Amanda Helms
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amandaghelms.bsky.social
Amanda Helms
@amandaghelms.bsky.social
2.4K followers 950 following 260 posts
Writer of SFF and sometimes H. Fiction in/forthcoming from LIGHTSPEED, Uncanny, FIYAH & elsewhere. Editor at Diabolical Plots. Parent. Biracial. She/her. Rep: Paul Lucas
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amandaghelms.bsky.social
TSADB x Snowpiercer
When she’s hired to manage the spirit powering a nonstop train, a mixed-race woman must navigate her distrustful white boss, her estranged father, a handsome, secretive coworker… and the spirit itself, who doesn’t want to be governed at all.
#BluePit📖 #OS #F #A #OV #POC #Agented
A moodboard with 4 images and center text. Clockwise from top-left: A sepia-toned, close-up illustration of a woman with curling hair and a thick choker-style necklace; blue flames burning a conical shape; a closeup illustration of a screaming man with dark, curling hair and dark eyes, a mustache and slight beard; a front of a steam-engine style train reading "17" and its headlight shining. Center white text on black background: "Something like a low-banked fire settled deep into her mind"
January 13, 2025 at 4:17 PM
amandaghelms.bsky.social
Narnia X Gilmore Girls

A widowed mom follows her 16yo thru a magic portal, where she learns her daughter is engaged a 500yo fire-powered fairy king. Widow Mom is NOT ok w/ that. Awesome idea to ally w/ the king’s hot bone-lord rival to stop the marriage, right?

#BluePit📖 #W #A #F #HU #Agented
A moodboard with images and text. Top L image: a smiling white middle-aged woman with brown hair, hoop earrings, and sunglasses; Top R image: an intact dinosaur skeleton with needle-teeth; Bottom L image: a blazing fire; bottom R image: a teenaged biracial girl with brown curly hair staring intently at the camera. Center text, white on light teal background: "Far ahead of me, one of my daughter’s hands lifted in a gesture that I kindly let remain unfocused in my sight, lest it come clear that my sole progeny, my sweet baby girl whom I grew in my body and fed with my breasts, in spite of not one but two cases of mastitis, was flashing me the bird."
January 13, 2025 at 3:10 PM
amandaghelms.bsky.social
#wipsnips - “qualify”

Mother-daughter bonding is not going well.
Text: “We could’ve stayed in London,” Dera said. She didn’t look at me, instead kept her hands shoved in her shorts’ pockets while she eyed the deeper woods. “Hey, I’m keeping up with you,” I said. More or less, anyway. “And besides, this was your suggestion in the first place. And it’s a good idea! It’s fun.” Employing a generous definition of fun, but still. This did qualify. (“Qualify” is highlighted gray and underlined)
December 8, 2024 at 2:29 PM
amandaghelms.bsky.social
Considering my #wip includes bone magic, I had a surfeit of riches to choose from for today’s #WIPSnips #rib. Even so I went with this one:
Text: The bodice was made of the yellowish-white “Pale Bone” fabric, a stiff brocade with a subtle pattern that reminded me of tusks and rib bones. Rather than macabre, the pattern looked . . . elegant. The dress being like fancy shapewear, it pushed my boobs up in the manner of an eighteenth century costume drama, but whatever.
December 5, 2024 at 2:13 AM
amandaghelms.bsky.social
Behold, the murder birb and its fresh kill
A murder birb (aka hawk) appears to glare at the camera from atop a fence post as it crouches over the corpse of a field mouse
November 26, 2024 at 11:17 PM
amandaghelms.bsky.social
Hello new followers! I write SFF and sometimes H. (Though the H is becoming more frequent than the SF of late, as with "A Carapace of Coral.")
Sometimes the things I write get published and thus become award-eligible, such as the pieces listed here (links available on my website):
Dark brown text on a tan background with abstract swirly shapes. The text reads: Amanda Helms 2024 Award Eligibility Short Story • "The God, Descendant" Uncanny, February • "A Carapace of Coral" FIYAH, April Novelette "Sever and Bind" Beneath Ceaseless Skies, May amandahelms.com
November 13, 2024 at 4:33 PM
amandaghelms.bsky.social
The 5yo enjoyed making gingerbread ninjas on her snow day! Despite (because of?) the few decapitations and dismemberments
Gingerbread ninja cookies on a sheet of parchment paper as they cool. They are decorated with an array of red, green, and white decorating sugars and sprinkles. Some heads and limbs look a bit askew due to breaking apart during transfer.
November 8, 2024 at 8:52 PM
amandaghelms.bsky.social
Ballot has been accepted and counted! I love Colorado’s system and ability to track your ballot.
One of Colorado’s “I voted” stickers, featuring art of a columbine, Colorado flag, moth, and mountains. The sticker,held on 2 fingers, is shortly to be handed over to the bearer’s 5 year old progeny.
October 29, 2024 at 8:09 PM
amandaghelms.bsky.social
Hello new followers! I’m Amanda and I write SFFH. I’m currently at #WFC2024 and have events TODAY!
•Monstrous Mothers panel at 11:00am ET in the Grand Ballroom

