The Rotting Leaf
@rottingleafmag.bsky.social
A literary space for the eco-gothic, the eco-horrific, the eco-surrealist, and the eco-weird | Edited by @benlockwood.bsky.social
Read: https://www.briefecology.com/the-rotting-leaf
Submit: https://www.briefecology.com/submissions
Read: https://www.briefecology.com/the-rotting-leaf
Submit: https://www.briefecology.com/submissions
Pinned
The Find — Brief Ecology
www.briefecology.com
"Through a gap in the barn wall a coyote’s amber eye tracks me. The feral gaze clashes with the smell of old hay and dust, the wild peering into the mundane."
This month from The Rotting Leaf: "The Find" by K.M. Greyburn
www.briefecology.com/the-rotting-...
This month from The Rotting Leaf: "The Find" by K.M. Greyburn
www.briefecology.com/the-rotting-...
Reposted by The Rotting Leaf
"Through a gap in the barn wall a coyote’s amber eye tracks me. The feral gaze clashes with the smell of old hay and dust, the wild peering into the mundane."
This month from The Rotting Leaf: "The Find" by K.M. Greyburn
www.briefecology.com/the-rotting-...
This month from The Rotting Leaf: "The Find" by K.M. Greyburn
www.briefecology.com/the-rotting-...
The Find — Brief Ecology
www.briefecology.com
February 14, 2026 at 1:35 PM
"Through a gap in the barn wall a coyote’s amber eye tracks me. The feral gaze clashes with the smell of old hay and dust, the wild peering into the mundane."
This month from The Rotting Leaf: "The Find" by K.M. Greyburn
www.briefecology.com/the-rotting-...
This month from The Rotting Leaf: "The Find" by K.M. Greyburn
www.briefecology.com/the-rotting-...
Reposted by The Rotting Leaf
Chocolate and flowers are OUT
Visceral, gruesome metamorphoses from Scavenger to Hunter are IN
Visceral, gruesome metamorphoses from Scavenger to Hunter are IN
This Valentine's Day, give your loved one what they really want: a strange, horrific tale of transformation.
The Find, by K.M. Greyburn 🐺🫀👇
www.briefecology.com/the-rotting-...
The Find, by K.M. Greyburn 🐺🫀👇
www.briefecology.com/the-rotting-...
The Find — Brief Ecology
www.briefecology.com
February 14, 2026 at 9:33 PM
Chocolate and flowers are OUT
Visceral, gruesome metamorphoses from Scavenger to Hunter are IN
Visceral, gruesome metamorphoses from Scavenger to Hunter are IN
This Valentine's Day, give your loved one what they really want: a strange, horrific tale of transformation.
The Find, by K.M. Greyburn 🐺🫀👇
www.briefecology.com/the-rotting-...
The Find, by K.M. Greyburn 🐺🫀👇
www.briefecology.com/the-rotting-...
The Find — Brief Ecology
www.briefecology.com
February 14, 2026 at 5:03 PM
This Valentine's Day, give your loved one what they really want: a strange, horrific tale of transformation.
The Find, by K.M. Greyburn 🐺🫀👇
www.briefecology.com/the-rotting-...
The Find, by K.M. Greyburn 🐺🫀👇
www.briefecology.com/the-rotting-...
Reposted by The Rotting Leaf
If you like a bit of body horror with your ecofiction, this very cool piece delivers the goods.
"Through a gap in the barn wall a coyote’s amber eye tracks me. The feral gaze clashes with the smell of old hay and dust, the wild peering into the mundane."
This month from The Rotting Leaf: "The Find" by K.M. Greyburn
www.briefecology.com/the-rotting-...
This month from The Rotting Leaf: "The Find" by K.M. Greyburn
www.briefecology.com/the-rotting-...
The Find — Brief Ecology
www.briefecology.com
February 14, 2026 at 1:56 PM
If you like a bit of body horror with your ecofiction, this very cool piece delivers the goods.
"Through a gap in the barn wall a coyote’s amber eye tracks me. The feral gaze clashes with the smell of old hay and dust, the wild peering into the mundane."
This month from The Rotting Leaf: "The Find" by K.M. Greyburn
www.briefecology.com/the-rotting-...
This month from The Rotting Leaf: "The Find" by K.M. Greyburn
www.briefecology.com/the-rotting-...
The Find — Brief Ecology
www.briefecology.com
February 14, 2026 at 1:35 PM
"Through a gap in the barn wall a coyote’s amber eye tracks me. The feral gaze clashes with the smell of old hay and dust, the wild peering into the mundane."
