Sarah McPherson
LightNews LightNews
banner
summermoth.bsky.social
Sarah McPherson
@summermoth.bsky.social
470 followers 570 following 370 posts
HE manager by day. Writer, crafter, LARPer, runner. Procrastinator extraordinaire. Lover of the fantastic. Definitely not a grown up. She/her.

Find me here: https://linktr.ee/summer_moth
Posts Replies Media Videos
Pinned
summermoth.bsky.social
Sarah McPherson @summermoth.bsky.social · Jul 25
My story 'Poison', shortlisted in the WestWord Folktale Flash competition @retreatwest.bsky.social, is now available to read! 🍎 westword.substack.com/p/poison

Congratulations to the winners and to my fellow shortlistees 🎉
#flashfiction
Poison
A Flash Fiction by Sarah McPherson
westword.substack.com
summermoth.bsky.social
Homemade chocolate covered Brazil nuts (three ways), and Christmas pudding made and steaming!
Homemade chocolate covered Brazil nuts in a small grey ceramic dish. There are three varieties: white chocolate drizzled with milk chocolate, milk chocolate drizzled with dark chocolate, and dark chocolate drizzled with white chocolate. A Christmas pudding in a foil-covered basin, steaming in a pan on the hob.
December 24, 2025 at 8:47 PM
Reposted by Sarah McPherson
hookland.bsky.social
As it is the season … have a wonderful Hookland Bone Horse by the wonderful @mariastrutz.bsky.social
December 21, 2025 at 8:21 PM
summermoth.bsky.social
Have loved this poem since the first time I saw it 🌅
terriwindling.bsky.social Terri Windling @terriwindling.bsky.social · 9d
A poem for Winter Solstice: "The Shortest Day" by Susan Cooper, author The Dark is Rising and numerous other luminous books.

The image is from www.thelostland.com. The poem is © Susan Cooper.
The Shortest Day by Susan Cooper: And so the Shortest Day came and the year died / And everywhere down the centuries of the snow-white world / Came people singing, dancing, / To drive the dark away. / They lighted candles in the winter trees; / They hung their homes with evergreen; / They burned beseeching fires all night long / To keep the year alive. / And when the new year’s sunshine blazed awake / They shouted, reveling. / Through all the frosty ages you can hear them / Echoing behind us—listen! / All the long echoes, sing the same delight, / This Shortest Day, / As promise wakens in the sleeping land: / They carol, feast, give thanks, / And dearly love their friends, / And hope for peace. / And now so do we, here, now, / This year and every year. / Welcome, Yule!
December 21, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Reposted by Sarah McPherson
hookland.bsky.social
Folklore walks. Not just across imagined lines on maps of nations, not just across time itself. Folklore instinctively walks towards landmarks. When stories see a ruin, a notable tomb or impressive tree, they travel towards them to tether themselves in the landscape. – Dr. M. Benn #Folklore
December 19, 2025 at 1:04 PM
summermoth.bsky.social
"We want the media and politicians to recognise that there is a large number of women who are supportive of the trans+ community. We call on them to report truthfully about the sources of violence against women and to address the systems that perpetuate harm." notinourname.org.uk/petition/not...
Women in support of the trans+ community - Not in our name
notinourname.org.uk
December 8, 2025 at 3:16 PM
summermoth.bsky.social
Haven't managed as much reading time as I'd like the past few months, so just two completed reads for Sept/Oct/Nov 💙📚:
1. In the Dark Eyes of the Rabbit by Debra A Daniel (novella-in-flash)
2. The Coin by Yasmin Zaher (novel)

#books #reading #amreading #booklover #novellainflash #novel #2025reads
The book 'In the Dark Eyes of the Rabbit' by Debra A Daniel. The cover illustration is a painting of rabbit sitting in long grass with a hint of yellow flowers, against a purple sky. The book 'The Coin' by Yasmin Zaher. The cover is yellow with black text, and a photograph of a model wearing a white trenchcoat and snakeskin stiletto heeled shoes. Their head is not visible, they have one arm raised, and one leg kicked high in the air.
December 5, 2025 at 3:34 PM
summermoth.bsky.social
Thank you so much to @bulbculture.bsky.social for putting this piece of mine back out in the world (originally published by Reflex Fiction) ❤️
#FlashFiction
bulbculture.bsky.social Bulb Culture Collective @bulbculture.bsky.social · Nov 28
The light is on for Sarah McPherson! @summermoth.bsky.social💡

“Primordial” is a beautiful and beguiling flash fiction that’ll bring you face to face with the ancient past.

