AJ Wentz

A friend just said to me, "Every time I read a book you recommended, I have a distinct experience," and I'm going to need that on my tombstone.

Glad to return to my alma mater yesterday as a visiting writer. Had a great time reading poetry, talking shop with @acaffeinatedkat.bsky.social, meeting students excited about literature, and spending time with the professors who shaped me.

Was watching Buffy’s Anya backstory episode. Friend asked why I sighed. “She’s not of a sufficiently high social class to have domesticated rabbits that far north in Europe in that century, but the writers couldn’t know, the paper was only presented at a conference yesterday.” Accuracy is fleeting.

So we drive on, fast against the furious, borne back ceaselessly a quarter mile at a time.

Bringing an iced coffee to my barber appointment as a display of dominance.

My cafe is playing the Gilmore Girls theme song; autumn has officially arrived 🍂 ☕️

But it is one thing to read about dragons and another to meet them.

When I focus on long-form writing projects, I feel guilt for not submitting more, but when I focus on writing and submitting short-form projects, I feel guilt for neglecting my long-form projects.

Just saw Star Trek: the Voyage Home on the big screen, and I will be riding this wave of euphoria all week. Gotta love a film that imagines a better future, one in which humans get our act together and take steps to correct past atrocities 🥹

Celebrate Premee! Be the bugge you wish to see in the world!

Update: it turned out exactly the way it was supposed to, but I don’t like beef wellington 😅

I’ve been itching to try a new and challenging recipe lately, and beef tenderloin was on sale, so tomorrow we’re trying beef wellington.

Grouchy Mentor 4eva, especially if paired with “forced to foster youngster.”

The WorldCon fomo is starting to hit, but it’s also so fun to see what everyone’s up to.

We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of one of our own, Science Fiction Poetry Association Grandmaster, David Kopaska-Merkel. What a profound loss. Our hearts go out to his friends and family.

Yeah come on over we're putting Dolly Parton records on and having a good cry.

responding to a diss track with a song called Genuinely Thought We Were On Good Terms

Reminder: 1. You don't need to have an opinion on everything, especially stuff you don't know enough about 2. You don't need to have a PUBLIC opinion on everything 3. It's okay to focus on one or two things and let others take up the slack elsewhere 4. It's okay to take a break when overwhelmed.

I think all the annoying behaviors we ascribe to Bluesky definitely exist and have existed everywhere else on the internet, but also I think it’s good to have higher standards. I do expect more from you than, like, a twitter user.

Hamlet with lions? Great. Romeo and Juliet with lions?? Excellent. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead with lions??? Transcendant. Why are we getting shot-for-shot live action remakes when we could be getting more Shakespeare with lions?

Why did The Lion King stop after three movies? Where is A Midsummer Night's Dream with lions? Much Ado About Nothing with lions? The Tempest with lions? They could have kept this going.

Let’s go, girls.

Two tables down at my morning cafe, two people are meeting to do the morning crossword together. I love them.

The poetry Hugo is a go! At least until 2029, as there's a policy of re-ratifying new categories three years later. Thank you to @hollylynwalrath.bsky.social, @bugthewriter.bsky.social, @therisingtithes.bsky.social, and everybody else who made this happen!

Really enjoyed Jason Bourne: Return to Ithaca.

I forgive my enemies in my dreams #DailySenryu

It’s true, I’ve fallen victim to cool hair danger on several occasions.

*I* wanna be a horse girl starship captian

"In a fractured age, when cynicism is god, here is a possible heresy: we live by stories, we also live in them. One way or another we are living the stories planted in us early or along the way, we are also living the stories we planted - knowingly or unknowingly - in ourselves." - Ben Okri

For some reason, I thought a plum was a good snack to eat on the way to work. I am now covered in plum juice. This is fine.

I have got to stop reading the comments on NASA’s social media posts.

It’s been ~10 years since I’ve done any website coding,* but this Squarespace price hike might get me back into it. *very small projects, nothing fancy

The Ghost and the Darkness, at a friend’s house when we were in ~5th grade.

How am I supposed to eat the plums that were in the icebox under these conditions?

Wait until Sisyphus finds out about emails.

So can we eat fruit again, or…?

If twenty years of sighing editors can't get me to stop using so many em-dashes, I'm sure as shit not stopping for the plagiarism machine.

That last line, though.

How long does it take to emerge as a writer? From what are we emerging? It’s dark in here, and I’m starting to feel stuck.

Only Human’s inbox was filled with some truly great poetry during last month’s submission window, and we’re still discussing our selections for the upcoming issue.

I cannot be mad at people for what they said to me in a dream. I cannot be mad at people for what they said to me in a dream. I cannot be mad at people for what they said to me in a dream. I cannot—

The latest distinct experience I’m peddling: Sky Daddy by Kate Folk. If you’re looking for a bizarre story that will punch you in the feels, this is it.

Saturday was pretty nice.

Home and very pleased with the treasures I found.

Brought a box of books to a used bookstore today, and not only did they take all of the books, they were excited about them. I also found some absolute gems to bring home. I have received a good grade in used bookstores, a thing that is both reasonable to want and possible to achieve.