Rachael 📚 🎶
@rachaelreadswrites.bsky.social
All things books!
Reader, Writer, Librarian, & Harpist
In my cozy fantasy/fairytale era
"too sensitive," "too direct," "too many words," "too earnest," "too much"
https://linktr.ee/rachaelreadsandwrites
Reader, Writer, Librarian, & Harpist
In my cozy fantasy/fairytale era
"too sensitive," "too direct," "too many words," "too earnest," "too much"
https://linktr.ee/rachaelreadsandwrites
Story pitch: if Pixar produced an Addams Family spinoff starring the weird little demon cousin of Aziraphale from Good Omens.
Read if here: open.substack.com/pub/rachaelr...
#booksky #writersky #shortstory #cozyfantasy #horror #specfiction #sff
Read if here: open.substack.com/pub/rachaelr...
#booksky #writersky #shortstory #cozyfantasy #horror #specfiction #sff
November 29, 2025 at 9:02 PM
Story pitch: if Pixar produced an Addams Family spinoff starring the weird little demon cousin of Aziraphale from Good Omens.
Read if here: open.substack.com/pub/rachaelr...
#booksky #writersky #shortstory #cozyfantasy #horror #specfiction #sff
Read if here: open.substack.com/pub/rachaelr...
#booksky #writersky #shortstory #cozyfantasy #horror #specfiction #sff
19th century woman's Christmas poetry with STRONG yule-time goddess vibes.
#booksky #writersky #poem #poetry #Christmas #wintersolstice #yule
open.substack.com/pub/rachaelr...
#booksky #writersky #poem #poetry #Christmas #wintersolstice #yule
open.substack.com/pub/rachaelr...
"Earth Grown Old" by Christina Rossetti - An Advent Poem from 1886
"Earth grown old, yet still so green ... nurses fire unfelt, unseen"
open.substack.com
November 29, 2025 at 8:57 PM
19th century woman's Christmas poetry with STRONG yule-time goddess vibes.
#booksky #writersky #poem #poetry #Christmas #wintersolstice #yule
open.substack.com/pub/rachaelr...
#booksky #writersky #poem #poetry #Christmas #wintersolstice #yule
open.substack.com/pub/rachaelr...
Reposted by Rachael 📚 🎶
"The rising of the sun and the running of the deer..."
Winter Harp, Week 1
My own arrangement. Sheet music available in comments!
#harp #musicsky #Christmas #celticharp #sheetmusic
youtu.be/sx-8TK1lR_8?...
Winter Harp, Week 1
My own arrangement. Sheet music available in comments!
#harp #musicsky #Christmas #celticharp #sheetmusic
youtu.be/sx-8TK1lR_8?...
The Holly and the Ivy, English Christmas Carol, on Celtic/Folk Lap Harp + SHEET MUSIC - Full Version
YouTube video by The Harp Librarian
youtu.be
November 29, 2025 at 5:35 PM
"The rising of the sun and the running of the deer..."
Winter Harp, Week 1
My own arrangement. Sheet music available in comments!
#harp #musicsky #Christmas #celticharp #sheetmusic
youtu.be/sx-8TK1lR_8?...
Winter Harp, Week 1
My own arrangement. Sheet music available in comments!
#harp #musicsky #Christmas #celticharp #sheetmusic
youtu.be/sx-8TK1lR_8?...
For Thanksgiving entertainment that ISN'T Charlie Brown or Miracle on 34th Street, read my belated Halloween short story about a Pixar-esque lil' demon who struggles with corporeality and family.
open.substack.com/pub/rachaelr...
#booksky #writersky #fantasy #cozy #horror #humor #specfiction #sff
open.substack.com/pub/rachaelr...
#booksky #writersky #fantasy #cozy #horror #humor #specfiction #sff
I Have One Daughter: Creepy/Cozy Fantasy Short Story
"Darkness incarnate could usually tell when a seance was about to go horribly wrong. It gave her the tinglies."
open.substack.com
November 27, 2025 at 9:58 PM
For Thanksgiving entertainment that ISN'T Charlie Brown or Miracle on 34th Street, read my belated Halloween short story about a Pixar-esque lil' demon who struggles with corporeality and family.
open.substack.com/pub/rachaelr...
#booksky #writersky #fantasy #cozy #horror #humor #specfiction #sff
open.substack.com/pub/rachaelr...
