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Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo

@cynthiapelayo.bsky.social

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Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social · Aug 2

“Pelayo’s horror novels do not read like a lot of horror novels…They read less like contemporary horror than Gothic thrillers relocated to a 21st-century Midwest, layering in detective fiction, melodrama…”

Reposting as I accidentally deleted my pinned post.

www.chicagotribune.com/2025/04/08/c...

Cynthia Pelayo blends horror and Chicago history in ‘Vanishing Daughters’ — including legend of Resurrection Mary

Cynthia Pelayo just wrote a novel weaving together a serial killer, the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, a plane crash at O’Hare, Chet’s Melody Lounge in Justice and Resurrection Mary.

www.chicagotribune.com

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Reposted by Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo

Mark Bray @mark-bray.bsky.social · 9d

I teach a history of antifascism course @ruhistorydept.bsky.social and figured I'd start an ongoing thread this semester to share some insights from course readings and recommend some great works on antifascism.

🧵

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Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social · 1h

I’m so relieved to see this. Wishing you and your family safety.

Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social · 2h

Chain-Link Psalm

Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social · 9h

Thank you!!

Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social · 9h

The Melancholy of Resistance, László Krasznahorkai

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Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social · 9h

Plots that don’t resolve! But dissolve!
Long, winding sentences!
Prolonged periods of dread!

I wonder who else does that in their work!?!?!? 🤔

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Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social · 9h

Night. Going to spend my night reading one of Krasznahorkai’s sentences.

“Prize motivation: for his compelling and visionary oeuvre that, in the midst of apocalyptic terror, reaffirms the power of art”

www.nobelprize.org/prizes/liter...

Nobel Prize in Literature 2025

The Nobel Prize in Literature for 2025 was awarded to László Krasznahorkai, “for his compelling and visionary oeuvre that, in the midst of apocalyptic terror, reaffirms the power of art.”

www.nobelprize.org

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Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social · 9h

I hate explaining my writing but most of my writing is not intended to be commercial or structured like a commercial novel. Some things I write may be framed that way, but whenever I can, it won’t. I’m thrilled with this Nobel Prize in Literature for Krasznahorkai.

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Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social · 9h

László 👏🏼✨

“László Krasznahorkai, who won the 2025 Nobel Prize in Literature today, is not the easiest writer to read. His sentences can go on for hundreds of pages; his plots don’t resolve, they dissolve; and his persistent mood is existential dread.”

www.theatlantic.com/books/2025/1...

Why the Latest Nobel Prize Winner Makes Perfect Sense

László Krasznahorkai is unusually experimental for a Nobel Prize winner, but in an unstable world, his selection feels perfectly timely.

www.theatlantic.com

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Reposted by Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo

Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social · 10d

I’m teaching a retreat at beautiful Ragdale!

The focus is on creative restoration.

Have you been away from writing for a bit because of well … life?

Let’s work to get you back on track!

StoryStudio Chicago @storystudiochicago.bsky.social · 10d

Registration is now OPEN for our next retreat at beautiful Ragdale.

The retreat happens January 18-23 with instructor @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social

The theme for the week-long retreat is: "The Creative Way: A Week of Creative Restoration"

Book your spot now: buff.ly/RMr4PYY

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Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social · 12h

In less than two weeks, Children of Chicago returns.

A horror retelling of the Pied Piper fairy tale set in present day Chicago meets Agatha Christie’s The Murder of Roger Ackroyd.

Preorder: www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/cynth...

Children of Chicago

From a Bram Stoker Award-winning author, this horrifying retelling of the Pied Piper fairytale set in present-day Chicago is an edge of your seat thrill ride...

www.hachettebookgroup.com

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Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social · 16h

Day 66

What’s the theme of your story?

Plot is all of the stuff that happens.
Theme is why we care.

How do you figure out what themes you’d like to explore in your writing?

Ask yourself: “What haunts me?”

600 words every day started Aug 3 to Dec 31 for a novel draft by end of year.

#600X150

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Reposted by Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo

The Guardian @theguardian.com · 20h

László Krasznahorkai wins the Nobel prize in literature 2025

The author was announced as winner at a ceremony in Stockholm • Nobel prize in literature 2025 live: László Krasznahorkai wins ‘for his compelling and visionary oeuvre’ The Nobel prize in literature for 2025 has been awarded to Hungarian author László Krasznahorkai, the Swedish Academy has announced. The Academy cited the 71-year-old’s “compelling and visionary oeuvre that, in the midst of apocalyptic terror, reaffirms the power of art”. Continue reading...

www.theguardian.com

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Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social · 1d

Lotería: Stories was released a month ago and I've heard wonderful things from so many of you.

