Atara Blake @strangeisthenight.bsky.social · 14/10/2026Excited to read your thoughts on this. Fisher has been my go-to definition of the weird for a while but after reading some of your columns I’m thinking I need to expand my views! I’m sure you’ve read it but there’s a great exploration of apophatic media in Thacker’s “In the Dust of this Planet”. 130
Atara Blake @strangeisthenight.bsky.social · 09/10/2026Congrats @erikgrove.com can’t wait to read it! 020
Atara Blake @strangeisthenight.bsky.social · 07/10/2026"The Tooth" is an outlier in Shirley Jackson's collection "The Lottery". It's weirder, more plausibly supernatural, and more threatening than the rest. Read on for my analysis of how Jackson melds the everyday and the otherworldly in this story to explore the prison of identity. tinyurl.com/yydbhmt3strangeisthenight.substack.comFarther than Samarkand: The Commonplace Weird and the Supernatural in Shirley Jackson’s “The Tooth”As the only tale in Jackson's first collection to include potentially supernatural elements, "The Tooth" blends the commonplace weird with the otherworldly to examine the prison of identity 000
Reposted by Atara BlakeTenebrous Press @tenebrouspress.bsky.social · 06/10/2026RELEASE DAY! YOUR BODY IS A FEVER DREAM, featuring New Weird Cosmic Horror from 30+ trans & gender nonconforming creators, is OUT NOW WHEREVER BOOKS ARE SOLD. Direct from us: store.tenebrouspress.com Prcoeeds benefit the Trans Doe Task Force & Trans Legal Services Network. Hail the Weird🖤☠️🏳️⚧️ 0139105
Atara Blake @strangeisthenight.bsky.social · 06/10/2026As part of my month of writing about weird media, I reviewed Shirley Jackson's classic collection "The Lottery and Other Stories", exploring its place within the traditions of horror and weird literature. strangeisthenight.substack.com/p/weird-horr... 010
Atara Blake @strangeisthenight.bsky.social · 05/10/2026Ah, mistyped that, the second Aickman is “The Hospice”. 010
Atara Blake @strangeisthenight.bsky.social · 05/10/2026Just read a great vampire story in Weird Horror- Kay Vaindel’s “Kettleman”. I also really love “The Lost Art of Twilight” by Ligotti. For the second two, I would go with Evenson (my favorites are “A Collapse of Horses” and “Seaside Town”) or Aickman, maybe “Ringing the Changes” or “The Hostel” 210
Atara Blake @strangeisthenight.bsky.social · 05/10/2026Oh no kidding! I had no idea it was in that collection too, I read it in “A Collapse of Horses”. Such unsettling vibes throughout, it’s so good. Will definitely have to check out the rest of “Aickman’s Heirs”. 010
Atara Blake @strangeisthenight.bsky.social · 05/10/2026Have you ever read Brian Evenson’s “Seaside Town”? It’s an Aickman-esque weird hotel/town story and one of my all time favorites of his. Definitely sounds in line with what you’re describing! 110
Atara Blake @strangeisthenight.bsky.social · 04/10/2026“Temu future” damn if that doesn’t capture our whole sordid situation! 010
Atara Blake @strangeisthenight.bsky.social · 04/10/2026As part of my attempt to write some kind of media criticism every day in October, here's my review of Joseph Fink's new novella "The Nudge", a fast-paced, bite-sized piece of weird horror. substack.com/home/post/p-... 000
Atara Blake @strangeisthenight.bsky.social · 04/10/2026I’m not sure what’s more terrifying and depressing: the fact that this dude has half a million followers or the MANY comments on his post asserting the FDA is lying about radiation being bad 🥲 020
Atara Blake @strangeisthenight.bsky.social · 04/10/2026Asking the important questions outside the HP Lovecraft film festival in Portland today! 030
Atara Blake @strangeisthenight.bsky.social · 03/10/2026Working my way through the latest issue of Weird Horror from @undertow.bsky.social and this piece from @kayv.bsky.social is an absolute banger. Timely, poignant, and filled with vivid, weird prose. www.weirdhorrormagazine.com/kettlemanweirdhorrormagazine.comKettleman — Weird Horror Magazine 264
Atara Blake @strangeisthenight.bsky.social · 03/10/2026I decided to undertake a delusional project to write a piece of weird media criticism every day for the month of October! Disregarding that I'm already a day behind, I hope you'll follow along with me as I explore some great works of weird media across various formats!strangeisthenight.substack.com31-ish Days of Weird CriticismAn ink drawing or horror movie a day was too easy. Instead, I’m kicking off a delusional attempt to write about a piece of weird media every day for the month of October. 031
Atara Blake @strangeisthenight.bsky.social · 02/10/2026Don’t use AI for your cover, hire an artist! Lots of cool premade options from @addi.social! 022
Reposted by Atara BlakeEric Raglin @ericraglin1992.bsky.social · 28/09/2026The course is half full! Interested? Reach out ASAP! Multiple free scholarship slots are still available. 023
Reposted by Atara BlakeThree-Lobed Burning Eye magazine @3lobedmag.com · 18/09/2026We won’t get any funds if we don’t reach our goal in the next 12 days. For the love of horror, fantasy, and science fiction—back us so we can bring you more stories in 2027! kck.st/4x4r1oz 02031
Reposted by Atara BlakeDarker Times @darkertimes.bsky.social · 17/09/2026Backrooms, Walter Benjamin, AND Freud?! @emilyhughes.bsky.social covers the magic of liminality, memory, and capitalism in her latest piece, The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Hallucination: www.darkertimes.com/walter-benja...darkertimes.comThe Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical HallucinationOr, why I stopped worrying and learned to love Walter Benjamin in the Backrooms. 0218
