Ranylt Richildis
@ranylt.bsky.social
Stories in PodCastle, Strange Horizons and many cool elsewheres. Founder of Lackington's Magazine (yup, still on hiatus). Dark fantasy, weird/horror, film, food, architecture, history, language. https://ranylt.wordpress.com
Pinned
Ranylt Richildis
@ranylt.bsky.social
· Jul 13
To Lackington’s authors and artists: FYI we’ve just deleted our gmail accounts (the main one and the submission one) because 1) ugh, Google, 2) ugh, data breach threats all over, and 3) if/when Lackington’s ever returns, we’ll be using something more secure.
Your privacy and data matter.
Your privacy and data matter.
Reposted by Ranylt Richildis
I think this story is my best published prose, and likely to remain so for a long while @ranylt.bsky.social was an amazing editing partner, and really help me sharpen what I was doing with the language. Also it has a creepy mask inspired by a real creepy mask.
www.imj.org.il/en/collectio...
www.imj.org.il/en/collectio...
January 8, 2026 at 3:48 PM
I think this story is my best published prose, and likely to remain so for a long while @ranylt.bsky.social was an amazing editing partner, and really help me sharpen what I was doing with the language. Also it has a creepy mask inspired by a real creepy mask.
www.imj.org.il/en/collectio...
www.imj.org.il/en/collectio...
Some people do Dry January; I’m doing No SocMed Til Feb 1. Need a cleanse.
Ring it in well, folks. 🥂
Ring it in well, folks. 🥂
December 28, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Some people do Dry January; I’m doing No SocMed Til Feb 1. Need a cleanse.
Ring it in well, folks. 🥂
Ring it in well, folks. 🥂
Just realized Björk is 60, what is time. And now my still-all-time-fave of hers is ringing in my undeserving head. She is a gift. www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUxd...
Björk - Bachelorette (Original 4K Music Video)
YouTube video by Björk: Music Video 4K
www.youtube.com
December 26, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Just realized Björk is 60, what is time. And now my still-all-time-fave of hers is ringing in my undeserving head. She is a gift. www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUxd...
Can confirm. My aptitude slid me into corporate writing and communications for years, and I HATED it. I did it well but was miserable, even at cool places like UNESCO, think tanks and graphic design houses. Hated the drafting itself and hated that my creative brain was drained by day’s/week’s end.
The idea that if you love to write, you should get work writing. This is OFTEN true, but many people will be happier if writing is their fun emotional outlet instead of a job. Writing for work can be gruelling and marathon-esque and a love of the art does not translate to a propensity for the work.
what is your least favorite piece of writing advice and why? 👀
December 23, 2025 at 6:43 PM
Can confirm. My aptitude slid me into corporate writing and communications for years, and I HATED it. I did it well but was miserable, even at cool places like UNESCO, think tanks and graphic design houses. Hated the drafting itself and hated that my creative brain was drained by day’s/week’s end.
Reposted by Ranylt Richildis
I could not mash this fast enough.
December 21, 2025 at 5:36 PM
I could not mash this fast enough.
Reposted by Ranylt Richildis
And just like that, SFWA capitulates. Keep fighting. It works.
December 19, 2025 at 9:45 PM
And just like that, SFWA capitulates. Keep fighting. It works.
Major SFF book awards are allowing GenAI stuff on the ballot now, apparently.
Writers, we have no allies but ourselves.
Writers, we have no allies but ourselves.
a man says " you have my sword " while talking to another man
ALT: a man says " you have my sword " while talking to another man
media.tenor.com
December 19, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Major SFF book awards are allowing GenAI stuff on the ballot now, apparently.
Writers, we have no allies but ourselves.
Writers, we have no allies but ourselves.
The coldest December here in years is kicking our butts, reminding me of my very local weird tale set in deepcoldwhite times—with bootleggin’, icy rivers and coffins, and the ominous USA. Still so thrilled @strangehorizons.bsky.social pubbed this one. ☺️ shorturl.at/T3QUW
The Stitch Beneath the Ice
The ice under the casket was jagged, but Royal Spencer hauled, and the casket slid.
shorturl.at
December 17, 2025 at 5:07 PM
The coldest December here in years is kicking our butts, reminding me of my very local weird tale set in deepcoldwhite times—with bootleggin’, icy rivers and coffins, and the ominous USA. Still so thrilled @strangehorizons.bsky.social pubbed this one. ☺️ shorturl.at/T3QUW
Reposted by Ranylt Richildis
I shall now talk about modern talkies the way people talk about silent films:
I have seen three movies made in the 2020s, this qualifies me to name the best picture of the decade!
I have seen three movies made in the 2020s, this qualifies me to name the best picture of the decade!
December 12, 2025 at 1:17 AM
I shall now talk about modern talkies the way people talk about silent films:
I have seen three movies made in the 2020s, this qualifies me to name the best picture of the decade!
I have seen three movies made in the 2020s, this qualifies me to name the best picture of the decade!