#booksky #writersky #fantasy #cozy #horror #humor #specfiction #sff
Happy Thanksgiving, to all who celebrate, from this little nerd.
November 27, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Happy Thanksgiving, to all who celebrate, from this little nerd.
If you're the kind of person who is sad Halloween is over, please enjoy my Pixar short-esque story of a lil' displaced demon who struggles with corporeality and maybe boundaries.
#booksky #writersky #fantasy #cozyfantasy #cozyhorror #spookyseason #specfiction #sff
open.substack.com/pub/rachaelr...
#booksky #writersky #fantasy #cozyfantasy #cozyhorror #spookyseason #specfiction #sff
open.substack.com/pub/rachaelr...
November 27, 2025 at 12:35 AM
If you're the kind of person who is sad Halloween is over, please enjoy my Pixar short-esque story of a lil' displaced demon who struggles with corporeality and maybe boundaries.
#booksky #writersky #fantasy #cozyfantasy #cozyhorror #spookyseason #specfiction #sff
open.substack.com/pub/rachaelr...
#booksky #writersky #fantasy #cozyfantasy #cozyhorror #spookyseason #specfiction #sff
open.substack.com/pub/rachaelr...
Read this month's Wicked movie/musical themed stories
#Zine #fantasy #magicschool #booksky #writersky #specfiction #speculativefiction #sff #wickedforgood #shortstories
open.substack.com/pub/fantasys...
#Zine #fantasy #magicschool #booksky #writersky #specfiction #speculativefiction #sff #wickedforgood #shortstories
open.substack.com/pub/fantasys...
Community Zine
Read this month's submitted stories!
open.substack.com
November 24, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Read this month's Wicked movie/musical themed stories
#Zine #fantasy #magicschool #booksky #writersky #specfiction #speculativefiction #sff #wickedforgood #shortstories
open.substack.com/pub/fantasys...
#Zine #fantasy #magicschool #booksky #writersky #specfiction #speculativefiction #sff #wickedforgood #shortstories
open.substack.com/pub/fantasys...
Ok, fam. Inquiring minds need to know. Which camp are you in re Thanksgiving foods?
In my world, Midwestern Neighbor is correct. Though she should also have pushed back on the mac n’ cheese. A true midwesterner would have suggested funeral potatoes as an alternative.
youtu.be/H-iZ2JQA6EE?...
In my world, Midwestern Neighbor is correct. Though she should also have pushed back on the mac n’ cheese. A true midwesterner would have suggested funeral potatoes as an alternative.
youtu.be/H-iZ2JQA6EE?...
Trying To Host Thanksgiving
YouTube video by Holderness Family Laughs
youtu.be
November 23, 2025 at 10:28 PM
Ok, fam. Inquiring minds need to know. Which camp are you in re Thanksgiving foods?
In my world, Midwestern Neighbor is correct. Though she should also have pushed back on the mac n’ cheese. A true midwesterner would have suggested funeral potatoes as an alternative.
youtu.be/H-iZ2JQA6EE?...
In my world, Midwestern Neighbor is correct. Though she should also have pushed back on the mac n’ cheese. A true midwesterner would have suggested funeral potatoes as an alternative.
youtu.be/H-iZ2JQA6EE?...
Challenge: can YOU write your way out of this magic school side quest?
#writersky #fantasy #magicschool #darkacademia #specfiction #speculativefiction #sff #sidequest #writingexercise
open.substack.com/pub/fantasys...
#writersky #fantasy #magicschool #darkacademia #specfiction #speculativefiction #sff #sidequest #writingexercise
open.substack.com/pub/fantasys...
Side Quest: Encounter with a Bully
Taking the words right out of your mouth
open.substack.com
November 22, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Challenge: can YOU write your way out of this magic school side quest?
#writersky #fantasy #magicschool #darkacademia #specfiction #speculativefiction #sff #sidequest #writingexercise
open.substack.com/pub/fantasys...
#writersky #fantasy #magicschool #darkacademia #specfiction #speculativefiction #sff #sidequest #writingexercise
open.substack.com/pub/fantasys...
Reposted by Rachael 📚 🎶
Relying on ChatGPT to teach you about a topic leaves you with shallower knowledge than Googling and reading about it, according to new research that compared what more than 10,000 people knew after using one method or the other.
