iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Monica Lyrehart @monicalyrehart.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Finally shared another article from a personal point of view in a professional world. The image isn't hyperlinked, so here's the link if you're interested. noveltysub.substack.com/p/my-pov-as-...

An image looking up at four helix ropes converging on an anchor point on a lush tree branch. Above, the text "My POV as a Writing Contest Judge. What most contestants lack and how to address it. noveltysub.substack.com"

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Monica Lyrehart @monicalyrehart.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

I finished another article yesterday on some resources for writers. I wasn’t *trying* to diss Steven King’s advice when I wrote it but, well… things happen you’re happily plucking away on the keyboard. noveltysub.substack.com/p/resources-...

noveltysub.substack.com

Resources for Writers

A Brief Compendium of Resources from Submission Portals to Craft Books.

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Five Minutes @fiveminutelit.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

"She Means Well" by @lilyluz.bsky.social (they/she), who loves writing romance, fantasy, and horror. Lily is currently drafting a traumantasy novel featuring queer and neurodivergent leads. "She Means Well" is the Editor's Pick for our CARE contest, part of our 2026 Micromemoir Marathon.

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Monica Lyrehart @monicalyrehart.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

I made this article for people who are looking for tighter-knit writing groups for beta and camaraderie. Writers at all stages, welcome. #writingcommunity #writesky #shortstories noveltysub.substack.com/p/how-to-fin...

noveltysub.substack.com

How to Find a Writing Group Through Short Stories

Plus a Comprehensive List of Short Story Contests

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Monica Lyrehart @monicalyrehart.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

Usually their mood. I even start making their expressions as I write. 🤦‍♀️ In public. Uncontrollably.

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Monica Lyrehart @monicalyrehart.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

Me coming out of a bad mood like, got my cookie, got my espresso, got my rain. What else could a book bound introvert ask for? #amwriting

Woman (original poster) with faded pink hair, darker roots showing, sitting in her car with a cookie and paper coffee cup. Rain drizzling outside where a pergola and beach trees obscure a building.

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Monica Lyrehart @monicalyrehart.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

Hey #Bluepit, just sharing some vibes on my current #WIP. World(s): 🌎🌍🌏🌞🌞🌌🌑🔭 Scare: 😱😱 Spice: 🌶️🌶️ Gore: 🗡️🗡 #F #SF #A #R

Various blocks containing: Stormy plains, chained dragon, glowing and dark crystals, wildflowers, scary nature aliens, satyr horns, pale scarred woman, nebulae, lightning, and a hand seductively clawing down a bare back.

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Theo Transcendragons @theodoresnapdragon.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

ALIEN x WHAT MOVES THE DEAD An isolated space station. A mysterious scientist. A trio of government inspectors. A “false” distress signal. An omnipresent AI. A zoo of animal test subjects. What could go wrong? No one escapes UNINTENDED DESIGNS in this scifi horror. #BluePit #H #A #Q #SF #LGBT #OV

A background of dramatic blue-purple stars and constellations with a purple caduceus over it and two smaller black upside-down caduceuses to the sides. Over it all are the words:

An Agent’s Guide To
Unintended Designs
A Science Fiction Bio-Horror in Space

Also small text on the bottom reading: Guide made in Canva by Theodore Snapdragon

Another slide with the same dramatic space image on the background. It also features two stylized images of DNA with rats on it. On the slide are the words:

Pitch
Space station inspector Gen Ishii is out of his depth in the isolated research outpost of Dr. Isengrim, an eccentric and charismatic scientist with far too many secrets.

And below, separated by two white snake graphics, are more words:

Described In Five Songs
Protagonist: Tongues (Joywave)
Setting: Disturbia (Rhianna)
Plot: Come A Little Closer (Cage The Elephant)
Climax: Destroya (My Chemical Romance)
Ending: Cosmic Love (Florence and the Machine)

Another slide with the dramatic space image as background, as well as two large white graphics of needles on either side and two graphics of white running mice along the bottom. In the center of the slide are the words “FOR FANS OF” and in the corners of the slides are the words:

Creative queer horror of
INTO THE DROWNING DEEP
by Mira Grant

Suspenseful building horror of
WHAT MOVES THE DEAD
by T Kingfisher

Isolated sci-fi horror of
THE LUMINOUS DEAD
by Caitlyn Starling

Engaging nonhuman characters of
TRANSLATION STATE
by Anne Leckie

With the covers of each of the four mentioned books also featured between the words, with each cover image lined with white so it sticks out

Another slide with the dramatic space image as background, this one with small images of a purple jellyfish and orange squid. It features a detailed art of a white, large, cuttlefish-like creature move through water under lily pads. Next to the art of the aquatic art are the words “original art” over an arrow pointing at that art piece.

