iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

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Brandon Haffner @thebrandonhaff.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

I got to interview writer David Ryan about his wacky new story collection, Alligator. Trying to write weirder myself these days, so this was an especially awesome conversation. Check it out: variantlit.com/dualities-mi...

variantlit.com

Dualities, Micro-audacities, and Writing Around the Center: a Conversation with David Ryan on Alligator

Brandon Ahmad Haffner interviews David Ryan about his new short story collection Alligator, discussing memory, experimental writing, creative constraints, duality, and writing around the center.

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TRossi (she/her) @trossiwriter.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Can’t say enough about this wonderful dialogue between @variantlit.bsky.social ‘s own @thebrandonhaff.bsky.social and the amazing David Ryan, discussing 🐊!

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Variant Literature @variantlit.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

Nightstands by Alex Rost @arrost.bsky.social “The drawer of order accepted that it was not a drawer of order. That it would never, truly, be a drawer of order. Because in a world born from chaos, to chaos it will return.” variantlit.com/nightstands

variantlit.com

Nightstands

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Variant Literature @variantlit.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

Huge congratulations Ben Kline! It Was Never Supposed To Be is the 2026 Lambda Literary Award Winner for Gay Poetry!! @benkline.bsky.social

It Was Never Supposed To Be by Ben Kline is the 2026 Lambda Literary Award Winner for Gay Poetry

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TRossi (she/her) @trossiwriter.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

What would happen if you dreamed a new life and moved away from the old? Find out —read “Something,” @nickdmytrow.bsky.social ‘s first published work of fiction!

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TRossi (she/her) @trossiwriter.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

Can’t say enough about this gorgeous story!

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TRossi (she/her) @trossiwriter.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

Empathy is at the heart of this devastating flash from N. D. Stone.

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TRossi (she/her) @trossiwriter.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

Lessons in how to love another, rendered exquisitely by Joseph Randolph.

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Variant Literature @variantlit.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

“A bottle slides just enough to break the pattern when his sleeve catches it, and he stills it with two fingers like it is fragile, like it contains the part of his brother that might still be reachable." from Micro Series by Joseph Randolph variantlit.com/micro-joseph...

variantlit.com

Micro Series

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TRossi (she/her) @trossiwriter.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

In a different world, our feed would be full of art and beauty, like @kplumhoff.bsky.social ‘s illuminating spark. Read it and catch the light!

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TRossi (she/her) @trossiwriter.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

Let good literature mold your mind. Start here:

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Pat Foran @pdforan.bsky.social · 06/06/2026

“*You’re funny*, said Beatrice. Her ex-boyfriend was dull and didn’t like to joke. *You’re beautiful*, said the ant. *Like a flower.*” @noramaynard.bsky.social in @variantlit.bsky.social variantlit.com/the-peony-ant/

variantlit.com

The Peony Ant

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TRossi (she/her) @trossiwriter.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

“Before the girl with freckles disappeared into the hall, she turned and smiled and said to me, “Have a good day.” I didn’t say anything back. Mika was looking up at me with her misty eyes. And she was quiet too.” Read “Polynesian Fish” by Yitzchak Friedman @variantlit.bsky.social Issue 23

media.tenor.com

a man carrying a large white dog on his back

Alt: a man carrying a large white dog towards a beach

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TRossi (she/her) @trossiwriter.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

“They’re Irish, the others…. They pull up quietly, disrobe, and walk the sloped path right into the ocean…. Like stepping into their showers, they do this. He’s not sure if that makes them more crazy or less.” Read all of “Something” by @nickdmytrow.bsky.social in @variantlit.bsky.social Issue 23.

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TRossi (she/her) @trossiwriter.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

“At night, you drove by and the signs’ reflections darted out of the lush dark in bursts of light, like they’d been caught, like they were the trespassers.” Read David Ryan’s gorgeous story here: variantlit.com/exposure/

variantlit.com

Exposure

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TRossi (she/her) @trossiwriter.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

So honored and overjoyed to share the beautiful “Exposure” by the phenomenal David Ryan. Read it here: variantlit.com/exposure/

variantlit.com

Exposure

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TRossi (she/her) @trossiwriter.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

This story’s quite “Something” you won’t want to miss!

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TRossi (she/her) @trossiwriter.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

Over the moon to share Issue 23! The prose is varied and wonderful: haunting, contemplative, moody, and whimsical. Read it here:

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TRossi (she/her) @trossiwriter.bsky.social · 22/03/2026

Meanwhile, in the queue @variantlit.bsky.social, we seek narrative long-form fiction (see past issues for our editorial sensibility), flash prose, and micro (themed) series. Send us your beauties, the weirds, and the aches!

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TRossi (she/her) @trossiwriter.bsky.social · 22/03/2026

Day One of my residency week in Tamaqua, PA. What a bright, quiet place to write!

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TRossi (she/her) @trossiwriter.bsky.social · 10/03/2026

Send us your literary stories heavy with strange metaphor and liminal stands, grounded in narrative and ethereal beauty. Check out prior issues and submit here: variantlit.com/issues/

variantlit.com

Issues

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TRossi (she/her) @trossiwriter.bsky.social · 10/03/2026

We seek micros in a series of three, like this excellent prizewinner by @melissabowers in @fracturedlit.bsky.social: fracturedlit.com/bowers/

fracturedlit.com

Grown-Ups Also Lie: Three Micros | Fractured

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TRossi (she/her) @trossiwriter.bsky.social · 08/03/2026

Congrats to @queercomrades.bsky.social on the performance! Read the original story here: variantlit.com/zizzi/

variantlit.com

Zizzi

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Hongwei Bao (he/him) @queercomrades.bsky.social · 08/03/2026

Performed in my short play 'Zizzi' with Altus Chan at the Birmingham Hippodrome New Earth theatre makers showcase two weeks ago. Thanks to everyone involved for the support! www.birminghamhippodrome.com/calendar/new...

