Al Hess
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al-distortion.bsky.social
Al Hess
@al-distortion.bsky.social
420 followers 200 following 210 posts
Artist and author of cozy sci-fi 🏳️‍🌈👁
WORLD RUNNING DOWN
KEY LIME SKY
@angryrobotbooks.bsky.social
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al-distortion.bsky.social
BONUS: Extended Forecast is also a narrative choose-your-path game with lo-fi music and pixel animations!
alhessbooks.itch.io/extended-for...
A pixel art landscape of green fields and fluffy cumulus clouds, with two trees in the foreground. In a cute pixel font is: Extended Forecast - a narrative game by Al Hess A game screenshot with text and a pixel art landscape and a cute pixel robot with a big head and tiny legs. Text reads: You’ve fallen in love only once, with the most beautiful cumulonimbus you’ve ever seen. It towered into the denim blue sky, white and frothy and dragging its rain-soaked hem across the fields. But, alas, it was not meant to be. No matter how intense your tryst as it pelted you with fat droplets, rain clouds only stick around for so long. NEON — the stout flower merchant with the beard and the sad eyes — has also fallen in love. His object of affection is a human farmer here in town who is arguably much easier to woo than a cumulonimbus. But only if the silly merchant ever makes his feelings known. Head to the market An ink and digital illustration in a watercolor style of a cute floating robot with a big head and tiny legs, looking at a pink rose against a backdrop of green hills and a blue sky
September 20, 2025 at 10:27 PM
al-distortion.bsky.social
How you doing? Need a little break? Maybe some cute and cozy stories would help. Totally free at alhessbooks.itch.io
and set in a soft and overgrown post-post-apocalyptic world inspired by the song (Nothing But) Flowers by the Talking Heads 🤖🪻
An abstract illustration of yellow flowers against a blue background. The white text reads: Need a mental health break? I have free cozy stories full of plants and cute robots A cover of green leaves and pink and purple black eyed Susan flowers. The title says Extended Forecast, Al Hess A tan cover with multicolored abstract fern fronds and tulips. The title reads: The Elopement of Atticus and NEON, Al Hess
September 20, 2025 at 10:27 PM
al-distortion.bsky.social
Surprise launch day! Wasteland Heart is out now and on sale for .99 🌾🐦‍⬛

✔️Found family
✔️A tech cult
✔️Bi romance
✔️K!ll the rich
✔️Prehistoric mammals
✔️Wasteland road trip
✔️Run from your problems

alhessbooks.itch.io/wasteland-heart
www.amazon.com/Wasteland-Heart-Edge-World-Book-ebook/dp/B0FL1D7YG3
A mixed media collage cover of a raven against backdrop of blue sky and handwritten letters. In masking tape is written WASTELAND HEART graphic of a worn piece of paper with handwritten text: "DEADLY NANOBOTS; UNTAMED WASTELAND; A MISSING BROTHER. SASHA'S NEW LIFE ON AN ISOLATED CONTINENT ISN'T THE CLEAN START HE HOPED FOR - BUT MAYBE IT'S THE ONE HE NEEDED"
August 24, 2025 at 3:00 AM
al-distortion.bsky.social
I have been away from social media for a bit, but I love itchio! Thanks for this thread.
My books are almost always pay what you want, and I have a cute free CYOA game too. :)
alhessbooks.itch.io
A screenshot of Al Hess' itchio landing page, which says AL HESS, cozy and queer SFF in a Y2K style chrome bubble font against a background of blue sky and clouds. The text reads: alhessauthor.com Al Hess is author of World Running Down, Key Lime Sky, Shake Out the Ghosts, Yours Celestially, and the award-winning Hep Cats of Boise series. Subscribe to Al's Speakeasy for a monthly newsletter of updates, free stories, and the chance to shape future books.
July 17, 2025 at 10:49 PM
al-distortion.bsky.social
Behold the cover of my next book, SHAKE OUT THE GHOSTS, coming out in March 2026 with @angryrobotbooks.bsky.social !

