St John Starling (evil now)
@stjohnstarling.bsky.social
Retired jazz musician | Author of What Manner of Man | He/him | Mostly on Tumblr
🦇 Blog: https://stjohnstarling.tumblr.com
🦇 Newsletter/read for free: https://stjohnstarling.substack.com
🦇 BUY WMOM: https://stjohnstarling.itch.io/what-manner-of-man
🦇 Blog: https://stjohnstarling.tumblr.com
🦇 Newsletter/read for free: https://stjohnstarling.substack.com
🦇 BUY WMOM: https://stjohnstarling.itch.io/what-manner-of-man
Pinned
St John Starling; bird of ill omen and author of queer novels of subversive high camp. My artist and editor is
@beastliness.bsky.social
What Manner of Man: a blasphemous gothic romance about a priest and a vampire
Follow my work: stjohnstarling.substack.com
Patreon: www.patreon.com/stjohnstarling
@beastliness.bsky.social
What Manner of Man: a blasphemous gothic romance about a priest and a vampire
Follow my work: stjohnstarling.substack.com
Patreon: www.patreon.com/stjohnstarling
Reflections on 2025 and updates on A Companion in Vice + an essay project and What Manner of Man physical editions in today's newsletter -> stjohnstarling.substack.com/p/new-yearsl...
January 3, 2026 at 4:31 PM
Reflections on 2025 and updates on A Companion in Vice + an essay project and What Manner of Man physical editions in today's newsletter -> stjohnstarling.substack.com/p/new-yearsl...
Did you hear they’ve decided to build an ancient subterranean labyrinth for people to get lost in and starve to death?
January 2, 2026 at 7:06 PM
Did you hear they’ve decided to build an ancient subterranean labyrinth for people to get lost in and starve to death?
Yes, okay, I’ve been poisoning your daily cup of tea, but don’t tell me you haven’t enjoyed it. Every day becoming a little weaker, a little more helpless, more susceptible, turning pale and waifish and trembling - but suddenly I’m the bad guy!
January 2, 2026 at 5:23 PM
Yes, okay, I’ve been poisoning your daily cup of tea, but don’t tell me you haven’t enjoyed it. Every day becoming a little weaker, a little more helpless, more susceptible, turning pale and waifish and trembling - but suddenly I’m the bad guy!
And lo his skeets were as profound they were was mirthful. And they did laugh mightily.
December 27, 2025 at 5:33 PM
And lo his skeets were as profound they were was mirthful. And they did laugh mightily.
The world is actually atop a vast crystal spire, the base of which which rests on a plate being spun on a stick by a gnome. Or so the philosophers say.
December 27, 2025 at 5:32 PM
The world is actually atop a vast crystal spire, the base of which which rests on a plate being spun on a stick by a gnome. Or so the philosophers say.
(To the tune of Personal Jesus)
Your own. Personal. Pizza.
Baked at 500 degrees
Covered in cheese
Your own. Personal. Pizza.
Baked at 500 degrees
Covered in cheese
December 24, 2025 at 1:54 AM
(To the tune of Personal Jesus)
Your own. Personal. Pizza.
Baked at 500 degrees
Covered in cheese
Your own. Personal. Pizza.
Baked at 500 degrees
Covered in cheese
Reposted by St John Starling (evil now)
sign up to read A COMPANION IN VICE→ stjohnstarling.substack.com/p/a-companio...
A Companion in Vice
Defy the laws of man and god with me.
stjohnstarling.substack.com
December 20, 2025 at 1:49 AM
sign up to read A COMPANION IN VICE→ stjohnstarling.substack.com/p/a-companio...
Reposted by St John Starling (evil now)
putting pins into that boy and studying him like a specimen
December 20, 2025 at 1:43 AM
putting pins into that boy and studying him like a specimen
Reposted by St John Starling (evil now)
You’re all just jealous of my vast underground tunnel system.
December 24, 2025 at 12:49 AM
You’re all just jealous of my vast underground tunnel system.
As a novelist I consider it my job to stick pins into my main character and study him like a bug. @beastliness.bsky.social has been doing much the same in their own sphere.
Today on Patreon: A tantalizing new pin-up (pun intended) drawing and some process images. www.patreon.com/posts/specim...
Today on Patreon: A tantalizing new pin-up (pun intended) drawing and some process images. www.patreon.com/posts/specim...