This month from The Rotting Leaf: "The Find" by K.M. Greyburn
www.briefecology.com/the-rotting-...
This month from The Rotting Leaf: "The Find" by K.M. Greyburn
www.briefecology.com/the-rotting-...
Reposted by The Rotting Leaf
It's always a bit jarring when I'm birdwatching and I spot a bird with tiny binoculars staring right at me crossing "big nerd" off his list.
February 13, 2026 at 9:32 PM
It's always a bit jarring when I'm birdwatching and I spot a bird with tiny binoculars staring right at me crossing "big nerd" off his list.
Reposted by The Rotting Leaf
It was believed in medieval times that hedgehogs had spikes so they could roll over fruit to carry home to their children, which is not true but is a really cute idea
February 13, 2026 at 11:26 AM
It was believed in medieval times that hedgehogs had spikes so they could roll over fruit to carry home to their children, which is not true but is a really cute idea
Reposted by The Rotting Leaf
"Seared by its attentions, they understood this knowing mind for the pressure they’d felt for what, now, seemed a span of hours becoming days becoming weeks becoming, becoming."
Today on ergot.: 'Valediction' by Jason Baltazar @jasonbaltazar.bsky.social
www.ergot.press/authors/Jaso...
Today on ergot.: 'Valediction' by Jason Baltazar @jasonbaltazar.bsky.social
www.ergot.press/authors/Jaso...
ergot.
innovative + experimental horror
www.ergot.press
February 14, 2026 at 1:27 AM
"Seared by its attentions, they understood this knowing mind for the pressure they’d felt for what, now, seemed a span of hours becoming days becoming weeks becoming, becoming."
Today on ergot.: 'Valediction' by Jason Baltazar @jasonbaltazar.bsky.social
www.ergot.press/authors/Jaso...
Today on ergot.: 'Valediction' by Jason Baltazar @jasonbaltazar.bsky.social
www.ergot.press/authors/Jaso...
Reposted by The Rotting Leaf
“Our motives are as opaque to a tree as the tree’s motives are to us. And yet we are surrounded by them” - @jsdouglas.bsky.social on ecofiction
Read the full essay 👇🍂
www.briefecology.com/the-rotting-...
Read the full essay 👇🍂
www.briefecology.com/the-rotting-...
J.S. Dougless On ecofiction — Brief Ecology
I’ve always loved a viral clip of Werner Herzog taken during Burden of Dreams . In it, Herzog is standing in his filming location, a verdant rainforest, looking miserable. He says, “Taking a close lo...
www.briefecology.com
February 13, 2026 at 1:59 PM
“Our motives are as opaque to a tree as the tree’s motives are to us. And yet we are surrounded by them” - @jsdouglas.bsky.social on ecofiction
Read the full essay 👇🍂
www.briefecology.com/the-rotting-...
Read the full essay 👇🍂
www.briefecology.com/the-rotting-...
Reposted by The Rotting Leaf
This essay was a lot of fun to write, I hope you enjoy it!
“Our motives are as opaque to a tree as the tree’s motives are to us. And yet we are surrounded by them” - @jsdouglas.bsky.social on ecofiction
Read the full essay 👇🍂
www.briefecology.com/the-rotting-...
Read the full essay 👇🍂
www.briefecology.com/the-rotting-...
J.S. Dougless On ecofiction — Brief Ecology
I’ve always loved a viral clip of Werner Herzog taken during Burden of Dreams . In it, Herzog is standing in his filming location, a verdant rainforest, looking miserable. He says, “Taking a close lo...
www.briefecology.com
February 13, 2026 at 2:46 PM
This essay was a lot of fun to write, I hope you enjoy it!
“Our motives are as opaque to a tree as the tree’s motives are to us. And yet we are surrounded by them” - @jsdouglas.bsky.social on ecofiction
Read the full essay 👇🍂
www.briefecology.com/the-rotting-...
Read the full essay 👇🍂
www.briefecology.com/the-rotting-...
J.S. Dougless On ecofiction — Brief Ecology
I’ve always loved a viral clip of Werner Herzog taken during Burden of Dreams . In it, Herzog is standing in his filming location, a verdant rainforest, looking miserable. He says, “Taking a close lo...
www.briefecology.com
February 13, 2026 at 1:59 PM
“Our motives are as opaque to a tree as the tree’s motives are to us. And yet we are surrounded by them” - @jsdouglas.bsky.social on ecofiction
Read the full essay 👇🍂
www.briefecology.com/the-rotting-...