The slide also has text reading:

Featuring

- Queernormative setting full of representation
- Moral conflict, ambiguity, snd dilemma
- Tension and eerie, off-details with big payoff

Excerpt

Harken and Tanaka followed as Isengrim gestured them forward, but I lingered a moment. I was reluctant to leave the pleasant warmth and fragrance of this place behind for the paperwork awaiting me. I gave the beautiful hydroponics hub a lingering look, then froze.

I jerked my head to the side, studying the trees as best I could in the gentle lighting. I could have sworn I saw the shadow of someone, someone humanoid, moving through the branches. Something far too large to be a normal animal. When I looked again, though, I saw nothing.

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Theo Transcendragons @theodoresnapdragon.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

INTO THE DROWNING DEEP X THE LUMINOUS DEAD When a small team is sent to investigate an isolated biomedical space station, UNINTENDED DESIGNS break out. 🏳️‍🌈 Queernormative scifi ☣️ Bodyhorror 🧬 Layered mysteries 🔪 Moral dilemmas 🩻 Psychological horror 🫀 Monster romance #BluePit #A #Q #H #SF #LGBT #OV

Moodboard with photos of scientific vials, holes, an x-ray of a skeleton, a wall with “Everyone Makes Mistakes” on it in capital white letters, plants growing in water, and a space theme. In the center the words “Unintended Designs” are written in rough red script. Moodboard was made in Canva.

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Ange | Author A. M. Shilling @gunsmile.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

HANNIBAL x MY SISTER, THE SERIAL KILLER Ten years after her death and disappearance, a vampire must choose between the tender past she left behind and the seductive promises of the future. Both have her heart. Which one will she betray? #BluePit #📖 #W #A #H #R

The lower half of a woman's face, neck, and collarbone; she has long black hair and red lips. Red spider lilies. Skulls. Red pomegranates, one split in half. The definition of the word 'vampire'. Streetlights tinted red. The shadows of two girls, taking a photo and holding up peace signs. Red candles snuffed out. A man kisses a woman's neck from behind, his hand around her throat.

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Allen Kline @allenkline.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

A grieving teen finds solace from his mother’s vengeful ghost in the form of an enigmatic stranger, only to realize their toxic codependency is drawing him further from his remaining family and his grip on reality. When Haru Was Here x Don’t Let The Forest In #BluePit #📖 #YA #H #Q #ND #LGBT

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B. R. Fontenot is querying 📚☀️🌷🦊 @brfontenotwrites.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

WOLF WORM x DON'T LET THE FOREST IN THE TREES HAVE TEETH - An Appalachian Folkhorror "Olive is eight the first time Death comes for her." 🌲 Nature and rot 💀 Death as an entity 🍄 Botanical Horror ⛰️ Set in the mountains 🐇 Eerie folklore 🍂 Isolated setting #BluePit #📖 #A #H #W #DIS #OWN #ND

PITCH

Olive is eight the first time Death comes for her. She’s nineteen the second time. And Olive knows Death always comes in threes.

In the heart of the Appalachian mountains, something wicked lingers in the woods. Olive grew up running barefoot through the trees without fear of what might be lurking. But when the woods begin to devour anything that encroaches with ruthless hunger, and a mysterious man who claims to know both the cause and the cure appears at Olive’s door, she may have to face Death for the third (and final) time. If she doesn’t, the town and the boy she loves will be eaten whole.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

COMPS
Wolf Worm, Don't Let the Forest In, Hazelthorn, Morsel, Hollow

Botanical Horror, Appalachian Mountain Setting, Nature & Rot, Isolated Setting, Eerie Folklore

moodboard featuring mountains, eerie woods, and trees

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Alexis ☕ is querying @abookishchai.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

DON’T LET THE FOREST IN X YOUR BLOOD, MY BONES Portrait of a Fawn- YA Speculative Horror (72k) 🦌 #revpit 2026 Winner 🥀creeping dread horror 🥀bickering spirit hunters 🥀bisexual fmc/queer rep 🥀a haunted, forest-infested theater #Q #YA #H #📖 #SP #LGBT#Bluepit

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B. Hart 🔪 (Writing a 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ Frankenstein Retelling) @bhartwrites.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

Calling all fans of gothic horror, queer retellings, Victorian pastiche lit, and messed up little guys. 🖤 Ought to Be Thy Adam is a gay/trans Frankenstein retelling querying this fall. Follow along for the journey or connect if you write similar stuff. #BluePit #H #Q #A #LGBT #OV #TR #HS #SP

Black background with two commissioned pieces of art of Viktor Frankenstein and his creation in Victorian clothes and frames.