Check out Sarah’s incredible writing over at the site!
Primordial - Sarah McPherson — Bulb Culture Collective
Bull leads, cow follows.
www.bulbculturecollective.com
November 28, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Reposted by Sarah McPherson
gretchenmcc.bsky.social
Higgledy piggledy
Timothée Chalamet
Has a name meriting
Endless design

Much like his forerunner
Benedict Cumberbatch:
Hexasyllabically,
Easy to rhyme
tweet from childish branzino @absflora: timothée chalamet is the new benedict cumberbatch in the sense that you can say ANYTHING and we know who you mean. tiffany chevrolet. timpanogos charlemagne. symphony cabernet. jiminy castaway.
October 9, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Reposted by Sarah McPherson
levostregc.bsky.social
Peacehammer 40K: Paintinge litel miniatures of gardeneres, sculptors, academics. Trimminge hedges. Makinge friendes.
October 4, 2025 at 2:57 AM
Reposted by Sarah McPherson
britfantasysoc.bsky.social
Big news from BFS members (and leaders) @shonak.bsky.social and @davidgreenwriter.bsky.social: A new independent non-profit organisation designed to help creatives thrive in publishing. Here's @divergent-paths.bsky.social

britishfantasysociety.org/divergent-pa...
The main image shows four arrows; three are pointing up, and coloured white, while the fourth is coloured yellow and pointing to the side
September 30, 2025 at 1:38 PM
summermoth.bsky.social
Still time to sign up for next Thursday's session if you want to read and discuss some fab flashes by @timcraig.bsky.social with us!
#BtesizedBookClub #FlashFiction
summermoth.bsky.social Sarah McPherson @summermoth.bsky.social · Sep 14
The next block of the #BitesizedBookClub is open for bookings! We'll be meeting on the following Thursdays, 19:15-20:30 (UK time):
25 Sept - Stories by Tim Craig
23 Oct - Fairy Tale/Myth Retellings
27 Nov - Ekphrastic Stories

Link to book: theleadedwindow.blogspot.com/p/bite-sized...

#FlashFiction
Bite-sized Book Club
The Bite-sized Book Club is a monthly online book club dedicated to reading flash fiction. Everyone is welcome, whether you normally read fl...
theleadedwindow.blogspot.com
September 19, 2025 at 4:58 PM
summermoth.bsky.social
The next block of the #BitesizedBookClub is open for bookings! We'll be meeting on the following Thursdays, 19:15-20:30 (UK time):
25 Sept - Stories by Tim Craig
23 Oct - Fairy Tale/Myth Retellings
27 Nov - Ekphrastic Stories

Link to book: theleadedwindow.blogspot.com/p/bite-sized...

#FlashFiction
Bite-sized Book Club
The Bite-sized Book Club is a monthly online book club dedicated to reading flash fiction. Everyone is welcome, whether you normally read fl...
theleadedwindow.blogspot.com
September 14, 2025 at 10:38 AM
summermoth.bsky.social
August read (just the one!) 💙📚:
1. It Felt Like Everything by K.S. Dyal (novella-in-flash)

#books #reading #amreading #booklover #novellainflash #2025reads
The book 'It Felt Like Everything' by K.S. Dyal lying on a red satin throw. The cover is grey, with black and grey text, and has a drawing of two people's legs in the top right, one wearing a short black skirt, white socks, and black and white trainers, and the other wearing skinny-fit black trousers, black socks, and white trainers.
September 10, 2025 at 5:57 PM
summermoth.bsky.social
Come and read lovely NiFs with us! 📚 (I'm in the Sunday group)
laurabesley.bsky.social Laura Besley @laurabesley.bsky.social · Aug 29
The new block of The NIFTY Book Club is open for sign ups!
📚 Sept '25 - Jan '26
📚 Sundays 10-11.30am OR Mondays 19.30-21.00 BST/GMT
📚 Live author Q&As
📚 Worksheets in advance, meetings on zoom
📚 Full details in link below
#fiction #flashfiction #writingcommunity
www.laurabesley.com/nifty-book-c...
NIFTY Book Club | My Site
Book club for lovers of the novella-in-flash. Monthly meetings online.
www.laurabesley.com
September 6, 2025 at 9:01 PM
Reposted by Sarah McPherson
kitdewaal.com
Free online attendance at The Fantasy Summer School 2025, organised by the University of Oxford, and Bloomsbury Publishing, that brings together the expertise of scholars, publishers working with fantasy authors.

Link here www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/oxford-blo...