Read the full essay 👇🍂
www.briefecology.com/the-rotting-...
We've got a new rotten leaf dropping soon, but in the meantime, make sure you don't miss last month's "When the Ghosts Come Tumbling In" by @jsdouglas.bsky.social
www.briefecology.com/the-rotting-...
www.briefecology.com/the-rotting-...
When the ghosts come tumbling in — Brief Ecology
www.briefecology.com
February 12, 2026 at 4:51 PM
We've got a new rotten leaf dropping soon, but in the meantime, make sure you don't miss last month's "When the Ghosts Come Tumbling In" by @jsdouglas.bsky.social
www.briefecology.com/the-rotting-...
www.briefecology.com/the-rotting-...
We hit our submission quota and are now closed until March! Very much looking forward to reading all these weird natures
We are currently open to submissions! Send us your rotten ecosystems and haunted biomes
February 1, 2026 at 11:10 PM
We hit our submission quota and are now closed until March! Very much looking forward to reading all these weird natures
We are currently open to submissions! Send us your rotten ecosystems and haunted biomes
February 1, 2026 at 3:30 PM
We are currently open to submissions! Send us your rotten ecosystems and haunted biomes
Submissions to The Rotting Leaf open at midnight (EST)
January 31, 2026 at 9:18 PM
Submissions to The Rotting Leaf open at midnight (EST)
Reposted by The Rotting Leaf
"There’s this idea that you never actually see the present. By the time your brain catches up to what your eyes saw, the present has already passed. I guess it’s not even a theory."
Today on ergot.: 'True Circle' by Austin Goodmanson
www.ergot.press/authors/Aust...
Today on ergot.: 'True Circle' by Austin Goodmanson
www.ergot.press/authors/Aust...
ergot.
innovative + experimental horror
www.ergot.press
January 23, 2026 at 9:22 PM
"There’s this idea that you never actually see the present. By the time your brain catches up to what your eyes saw, the present has already passed. I guess it’s not even a theory."
Today on ergot.: 'True Circle' by Austin Goodmanson
www.ergot.press/authors/Aust...
Today on ergot.: 'True Circle' by Austin Goodmanson
www.ergot.press/authors/Aust...
Reposted by The Rotting Leaf
Mythaxis Magazine is open to submissions again until Jan30!
mythaxis.co.uk/submissions....
This is our first subs window in more than half a year! We're looking for all forms of speculative fiction (plus pieces for our next end-of-year crime issue) to appear in 2026 and 2027.
Info at the link!
mythaxis.co.uk/submissions....
This is our first subs window in more than half a year! We're looking for all forms of speculative fiction (plus pieces for our next end-of-year crime issue) to appear in 2026 and 2027.
Info at the link!
Submission Guidelines
Speculative Fiction Without Distraction
mythaxis.co.uk
January 23, 2026 at 1:42 PM
Mythaxis Magazine is open to submissions again until Jan30!
mythaxis.co.uk/submissions....
This is our first subs window in more than half a year! We're looking for all forms of speculative fiction (plus pieces for our next end-of-year crime issue) to appear in 2026 and 2027.
Info at the link!
mythaxis.co.uk/submissions....
This is our first subs window in more than half a year! We're looking for all forms of speculative fiction (plus pieces for our next end-of-year crime issue) to appear in 2026 and 2027.
Info at the link!
Reposted by The Rotting Leaf
It’s a very cool piece and you should definitely read it, in our unbiased opinion
www.briefecology.com/p/when-the-g...
www.briefecology.com/p/when-the-g...
January 18, 2026 at 10:26 PM
It’s a very cool piece and you should definitely read it, in our unbiased opinion
www.briefecology.com/p/when-the-g...
www.briefecology.com/p/when-the-g...
It’s a very cool piece and you should definitely read it, in our unbiased opinion
www.briefecology.com/p/when-the-g...
www.briefecology.com/p/when-the-g...
January 18, 2026 at 10:26 PM
It’s a very cool piece and you should definitely read it, in our unbiased opinion
www.briefecology.com/p/when-the-g...
www.briefecology.com/p/when-the-g...
Reposted by The Rotting Leaf
Less than two weeks before we open for horror/Weird fic zine submissions. Get your piece(s) ready! We pay 10 cents per word.
cursedmorsels.com/submission-c...
cursedmorsels.com/submission-c...