Reposted by Ranylt Richildis
Also, congratulations everyone who made something this year. A comic, a song, a film, a novel, a painting, a poem, a short story, a sculpture, crochet, embroidery, whatever it is. In this era of slop and theft, if you *make* something you are a shining jewel and I am so grateful for you.
December 11, 2025 at 4:38 PM
Also, congratulations everyone who made something this year. A comic, a song, a film, a novel, a painting, a poem, a short story, a sculpture, crochet, embroidery, whatever it is. In this era of slop and theft, if you *make* something you are a shining jewel and I am so grateful for you.
Reposted by Ranylt Richildis
There's a kind of person who is ideologically opposed to metaphor, ambiguity, or really fiction as a concept. Like, they will only accept fiction as a vehicle for propaganda, not as an end unto itself.
December 4, 2025 at 9:19 PM
There's a kind of person who is ideologically opposed to metaphor, ambiguity, or really fiction as a concept. Like, they will only accept fiction as a vehicle for propaganda, not as an end unto itself.
Reposted by Ranylt Richildis
reposting to read in a bit, and also to mention that perusing the archives at lackingtons.com is a grand old good time if you’re hard up for some lovely prose and weird ideas.
December 1, 2025 at 10:31 PM
reposting to read in a bit, and also to mention that perusing the archives at lackingtons.com is a grand old good time if you’re hard up for some lovely prose and weird ideas.
Reposted by Ranylt Richildis
Thank you so much, @ranylt.bsky.social - and to remember Dr Ormeau on my birthday (& at an archaeology ceremony in Belfast!) Feels v serendipitous! I loved working on this story & love Lackington’s.
Verily, I’m in the mood to revisit a classic Lackington’s-style tale of epistolary fabric, this one by @morganvl.bsky.social, with artwork by Marlo Musa. Some days I really miss the less-traditional stories we loved to publish. And our host of anthropologist contributors. shorturl.at/lLDcx
Dr. Ormeau’s Botanical Menagerie, by Morgan L. Ventura
The following is an assemblage of newspaper clippings, letters, court transcripts, and ethnographic logs from both Dr Sidney Ormeau, a botanist, and Dr Agnes Fortune, an anthropologist dispatched b…
shorturl.at
November 29, 2025 at 12:06 AM
Thank you so much, @ranylt.bsky.social - and to remember Dr Ormeau on my birthday (& at an archaeology ceremony in Belfast!) Feels v serendipitous! I loved working on this story & love Lackington’s.
Verily, I’m in the mood to revisit a classic Lackington’s-style tale of epistolary fabric, this one by @morganvl.bsky.social, with artwork by Marlo Musa. Some days I really miss the less-traditional stories we loved to publish. And our host of anthropologist contributors. shorturl.at/lLDcx
Dr. Ormeau’s Botanical Menagerie, by Morgan L. Ventura
The following is an assemblage of newspaper clippings, letters, court transcripts, and ethnographic logs from both Dr Sidney Ormeau, a botanist, and Dr Agnes Fortune, an anthropologist dispatched b…
shorturl.at
November 28, 2025 at 6:04 PM
Verily, I’m in the mood to revisit a classic Lackington’s-style tale of epistolary fabric, this one by @morganvl.bsky.social, with artwork by Marlo Musa. Some days I really miss the less-traditional stories we loved to publish. And our host of anthropologist contributors. shorturl.at/lLDcx
Reposted by Ranylt Richildis
Supporting human rights does not pose a moral, political or spiritual dilemma for anyone who understands their own humanity.🌏🕊️
On this Trans Day of Remembrance, we remember the bright and courageous trans people whose lives were stolen by hatred. Their absence is felt across our city.
We will honor them by building a New York where every trans person can live safely, fully and freely.
We will honor them by building a New York where every trans person can live safely, fully and freely.
November 20, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Supporting human rights does not pose a moral, political or spiritual dilemma for anyone who understands their own humanity.🌏🕊️
Reposted by Ranylt Richildis
I always knew it existed, but it’s distressing to see people begging for the equivalent of foot bindings for their minds and hearts, and using LLMs as the excuse.
Imagine not realizing how much great writing has been birthed from the irreconcilable need to tell someone or something to eat shit.
Imagine not realizing how much great writing has been birthed from the irreconcilable need to tell someone or something to eat shit.
Saw a post today that advised writers to stop writing as if a human will read it and start writing for an LLM that will be summarising.
As someone who really enjoyed trying to develop a peculiar but readable authorial voice, I find this incredibly depressing.
As someone who really enjoyed trying to develop a peculiar but readable authorial voice, I find this incredibly depressing.
November 20, 2025 at 2:14 PM
I always knew it existed, but it’s distressing to see people begging for the equivalent of foot bindings for their minds and hearts, and using LLMs as the excuse.
Imagine not realizing how much great writing has been birthed from the irreconcilable need to tell someone or something to eat shit.
Imagine not realizing how much great writing has been birthed from the irreconcilable need to tell someone or something to eat shit.
Reposted by Ranylt Richildis
A REMINDER!
My short story eBook is here!
If you like Caribbean-centered dark fantasy, this is for you!
