José Pablo Iriarte
@labyrinthrat.bsky.social
Spec fic author and middle grade novelist. Cuban-American ceterosexual enby. They/them.
Debut MG novel BENNY RAMÍREZ AND THE NEARLY DEPARTED is a Norton, BSFA, Ignyte, and Florida SSYRA finalist!!!
https://linktr.ee/labyrinthrat
Debut MG novel BENNY RAMÍREZ AND THE NEARLY DEPARTED is a Norton, BSFA, Ignyte, and Florida SSYRA finalist!!!
https://linktr.ee/labyrinthrat
Pinned
Just a reminder, if you've got young-at-heart readers in your life who love funny ghost stories. 😊
OMG this thread is the wildest thing I have read this decade.
I just woke up from a nap and somehow while I was asleep, everyone on the bus has figured out we are not going to the right place
January 20, 2026 at 7:12 AM
OMG this thread is the wildest thing I have read this decade.
I wrote two complete stories this weekend, within a roughly 18 hour span that included sleeping. One flash, one slightly too long to be flash.
All these years spent wrestling with my muse . . . I'm glad we finally seem to be working together instead.
All these years spent wrestling with my muse . . . I'm glad we finally seem to be working together instead.
January 19, 2026 at 5:08 PM
I wrote two complete stories this weekend, within a roughly 18 hour span that included sleeping. One flash, one slightly too long to be flash.
All these years spent wrestling with my muse . . . I'm glad we finally seem to be working together instead.
All these years spent wrestling with my muse . . . I'm glad we finally seem to be working together instead.
Reposted by José Pablo Iriarte
when I visited the Galaxy's Edge section of Disney World, the Stormtroopers were walking around pretending to ask random people for IDs and this was understood to be an obvious sign of fascist villainy.
January 19, 2026 at 4:54 PM
when I visited the Galaxy's Edge section of Disney World, the Stormtroopers were walking around pretending to ask random people for IDs and this was understood to be an obvious sign of fascist villainy.
tfw I decide not to share what might just be a funny photoshop, because it might be a funny ai slop instead, and i can't be sure
January 19, 2026 at 4:50 PM
tfw I decide not to share what might just be a funny photoshop, because it might be a funny ai slop instead, and i can't be sure
Took me down to the wire.
Wordle 1,675 6/6
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January 19, 2026 at 12:37 PM
Took me down to the wire.
Wordle 1,675 6/6
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Wordle 1,675 6/6
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I've been thinking today about Jay Lake's "bathtub theory" on leveling up as a writer.
And on faith in the process and faith in the fact that one will keep leveling up if one keeps working.
And on faith in the process and faith in the fact that one will keep leveling up if one keeps working.
January 19, 2026 at 12:59 AM
I've been thinking today about Jay Lake's "bathtub theory" on leveling up as a writer.
And on faith in the process and faith in the fact that one will keep leveling up if one keeps working.
And on faith in the process and faith in the fact that one will keep leveling up if one keeps working.
If we make Greenland the 51st state, will they get two senators?
January 18, 2026 at 8:50 PM
If we make Greenland the 51st state, will they get two senators?
Reposted by José Pablo Iriarte
The trick to living in Roku City is that you have to live on the right side of the Roku River. The nearest bank has pachinko parlors, international cuisine, and art deco movie palaces. The farthest shore is all volcanos, Godzilla, and UFO attacks.
January 18, 2026 at 2:13 PM
The trick to living in Roku City is that you have to live on the right side of the Roku River. The nearest bank has pachinko parlors, international cuisine, and art deco movie palaces. The farthest shore is all volcanos, Godzilla, and UFO attacks.
I've long held that "common sense" is no sense at all, but the elevation of unquestioned prejudices to the position of axioms.
If something is really true, somebody should be able to articulate why, and that articulation should be able to stand up to scrutiny.
If something is really true, somebody should be able to articulate why, and that articulation should be able to stand up to scrutiny.
Conservatives and their reactionary cousins believe that their views are true because they believe them. They don't need hard proof or to be able to argue for them. They're "common sense."
This viewpoint is the fundamental unifier of everyone on the right, from atheist ancaps to Christofascists.
This viewpoint is the fundamental unifier of everyone on the right, from atheist ancaps to Christofascists.
January 18, 2026 at 8:42 PM
I've long held that "common sense" is no sense at all, but the elevation of unquestioned prejudices to the position of axioms.
If something is really true, somebody should be able to articulate why, and that articulation should be able to stand up to scrutiny.
If something is really true, somebody should be able to articulate why, and that articulation should be able to stand up to scrutiny.
Reposted by José Pablo Iriarte
My short story collection that includes The Pill 💊 is on sale for $5! Support an independent press and also me, your favorite unemployed author.
pmpress.org
January 17, 2026 at 5:03 PM
My short story collection that includes The Pill 💊 is on sale for $5! Support an independent press and also me, your favorite unemployed author.