Shared by @gizmodo.com: buff.ly/yAAHtHq
Shared by @gizmodo.com: buff.ly/yAAHtHq
November 21, 2025 at 11:48 AM
Relying on ChatGPT to teach you about a topic leaves you with shallower knowledge than Googling and reading about it, according to new research that compared what more than 10,000 people knew after using one method or the other.
Shared by @gizmodo.com: buff.ly/yAAHtHq
Shared by @gizmodo.com: buff.ly/yAAHtHq
Reposted by Rachael 📚 🎶
If you use GMail, AI (Gemini) was turned on yesterday by default and now scans all of your content for machine learning. To turn off, go to Settings>General and scroll down. Uncheck the box for "Smart features."
There's other "Smart" add-ons as well, but that's the one that reads your content.
There's other "Smart" add-ons as well, but that's the one that reads your content.
November 20, 2025 at 5:32 PM
If you use GMail, AI (Gemini) was turned on yesterday by default and now scans all of your content for machine learning. To turn off, go to Settings>General and scroll down. Uncheck the box for "Smart features."
There's other "Smart" add-ons as well, but that's the one that reads your content.
There's other "Smart" add-ons as well, but that's the one that reads your content.
Looking for spec fiction lit magazines with submissions open NOW? Fantasy, scifi, horror, etc. Plus options for novel excerpt contests.
#writersky #specfiction #speculativefiction #sff #submissions #fantasy #scifi #horror #booksky
open.substack.com/pub/fantasys...
open.substack.com/pub/fantasys...
#writersky #specfiction #speculativefiction #sff #submissions #fantasy #scifi #horror #booksky
open.substack.com/pub/fantasys...
open.substack.com/pub/fantasys...
November 20, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Looking for spec fiction lit magazines with submissions open NOW? Fantasy, scifi, horror, etc. Plus options for novel excerpt contests.
#writersky #specfiction #speculativefiction #sff #submissions #fantasy #scifi #horror #booksky
open.substack.com/pub/fantasys...
open.substack.com/pub/fantasys...
#writersky #specfiction #speculativefiction #sff #submissions #fantasy #scifi #horror #booksky
open.substack.com/pub/fantasys...
open.substack.com/pub/fantasys...
Reposted by Rachael 📚 🎶
This poem by Andrea Gibson perfectly encapsulates the feeling I get when people say "hey, why don't you have more confidence?"
November 19, 2025 at 3:20 PM
This poem by Andrea Gibson perfectly encapsulates the feeling I get when people say "hey, why don't you have more confidence?"
Reposted by Rachael 📚 🎶
My conspiracy theory is that university ITS is just an urban myth.
“Their coming hath long been fortold by the robo-reply in the ‘help’ chat, which hath promised us a ‘live operator response’ these many hours hence…”
“Their coming hath long been fortold by the robo-reply in the ‘help’ chat, which hath promised us a ‘live operator response’ these many hours hence…”
November 17, 2025 at 11:19 PM
My conspiracy theory is that university ITS is just an urban myth.
“Their coming hath long been fortold by the robo-reply in the ‘help’ chat, which hath promised us a ‘live operator response’ these many hours hence…”
“Their coming hath long been fortold by the robo-reply in the ‘help’ chat, which hath promised us a ‘live operator response’ these many hours hence…”
No shit. Also breaking news: water is wet.
news.gallup.com/poll/697382/...
news.gallup.com/poll/697382/...
Record Numbers of Younger Women Want to Leave the U.S.
The percentage of younger women in the U.S. who express a desire to migrate permanently has surged in the past decade.
news.gallup.com
November 14, 2025 at 8:13 PM
No shit. Also breaking news: water is wet.
news.gallup.com/poll/697382/...
news.gallup.com/poll/697382/...
Join our Wicked (aka, "witchy") themed writing challenge today!
#writingsky #writersky #writingchallenge #fantasy #sff #specfiction #wickedforgood
open.substack.com/pub/fantasys...
#writingsky #writersky #writingchallenge #fantasy #sff #specfiction #wickedforgood
open.substack.com/pub/fantasys...
November 10, 2025 at 11:37 PM
Join our Wicked (aka, "witchy") themed writing challenge today!
#writingsky #writersky #writingchallenge #fantasy #sff #specfiction #wickedforgood
open.substack.com/pub/fantasys...
#writingsky #writersky #writingchallenge #fantasy #sff #specfiction #wickedforgood
open.substack.com/pub/fantasys...
