James Montgomery
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jamesmontgomery.bsky.social
James Montgomery
@jamesmontgomery.bsky.social
970 followers 970 following 1.2K posts
Flash writer ✍️ | Latest: Gooseberry Pie, Fractured Lit, FlashFlood | 📖 Best Small Fictions ‘25, Wigleaf Top 50 ‘25 | 💫 Welkin People’s Prize ‘25 | 🌟 HC Bath Flash Award ‘23 | 🥈 Micro Madness ‘24 | He/Him 🌈 www.jamesmontgomerywrites.com
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jamesmontgomery.bsky.social
James Montgomery @jamesmontgomery.bsky.social · Jun 28
I cannot fathom that a story of mine is in the @wigleaf.bsky.social Top 50…! Like, what?! 🤯 Thank you to @splonk.bsky.social and @nualaoconnor.bsky.social for publishing this micro of bare, gleaming bones 🦴 And @stillsquirrel.bsky.social, for the workshop in which this was born 🤍
wigleaf.bsky.social Wigleaf @wigleaf.bsky.social · Jun 28
new on our mainpage: THE WIGLEAF TOP 50 VERY SHORT FICTIONS 2025 (selecting editor @samanito.bsky.social )
Reposted by James Montgomery
jenwithwords.bsky.social
✨LIGHT CHEMICAL SEA - Cover Reveal!✨

After years of writing tiny stories about small moments, I’m so excited to announce that my flash fiction chapbook LIGHT CHEMICAL SEA is forthcoming November 10, 2026 with @bullcitypress.com

Preorders are now available:
bullcitypress.com/product/ligh...
Front cover of book is an abstract painting of ocean blue paint over white canvas. The title is in blocky font with pale navy blue letters. JENNY WONG LIGHT CHEMICAL SEA STORIES & SMALL FICTIONS Back cover of book with the following blurbs: "Quiet, contemplative, transformative, Light Chemical Sea, will send you on a meditative journey through wavelengths of sound, of light, of love, of loss, on pathways of auroras, of highways, of elements, of life. Jenny Wong's singular voice will whisper, will call, will summon you to be present in the warp and weft of her words." -MELISSA LLANES BROWNLEE, AUTHOR OF BITTER OVER SWEET "Jenny Wong is an alchemist turning moments of being into illumination of character. Wong is drawn to those on the periphery, people who don't quite fit in. In small flashes of brilliance she highlights the elements of their lives as they find solace in nature or catch glimpses of their true selves." -DEBBIE ROBSON, AUTHOR OF A GLIMPSE AND THE HERMITAGE "The obscure and almost-absurd become visible and believable under the skillful care of writer Jenny Wong in the compelling Light Chemical Sea, a collection of stories and small fictions. In three parts, she delivers us into the essence of light, dips us full-bodied into the effervescent chemicals we are made of, and then returns us to the sea where life as we know it really begins. The words, beyond language-rich, flawlessly represent images we want to hold under a microscope to try to assess the ways she gives them voice. It's a magic only a few can master. Make no mistake, this is the work of a sterling storyteller who weaves mystery with mundane to concoct a world view that draws us not only into her personal reflections of such basic natural forces (light, chemical, and sea), but leads us, sometimes unknowingly, into a labyrinth of cues and clues towards to the majesty of life we all belong to." —KAREN PIERCE GONZALEZ, AUTHOR OF DOWN RIVER WITH LI PO Description: Jenny Wong peeks into the lives of characters caught in lighthouses, subways, shorelines, Walmart aisles, and airports. With a talent for lingering and looking, with the elemental precision of a poet, her small mosaics imbue the quotidian with quiet wonder. The international traveler, the preteen chemistry student, and the perimenopausal millennial who spends her days in the sun are trail guides for landscapes saturated with solitude and vastness, the whispers of ancestors and the ironies of aging. Light Chemical Sea reports back from the transpacific diaspora, glimpsing into the liminal pause between what happened and what happens next.
February 5, 2026 at 3:36 PM
jamesmontgomery.bsky.social
‘She reported she had explicit instructions to 'not let anyone in the house.’’

The dark humour in this excellent new hermit crab flash from @kazbarwrites.bsky.social in @offbeatlit.bsky.social, which also breaks your heart in equal measure… 🗂️

thedisappointedhousewife.com/2026/02/03/c...
Case Notes for Snow White Ref 01812 ~ victim referral form by Kathryn Aldridge-Morris
Kathryn Aldridge-Morris is a Bristol-based writer of short fiction and creative nonfiction. Her debut flash fiction collection Cold Toast (Dahlia Books) was listed in “Best Small Press fictio…
thedisappointedhousewife.com
February 7, 2026 at 8:12 AM
jamesmontgomery.bsky.social
‘(I’m one of those literal people with no imagination)…’

As always, super writing from @sagreene1.bsky.social in @gonelawn.bsky.social - especially love that honest, vulnerable note it ends on… 🚐

gonelawn.net/journal/issu...
Gone Lawn 63 : S A Greene
gonelawn.net
February 7, 2026 at 8:07 AM
jamesmontgomery.bsky.social
‘And I drank all your milk too. I think it’s important to know I did not give any of the milk to your cat.’

