iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Rachel Handley 🏳️‍🌈 @rachelahandley.com · 15/10/2026

I'm delighted to say that I'll be running a creative writing workshop as a part of @kildarelibrary.bsky.social's Climate Readers Day on Halloween! Come along and write some weird fiction with me! Reposts are very much appreciated! Tickets: kildare.spydus.ie/cgi-bin/spyd...

Poster reads, 'Ecolines, Kildare Libraries Climate Reader's Day, Writing Philosphical Fiction: The Climate Crisis. The workshop introduces key themes found in both fiction and philosophy on the climate crisis and guides participants in writing in response to those themes. We will look at themes such as awe, hope and hopelessness, and what it means to be human. 31 Oct 2026 - 2:30 PM to 3:30 PM. Free! All welcome! Kildare Nass Library.'

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Rachel Handley 🏳️‍🌈 @rachelahandley.com · 14/10/2026

New plants! New plants! Name suggestions are very welcome 🪴

Two plants, a tall one in a lilac pot and a dark green plant in a light green pot.

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Rachel Handley 🏳️‍🌈 @rachelahandley.com · 02/10/2026

It's national poetry day! Here is a poem of mine first published by Arlen House in Washing Windows II and then republished by Poetry Ireland / Éigse Éireann 's volume Vital Signs: Poems for Illness and Healing.

Remembrance

In my dream you were alive. I said I

loved you and you heard me. You knew it was

me, not just distance with a human shape.

You tell me I need to stay here, so I

do. I grab the thread of sewn pink petals

hanging tight between us, their wet edges

drip your soft thunder all over the floor,

liquid velvet slips between our fingers,

soaked; we campaign to walk against time. Come

see me, you said, before I forget. You

knew, before we knew, that the dementia

was slithering in, knocking out pieces

of you with its blunt mouth. I’d put you back

together if I could, click each petal

into its stem so that I could say I

love you and you could hear me.

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Rachel Handley 🏳️‍🌈 @rachelahandley.com · 27/09/2026

I had such a lovely time reading my short story, The Sound, at Undertow: An Evening of New Strange & Speculative Writing at the Seamus Heaney Centre yesterday! Many thanks again to @theactualemma.bsky.social and Niall for organising such a wonderful event!

Purple poster with an underwater helmet graphic. The poster reads, "The Seamus Heaney Centre, Undertow, An Evening of New Strange & Speculative Writing.

Two people. A woman smiling with shoulde length white blonde hair and a black top. She is sitting next to me, I'm smiling and wearing glasses with a black top.

Me reading in front of an audience at the Seamus Heaney Centre.

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Rachel Handley 🏳️‍🌈 @rachelahandley.com · 23/09/2026

Merry #bivisibilityday! Here I am, being visible. Bisivile, one might say.

A non-binary person with bi flag eyeshadow smiling.

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Rachel Handley 🏳️‍🌈 @rachelahandley.com · 16/09/2026

Hair freshly chopped! My body weight in coffee imbibed! Soon: writing group meet-up joy 😊

A non-binary person with short hair. 90s Leo in the front, soft mullet party in the back.

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Rachel Handley 🏳️‍🌈 @rachelahandley.com · 08/09/2026

I'll be reading a short story as part of the Doors Into The Dark event dedicated to weird & wonderful fiction on 26th September at The Seamus Heaney Centre (Queen's University Belfast). Organised by @theactualemma.bsky.social and Niall McKenna. Tickets: www.seamusheaneycentre.com/Events/Doors...

A green poster with an illustration of a crow which reads "The Seamus Heaney Centre, Doors Onto The Dark: A Day of Weird Fiction, Saturday 26th September 2026".

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Rachel Handley 🏳️‍🌈 @rachelahandley.com · 21/08/2026

"When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?"

3 round ornaments, two cats and one owl all face each other on a bookshelf.

