Francesca Leader
@mooninabucket.bsky.social
Winner of Southeast Review’s 2023 World’s Best Short-Short Story Contest, 2025 Best Small Fictions. Lapsed scholar/ Pun Perpetrator/ Montana Expat. Words in HAD, Wigleaf, Stanchion, Five South, etc.
https://mooninabucket.com
https://mooninabucket.com
Pinned
What I published in 2024 (a thread, in installments, since I don’t know how else to do it in bsky lol): 7 stories, 38 poems, 2 pieces of CNF, and 6 pieces of visual art (reprints excluded). My production this year was less than 2023, but I won a prize, and received 5 award nominations. ⬇️
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Cheers to the 10 fabulous litmags that published 16 pieces of my writing in 2025 🤗 I spent a lot less time writing, and a lot more time living, in 2026, and I liked it. You probably won’t see more 50-piece publication years for me. Still and all, proud and grateful 💕 🙏
January 1, 2026 at 3:28 PM
Cheers to the 10 fabulous litmags that published 16 pieces of my writing in 2025 🤗 I spent a lot less time writing, and a lot more time living, in 2026, and I liked it. You probably won’t see more 50-piece publication years for me. Still and all, proud and grateful 💕 🙏
Reposted by Francesca Leader
![Comic. [Banner: Mathematical Society: 2025 Meeting.] PERSON 1 with bun: Any other new developments from the year to cover before we wrap? PERSON 2: Oh, the teens picked a new funny number. PERSON 3 with short hair: Aww, I’m glad to hear they’re still doing that. PERSON 4 with ponytail: I’ll add it to the list. [List: 23 (skidoo!; 42; 69; 420; 1,337; 58,008; [circled]: 67]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:cz73r7iyiqn26upot4jtjdhk/bafkreig43e2u4zzpifhq6fbf2iwplmva2lt5rokfg5uws5dysbe55up6wa@jpeg)
December 26, 2025 at 10:44 PM
Grateful to @somewordslit.bsky.social for my final publication of 2025, “Spoons”🙏 This kicka$$ new litmag’s message board format gives the most appealing early internet vibes - check them out! 😊 Direct link below 👇
December 26, 2025 at 8:42 PM
Grateful to @somewordslit.bsky.social for my final publication of 2025, “Spoons”🙏 This kicka$$ new litmag’s message board format gives the most appealing early internet vibes - check them out! 😊 Direct link below 👇
Reposted by Francesca Leader
I have not stared at nearly as many mysterious portraits in castles by candlelight as I hope.
December 21, 2025 at 8:26 PM
I have not stared at nearly as many mysterious portraits in castles by candlelight as I hope.
Reposted by Francesca Leader
![[tweet by R. Gatwood] I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus so I blackmailed them for more presents.
#vss](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:kpd7ehn5yiszxeosv6o4b3cc/bafkreihydkm6gahj7ef6h4zxdb3l6ijjvcyb4fpouodu6x5hwzltft2eem@jpeg)
Reposted by Francesca Leader
To those who celebrate, hope your Christmases are merrier than the ones in this microfiction.
![[tweet from Nanoism] Christmas Eve was the night Santa didn't come. I mean, he didn't come every night, but Christmas Eve was the night it mattered.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:kpd7ehn5yiszxeosv6o4b3cc/bafkreid3hzx3dqiedckklnl5fusto426m2td6jybbn6acex2no7x2lufly@jpeg)
December 24, 2025 at 2:32 PM
To those who celebrate, hope your Christmases are merrier than the ones in this microfiction.
