Alethea Paul
@aletheapaul.bsky.social
Writer.
Persistently drafting her next flash fiction to get rejected.
Constantly musing on that novel.
Repeatedly interrupted by life.
Persistently drafting her next flash fiction to get rejected.
Constantly musing on that novel.
Repeatedly interrupted by life.
Hey look, it's me!
Today's story is "The Unholy Chime" by Alethea Paul. @aletheapaul.bsky.social
#ratbag #ratbaglit #litmag #literarymagazine #drabble #drabbles #triskaidekaphobia
ratbaglit.substack.com/p/the-unholy...
#ratbag #ratbaglit #litmag #literarymagazine #drabble #drabbles #triskaidekaphobia
ratbaglit.substack.com/p/the-unholy...
October 29, 2025 at 1:27 PM
Hey look, it's me!
Today in my daughter's slow descent into villainy:
I have introduced my daughter to "the Nightmare before Christmas" and she keeps wanting to watch "Santa go in the hole" - ie the part when Santa is shoved in a pipe and sent to Oogie Boogie.
I have introduced my daughter to "the Nightmare before Christmas" and she keeps wanting to watch "Santa go in the hole" - ie the part when Santa is shoved in a pipe and sent to Oogie Boogie.
October 27, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Today in my daughter's slow descent into villainy:
I have introduced my daughter to "the Nightmare before Christmas" and she keeps wanting to watch "Santa go in the hole" - ie the part when Santa is shoved in a pipe and sent to Oogie Boogie.
I have introduced my daughter to "the Nightmare before Christmas" and she keeps wanting to watch "Santa go in the hole" - ie the part when Santa is shoved in a pipe and sent to Oogie Boogie.
Happy to share I'm helping judge "The Booby Prize" a new and exciting quarterly global flash fiction contest with a first prize of £500 which supports a great cause;
Conservation of the Blue-Footed Booby’s
theboobyprize.co.uk/home
Conservation of the Blue-Footed Booby’s
theboobyprize.co.uk/home
October 7, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Happy to share I'm helping judge "The Booby Prize" a new and exciting quarterly global flash fiction contest with a first prize of £500 which supports a great cause;
Conservation of the Blue-Footed Booby’s
theboobyprize.co.uk/home
Conservation of the Blue-Footed Booby’s
theboobyprize.co.uk/home
This Prize Has Teeth (by yours truly) has been published at @factorfourmagazine.com!
factorfourmag.com/this-prize-h...
factorfourmag.com/this-prize-h...
This Prize Has Teeth by Alethea Paul
Despite dragging my generously-called-a-prosthetic pogo stick of a leg through this dungeon, I’m practically dancing like it’s the aisle on The Price is Right. I might not be the only one to make i…
factorfourmag.com
October 2, 2025 at 6:00 PM
This Prize Has Teeth (by yours truly) has been published at @factorfourmagazine.com!
factorfourmag.com/this-prize-h...
factorfourmag.com/this-prize-h...
September 28, 2025 at 7:49 PM
There is great power in subduing a wretch with a curse and a hex… but there is even greater power in the delusion of freeing yourself from them. Tell the Cabal what would the victim have to… remove… cut out… shear, if you will… from themselves to be free?
#HorrorWritersChat
#HorrorWritersChat
September 24, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Well, another TT story not on the board, but some lovely consolation trophies:
1x Most Original Take 💫
1x Best Title 📖
1x Best Opening Line 🏆
1x Most Original Take 💫
1x Best Title 📖
1x Best Opening Line 🏆
September 10, 2025 at 12:09 AM
Well, another TT story not on the board, but some lovely consolation trophies:
1x Most Original Take 💫
1x Best Title 📖
1x Best Opening Line 🏆
1x Most Original Take 💫
1x Best Title 📖
1x Best Opening Line 🏆
Twisted Tournament - didn't make it on the leaderboard for round one but had some lovely supportive feedback.
Did get some sweet trophies, too.
3x Best Prose 🎨
1x Best Last Line 🎭
Did get some sweet trophies, too.