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TRossi (she/her) @trossiwriter.bsky.social · 01/03/2026

And just like that, we are open for submissions. The world needs art and beauty, so send us yours. Guidelines @variantlit.com

Image announces journal Variant Lit is open for submissions, see guidelines on variantlit.com

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TRossi (she/her) @trossiwriter.bsky.social · 12/02/2026

@megjnic.bsky.social and the wonderful folks of Lemon Grove Writers are hosting—come for the prompts, stay for the community!

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TRossi (she/her) @trossiwriter.bsky.social · 12/02/2026

Meet me at the intersection of FREE! POETRY! under the the tutelage of the wonderful @ashlogophile.bsky.social

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TRossi (she/her) @trossiwriter.bsky.social · 12/02/2026

Want to know if we can go home again? Read this gem from @joeyhedger.bsky.social in the new issue of @variantlit.bsky.social

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TRossi (she/her) @trossiwriter.bsky.social · 12/02/2026

Don’t miss this bittersweet and timely story from @thewritelifeliz.bsky.social in the new issue of @variantlit.bsky.social

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TRossi (she/her) @trossiwriter.bsky.social · 30/11/2025

Alligator by David Ryan is out today from Cash4Gold Books. Can’t wait to read!

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Variant Literature @variantlit.bsky.social · 17/11/2025

We’re thrilled to announce our Pushcart Prize nominations for 2026: “On Craft” by Erica Dawson “Clutch” by Stephanie Frazee “Holes” by Nicole Desjardins Gowdy “Cooking Lesson” by Shira Haus “Five O’Clock Shadow in Philly” by Allen Means “The Opposite of Dusk” by Ron Riekki

Variant Literature Pushcart Prize nominations for 2026:

“On Craft” by Erica Dawson
“Clutch” by Stephanie Frazee
“Holes” by Nicole Desjardins Gowdy
“Cooking Lesson” by Shira Haus
“Five O’Clock Shadow in Philly” by Allen Means
“The Opposite of Dusk” by Ron Riekki

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TRossi (she/her) @trossiwriter.bsky.social · 09/10/2025

Can’t wait to read this! Out 11/30 from Cash4Gold books. Preorder here: bookshop.org/p/books/alli...

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TRossi (she/her) @trossiwriter.bsky.social · 21/08/2025

“Poor Historian” by @rriekki.bsky.social haunts long after the read.

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Barbara Lock @barbaralockmd.bsky.social · 09/07/2025

What's in the box?

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TRossi (she/her) @trossiwriter.bsky.social · 09/07/2025

@variantlit.bsky.social’s own @barbaralockmd.bsky.social Her story’s sunlit-subtle menace will have you looking over your shoulder in a literary way!

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Emily Rinkema @emilyrinkema.bsky.social · 30/06/2025

What an honor! Thanks @variantlit.bsky.social for seeing something in this story!

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Tori Walters @victoriaceann.bsky.social · 02/07/2025

A delightful and tender piece that I could read over and over and over again.

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TRossi (she/her) @trossiwriter.bsky.social · 28/06/2025

Congratulations Elijah! In case you missed it, read this @wigleaf.bsky.social Top 50 here:

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Variant Literature @variantlit.bsky.social · 23/06/2025

"The mouse in the grass gains confidence, and it is harder and harder to keep track of her. She runs around and starts to remember herself, the part of her that ran through grasses in past lives." Read "Red White Fur" by Sonny Fillmore, about a snake, a mouse, a boy variantlit.com/red-white-fur/

variantlit.com

Red White Fur

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Variant Literature @variantlit.bsky.social · 20/06/2025

"She presses her glossy lips together over a folded white napkin. When she pulls the paper from her mouth, there’s a perfect print of two coral lips—a Rorschach test: a butterfly. a boy. a blowfish. an ocean." Read this Micro Series by Laci Mosier from issue 21 variantlit.com/micro-series/

variantlit.com

Micro Series

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TRossi (she/her) @trossiwriter.bsky.social · 19/06/2025

@derekshirae.bsky.social ‘s “Terminal” serves up strange snacks and an unlikely protagonist.

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TRossi (she/her) @trossiwriter.bsky.social · 19/06/2025

Yikes. Wondering where we’ll be even a year from now on this front.

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TRossi (she/her) @trossiwriter.bsky.social · 15/06/2025

One urgent care visit takes an unexpected turn in @beebs44120.bsky.social ‘s “Nothing Dead in Your Ear.” Read it in Issue 21 from @variantlit.bsky.social here: variantlit.com/nothing-dead...

variantlit.com

Nothing Dead in Your Ear

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TRossi (she/her) @trossiwriter.bsky.social · 15/06/2025

Cannot recommend David Ryan’s classes strongly enough! His revision course is 🔥, the craft classes so generative! Check out the what’s starting soon along with other opportunities here: curiovox.com

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