Please share :)
Oxford-Bloomsbury Fantasy Summer School 2025 Online
Offering an insight into the past, present and future of the fantasy genre from leading scholars, writers and publishing team in the field.
www.eventbrite.co.uk
August 31, 2025 at 7:44 PM
Reposted by Sarah McPherson
levostregc.bsky.social
"Kathy, Ich am lost," Ich seyde, thogh methoughte she was sleepinge,
"Ich am hollowe and hurtinge and knowe not wherfor"
Countinge the cars on the Newe Jersey Turnpyke
Thei have all come to looke for America
August 17, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Reposted by Sarah McPherson
scooterwriter.bsky.social
My NIF ‘William Prichard & Co’ is a year old today! To celebrate I am giving away a free copy. To be in with a chance of winning, please retweet & DM me with your name. I will pick a name out of the hat on Wed 20th. Sorry, UK only.
August 15, 2025 at 5:17 AM
summermoth.bsky.social
I'm so glad WHQ retreats have restarted in a place I can easily attend (Leeds) - they are the MOST productive days! ⭐️
writershq.bsky.social Writers’ HQ @writershq.bsky.social · Aug 15
We have a 100% success rate at getting writers at our retreats to sit tf down and write. Here's how 🧵
August 15, 2025 at 12:55 PM
summermoth.bsky.social
July reads 💙📚:
1. Aerth by Deborah Tomkins (novella-in-flash)
2. Mrs Caliban by Rachel Ingalls (novella)

#books #reading #amreading #booklover #novella #novellainflash #2025reads
Two books roughly stacked on a black table: 'Aerth' by Deborah Tomkins, and 'Mrs Caliban' by Rachel Ingalls. 'Aerth' (on the bottom) has a black and cream spine. 'Mrs Caliban' (on the top) has a pink spine and a white cover with handwritten stye lettering in black, pink, and green, and two sketched figures swimming in a circle. The male figure is green and the female figure is pink. It has a green 'Faber Editions' banner down one side.
August 14, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Reposted by Sarah McPherson
tomgauld.bsky.social
A cartoon for @theguardian.com books.
Image Edgar Allen Poe sits with his head in his hands, his sad face lit by the glow of a laptop. On his desk are piles of books, a guttering candle and a bust. Atop the bust sits a raven who is animatedly talking to Poe. Caption The Raven, having seen the general state of the world, realised that quothing "Nevermore." was only going to add to the gloom, and instead tried to cheer things up with a few bawdy limericks and an amusing anecdote about two badgers and a turnip.
March 17, 2025 at 1:03 PM
summermoth.bsky.social
Catching up on the latest winning stories from @flash500.bsky.social and they're all great - well worth a read!
August 13, 2025 at 11:19 AM
summermoth.bsky.social
The next #BitesizedBookClub session is coming up in a couple of weeks, on Thursday 28 August, and you can still book to come and read some teeny-tiny micro fiction with us! More info and booking details here: theleadedwindow.blogspot.com/p/bite-sized...

#flashfiction #microfiction #reading
Bite-sized Book Club
The Bite-sized Book Club is a monthly online book club dedicated to reading flash fiction. Everyone is welcome, whether you normally read fl...
theleadedwindow.blogspot.com
August 12, 2025 at 4:45 PM
summermoth.bsky.social
I did read (& largely enjoy) a lot of 'classic/canon' SF as a teen in the 90s, trawling through my parents' bookcases, & even then, naïve little me saw some of the dated/problematic aspects. But I also read a lot of more recent/contemporary SFF that was just as influential to me, if not more so!
scalzi.com John Scalzi @scalzi.com · Aug 11
Bah. Demanding people read half-century-old work as a purity test for genre membership is a fine way to kill the genre dead.

I wrote about such nonsense here;

whatever.scalzi.com/2020/08/07/o...
August 11, 2025 at 12:39 PM
Reposted by Sarah McPherson
welkinprize.bsky.social
Want some nice news for a Friday?
This is your early warning that the Welkin Writing Prize WILL BE BACK! A long way to go until entries open in December, but I'm committing now so there's no backing out later in the year 😀 Bigger prize fund too!! 🥳
www.mattkendrick.co.uk/welkin-prize...
Welkin Enter
An annual competition for microfiction up to 100 words. It is free to enter and aims to be a welcoming space for all writers. The competition is open to all forms of narrative prose. There is a whole ...
www.mattkendrick.co.uk
August 8, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Reposted by Sarah McPherson
mattkendrick.bsky.social
If you missed this discussion on Tuesday night & would like to catch up with all the wisdom shared by @mynachang.bsky.social & @sharontelfer.bsky.social about historical & speculative fiction, the recorded version is now available for the bargain price of £4:

www.mattkendrick.co.uk/workshop-rec...
August 7, 2025 at 4:03 PM