Sarah Royston
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sarahkat.bsky.social
Sarah Royston
@sarahkat.bsky.social
360 followers 420 following 69 posts
Writer and researcher inspired by queer/feminist ecologies & folklore.

Collection 'Fernseed' out now!
https://thebraag.co/?product=fernseed-a-collection-of-tales-by-sarah-royston-pre-order

https://hedgeways.wordpress.com/

Re-enchantment is resistance.
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sarahkat.bsky.social
Sarah Royston @sarahkat.bsky.social · Jun 22
Misummer fern folklore was an inspiration for my collection of queer ecological enchantments, 'Fernseed: A Collection of Tales' share.google/ToA2Tlk9ruHT...
Merry midsummer and happy #Pride to all! 💚🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🌿
sarahkat.bsky.social
David's work is such an inspiration. Because of Hookland, I shiver when I pass between two pylons. I often ask myself: "What would Emily Banting do?" And I know that the most ordinary places are alive with strangeness.

Sending gratitude and well wishes to you, David! @cultauthor.bsky.social
hookland.bsky.social hookland.bsky.social @hookland.bsky.social · 7d
I am going to get through the next six-eight weeks of being housebound with books and good company. Today I am much helped by @sarahkat.bsky.social’s fabulous Fernseed and humbled to find Hookland mentioned in the acknowledgements.
A picture of the cover of Sarah Royston’s book ‘Fernseed’. A picture of the acknowledgement page in Sarah Royston’s book ‘Fernseed’ which thanks Hookland.
November 14, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Reposted by Sarah Royston
thejokelark.bsky.social
Delighted to be in the latest issue of WestWord (and alongside some other wonderful pieces from brilliant writers) with this little story from earlier this year:

open.substack.com/pub/westword...
On Leaving a Familiar Place
A Micro Fiction by Jo Clark
open.substack.com
November 14, 2025 at 3:49 PM
sarahkat.bsky.social
Woohoo! Good luck all!
trashcatlit.bsky.social Trash Cat Lit @trashcatlit.bsky.social · 15d
We are blumming chuffed to share our nominations for @bestmicrofiction.bsky.social
Amazing stories that deserve to go all the way 🦝💜

@sarahkat.bsky.social
@terryholland.bsky.social (in print)
@joeluscombe.bsky.social
@timothycgoodwin.bsky.social
@bronwengriffiths.bsky.social (in print)

1/4
November 5, 2025 at 1:31 PM
sarahkat.bsky.social
I'm ready for Halloween with this stunningly creepy anthology! 🖤

Silent Screams: An Anthology of Quiet Horrors share.google/gafGIwAXtsZR...
A photo: The Silent Screams book is clutched by two skeletal hands in front of a tombstone.
October 29, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Reposted by Sarah Royston
hookland.bsky.social
Every pylon was portal. Each transmission tower a temporary temple. We followed The Hum as an act of ecstatic pilgrimage. We were the 'filthy hippy cult' parent were afraid their child would run away to join. You either heard The Hum and understood or you didn't. – Trippy Pete, ex-Pylon Person #VOH
October 25, 2025 at 12:26 PM
Reposted by Sarah Royston
trashcatlit.bsky.social
Want to read something a little folky, a little mystical?
Our print anthology has that among its 27 glorious short fictions.
Here are some teases to tantalise your storybuds 🦝

Then click here to buy our book and help raise money for charity 💜
mybook.to/WhatComesToL...

