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Reposted by A.J. O'Toole

Fibonacci Sequins @brentwaggoner.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Read the first piece of fiction I've had published in 20 years! It's short! Thursday Was the Sharpest Day by Brent Waggoner | New Flash Fiction Review share.google/SknsudCEQTto...

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Thursday Was the Sharpest Day by Brent Waggoner | Issue #42

Monday is for vacuum cleaners, tubes clogged with hair and paperclips. Tuesdays (two-days) people remember that they only had one copy of the will.

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A.J. O'Toole @scribblerotoole.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

If a tiny village is seeking independence from the UK then you should hear my pitch (in novel form) to get Freedom for the Black Country. We've already got a separate language and culture.

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A.J. O'Toole @scribblerotoole.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Today's scare stories are warning against drinking tea and flushing the toilet. Shame, those are two of my few remaining guilty pleasures. Life'll kill ya... If you don't beat it to the punch.

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Trash Cat Lit @trashcatlit.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Our Autumn Prompted Story issue is LIVE! 🦝 13 flash fiction written to blind-chosen prompts. Grab a cuppa and snacks, sit back and immerse yourself in the imagination and creativity of our 12 contributors 💜 trashcatlit.com/prompted-sto... @joycebingham.bsky.social @jessebinger.bsky.social 1/2

trashcatlit.com

Prompted Stories Pop-Up Autumn 2026

We selected thirteen flash for the second prompted challenge of the year. These twelve writers showed amazing imagination and creativity with their prompts. Our Guest Readers for this issue were Le…

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A.J. O'Toole @scribblerotoole.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Researching a character who kinda might be based on someone I used to know... and accidentally clicked through to their LinkedIn page. Now I need to hope LinkedIn doesn't grass me up with their "you've been noticed!" emails.

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A.J. O'Toole @scribblerotoole.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Yep. I used to live in the pointy bit at the top of it.

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A.J. O'Toole @scribblerotoole.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Drafting a chapter today. Very much "don't get it right, get it written". #amwriting #indielit

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A.J. O'Toole @scribblerotoole.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Today: a revision and tidy-up request for a submission. Red pen out, let's kill some commas and conjunctions. #amwriting

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GossamerWight Literary Magazine @gossamerwight.com · 31/08/2026

How Aliens became the rare sequel that was as good as – or better than – the original. 'One of my favourite exchanges in the film was when Private Hudson asks his female colleague, “Hey Vasquez, have you ever been mistaken for a man?” She replies, “No. Have you?"' theconversation.com/how-aliens-b...

theconversation.com

How Aliens became the rare sequel that was as good as – or better than – the original

Forty years on, James Cameron’s transformation of Ridley Scott’s horror classic remains a masterclass in how to make a sequel.

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A.J. O'Toole @scribblerotoole.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

In a pub on a remote Scottish Island, catch the accent of the barmaid. 'Black Country?' *looks over both shoulders* 'I can neither confirm or deny...' Later: 'Ar, ah'm frum Walsall.' 'Dudley. Bin up 'ere long?' '22 years.'

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A.J. O'Toole @scribblerotoole.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

Back in the bar that inspired this story. It's a great place. (Drinking a Glen Scotia Victoriana) @literarygarage.bsky.social

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A.J. O'Toole @scribblerotoole.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

If the Prime Minister is heading to Stourbridge today, I recommend the Royal Exchange, the Unicorn or the King William if he fancies a pint pulling photo opportunity.

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Reposted by A.J. O'Toole

Sean Thomason @seanthomason.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

So embarrassing when people think the point of reading a novel is to know the plot, so a summary is just as good. The plot isn’t important, you rube. You absolute simpleton. The point of reading a novel is to find out what the characters are eating and start thinking about what you want for dinner.

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A.J. O'Toole @scribblerotoole.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

Inside Llewyn Davis is on BBC2 tonight. The cat deserved an Oscar.

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A.J. O'Toole @scribblerotoole.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

Reward bottle for 'Least Said' published on New Flash Fiction Review @nffr.bsky.social newflashfiction.com/least-said-b...

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A.J. O'Toole @scribblerotoole.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

Cooking up a short story, the triangle of characters are talking to each other in my head, I'm trying to get all the beats in place without it turning into a novel. This is great. It's also torture. There's never enough time.

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A.J. O'Toole @scribblerotoole.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

What are five things in your upcoming release? Black Country pubs TV star Girl you fancied at school A scam for The Money Folklore of a woman found dead in a spooky tree

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A.J. O'Toole @scribblerotoole.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

Love an airport where you can check in and then wander off...

