Aaron Burch
LightNews LightNews
banner
aaronburch.bsky.social
Aaron Burch
@aaronburch.bsky.social
2.9K followers 720 following 4.1K posts
Author: A KIND OF IN-BETWEEN; YEAR OF THE BUFFALO; STEPHEN KING'S THE BODY; BACKSWING

Editor: HAD; Short Story, Long (on Substack)

https://linktr.ee/aaronburch
Posts Replies Media Videos
Pinned
aaronburch.bsky.social
Aaron Burch @aaronburch.bsky.social · Nov 9
I completed a new short story collection, so have been thinking about my first, BACKSWING, lately.

I say this every now and then over on Twitter and so am taking the opportunity to post here: it's out of print, but I'm happy to send a PDF to anyone who wants one! dm me, reply here, email me, etc.
cover of BACKSWING by Aaron Burch, showing a closeup of a yellow line on a road back cover of BACKSWING, with blurbs: Throughout Aaron Burch’s debut full-length collection of fiction nearly everyone is seeking some kind of perfection. Despite their attempts falling short, going stray, or sometimes not even making it off the ground, they keep swinging—at latent nightmares and glaring domestic lives, at severed limbs and redemptive baptisms, at the awe of what has been taken and the bewilderment over what remains. Nevertheless, in these stories ranging from the magical to realism, from Biblical allegory to everyday relationships, the characters of Backswing, faithful that forward motion will someday strike, keep driving toward grace. "Reading Backswing, you find yourself laughing, no–waying, reaching out to give bro–hugs and clappy high–fives to an author you swear must be standing beside you, so present is his voice. Burch is the bard of the American dude." —Adam Levin, author of The Instructions and Hot Pink "Aaron Burch’s Backswing is a terrific debut, fast, funny, at times fantastical, a diverse, deft collection of stories about becoming a man and other unsolvable mysteries." —Jess Walter, author of We Live in Water and Beautiful Ruins "In his new collection, Aaron Burch’s achievement isn’t only in the masterful storytelling, it’s how through each character’s yearning and loneliness he succeeds in making us readers feel less alone. Even in the surreal, the creepy, the sad, the lusting, we recognize ourselves. Backswing is full of characters trying to find themselves, journeys you’ll feel privileged to join." —Lindsay Hunter, author of Daddy’s and Don’t Kiss Me "At the driving range of American fiction, Aaron Burch crushes his stories deep into the haunted night. Backswing is brave and odd and very human." —Sam Lipsyte, author of The Subject Steve and The Fun Parts
aaronburch.bsky.social
@curmudgeondotcom.bsky.social dude! idk if almost anyone else on my tl cares enough for me to post this other than direct to you, but... buddy just sent me this, and holy shit it rules

www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfXw...
Thou & Emma Ruth Rundle - "Hollywood" (Cranberries Cover) At Margaritaville
YouTube video by Puddle Splashers
www.youtube.com
November 13, 2025 at 3:09 PM
aaronburch.bsky.social
was gonna reactivate my personal twitter today, out of self-involved ego, because I get to show off my book cover and I wanted some'a that sweet sweet attention, but I guess it's been >30 days and so the account is gone. so it goes!
November 13, 2025 at 2:57 PM
Reposted by Aaron Burch
aaronburch.bsky.social
huge shoutout to crow, who helped with hooking up Short Story, Long with a HAD-style "read a story from the archives" link!

tinyurl.com/randomSSL
screenshot of Short Story, Long homepage, with "RANDOM story from the archives" in the header circled in red
November 7, 2025 at 8:52 PM
aaronburch.bsky.social
here's the first few lines of my novel, THE LAST LOCK-IN, which is just sitting on my hard drive, because I don't have the energy to send it out anymore
5 p.m.: Early Arrival You don’t yet know this will be your last lock-in. Your last night of youth group. Sitting in your stepdad Ed’s car, staring at the church outside your passenger side window, your heart feels like it is beating faster than normal, or harder, or it is bigger than ever, like swollen full with literal manifestation of all the anticipation you’re holding inside of you.
November 12, 2025 at 3:26 PM
aaronburch.bsky.social
Gene Hackman is one of my absolute faves. I'd never even looked at an auction like this before, but estimated/expected price ranges made me think I could probably swing a painting, but... actual bids are already very quickly pricing me out. Still a fascinating collection to scroll through.
www.bonhams.com
November 12, 2025 at 1:51 PM
Reposted by Aaron Burch
danielmiller.bsky.social
This is a very good story!!!!!!
aaronburch.bsky.social Aaron Burch @aaronburch.bsky.social · 2d
"People are always coming up with new ways for whales to die. Been at it long enough, starting with sharpened sticks and then boats were invented which was some bad luck for whales, and then the boats got harpoons..."

