C.K. Liu

I have an odd little piece of humor on restaurant culture up at The Gorko Gazette! thegorkogazette.com/2026/10/12/s...

ok what if I want coffee though

Hey, horror writer friends! I'm still running a deal on my editorial services: $50 for one round of developmental edits on a story under 5,000 words. I have ONE slot left this week and would love to fill it today. Reach out to me at ericraglin1992 [at] gmail [dot] com if you're interested.

"That’s nice, I said. But I didn’t see a basket. Are you sure you didn’t just come up here to spy? You asked for space and we respect that, said my Dad." New today: "Two Conundrums" by Michael Jeffrey Lee Featuring psychic pets, perishable deliveries, banana peals put to inappropriate purposes

Michael's work is always 👌. He's also pretty integral to the Berlin lit scene & just a lovely human. Read this story! And when you're done with that, also read this, which is quick & funny: blacksunlit.com/2023/05/the-...

Berlin-based writer @ckliu.com reads from 'The Xiezhi', a surreal short story that interrogates class, published in our latest Solidarities issue. To read the full story, get a copy of Wasafiri 127: Solidarities here: buff.ly/bwPCKol

To celebrate the official launch of our Solidarities issue today, we're offering a curated bundle of four issues that explore the idea of writing, literature, and art as forms of expressing and practising solidarity. Can storytelling play a role in liberation? buff.ly/YbeORbL

Interesting. I had a pretty good period without brain fog and with fewer other symptoms after I started on methlyphenidate in 2024. I always wondered if there was a connection, something to do with increased blood flow to the brain. (Unfortunately it returned in Dec 2025, then redoubled in Feb.)

It's a day ending in 'day', so I thought I should post about this collection of both the spectral and the bodily horrific: 14 stories of unease and alienation, bleak elation and despair. Ghosts and illness and pain and catastrophe. All the good stuff. undertowpublications.com/shop/i-would...

For anyone only recently joining us, here's a start pack for Swan River Press associates: writers, artists, editors, and other people we've worked with. (If we've worked together and you're not on here, let me know.) go.bsky.app/DJ1R1MF

The 2026 LIGHTSPEED + NIGHTMARE Kickstarter is NOW LIVE! Check out our star-studded lineup of authors & peruse our rewards: subscriptions, signed books, rare magazine collectibles, t-shirts, mugs, and other fun stuff. Thank you in advance if you're able to offer your support.💖 bit.ly/LS-NM-26

You can't blame Ed Sheeran for caving in to American stadium owners I suppose. I mean, take these guys in the 60s, they refused to play to racially-segregated audiences in stadiums in the southern states of the USA and who remembers them now?

My ecological sci-fi horror about fake worms rehabilitating the soil and rich people trying to avoid a poisoned Earth is now up on Phano.

When I was volunteering at the COVID19 vaccine POD in 2021, people would say over and over again that they were getting vaccinated for the people they love. Last year, only 17.5% of American adults got the COVID19 vaccine. Please get one for the people you love. 💕

New project I've teased a few times is officially live! You'll see trading cards at the bottom of every story now and if you tip the authors at certain levels, you'll receive a physical card in the mail! Booster packs are coming to the shop soon and you can see the cards here: foofaraw.press/cards/

This is such a cool idea and a great way to directly support stories you like, authors who write those stories, and the venue that publishes them.

This is what the audience for a Long COVID conference looked like today. Notice anything? 😷

All great. Here's one from 2025 that I continue to love. By @kawaishen.bsky.social, who also happens to have a book out for pre-order. ergot.: www.ergot.press/authors/Kawa... book: metatron.press/news/waverin...

A really basic thing that people who use generative AI to make flyers, menus, book covers etc don't seem to grasp is that it makes it look like a scam. Using an image which has been generated makes it look like the real thing doesn't exist. No one wants to buy a ticket or whatever. It looks fake.

Remember that if you got the Moderna Covid vaccine, you have Dolly Parton to thank, she gave the largest individual contribution toward their research to make it possible.

Have found this to be extremely enlightening & would recommend!

I am in this! Well, some cats I know are in this. Patrick's cats, actually. He should really take better care of them.

"Look who it is. The birthday boy. You ain't little no more, kid. You’re a man now, by law. Been invited to the fuck parties yet?" Today on ergot.: 'Schlieren Dots Over Poggendorff Eyes' by @odinmeadows.bsky.social www.ergot.press/authors/Odin...

My story "The Beast" is live on @bulbculture.bsky.social, revived after it first was born and died on the Cheek Teeth blog long ago. It's a flash about a beast. Wait, hold on, I'm reading here THE Beast. Okay, well, whatever that means, here you go. www.bulbculturecollective.com/read/the-bea...

[at the top of the stairs] [is a painting of a clown] [with yellow dots for eyes] Today on ergot.: 'Schlieren Dots Over Poggendorff Eyes' by @odinmeadows.bsky.social www.ergot.press/authors/Odin... Note: suicide

Tomorrow on ergot.: clownin' around with Odin Meadows @odinmeadows.bsky.social

Our autumn 2026 issue, Wasafiri 127: Solidarities, is available to order now! Can storytelling play a role in liberation? Read through powerful interviews with major writers, poetry, life writing, and fiction on encampments, the university, protest, and more. wasafiri.org/shop/issues/...

In the Renaissance people theorized, since the Aeneid is great, if you wrote poems made only of words & phrases from the Aeneid rearranged they should be great too, since a great source regurgitated should yield greatness. They produced NOTHING we still read. Thinking about that a lot lately.

"Today's the day I write again. It'll be great. I'm caffeinated and have no other obligations. Writing has my undivided attention. I feel inspired."

Introducing the cover of our forthcoming issue, Wasafiri 127: Solidarities ✊ Showing a 2025 painting by LA-based artist Massoud Hayoun, titled ‘General Strike’.

📢 Call for Support! We’re looking for bookshops and cultural venues across the UK and internationally who would like to stock Wasafiri. We offer great rates on an outright or sale-or-return basis and would love to bring our engaging writing to your readers. 📧 cassie.lawrence@qmul.ac.uk

@catgyoung.bsky.social #medsky

Delighted to be back in ergot today.

come dance with me

I just—like, sure, being a trillionaire is cool I guess but what’s it all for if you haven’t even seen the wreckage of the titanic firsthand

Just re-upping this while the announcement is hot. (And, don't worry, we'll send out the info again as the deadline draws closer. This is for all those who want to write 5 words a day ONLY.)

This month, in honor of pride, we're going to be reposting stories from some of the LGBTQ authors that published work on the site. First up: 'The Houseguest' by Ava Devries @avadevries.bsky.social www.ergot.press/authors/Ava_...

In case there were any questions on the matter: ergot. is down with pride This month, in addition to new work from queer writers and on being queer, we'll be spotlighting past work from some of our many unparalleled writers who are LGBTQ+.

I used to think the scariest part of being a writer was being vulnerable, but no, the scariest part is definitely going to the post office.