Kathy Fish
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kathyfish.bsky.social
Kathy Fish
@kathyfish.bsky.social
Ploughshares | Best American Nonreq'd | Copper Nickel Editors' Prize | The Norton Reader | ElectricLit | Flash Fiction America | Swamp Pink | Wigleaf | Five Points (forthcoming) | The Art of Flash Fiction https://artofflashfiction.substack.com
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Hey, some happy news! Sometimes nominations come from the Pushcart Contributing Editors. I was just informed this story has been nominated! Many, many thanks to Paul Crenshaw for the nod and much needed boost. 💙
I worked for many weeks on this story, playing with the present continuous tense which, I think, locked my sad narrator into a particular time and place in a way that pleased my ear. Sharing it here, along with the gorgeous illustration by Kaylan Stedman Friedman. ghostparachute.com/issue/octobe...
The Saddest Fuckers of All — Ghost Parachute
I am needing a prescription for the Pill. I can no longer use Student Health due to living in a new town and not being a student anymore. I am telling this to the kid as he is rolling out pizza dough ...
ghostparachute.com
Hey, some happy news! Sometimes nominations come from the Pushcart Contributing Editors. I was just informed this story has been nominated! Many, many thanks to Paul Crenshaw for the nod and much needed boost. 💙
I worked for many weeks on this story, playing with the present continuous tense which, I think, locked my sad narrator into a particular time and place in a way that pleased my ear. Sharing it here, along with the gorgeous illustration by Kaylan Stedman Friedman. ghostparachute.com/issue/octobe...
The Saddest Fuckers of All — Ghost Parachute
I am needing a prescription for the Pill. I can no longer use Student Health due to living in a new town and not being a student anymore. I am telling this to the kid as he is rolling out pizza dough ...
ghostparachute.com
December 29, 2025 at 3:11 PM
Reposted by Kathy Fish
Beautiful story.
I worked for many weeks on this story, playing with the present continuous tense which, I think, locked my sad narrator into a particular time and place in a way that pleased my ear. Sharing it here, along with the gorgeous illustration by Kaylan Stedman Friedman. ghostparachute.com/issue/octobe...
The Saddest Fuckers of All — Ghost Parachute
I am needing a prescription for the Pill. I can no longer use Student Health due to living in a new town and not being a student anymore. I am telling this to the kid as he is rolling out pizza dough ...
ghostparachute.com
December 29, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Reposted by Kathy Fish
Why are there Pop Tarts but no Mom Tarts? The pastry-archy.
December 28, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Whoosh. Fantastic, gorgeously unsettling. A piece that resonates beyond the final word. Great new work by @philippabowe.bsky.social in the new issue of @necessaryfiction.com 💙
The wonderful @necessaryfiction.com put out a beautiful, irresistible solstice/New Year call, Points of Light. I'm very happy they selected the prose poem I wrote for it and to feature in such a gorgeous line up! 🙏🤩💜
necessaryfiction.com/stories/poin...
December 28, 2025 at 6:41 PM
Reposted by Kathy Fish
Sharing the opening poem, “Pseudo Myth” from MORE FLOWERS, out with @triohousepress.org on February 1st, 2026! 🌺

#smallpoemsunday
@tomsnarsky.bsky.social
December 28, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Reposted by Kathy Fish
Read this lying on the sofa in my Still Recovering From Flu state. Gosh Kathy, it’s a masterpiece, the present continous tense adding something special to the whole. A masterclass in how a story can gently unfold. Always love your work! ❤️
I worked for many weeks on this story, playing with the present continuous tense which, I think, locked my sad narrator into a particular time and place in a way that pleased my ear. Sharing it here, along with the gorgeous illustration by Kaylan Stedman Friedman. ghostparachute.com/issue/octobe...
The Saddest Fuckers of All — Ghost Parachute
I am needing a prescription for the Pill. I can no longer use Student Health due to living in a new town and not being a student anymore. I am telling this to the kid as he is rolling out pizza dough ...
ghostparachute.com
December 28, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Thanks so much, @junegemmell.bsky.social 💙
Read this lying on the sofa in my Still Recovering From Flu state. Gosh Kathy, it’s a masterpiece, the present continous tense adding something special to the whole. A masterclass in how a story can gently unfold. Always love your work! ❤️
I worked for many weeks on this story, playing with the present continuous tense which, I think, locked my sad narrator into a particular time and place in a way that pleased my ear. Sharing it here, along with the gorgeous illustration by Kaylan Stedman Friedman. ghostparachute.com/issue/octobe...
December 28, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Reposted by Kathy Fish
“One night after closing, I said to the kid, we should go sledding at the golf course. And I could tell he was being suspicious of this, it being two o’clock in the morning”

