Colin Brightwell
banner
cbwell.bsky.social
Colin Brightwell
@cbwell.bsky.social
Fiction writer. Shenanigan enjoyer. Scooby-Doo enthusiast.
It was a pleasure writing something for an anthology edited by @curtisippolito.bsky.social - even more so that it was picked for publication. I wrote it from a place of anger because this is something worth being angry for. I hope you get a copy TODAY and see the amazing work Curtis cultivated here!
AVAILABLE NOW: Some say the world will end in fire or flood. 15 short stories from some of the best crime fiction writers today, including @cbwell.bsky.social. Guest-edited by Anthony winning author @curtisippolito.bsky.social. Order your copy today: bit.ly/4nOVXoK
October 15, 2025 at 9:18 PM
Reposted by Colin Brightwell
If you’re excited about On Fire and Under Water, join us tonight and help us celebrate! Come hang with @pujaguha.bsky.social, @rjbrash.bsky.social, @cbwell.bsky.social, and me as @darkwaterspodcast.bsky.social hosts.

Register here: tinyurl.com/mr3be5ue
September 30, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Reposted by Colin Brightwell
This Tuesday, join @pujaguha.bsky.social, @rjbrash.bsky.social, @cbwell.bsky.social, and myself for a special live celebration of the launch of On Fire and Under Water with @darkwaterspodcast.bsky.social. Register and come listen to what inspired these authors’ stories as I play hype man.
Rock and a Hard Place-On Fire and Under Water
Register now for Rock and a Hard Place-On Fire and Under Water on crowdcast, scheduled to go live on September 30, 2025, 07:00 PM CDT.
na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com
September 28, 2025 at 12:07 AM
FMK: Born in the U.S.A. edition.

Annnnnd go
September 27, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Reposted by Colin Brightwell
@rhppress.bsky.social will be open for submissions from Saturday, November 1st, until Saturday November 22nd!

www.rockandahardplacemag.com/submissions
Submissions — Rock and a Hard Place Press
Submissions
www.rockandahardplacemag.com
September 27, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Reposted by Colin Brightwell
Some say the world will end in fire. Some say flood. In On Fire and Under Water, you get both. 15 short stories from some of the best crime fiction writers today. Guest-edited by Anthony winning author @curtisippolito.bsky.social Listen to Jordan Harper and pre-order your copy today: bit.ly/4nOVXoK
September 26, 2025 at 1:13 AM
Reposted by Colin Brightwell
“Raw, brutal, tender, tragic-these are fifteen stories of people smashed flat by the Invisible Fist, people flailing and fighting against the huge and hidden violence at the center of our world. This is crime fiction that matters, crime fiction that is ready to face what comes next.”

a.co/d/07DXe40
Some say the world will end in fire. Some say flood. In On Fire and Under Water, you get both. 15 short stories from some of the best crime fiction writers today. Guest-edited by Anthony winning author @curtisippolito.bsky.social Listen to Jordan Harper and pre-order your copy today: bit.ly/4nOVXoK
September 26, 2025 at 1:42 AM
I’ve pretty much eschewed most social media these days, but I’ve chiming in to say that I’m writing a lot lately, taking it as serious as breathing, even after wrangling 7th graders all day. And it feels good to do so, in these times. 1000 word days, 300 word days, one sentence days. Progress.
September 23, 2025 at 1:44 AM
Reposted by Colin Brightwell
If you missed it, I had a chance to talk with @bryanharvey.bsky.social for part of his “Airport Beers” interview series about my collection, jerseys, cowboy hats, Arizona’s Pleasant Valley war, and a whole bunch of other stuff (including recommending @cbwell.bsky.social’s awesome new collection)
August 3, 2025 at 4:24 PM
The real story is that American Eagle jeans are absolute shit quality and you should buy almost any other kind of denim.
August 3, 2025 at 2:53 AM
This season of It’s Always Sunny has been cooking with Frank, big time.
July 31, 2025 at 2:06 AM
Watching Big Trouble in Little China for the fourth time in a week.
May 29, 2025 at 1:06 AM
Reposted by Colin Brightwell
You want to cure the male loneliness epidemic? Get all these soft gamer boys onto a boat with a grizzled, veteran sharker to hunt down the Great White who’s terrorizing the island.
May 25, 2025 at 6:48 AM
Two months of my collection NOTHING GOOD EVER HAPPENS IN A FLYOVER STATE from @cowboyjamboree.bsky.social and it’s nice seeing reviews like this one.

If any press or writer out there is open to an interview to discuss it, I’m trying to keep spreading the word.
May 17, 2025 at 1:12 PM
Big life decision that I’m open to advice for:
Received an offer to teach 6th grade English through the same district I work in for way more money than I’m making now. Like way more. But need to take EDU courses over 2 years concurrent with teaching. Worried about how it’ll affect my writing.Ideas?
May 12, 2025 at 5:27 PM
Reposted by Colin Brightwell
This story answer the inevitable question of what happens to everyday people when only the rich can afford to thrive through climate change-destroyed neighborhoods. Colin brought it and you’re gonna love this one like me and the RHP team’
First fiction acceptance for the year and in the last 6 months - my piece “Refugees” will be in @rhppress.bsky.social’s anthology ON FIRE AND UNDER WATER, climate change inspired crime fiction edited by Anthony Award nominee @curtisippolito.bsky.social so you know - he knows what’s up!!
May 12, 2025 at 3:34 PM
First fiction acceptance for the year and in the last 6 months - my piece “Refugees” will be in @rhppress.bsky.social’s anthology ON FIRE AND UNDER WATER, climate change inspired crime fiction edited by Anthony Award nominee @curtisippolito.bsky.social so you know - he knows what’s up!!
May 12, 2025 at 3:07 PM
Another gem from @cowboyjamboree.bsky.social - THE LOWEST BASIN by @jonathanin2k.bsky.social is fantastic. Strong confident voice drives these desert stories. Makes me wanna hightail it out west. Bravo!!
May 5, 2025 at 5:42 PM
I’ve been watching the Final Destination series for the first time and it’s a perfect binge to see in real time a film series’ self dilution from thrills with characters to cheap spills of agonizing by-the-numbers schlock. Xerox of a xerox of a xerox. It starts with Final Destination 3.
May 5, 2025 at 1:45 AM
May 3, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Reposted by Colin Brightwell
I cannot emphasize enough how much I love this book so far. @cbwell.bsky.social is a writer you should be following closely.
April 28, 2025 at 2:15 AM
Anthony Neil Smith’s collection from @cowboyjamboree.bsky.social is fucking bonkers crazy in every best way. Digging the hell out of it.
April 11, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Reposted by Colin Brightwell
April 6, 2025 at 9:51 PM
Reposted by Colin Brightwell
Snag your paperback or ebook of NOTHING GOOD EVER HAPPENS IN A FLYOVER STATE, a stellar debut collection from @cbwell.bsku.social: www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0F3...
Nothing Good Ever Happens in a Flyover State
Nothing Good Ever Happens in a Flyover State - Kindle edition by Brightwell, Colin. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading Nothing Good Ever Happens in a Flyover State.
www.amazon.com
April 3, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Reposted by Colin Brightwell
Pay day? CJ’s got books…
March 28, 2025 at 11:55 AM