C.J. Subko
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cjsubko.bsky.social
C.J. Subko
@cjsubko.bsky.social
4.9K followers 2.4K following 25K posts
Writer of SFFH. Snarkwitch. Psych PhD. Approachable goth.
Words in Small Wonders, Flame Tree, The Deadlands, Skull & Laurel
Member of HWA, SFWA, Codex
www.cjsubko.com
https://cjsubko.beehiiv.com
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cjsubko.bsky.social
C.J. Subko @cjsubko.bsky.social · Oct 26
Introducing THE SHATTERED CITY by C.J. Subko,
a novel I'm currently #querying -- a pitch deck

🖤Adult #dystopian dark #fantasy with #Halloween #autumn #fall vibes

🖤93,000 words of magic, death, and romance

Let's go, #writing community
A gray and black collage of fake polaroid photos of people wearing skull makeup. Six photos, three on the left and three on the right. A hooded skull, frowning skull girl, woman holding skull, skull smiling, sinister skull, and the nose and eye of a skull. With the text in green: The Shattered City by CJ Subko All on a gray background The background image is a black and white man with a shaved head and light skin wearing skeleton makeup. The words "AT A GLANCE" are over his eyes in white. In clockwise order from top right, there are other words in white: Angsty necromancers. Isolated city state. Only one cot. Second chance enemies to lovers romance. Kidnapping of opportunity. Healer MCs versus epidemic. Authoritarian government versus rebellion. Fancy people who wear bones. A black background with the tan and glowing orange words "Pitch / pitch" In tan, the words: For Daquar, the rules are everything; one wrong move and she’ll be executed like her treasonous parents. But the rules can’t save her from being kidnapped by rebels—including Ritraru, the ex-lover she betrayed, who forces her to heal at his clinic for the poor. While plotting her escape, Daquar witnesses the true ravages of the governmental system and begins to despise her role in maintaining it. Because Thylen, plagued by an eternal epidemic, is a machine; its caste system determines how lavishly you live, and how soon the Rot will kill you dead. Ritraru still loathes Daquar—at least, he thinks he does. But the closer they work together, the more he sees that her hidden compassion and unrestrained cleverness might lead her into the rebellion—and back into his heart. The deeper Ritraru and his friends are drawn into rebellion, however, the closer they come to a choice: slow dissidence or violent extremism. To save the city, Daquar and Ritraru will have to rely on each other—and the love resurrecting between them. If they can’t abolish the totalitarian regime, they’ll be executed as traitors just like Daquar’s parents—but when winning means killing, they’ll have to decide whether to protect their consciences or their liberty. In neon green, the words: dystopian fantasy, 99300 words A dark almost black background with giant tan chalk letters: REACH ME HERE and some orange dots in the lower right corner. In the middle left, an orange television set with these words in neon green: CJ subko at gmail dot com, cj subko at bsky dot social, cj subko dot com
cjsubko.bsky.social
The ENTER HERE anthology is all set to release on December 2nd!

@mstevensonbooks.bsky.social and I could not be more overwhelmed and thrilled.

www.goodreads.com/book/show/24...
Enter Here: An Anthology of Portals
Breaking into publishing can feel like knocking on a cl…
www.goodreads.com
November 26, 2025 at 1:01 AM
cjsubko.bsky.social
I am on my fourth Beatles album listen of the day.

I am normal.
November 25, 2025 at 10:00 PM
cjsubko.bsky.social
I socialed too close to the sun this weekend.

It was fun but today I am a zombie.
November 25, 2025 at 8:20 PM
cjsubko.bsky.social
CONGRATS!!! 💙📚
stephcampisi.bsky.social Stephanie Campisi @stephcampisi.bsky.social · Oct 16
Hooray!! BROOMSTICKLERS will be publishing with Simon & Schuster in 2027! I'm delighted to be working with the wonderful Julia McCarthy and Anum Shafqat to bring my witchy broomsmiths to your bookshelf! 🧹 ✨

#BookSky #KidLit
Julia McCarthy at Atheneum has acquired, in a two-book deal, Broomsticklers, a middle grade novel series by Stephanie Campisi. Two young broomsmith apprentices who couldn't be more different team up to solve a series of oddball mysteries in the magical realm of the Otherworld—where witches, wizards, and various cloaked creatures go about their everyday whimsical business. Publication will start in spring 2027; Joanna Rasheed at Ultra Literary sold North American rights.
November 25, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Reposted by C.J. Subko
cjsubko.bsky.social
Stories I published in 2025 ftw
cjsubko.bsky.social C.J. Subko @cjsubko.bsky.social · 8d
Putting this together was heartening. I'd honestly forgotten that some of these were 2025.