New story from @jessdawn.bsky.social on Short Story, Long today!!
“Whippomorpha” by Jessica Dawn
“If there’s nothing to fight over, most of getting divorced is just waiting. Nothing worth fighting over, Janna decided a while ago. Best to just let it go.”
ashortstorylong.substack.com
November 11, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Reposted by Aaron Burch
jessdawn.bsky.social
I’m real proud of this one, y’all
aaronburch.bsky.social Aaron Burch @aaronburch.bsky.social · 2d
"People are always coming up with new ways for whales to die. Been at it long enough, starting with sharpened sticks and then boats were invented which was some bad luck for whales, and then the boats got harpoons..."

New story from @jessdawn.bsky.social on Short Story, Long today!!
“Whippomorpha” by Jessica Dawn
“If there’s nothing to fight over, most of getting divorced is just waiting. Nothing worth fighting over, Janna decided a while ago. Best to just let it go.”
ashortstorylong.substack.com
November 11, 2025 at 5:08 PM
aaronburch.bsky.social
seen a buncha people posting @dieddisappointed.bsky.social's book and wanted to join. only a few stories in, but it is (expectedly) great.

here's probably my fave paragraph so far:
"Samuel, as a baby, seems, for now, happy. He doesn't worry much about anything, least of all concepts like the future. Which makes him somehow less human to me. He is full of uncanny absences like that. He knows no poverty or regret yet. He doesn't cycle endlessly through an embarrassing moment from earlier in the day, or from years earlier for that matter. To him, there is barely any concept of "day." He sits and poses in almost all the pictures with the same content feebleness that borders on regal." small paperback on hardwood floor: Are People Out There by Shane Kowalski
November 11, 2025 at 5:41 PM
aaronburch.bsky.social
the other side of excitedly sending out blurb asks...
screenshot of ends of two gmail prompts, both asking "Sent 5 days ago. Follow up?"
November 11, 2025 at 2:50 PM
aaronburch.bsky.social
"People are always coming up with new ways for whales to die. Been at it long enough, starting with sharpened sticks and then boats were invented which was some bad luck for whales, and then the boats got harpoons..."

New story from @jessdawn.bsky.social on Short Story, Long today!!
“Whippomorpha” by Jessica Dawn
“If there’s nothing to fight over, most of getting divorced is just waiting. Nothing worth fighting over, Janna decided a while ago. Best to just let it go.”
ashortstorylong.substack.com
November 11, 2025 at 2:11 PM
aaronburch.bsky.social
Post a non-religious photo you think of as holy.

99% sure I posted this same image last time I saw this prompt-post going around. That it is the first image that so often/always comes to mind is probably indicative of its holiness.
screenshot of Kurt Cobain from Nirvana Unplugged, specifically from mid-"Where Did You Sleep Last Night," where Kurt paused, his voice kind of hiccuped, and the camera zoomed in on just his face, and he's staring
November 11, 2025 at 1:17 AM
aaronburch.bsky.social
just rewatched Sinners and man I think it's the movie of the year. also I remember seeing a post asking something like "best recent movie ending?" and it's gotta be up there. the ending... but then especially the post-credit "ending"!
November 10, 2025 at 1:11 AM
aaronburch.bsky.social
this feels right, but also I ate an edible and then a giant bucket of popcorn with accompanyingly giant cup of pop, and "very much a Predator for the middle school crowd" really hit the spot
meganc.bsky.social Manic Pixie Soccer Mom @meganc.bsky.social · 7d
My household went to a preview of Predator: Badlands last night & it was a fun watch but very much a Predator for the middle school crowd FYI
November 9, 2025 at 8:28 PM
aaronburch.bsky.social
one of gf's background shows is saved by the bell and she JUST pointed out that professor lasky is patrick fabian is better call saul's howard hamlin and I'd never made the connection and am feeling ROCKED
young (~30 year old) Patrick Fabian on Saved by the Bell: The College Years older (~50 year old) Patrick Fabian on Better Call Saul
November 9, 2025 at 12:18 AM
Reposted by Aaron Burch
aaronburch.bsky.social
I didn't write a ton this year, but published a handful of pieces (incl. one more coming in December!), all of which are kinda my fave, each in its own way. This one from back in January caught myself by surprise in ways that felt real exciting.

