Michael Don
@mldon31.bsky.social
book: PARTNERS & STRANGERS (Carnegie Mellon UP)
mostly writing, teaching, parenting, basketballing
www.michaeldon.net
mostly writing, teaching, parenting, basketballing
www.michaeldon.net
One of the most fun stories ever to write, so glad this story found such a good home!
One year ago, I published this quiet knockout from @mldon31.bsky.social on SSL.
"The internet goes in & out for the rest of the day and then I meet Gloria for barbeque & beer & sexual intercourse. Each of these activities on its own is quite enjoyable, but I wake up in the morning sober & empty."
"The internet goes in & out for the rest of the day and then I meet Gloria for barbeque & beer & sexual intercourse. Each of these activities on its own is quite enjoyable, but I wake up in the morning sober & empty."
The Visitor by Michael Don
"My parents and brother and aunts and cousins and sometimes even my uncles inquire why I choose to live alone in a college town in the middle of nowhere? We’re coastal people. Cosmopolitan people."
ashortstorylong.substack.com
September 24, 2025 at 3:18 PM
One of the most fun stories ever to write, so glad this story found such a good home!
Delighted to have my story "Homecoming" nominated for Best of the Net by @pitheadchapel.bsky.social!
Please join us in congratulating our Best of the Net 2026 Nominees! Good luck everyone!
September 19, 2025 at 4:54 PM
Delighted to have my story "Homecoming" nominated for Best of the Net by @pitheadchapel.bsky.social!
Reposted by Michael Don
Reading from Ethan Hawke & me this afternoon with @FoxCityLit . Thrilled to be a part of this lineup :)
July 26, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Reading from Ethan Hawke & me this afternoon with @FoxCityLit . Thrilled to be a part of this lineup :)
Our summer reading!
July 8, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Our summer reading!
Reposted by Michael Don
Some more Short Story, Long contributor lists (from Brittney Uecker, @mldon31.bsky.social, @mattleibel.bsky.social, @jeffchon.bsky.social, @magicmikewrites.bsky.social) of best & fave stories for the century (so far). Some really great, fun reading lists here. (A cpl of YOU even make appearances!)
"25 for 25" — some more contributor lists
some more Short Story, Long contributors share some of their lists of "best" and favorite short stories from the last 25 years
ashortstorylong.substack.com
June 3, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Some more Short Story, Long contributor lists (from Brittney Uecker, @mldon31.bsky.social, @mattleibel.bsky.social, @jeffchon.bsky.social, @magicmikewrites.bsky.social) of best & fave stories for the century (so far). Some really great, fun reading lists here. (A cpl of YOU even make appearances!)
Tonight!
March 29, 2025 at 3:41 PM
Tonight!
AWP-goers, I'll be reading at this. Would love to see you there!
Thrilled to host an 804 reading in LA at AWP with these fine people
March 25, 2025 at 12:54 PM
AWP-goers, I'll be reading at this. Would love to see you there!
Reposted by Michael Don
Cover reveal for my upcoming book, Ethan Hawke & Me @barrelhouse.bsky.social It sets my own rambling experience of life and love alongside Richard Linklater’s fantastic trilogy. Come read about my failures to figure it all out :)
March 21, 2025 at 2:22 PM
Cover reveal for my upcoming book, Ethan Hawke & Me @barrelhouse.bsky.social It sets my own rambling experience of life and love alongside Richard Linklater’s fantastic trilogy. Come read about my failures to figure it all out :)
Reposted by Michael Don
Thrilled to share the cover for my debut short story collection, forthcoming in October from @autumnhousepress.bsky.social and chosen by @kristenarnett.bsky.social!
Cover Reveal: The Great Grown-Up Game of Make-Believe by Lauren D. Woods! (@ladiwoods.bsky.social)
Winner of the 2024 AHP Fiction Prize, selected by Kristen Arnett, Lauren’s debut collection of lyrical stories invites us to imagine new paths—joyful, whimsical, even absurd—through the world.
Winner of the 2024 AHP Fiction Prize, selected by Kristen Arnett, Lauren’s debut collection of lyrical stories invites us to imagine new paths—joyful, whimsical, even absurd—through the world.