In a tough year, I really needed to reflect on my #writing wins.

What's not pictured? All the other amazing stories I wrote! (Stay tuned for 2026+?)

If you want to nominate anything, I won't stop you. 😘🖤
On a notepad with a coffee stain, the words: C.J. Subko 2025 publications: part 1 sea-born March 2025 Fantasy / Short Story Published in Morgana le Fay by Flame Tree Press the twelve deaths of you April 2025 Horror / Short Story Published in The Deadlands a house with good bones April 2025 Science-fiction/Horror / Flash Published in Flash Point Science Fiction proud to be a mother April 2025 Horror / Short Story Published in PUSH: An Anthology of Childbirth Horror flash flash flash May 2025 Horror / Short Story Published by Inner Worlds on a notebook page, the words: cj subko 2025 publications part 2. incorruptible June 2025 Horror / Flash Published in The Cleansing Power of Fire by Infested Press because you let me: on a horror of manners and the tragedy of politeness July 2025 Horror / Essay Published in Skull & Laurel 004 by Tenebrous Press endless nameless August 2025 Horror / Short Story Published in Red Line by From Beyond Press the creeping December 2025 Horror / Short Story Published in Penumbric Speculative Fiction Magazine
November 24, 2025 at 8:59 PM
Reposted by C.J. Subko
cjsubko.bsky.social
Help a good cause and get a query letter and chapter crit from a published fantasy author!

#writing

app.galabid.com/creatives4su...
Sorry, GalaBid took too long to load. Please check your internet speed or try again.
app.galabid.com
November 24, 2025 at 9:11 PM
cjsubko.bsky.social
Awaiting Sir Paul
A half full stadium with a lighted stage
November 25, 2025 at 1:42 AM
cjsubko.bsky.social
Help a good cause and get a query letter and chapter crit from a published fantasy author!

#writing

app.galabid.com/creatives4su...
Sorry, GalaBid took too long to load. Please check your internet speed or try again.
app.galabid.com
November 24, 2025 at 9:11 PM
Reposted by C.J. Subko
elencaldecott.bsky.social
Wow! So many amazing creative treats are available to bid for as part of the 'Creatives 4 Sudan' auction. And the money raised will be used to help people escaping the terrible situation in El-Fasher. See app.galabid.com/creatives4su...
Thanks to @raafaye.bsky.social for the design.
A poster. The poster reads: 'Announcing "Creatives 4 Sudan". Auction now live! Raising life-saving funds for people escaping genocide in El-Fasher. Bid Today! galabid.com/creatives4sudan.'
November 23, 2025 at 6:47 PM
cjsubko.bsky.social
Stories I published in 2025 ftw
cjsubko.bsky.social C.J. Subko @cjsubko.bsky.social · 8d
Putting this together was heartening. I'd honestly forgotten that some of these were 2025.

In a tough year, I really needed to reflect on my #writing wins.

What's not pictured? All the other amazing stories I wrote! (Stay tuned for 2026+?)

If you want to nominate anything, I won't stop you. 😘🖤
On a notepad with a coffee stain, the words: C.J. Subko 2025 publications: part 1 sea-born March 2025 Fantasy / Short Story Published in Morgana le Fay by Flame Tree Press the twelve deaths of you April 2025 Horror / Short Story Published in The Deadlands a house with good bones April 2025 Science-fiction/Horror / Flash Published in Flash Point Science Fiction proud to be a mother April 2025 Horror / Short Story Published in PUSH: An Anthology of Childbirth Horror flash flash flash May 2025 Horror / Short Story Published by Inner Worlds on a notebook page, the words: cj subko 2025 publications part 2. incorruptible June 2025 Horror / Flash Published in The Cleansing Power of Fire by Infested Press because you let me: on a horror of manners and the tragedy of politeness July 2025 Horror / Essay Published in Skull & Laurel 004 by Tenebrous Press endless nameless August 2025 Horror / Short Story Published in Red Line by From Beyond Press the creeping December 2025 Horror / Short Story Published in Penumbric Speculative Fiction Magazine
November 24, 2025 at 8:59 PM
Reposted by C.J. Subko
cindyphanauthor.com
Graphic design skills I do not possess, as evidenced by this free template I selected because the other free templates kept crashing...

