one of) the reasons Labour lost my lifelong vote.
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SmokeLong Quarterly @smokelong.bsky.social · 16/05/2026
We have live events with Amy Hempel, Kim Magowan, Michelle Ross, Mel Bosworth, Ryan Ridge, Christopher Allen. We have deckchairs. We have open mics. We have your whole summer's writing inspiration and workshopping and camaraderie and bad jokes in the beach bag. www.smokelong.com/a-smokelong-...
smokelong.com
A SmokeLong Summer 26 — Events Calendar - SmokeLong Quarterly
While we are still in the planning stages of A SmokeLong Summer 26 (our fifth year!), we do have quite a few of our ducks in relatively nice rows. There might be a few changes to this schedule, and we...
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SmokeLong Quarterly @smokelong.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
Did you know you can bring a writer buddy to A SmokeLong Summer's 2026 online generative workshop FOR FREE? Write with us and your bestie for 3 whole months. Sign up by May 23rd 👯👬🕺🕺
static.klipy.com
Bestie Cats Hugging in Snow
Alt: Bestie Cats Hugging in Snow
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SmokeLong Quarterly @smokelong.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
"A flash fiction hidden in plain sight." Today on the blog Brandon McNeice @brandonmcneice.bsky.social writes about Kafka's "Before the Law" for Flash, Back, our series looking at flash fiction printed before we used this term for it. www.smokelong.com/flash-back-t...
smokelong.com
Flash, Back: The Story Inside the Gate - SmokeLong Quarterly
SmokeLong‘s “Flash, Back” series asks writers to discuss flash fiction that may be obscure or printed before the term “flash fiction” became popular, and tell us how these older or not widely known wo...
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Helen Rye @helenrye.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
Ever since I caught OG Covid in 2020 my brain routinely treats homophones as interchangeable until I spot the mistake—sometimes as I type; sometimes hours later. I can't overstate how great for my job this is.
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SmokeLong Quarterly @smokelong.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
More than 20 live online events incl. a Master Series interview/reading with Amy Hempel, our acclaimed peer-review workshop on steroids, and community-focused competitions- A SmokeLong Summer 26 is all about the global flash village. And you can bring a friend! www.smokelong.com/a-smokelong-...
smokelong.com
A SmokeLong Summer 26 - SmokeLong Quarterly
A SmokeLong Summer 26 is closer than you think. This year we’re starting early and staying late. The summer just got longer. As always, at the heart of A SmokeLong Summer is our peer-review workshop i...
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SmokeLong Quarterly @smokelong.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
Well, that's a wrap on The SmokeLong Quarterly Award for Flash Fiction 26. We've been reading since February 1st, but of course there's an avalanche at the end. We have some reading to do! We hope to have a long list in about a week's time!
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SmokeLong Quarterly @smokelong.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
Four hours left to enter The SmokeLong Quarterly Award for Flash Fiction! That's still plenty of time to send something you love. Deadline midnight ET tonight! www.smokelong.com/the-smokelon...
static.klipy.com
Excited Man Shouts '4 Hours!'
ALT: Excited Man Shouts '4 Hours!'
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SmokeLong Quarterly @smokelong.bsky.social · 10/05/2026
THE SMOKEY 2026 ENDS TONIGHT, SUNDAY MAY 10, MIDNIGHT ET! Just a few hours left!
SmokeLong Quarterly Award for Flash Fiction 2026 poster with cream coloured vintage instant flash camera. Pink glowing text overlay: ENDS TODAY
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SmokeLong Quarterly @smokelong.bsky.social · 10/05/2026
Midnight tonight ET! You have approximately not so many hours now to get your entries in. The SmokeLong Quarterly Award for Flash Fiction. Almost $5k awarded, publication for finalists and winners, and love! www.smokelong.com/the-smokelon...
smokelong.com
The SmokeLong Quarterly Award for Flash Fiction 2026! - SmokeLong Quarterly
The SmokeLong Quarterly Award for Flash Fiction (The Smokey) is now an annual competition that celebrates and compensates excellence in flash. Our first grand prize winner in 2018 was “Whale Fall” by ...
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SmokeLong Quarterly @smokelong.bsky.social · 09/05/2026
It's deadline weekend for the Smokey! Midnight ET this Sunday is the absolute last second to send your 1000-words-or-fewer entry to this year's award contest.
SmokeLong Quarterly Award for Flash Fiction 2026 poster with cream coloured vintage instant flash camera
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Helen Rye @helenrye.bsky.social · 09/05/2026
This week I have found a quite meaty spider INSIDE MY PILLOW CASE INSIDE MY PILLOW CASE and the next day its hencher sibling in my cardigan. I can NOT tell my spider phobic kid about this and I needed to share.
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SmokeLong Quarterly @smokelong.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
The finalists will make up the June issue of SmokeLong Quarterly. Ends this Sunday May 10, midnight NYC.
SmokeLong Quarterly Award for Flash Fiction 2026 poster with cream coloured vintage instant flash camera
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SmokeLong Quarterly @smokelong.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
We’re looking for a $2,500 flash fiction. Our 2nd and 3rd prizes are $1,000 and $500; all finalists receive $150 and publication. Contest ends midnight NYC Sunday May 10. 3 days left to enter, 1,000 words max. The Smokey 2026 is nearly over. www.smokelong.com/the-smokelon...
media.tenor.com
ice cube is making a funny face with his fist in front of a blackboard and the words `` 3 more days '' .
ALT: ice cube is making a funny face with his fist in front of a blackboard and the words `` 3 more days '' .
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SmokeLong Quarterly @smokelong.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
The SmokeLong Quarterly Award for Flash Fiction 2026 ends THIS SUNDAY, MAY 10, midnight NYC. $2,500 for the winner. Big runner-up awards. Payment and publication for finalists. Fast results—all editorial hands on deck. No sleep for us. We’re reading and discussing. www.smokelong.com/the-smokelon...
media.tenor.com
a man wearing glasses and a shirt that says days left shows his hand
Alt: a man wearing glasses and a shirt who says “4 days left” shows his hand with 4 fingers raised
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SmokeLong Quarterly @smokelong.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
This year’s Smokey—with its nearly $5k prize pot—ends this Sunday, May 10, midnight NYC, which gives you just 5 days to get your entry in. If you’re at the swapping-a-semicolon-in-and-out stage, maybe it’s ready…? www.smokelong.com/the-smokelon...
media.tenor.com
a black background with the words five days left written in white
ALT: a black background with the words five days left written in white
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SmokeLong Quarterly @smokelong.bsky.social · 05/05/2026
Join Christopher Allen on May 30th for another installment of Elements of Flash! www.smokelong.com/product/may-...
The image shows four glass vase-like containers in the middle, the first with fire, the second with a plant growing out of dirt, the third with what looks like a stone, and the fourth with water. The background is dark with the words Christopher Allen, Elements of FLASH, May 30 9am NYC. Christopher Allen's picture is in the lower right-hand corner: a man with short hair and a light smirk. The SmokeLong logo is in the upper right-hand corner.
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SmokeLong Quarterly @smokelong.bsky.social · 05/05/2026
6 days left to enter The SmokeLong Quarterly Award for Flash Fiction 2026. That’s less than a week #Math. 1000 words max. $2,500 top prize. www.smokelong.com/the-smokelon...
media.tenor.com
a group of sesame street characters including bert and elmo
ALT: a group of sesame street characters including bert and elmo
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