SmokeLong Quarterly
@smokelong.bsky.social
Dedicated to bringing the best flash narratives to the web, by widely published authors or those new to the craft. Est.2003. Paying up to $150. www.smokelong.com. No Trump supporters.
#TheMikey deadline is this Saturday Nov. 15, midnight NYC. However you count the days (you can see how bad we are at it), you can't choose your own ending for this, sadly, but you CAN choose to send us your 250-word story—top prizes $1,000/$500/$300; finalists $100; all published in December's SLQ.
November 12, 2025 at 1:04 PM
#TheMikey deadline is this Saturday Nov. 15, midnight NYC. However you count the days (you can see how bad we are at it), you can't choose your own ending for this, sadly, but you CAN choose to send us your 250-word story—top prizes $1,000/$500/$300; finalists $100; all published in December's SLQ.
The Saturday after this one is now this Saturday, because that’s how time goes. This means that as of midnight NYC tonight, Tuesday Nov 11, there will be 96 hours to enter the 250-word, $1,000-top-prize SmokeLong Grand Micro Contest 2025. Please let this be right. www.smokelong.com/the-smokelon...
November 11, 2025 at 10:07 AM
The Saturday after this one is now this Saturday, because that’s how time goes. This means that as of midnight NYC tonight, Tuesday Nov 11, there will be 96 hours to enter the 250-word, $1,000-top-prize SmokeLong Grand Micro Contest 2025. Please let this be right. www.smokelong.com/the-smokelon...
Well. We know today is Monday. We know #TheMikey ends midnight NYC, Saturday Nov 15. We know there're 6, 5, or 4 days left, depending who's counting. We know we once confidently ran a contest countdown that ended two days before the deadline and had to style it out. www.smokelong.com/the-smokelon...
November 10, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Well. We know today is Monday. We know #TheMikey ends midnight NYC, Saturday Nov 15. We know there're 6, 5, or 4 days left, depending who's counting. We know we once confidently ran a contest countdown that ended two days before the deadline and had to style it out. www.smokelong.com/the-smokelon...
One week to go until #TheMikey deadline. Although that’s 8 days, today being Saturday and there being until midnight next Saturday to enter. We know yesterday’s post said 7 days, but that person “doesn’t count the same”, so November 15 is also now further away. Did we say we aren’t numbers people?
November 8, 2025 at 10:45 AM
One week to go until #TheMikey deadline. Although that’s 8 days, today being Saturday and there being until midnight next Saturday to enter. We know yesterday’s post said 7 days, but that person “doesn’t count the same”, so November 15 is also now further away. Did we say we aren’t numbers people?
It's FlashGiving! Follow @smokelong.bsky.social if you don't already, then like and share this post to get your name in the hat to win $200 holiday money. Deadline is midnight ET, November 26th! Winner chosen randomly on Nov 27th. Please tag @smokelong.bsky.social so that we know you've posted!
November 7, 2025 at 10:46 PM
It's FlashGiving! Follow @smokelong.bsky.social if you don't already, then like and share this post to get your name in the hat to win $200 holiday money. Deadline is midnight ET, November 26th! Winner chosen randomly on Nov 27th. Please tag @smokelong.bsky.social so that we know you've posted!
We never agree on countdowns. To keep the peace, everyone's method is getting a turn this time. So there are "7 days" left to enter #TheMikey, not counting today or the deadline day*. Ends midnight ET Nov. 15.
*this is obviously not how countdowns work but someone made a chart and here we all are
*this is obviously not how countdowns work but someone made a chart and here we all are
November 7, 2025 at 8:56 AM
We never agree on countdowns. To keep the peace, everyone's method is getting a turn this time. So there are "7 days" left to enter #TheMikey, not counting today or the deadline day*. Ends midnight ET Nov. 15.
*this is obviously not how countdowns work but someone made a chart and here we all are
*this is obviously not how countdowns work but someone made a chart and here we all are
"For those living under occupation or authoritarian rule, violence is ambient: it hovers in every choice and gesture. I tried to mimic how trauma is remembered—through fragments of sound, flashes of fire, atmospheres of dread." This week's author, L.F. Khouri: www.smokelong.com/interviews/s...