3x Best Prose 🎨
1x Best Last Line 🎭
September 9, 2025 at 12:31 AM
Twisted Tournament - didn't make it on the leaderboard for round one but had some lovely supportive feedback.
Did get some sweet trophies, too.
3x Best Prose 🎨
1x Best Last Line 🎭
Did get some sweet trophies, too.
3x Best Prose 🎨
1x Best Last Line 🎭
Someone recommended me a book lately and I told them that it sounded cool but I hadn't been reading much lately. Then I remembered I'm reading stories in contests, beta reading for friends, reading for other projects. I don't know why my brain told me that this wasn't "reading."
September 3, 2025 at 6:34 PM
Someone recommended me a book lately and I told them that it sounded cool but I hadn't been reading much lately. Then I remembered I'm reading stories in contests, beta reading for friends, reading for other projects. I don't know why my brain told me that this wasn't "reading."
How Pinterest sees me
☆character
☆animal
☆lyrics
☆weather
☆character
☆animal
☆lyrics
☆weather
August 30, 2025 at 2:26 PM
How Pinterest sees me
☆character
☆animal
☆lyrics
☆weather
☆character
☆animal
☆lyrics
☆weather
I apparently haven't changed in 13 years.
August 22, 2025 at 5:54 PM
I apparently haven't changed in 13 years.
@weirdauntmadge.bsky.social
Feels like a word we'd like for our stuff.
Feels like a word we'd like for our stuff.
Today's Word: Orphic
Mystical, enigmatic, and transcendent, often associated with deep spiritual wisdom. Derived from Orpheus, the legendary poet and musician of Greek mythology. "To grasp the universe, one must first release the hand that clutches the void." (That's some heavy ZEN for Monday morn.)
Mystical, enigmatic, and transcendent, often associated with deep spiritual wisdom. Derived from Orpheus, the legendary poet and musician of Greek mythology. "To grasp the universe, one must first release the hand that clutches the void." (That's some heavy ZEN for Monday morn.)
August 11, 2025 at 4:24 PM
@weirdauntmadge.bsky.social
Feels like a word we'd like for our stuff.
Feels like a word we'd like for our stuff.
Reposted by Alethea Paul
Short Poem of the Day 📝
The Road Home
Winter ugly, coyote,
that bed-headed bone bag,
slinks onto the road
as I brake, gently.
Pausing, he stares up,
grinning me to a full stop.
Roger Pfingston
The Road Home
Winter ugly, coyote,
that bed-headed bone bag,
slinks onto the road
as I brake, gently.
Pausing, he stares up,
grinning me to a full stop.
Roger Pfingston
July 17, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Short Poem of the Day 📝
The Road Home
Winter ugly, coyote,
that bed-headed bone bag,
slinks onto the road
as I brake, gently.
Pausing, he stares up,
grinning me to a full stop.
Roger Pfingston
The Road Home
Winter ugly, coyote,
that bed-headed bone bag,
slinks onto the road
as I brake, gently.
Pausing, he stares up,
grinning me to a full stop.
Roger Pfingston
Nova wanted snuggles... or at least my daughter did. And Onyx wanted to help write.... or my chair, not sure which.
July 21, 2025 at 1:23 PM
Nova wanted snuggles... or at least my daughter did. And Onyx wanted to help write.... or my chair, not sure which.
Apparently someone made a list of cozy fantasy stories on sale for $0.99. I'm following A.J. Lancaster elsewhere and the first book in their Stariel series is on the list, and I'm a fan of that one.
www.cozyupwithfantasy.com?fbclid=IwY2x...
www.cozyupwithfantasy.com?fbclid=IwY2x...
Home - Cozy Up With Fantasy
It's time for our first cozy fantasy book blast! We can't wait to help you find your next favorite cozy fantasy read. <3 Browse or keyword-search through more than 50 cozy fantasy books all priced at ...
www.cozyupwithfantasy.com
July 15, 2025 at 5:34 PM
Apparently someone made a list of cozy fantasy stories on sale for $0.99. I'm following A.J. Lancaster elsewhere and the first book in their Stariel series is on the list, and I'm a fan of that one.
www.cozyupwithfantasy.com?fbclid=IwY2x...
www.cozyupwithfantasy.com?fbclid=IwY2x...