Atara Blake @strangeisthenight.bsky.social · 17/09/2026Is any mention of pizza a no-go or are you more concerned about stories with pizza as a central theme or source of the horror? 120
Atara Blake @strangeisthenight.bsky.social · 10/09/2026Woohoo great news, lots more time to make my submission even more grotesque and off-putting. 🥩 040
Atara Blake @strangeisthenight.bsky.social · 10/09/2026Ok you sold me. That blurb was tailor-made to grab my attention lol 010
Atara Blake @strangeisthenight.bsky.social · 09/09/2026Beautiful and bittersweet flash, a perfect way to end the evening. Lovely short Gothic piece from @rjaurand.bsky.social! 011
Atara Blake @strangeisthenight.bsky.social · 09/09/2026Since I saw some folks discussing it recently, I've been pretty pleased with the web building tool on Canva. For the same price I'd pay on other web hosts I get hosting and full use of Canva too. Consequently, I spent way too much time making a new, over-complicated author website. atarablake.com 000
Reposted by Atara BlakeGabino Iglesias @gabino.bsky.social · 05/09/2026Your monthly reminder: Keep writing. When no one cares, persist. When things appear to be crumbling, keep at it. When it's difficult, push through. When you feel alone, listen to the stories in your blood. Just write. The world needs your stories. 610629
Atara Blake @strangeisthenight.bsky.social · 04/09/2026Also man sorry that sounded so much like corporate speak, can you tell I’m taking a break from my corporate day job to scroll? 💀 100
Atara Blake @strangeisthenight.bsky.social · 04/09/2026I am working on something for you for this call but wouldn’t mind a little more time to let it marinate, no pun intended! Would you welcome queries about the content prior to submission to make sure it’s in line with what you’re seeking? 100
Atara Blake @strangeisthenight.bsky.social · 03/09/2026My latest story, “Blue Ribbons for Barbara” is out today at @gavagai.com! This is a quiet retro horror tale about the expectations society places on women and the cost of giving too much. gavagai.com/posts/6611 011
Atara Blake @strangeisthenight.bsky.social · 02/09/2026Thank you very much @gavagai.com and @timhoelscherauthor.com for giving this story a home! 120
Atara Blake @strangeisthenight.bsky.social · 02/09/2026My latest story is live on @gavagai.com! In this quiet horror tale about a society that demands everything from women, a homemaker offers up an unforgettable gift that can’t be returned. Featuring disturbing breakfasts, unrealized dreams, frenzied pie contests, and the dulcet tunes of Nat King Cole. 031
Atara Blake @strangeisthenight.bsky.social · 21/08/2026Oh, maybe I should have clarified: deeply upsetting (complimentary). 😌 But I will say your story in the collection had me scrambling to find my cat all of a sudden! 020
Atara Blake @strangeisthenight.bsky.social · 21/08/2026Just finished this collection and man what an incredible but deeply upsetting read. 🥲 162
Reposted by Atara BlakeShveta Thakrar @shvetathakrar.com · 20/08/2026We've let capitalism fool us into believing that every part of life must be efficient. That's not true. Automate my laundry, sure. Wash the dishes for me--yes, please. But dreaming and thinking and learning and just BEING are meant to be slow and meandering. That's where the treasures are found. 212733
Reposted by Atara BlakeThe Deadlands @thedeadlands.com · 19/08/2026"Emptiness is its own language, but you and I, we have learned to speak it. " TODAY beloveds this poem this poem this poem!!! There are lonely things in the forest by @rukman.bsky.social read it here: psychopomp.com/deadlands/is...psychopomp.comThere are lonely things in the forest / Rukman Ragas / PsychopompRead There are lonely things in the forest, by Rukman Ragas, a poem from Issue 43 of The Deadlands, summer, 2026. 22615
Atara Blake @strangeisthenight.bsky.social · 19/08/2026This is so relatable as someone with a day job that starts at 7 am local time 🥲 100
Atara Blake @strangeisthenight.bsky.social · 18/08/2026Just finished it and totally agree, terribly unsettling and so effective!! 👁️👁️👁️ 000
Reposted by Atara BlakeJ.B. Kish @jbkish.bsky.social · 06/08/2026I wish this had been the HWA newsletter instead 042
Reposted by Atara BlakeErik Grove @erikgrove.com · 05/08/2026Too many people feel ashamed when they make something the best they know how and fall short of perfection or when they ask others for help. Gen AI protects from that shame and vulnerability. But trying & failing IS HOW YOU IMPROVE and learning from others is GOOD ACTUALLY. Shame & Gen AI are liars. 0113
Atara Blake @strangeisthenight.bsky.social · 05/08/2026I was excited about the opportunity to get mentorship through them. Is that worth joining for? I’m also considering if other professional orgs would provide this better and without all the baggage 210
Atara Blake @strangeisthenight.bsky.social · 05/08/2026Love that natural resources are being used to power AI troll accounts. 001
Atara Blake @strangeisthenight.bsky.social · 05/08/2026Also the foaming-at-the-mouth craving for acceptance of AI use as legitimate betrays that most of these folks know deep down that what they are doing is not art, is not ethical, and is not respectable. But they will keep crying that they are being bullied instead of introspecting on that 020
Atara Blake @strangeisthenight.bsky.social · 05/08/2026Blechhh this perspective makes that argument somehow even grosser 🤮 100
Atara Blake @strangeisthenight.bsky.social · 05/08/2026Man this is a huge bummer, I was excited to join HWA as a full member after making my first sale but I guess I’ll look at other professional organizations now. 171