👻 eccentric artists
💜 morbid humor
👻 your crush is dead (still into it)
💜 Donnie Darko vibes
👻 twists!
💜 ace MC
👻T4T romance
💜 mental health rep

angryrobotbooks.com/books/shake-...
A book cover of a pink and purple twilight sky above a silhouetted city, seen through a large apartment window. In white script is SHAKE OUT THE GHOSTS by AL HESS.
July 4, 2025 at 8:45 PM
al-distortion.bsky.social
Cover reveal for SHAKE OUT THE GHOSTS in 3 days 👻🥀
July 2, 2025 at 1:37 AM
al-distortion.bsky.social
Practicing ink drawing and digital coloring 🌟
A celestial creature against a black starry background, with a red star for a head and one large eye in the middle of the star. They are wearing a translucent robe, have clawed fingers, and fluffy white feathered wings.
May 6, 2025 at 3:41 PM
al-distortion.bsky.social
Extended Forecast follows CAY-T, a tiny weather bot, as they explore overgrown ruins in search of the perfect gift to help their friend NEON connect with his crush.

Sometimes I wanna write something aggressively cute as a balm for the trashfire of the world, and this story definitely fits the bill.
A screenshot from the narrative game showing a bearded pixel person with blond hair who looks surprised and blushing A screenshot from the narrative game showing text and two different options to choose A screenshot from the narrative game showing a terrifying robot with a skull shaped head and glowing eyes A screenshot from the narrative game show a background of broken skyscrapers, a cute pixel robot, and pixel art cassette tapes
April 22, 2025 at 5:32 AM
al-distortion.bsky.social
I have a brand new short story in two different formats! Set in the same world as The Elopement of Atticus & NEON.

Read as an ebook short story or play as a choose-your-path game! Both are pay-what-you-want (including free) on itchio.

itch.io/c/5674109/no...
The cover of Extended Forecast by Al Hess, featuring stylized pink and purple daisies and green leaves An ink and watercolor drawing of a cute robot among flowers A pixel art landscape with fluffy clouds and a green meadow A screenshot from the narrative game, showing a cute pixel robot and a background of fluffy clouds
April 22, 2025 at 5:30 AM
al-distortion.bsky.social
This is my favorite of Darby's books so far! (I have a weakness for liminal spaces and 80s vibes and who doesn't love a choose-your-path book?)

Did I mention I also did the cover painting?
An oil painting of a pink orange and purple sunset with a large sun and ominous clouds above an abandoned mall shrouded in trees. The wet pavement is cracked and reflects the sky and an eerie blue light glows through the windows of the mall and out of cracks in the pavement
April 14, 2025 at 1:14 PM
al-distortion.bsky.social
A distressed card with a blue sky and cream clouds and tropes written in chaotic handwriting. Wrinkled stickers of hearts and rainbows are stuck to the card. The tropes say: found family, cozy post-apoc world, bi romance - m/m, m/f, and poly, escaping fascism, being a terrible adventurer, animals that never went extinct, k!ll the rich A distressed card with a blue sky and cream clouds and the blurb for WASTELAND HEART: In order to escape being a worker drone in a dismal dictatorship, Sasha joins a group of people seeking asylum on the continent of Galvlohi. Once a world power, deadly nanobots wiped out much of Galvlohi’s population. A century later, cities have given way to wilderness, and descendants of the survivors live insulated and harmonious lives with the land, only opening their borders for refugees like Sasha. It’s the perfect place to start over, to get clean, and to figure out who he is. But his fellowship is strict about not wandering off, and it’s willing to use violence to get the point across. It’s far from the adventure and freedom Sasha expected to find, and worse, his new life threatens to end before it’s even begun when he’s afflicted with continent’s deadly nanobots. A Galvloan woman saves his life by sharing the anti-malware in her blood, but his heart is irreparably damaged. He wants to repay the woman’s kindness, and she wants someone to find her missing brother, Corvin, which seems like the perfect job for a novice adventurer. Escaping his fellowship with a debilitating heart arrhythmia might be the easy part. Because no matter how far he travels, he can’t outrun his own problems, and the world is full of people who could be friend or foe and terrifying animals he was sure were extinct. Then there’s Corvin. And there’s nothing easy about Corvin.
April 12, 2025 at 7:16 PM
al-distortion.bsky.social
No more teasing. Book announcement and cover reveal!