Reposted by Rachael 📚 🎶
New — While some states have received SNAP benefits for November and USDA is supposedly pushing through all federal payments soon, that doesn’t erase the psychological terror of the last few weeks.
I spoke with 20+ SNAP recipients in 16 states about preparing for a possible future with no food:
I spoke with 20+ SNAP recipients in 16 states about preparing for a possible future with no food:
The voices of SNAP
Recipients have become political pawns. They explained, in their own words, what Trump withholding funds has been like.
www.thehandbasket.co
November 7, 2025 at 10:55 PM
New — While some states have received SNAP benefits for November and USDA is supposedly pushing through all federal payments soon, that doesn’t erase the psychological terror of the last few weeks.
I spoke with 20+ SNAP recipients in 16 states about preparing for a possible future with no food:
I spoke with 20+ SNAP recipients in 16 states about preparing for a possible future with no food:
Reposted by Rachael 📚 🎶
Whyyyyyyyyy do I have to get out of bed every DAY?
November 6, 2025 at 1:27 PM
Whyyyyyyyyy do I have to get out of bed every DAY?
Today it's just me, the elephant shrew, the spiny mouse, and some fruit bats out here doin’ our best.
November 5, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Today it's just me, the elephant shrew, the spiny mouse, and some fruit bats out here doin’ our best.
What is this feeling? One short day to be popular? Or to defy gravity? Subscribers, aka "enrolled students," get to vote on Wicked-themed prompts for November's writing challenge!
#writersky #fantasy #writingchallenge #magicschool #specfiction #sff #writingprompts
open.substack.com/pub/fantasys...
#writersky #fantasy #writingchallenge #magicschool #specfiction #sff #writingprompts
open.substack.com/pub/fantasys...
Monthly Term Begins Today -- Time to Vote for the Assignment Prompt
Time to ... defy gravity...
open.substack.com
November 3, 2025 at 10:21 PM
What is this feeling? One short day to be popular? Or to defy gravity? Subscribers, aka "enrolled students," get to vote on Wicked-themed prompts for November's writing challenge!
#writersky #fantasy #writingchallenge #magicschool #specfiction #sff #writingprompts
open.substack.com/pub/fantasys...
#writersky #fantasy #writingchallenge #magicschool #specfiction #sff #writingprompts
open.substack.com/pub/fantasys...
I wrote a story about witches, words, and rabbits. It's not spooky.
#writersky #booksky #fantasy #cozyfantasy #magicschool
open.substack.com/pub/fantasys...
#writersky #booksky #fantasy #cozyfantasy #magicschool
open.substack.com/pub/fantasys...
The T.A.'s Story: "The Word Witch"
From the October 2025 Fantasy Story Writing Challenge
open.substack.com
November 1, 2025 at 11:05 PM
I wrote a story about witches, words, and rabbits. It's not spooky.
#writersky #booksky #fantasy #cozyfantasy #magicschool
open.substack.com/pub/fantasys...
#writersky #booksky #fantasy #cozyfantasy #magicschool
open.substack.com/pub/fantasys...
Reposted by Rachael 📚 🎶
Wow! It’s not even close. Food banks can’t keep up with the need…
Question: “How long is this sustainable.”
Food bank director: “It’s not… for every meal that a food bank provides, the SNAP program provides nine. There’s no way we can meet that gap.”
Question: “How long is this sustainable.”
Food bank director: “It’s not… for every meal that a food bank provides, the SNAP program provides nine. There’s no way we can meet that gap.”
October 30, 2025 at 12:39 PM
Wow! It’s not even close. Food banks can’t keep up with the need…
Question: “How long is this sustainable.”
Food bank director: “It’s not… for every meal that a food bank provides, the SNAP program provides nine. There’s no way we can meet that gap.”
Question: “How long is this sustainable.”
Food bank director: “It’s not… for every meal that a food bank provides, the SNAP program provides nine. There’s no way we can meet that gap.”
Reposted by Rachael 📚 🎶
It's not too late to shop fall and Halloween in my Etsy store! www.etsy.com/shop/TheHarp...
#booksky #writersky
#booksky #writersky
October 18, 2025 at 7:08 PM
It's not too late to shop fall and Halloween in my Etsy store! www.etsy.com/shop/TheHarp...
#booksky #writersky
#booksky #writersky