November 4, 2025 at 12:38 PM
"For those living under occupation or authoritarian rule, violence is ambient: it hovers in every choice and gesture. I tried to mimic how trauma is remembered—through fragments of sound, flashes of fire, atmospheres of dread." This week's author, L.F. Khouri: www.smokelong.com/interviews/s...
October 25th! Join us and Sage Tyrtle for this special 2-hour webinar/workshop. www.smokelong.com/product/spec...
October 22, 2025 at 10:21 AM
October 25th! Join us and Sage Tyrtle for this special 2-hour webinar/workshop. www.smokelong.com/product/spec...
The great thing about working 100% online is you can read submissions anywhere.
October 21, 2025 at 5:44 PM
The great thing about working 100% online is you can read submissions anywhere.
Look what came in the mail today! If you're in SmokeLong Fitness, Bitter Over Sweet by Melissa Llanes Brownlee is our featured collection in our December reading group (discount code is in the workshop). Support Melissa and Santa Fe Writers Project! Buy books! www.sfwp.com/books
October 8, 2025 at 1:09 PM
Look what came in the mail today! If you're in SmokeLong Fitness, Bitter Over Sweet by Melissa Llanes Brownlee is our featured collection in our December reading group (discount code is in the workshop). Support Melissa and Santa Fe Writers Project! Buy books! www.sfwp.com/books
Join SmokeLong for a mysterious month between November and December we’ve christened Promptember! We’ll be meeting several times a week online with live write-in and open mic events at various times to suit participants around this spinning globe, 100% free.
www.smokelong.com/ready-for-pr...
www.smokelong.com/ready-for-pr...
October 6, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Join SmokeLong for a mysterious month between November and December we’ve christened Promptember! We’ll be meeting several times a week online with live write-in and open mic events at various times to suit participants around this spinning globe, 100% free.
www.smokelong.com/ready-for-pr...
www.smokelong.com/ready-for-pr...
Here is the updated cover art for issue 89. The previous cover art (above) has been removed from the site out of respect for the literary journal who used it first a few weeks before our issue came out. We just became aware of this last night.
October 5, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Here is the updated cover art for issue 89. The previous cover art (above) has been removed from the site out of respect for the literary journal who used it first a few weeks before our issue came out. We just became aware of this last night.
In October we're going to explore the collision of the odd and the ordinary, and on October 25th, you can join us and Sage Tyrtle for the 2-hour webinar "Speculative Fiction as Metaphor"! Or book SmokeLong Fitness today and get this webinar at no extra charge! www.smokelong.com/product/spec...
October 1, 2025 at 7:22 PM
In October we're going to explore the collision of the odd and the ordinary, and on October 25th, you can join us and Sage Tyrtle for the 2-hour webinar "Speculative Fiction as Metaphor"! Or book SmokeLong Fitness today and get this webinar at no extra charge! www.smokelong.com/product/spec...
"We all need extremes to feel like ourselves." AJ O'Reilly, on their story "Code of the Mosh Pit". AJ is our featured author this week. Read their interview in SmokeLong. www.smokelong.com/interviews/s...
September 29, 2025 at 12:23 PM
"We all need extremes to feel like ourselves." AJ O'Reilly, on their story "Code of the Mosh Pit". AJ is our featured author this week. Read their interview in SmokeLong. www.smokelong.com/interviews/s...
Announcing our nominations for the inaugural Monarch Queer Literary Awards! @monarch.gay @fifthwheelpress.bsky.social 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ @seaheye.bsky.social, Sam Mainz, @jjpena.bsky.social, @allisonfieldbell.bsky.social, and C Ray Borck
September 17, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Announcing our nominations for the inaugural Monarch Queer Literary Awards! @monarch.gay @fifthwheelpress.bsky.social 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ @seaheye.bsky.social, Sam Mainz, @jjpena.bsky.social, @allisonfieldbell.bsky.social, and C Ray Borck
Join SmokeLong for Promptember! This series of write-ins and open mics is free! Let's write! Donations will go to @sundresspub.bsky.social and their fellowships/residencies for trans, black and/or indigenous writers. www.smokelong.com/ready-for-pr...
