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Lesley Wheeler

@lesleymwheeler.bsky.social

1.9K followers 2K following 360 posts

Poetry Ed of Shenandoah. Author of Poetry’s Possible Worlds, Unbecoming, The State She’s In, Radioland, & the forthcoming Mycocosmic—poetry, fantasy fiction, CNF, scholarship. She/her. linktr.ee/lesleymwheeler

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Lesley Wheeler @lesleymwheeler.bsky.social · Sep 4

Mycocosmic is 6 months old! If you’ve foraged for it already, THANK YOU. I’d love to see photos of it in the wild. www.tupelopress.org/book/mycocos... 🍄 @tupelopress.bsky.social #poetry #fungi #mushroom

Copies of MYCOCOSMIC by Lesley Wheeler, with cat

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Lesley Wheeler @lesleymwheeler.bsky.social · 22h

In case you live in the Seattle area and like poetry, the underworld, and/ or snacks…free workshop 10/22 at BookTree in Kirkland, followed by reading/ open mic! @chrisbooktree.bsky.social www.booktreekirkland.com/new-events/2...

Lesley Wheeler - mini workshop-reading-open mic 10/22 !!! — BookTree Kirkland

Special guest, special night, 10/22 with Lesley Wheeler @ 5:46 pm.

www.booktreekirkland.com

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Lesley Wheeler @lesleymwheeler.bsky.social · 2d

Poets, Shenandoah reading periods are coming up fast! The one for Virginia poets will stay open till 10/31, but Samyak’s great call for formal experiment will hit the cap fast (I’d guess 3 days). www.shenandoahliterary.org/submissions/

Two Shenandoah submission periods for poetry start 10/15

Editorial fellow Samyak Shertok is looking for poems using form, including modified, hybrid, and more

The Graybeal Gowan prize offer $1000 for a poem written by someone who has lived in VA at any point for 2+ years

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Lesley Wheeler @lesleymwheeler.bsky.social · 4d

Warm thanks to Alexis David, Jenny Grassl, KB Kinkel & Kristina Marie Darling for this critical symposium on Mycocosmic in Tupelo Quarterly. Inspiring reviewers to read about mushrooms while in the bathtub: life goal unlocked. @tupelopress.bsky.social www.tupeloquarterly.com/tq36-table-o...

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Lesley Wheeler @lesleymwheeler.bsky.social · 5d

Thanks to @aboutplacejournal.bsky.social for another great issue! Here are two new ones from me: aboutplacejournal.org/issues/on-fr...

Lesley Wheeler – On Freedom – About Place Journal

aboutplacejournal.org

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Reposted by Lesley Wheeler

About Place Journal @aboutplacejournal.bsky.social · 6d

The fall issue of About Place Journal, On Freedom is out today!! The poetry, prose, visual art speak to so many of the freedoms we see, feel and include in our hopes.

➡️ Issue Eds: DJ Lee & Michael McDermott with Assistant Eds: Rachel Sanchez & Jacob Klaung
aboutplacejournal.org/issues/on-fr...

On Freedom – About Place Journal

“On Freedom” features poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, visual art, video, and hybrid works that question what freedom means in our turbulent world. The pieces in this issue explore freedom's dual...

aboutplacejournal.org

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Lesley Wheeler @lesleymwheeler.bsky.social · 6d

Headed to WA, NM, FL!

10/16, 7 pm: Bainbridge Island Public Library with Matthew Nienow
10/17-19: Olympic Peninsula Fungi Festival, Port Angeles WA
10/20, 6:30 pm: Port Angeles Library
10/22: BookTree in Kirkland, WA: 6 pm workshop “Writing From the Underworld,” 7 pm reading followed by open mic

October 16, 7 pm: Bainbridge Island Public Library with Matthew Nienow
October 17-19: Olympic Peninsula Fungi Festival, Port Angeles WA
October 20, 6:30 pm: Port Angeles Library
October 22, evening: BookTree in Kirkland, WA: 6 pm workshop “Writing From the Underworld,” 7 pm reading followed by open mic
October 23, 6:30 pm: J. Bookwalter’s Winery with Jeannine Hall Gailey, Woodinville, WA
November 7: Reading in the Floating Words series with Art Goodtimes, Entropy Gallery, 1220 Parkway, Santa Fe, NM
December 11: SWWIM residency events, Meet the Artist, 6:00 pm; Poetry Reading with Haya Pomrenze, 7:00 pm, at The Betsy Hotel in Miami, FL

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Lesley Wheeler @lesleymwheeler.bsky.social · 9d

So grateful to be part of this new anthology—The Nature of Our Times is hopeful but real, full of warnings but also inspiration. Luisa A. Igloria, Aileen Cassinetto, and David Hassler: thank you for your generous, careful, timely work. @thepoetslizard.bsky.social #ecopoetry #poetry #nature

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Lesley Wheeler @lesleymwheeler.bsky.social · 11d

I can’t be all that coherent about this doozy of a month so here’s a mycelial tangle lesleywheeler.org/2025/09/28/v...

Voices in my head

I don’t know how to harmonize the jostling inner voices of the last few weeks into coherent prose, so here’s some cacophony. I am so nervous about Zooming with this literary agent, I co…

lesleywheeler.org

Lesley Wheeler @lesleymwheeler.bsky.social · 13d

“My hoarse throat, my blue heart.” The book of Jenn’s near my desk today is My Tarantella, picked up at a June event when I realized it was missing from my little Martelli library. Her voice is so vivid and searching, anything but a “whisper”—so good to spend time with these poems on a sad day.

