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undertow.bsky.social
Undertow Publications 🇨🇦
@undertow.bsky.social
9.5K followers 2.1K following 2.8K posts
Indie press in Canada. World Fantasy Award, Shirley Jackson Award, HWA Specialty Press Award, and British Fantasy Award-winner. Endearingly weird. (Posts by Michael Kelly)

https://undertowpublications.com/
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undertow.bsky.social
I've made @thomasha.bsky.social's original novelette "Uncertain Sons" - from his debut collection - available to read for those catching up on year-end reading, for awards eligibility and recommendations. Enjoy!

We appreciate your kind consideration.

undertowpublications.com/uncertain-sons
Web page showing partial text of UNCERTAIN SONS.
November 9, 2025 at 3:31 PM
undertow.bsky.social
@hironennes.bsky.social in the house.
My hand clutching a hardcover of THE WORKS OF VERMIN by Hiron Ennes.
November 1, 2025 at 7:13 PM
undertow.bsky.social
Perfectly ... um, adequate.
2 pumpkins I carved rather lamely.
October 30, 2025 at 7:08 PM
undertow.bsky.social
We published some bangers this year. Hope you got your weird on. Well, I'm sure you did. Thanks to everyone for your support.

undertowpublications.com
Our 4 titles: Weird Horror issues 10 $ 11; Uncertain Sons and Other Stories; The Best Weird Fiction of the Year, Vol. 1.
October 29, 2025 at 6:16 PM
undertow.bsky.social
New 2025 editions in house!
Box set of 5 Franz Kafka titles. Metamorphosis; The Trial; The Castle; Amerika; In the Penal Colony.
October 29, 2025 at 1:43 PM
undertow.bsky.social
The World Fantasy Awards are presented next Sunday, and we're so fortunate to be recognized again in Best Antho and Special Award. And so happy for @hironennes.bsky.social for their Weird Horror story.

All the fab finalists are here: locusmag.com/2025/07/2025...
Graphic showing World Fantasy Award trophy and categofres that Undertow are in: Best Anthology; Best Short Fiction; and Special Award
October 26, 2025 at 4:06 PM
undertow.bsky.social
Ugh!
October 22, 2025 at 1:50 PM
undertow.bsky.social
JFC!
Screenshot from Amaz*n.com showing the book "Writing Horror with AI" Ugh! The book's description: The blank page is no longer empty. In the digital age, a new collaborator waits in the wires—a ghost in the machine ready to help you craft tales of terror unlike any before. But not all ghosts are the same. To write truly groundbreaking horror, you must first learn to choose your ghost. From the author of the Supernatural America series, James Blessinger, comes a revolutionary guide for the modern horror writer. Writing Horror with AI is not just a technical manual; it is a grimoire for a new era of storytelling, revealing how to partner with the most powerful creative tools of our time to architect fear, build atmosphere, and push the boundaries of the genre. Forget generic prompts and clichéd results. This metaguide delves into the unique personalities of three distinct AI archetypes, teaching you which one to summon for every terrifying task:
October 22, 2025 at 1:49 PM
undertow.bsky.social
Couldn't resist a bargain.
Paperbacks of volumes 1, 2, and 3 of Best New Horror reissued in 2015 with new EC Comics style covers.
October 20, 2025 at 9:51 PM
undertow.bsky.social
What a time!
In race to succeed, some AI start-ups embrace 72-hour workweeks The start-ups are promoting hardcore cultures such as “996,” meaning working from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. six days a week, as they compete in the AI industry.
October 20, 2025 at 11:32 AM
undertow.bsky.social
From writer Matt Cardin (via facebook).
Especially if you're a weird/cosmic horror author, but actually if you're any kind of author, ignore any accusations or criticisms that your work is guilty of purple prose. For one thing, stylistic maximalism is awesome. For another, "too much" is a matter of taste and sensibility—and whatever counts as mainstream stylistic sensibility among readers these days can be problematic. This sensibility is a descendant of the latter twentieth century's unfortunate war on literary style in favor of the anemic, streamlined "styleless" prose of much mass market pop fiction. Additionally, the ongoing, epochal shift away from a literary, book-centric culture to a visual culture dominated by screens has blunted not only many people's readerly expectations but their actual readerly ability. In other words, if your prose seems purple, it's not your problem, it's theirs. The upshot is that you should write how you want. Say it exactly how you want to say it. If you're accused of reaching for every adjective or adverb in the dictionary and beating your ideas to death in ten words when five would be enough, take that as a badge of honor. Maybe your version of eschewing surplusage and identifying just the right word that makes the difference between lightning and a lightning bug is simply out of phase with the current culture—and that's fine.
October 16, 2025 at 2:40 PM
undertow.bsky.social
What? @thomasha.bsky.social's UNCERTAIN SONS is already 1-month old. They grow up so fast. Please grab a copy, if you haven't. Praised by @kellylink.bsky.social @jeffreyford8.bsky.social @premeemohamed.com @wiswell.bsky.social @byzantienne.bsky.social @stevetem.bsky.social Brian Evenson, and more.
Cover for Thomas ha's UNCERTAIN SONS AND OTHER STORIES, featuring Giger-esque figures of bone on red background.
October 14, 2025 at 3:04 PM
undertow.bsky.social
Off on a weekend road trip of Butter tarts, Brews, and Boos. @guesswheretrips
Buttertart and text: Butter tarts, Boos, and Brews.
October 11, 2025 at 2:14 PM
undertow.bsky.social
@datlow.bsky.social 's latest is in house. Just have to decid which side of this Saga Double to read first.
The "blue" NIGHT cover for the Saga Double DAY AND NIGHT The "red/orange" DAY cover for the Saga Double DAY AND NIGHT
October 9, 2025 at 8:43 PM
undertow.bsky.social
New story up at Weird Horror. @jackklausner.bsky.social's chilling "We Didn't Used to Be Like This." It's sublime.