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Rachel Handley 🏳️‍🌈 @rachelahandley.com · 04/08/2026

I wrote a little about my Paris trip. "I walk in 38C heat and tell myself I will buy a portable fan every hour on the hour until I forget to buy a portable fan." notesfromabus.substack.com/p/interlude-...

A photo of a cafe called Les Philosophes which has lots of outdoor seating and a red canopy. On the photo it reads, "interlude: paris. Three trains and a plane. Notes from a bus. NOTESFROMABUS.SUBSTACK.COM

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Rachel Handley 🏳️‍🌈 @rachelahandley.com · 24/07/2026

In my head this means I'll soon be teaching a new cohort of hedgehog students.

A university campus with a park on one side, a modern building in the distance, and a row of Georgian buildings to the right. A turquoise and dark blue University of Liverpool sign on a lamppost shows a picture of a hedgehog which reads "we are a gold accredited hedgehog friendly campus".

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Rachel Handley 🏳️‍🌈 @rachelahandley.com · 08/06/2026

It's my birthday on Saturday! 🎂 I'm raising money for Refuge and aiming for £100. We are at £33 so far! If you'd buy me a birthday pint, please consider donating the money instead 🙏 Even one quid would be greatly appreciated! www.facebook.com/donate/21144... ig.me/1TGqOC3ZjGyj...

A photo of my face. A white non-binary person with short brown hair and a black shirt on.

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Rachel Handley 🏳️‍🌈 @rachelahandley.com · 01/06/2026

On the 3rd June I'll be running an online creative writing workshop all about writing science fiction for @writershq.bsky.social ✍️ I'm so excited for this!!! You can grab a ticket here: writershq.co.uk/whq-event/wr... #speclist

Writing Science Fiction: Who are we? What can we know? Why are crystalline entities so awesome?

Whether you’re a hardcore sci-fi writer or just starting out, this workshop will help you harness the narrative possibilities of science fiction.

Wednesday 03 June
7:00 pm to 8:00 pm BST
Rachel Handley
Online
Free for Wrier's HQ Members

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Rachel Handley 🏳️‍🌈 @rachelahandley.com · 20/05/2026

I had a wonderful time at Hope University today giving my first ever keynote lecture!

A red brick building on campus with a tall light green tower in the centre. The foreground is a large field.

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Rachel Handley 🏳️‍🌈 @rachelahandley.com · 29/03/2026

Come join me for a @britfantasysoc.bsky.social event on April 22nd at Social Refuge in Manchester at 7 pm! Me and some fabulous authors will be reading our work, chatting about writing, AND there will be an open mic! Tickets & Info: www.socialrefuge.com/event-detail... Reposts are appreciated! ✍️

The British Fantasy Society, Dominic Berry, Elizabeth Hopkinson, Rachel Handley, Alex Penland, 7 pm: Open Mic, 5 min slots for poetry or stories, 8 pm Panel Discussion and Q&A. 22nd April.

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Rachel Handley 🏳️‍🌈 @rachelahandley.com · 23/03/2026

Come write some philosophical fiction with me in Liverpool! The workshop is free, fun, and you'll get lots of writing done! Everyone is welcome, all you'll need is a pen and paper, and there's no need to book ✍️ #philsky #philosophymatters @thebpa.bsky.social @livunienglish.bsky.social #Liverpool

Poster which reads: Writing Philosophical Fiction with Dr Rachel Handley.
When: Wednesday 25th March 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm, Saturday 28th March 1 pm to 3 pm. Where: Liverpool Central Library, Hornby Library. All writers welcome! All is need is a pen and paper.

Participants will produce several pieces of flash fiction during this two-hour workshop. Designed for adults, the workshop introduces key philosophical themes found in different parts of both literature and philosophy and guides participants in writing in response to those themes. We will look at topics such as the climate crisis, what it means to be a person, and oppression.