1/2
October 21, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Reposted by Sarah Royston
therelphian.bsky.social
Very proud of this beautiful baby! 🦝
If you love short fiction and want to read 27 amazing writers' interpretation of "treasure in unexpected places", then please do grab a copy and help raise money for UK wildlife 🦡🦊🦢🦌
trashcatlit.bsky.social Trash Cat Lit @trashcatlit.bsky.social · Sep 28
We're so excited to share our first print anthology, available to purchase for only £9/ $11.50 🦝
Please consider grabbing a copy - we're raising money for
@WildlifeTrusts
and have 27 truly exceptional short fictions for you to enjoy on actual paper 💜
mybook.to/WhatComesToL...
September 28, 2025 at 1:11 PM
Reposted by Sarah Royston
matgost.bsky.social
Three amazing charity anthology projects just landed...
My own Silent Screams antho, plus collections from @sasharavitch.bsky.social & @therelphian.bsky.social of @trashcatlit.bsky.social
Read all about them here:
matgost.substack.com/p/silent-scr...
A promo image for my blog post on substack, showing the cover of my Silent Screams anthology, with a word cloud, and the post title: "Silent Screams for Halloween"
October 7, 2025 at 8:22 AM
Reposted by Sarah Royston
matgost.bsky.social
Silent Screams is out now.
It's the first anthology I've edited and I love every single story inside it.
If you prefer your #Halloween scares quiet and filled with creeping dread, then this is the book for you.
eBook and paperback:
mybook.to/SilentScream...
#Horror #ShortStories #WritingCommunity
The cover wrap for Silent Screams, An Anthology of Quiet Horrors - featuring a striking, surreal illustration by Eric Brenner, depicting a screaming face with far too many eyes. The book blurb states: The most terrifying horror stories don't churn your stomach. They creep like shadows, chilling with a touch. They build dread through atmosphere and emotion, rather than splatter and gore. Welcome to Silent Screams, an anthology of quiet horror stories. Within these pages, you will face strange and twisted scenes, dark and demonic characters, nightmares great and small, written by a host of talented authors from around the world. These are shattering tales of grief and loss, visitations from strange folk, troubled dreams, and cursed artefacts. These are whispers to make your skin crawl and your toes curl. Words to catch your breath and smother screams.
October 6, 2025 at 7:25 AM
sarahkat.bsky.social
Really valuable insights from @mattkendrick.bsky.social on feedback and editing processes, as always!
No Writer is an Island - Part 1 open.substack.com/pub/prattlef...
No Writer is an Island - Part 1
As an editor I have the privilege of working with writers at all stages of their writing journeys.
open.substack.com
October 6, 2025 at 9:54 AM
sarahkat.bsky.social
Resistance is fertile in this powerful piece! "Sporesong" is visually and lyrically stunning 👌🍄✊️
tractorbeamearth.bsky.social Tractor Beam @tractorbeamearth.bsky.social · Oct 1
The penultimate story in Issue 3 of Tractor Beam is out now: "Sporesong" written by Genesis Whitlock and illustrated by Olivia Twist!✨

Can a single spore seed a revolution? 🍄🌱💥 Read to find out...
www.tractorbeam.earth/story/spores...

#comic #soilpunk #TractorBeamSomethingsRotting #climatefiction
Sporesong | Tractor Beam
Can a single spore seed a revolution?
www.tractorbeam.earth
October 1, 2025 at 9:28 PM
sarahkat.bsky.social
A briny blast of soilpunk (with extra punk), and a masterclass in character, setting and voice. Love this!
tractorbeamearth.bsky.social Tractor Beam @tractorbeamearth.bsky.social · Sep 29
Henry wants to upload his consciousness to his desktop game. He just needs to get through a couple of weeks on this cold beach first...

"Sandbag Squidward," written by Ashlee Lhamon and illustrated by Hisham Akira Bharoocha is available to read now on Tractor Beam! 🌊🌾🦺🌾🎮

#soilpunk #climatefiction
Sandbag Squidward | Tractor Beam
"Why beaches?"
www.tractorbeam.earth
September 29, 2025 at 6:34 PM
sarahkat.bsky.social
So excited to be part of this gorgeous anthology from the wonderful @trashcatlit.bsky.social ! My story follows two veterans walking the Icknield Way, 600 years apart, and a pilgrim badge that's lost and found.
trashcatlit.bsky.social Trash Cat Lit @trashcatlit.bsky.social · Sep 28
We're so excited to share our first print anthology, available to purchase for only £9/ $11.50 🦝
Please consider grabbing a copy - we're raising money for
@WildlifeTrusts
and have 27 truly exceptional short fictions for you to enjoy on actual paper 💜
mybook.to/WhatComesToL...
September 28, 2025 at 2:48 PM
Reposted by Sarah Royston
therelphian.bsky.social
If you read anything today, read this. Gorgeous soil and fungi prose, masterful worldbuilding 💚
sarahkat.bsky.social Sarah Royston @sarahkat.bsky.social · Sep 27
In the shadow of the Reserve of Persisting Complexity, a rag-tag community finds that webs are stronger than walls...