@nisishawl.bsky.social, @mauricebroaddus.bsky.social, @gemmafiles.bsky.social, @ranylt.bsky.social, & @kurellian.bsky.social say wonderful things about it!
www.books2read.com/TheAceOfKnives
My short story eBook is here!
If you like Caribbean-centered dark fantasy, this is for you!
@nisishawl.bsky.social, @mauricebroaddus.bsky.social, @gemmafiles.bsky.social, @ranylt.bsky.social, & @kurellian.bsky.social say wonderful things about it!
www.books2read.com/TheAceOfKnives
Available now at your favorite digital store!
The Ace Of Knives by Tonya Liburd
www.books2read.com
November 19, 2025 at 5:00 AM
A REMINDER!
My short story eBook is here!
If you like Caribbean-centered dark fantasy, this is for you!
@nisishawl.bsky.social, @mauricebroaddus.bsky.social, @gemmafiles.bsky.social, @ranylt.bsky.social, & @kurellian.bsky.social say wonderful things about it!
www.books2read.com/TheAceOfKnives
My short story eBook is here!
If you like Caribbean-centered dark fantasy, this is for you!
@nisishawl.bsky.social, @mauricebroaddus.bsky.social, @gemmafiles.bsky.social, @ranylt.bsky.social, & @kurellian.bsky.social say wonderful things about it!
www.books2read.com/TheAceOfKnives
The Johns Hopkins long covid questionnaire they send out to us “novid controls" every 3 months now includes “Politics” among potential stress-causing factors. If we want any more indication of how things are going in North America (and elsewhere).
a close up of a man 's face with the words dr.doctor.tumblr visible in the corner
ALT: a close up of a man 's face with the words dr.doctor.tumblr visible in the corner
media.tenor.com
November 17, 2025 at 2:48 PM
The Johns Hopkins long covid questionnaire they send out to us “novid controls" every 3 months now includes “Politics” among potential stress-causing factors. If we want any more indication of how things are going in North America (and elsewhere).
Feeling guilty that one of the (derisive) nicknames of the bad guys in my anti-authoritarian trilogy is “clangers”.
Fish’s “iInterpretive communities” notion may save me, but barely.
Fish’s “iInterpretive communities” notion may save me, but barely.
The first episode of The Clangers was originally broadcast on this day in 1969.
November 16, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Feeling guilty that one of the (derisive) nicknames of the bad guys in my anti-authoritarian trilogy is “clangers”.
Fish’s “iInterpretive communities” notion may save me, but barely.
Fish’s “iInterpretive communities” notion may save me, but barely.
Reposted by Ranylt Richildis
Lots of "got them at this age, someone else got them for me" which i think misses the point a little bit. Even if u got those books yesterday, it's still concerning people think what you read has something to do with your personality. Slippery slope to assigning morality to fiction. And fascism.
New fear unlocked
There is a subreddit where people post pictures of bookshelves "bookshelf detective", and sometimes it's like "girl I'm dating, what do you think she is like"
And then the comments guess at what kind of person the owner of the bookshelf is and it feels ODDLY HUMILIATING LOL
There is a subreddit where people post pictures of bookshelves "bookshelf detective", and sometimes it's like "girl I'm dating, what do you think she is like"
And then the comments guess at what kind of person the owner of the bookshelf is and it feels ODDLY HUMILIATING LOL
November 11, 2025 at 3:27 PM
Lots of "got them at this age, someone else got them for me" which i think misses the point a little bit. Even if u got those books yesterday, it's still concerning people think what you read has something to do with your personality. Slippery slope to assigning morality to fiction. And fascism.
Bad enough living somewhere the air hurts our face, but now it’s also a somewhere one’s winter boots come with built-in ice cleats. 😒 What are we even doing?
November 9, 2025 at 2:16 PM
Bad enough living somewhere the air hurts our face, but now it’s also a somewhere one’s winter boots come with built-in ice cleats. 😒 What are we even doing?
I’d be extremely salty, too, but also: Happy Mincemeat Pie Season, everyone! 🥧
Lovely wife got some fresh baked mince pies from the bakery and they're... just a lid? What am I meant to do, eat it in the fucking foil? Mind-blowing
November 8, 2025 at 5:57 PM
I’d be extremely salty, too, but also: Happy Mincemeat Pie Season, everyone! 🥧
Just watched 3 Women for the first time and was R I V E T E D. So many questions, not least of which are (a) how did I not see this glorious movie before and (b) dammit, I’m being dragged kicking and screaming into Altman fandom, aren’t I?
November 8, 2025 at 2:54 AM
Just watched 3 Women for the first time and was R I V E T E D. So many questions, not least of which are (a) how did I not see this glorious movie before and (b) dammit, I’m being dragged kicking and screaming into Altman fandom, aren’t I?
Nein! 🫣 apnews.com/article/germ...
Munich's famous river wave has vanished after a cleanup. Surfers hope it will return soon
Germany’s famous river-surfing wave has disappeared, leaving Bavarian surfers high and dry for the first time in decades.
apnews.com
November 5, 2025 at 9:53 PM
Nein! 🫣 apnews.com/article/germ...