Rachel Lippolis
banner
rachelonbooks.bsky.social
Rachel Lippolis
@rachelonbooks.bsky.social
Reading and writing in Cincinnati, Ohio. Stories published in Streetlight Magazine and The Hong Kong Review. Awarded Individual Excellence Award in fiction from the Ohio Arts Council.
Reposted by Rachel Lippolis
Hey, short story writers who love a retreat. This is open for submissions right now. I beg you to number pages and double space it. Don’t be weird about formatting - but weird stories would be so fun!

#shortstories
#writers
#writing

www.porcheswritingretreat.com/nancy-zafris...
Nancy Zafris Short Story Fellowship — Porches Writing Retreat
www.porcheswritingretreat.com
June 4, 2025 at 5:50 PM
I just finished Andor season 2, and I think I'm now a Star Wars fangirl. I'm reading subreddits about Rogue One and episode 3 and Kylo Ren and Rey, and there was a really interesting post comparing a character to one of flannery O'Connor's creations...
May 17, 2025 at 1:31 AM
Reposted by Rachel Lippolis
"Masked security forces captured an opposition leader in the coastal province of New Jersey as regime officials continue their months-long crack-down against pro-democracy elements in the embattled United States. The arrest comes as the regime issued calls for summary detentions without trial."
HAPPENING NOW: Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was just taken into custody while protesting outside the Delaney Hall ICE detention center
May 9, 2025 at 10:10 PM
The best illustration of what an unserious candidate Vance's brother is: "Bowman... had never voted in a city election before...he told the paper he hadn’t voted because he didn’t know when the elections were."
May 3, 2025 at 8:05 PM
Reposted by Rachel Lippolis
They’re taking *our* investment—the money that we spent months writing grants for, the hours and hours we all spent reviewing each others’ work, the money that was supposed to go to libraries and community groups—and blowing it on this nonsense.
“the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is pleased to announce a special funding opportunity to support the design and creation of statues of important American historical figures for the planned National Garden of American Heroes.” bit.ly/42KlpCz
NEH Announces Grant Opportunity to Create Statues of Iconic Americans for the National Garden of American Heroes
bit.ly
April 24, 2025 at 8:45 PM
I'm not fancy enough for the Mercantile Library
March 13, 2025 at 8:32 PM
Reposted by Rachel Lippolis
Comparing my first draft to beloved published novels. This is helpful, right? #amwriting
February 21, 2025 at 2:04 PM
This reminds me of Sarah Kendzior's prescient 2016 essay after Trump was first elected: "I want you to write about who you are.... Because if you do not do it now, you may forget." thecorrespondent.com/5696/were-he...
February 19, 2025 at 12:15 AM
Me, 9am: I'm going to stay away from the news for my mental health!

Me, 11am: I'm going to read all the news so I can help SAVE DEMOCRACY!

Me, 11:30am: I'm going to eat a pack of Nutter Butters for lunch.
February 3, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Excited to get my contributor copy of Sheila-Na-Gig's short fiction anthology. (My story started years ago as an entry to @nycmidnight.bsky.social - drama, make-up artist, and I forget the third category!)
January 22, 2025 at 1:37 PM
I've been enjoying a podcast from Silas House where he talks to authors about craft. Each episode is about 30min, no fluff. In one, he talks to Barbara Kingsolver(!) about setting vs Sense of Place. In another he discusses plot with Gwenda Bond. It's a joy to listen to. tinyurl.com/mw6t422k
Writing Lessons
Kentucky Poet Laureate Silas House presents: “Writing Lessons”, a podcast that explores the foundations of creative writing.
tinyurl.com
January 15, 2025 at 2:54 PM
Here an em dash, there an em dash, everywhere an em dash... #amwriting
December 19, 2024 at 8:23 PM
Love this whole piece by Lauren Karcz:

"You’d speak of a murmur of the beat of yourself, the smell of your bones, the shy shaking ghosts in your chest – this pile you’ve built from the fourteen hundred days you’ve taken a pill."

www.smokelong.com/stories/if-s...
If Stevie Nicks Was Your Klonopin Withdrawal Counselor - SmokeLong Quarterly
(In the mid-1990s, singer-songwriter Stevie Nicks withdrew from the benzodiazepine known as Klonopin after an eight-year dependence. In 2020, unable to tour, perhaps Stevie would open a small clinic f...
www.smokelong.com
December 16, 2024 at 2:16 AM
When my scene's falling flat, I return to advice from Trey Parker & Matt Stone. If you can separate beats of your story with "and then," you're f*cked. It's just a series of events. Instead you want beats connected by "but" or "therefore." Complication & causality. #amwriting tinyurl.com/mt6vs489
- YouTube
Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.
tinyurl.com
December 10, 2024 at 2:11 PM
30 years ago this morning, I was struck by a police car while crossing Winton Rd. My Jansport backpack, stuffed w/ geometry, biology, and French textbooks, left a dent in the police car and was cut off of me. I was in Children's Hospital for weeks and rehab for longer. (1/2)
December 5, 2024 at 4:20 PM
Back to work after kids were home the week of Thanksgiving. I see the end of my novel so clearly... Now to translate that vision into actual sentences! #amwriting
December 2, 2024 at 2:56 PM
My son went to a ramen-themed birthday party yesterday, and I have to say it's a refreshing change from Minecraft/superheroes/sports
December 1, 2024 at 5:31 PM
Reposted by Rachel Lippolis
Something to do this weekend, maybe?
If you’re looking for a free way to support an author, did you know you can ask your library to stock a book you want to read that they don’t have yet? And usually it’s a very basic online form? Google your library name plus the words “request a title” or “suggest a title” to find yours.
December 1, 2024 at 12:47 AM
My husband upstairs, just now, to my 8yo: Put the book down! You're supposed to be getting dressed now, not reading!

I'm a proud mama.

(For the record, my son is reading a graphic novel, "The First Cat in Space Ate Pizza")
November 28, 2024 at 5:29 PM
Kids are off for Thanksgiving this week, so most of my writing is in my head.

It's amazing how much easier it can be to compose beautiful sentences in your head, and so frustrating when you try to get them onto the page!

That said, I love Google keep for jotting quick notes on my phone.
November 26, 2024 at 12:45 PM
Cincinnati isn't for everyone, but I adore my hometown. I love that we have a famous hippo, and I'm tickled every time I see Pinocchio, arms outstretched, welcoming me to the Cincinnati Art Museum (picture is from a warmer, sunnier day). #fiona
November 22, 2024 at 3:42 PM
Reposted by Rachel Lippolis
Someone just asked me for writing tips, and my gut level response was "all writing advice is fake, just read books you like and write as much as you can and eventually something will be good" but then I thought about it and I had some actual advice!

1. Read! Your work! Out loud!
November 18, 2024 at 11:07 PM