I’d never seen the wonderful concrete poem “Needles” by @brianbilston.bsky.social (2nd image) when I wrote my own tree-shaped poem in 2023, or when @streetcakemag.bsky.social published it last March. I love Brian’s piece, and I love mine, too. We all dip our cups in the same stream🌲 ♥️ 🕯️ 🤗
December 23, 2025 at 8:39 PM
I’d never seen the wonderful concrete poem “Needles” by @brianbilston.bsky.social (2nd image) when I wrote my own tree-shaped poem in 2023, or when @streetcakemag.bsky.social published it last March. I love Brian’s piece, and I love mine, too. We all dip our cups in the same stream🌲 ♥️ 🕯️ 🤗
Really looking forward to reading for the Dodo Eraser launch event in January. Reach out to Travis Shosa on IG or the other place to RSVP, or visit the litmag’s website—link below ⬇️ 🤗
December 22, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Really looking forward to reading for the Dodo Eraser launch event in January. Reach out to Travis Shosa on IG or the other place to RSVP, or visit the litmag’s website—link below ⬇️ 🤗
Got several signed poetry chapbook orders out this morning, and making another run tomorrow if you’d like one. Hit me up! 😊 🥰 Still enough time to get it to you in time for the holidays. $10 includes shipping to anywhere in the continental U.S. 🙏 🕯️ ✨
December 14, 2025 at 8:36 PM
Got several signed poetry chapbook orders out this morning, and making another run tomorrow if you’d like one. Hit me up! 😊 🥰 Still enough time to get it to you in time for the holidays. $10 includes shipping to anywhere in the continental U.S. 🙏 🕯️ ✨
Solo pancake breakfast at IHOP. Because a single mom who works like a lumberjack should be able to eat like one 😊 #selfcaresaturday
December 13, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Solo pancake breakfast at IHOP. Because a single mom who works like a lumberjack should be able to eat like one 😊 #selfcaresaturday
Reposted by Francesca Leader
OK, I wasn't expecting this 🤯
- I travelled to Rwanda in August
- I wrote an essay about it in September
- I started submitting in October
- Only 3 lit mag responses in, and it's an acceptance from
@chicagoqreview.bsky.social !
What a way to end the year 🥳🥂
- I travelled to Rwanda in August
- I wrote an essay about it in September
- I started submitting in October
- Only 3 lit mag responses in, and it's an acceptance from
@chicagoqreview.bsky.social !
What a way to end the year 🥳🥂
December 13, 2025 at 11:01 AM
OK, I wasn't expecting this 🤯
- I travelled to Rwanda in August
- I wrote an essay about it in September
- I started submitting in October
- Only 3 lit mag responses in, and it's an acceptance from
@chicagoqreview.bsky.social !
What a way to end the year 🥳🥂
- I travelled to Rwanda in August
- I wrote an essay about it in September
- I started submitting in October
- Only 3 lit mag responses in, and it's an acceptance from
@chicagoqreview.bsky.social !
What a way to end the year 🥳🥂
Still time before the holidays! Signed copies of my poetry chapbook to anywhere in the continental U.S. available for $10 including shipping. I’ll send you one on my post office run tomorrow if you DM me in the next 20 hours or so 😉
December 12, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Still time before the holidays! Signed copies of my poetry chapbook to anywhere in the continental U.S. available for $10 including shipping. I’ll send you one on my post office run tomorrow if you DM me in the next 20 hours or so 😉
Reposted by Francesca Leader
Reposted by Francesca Leader
"Praeludium and Allegro in the Style of Daniel W. Foster," in 3:AM Magazine. My David Foster Wallace story, replete with footnotes.
www.3ammagazine.com/3am/praeludi...
www.3ammagazine.com/3am/praeludi...
Praeludium and Allegro in the Style of Daniel W. Foster – 3:AM Magazine
My whole life I’ve been a fraud. I have come to accept this with the help of writer Daniel W. Foster and violinist Friedrich “Fritz” Kreisler, the latter of whom (in 1905, hoping to draw attention to ...
www.3ammagazine.com
December 12, 2025 at 3:37 PM
"Praeludium and Allegro in the Style of Daniel W. Foster," in 3:AM Magazine. My David Foster Wallace story, replete with footnotes.
www.3ammagazine.com/3am/praeludi...
www.3ammagazine.com/3am/praeludi...