Recently getting into audio books. I thought I was always an auditory learning, but I swear I retain audio books less than print. (Though in school I was way more into seminars and lectures than textbooks.) Maybe its because I'm multitasking? Is this just me? Anyone recall audio books better?
July 7, 2025 at 7:56 PM
Recently getting into audio books. I thought I was always an auditory learning, but I swear I retain audio books less than print. (Though in school I was way more into seminars and lectures than textbooks.) Maybe its because I'm multitasking? Is this just me? Anyone recall audio books better?
Sometimes you're just trying to write and your kitten is "helping" either by attacking your clothes, watching from your shoulder, or chasing the typing sound you make on your keyboard.
June 19, 2025 at 2:19 AM
Sometimes you're just trying to write and your kitten is "helping" either by attacking your clothes, watching from your shoulder, or chasing the typing sound you make on your keyboard.
On this episode of my daughter is growing up to become a villain: Evil Queen dies in Live Action Snow White and my daughter wants her to come back.
🤷🏼♀️
🤷🏼♀️
June 12, 2025 at 4:04 PM
On this episode of my daughter is growing up to become a villain: Evil Queen dies in Live Action Snow White and my daughter wants her to come back.
🤷🏼♀️
🤷🏼♀️
They should make keyboard shaped cat beds.
June 11, 2025 at 1:08 AM
They should make keyboard shaped cat beds.
Recently getting into audio books, but worst part is I can't highlight and save my favorite lines. Just finished this one and was able to jot down one that stood out:
"...who's face holds a map's worth of lines."
"...who's face holds a map's worth of lines."
June 8, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Recently getting into audio books, but worst part is I can't highlight and save my favorite lines. Just finished this one and was able to jot down one that stood out:
"...who's face holds a map's worth of lines."
"...who's face holds a map's worth of lines."
When you're reading a book and the main character has conflicting duty and desire and acts upon duty and you are certain they will come to regret it.
a man in a suit and tie is smiling in an office .
ALT: a man in a suit and tie is smiling in an office .
media.tenor.com
June 8, 2025 at 11:48 AM
When you're reading a book and the main character has conflicting duty and desire and acts upon duty and you are certain they will come to regret it.
Got a specific one I was waiting on. 🤣 it was the one I had most hope for since he says if it had been in queue that long it was under consideration. Nope. Or at least, not anymore.
The reign of false hope has ended.
The reign of false hope has ended.
Ever since @moirariom.bsky.social had retooled my perspective to aiming for high rejections counts, I'm now looking at my email asking "Come on, where is my rejection?" Which is a completely strange way to motivate me to send out more stories.
June 7, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Got a specific one I was waiting on. 🤣 it was the one I had most hope for since he says if it had been in queue that long it was under consideration. Nope. Or at least, not anymore.
The reign of false hope has ended.
The reign of false hope has ended.
After just not making it into the final showdown of the Spring WB, I am feeling quite Disappoofed.
a friend of mine shared this ai-generated "emotion wheel" and unfortunately i have been laughing my ass off at it for like 15 minutes now. today i am feeling Fnliinneon
June 7, 2025 at 2:15 AM
After just not making it into the final showdown of the Spring WB, I am feeling quite Disappoofed.
Update on my daughter becoming a villain:
We are watching live action Cinderella and she sees a few dresses and asks if she can wear the wicked step-mother's dress.
I mean, she's not wrong. It is beautiful.
We are watching live action Cinderella and she sees a few dresses and asks if she can wear the wicked step-mother's dress.
I mean, she's not wrong. It is beautiful.
June 6, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Update on my daughter becoming a villain:
We are watching live action Cinderella and she sees a few dresses and asks if she can wear the wicked step-mother's dress.
I mean, she's not wrong. It is beautiful.
We are watching live action Cinderella and she sees a few dresses and asks if she can wear the wicked step-mother's dress.
I mean, she's not wrong. It is beautiful.