Rachel is a lecturer in philosophy, a science fiction author, and a poet. Their writing has been published by Arlen House, The Liminal Review, Sonder Magazine, and Poetry Ireland, among others. Alongside their teaching in philosophy, they often teach creative writing. Most recently, they facilitated a workshop at York Literature Festival.

The poster includes logos for Liverpool City Council, Liverpool Central Library, the British Philosohical Association, The University of Liverpool, and #philosophymatters

For enquiries, contact Tom Bunyard at t.bunyard@liverpool.ac.uk

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Rachel Handley 🏳️‍🌈 @rachelahandley.com · 13/03/2026

Come write some weird fiction with me at Liverpool Central Library on either the 25th or the 28th March. The event is free and everyone is welcome! @livunihss.bsky.social @sotauol.bsky.social @livunilibrary.bsky.social @thebpa.bsky.social #philosophymatters #liverpool #philsky

Poster reads: Writing Philosophical Fiction: A Creative Writing Workshop with Dr Rachel Handley, when: wednesday 25th march, 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm, Saturday 28th March, 1 pm to 3 pm. Where: Liverpool Central Library (Hornby Library). All welcome! All you need is a pen and paper. For enquiries, contact Tom Bunyard at t.bunyard@liverpool.ac.uk

Logos of liverpool city council, liverpool central library, the british philosophical association, university of Liverpool, and #philosophymatters appear on the bottom of the poster.

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Rachel Handley 🏳️‍🌈 @rachelahandley.com · 24/02/2026

Come write some philosophical fiction with me in York @yorklitfest.bsky.social! Everyone is welcome and all you'll need to bring with you is a pen and paper. Tickets and more event info: www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk/show/lets-ge... #York #CreativeWriting #PhilSky @uoyphilosophy.bsky.social

A poster for an event at York Literature Festival. The poster reads: Let's Get Philosophical: Writing Philosophical Fiction, Friday 6th March, 2 pm, York Medical Society, Stonegate, York. Creative writing workshop led by Rachel Handley. There is a photo of the author who has short brown hair, glasses, and is wearing a green jumper. The cover of their book, Possible Worlds and Other Stories is pictured to the right of their author photo. In the background of the poster is a photo of the York shambles on a rainy but lovely day.

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Rachel Handley 🏳️‍🌈 @rachelahandley.com · 01/02/2026

Come write some weird and philosophical fiction with me at the @yorklitfest.bsky.social in March! You know you want to! Tickets: www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk/show/lets-ge... @uoyenglishrl.bsky.social @livunienglish.bsky.social @sotauol.bsky.social @uoyphilosophy.bsky.social @yorkstjohn.bsky.social

A poster for an event at York Literature Festival. The text reads: "Let's get philosophical, writing philosophical fiction with Rachel Handley, 6th March, 2 pm to 4 pm, York Medical Society". The background of the poster is of a pile of books stacked on top of one another.

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Rachel Handley 🏳️‍🌈 @rachelahandley.com · 01/02/2026

Get some excellent sci-fi, fantasy, and horror plugged right into your brain by joining me and some fabulous authors for a free online reading! I'll be reading from Possible Worlds and Other Stories and I am PUMPED. 6th Feb, 5 pm GMT! TIckets: www.eventbrite.com/o/strong-wom... #SWSWQR

Strong Women Strange Worlds presents

First Friday QuickReads of Sci Fi, Fantasy, and Horror by

Gita Ralleigh

Lisa Morton

Minerva Cerridwen

Melissa Widmaier

Rachel Handley

Victoria Goddard

February 6, 12 noon EST Free On Zoom

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Rachel Handley 🏳️‍🌈 @rachelahandley.com · 23/01/2026

The tickets for my philosophical fiction writing workshop at York Literary Festival in March have just been released! I am *so* excited for this! www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk/show/lets-ge... Sharing this post would be much appreciated! 🙏

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Rachel Handley 🏳️‍🌈 @rachelahandley.com · 05/01/2026

💫 Possible Worlds and Other Stories 💫 Sci-fi/weird fiction/short story collection. Available on Kobo Plus. 24 stories of philosophical exploration, from identity, corruption, personhood, and friendship, to duty, loyalty, the meaning of life and death, and guinea pigs. www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/...