Such a funny, voice-driven flash from @thedrevlow.bsky.social in @claudineliterary.bsky.social, but I also love the truth at the heart of this… 🐈‍⬛

www.claudineliterary.net/benjamindrev...
Benjamin Drevlow | Yes, I did break in and steal your cat.
www.claudineliterary.net
February 7, 2026 at 8:01 AM
jamesmontgomery.bsky.social
‘Dad can’t start anything: a book, a college fund, a conversation…’

Great 100-worder from Rebecca Klassen in @100wordstory.bsky.social 🚬 (especially if anyone needs inspiration for @natflashfictionday.bsky.social’s Micro Competition deadline next Sunday…)

100wordstory.org/finisher/
Finisher - 100Words
Rebecca KlassenDad can’t start anything: a book, a college fund, a conversation, so I know he’s why my bike seat is missing, because I snuck one of his cigarettes, and he’s taken my seat in hope that ...
100wordstory.org
February 7, 2026 at 7:52 AM
jamesmontgomery.bsky.social
‘…horse hooves and wagon wheels and bicycles and strollers and mopeds the color of Easter candy…’

Such amazing energy to this, and a title that make you want to punch the air by the end - yes! @emilyrinkema.bsky.social in @bulbregion.bsky.social 📌

bulbregion.com/Nine-fucking...
Nine-fucking-teen, by Emily Rinkema — The Bulb Region
Nine-fucking-teen — Emily Rinkema IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE CIDER OR it might have been...
bulbregion.com
February 7, 2026 at 7:47 AM
Reposted by James Montgomery
jupiterjonz.bsky.social
So, this!
I am, of course, delighted but also slightly speechless 😊

open.substack.com/pub/weatherg...
Winners of Weatherglass Novella Prize 2.0, with Ali Smith
And announcement of dates for Novella Prize 3.0
open.substack.com
February 2, 2026 at 12:51 PM
Reposted by James Montgomery
natflashfictionday.bsky.social
Subs to our anthology & microcomp close a fortnight today on Sunday 15 Feb! Goodness, that’s come round quickly. There are cash prizes to be won! www.nationalflashfictionday.co.uk
a close up of a puppet with its mouth open and tongue out .
ALT: a close up of a puppet with its mouth open and tongue out .
media.tenor.com
February 1, 2026 at 9:12 PM
Reposted by James Montgomery
theprideroars.bsky.social
>The Pride Roars - Flash Competition 2026<--
@theprideroars.bsky.social

-Free to enter
-Open to all women writers
-1000 words max
-Submissions via google form 14/2-28/2 or until we reach our cap.

theprideroars.blogspot.com/p/flash-comp...
theprideroars.blogspot.com
February 1, 2026 at 6:17 AM
jamesmontgomery.bsky.social
‘The thickest black I’ve ever seen. Hearing the sirens through the TV.’

Devastating, and devastatingly beautiful. My God, what a winner. Yara Zgheib in @welkinprize.bsky.social 📺

www.mattkendrick.co.uk/welkin-stori...
August 4, 2020 | MattKendrick.co.uk
www.mattkendrick.co.uk
January 31, 2026 at 8:01 PM
jamesmontgomery.bsky.social
‘I watched my shadow stay behind, loyal to the dirt.’

One to read and re-read and re-read. Muntasir Salman, second place in the @welkinprize.bsky.social 🚌

www.mattkendrick.co.uk/welkin-stori...
What Stays Behind | MattKendrick.co.uk
www.mattkendrick.co.uk
January 30, 2026 at 11:03 PM
Reposted by James Montgomery
angryrobotbooks.bsky.social
But what a cutie that first draft is.
January 30, 2026 at 12:10 PM
jamesmontgomery.bsky.social
‘Doctors don’t cure witchery, na? The men, they punish.’

This gave me shivers. What a deserving placement in the @welkinprize.bsky.social from @anibanerjee.bsky.social 👏

www.mattkendrick.co.uk/welkin-stori...
That Witch, Gopa Devi, She Burn | MattKendrick.co.uk
www.mattkendrick.co.uk
January 29, 2026 at 2:17 PM
jamesmontgomery.bsky.social
‘I’d had Tom the Cat for two years when I started dating Tom the Man.’

Fantastic writing from @emilyrinkema.bsky.social in @welkinprize.bsky.social; funny, but it’s also got claws 🐈

www.mattkendrick.co.uk/welkin-stori...
Time for Tom to Go | MattKendrick.co.uk
www.mattkendrick.co.uk
January 28, 2026 at 10:23 PM
Reposted by James Montgomery
welkinprize.bsky.social
Voting remains incredibly close. There's currently one story with a bit of a lead but then there are EIGHT stories within TWO votes of each other. So, every vote counts! (Please don't let it end in a tie! I think that would stress me over the edge!)
welkinprize.bsky.social The Welkin Writing Prize @welkinprize.bsky.social · 11d
Now that all the shortlist (barring my winners!) have been published, you can vote for your favourites in the PEOPLE'S PRIZE!!