White text over says "OUGHT TO BE THY ADAM" TRANS/GAY FRANKENSTEIN RETELLING

Black with a photo of a man (Henry) in Victorian clothing and frame with blood across it. White text says:
In 1897, after studying corpses and toying with electricity, medical student Viktor has created a man from his desire for his only friend Henry. Except shame forces him to make one final adjustment: female parts.

As his new creation gains sentience while vivisected during Viktor's university tour and begins to chafe under Viktor's thumb, a violent death and disobedience leads the monster to make himself into the man he was always meant to be.

- 1890s gothic prose - Queer shame/rage - erotic body horror -

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B. Hart 🔪 (Writing a 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ Frankenstein Retelling) @bhartwrites.bsky.social · 23/05/2026

QUEER FRANKENSTEIN RETELLING "Ought to Be Thy Adam" 🕰️ 1890s Germany 🎓 Dark academia 💀 Medical gothic body horror 🏳️‍⚧️ Trans rage 🏳️‍🌈 Queer shame #WIPPit #A #G #H #His #Spec #LGBT #OWN

Image of Viktor Frankenstein being choked by his monster with red text over it that says OUGHT TO BE THY ADAM

Black background that says "THE PITCH" in red. Below in white tezt is
TRANS & GAY FRANKENSTEIN

In 1897, after studying corpses and toying with electricity, medical student Viktor has created a man from his darkest desires. Except shame forces him to make one final adjustment: female parts.

As his new creation gains sentience while vivisected during Viktor's university tour and begins to chafe under Viktor's thumb, a violent death and disobedience leads the monster to make himself into the man he was always meant to be.

Zoomed in photo of the monster and Viktor's hands. Text over it says:
“Then make me whole. Take away my anger and I’ll weather the shame with you. I am not your bride, not your monster. I ought to be thy Adam. Let me be.”

Black box with red text that says "IT FEELS LIKE" with a grey box that has covers of Interview with the Vampire, Dowry of Blood, and Hungerstone.

in white text below it says:
1890s pastiche
lush, gothic prose
Queer shame
Trans rage
erotic body horror
a slow-building scream

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Brooke @tryhardmushroom.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

Being a first-time parent is so crazy!! You just do it!! You just figure that shit out!

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🎃🕸J.M. Weaver 🕷👻 @jmweaverauthor.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

#BluePit Savage as You - a 130k Portal Fantasy extravaganza. 🏳️‍⚧️ Transfem protagonist 🪄 Magic meets our world ⌛ Race against time 👻 Horror elements 👹 Befriending monsters ❤️ Love triangle 🐍 Eels 🧭 Setting off into the unknown #📖 #P (Well, out September 1st) #NA #F #LGBT #TR

Backdrop: illustration of a lavender field with a manor on the horizon, mushrooms as tall as the manor, and a Saturn-like planet in the sky.

Text: Savage as You

(Even the most beautiful dreams can be warped into nightmares)

Comps: Spirited Away, American McGee's Alice, The Neverending Story, The Dark Tower, Weaveworld.

Pitch: Hailey yearns for nothing more than to be a normal girl. Yet something out there knows about her, sending a gateway and letter telling her the world inside might be frightening.... but she's to be its Queen.

Excerpt: I watched the water pour forth as the cracks in the sky spread, wondering how much time we really had left. What did it even mean, that the sky started to crack?

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Gert Ramm 🦋 @rammwriter.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

The UK government frames intelligence agent Eddie Fletcher for its role in a temporal disaster, putting him in the crosshairs of ruthless state assassins. To save his skin he must seal a lethal time rift - or a Russian spy will use it to start a war that destroys the future. #BluePit #Q #A #SF #📖

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Monica Lyrehart @monicalyrehart.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

Hey #Bluepit, just sharing some vibes on my current #WIP. World(s): 🌎🌍🌏🌞🌞🌌🌑🔭 Scare: 😱😱 Spice: 🌶️🌶️ Gore: 🗡️🗡 #F #SF #A #R

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Monica Lyrehart @monicalyrehart.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

I’ve always crafted stories? But for my current WIP, I first got the spark of story idea from an astronomy class in college.