December 19, 2025 at 5:11 AM
As a novelist I consider it my job to stick pins into my main character and study him like a bug. @beastliness.bsky.social has been doing much the same in their own sphere.
Today on Patreon: A tantalizing new pin-up (pun intended) drawing and some process images. www.patreon.com/posts/specim...
Today on Patreon: A tantalizing new pin-up (pun intended) drawing and some process images. www.patreon.com/posts/specim...
Whoops, I forget what was in that syringe I just injected you with. Hang on. (Glances down at my comically large syringe labelled “mega aphrodisiac”) Hm. Well, you won’t die.
December 17, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Whoops, I forget what was in that syringe I just injected you with. Hang on. (Glances down at my comically large syringe labelled “mega aphrodisiac”) Hm. Well, you won’t die.
Reposted by St John Starling (evil now)
I Heard an Angel
A tender messenger drifting through winter skies. A queer reinterpretation of the celestial. ✨
☁️💫🪽
www.etsy.com/mx/listing/9...
A tender messenger drifting through winter skies. A queer reinterpretation of the celestial. ✨
☁️💫🪽
www.etsy.com/mx/listing/9...
December 16, 2025 at 4:33 PM
I Heard an Angel
A tender messenger drifting through winter skies. A queer reinterpretation of the celestial. ✨
☁️💫🪽
www.etsy.com/mx/listing/9...
A tender messenger drifting through winter skies. A queer reinterpretation of the celestial. ✨
☁️💫🪽
www.etsy.com/mx/listing/9...
As someone who is not Jewish, I want to affirm to all of the Jewish people in my life that I share their grief with each holiday that brings news of yet another appalling antisemitic hate crime.
December 15, 2025 at 6:14 PM
As someone who is not Jewish, I want to affirm to all of the Jewish people in my life that I share their grief with each holiday that brings news of yet another appalling antisemitic hate crime.
Playing mind games with you in a helpful and benevolent way, with only the nicest possible intentions.
December 10, 2025 at 1:33 AM
Playing mind games with you in a helpful and benevolent way, with only the nicest possible intentions.
*kneels in front of you, unzips your pants, and unhinges my jaw*
December 9, 2025 at 12:19 AM
*kneels in front of you, unzips your pants, and unhinges my jaw*
Bad news, everyone - I've been consulting the oracle and it's looking increasingly like life is short and happiness is rare; we may need to take the chance of being wrong and destroying everything in order to change our lives for the better.
December 9, 2025 at 12:02 AM
Bad news, everyone - I've been consulting the oracle and it's looking increasingly like life is short and happiness is rare; we may need to take the chance of being wrong and destroying everything in order to change our lives for the better.
Honestly you should be pretty worried about my coming thousand year reign of darkness.
December 8, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Honestly you should be pretty worried about my coming thousand year reign of darkness.
Hey, it’s not my fault that when I said I wanted to know what was in your heart, you thought I was being metaphorical.
December 8, 2025 at 1:58 AM
Hey, it’s not my fault that when I said I wanted to know what was in your heart, you thought I was being metaphorical.
Reposted by St John Starling (evil now)
apologies for the delay in responding to your message I have been prey to foul and unnatural thoughts
December 6, 2025 at 10:36 PM
apologies for the delay in responding to your message I have been prey to foul and unnatural thoughts
Not enough people are going mad and throwing themselves at my feet, tearing their hair and rending their clothes for want of me.
December 7, 2025 at 2:22 AM
Not enough people are going mad and throwing themselves at my feet, tearing their hair and rending their clothes for want of me.
All my best friends let me puppet them around by invisible threads like they’re little marionettes.
December 6, 2025 at 10:32 PM
All my best friends let me puppet them around by invisible threads like they’re little marionettes.
Part of maturity is knowing how to talk shit in ways that are completely subjective and do not matter, without taking it too seriously or letting yourself get worked up about it. And also knowing not to do that in public.
December 6, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Part of maturity is knowing how to talk shit in ways that are completely subjective and do not matter, without taking it too seriously or letting yourself get worked up about it. And also knowing not to do that in public.
Sodom and good morning. 💅
December 6, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Sodom and good morning. 💅
Every morning in the torture dungeon, the torturer (love your job and you’ll never work a day in your life) goes around greeting his victims with, “wakey wakey begs and achey.”
December 6, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Every morning in the torture dungeon, the torturer (love your job and you’ll never work a day in your life) goes around greeting his victims with, “wakey wakey begs and achey.”