I always love Kathy’s work, and this hits with every line.
I worked for many weeks on this story, playing with the present continuous tense which, I think, locked my sad narrator into a particular time and place in a way that pleased my ear. Sharing it here, along with the gorgeous illustration by Kaylan Stedman Friedman. ghostparachute.com/issue/octobe...
The Saddest Fuckers of All — Ghost Parachute
I am needing a prescription for the Pill. I can no longer use Student Health due to living in a new town and not being a student anymore. I am telling this to the kid as he is rolling out pizza dough ...
ghostparachute.com
December 28, 2025 at 4:34 PM
I worked for many weeks on this story, playing with the present continuous tense which, I think, locked my sad narrator into a particular time and place in a way that pleased my ear. Sharing it here, along with the gorgeous illustration by Kaylan Stedman Friedman. ghostparachute.com/issue/octobe...
The Saddest Fuckers of All — Ghost Parachute
I am needing a prescription for the Pill. I can no longer use Student Health due to living in a new town and not being a student anymore. I am telling this to the kid as he is rolling out pizza dough ...
ghostparachute.com
December 28, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Reposted by Kathy Fish
My one resolution for 2026 is to refer to all my meals as either “wet food” or “dry food”
December 27, 2025 at 11:07 AM
Reposted by Kathy Fish
forgot to hit "publish" on this yesterday. wrapping up the year on Short Story, Long with some lists — some more best & fave stories of the century (so far) this week, and some of our fave story collections of 2025 next week.

check out some of these faves! add some of your own in the comments!
"25 for 25" — a few more contributor lists
wrapping up the year with a few more Short Story, Long contributor lists of "best" and favorite short stories from the last 25 years
ashortstorylong.substack.com
December 24, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Reposted by Kathy Fish
Here they are as promised! A new batch of prompts for 2025 from me to you with love & gratitude. 🎁 Give 15 minutes a day to your writing during this busy season and start 2026 with 15 fresh drafts or at least some glimmers. Use January to polish and send off. ❤ open.substack.com/pub/artoffla...
With Gratitude: Fifteen Prompts to Get Us Through the Rest of (Another) Tired, Old Year
“For last year’s words belong to last year’s language.
open.substack.com
December 24, 2025 at 11:56 AM
Reposted by Kathy Fish
Hot Flash Literary's Best Small Fictions nominations!! @kathyfish.bsky.social @csquareh.bsky.social Deepthi Krishnamurthy @writesofkathryn.bsky.social Mikki Aronoff

Congrats and good luck to all!!
December 22, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Thanks so much. I'm honored. ❤️ Congrats to all!
Hot Flash Literary's Best Small Fictions nominations!! @kathyfish.bsky.social @csquareh.bsky.social Deepthi Krishnamurthy @writesofkathryn.bsky.social Mikki Aronoff

Congrats and good luck to all!!
December 22, 2025 at 6:02 PM
Reposted by Kathy Fish
These wonderful writing prompts! Thank you, @kathyfish.bsky.social!❤️
Here they are as promised! A new batch of prompts for 2025 from me to you with love & gratitude. 🎁 Give 15 minutes a day to your writing during this busy season and start 2026 with 15 fresh drafts or at least some glimmers. Use January to polish and send off. ❤ open.substack.com/pub/artoffla...
With Gratitude: Fifteen Prompts to Get Us Through the Rest of (Another) Tired, Old Year
“For last year’s words belong to last year’s language.
open.substack.com
December 22, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Reposted by Kathy Fish
What we call the beginning is often the end and to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from.