March 18, 2025 at 5:23 PM
Thrilled to share the cover for my debut short story collection, forthcoming in October from @autumnhousepress.bsky.social and chosen by @kristenarnett.bsky.social!
DMV lit scene keeps getting more unstoppable!
DMV area writers, Night Ginkgo Press is looking for your submissions for an upcoming anthology. See more below!
nightginkgo.com
nightginkgo.com
Night Ginkgo
Essential Writing from the DMV
nightginkgo.com
March 16, 2025 at 7:55 PM
DMV lit scene keeps getting more unstoppable!
Went to cafe and wrote by hand and an hour later I had a complete draft of a story and very sore hand. It turns out not clicking around the internet helps me not click around the internet.
February 28, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Went to cafe and wrote by hand and an hour later I had a complete draft of a story and very sore hand. It turns out not clicking around the internet helps me not click around the internet.
Refugee resettlement had never been a partisan issue: www.latimes.com/opinion/stor...
Opinion: Refugee program, halted by Trump, had 40 years of bipartisan success
Far from a drain or a threat, these migrants contributed a net $124 billion to the economy from 2005 to 2019. Before arriving, they are vetted for years, sometimes decades.
www.latimes.com
February 24, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Refugee resettlement had never been a partisan issue: www.latimes.com/opinion/stor...
Delighted to be in this issue with so many great writers!
Issue 46 of Passages North is now available!
Featuring work from Nancy Nguyen, May-lee Chai (翟梅莉), Steve Gergley, Will Musgrove, Allison Field Bell, Areej Quraishi, Kenton K. Yee, Matthew Tuckner, Mike Nagel, Acie Clark, Sara Mae, and many, many more!
Get your copy today!
Featuring work from Nancy Nguyen, May-lee Chai (翟梅莉), Steve Gergley, Will Musgrove, Allison Field Bell, Areej Quraishi, Kenton K. Yee, Matthew Tuckner, Mike Nagel, Acie Clark, Sara Mae, and many, many more!
Get your copy today!
February 19, 2025 at 4:41 PM
Delighted to be in this issue with so many great writers!
Have a flash piece in the new issue of @passagesnorth.bsky.social alongside a bunch of amazing writers! Many thanks to the editors.
www.passagesnorth.com/dads-in-shor...
www.passagesnorth.com/dads-in-shor...
Dads in Shorts by Michael Don — Passages North
www.passagesnorth.com
February 19, 2025 at 4:27 PM
Have a flash piece in the new issue of @passagesnorth.bsky.social alongside a bunch of amazing writers! Many thanks to the editors.
www.passagesnorth.com/dads-in-shor...
www.passagesnorth.com/dads-in-shor...
Reposted by Michael Don
Thrilled to host an 804 reading in LA at AWP with these fine people
February 18, 2025 at 6:58 PM
Thrilled to host an 804 reading in LA at AWP with these fine people
"The cat will be fed and is a real pro at not shitting on the floor. However, if you happen to be taller than 5’10, shorter than 5’4, have a beard, wear capris, corduroy, plaid or denim, she might be a little bitchy towards you."
New humor piece is up!
www.defenestrationmag.net/category/pro...
New humor piece is up!
www.defenestrationmag.net/category/pro...
Fake Nonfiction
Fake Nonfiction
www.defenestrationmag.net
January 30, 2025 at 4:03 PM
"The cat will be fed and is a real pro at not shitting on the floor. However, if you happen to be taller than 5’10, shorter than 5’4, have a beard, wear capris, corduroy, plaid or denim, she might be a little bitchy towards you."
New humor piece is up!
www.defenestrationmag.net/category/pro...
New humor piece is up!
www.defenestrationmag.net/category/pro...
I have a new humor piece up! Many thanks to Defenestration editors @andrewkaye.bsky.social & @eplavelle.bsky.social
"Organic Milk Is Over: Fund the Arts!" New #fakenonfiction by Michael Don on Defenestration: bit.ly/4jDdWgh #DefenestrationMagazine
January 30, 2025 at 12:42 AM
I have a new humor piece up! Many thanks to Defenestration editors @andrewkaye.bsky.social & @eplavelle.bsky.social
D.C. area writers, we're hosting another Fox City reading on Feb. 2. Hope to see you there!