Reposted by José Pablo Iriarte
A joke for the history buffs:
Germany’s satirical newspaper @der-postillon.com titles: “Vienna Academy of the Arts offers Trump admission as a student — They don’t want to get blamed again“
Germany’s satirical newspaper @der-postillon.com titles: “Vienna Academy of the Arts offers Trump admission as a student — They don’t want to get blamed again“
January 18, 2026 at 1:56 PM
A joke for the history buffs:
Germany’s satirical newspaper @der-postillon.com titles: “Vienna Academy of the Arts offers Trump admission as a student — They don’t want to get blamed again“
Germany’s satirical newspaper @der-postillon.com titles: “Vienna Academy of the Arts offers Trump admission as a student — They don’t want to get blamed again“
Reposted by José Pablo Iriarte
The whole force behind a Gavin newsom presidency run is based on the idea that Democrats lose when they run on having principles and supporting marginalized people so the best possible democratic candidate is the person with the least principles who will screw over the most marginalized people
January 18, 2026 at 1:26 PM
The whole force behind a Gavin newsom presidency run is based on the idea that Democrats lose when they run on having principles and supporting marginalized people so the best possible democratic candidate is the person with the least principles who will screw over the most marginalized people
If a post begins with the word BREAKING in all caps but is not coming from, like, a purveyor of news, it's pretty definitely not breaking news.
Grifter accounts with monetized substacks don't break news.
Grifter accounts with monetized substacks don't break news.
January 18, 2026 at 3:17 AM
If a post begins with the word BREAKING in all caps but is not coming from, like, a purveyor of news, it's pretty definitely not breaking news.
Grifter accounts with monetized substacks don't break news.
Grifter accounts with monetized substacks don't break news.
Once you've peed together, neither of you is a stranger anymore.
from the Squamish Hospital blood lab today.
I opted for peeing alone but it's good to have choices.
I opted for peeing alone but it's good to have choices.
January 18, 2026 at 1:03 AM
Once you've peed together, neither of you is a stranger anymore.
Microwave died. Good times.
January 17, 2026 at 10:27 PM
Microwave died. Good times.
Reposted by José Pablo Iriarte
This is what I keep saying.
Ask yourself: If Donald Trump was intentionally trying to destroy the United States, how could you tell the difference?
January 17, 2026 at 9:22 PM
This is what I keep saying.
I hope there's a special hell for the people that send those really plausible looking "I run a book club and I want to feature your book" spams.
January 17, 2026 at 9:52 PM
I hope there's a special hell for the people that send those really plausible looking "I run a book club and I want to feature your book" spams.
Reposted by José Pablo Iriarte
If you work for ice please understand that your kids will laugh at a character based on you dying in an action movie before the end of the decade. They’ll be in movies for really little kids. Like Phineas and Ferb shit. There will be an action figure of you with a detachable head
January 17, 2026 at 8:40 PM
If you work for ice please understand that your kids will laugh at a character based on you dying in an action movie before the end of the decade. They’ll be in movies for really little kids. Like Phineas and Ferb shit. There will be an action figure of you with a detachable head
Reposted by José Pablo Iriarte
Watering down my expensive drink to own the libs
The "everyone is 12" thesis of American political dysfunction remains undefeated in 2026.
January 17, 2026 at 9:35 PM
Watering down my expensive drink to own the libs
tfw I see an author with no publications I can actually track down offering paid author coaching.
gd, I can't even imagine that level of self-confidence. I cringe when I post about craft for free on this site.
gd, I can't even imagine that level of self-confidence. I cringe when I post about craft for free on this site.
January 17, 2026 at 9:38 PM
tfw I see an author with no publications I can actually track down offering paid author coaching.
gd, I can't even imagine that level of self-confidence. I cringe when I post about craft for free on this site.
gd, I can't even imagine that level of self-confidence. I cringe when I post about craft for free on this site.
tfw I see an author carefully carefully eschewing any pronouns whatsoever on multiple bios
Ah, you haven't yet gotten comfortable with your they/them self. 🙂 I remember the effort.
Ah, you haven't yet gotten comfortable with your they/them self. 🙂 I remember the effort.
January 17, 2026 at 9:21 PM
tfw I see an author carefully carefully eschewing any pronouns whatsoever on multiple bios
Ah, you haven't yet gotten comfortable with your they/them self. 🙂 I remember the effort.
Ah, you haven't yet gotten comfortable with your they/them self. 🙂 I remember the effort.
This is coming up in a week. If you're an aspiring writer, this is an amazing free opportunity for you.
In two weeks, the Orange County (FL) Library is hosting a fantastic FREE online writers conference.
You do NOT need to be an Orlando resident or have a library card.
This is a ridiculously good value, with an accomplished faculty.
Schedule and Signup here: ocls.org/ocls-writers...
You do NOT need to be an Orlando resident or have a library card.
This is a ridiculously good value, with an accomplished faculty.
Schedule and Signup here: ocls.org/ocls-writers...
January 17, 2026 at 7:46 PM
This is coming up in a week. If you're an aspiring writer, this is an amazing free opportunity for you.
Reposted by José Pablo Iriarte
Reposted by José Pablo Iriarte
I have no Reading comprehension. But to be fair, I need a GPS to get around a lot of Pennsylvania cities.
January 17, 2026 at 5:56 PM
I have no Reading comprehension. But to be fair, I need a GPS to get around a lot of Pennsylvania cities.
Reposted by José Pablo Iriarte
"i saw a bad post on x" ok well i saw a turd in the toilet but i'm not making you look at a screenshot of it
January 16, 2026 at 4:42 PM
"i saw a bad post on x" ok well i saw a turd in the toilet but i'm not making you look at a screenshot of it