🐦‍⬛escaping fascism
🩶cozy post-apocalyptic world
🐦‍⬛animals that never went extinct
🩶found family
🐦‍⬛stabby stabbin' the rich
🩶Bi romance - M/M, M/F, and poly elements
🐦‍⬛being a terrible adventurer

Ebook preorder: alhessbooks.itch.io/wasteland-he...
A paper collage style book cover featuring a raven cut from creased paper and taped onto an old postcard with a blue sky and cream clouds. The postcard is stacked on cards and letters covered with handwriting. Written on the masking tape across the raven is "WASTELAND HEART". On the postcard is "EDGE OF THE WORLD BOOK 1" and "AL HESS."
April 12, 2025 at 5:44 PM
al-distortion.bsky.social
If you love indie books and aren't yet an itchio stan, go check it out! Might I suggest starting with this Autism Month bundle hosted by @vesperdoom.com? Get 10 books for $10, including my own award-winning Mazarin Blues.
itch.io/b/2953/indie...
A collage of book covers: Mazarin Blues by Al Hess, Trick by Cara Nox, Umbra by Freddie A. Clark, Name Her Holy by Aubrey Ennis, The Reanimator's Heart by Kara Jorgensen, Blood on the Snow by Finn McLellan, The Binding of Bloom Mountain by Vesper Doom, Maurice & Julia, 1968 by S.S. Genesee, Monster Mixer by Robin Jo Margaret, and Once Stolen by D.N. Bryn. In the center it says "Itchio Indie Autism Month Bundle."
April 12, 2025 at 4:35 AM
al-distortion.bsky.social
Have you packed your bags for a (literary) escape? I'm sharing the final clue graphics, and with this you should be able to make your way to the end.
A graffitied concrete wall with a spraypainted cartoon bear lying dead with Xs for eyes and a knife in its back. Written underneath is a web address in large Glagolitic font, ending in .xyz. Partially obscured below the graffiti at the bottom is "SEE THE SKY?" and a sticker of a holographic crescent moon.
April 9, 2025 at 12:45 PM
al-distortion.bsky.social
Day 6 (of 7)
One clue to go. Can you find your way to your (literary) escape?
Water-warped posters on a wall. A cartoon bear looks angry and is saying something in Glagolitic. Someone has graffitied the "fig" gesture toward the bear. At the bottom is a web address written in Glagolitic and ending is .xyz, and in English is the phrase "SEE THE SKY?" beside a holographic crescent moon sticker.
April 8, 2025 at 12:39 PM
al-distortion.bsky.social
Day 5
Our ride will be leaving soon. Have you found your way there?
Torn posters on a wooden wall. A self-righteous looking cartoon bear is saying something in Glagolitic. Someone has written, "EAT A BAG OF DICKS YOU BOOT-LICKING BEAR" over its face. There are several holographic crescent moon stickers stuck to the posters. Beside one is "SEE THE SKY?" and beside the other is a web address written in Glagolitic and ending in .xyz
April 7, 2025 at 12:51 PM
al-distortion.bsky.social
Day 4
Are you ready to go yet?
A wall with cracked and peeling yellow paper. A cartoon bear is watching a laptop and saying, "Stay safe by only browsing Novakrasnyan websites!" In bolded English to the left is: "The internet is rife with misinformation. Accessing foreign media via private networks or dark web browsers is not only against the law, it's dangerous!" Below is the same message in Glagolitic. At the bottom left someone has written a web address in Glagolitic, ending in .xyz, beside a holographic moon sticker. On the right in faded yellow is "SEE THE SKY?"
April 6, 2025 at 3:00 PM
al-distortion.bsky.social
Day 3
We're getting closer to a (literary) escape. Please pack light.

More tomorrow...
A torn poster on a wall with a cartoon bear and bolded black and red text in English that says, "eye-tracking for productivity; curfew for safety; surveillance for protection; decency codes for morality." To the right are the same phrases in Glagolitic. A holographic crescent moon sticker and an inclusive Pride sticker are stuck below it, partially obscured by torn paper. Someone has written a question in Glagolitic between the stickers. In the upper left corner is "SEE THE SKY?"
April 5, 2025 at 6:32 PM
al-distortion.bsky.social
Day 2
I know you feel that there are nothing but walls all around you, but I promise there is a (literary) escape. Keep watching, and soon you'll have nothing but blue skies.

More tomorrow...

PS. Alt text gives a detailed description if you need it
A graphic of a brick wall with peeling gray paint. A smiling bear hugging a fluffy cloud is painted on the wall, but the paint peeling off its face makes it look disturbing. In English, the wall says, "CURFEW" with the same phrase in Glagolitic underneath. Below that is "Zmej city limits 21.00 hours" in both English and Glagolitic. Someone has written "see the sky?" in the upper right corner of the wall, and at the bottom is a holographic crescent moon sticker with a question written in Glagolitic. Partially obscured on the right side of the wall is, "Security drones strictly enforc- curfew. If your employment re- you work beyond the curfew- must obtain a permit prior to- commute. Drones do not make- allowances. Please wear your- permit at all times after curfe- avoid punishm-"
April 4, 2025 at 7:48 PM
al-distortion.bsky.social
Do you need a (literary) escape from your dismal country? I have an exit plan. But our time is limited.