Poster for Possible Worlds and Other Stories by Rachel Handley. Around the book are short pieces of text with arrows pointing to the book cover. The pieces, going clockwise, say: Invaders from outerspace, the final judgement, a world made entirely of crabs, dystopia, friendship, greed, and death, corrupt angels, a sentinet spaceship.

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Rachel Handley 🏳️‍🌈 @rachelahandley.com · 31/12/2025

My debut short story collection Possible Worlds and Other Stories came out three years ago today! Here is me looking very sensible at my book launch.

A blonde person wearing black signing copies of their book in a bookstore. They are pouting in order to look silly.

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Rachel Handley 🏳️‍🌈 @rachelahandley.com · 24/10/2025

New Possible Worlds and Other Stories marketing strategy just dropped. Buy my book, or the fluffy round pig will be SAD.

Someone is holding a round startled looking guinea pig. The text at the top reads: This is who you hurt when you're mean to me. The text at the bottom reads: This guy is also sad about you not buying Possible Worlds and Other Stories yet.

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Rachel Handley 🏳️‍🌈 @rachelahandley.com · 18/10/2025

New office plant friends! What should I name them? I was thinking of Cyril Citrus for the lemon tree (that's right, left to my own devices after teaching yesterday I did indeed buy a whole entire tree). I've no idea what to call the flat cactus. Maybe Bob?

A small lemon tree in a grey pot on a white windowsil. A small flat cactus on the same windowsil.

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Rachel Handley 🏳️‍🌈 @rachelahandley.com · 07/10/2025

I'm delighted to say that I will be running an online Ursula Le Guin themed creative writing workshop for @octocon.bsky.social on 11th October, 4 pm. Get ready for some philosophical fiction! You must be a member to join. Not a member yet? You can still sign-up here: 2025.octocon.com/join-us/

Poster showing a pink/red octopus with a cute face. The background is a white and blue water cartoon-like graphic. The text reads: Would you walk away from Omelas? An Ursula Le Guin Themed Creative Writing Workshop, 11th October, 4 pm, online. In this workshop, led by science fiction writer, poet, and philosophy lecturer Dr Rachel Handley, you will be invited to explore Le Guin's short stories and related themes. There will be opportunities to respond to writing prompts based on Le Guin's and other's work throughout the workshop. The workshop will be very interactive, and writers at all levels are very welcome to attend. You'll also have the chance to read out what you've written during the workshop.

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Rachel Handley 🏳️‍🌈 @rachelahandley.com · 31/08/2025

Yesterday, a friend reminded me that Hemmingway once endorsed* buying a copy of Possible Worlds and Other Stories 👀 (*very legit).

A statue of Hemmingway holding a copy of Possible Worlds and Other Stories.

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Rachel Handley 🏳️‍🌈 @rachelahandley.com · 26/08/2025

My research assistants are hard at work.

A ginger cat (left) and a tuxedo cat (right) sleeping on the couch.

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Rachel Handley 🏳️‍🌈 @rachelahandley.com · 24/08/2025

Last night, I became an honoured chosen one.

A round ginger cat curled up into a ball sleeping on the bed.

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Rachel Handley 🏳️‍🌈 @rachelahandley.com · 19/08/2025

Today, I am editing whilst Mogs assists.

A tuxedo cat photographed on a soda cushion looking out to the right.

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Rachel Handley 🏳️‍🌈 @rachelahandley.com · 18/08/2025

Tibbles and Mogs. Yes, this is just a cat account now. I'm actually Tibbles. I have taken over. Meow meow meow. All hail our new cat overlords.