You've got until the 31st Jan to cast your vote.

Vote for 3 stories.

The 2 stories with the most votes share the crown!!

docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
The Welkin Mini 2026 - PEOPLE'S PRIZE Voting Form
Vote for your favourite THREE stories from the Welkin Mini shortlist. You can vote for THREE stories. Each vote must be for a DIFFERENT story otherwise your entire vote won't be counted. Each vote is ...
docs.google.com
January 28, 2026 at 8:50 PM
jamesmontgomery.bsky.social
Huge thanks to @saloneurope.bsky.social for a brilliant evening! The variety of work shared is what really makes it special. Cheers @kiklodge.bsky.social and @deborahzafer.bsky.social 👏 Especially wonderful to hear @eileentomarchio.bsky.social read this beauty 🍦❤️

ghostparachute.com/issue/novemb...
Drive-Thru Cone — Ghost Parachute
At the McDonald’s window for a soft-serve an hour after you died, I thought of telling the woman who took my three ones that I was motherless now, that I wasn’t hungry, not really, but the germicidals...
ghostparachute.com
January 28, 2026 at 8:38 PM
Reposted by James Montgomery
kiklodge.bsky.social
Stonker of an open-mic tomorrow night at 7pm CET with a riot of writers and poets including @regretteruane.bsky.social @jamesmontgomery.bsky.social @stuhennigan.bsky.social @mczyzniejewski.bsky.social @eileentomarchio.bsky.social 🙌🌟🤗🪶Come, there’s a quiz on sweets! @saloneurope.bsky.social
a jar of skittles original 64 oz candy
ALT: a jar of skittles original 64 oz candy
media.tenor.com
January 27, 2026 at 5:46 PM
jamesmontgomery.bsky.social
Nab one of the last few tickets to this popular party 🎉 The previous salon was my first one, and I just loved the variety of readings. I’ll be sharing a brand new story (*gulp* 🫠), so do come along if you fancy it. Would love to see lots of friendly, flashy faces there 😍 @saloneurope.bsky.social
January 27, 2026 at 2:48 PM
jamesmontgomery.bsky.social
‘She lies naked under a white morgue sheet waiting to be revealed.’

Jo Withers never misses. Just look at how collaborative this piece is with the reader. Brilliance in @welkinprize.bsky.social 🎬

www.mattkendrick.co.uk/welkin-stori...
The Bit Part Actress | MattKendrick.co.uk
www.mattkendrick.co.uk
January 21, 2026 at 6:50 PM
Reposted by James Montgomery
kylebeachy.bsky.social
a poem to read once a month, at least @havehashad.com
January 18, 2026 at 6:07 PM
jamesmontgomery.bsky.social
‘He’d sit on my wife’s lap at breakfast and spew toast into my cereal.’

All rests on that great final line… Petra Marteleur in @welkinprize.bsky.social 🥣

www.mattkendrick.co.uk/welkin-stori...
John | MattKendrick.co.uk
www.mattkendrick.co.uk
January 18, 2026 at 9:43 AM
Reposted by James Montgomery
gilloshaughnessy.bsky.social
⚡️Fast Flash Review: Cheryl Pappas sparkling and surreal 2021 debut, A Clarity of Hunger published by Word West Press. @cherylpappas.bsky.social
January 17, 2026 at 7:42 AM
jamesmontgomery.bsky.social
‘I taught the robot how to say sorry. Sorry widened into a corridor.’

I mean, COME ON. Love the paths this David Anson Lee micro in the @welkinprize.bsky.social takes, how it trusts the reader, how it feels effortless but there’s so much craft at play… 🪑

www.mattkendrick.co.uk/welkin-stori...
Pattern | MattKendrick.co.uk
www.mattkendrick.co.uk
January 16, 2026 at 9:12 PM
jamesmontgomery.bsky.social
‘the serpentine turpentine in a blue bottle / arranges the boy’

The language, the voice…! Unbelievable from @kathyfish.bsky.social in Frigg Magazine 🪟

friggmagazine.com/issuesixtyfi...
Frigg | Winter 2025-2026 | To Gesture and Aloud | Kathy Fish
To Gesture and Aloud, short story by Kathy Fish
friggmagazine.com
January 16, 2026 at 8:03 AM
jamesmontgomery.bsky.social
‘of my apple, my cheese stick, my breast, my French fry, my toast, my shoulder, my banana, my omelet, my heart, I glow.’

Such a distinctive voice. Just wonderful from @robinzlotnick.bsky.social in @welkinprize.bsky.social 🍎
January 15, 2026 at 10:13 PM