•A reading at 5:00pm ET in Olmstead

And here are some photos from earlier in the week! Ooh Niagara, so pretty
Horseshoe Falls from the Canadian side, lit up at night in rainbow colors Horseshoe falls from the Canadian side at night, with most rising up between the “legs” of the horseshoe A full rainbow appears from the Bridal Veil Falls, viewed from the wooden staircase at Cave of the Winds Bridal veil Falls in day
October 19, 2024 at 1:05 PM
amandaghelms.bsky.social
And now I’m in Niagara! Had a great time today walking around. One more day of sightseeing then I’ll be attending the con Thursday! Hoping to see some folks there!
Landscape view from the Rainbow Bridge pedestrian walkway. Cloudy skies and the rushing river Walkway to Canada, with a black sign with white lettering that helpfully reads “CANADA” with an arrow pointing left in case people have forgotten how to get to Canada Niagara Falls, with a sightseeing boat out on Niagara River, another docked, and with cloudy skies
October 16, 2024 at 12:13 AM
amandaghelms.bsky.social
I'm extremely late with this, but I'm on a few panels this weekend @flightsoffoundry.bsky.social! The first is TODAY at 3:00pmET/1:00pm MT! Join us for The Role of Strength and Femininity in SFF and Other Speculative Genres!
A promo image featuring black dragon/gryphon creatures and a blue and green color scale for a Flights of Foundry panel. Text on the image is: Flights of Foundry September 27-29th Panel Discussion Join Us! The Role of Strength and Femininity in SFF and Other Speculative Fiction Genres September 27th 3:00pm EDT
September 27, 2024 at 4:17 PM
amandaghelms.bsky.social
Who’s gonna be the next mayor of NYC? Wrong answers only
The Pale Man from Del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth. A pale-skinned monster holds its taloned hands in front of its face, with the eyes in its palms, allowing it to see. The Pale Man’s nostrils are flat, like a snake’s, and its mouth is open in a shout or scream. Its skin hangs loosely on its arms.
September 26, 2024 at 7:33 PM
amandaghelms.bsky.social
I took the lazy way of waiting for my phone app to update on its own. Nice to be a bsky-certified elder! How do you do fellow kids, etc
Bluesky certified elder badge saying Amanda Helms @amandaghelms.bsky.social is user 160,732 and joined June 26, 2023
September 17, 2024 at 12:18 PM
amandaghelms.bsky.social
Then, immediately after at 11:30 PT I'm shifting virtual rooms to cohost the Parent Authors meetup! Parent authors, come chat! #Nebulas2024
Image advertising the virtual Parent Authors meetup for the Nebula Conference. A maroon textbox is on a space background that shows a solar storm. The textbox reads: "2024 Nebula Conference Parent Authors Meetup" June 8 11:30 AM PST Online Registration: events.sfwa.org"
June 8, 2024 at 2:11 PM
amandaghelms.bsky.social
I'm extremely late announcing this, but for #Nebulas2024 attendees, I'm on the virtual Grow from No panel today at 10:30 PT! Rejection is a given when seeking publication. Come hear some tips for moving forward! (Spite. For me, sometimes it's spite.)
Image advertising a 2024 Nebula conference panel. A maroon textbox is on a space background, showing a possible solar storm. The text reads: "2024 Nebula Conference Join My Panel Grow From No: How to Survive (and Thrive) from Rejection June 8 10:30 PST Registration: events.sfwa.org"
June 8, 2024 at 2:08 PM
amandaghelms.bsky.social
Pulled it together despite sinusitis and bronchitis to make an awards eligibility post. Behold my square, it contains the works I published this year that are eligible for the award-shaped things. I'm particularly fond of "The House, the Witch, and Sugarcane Stalks," just saying.

Links to follow.
Text square reading "2023 Award Eligibility Amanda Helms," with a line drawing of a house in the bottom-right corner, the website www.amandahelms.com at the bottom center, and the titles of 4 stories, which are linked in following skeets
December 19, 2023 at 8:34 PM