Lesley Wheeler @lesleymwheeler.bsky.social · 13d

I’m so sorry you found out this way, but yes. It was all over FB this morning and I was reeling

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Lesley Wheeler @lesleymwheeler.bsky.social · 14d

I love Jenn Martelli’s fierce and lovely poetry so much, and she was such a generous person. Miss you already, Jenn.

Dustin Brookshire (he/him) @dustinbrookshire.bsky.social · 14d

Jenn Martelli 💔

newohioreview.org/2024/03/29/t...

To Be Stevie Nicks Cool

By Jennifer Martelli So many men love my friend:her boyfriend and both ex-husbands build her a three-season porch,all cedarwood and teak. Pine needles from her backyard cover the almost-floor. I te…

newohioreview.org

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Lesley Wheeler @lesleymwheeler.bsky.social · 16d

A pre-birthday Spanish almond portal cake made by a dear friend, with a powdered sugar nod to the novel I’m working on

Cake with 13 lit candles and a door design in sugar

Lesley Wheeler @lesleymwheeler.bsky.social · 16d

Thank you so much!

Lesley Wheeler @lesleymwheeler.bsky.social · 16d

SO delighted!

Arley Sorg @arleysorg.bsky.social · 17d

VERY happy to announce that I now represent Lesley Wheeler aka @lesleymwheeler.bsky.social - a poet who writes speculative fiction with a wonderful literary flair and distinctive voice! I *can't wait* for the world to get to read her fiction!

arleysorg.com/the-team-

lesleywheeler.org

LESLEY WHEELER

lesleywheeler.org

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Lesley Wheeler @lesleymwheeler.bsky.social · 17d

I’m thrilled to announce that I’m now repped by @arleysorg.bsky.social at KT Literary. It’s already clear how insightful & skilled he is at helping a novel ms become the best version of itself before it goes out on sub. Feeling lucky. Back to revision! @ktliterary.bsky.social #sff #fantasy #specfic

Reposted by Lesley Wheeler

Alicia Andrzejewski (she/her) @aliciaandrz.bsky.social · 21d

facts are only ever as good as the stories we tell about them. we need scholars across fields who work to mine these facts but, equally, we need scholars studying these stories & how they’re told & how to read them critically

the English major is not dead. it just might save us.

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Lesley Wheeler @lesleymwheeler.bsky.social · 22d

Packing for Punch Bucket Lit Fest in Asheville NC! I’m reading from Mycocosmic at 1:30 with Bruce Beasley, Patrick Paridee Samuel, & Brendan Walsh, then I hop into the publishing panel with these fine people. Excited! @saramoorewagner.bsky.social

Panel on Publishing at Punch Bucket Lit Fest in Asheville NC 9/20 3:30

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Lesley Wheeler @lesleymwheeler.bsky.social · 23d

Congratulations to Susan Rich on Blue Atlas, a stunning collection that troubles all the binaries around abortion. Couldn’t put it down. @susanrich-poet18.bsky.social #poetry #womenpoetry @redhenpress.bsky.social

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Lesley Wheeler @lesleymwheeler.bsky.social · 24d

Riveting! Breathtaking!! So grateful for this mycelially probing review by Laurel Kallen in the new Action, Spectacle. www.action-spectacle.com/summer-2025-... #poetry @tupelopress.bsky.social

First two paragraphs of “Following Filaments” review by Laurel Kallen in Action, Spectacle

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Lesley Wheeler @lesleymwheeler.bsky.social · 25d

The surrealness of this weekend’s beauty amid horrors around the world and threats at home—whiplash feelings. Hope you’re safe and hanging in there. lesleywheeler.org/2025/09/14/n...

Nuts raining down

I needed to get out into the woods, but between sciatica and recovering from the sprained ankle, it’s been hard to plan, or for that matter to pick a trail that hits my sweet spot between gen…

lesleywheeler.org

Lesley Wheeler @lesleymwheeler.bsky.social · 26d

Something there is that looks pretty good on a wall

Reposted by Lesley Wheeler

Suzanne Frischkorn @suzfrischkorn.bsky.social · 27d

Emily Dickinson

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Reposted by Lesley Wheeler

Paisley Rekdal @paisleyrekdal.bsky.social · 27d

When my lecture at USAFA was canceled because the admin had been surveilling my politics, some people said it was to be expected at a military academy. My reply was that it's happening in every academy. And it is: www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

UC Berkeley shares 160 names with Trump administration in ‘McCarthy era’ move

Prominent professor Judith Butler among students and faculty investigated for ‘alleged antisemitic incidents’

www.theguardian.com

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Lesley Wheeler @lesleymwheeler.bsky.social · Sep 8

And I’m so excited to read it!

JanetTheMcAdams @janetthemcadams.bsky.social · Aug 22

I am so excited to have a book coming out with @riverriverbooks.bsky.social !

River River Books @riverriverbooks.bsky.social · Aug 22

Our summer 2025 Open Reading Period selections are here! These manuscripts absolutely astonished us—we can’t wait for you to read them. Coming to you in Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 🎉🎉🎉

@carolynroliver.bsky.social
@mirandeb.bsky.social

riverriverbooks.org/store/

Lesley Wheeler @lesleymwheeler.bsky.social · Sep 8

Thanks to Jane Harrington for this in the wild sighting of Mycocosmic! @janeharrington.bsky.social @tupelopress.bsky.social

Mycocosmic by Lesley Wheeler on a stone wall