T. S. Eliot, Four Quartets

Happy Solstice
December 21, 2025 at 7:16 AM
Reposted by Kathy Fish
Good morning! Today, I will share a thread of poems for/about winter solstice

Do feel free to add your own or anything else appropriate.

❄️❄️🕯🕯❄️❄️

This one is W.S. Merwin
December 21, 2025 at 8:05 AM
Reposted by Kathy Fish
It’s the “season of love and giving”…but this year, doesn’t it seem more like a “season of fear and taking”? Like many of you, I’ve been saddened by the human impact of draconian government budget cuts and how angry many housed Americans are at unhoused Americans.

🧵 1 of 9
December 21, 2025 at 2:51 AM
Reposted by Kathy Fish
Here they are as promised! A new batch of prompts for 2025 from me to you with love & gratitude. 🎁 Give 15 minutes a day to your writing during this busy season and start 2026 with 15 fresh drafts or at least some glimmers. Use January to polish and send off. ❤ open.substack.com/pub/artoffla...
With Gratitude: Fifteen Prompts to Get Us Through the Rest of (Another) Tired, Old Year
“For last year’s words belong to last year’s language.
open.substack.com
December 17, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Reposted by Kathy Fish
Writing prompts for the rest of the year from @kathyfish.bsky.social ! 15 minutes a day and you'll wake up January 1 with something to work on, instead of yet another terrifying blank page. 💙
Here they are as promised! A new batch of prompts for 2025 from me to you with love & gratitude. 🎁 Give 15 minutes a day to your writing during this busy season and start 2026 with 15 fresh drafts or at least some glimmers. Use January to polish and send off. ❤ open.substack.com/pub/artoffla...
With Gratitude: Fifteen Prompts to Get Us Through the Rest of (Another) Tired, Old Year
“For last year’s words belong to last year’s language.
open.substack.com
December 17, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Reposted by Kathy Fish
Very cool prompts from @kathyfish.bsky.social 🎉💙🎉
Here they are as promised! A new batch of prompts for 2025 from me to you with love & gratitude. 🎁 Give 15 minutes a day to your writing during this busy season and start 2026 with 15 fresh drafts or at least some glimmers. Use January to polish and send off. ❤ open.substack.com/pub/artoffla...
With Gratitude: Fifteen Prompts to Get Us Through the Rest of (Another) Tired, Old Year
“For last year’s words belong to last year’s language.
open.substack.com
December 17, 2025 at 3:35 PM
You guys...someone I love is a middle school / high school English teacher. The head of her school has asked her to fudge the grades she turned in because they are "too low." She has chosen not to return to said school next year. (She said the grades were not even *that* low.)
December 17, 2025 at 3:26 PM
Here they are as promised! A new batch of prompts for 2025 from me to you with love & gratitude. 🎁 Give 15 minutes a day to your writing during this busy season and start 2026 with 15 fresh drafts or at least some glimmers. Use January to polish and send off. ❤ open.substack.com/pub/artoffla...
With Gratitude: Fifteen Prompts to Get Us Through the Rest of (Another) Tired, Old Year
“For last year’s words belong to last year’s language.
open.substack.com
December 17, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Tomorrow I'll be posting FIFTEEN new writing prompts to get us through each of the remaining days of 2025. Create some fresh drafts or glimmers, then go in to revise and submit in the New Year! 💙
December 16, 2025 at 4:26 PM
Reposted by Kathy Fish
I've taken the reins for this month's #Mondettes - it's my end-of-year round-up of some of my favourites from 2025, also known as the MAFFIAS!!!

mondettes.substack.com/p/december-2...
December 16, 2025 at 10:58 AM