September 16, 2025 at 9:06 AM
Join SmokeLong for Promptember! This series of write-ins and open mics is free! Let's write! Donations will go to @sundresspub.bsky.social and their fellowships/residencies for trans, black and/or indigenous writers. www.smokelong.com/ready-for-pr...
Issue 89 with new CNF by Aimee Bender, our first featured author in our Master Series, is live! Work by established writers and those new to the form rubbing elbows in this issue. All rare gems by writers from around the globe. So proud of everyone in this issue. www.smokelong.com/issue-eighty...
September 15, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Issue 89 with new CNF by Aimee Bender, our first featured author in our Master Series, is live! Work by established writers and those new to the form rubbing elbows in this issue. All rare gems by writers from around the globe. So proud of everyone in this issue. www.smokelong.com/issue-eighty...
For those of you just waking up in the UK, sitting down to lunch in Goa, or enjoying your afternoon in Sydney, you'll be the first to read Issue 89 of SmokeLong Quarterly! www.smokelong.com/issue-eighty...
September 15, 2025 at 6:48 AM
For those of you just waking up in the UK, sitting down to lunch in Goa, or enjoying your afternoon in Sydney, you'll be the first to read Issue 89 of SmokeLong Quarterly! www.smokelong.com/issue-eighty...
Cover Reveal! September 15th! Issue 89 of SmokeLong Quarterly! Ten killer flash by ten amazing writers. And we're thrilled to feature new CNF by Aimee Bender, our first featured author in the SmokeLong Master Series. Cover art by Mario Loprete.
September 10, 2025 at 8:21 PM
Cover Reveal! September 15th! Issue 89 of SmokeLong Quarterly! Ten killer flash by ten amazing writers. And we're thrilled to feature new CNF by Aimee Bender, our first featured author in the SmokeLong Master Series. Cover art by Mario Loprete.
September 27th at 1pm NYC, join SmokeLong and Emily Devane for a webinar on "The Art in the Detail: Specificity in Flash". www.smokelong.com/product/the-...
August 26, 2025 at 12:09 PM
September 27th at 1pm NYC, join SmokeLong and Emily Devane for a webinar on "The Art in the Detail: Specificity in Flash". www.smokelong.com/product/the-...
We’re setting new members up today! Open mic party online on August 31. First September writing task goes live on Monday :) It’s not too late! ✨
August 26, 2025 at 9:23 AM
We’re setting new members up today! Open mic party online on August 31. First September writing task goes live on Monday :) It’s not too late! ✨
There's still time to sign up to SmokeLong Fitness community workshop for September! Come and join us...https://www.smokelong.com/smokelong-fitness-the-community-workshop/
August 26, 2025 at 1:43 AM
There's still time to sign up to SmokeLong Fitness community workshop for September! Come and join us...https://www.smokelong.com/smokelong-fitness-the-community-workshop/
"Polders strikes a delicate balance between the real and the imagined, between dream and wakefulness, between past and present." Marcus Tan reviews Claire Polders' Woman of the Hour. @clairepolders.bsky.social www.smokelong.com/defiance-des...
August 23, 2025 at 5:52 AM
"Polders strikes a delicate balance between the real and the imagined, between dream and wakefulness, between past and present." Marcus Tan reviews Claire Polders' Woman of the Hour. @clairepolders.bsky.social www.smokelong.com/defiance-des...
We're having a SmokeLong Fitness Open Mic August 31st at 11am NYC. If you've been wondering what SmokeLong Fitness is all about, why not attend? I'll be talking a bit about the workshop right at the beginning. DM us for the Zoom link.
August 19, 2025 at 4:47 PM
We're having a SmokeLong Fitness Open Mic August 31st at 11am NYC. If you've been wondering what SmokeLong Fitness is all about, why not attend? I'll be talking a bit about the workshop right at the beginning. DM us for the Zoom link.