I'm thrilled to introduce my Grubbers to the world, with such beautiful illustrations by Manon Cezaro!
tractorbeamearth.bsky.social Tractor Beam @tractorbeamearth.bsky.social · Sep 27
Read the new short story written by Sarah Royston (@sarahkat.bsky.social) and illustrated by Manon Cezaro, live today on Tractor Beam! 💫

And subscribe to our newsletter (link in bio) get the last half of Issue 3's stories in your inbox as they drop on site 💌

#soilpunk #TractorBeamSomethingsRotting
September 27, 2025 at 5:09 PM
sarahkat.bsky.social
In the shadow of the Reserve of Persisting Complexity, a rag-tag community finds that webs are stronger than walls...

I'm thrilled to introduce my Grubbers to the world, with such beautiful illustrations by Manon Cezaro!
tractorbeamearth.bsky.social Tractor Beam @tractorbeamearth.bsky.social · Sep 27
Read the new short story written by Sarah Royston (@sarahkat.bsky.social) and illustrated by Manon Cezaro, live today on Tractor Beam! 💫

And subscribe to our newsletter (link in bio) get the last half of Issue 3's stories in your inbox as they drop on site 💌

#soilpunk #TractorBeamSomethingsRotting
Grubbers | Tractor Beam
Why'd you leave?
www.tractorbeam.earth
September 27, 2025 at 4:23 PM
sarahkat.bsky.social
"Trees [...] never fully trusted humans. Their chemical-trace sign for us includes the ideas of movement, fire, seeds, and danger."

Gorgeous, mind-bending mycelial writing from @culagovski.net 🍄🌱💚
tractorbeamearth.bsky.social Tractor Beam @tractorbeamearth.bsky.social · Sep 26
A troubled young woman is brought into a covert community, dedicated to connecting with a planet-wide, cross-species mushroom-based communication system and learns to go deeper than she ever thought possible... 🍄🌏💫

#soilpunk #climatefiction #mycology #TractorBeamSomethingsRotting #shortstory
Dead Man’s Switch | Tractor Beam
A quarterly publication of soilpunk fiction: Radical visions rooted in soil
www.tractorbeam.earth
September 26, 2025 at 8:45 PM
sarahkat.bsky.social
My tale of queer folksong collectors and the music of the dead is out now in Rawhead! Thrilled to be part of this stunning issue 🖤
September 24, 2025 at 5:16 PM
Reposted by Sarah Royston
babeandoak.bsky.social
It’s my birthday, the autumn equinox and the first day of fall 💛🍂

It would mean a lot if you could share my work today.

Thank you for all the support this year. It’s everything to me

Hope Persephone’s blessings find you today ✨
Black and white illustration representing Persephone during the autumn equinox. A frame surrounds the whole thing split in half in black and white. The middle horizontal section is torn in half like a piece of paper representing the division between the above and the underworld. In the bottom right corner are wispy swirling smoke lines going towards the centre with 3 bats flying from right to left. In the bottom left is the symbol for Persephone. In the middle are two pomegranates one whole and one cut in half. In the top half on a black background is a bee in reference to Persephone’s name as “honeyed one” on a circular medallion with narcissus flowers dropping petals around it. In the top left is the Greek word for Persephone Swatch card of my Forest Floor Repeat Pattern. Repeat pattern of the greenery crushed into a forest floor. tan leaf branches and grey slate branches with bright red and dark green large berries also small branches of tan leaves with red berries and slate grey branches with tan leaves on a dark navy blue background Altar prayer card for the goddess Diana. A rectangular card has a black border with parts of the Orphic hymn for Diana surrounding it as a border in white text. In the bottom right are twin arrows over a crescent moon representing her and Apollo. In the bottom left and top right are white outlined 8 point stars. Inside the border is a marble shockwave black and grey pattern with white outlining that forms an arch at the top with lining to look like columns on both sides. In the middle is a stag skull with painted antlers of a diamond and star pattern. Behind the skull are smaller 8 point stars and cloud ripples. Above the skull is a scraggly branch of queen Anne’s lace with small dots above. In the top corners are two constellations for Sirius as her hunting dogs and Roman numerals for 13 and 8 for the date of the Nemoralia festival. Night Magic - Black and white ink illustration of a magic filled Victorian house with an ominous surrounding. of a shrub framing the left side and bottom of the page. In the middle is a Victorian revival house with a spire to the right and a porch. Over the porch is a bison skull and the windows are celestial stain glass. The roof is black with cosmic looking weather vanes. 5 Crows are flying overheard from the back to the front of the house and the sky is The sky is textured with swirling pattern of lines and with black dot stars
September 24, 2025 at 1:33 AM
sarahkat.bsky.social
Luscious urban soilpunk from @poojajoshi.bsky.social 🤩🍄💚
tractorbeamearth.bsky.social Tractor Beam @tractorbeamearth.bsky.social · Sep 23
Two scientists meet a fruiting fungus who has one mission...get a role in government so they can tell all the humans to stop destroying the city, the world, and their lives.