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Monica Lyrehart @monicalyrehart.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

The most difficult part for me is tuning out my editor brain. …and getting good sleep. #writingprompt #summerofstories #writesky #amdrafting

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Monica Lyrehart @monicalyrehart.bsky.social · 05/07/2026

On a good day I tend to straddle hyperspecific sensations and sideways purple metaphors that might just be mirages. Then I ask myself what the hell am I doing and who am I writing this for because they’re going to want to understand it.

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Elly "Enormity" Bangs @ellybangs.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

This is what novel plot revision feels like

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Monica Lyrehart @monicalyrehart.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

It’s my rabbity rabbit story!!! 🐇👊

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Josh Gondelman @joshgondelman.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

I know this is not the biggest concern going these days, but it stresses me out that basically every artist/writer/critic is now expected to create their own tiny empire instead of getting paid by any existing entity to perform a job they've worked to get good at!!!!

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Monica Lyrehart @monicalyrehart.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

My 50wd micro came out at @quotatelle.bsky.social today.🫶 qb.foofaraw.press/swamps-son/

Sparking chainsaw with overlays of nebula and dripping sap

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Monica Lyrehart @monicalyrehart.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

I do like this micro micro 😊🪚

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Lucy A. Snyder @lucyasnyder.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

I delivered the follow-up novel to Sister, Maiden, Monster to my editor this morning. 92,000 words. I've been working hard on it since January.

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Monica Lyrehart @monicalyrehart.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

I haven’t subbed in ages but I had to pull together a few micros for @ratbaglit.bsky.social’s pop up call. Still five hours left before it closes for anyone who has something weird ☺️.

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Monica Lyrehart @monicalyrehart.bsky.social · 07/06/2026

I goblinned this. (Yes, iphone, I can verbify whatever word I want. This is how languages are built. *Looking at you LLMs*)

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Monica Lyrehart @monicalyrehart.bsky.social · 20/04/2026

Whelp...I've finished "Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow." I don't find myself in a book hole, but I do find myself in a life hole. Thinking a lot about which projects to dedicate myself to next. #booksky #GabrielleZevin #creative #WriteSky

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Monica Lyrehart @monicalyrehart.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

Two stories in two days! I yesterday I had a drabble come out at qb.foofaraw.press (there is a new one today from another author). And today, my dark historical flash fiction, Maiden's Den has come out with Rat Bag!

qb.foofaraw.press

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Monica Lyrehart @monicalyrehart.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

"Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow," stop trying to make me cry! 😭😭😭 #booksky #gamedesign #life

Cover of the book "Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow" by Gabrielle Zevin. Title is duplicated in staggered rainbow font, overlaying The Great Wave.

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Monica Lyrehart @monicalyrehart.bsky.social · 15/03/2026

I'm so excited!!! So many wonderful writers in this first issue. I just know I'm going to squeak when I get my wicked paws on it. #ratbaglit #litmagazine #print #writingcommunity #new

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Radon Journal @radonjournal.bsky.social · 09/03/2026

As we enter the second half of Issue 13's reading period, we would love to see more transhumanist or cyberpunk flash fiction. We have a fair number of longer dystopian works, and want to round out with our futuristic meat and potatoes

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Monica Lyrehart @monicalyrehart.bsky.social · 07/03/2026

Okay, my favorite character is my villain, Azil—the first astroandroid. Commissioned from @yorsyh.bsky.social

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Monica Lyrehart @monicalyrehart.bsky.social · 05/03/2026

"A horrific read that will suck you in." "The level of stress might make your head hurt." "Think Eldritch COVID." My March read. #booksky #horror @lucyasnyder.bsky.social

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Lily Luz (they/them) @lilyluz.bsky.social · 26/02/2026

Now if I could only send this to people close to me in my life without sending it to them... It's mind boggling to me that my biggest support pillars (aside from partner, ofc) are people I've met through a screen. (Confidently posting here bc they do not follow and therefore will not see this 😂)

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Monica Lyrehart @monicalyrehart.bsky.social · 29/01/2026

Oh, I've had this one in my back pocket for a while. Yourself but as a cartoon

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Monica Lyrehart @monicalyrehart.bsky.social · 28/01/2026

Get a little deeper on character conflict with Ashlee Lhamon in her substack, The Pulp Pit.

Ashlee Lamon Quote overlay that says, "And if you’re chortling and saying well, that’s not my problem, you might be right. But you’re here, reading this — you’ve read this far — so, you know. It’s worth asking yourself: do your characters really have reasonable and compelling options constantly presented to them as they pursue whatever their goal is?"

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Monica Lyrehart @monicalyrehart.bsky.social · 28/01/2026

The snippets I've been mercifully offered are to die for. I hope to see this complete soon! ❤️

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