Reposted by Francesca Leader
End-of-year wrap-up thread. Two stories published, a few mentions of note.
December 12, 2025 at 3:35 PM
End-of-year wrap-up thread. Two stories published, a few mentions of note.
Reposted by Francesca Leader
Who is keeping Danish butter cookies in business? They are tolerable, but does anyone love these cookies? Their sole purpose to me seems to be to remind people during the holidays of how much they like other cookies more and should be grateful for those varieties. It’s like a sweet, clumpy sawdust.
December 11, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Who is keeping Danish butter cookies in business? They are tolerable, but does anyone love these cookies? Their sole purpose to me seems to be to remind people during the holidays of how much they like other cookies more and should be grateful for those varieties. It’s like a sweet, clumpy sawdust.
Reposted by Francesca Leader
December 9, 2025 at 7:32 PM
Many thanks to Zack Kellian for including me is his insightful and funny article on Joe Ponepinto’s “Beyond Craft” substack. To paraphrase the great Shonda Rhimes, if you see a single working mom excelling in one area, it means she’s underperforming in another. And that’s ok.
December 4, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Many thanks to Zack Kellian for including me is his insightful and funny article on Joe Ponepinto’s “Beyond Craft” substack. To paraphrase the great Shonda Rhimes, if you see a single working mom excelling in one area, it means she’s underperforming in another. And that’s ok.
Happy Black Friday from me and the Thanksgiving mess I didn’t clean up yet 💀 Jesus take the wheel … or at least take out the garbage 😆
November 28, 2025 at 2:14 PM
Happy Black Friday from me and the Thanksgiving mess I didn’t clean up yet 💀 Jesus take the wheel … or at least take out the garbage 😆
Acceptance from Trampoline Poetry! My little erotic Duck Phillips poem will appear in February 2025. Thank you so much, Justin 😊
November 23, 2025 at 2:57 PM
Acceptance from Trampoline Poetry! My little erotic Duck Phillips poem will appear in February 2025. Thank you so much, Justin 😊
@villaineralit.bsky.social is the coolest litmag I’ve discovered in a while. I was delighted when they snapped up 4 of my poems. Sharing a snippet of the first, “Goodbye, John,” which I wrote just last month. If you’d like to read more, the link is below in the comments ⬇️🤗 😎 🔪
November 22, 2025 at 4:11 PM
@villaineralit.bsky.social is the coolest litmag I’ve discovered in a while. I was delighted when they snapped up 4 of my poems. Sharing a snippet of the first, “Goodbye, John,” which I wrote just last month. If you’d like to read more, the link is below in the comments ⬇️🤗 😎 🔪
This story is so f—ng good …
My long story, “Kind Girl, Teacher, Sister, Whale” is up today at Pangyrus Literary. Got thirty minutes to spare? It was a sublime experience to inhabit this story during its composition, and maybe it will be so for you during its reading.
Kind Girl, Teacher, Sister, Whale | Pangyrus
“Let’s read this,” said Kind Girl. She sat beside Teacher at his mahogany table and plunked down the Modern Library edition of Moby Dick. The table was scra ...
www.pangyrus.com
November 22, 2025 at 1:29 AM
This story is so f—ng good …
Reposted by Francesca Leader
My long story, “Kind Girl, Teacher, Sister, Whale” is up today at Pangyrus Literary. Got thirty minutes to spare? It was a sublime experience to inhabit this story during its composition, and maybe it will be so for you during its reading.
Kind Girl, Teacher, Sister, Whale | Pangyrus
“Let’s read this,” said Kind Girl. She sat beside Teacher at his mahogany table and plunked down the Modern Library edition of Moby Dick. The table was scra ...
www.pangyrus.com
September 3, 2025 at 1:58 PM
My long story, “Kind Girl, Teacher, Sister, Whale” is up today at Pangyrus Literary. Got thirty minutes to spare? It was a sublime experience to inhabit this story during its composition, and maybe it will be so for you during its reading.