When the headstrong mayor ignores them, the Embassy of Nature is forced to strike back...

#climatefiction #soilpunk #fungi
Embassy of Nature* | Tractor Beam
Coming Tuesday 9/23
www.tractorbeam.earth
September 23, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Reposted by Sarah Royston
fionamossman.bsky.social
Hydrangeas are such a bisexual bush: whether they appear blue, pink, or purple depends upon the environment they're in, but they are capable of all of these colours regardless of how they are perceived.

Today I'm thrilled to have a poem out in 'Bi All Accounts' claiming the hydrangea #bivisibility
Photo of blue, purple and pink hydrangeas Photo of the anthology 'Bi All Accounts'
September 23, 2025 at 11:44 AM
Reposted by Sarah Royston
tractorbeamearth.bsky.social
"Some things cannot be hurried. Some things take years, yes, years, slow underground."

Our first story in Issue 3, "The Fruiting," written by Anna Kahn and illustrated by Rui Pu, follows Kiera and an unnamed driver on a secret mycological mission. Will it be sabotage or salvation? 💥🍄🚙
The Fruiting | Tractor Beam
Sabotage or salvation?
www.tractorbeam.earth
September 23, 2025 at 1:48 PM
Reposted by Sarah Royston
tractorbeamearth.bsky.social
"Sometimes decay is tender, sometimes it is traumatic. Sometimes decay is new life bursting with potential, sometimes it is unclear."

Read guest editor Dr. Patricia Kaishian's thoughts on the collection of stories in Issue 3: SOMETHING'S ROTTING in her editor's note, out now at tractorbeam.earth! 🍄
Something’s Rotting | Tractor Beam
A quarterly publication of soilpunk fiction: Radical visions rooted in soil
tractorbeam.earth
September 22, 2025 at 11:21 PM
Reposted by Sarah Royston
tractorbeamearth.bsky.social
Introducing our Issue 3 guest editor, Dr. Patricia Ononiwu Kaishian! 🍄🌱🪱

Dr. Kaishian is the author of Forest Euphoria: The Abounding Queerness of Nature, a blend of memoir and science writing that challenges our expectations of what is normal, beautiful, and possible.
Dr. Patricia Ononiwu Kaishian sits on the floor of a forest, holding up a mushroom in her hand
September 22, 2025 at 10:19 PM
Reposted by Sarah Royston
tractorbeamearth.bsky.social
Every metamorphosis requires some kind of breakdown. Today marks the Autumn Equinox, the beginning of a new season and the launch of Issue 3: SOMETHING’S ROTTING. Join us as we fall into decay! 🐌🍄🍂🪱🕷️

Live now at tractorbeam.earth 🚜🛸🌍
September 22, 2025 at 10:13 PM
Reposted by Sarah Royston
writershq.bsky.social
It's the last full week of the Writing as Resistance Festival and we have A THOUSAND BLUNDRED BILLION EVENTS and you should come to them all. (But also they're all recorded if you can't make them all because it's a lot...) 🧵
September 22, 2025 at 10:00 AM