iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Foreign Objects is one of the best stories of 2026. I’ve read a few stories recently where the author didn't understand the difference between 2nd person POV and 1st person addressing varying forms of 'you'; Karlo understands it and also deploys it in one if the most devastating ways I’ve ever read

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I also enjoyed the discussion that was actually had, but yeah I'd be interested to hear an expanded discussion digging into some of this stuff and more focused on literary works in the future.

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I'm very critical of the prevalence of edges sanded-off, lowest common denominator corporate fiction and am glad there are still authors out there writing complex, nuanced stuff. Often it remains niche, but it's interesting who, why, and when it breaks containment.

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Someone like Jeff VanderMeer is interesting in this regard. Someone whose work isn't designed in a lab to appeal to the widest possible audience, but is nonetheless extremely popular.

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Premee Mohamed @premeemohamed.com · 06/09/2026

One of the topics raised that I'd like to hear expanded was the question of how much popular fiction is small c conservative and the degree to which it can be innovative. Is there a difference here between 'popular' and 'commercial' fiction?

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I think just more nuance, more ambiguity, less neatness/black-and-white thinking, more messiness, more complexity, moving parts, undefined edges. (And readers who don't whine about encountering it, but that's proving too much to hope.)

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Karlo Yeager Rodríguez @kjy1066.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

I'm glad that Weird Fantasy is making a bit of a comeback. The Works of Vermin, The West Passage were thrilling, delightful reads (I've yet to read Waterblack, etc) I've been trying to do my part as well with AS THE SHORE TO THE TIDES, SO BLOOD CALLS TO BLOOD and my forthcoming novella

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hexplaceholder.bsky.social @hexplaceholder.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

A multi-volume epic that threads the balance between high fantasy and horror. Apocalyptic grandure, occult/psychedelic vibes for the magical elements, large cast of characters who are all fucked up weirdo's and terrible people.

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Carnyx Press @carnyxpress.co.uk · 04/09/2026

It's coming 👀 Writers in the North of England are invited to send us weird and horrifying tales of existential dread for anthology 3: cosmic horror. Opening to submissions next month. Read the guidelines here: carnyxpress.co.uk/anthology-3-...

Submissions will be open 1st October to the 30th November. We’re seeking weird and literary tales of cosmic horror, from writers living in the North of England, for our third anthology.

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I'm Uni :3 @unicouniuni3.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Professor Uni’s class begins now :3

A black-and-white cat lying on a cardboard scratcher, wearing round glasses and a red bow tie, and looking at the camera

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Karlo Yeager Rodríguez @kjy1066.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

I've been working on an audio version of this flash piece that I'll be sharing with you all very soon!

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Samir Sirk Morató @spicycloaca.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

learning to effectively withhold information is a skill, and a valuable one. plus, you can't figure out your style & preferences (not some reader's preferences. *yours*) if you're too afraid to explore, assess, & learn. get your hands dirty!

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jonny @misterbloat.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

I hear this a lot, and it makes me sad. My personal editorial philosophy is ‘explain less’. The less you overtly explain, the better.

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jonny @misterbloat.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Judging how often I hear writers saying they’re being asked to explain things more, there are more of these editors than I would personally like.

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jonny @misterbloat.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

I def think it’s part of it. There’s a lot of defensive writing out there.

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jonny @misterbloat.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

It’s about time we had a reckoning with the need so many writers feel to over-explain everything aspect of their stories, even in non Weird genres. Readers don’t need to be babied. Let us figure things out. Leave room for interpretation. Over-explanation makes writing worse.

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jonny @misterbloat.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Weird fiction seems to be having a moment but without lots of the people trying to write it actually grasping what it is. I keep reading stories where there’s clearly an attempt at vaguely gesturing towards ‘the Weird’ but they just cant help over-explaining everything. Truly frustrating stuff.

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Seize The Press Magazine @seizethepress.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Kay Vaindal is back in STP with An American Execution. A woman travels to witness the resurrection-execution of one of the 9/11 hijackers with the daughter of her abducted neighbour and her boyfriend who claims to be an emissary from another universe. Dark and wacky in pure Vaindal-esque fashion.

seizethepress.com

"An American Execution" by Kay Vaindal - Seize The Press

He’s delusional. Good in the sack, though. I flatten the popcorn bag on the microwave carousel and hit two minutes, express cook, and he asks me why I hit two minutes and not the button that says popc...

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Andrew F. Sullivan @afsulli.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

books can be about bad people. the characters are not your friends. the protagonist is not you.