Still and all! Here are my awards eligible stories for this year ✨
2025 Awards Eligibility Post Cindy Phan “All Her Darling Little Ones” - Silk and Foxglove: A BIPOC Erotic Eco-Horror Anthology. “Ron, Howard” - Baffling Magazine, Issue 19.4. “What to do When a Demon is Talking Shit at You” - Inner Worlds, Issue 8. more stories and links at cindyphanauthor.com
November 24, 2025 at 7:31 PM
cjsubko.bsky.social
Romance readers will want to keep IT'S ALL IN YOUR HEAD by Sabina Nordqvist on their radar!

Chronic illness support group sparks fly! 💙📚

bookshop.org/p/books/it-s...
It's All in Your Head
Check out It's All in Your Head - <b>A "poignant and swoony" romance about a woman with a rare neurological condition who agrees to fake-date the hot guy in her chronic pain support group--only to dis...
bookshop.org
November 24, 2025 at 8:45 PM
cjsubko.bsky.social
Eating tteokboki and suffering. In a good way.
November 24, 2025 at 6:09 PM
cjsubko.bsky.social
SO EXCITED FOR THIS ZINE #writing
othersidespec.bsky.social OTHERSIDE @othersidespec.bsky.social · 1d
We're officially OPEN TO NONFICTION AND REPRINT SUBMISSIONS! We are looking for full nonfiction pieces (not pitches) and reprints of stories currently unavailable for free online.

🪐See our guidelines for details: othersidespec.com/guidelines

🗡️Submit here: hybrispress.moksha.io/publication/...
Atop a purple illustrated background, white text reads "Nonfiction: We are looking for personal essays, literary/media criticism, creative nonfiction, and more by 2SLGBTQIA+ authors. At this time, we are only considering full pieces (up to 4,000 words) and cannot consider pitches. OPEN NOW!! Find all the details at othersidespec.com/guidelines." Atop a purple illustrated background, white text reads "Reprints: We are looking for previously published speculative short fiction (up to 17,500 words by 2SLGBTQIA+ authors. At this time, we are only looking for stories that cannot currently be read online for free. OPEN NOW!! Find all the details at othersidespec.com/guidelines."
November 24, 2025 at 6:07 PM
cjsubko.bsky.social
Loving the new Taylor album the more I listen to it. A few I don't like but mostly they're really catchy.
November 24, 2025 at 3:32 PM
cjsubko.bsky.social
Cut down to 48.6k!

Just gotta get to 40k and then this novella will be a novella.

#writing
November 23, 2025 at 7:49 PM
cjsubko.bsky.social
I am finally watching THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE. Please clap.
November 23, 2025 at 5:11 AM
cjsubko.bsky.social
LA LLORONA (2019) was a chilling watch, dread and spare and timely in might of the world. Gonna feel this one for a while.

#horror #filmsky
November 23, 2025 at 4:22 AM
cjsubko.bsky.social
Amazing day at the Art Institute with my friend!
November 23, 2025 at 12:37 AM
cjsubko.bsky.social
I'm in my Midnights era
November 21, 2025 at 11:04 PM
cjsubko.bsky.social
Make horror weirder 🖤😎
November 21, 2025 at 7:53 PM
Reposted by C.J. Subko
cjsubko.bsky.social
Cut about 15k from my Gothic horror novel but it's still at 51k, too long for a novella.

TIME FOR MORE CUTTING.

#writing
November 21, 2025 at 4:48 AM
cjsubko.bsky.social
Cut about 15k from my Gothic horror novel but it's still at 51k, too long for a novella.

TIME FOR MORE CUTTING.

#writing
November 21, 2025 at 4:48 AM
cjsubko.bsky.social
Welp I skimmed through my entire Gothic horror novel tonight to cut it to a novella so I guess I just needed to push through
November 21, 2025 at 4:31 AM
cjsubko.bsky.social
Am I burnt out on writing and I need a break, or am I anxious about writing and I need to push through?

An eternal dilemma.
November 21, 2025 at 2:37 AM