It includes 54+ short stories, poems, and experimental fictions about Latin American folklore, legend, and myth.

It's available wherever you buy your books.

Thank you! ❤️💀🌼

bookshop.org/p/books/lote...

Lotería: Stories

Stories

bookshop.org

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Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social · 1d

Day 65

Spending time with people you love is a really good reset, if you need one.

I hope you’re able to get some writing done.

A few words here. There. A sentence. It adds up.

600 words every day started Aug 3 to Dec 31 for a novel draft by end of year.

#600X150

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Reposted by Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo

Caitlin Starling @caitlinstarling.com · 4d

okay here’s my official event listing for October. Mostly general spooky season events with a few Graceview events sprinkled in for fun.

A list of THE GRACEVIEW PATIENT-specific events.

October 14th - Powell's, Portland OR
Graceview Launch Event
With Keith Rosson
October 21st - Bucket o Blood, Chicago IL
With Grace Daly
October 22nd - Blue House Books, Kenosha WI
With Cynthia Pelayo
October 24th - Haunted Burrow Books, Seattle WA
With Xe Sands
October 25th - Bridgeport B&N, outside Portland OR
Signing only

A bigger list of general spooky season events:

October 1st - Always Here, Portland OR - conversation partner - Launch event for Demon Song by Kelsea Yu
October 2nd - Raven's End Virtual Trivia
October 4th - Book Bin, Salem OR - convo and signing with Kate Alice Marshall
October 9th - Powell's, Portland OR - event for Tantrum by Rachel Eve Moulton
October 10th - Parallel Worlds, Portland OR - store expansion party - panel with Ling Ling Huang, Lindsay Straube, and Evan Leikam
October 16th - The Lost Church, Litquake, SF CA - panel: queer magic, a charmed evening with Charlie Jane Anders, Caitlin Starling, and Michelle Tea
October 18th - Community library, Vancouver, WA - horror panel with Sadie Hartmann, Keith Rosson, Hiron Ennes
October 18th - Always Here, Portland OR - launch event for The Works of Vermin by Hiron Ennes
October 19th - Cedar Hills Powell's, Portland OR - SFFH group author signing
October 23rd - LibraryJournal Day of Dialogue - virtual - The Monstrous and the Mundane w/ Caitlin Starling, Mackenzie Nolan, Justin Richards, Jacob Rollinson, and Andrew Joseph White

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Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social · 2d

Happy release day, Jenny!! 🥳🎉

Jenny Kiefer @jennykiefer.com · Mar 21

CRAFTING FOR SINNERS releases October 7! Pre-order a signed copy here: www.horrorbookstore.com/product/craf...

The cover for CRAFTING FOR SINNERS, featuring hand-crocheted art

Reposted by Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo

Jenny Kiefer @jennykiefer.com · Mar 21

CRAFTING FOR SINNERS releases October 7! Pre-order a signed copy here: www.horrorbookstore.com/product/craf...

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Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social · 2d

Choco forever 🐓

Reposted by Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo

Paul @slycon8.bsky.social · 2d

"Milagros", by @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social:
When an author can grab your undivided attention and make you fully invested in a character (and their pet) in just 9 1/2 pages, that’s some damn fine storytelling! I can also freely admit it did not at all go the way I thought it was going to. Wow!

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Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social · 2d

I've lived in Chicago 40+ years. I've never once felt unsafe here.

Today however, I feel if I breathe wrong in these people's direction that our government has sent to invade us, or if I post the wrong thing online...that it will not end well for me.

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Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social · 2d

This was always a manufactured:

Us versus Them

And again and again the enemy is made out to be ... people of color.

Your government is telling you that you have no peace and you have no freedom because people of color are here.

Where do you think we possibly go from here?

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Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social · 2d

Day 64

You have to control your nervous system if you want to create.

Some ways to do that?

Walk
Stretch
Journal
Meditate
Listen to steady, low music
Deep breathing, or box breathing (google it)

600 words every day started Aug 3 to Dec 31 for a novel draft by end of year.

#600X150

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Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social · 2d

Oh, that's good news.

Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social · 2d

This is really good to know!

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