iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Jess Koch

OTHERSIDE @othersidespec.bsky.social · 08/06/2026

Portals #1 drops in October and will open to submissions on June 22nd! It will be co-edited by the incredible Angel Leal and Jess Cho, who are looking for horror fiction/poetry by trans authors. All proceeds from sales of this installment will go to Trans Lifeline. 🏳️‍⚧️ (3/8)

Background: an illustration of sun spots, tinted a dark purple. White text reads:

Portals #1: Trans Horror, edited by Jess Cho and Angel Leal

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Jess Koch @jesskoch.bsky.social · 09/05/2025

I wrote this back in 2020, right at the beginning of covid, when a lot of us were mulling over what it meant to be alone in our tiny apartments. Back then, I didn’t realize how topical “AI therapists” would end up being.

open.substack.com

SHORT FICTION: New Apartment

RE: Ghost bats and the death of the sun

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Jess Koch @jesskoch.bsky.social · 02/05/2025

This was...a choice. (A really bad one if that was in any way unclear).

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Jess Koch @jesskoch.bsky.social · 29/04/2025

🇨🇦 FUCK YEAH CANADA 🇨🇦

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Reposted by Jess Koch

Zachary Gillan @megapolisomancy.bsky.social · 01/04/2025

This story probably flew under your radar last year, read it! Read it! Read it!

weirdhorrormagazine.com

Ecdysis — Weird Horror Magazine

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Jess Koch @jesskoch.bsky.social · 26/03/2025

The whole thing is damning, but this part is particularly sickening. These are the text messages of middle school boys playing Call of Duty.

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Jess Koch @jesskoch.bsky.social · 23/03/2025

I've been wanting to talk about burnout for a while so here it is, appropriately two months after I initially had the idea.

open.substack.com

My Years of Stress and Un-relaxation

On burnout and broken clocks

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Jess Koch @jesskoch.bsky.social · 06/02/2025

I mean, what the fuck. The fact that this statement could be referencing a hundred different things speaks for itself.

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Jess Koch @jesskoch.bsky.social · 25/01/2025

Your art will outlive them so keep fucking making it.

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Jess Koch @jesskoch.bsky.social · 22/01/2025

New post for the new year and all its woes: "Why does the saying 'live in the moment' persist so relentlessly? Have you seen the moment? Have you doom-scrolled The Guardian politics live blog recently? If that’s 'the moment,' I don’t want to live in it."

open.substack.com

On Giving Up

My (probably too earnest) admission of guilt

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Jess Koch @jesskoch.bsky.social · 12/01/2025

RE: this DEI firefighter bs, I think it’s good to remember that big media is not REFLECTING the narrative of the people, but rather CREATING a narrative to tell you what and how to think so that your views fall in line with the corporations and special interests that own the media.

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Jess Koch @jesskoch.bsky.social · 11/01/2025

I went dark on here for almost 2 weeks. When that happens, safe to assume my battery ran dead and I forgot to plug myself back in.

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Jess Koch @jesskoch.bsky.social · 29/12/2024

I hurt my neck the other day (quite badly) and I resent that the heat pack I bought is called a “sport” pack, implying I pulled a muscle doing something resembling sports rather than looking sideways for too long at a bar.

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Jess Koch @jesskoch.bsky.social · 23/12/2024

I wrote 1000 words today so I only need to do that *does math* 79 more times. Then I will have something resembling a book, at least in length.

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Jess Koch @jesskoch.bsky.social · 23/12/2024

This one is short because it was my birthday this weekend and I was hungover and also because when I did get around to writing this, it was midnight. Excuses aside, here are some thoughts (but no solutions) for feeling lost.

open.substack.com

These, the Days Misplaced

Short thoughts on feeling lost in life and art

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Jess Koch @jesskoch.bsky.social · 21/12/2024

Everything I’ve eaten today has been cheese.

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Reposted by Jess Koch

Christopher Monks @crmonks.bsky.social · 19/12/2024

The darkest of dark satire is not actually satire.

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Reposted by Jess Koch

Taco Bell Quarterly @tacobellquarterly.org · 17/12/2024

Oh God, it's like Christmas next week, it feels like the apocalypse every goddamn day, and the nightmares will only continue to unfurl in the new year. Also you still have to write your book.

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Jess Koch @jesskoch.bsky.social · 17/12/2024

Love this one. I think about it often.

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Jess Koch @jesskoch.bsky.social · 17/12/2024

Exactly. I pick up a book and it’s fine while I’m reading it but I’m just not motivated to pick it back up, so on the stack it goes!

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Jess Koch @jesskoch.bsky.social · 17/12/2024

I can’t remember the last book I finished but I have started about a dozen recently, all of which are on the floor beside my bed because my cat got embarrassed for me, knocked them off the nightstand, and pulled the bookmarks out of them. Thanks, Nadja.

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Jess Koch @jesskoch.bsky.social · 08/12/2024

Some day we will find the path again. Until then, let the bonfires light your way.

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Jess Koch @jesskoch.bsky.social · 08/12/2024

1 - Absolutely. That disingenuous feeling gets me too. What's the point of writing this silly book when the world is falling apart like this? Hopefully that feeling will pass, as all things do... 2 - SAME! Every time.