doric-literary.com/2025/01/01/r...
November 8, 2025 at 2:02 AM
aaronburch.bsky.social
I didn't write a ton this year, but published a handful of pieces (incl. one more coming in December!), all of which are kinda my fave, each in its own way. This one from back in January caught myself by surprise in ways that felt real exciting.

doric-literary.com/2025/01/01/r...
November 8, 2025 at 2:02 AM
aaronburch.bsky.social
The Lowdown is perfect.
photo of a TV showing an episode of The Lowdown, with Ethan Hawke talking, closed caption reading "Cliches earn their status as cliches by their overwhelming truth." photo of a TV showing an episode of The Lowdown, with Peter Dinklage talking, closed caption reading "Do not quote David Foster Wallace to me, my brother."
November 8, 2025 at 1:11 AM
aaronburch.bsky.social
huge shoutout to crow, who helped with hooking up Short Story, Long with a HAD-style "read a story from the archives" link!

tinyurl.com/randomSSL
screenshot of Short Story, Long homepage, with "RANDOM story from the archives" in the header circled in red
November 7, 2025 at 8:52 PM
Reposted by Aaron Burch
rufustsuperfly.bsky.social
‘It takes a lot of energy to be an asshole’
Steven Soderbergh knows the score.
Interview by @mattzollerseitz.bsky.social
www.vulture.com/2017/11/stev...
November 7, 2025 at 7:18 PM
aaronburch.bsky.social
he just like my students
atrupar.com Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 5d
photos of Trump sleeping through yesterday's Oval Office event via Andrew Harnik of Getty
November 7, 2025 at 5:04 PM
aaronburch.bsky.social
this album is great, and every time I listen, this version of "Where Did You Sleep Last Night," with Kurdt on guitar (and backing vocals) (and Novaselic on bass) catches me surprise, it's such a treat
photo of Mark Lanegan's album "The Winding Sheet" on vinyl photo of song credits inside album: "Where Did You Sleep Last Night" Kurdt Kobain: electric guitar Chris Novaselic: bass Mark Pickerel: drums
November 7, 2025 at 1:39 AM
aaronburch.bsky.social
love the day when I introduce borrowed/found forms / "hermit crab essays," the final unit in my Art of the Essay class
photo of chalkboard with a ton of genres/"found forms" of text written on it (menu, obituary, recipe, receipts, etc.)
November 6, 2025 at 11:50 PM
aaronburch.bsky.social
I'm not sure I've read many (any??) new releases this year. (sure there's something I'm forgetting...)

what are some of y'all's faves?
readinstead.bsky.social Jared Beloff @readinstead.bsky.social · 6d
What are your book recs from this year?
November 6, 2025 at 8:13 PM
aaronburch.bsky.social
Sub Pop didn't always do minimal design, but when they did, man they fckin nailed it.
photo of Sunny Day Real Estate's LP2 vinyl album cover (sitting on small painting easel) — all pink with "SUNNY DAY REAL ESTATE" in small, white, all upper case san serif font in middle, height-wise, a little offset to right photo of Mark Lanegan's "I'll Take Car of You" vinyl album cover (sitting on small painting easel) — all light cream, almost white, with Lanegan's name in small, black, all upper case san serif font, and the album title in red next to it, centered both vertically and horizontally. Also, physically, the text is raised.
November 6, 2025 at 5:12 PM
aaronburch.bsky.social
sending out some blurb request emails, and these are often mentioned as stressful and awful, and they 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘢 are, but really they're mostly the excuse and push I needed to send some fanboy emails that I've been wanting to send anyway
November 6, 2025 at 4:49 PM