www.weirdhorrormagazine.com/we-didnt-use...
Screen grab of page from weirdhorrormagazine.com showing the story, title and front cover. Black text on ochre nackgrounb
October 6, 2025 at 9:57 PM
undertow.bsky.social
Grabbed some books from the @littleghostsbooks.bsky.social fest. @slimyswampghost.bsky.social @charleneelsby.bsky.social @rebeccacampbell.bsky.social
4 books: scarewaves, and Odd Noises in Empty Rooms, borh by Trevor Henderson. The Organization is Here to Support You, by Charlene Elsby. And The Other Shore, by Rebecca Campbell.
October 6, 2025 at 6:03 PM
undertow.bsky.social
Me and the fab @dianadima.com with Best Weird. Pick it up to read Diana's great story Auspicium.
Diana Dima and me with Best Weird Fiction
October 5, 2025 at 7:33 PM
undertow.bsky.social
Having a beer while slinging books. How civil.
Lager on a table beside 3 books.
October 5, 2025 at 7:24 PM
undertow.bsky.social
Me @littleghostsbooks.bsky.social Festival yesterday. Come see us today! Pic courtesy of @gothmother666.bsky.social
Me, wearing a cream-colored fedora, grey T-shirt with text Midnight Madness, throwing up the Devil's Horns behind my a table laden with books.
October 5, 2025 at 10:57 AM
undertow.bsky.social
We'll be tabling at the first @littleghostsbooks.bsky.social Fetival this weekend. Come say Hi!

www.littleghostsbooks.com/little-ghost...
Little ghosts festival poster with image of Undertow Publications. Oct. 4 & 5, Noon til 5 pm. Tranzac Club, Toronto. 292 Brunswick Ave.
October 2, 2025 at 3:16 PM
undertow.bsky.social
It's October! Hurrah!

I've specially curated 5 of our spookier titles, and discounted the eBooks to just $2. Grab a couple, or all 5 for $10. It's your choice.

@seanbirnie.bsky.social @acwise.bsky.social @stevetoase.bsky.social

undertowpublications.com/ebooks
5 book covers: Shadows & Tall Trees, Vol. 8 (Michael Kelly, ed.) - Finalist for the World Fantasy; Shirley Jackson; and British Fantasy Awards. Reprints in 2 'Best Ofs'. Featuring Kay Chronister, Krisit DeMeester; Brian Evenson, M. Rickert, and more. Aickman's Heirs (Simon Strantzas, ed.) - Winner of the Shirley Jackson Award. Finalist for the World Fantasy, and British Fantasy Awards. Reprints in 5 'Best Ofs'. Featuring Nadia Bulkin, Brian Evenson, John Langan, Lynda E. Rucker, and more. The Ghost Sequences, by A.C. Wise - Finalist for the World Fantasy; Locus; Bram Stoker; and British Fantasy Awards. To Drown in Dark Water, by Steve Toase - Reprints in 2 'Best Ofs'. Praise from Booklist, and Rue Morgue. I Would Haunt You if I Could, by Seán Padraic Birnie - Reprints in 2 'Best Ofs'. Praise from The Toronto Star, and Library Journal.
October 1, 2025 at 2:03 PM
undertow.bsky.social
The following weird fictioneers will appear in Weird Horror 12 early next year. @pintsncupcakes.bsky.social @grayhaem.bsky.social @noirbettie.bsky.social @rajivmote.bsky.social @russellnichols.bsky.social @rlsummerling.bsky.social @breathinghead.bsky.social
Blue, cyan-tinged photo of hazy, fog-topped trees with white text: Chloe N. Clark Roy Graham Rick Kennett Annika Barranti Klein Aliya Whiteley Rajiv Moté Russell Nichols Rory Say R.L. Summerling D. Matthew Urban
September 29, 2025 at 8:07 PM
undertow.bsky.social
Hello Bsky! It's new story day at Weird Horror. We have Jocelyn Szczepaniak-Gillece's weird, alien "The God of Rust." Please enjoy this strange fruit. Or beware it.

www.weirdhorrormagazine.com/the-god-of-r...
Webpage from weirdhorrormagazine.com showing page for "The God of Rust". Black text o ochre background.
September 29, 2025 at 12:43 PM
undertow.bsky.social
We're at CreatorCon!
Undertow booth with books and promo materials
September 27, 2025 at 2:15 PM
undertow.bsky.social
In 2020 we published @kaychronister.bsky.social's debut THIN PLACES. Our rights expired in April, but it's being reissued by Counterpoint with 4 additional stories. I urge you to grab a copy. Kay is one of our finest writers.

bit.ly/42POI7C
New cover for THIN PLACES by Kay Chronister. Ghostly figure by a window. Muted colour template of beige and light green Finalist for the Shirley Jackson Award. "A powerful new voice in horror." - Locus
September 27, 2025 at 10:54 AM