Tibbles (ginger cat) and Mogs (tuxedo cat on the left) both snoozing on a cosy looking couch.

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Rachel Handley 🏳️‍🌈 @rachelahandley.com · 26/07/2025

I walked and fed an alpaca today AKA I had a perfect day.

Five people each standing and siling next to alpacas in a field.

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Rachel Handley 🏳️‍🌈 @rachelahandley.com · 07/07/2025

I had an absolute blast running an Ursula Le Guin themed creative writing workshop for the Current Research in Speculative Fiction at the University of Liverpool last week! I loved the whole conference, but the keynote by @jeffvandermeer.bsky.social was a firm favourite!

A non-binary person running a creative writing workshop. They are sitting behind a desk with their laptop open.

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Rachel Handley 🏳️‍🌈 @rachelahandley.com · 02/07/2025

I went to see my book in the Sydney Jones Library at Liverpool University 😎

A non-binary person holding up their book Possible Worlds and Other Stories between two full shelves of books.

Possible Worlds and Other Stories being held up in front of Other books on a shelf.

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Rachel Handley 🏳️‍🌈 @rachelahandley.com · 15/06/2025

This post is giving me life whilst I have an oh no my writing is bad actually day to the sound of a tiny violin.

Damian (@bridgo.bsky.social) writes, "Happy Birthday Rachel, on holiday reading Possible Worlds. It's brilliant, and full of ideas. Have a great day. "

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Rachel Handley 🏳️‍🌈 @rachelahandley.com · 13/06/2025

It's my birthday today. Here is a photo of me reading some poetry poetically on a stage.

A non-binary person reading poetry from printed sheets of paper at Street 66, Dublin.

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Rachel Handley 🏳️‍🌈 @rachelahandley.com · 10/06/2025

On the 12th June I'll be one of the featured poets, along with @sarahmaintains.bsky.social for the Poems for Palestine fundraising event at Street 66. All of the proceeds will go to Irish Visual Artists for Gaza. Tickets are still available! conscious-connections.geektickets.ie/events/118696

Poster for Poems for Palestine. Sponsored by conscious connections and queers for palestine. Two featured poets are on the poster. The first is Sarah Clancy, described as a poet, activist and community development worker, based in Clare. The second is Rachel Handley, described as a poet, science fiction author, and academic based in Dublin.

All of the funds raised will be donated to Irish Visual Artists for Gaza. The event will take place on thursday 12th June, 7 pm at Street 66. Tickets are available on Geek Tickets, or you can scan the QR code.

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Rachel Handley 🏳️‍🌈 @rachelahandley.com · 15/05/2025

I'm delighted to say that my poem, A Soft Reckoning, was published earlier this month by @arlenhouse.bsky.social in their fabulous anthology, Washing Windows V, edited by Alan Hayes and @nualaoconnor.bsky.social! 📚

A Soft Reckoning

I can sink into

the fresh heart of it

just as you do.

A soft reckoning.

An easy vibration so

small that it takes years

to sing from your body

to mine. For you to

notice that we are

not in the same place.

That when I try to

move, my whole soul flies

up, eating freedom

under wing, feeling

the soft heat of the

sun. Having to say nothing more

than hello. A bone

attempts escape and

your mouth tells me I

am not made well like

you, I am frayed edges

yet you are the one bitten,

and brought, burnt, back to the earth.

The front cover reads: Washing Windows V, Women Revolutionise Irish Poetry, 1975 to 2025, Alan Hayes and Nuala O'connor Editors.

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Rachel Handley 🏳️‍🌈 @rachelahandley.com · 14/05/2025

There's only one copy of Possible Worlds and Other Stories left in @booksupstairs.bsky.social! You should buy it so it isn't lonely. There's no sticker on it, but the copy is signed!

A copy of Possible Worlds and Other Stories in Books Upstairs on a shelf.

A copy of Possible Worlds and Other Stories in Books Upstairs showing the front cover.

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