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A.J. O'Toole @scribblerotoole.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

Love a pub with a machete and a gun on the bar... and a good story.

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A.J. O'Toole @scribblerotoole.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

Always a good day if you see a heron. Next stop: the edge of the world.

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Joel Morris @gralefrit.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

Publishing has to catch up, by the way. Bluesky is the Staff Picks of social media.

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A.J. O'Toole @scribblerotoole.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

This is my train, crossing the border...

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Jason O’Toole @operationriskyou.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

Ian Curtis would have been 70 today. #JoyDivision #postpunk

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A.J. O'Toole @scribblerotoole.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

Good news, Gen X: the original recording of Flagpole Sitta is now available on Spotify.

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A.J. O'Toole @scribblerotoole.bsky.social · 11/07/2026

Remembered an anecdote on my walk. I can quickly knock out a hundred word micro for this, I think. First draft word count: 237 Onwards and outwards. #flash #amwriting

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Reposted by A.J. O'Toole

Electric Literature @electricliterature.com · 08/04/2026

A story about a curious locksmith who helps the burglar robbing him, by Ben Daggers. buff.ly/jxRPcrn

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A.J. O'Toole @scribblerotoole.bsky.social · 11/07/2026

High hopes for The Westies. (didn't have my own Hell's Kitchen adventures until the noughties)

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A.J. O'Toole @scribblerotoole.bsky.social · 11/07/2026

I've got 17 in the works sweepstake for this... 🤞

The row over how many penises appear on the Bayeux tapestry

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A.J. O'Toole @scribblerotoole.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

I worked in Soho through the noughties, so can't watch this tennis match without saying 'Are you a sinner or are you a winner?' every other minute. #iykyk

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George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

This is a brilliant essay, which, in my view, accurately describes the predicament of the post-Boomer generations, and the vast infrastructure of lies designed to disguise it. "Degeneracy is a symptom. The disease is rent." 🧵 henryfudgeofficial.substack.com/p/degeneracy...

henryfudgeofficial.substack.com

Degeneracy is a Symptom

On Conspicuous Despair, the Ponzi stage of being alive, and why your grandparents are wrong about you.

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New Flash Fiction Review (subs closed) @nffr.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

Calling all writers! Try your hand at writing to images with our ekphrastic challenge for issue #42. Choose one of the photos below by NFFR fiction & photography editor Louella Lester and write a story (500 words max). We'll be open for subs 15-31 July. Our guidelines: newflashfiction.com/submit/

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Reposted by A.J. O'Toole

Literary Garage @literarygarage.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

For the lunch time crowd, today's last Zevon-inspired story from @scribblerotoole.bsky.social is a darkly funny tale about mortality, memory and one man's decision to go out on his own terms. Check it out at the Garage: literarygarage.com/last-orders-...

literarygarage.com

Last Orders at The Parting Glass | Literary Garage

A bittersweet tale of mortality, single malt, and one final act of defiance.

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A.J. O'Toole @scribblerotoole.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

Got in late last night. A couple of minutes even later as my wife spotted one of the neighbourhood cats down the street...

My wife crouches behind a lamppost to pss pss at a cat.

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A.J. O'Toole @scribblerotoole.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

This one is up today - thanks to @literarygarage.bsky.social Longest piece I've had published: pubs and death and the ghost of a woman. All the usuals. literarygarage.com/last-orders-...

literarygarage.com

Last Orders at The Parting Glass | Literary Garage

A bittersweet tale of mortality, single malt, and one final act of defiance.

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A.J. O'Toole @scribblerotoole.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

Sam Smith's pubs were a great discovery for me when I first moved to London. Decent bitter on handpulls was rare, and I couldn't afford to drink anywhere else.

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A.J. O'Toole @scribblerotoole.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

Temperatures have dropped... the local pensioners have all buttoned up their overcoats again.

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A.J. O'Toole @scribblerotoole.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

This was a great night on the sofa, might draw the curtains and relive it today.

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A.J. O'Toole @scribblerotoole.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

Every hometown's got an ominous megastructure, what's yours?

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A.J. O'Toole @scribblerotoole.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

Submitted my entry to the Welkin genre prize. This seems the suitable badge for me. Details here: www.mattkendrick.co.uk/welkin-press... @welkinpress.bsky.social

The Welkin Writing Prize
Supernova of Scribbling

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A.J. O'Toole @scribblerotoole.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

Kind of knew early on that today would be a write off... So I spent it napping, catching up on 'event' TV, dozed through a good bad film... I'll be better tomorrow.

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