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Jess Koch @jesskoch.bsky.social · 07/12/2024

I envy those who can channel their anxiety and outrage into meaningful creative work. All I've done for weeks is play Elden Ring and stress nap.

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Jess Koch @jesskoch.bsky.social · 23/11/2024

Everything you have ever written, everything you will ever write, is political. That isn’t to say “be careful” with your words. Recognize their power and wield them accordingly.

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Reposted by Jess Koch

Premee Mohamed @premeemohamed.com · 23/11/2024

We're getting to the time of year when I start wincing at "Best Of" lists that are entirely big 5 titles. Come on, we don't really believe that, coincidentally, ALL the year's 'best' books were published by the biggest companies and zero small presses, do we?

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Jess Koch @jesskoch.bsky.social · 21/11/2024

I would pay someone an ungodly amount of money to organize my notes app.

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Reposted by Jess Koch

𝕊𝕦𝕟𝕕𝕒𝕖 𝔾𝕦𝕣𝕝 @sundaedivine.lol · 14/11/2024

I'm sorry but jokes about Matt Gaetz never get old.

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Reposted by Jess Koch

Undertow Publications 🇨🇦 @undertow.bsky.social · 09/10/2024

Our 2024 Award Eligibility List. If you're reading for/nominating for awards I am happy to send you digital files or eBooks of our 2024 work. Thank you!

Anthology
Magazines/Periodicals
Artists
Non-Fiction
Northern Nights, edited by Michael Kelly

Weird Horror #8
Weird Horror #9
Vince Haig
David Nickle
Serena Malyon
James Hutton
“What is Anti-Horror?” by Simon Strantzas
“How Fungal Horror Grew on Me” by Orrin Grey
“The Fantastique & The Weird” by Simon Strantzas
“The Legacy of Richard Sala” by Orrin Grey
(From issues 8 & 9 of Weird Horror)
“All the Things We Never Said” by Gary McMahon
“Any Kind of Friend by Jack Klausner
“Aster” by Elin Olausson
“Calcium” by Jacob Steven Mohr
“Ecdysis” by Jess Koch
“Hello” by John Patrick Higgins
“Long Scissors, Black Candles” by Perry Ruhland
“On the Occasion of a Bloodletting”
by RJ Taylor
“Patience is the Virtue by Aimee Ogden
“Rigor” by Alison Moore
“The Haunting House” by David Ebenbach
From Weird Horror #8
“All the Devils Are Here” by Mike O’Driscoll
“Black Water” by Seán Padraic Birnie
“Fliers” by Gordon Brown
“Fragments (From a Film)” by Avra Margariti
“Homunculus” by Derrick Boden

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Jess Koch @jesskoch.bsky.social · 10/11/2024

If short story writers count, I'd love to be included! Thank you for pulling this together either way, though. :)

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Jess Koch @jesskoch.bsky.social · 09/11/2024

This is (mostly) a joke but it's important to practice seizing your self-governance. Rearrange a room, clean out your closet, buy a plant, make art. It's a good reminder that if you can effect change in small ways, you have power to effect change in big ways too.

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Jess Koch @jesskoch.bsky.social · 09/11/2024

This week, because of the election and other personal setbacks, I am feeling a distinct lack of control. I'm sure that feeling is mutual. So this morning, I am taking control of the one thing I still have and I'm going to respec my character in Elden Ring.

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Jess Koch @jesskoch.bsky.social · 08/11/2024

Who needs horror movies when you can just turn on the news?

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Jess Koch @jesskoch.bsky.social · 01/11/2024

It’s November and it’s too hot to rake leaves in northern New England today. Do with that what you will.

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Jess Koch @jesskoch.bsky.social · 28/10/2024

Now that I’ve recovered from the Bloodborne injury of 2024…I’m going to start yelling about voting. Have you voted yet (if you can)? If not, do you have a plan? If not, give it some thought. Democracy is on the line. No big deal or anything.

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Jess Koch @jesskoch.bsky.social · 14/10/2024

I wish this was a joke but I hurt one of my fingers playing Bloodborne last night.

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Jess Koch @jesskoch.bsky.social · 14/10/2024

100%. I'm afraid these platforms are only going to get worse and more fragmented as they succumb to wealthy buyers who will at best bleed them for $$$ but most likely also want the power to manipulate users and promote propaganda that benefits them.

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Jess Koch @jesskoch.bsky.social · 13/10/2024

I reopened a twitter acct in May cause I’m querying and for some reason, many agents still use it for mswls, open dates, etc. I knew I was going to delete it again soon but I’m deleting it now. I won’t be complicit in this agenda, even in this small way. If this hurts my chances w/ agents, so be it.

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Jess Koch @jesskoch.bsky.social · 09/10/2024

I know I post mostly about my cat here but I also have a dog—it’s just that he gets more attention in all other aspects of life so I let the cat shine here. But he looks pretty silly in my hoodie so, here you go.

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Jess Koch @jesskoch.bsky.social · 05/10/2024

Honestly I wish we could do more puzzles but my cat won’t allow it!

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