Translating Glagolitic/Old Slavonic isn't necessary, but you do need to be observant over the next week to find your way there.

New messages tomorrow...
A torn poster on a wooden wall. In bolded letters in English is, "You are valuable! Your job matters! Your job loves YOU!" Below are the same phrases in Glagolitic/Old Slavonic. An excited cartoon bear stands beside the phrases, and the word bubble above the bear says in English, "Letting your country down is letting yourself down!" In the bottom left corner, someone has graffitied "SEE THE SKY?" On the right side of the image is a holographic crescent moon sticker and below it someone has written a question in Glagolitic.
April 3, 2025 at 7:03 PM
al-distortion.bsky.social
Today is the last day for the SFF Trans Visibility bundle on itchio. 32 authors/38 books/$40

As of now, we have surpassed my goal of $2k by 229% 🥹. I'm so grateful for everyone supporting these authors and would love to see one final push if you have the bandwidth to share!

itch.io/b/2927/sff-b...
a collage of 38 books from trans sff authors on itchio participating in the sff trans visbility book bundle. a clipart vaporwave style graphic of a nighttime cityscape with sparkling stars and a full moon. it says" itchio sff trans book bundle! 30+ authors - 3/28 to 3/31"
March 31, 2025 at 6:39 PM
al-distortion.bsky.social
Current WIP is a 1920s-era secondary world fantasy in a town bordering a fictional Indigenous nation.
Otto, love interest, is a sharp and confidence curse salesman who enjoys his work maybe a bit more than he should.

No portrait yet, but Tokala Black Elk is my insp.
A photo of Oglala Sioux actor Tokala Black Elk, wearing a black suit jacket and bolo tie at some sort of event.
March 29, 2025 at 4:44 PM
al-distortion.bsky.social
I'm a Cherokee descendant, so I have quite a few Indigenous characters across my books.

Denver in Key Lime Sky is perceptive, opinionated, and xyr special interest is pie. Xe's part Cherokee but isn't connected to that side of xyr family, which fuels xyr isolation & need for belonging.
A graphite drawing by Al Hess of an androgynous, part-Indigenous person with long dark hair, thick eyebrows, and freckles. There is a cut on xyr cheek covered with kitty bandages, and xe's wearing a bohemian-style embroidered shirt. The cover of Key Lime Sky by Al Hess, which features an oil painting of a vintage diner sign in pink and silver with a flying saucer motif. In the background is a lime green sky and thick clouds, and a row of suburban houses marching off into the distance - one of which is floating.
March 29, 2025 at 4:44 PM
al-distortion.bsky.social
My own books in the bundle are Mazarin Blues, Yours Celestially, and The Elopement of Atticus & NEON - so you get (much of) my cozy A.I./robot lovin' offerings.
a starry clipart sky with a graphic of an ereader displaying Mazarin Blues by Al Hess. It says: itchio sff trans book bundle! 30+ authors - 3/28 to 3/31. a starry clipart sky with a graphic of an ereader displaying Yours Celestially by Al Hess. It says: itchio sff trans book bundle! 30+ authors - 3/28 to 3/31. a starry clipart sky with a graphic of an ereader displaying The Elopement of Atticus & NEON by Al Hess. It says: itchio sff trans book bundle! 30+ authors - 3/28 to 3/31.
March 28, 2025 at 6:14 PM
al-distortion.bsky.social
The SFF Trans Visibility book bundle is live on itchio! Runs thru the 31st!

38 books & a few shorts from 32 fantastic authors. I've set a goal of raising $2k bc it's never been a better time to support & encourage trans authors.

Please share 🏳️‍⚧️💕
itch.io/b/2927/sff-b...
a clipart vaporwave style graphic of a nighttime cityscape with sparkling stars and a full moon. it says" itchio sff trans book bundle! 30+ authors - 3/28 to 3/31" a collage of 38 books from trans sff authors on itchio participating in the sff trans visbility book bundle.
March 28, 2025 at 6:14 PM