Submission Calls
OPEN Zine call (February 1st through 7th) Zine PromptsFor this zine bundle, I’m looking for written pieces about these five prompts: -Cunty Horrors (cunty horror microfiction and mini-essays …
cursedmorsels.com
January 18, 2026 at 8:55 PM
Less than two weeks before we open for horror/Weird fic zine submissions. Get your piece(s) ready! We pay 10 cents per word.
cursedmorsels.com/submission-c...
cursedmorsels.com/submission-c...
Reposted by The Rotting Leaf
In case you missed it, our January piece of short ecofiction was “When the Ghosts Come Tumbling In”, by @jsdouglas.bsky.social. And it’s a weird one (complimentary)
www.briefecology.com/p/when-the-g...
www.briefecology.com/p/when-the-g...
When the Ghosts Come Tumbling In
By J.S. Douglas
www.briefecology.com
January 16, 2026 at 1:19 PM
In case you missed it, our January piece of short ecofiction was “When the Ghosts Come Tumbling In”, by @jsdouglas.bsky.social. And it’s a weird one (complimentary)
www.briefecology.com/p/when-the-g...
www.briefecology.com/p/when-the-g...
Reposted by The Rotting Leaf
"We decided to film it in my unfenced backyard, in the sparse stretch of the Haunts. We figured that there would be no danger, no trouble here, and that, we wouldn’t be a bother, or a trouble, to anyone..."
Today on ergot.: 'Lillie' the debut of TTZ
www.ergot.press/authors/TTZ/...
Today on ergot.: 'Lillie' the debut of TTZ
www.ergot.press/authors/TTZ/...
ergot.
innovative + experimental horror
www.ergot.press
January 16, 2026 at 4:58 PM
"We decided to film it in my unfenced backyard, in the sparse stretch of the Haunts. We figured that there would be no danger, no trouble here, and that, we wouldn’t be a bother, or a trouble, to anyone..."
Today on ergot.: 'Lillie' the debut of TTZ
www.ergot.press/authors/TTZ/...
Today on ergot.: 'Lillie' the debut of TTZ
www.ergot.press/authors/TTZ/...
In case you missed it, our January piece of short ecofiction was “When the Ghosts Come Tumbling In”, by @jsdouglas.bsky.social. And it’s a weird one (complimentary)
www.briefecology.com/p/when-the-g...
www.briefecology.com/p/when-the-g...
When the Ghosts Come Tumbling In
By J.S. Douglas
www.briefecology.com
January 16, 2026 at 1:19 PM
In case you missed it, our January piece of short ecofiction was “When the Ghosts Come Tumbling In”, by @jsdouglas.bsky.social. And it’s a weird one (complimentary)
www.briefecology.com/p/when-the-g...
www.briefecology.com/p/when-the-g...
Reposted by The Rotting Leaf
“When I write in the eco horror corner of the vast ecofiction genre, I try to strip the natural world of human motivation.”
@jsdouglas.bsky.social on Ecofiction
www.briefecology.com/p/js-douglas...
@jsdouglas.bsky.social on Ecofiction
www.briefecology.com/p/js-douglas...
J.S. Douglas On Ecofiction
The Rotting Leaf
www.briefecology.com
January 12, 2026 at 1:33 PM
“When I write in the eco horror corner of the vast ecofiction genre, I try to strip the natural world of human motivation.”
@jsdouglas.bsky.social on Ecofiction
www.briefecology.com/p/js-douglas...
@jsdouglas.bsky.social on Ecofiction
www.briefecology.com/p/js-douglas...
Reposted by The Rotting Leaf
"Like so many others, this tumbleweed is released from its anchoring root, the wind flinging it into the air. It lands on a grasshopper mouse, trapping it and killing it with sharp thorns and percussive bouncing."
When the Ghosts Come Tumbling In, by @jsdouglas.bsky.social
When the Ghosts Come Tumbling In, by @jsdouglas.bsky.social
When the Ghosts Come Tumbling In
By J.S. Douglas
www.briefecology.com
January 10, 2026 at 1:11 PM
"Like so many others, this tumbleweed is released from its anchoring root, the wind flinging it into the air. It lands on a grasshopper mouse, trapping it and killing it with sharp thorns and percussive bouncing."
When the Ghosts Come Tumbling In, by @jsdouglas.bsky.social
When the Ghosts Come Tumbling In, by @jsdouglas.bsky.social