January 16, 2025 at 5:34 PM
D.C. area writers, we're hosting another Fox City reading on Feb. 2. Hope to see you there!
Delighted to have a story in the new issue of Puerto Del Sol! Many thanks to the editors.
December 12, 2024 at 3:47 PM
Delighted to have a story in the new issue of Puerto Del Sol! Many thanks to the editors.
My most recently published story: ashortstorylong.substack.com/p/the-visito...
Thanks again to @aaronburch.bsky.social
Thanks again to @aaronburch.bsky.social
The Visitor by Michael Don
"My parents and brother and aunts and cousins and sometimes even my uncles inquire why I choose to live alone in a college town in the middle of nowhere? We’re coastal people. Cosmopolitan people."
ashortstorylong.substack.com
November 19, 2024 at 3:47 PM
My most recently published story: ashortstorylong.substack.com/p/the-visito...
Thanks again to @aaronburch.bsky.social
Thanks again to @aaronburch.bsky.social
My first published humor piece, “Please Replace the Acknowledgements Page of My Novel with This,” is up at Defenestration Magazine.
I hope you'll give it a read!
www.defenestrationmag.net/2024/01/plea...
I hope you'll give it a read!
www.defenestrationmag.net/2024/01/plea...
"Please Replace the Acknowledgements Page of My Novel with This," by Michael Don
My debut novel has been out for six months and it’s clear from its lack of social media buzz and list-making that it’s complete garbage. Since its release, I have felt nothing but shame and regret...
www.defenestrationmag.net
January 3, 2024 at 2:42 PM
My first published humor piece, “Please Replace the Acknowledgements Page of My Novel with This,” is up at Defenestration Magazine.
I hope you'll give it a read!
www.defenestrationmag.net/2024/01/plea...
I hope you'll give it a read!
www.defenestrationmag.net/2024/01/plea...
Reposted by Michael Don
4 more days to submit to our flash fiction contest! No entry fee. All work will be read closely by our editors. Accepting submissions in both English and Swahili. Excited to read your work!
www.kikwetujournal.com/submissions....
www.kikwetujournal.com/submissions....
submissions
In our continued quest to showcase new and established writers from East Africa and beyond, we are thrilled to be hosting our second annual writing contest to recognize exemplary work from human...
www.kikwetujournal.com
December 7, 2023 at 1:21 AM
4 more days to submit to our flash fiction contest! No entry fee. All work will be read closely by our editors. Accepting submissions in both English and Swahili. Excited to read your work!
www.kikwetujournal.com/submissions....
www.kikwetujournal.com/submissions....
Reposted by Michael Don
A little less than a month to submit to our flash fiction contest. We're enjoying the submissions coming in and excited for those still to come!
The Kikwetu flash fiction competition is now open for submissions! The call-out is open-themed and the winner will receive a $150 cash prize. All finalist stories will be published in issue 9 of Kikwetu. Send us your best work! kikwetujournal.com/submissions....
submissions
In our continued quest to showcase new and established writers from East Africa and beyond, we are thrilled to be hosting our second annual writing contest to recognize exemplary work from human...
kikwetujournal.com
November 13, 2023 at 12:22 PM
A little less than a month to submit to our flash fiction contest. We're enjoying the submissions coming in and excited for those still to come!
Thrilling to receive a signed copy of The Disappeared by @andrewporter01.bsky.social! I started reading his books this past year and he is already one of my favorite writers.
October 31, 2023 at 5:47 PM
Thrilling to receive a signed copy of The Disappeared by @andrewporter01.bsky.social! I started reading his books this past year and he is already one of my favorite writers.
The literary journal I co-edit out of Kenya is open for submissions for our 2nd annual flash fiction contest.
Please help spread the word!
www.kikwetujournal.com/submissions....
Please help spread the word!
www.kikwetujournal.com/submissions....
submissions
In our continued quest to showcase new and established writers from East Africa and beyond, we are thrilled to be hosting our second annual writing contest to recognize exemplary work from human...
www.kikwetujournal.com
October 11, 2023 at 1:42 PM
The literary journal I co-edit out of Kenya is open for submissions for our 2nd annual flash fiction contest.
Please help spread the word!
www.kikwetujournal.com/submissions....
Please help spread the word!
www.kikwetujournal.com/submissions....