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Seize The Press Magazine @seizethepress.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

"Like the artists in his story, Stanley works a strange alchemy. His cityscapes are so vividly described; their barbershops & 24-hour massage parlors, their people & their trash, some of my favorite writing of his to date" NM Whitley on The Most Beautiful Thing on This Black Earth by Nelson Stanley

seizethepress.com

"The Most Beautiful Thing on This Black Earth" by Nelson Stanley - Seize The Press

The Connoisseur’d heard that she was the only genius in town. Weimar republic hairdo blacker than a goth’s heart. Improbable, glowing, crème-de-menthe eyes. Allegedly had a tattoo of Frederick Barbaro...

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Jeff VanderMeer @jeffvandermeer.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

Given the state of things re books, predatory corporations, etc... it is more imperative than ever to buy your books from indie bookstores and their online sites. Exclusively.

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Ann Leckie @annleckie.com · 16/08/2026

Was having a conversation on this topic just recently. A book (or story or painting or movie or whatever) is not a puzzle with a Correct Solution. It's an experience to think about and with, to chew over and then bring to other experiences.

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Morgan W Finley @baronvonuppercase.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

As someone who has spent a lot of time curating their personal tastes (sorry not-sorry, algorithms), blind-buying whatever pops up on Zachary Gillan's recs has never disappointed Lovers of weird + horror, you're in safe hands over there

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Thanks so much, that means a lot to me too; always great to hear the mag resonates with people ☺️ But yeah, shit, incredible story, it’s one I’ll definitely be coming back to reread.

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Sure I'm breaking no new ground by declaring that Ha is one of the best currently around.

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Of course, I'm still woefully behind and always desperately trying to catch up on all the short fiction coming out.

More faves of 2026 so far from other mags: A Dirge for the Mirrorbirds - Emily C. Skaftun (Beneath Ceaseless Skies) Scion - Thomas Ha (Clarkesworld) Atomic Chess - Josh Pearce (Bourbon Penn) Foreign Objects - Karlo Yeager Rodríguez (Typebar) Please Turn on Your Magic Beam - Orrin Grey (The Dark)

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ergot. has published several of the best stories of the year so far imo. Valediction - Jason Baltazar Sisyphus, Bound - David Stevens Late Bloomer - Ian Kappos The Professor of Desire Presents - Anneke Schwob Rolliecoaster Meadow - J F Gleeson Read the archive, it's full of gems.

ergot.press

ergot.

ergot. innovative horror

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jonny @misterbloat.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

Anneke Schwob's "The Professor of Desire Presents" is one of my favourite stories of the year so far. Fuck. ergot.'s strike rate of putting out short fiction that make me feel absolutely wretched (complimentary) continues to skyrocket.

ergot.press

ergot.

ergot. innovative horror

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Yeah, with my own desire to be happy apparently 😩

jonny @misterbloat.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

I’m unfortunately terrible at anagrams. I’d be in a French prison and Opus Dei would be the world government.

jonny @misterbloat.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

It’s 2026 and I’m reading The Da Vinci Code. I want to throw it across the room every five minutes.

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jonny @misterbloat.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

Sometimes a story perfectly reifies a specific feeling I have about moving through life. Fiction at its best, an art that gives form to something nebulous inside you and makes it feel solid. "Please Turn on Your Magic Beam" by Orrin Grey was that for me. Sad, beautiful, deeply profound horror.

thedarkmagazine.com

Please Turn on Your Magic Beam - The Dark Magazine

It’s a dark and stormy night, and the residents of the Castle Arms apartments are watching a scary movie. On the small, bulbous screens of their television sets, a killer stalks in scratchy chiaroscur...

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jonny @misterbloat.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

Hell yeah, congrats mate. Glad to see this story doing so well ☺️

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I'm Uni :3 @unicouniuni3.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

Uni, where did your ears go?

A close-up of a black-and-white cat with his ears flattened

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Carnyx Press @carnyxpress.co.uk · 07/07/2026

An (incomplete) wishlist in the last few weeks leading up to subs closing: 🧙 gay wizards 🧷 punk warlocks 📖 musty libraries filled with arcane secrets 🌀 unfathomable magics beyond our ken 😱 horrific sorcerous mishaps 🔮 adventures through psychedelic otherworlds

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Indrapramit Das @indrapramitdas.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

Congratulations to everyone on the shortlist & a shout-out to fellow Indian @tashanmehta.bsky.social, whose MAD SISTERS OF ESI is the only one I've read so far (it's beautiful, a Calvino-esque uncategorisable meta galactic fantasy). Very eager to get to the rest!

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jonny @misterbloat.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

Ping me or email me whenever you have something new out in case I miss it! Would love to keep up with what you've got coming out.