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Stephanie Austin

@stephanieaustin.bsky.social

1.2K followers 840 following 1.6K posts

Formerly @lucysky on Twitter IG: @stephanie.d.austin and @mugshot_writers2 SOMETHING I MIGHT SAY, essays, out now with WTAW Press BURN, a novel, 2.3.26 from Cowboy Jamboree Press stephanieaustin.net

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Stephanie Austin @stephanieaustin.bsky.social · Aug 25

My first short story in, like, two years is out today.

The only true thing in this story is that I did once see Ron Goldman's dad in a mall.

MrBullBull @mrbullbull.bsky.social · Aug 25

"You can’t have two depressive & anxious people in a relationship because one of you rawdogs your mental health by making offensive jokes & the other curls up around a childhood stuffy named Giraffe." @stephanieaustin.bsky.social mrbullbull.com/newbull/fict...

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Stephanie Austin @stephanieaustin.bsky.social · 3d

Excuse me but it is a brisk 62 degrees here in Phoenix this morning, and I'm renewed.

Reposted by Stephanie Austin

Jonathan Danielson @jonathanin2k.bsky.social · 4d

Thank you everyone who came out to Rift Wine Bar & Taphouse last night! And thank you to all the other readers for making it such an awesome experience!
@stephanieaustin.bsky.social
@mdbell79.bsky.social
@shipraagarwal.bsky.social
@haydenmcasey13.bsky.social
@sabrinahicks.bsky.social

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Stephanie Austin @stephanieaustin.bsky.social · 4d

Always good to see everyone!
We're gonna do it again in the spring!

Reposted by Stephanie Austin

Sudha Balagopal @sudhab.bsky.social · 5d

What a joy to hear Phoenix writers read this afternoon : @mdbell79.bsky.social @stephanieaustin.bsky.social @shipraagarwal.bsky.social @sabrinahicks.bsky.social @haydenmcasey13.bsky.social @jonathanin2k.bsky.social !!! 👏👏👏👏

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Stephanie Austin @stephanieaustin.bsky.social · 6d

Tomorrow!

Jonathan Danielson @jonathanin2k.bsky.social · 11d

Save the date! Next Saturday will be the 1st Desert Grit Reading Series at Rift Wine Bar & Taphouse in Scottsdale! Oct 4th at 3 PM!

Readings from

@mdbell79.bsky.social

@shipraagarwal.bsky.social

@sabrinahicks.bsky.social

@haydenmcasey13.bsky.social

@stephanieaustin.bsky.social

And me!

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Reposted by Stephanie Austin

Frank Reardon @frank212.bsky.social · 6d

Next up in my all of 2025 interview series is with the fantastic Jonathan Ames. Author of books such as YOU WERE NEVER REALLY HERE (made into a film by Lynne Ramsay.) He also wrote the fantastic HAPPY DOLL series
@jonathanames.bsky.social

Click on the link to read

mrbullbull.com/newbull/the-...

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Stephanie Austin @stephanieaustin.bsky.social · 9d

😮

Stephanie Austin @stephanieaustin.bsky.social · 9d

Been bopping around online looking for second-person essays and found "Second Person" by Christine Boyer from a few years ago. I guess lately I'm just really into meta stuff? Anyway, second-person in essays > second-person in fiction?
tahomaliteraryreview.com/selections/f...

tahomaliteraryreview.com

Reposted by Stephanie Austin

Jonathan Danielson @jonathanin2k.bsky.social · 11d

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Stephanie Austin @stephanieaustin.bsky.social · 13d

Exactly right.

Stephanie Austin @stephanieaustin.bsky.social · 13d

We are making Lit Twitter into Real Life.

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Reposted by Stephanie Austin

Sudha Balagopal @sudhab.bsky.social · 13d

Wonderful to attend a reading by @andrewporter01.bsky.social and @sallywenmao.bsky.social moderated by @mdbell79.bsky.social at Changing Hands in Tempe yesterday. And it was great to see you @stephanieaustin.bsky.social @sabrinahicks.bsky.social @rudribhattpatel.bsky.social @karakahnke.bsky.social 💜

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Reposted by Stephanie Austin

Amy Stuber @amystuber.com · 15d

I learned SAD GROWNUPS was removed from consideration for Kansas Notable Books (along w other books the deciders worried might endanger future federal funding). This isn't a bitter post. More sad that libraries feel compelled to make choices like these in these censor-y times.

Sad Grownups

Check out Sad Grownups - For those who've been sad and tried not to be, seventeen stories about the absurdity of searching for joy in a dying world. Winne...

bookshop.org

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Reposted by Stephanie Austin

Lauren D. Woods @ladiwoods.bsky.social · 17d

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Stephanie Austin @stephanieaustin.bsky.social · 17d

Thank you again Melissa!

Melissa Flores Anderson @melissacuisine.bsky.social · 17d

If you missed the virtual Women of Grit Lit Reading with @cowboyjamboree.bsky.social and @rfpress.bsky.social, its now online and available on demand! Thanks @stephanieaustin.bsky.social @sugarpigblog.bsky.social @sabrinahicks.bsky.social @kelkel.bsky.social Tiff and Barabara! Great reading!

Roi Fainéant Press @rfpress.bsky.social · 17d

Oh hey guys! Check out this incredibly talented group of women who get a little raw in honor of the launch of @melissacuisine.bsky.social “All and Then None of You“ Thank you to @cowboyjamboree.bsky.social & all who read & attended! Barbara Byer @sugarpigblog.bsky.social

youtu.be/9ppaCmBD6WE?...

Reposted by Stephanie Austin

Pithead Chapel @pitheadchapel.bsky.social · 21d

Please join us in congratulating our Best of the Net 2026 Nominees! Good luck everyone!

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Stephanie Austin @stephanieaustin.bsky.social · 20d

This story nails it in every single way.

Aaron Burch @aaronburch.bsky.social · 21d

if you're seeing this bc you follow me, good chances you've already read this "achingly perfect" story, but here you go anyway:

ashortstorylong.substack.com/p/your-life-...

"Your Life in Parties" by Amber Sparks

"...your retirement party, the one they threw for you at the atrocious Italian restaurant. Surprise!, they all yell, which is so awkward because this isn’t a surprise party...."

ashortstorylong.substack.com

Reposted by Stephanie Austin

Aaron Burch @aaronburch.bsky.social · 21d

Oh, the newest story on Short Story, Long, from @ambersparks.bsky.social, reminds you of one of my fave stories of all time? 🥹

Something about a Short Story, Long story

Amber Sparks backwards life story is so perfect. Achingly perfect. Sad and funny and brutal. That line about people from your past as being more ghost that person... which is how we're haunted... It's one of those stories I don't even want to talk about because it's perfect and should be read and never spoken of. But I have to? Reminds me of Robert Coover's really short Out For A Beer story, for the lifetime thing but also in mood, the disaster and glimpses of hope, which eventually get snuffed out by death, even when death comes in reverse order. But the story's so perfect it makes these words look stupid and... forced.

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Andrew Porter @andrewporter01.bsky.social · 22d

Arizona friends, I’ll be reading with Sally Wen Mao as part of Virginia G. Piper Center Distinguished Visiting Writers Series at Arizona State University in Tempe. September 25, 2025 at 7 PM at Changing Hands Bookstore, followed by a conversation moderated by @mdbell79.bsky.social!

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Stephanie Austin @stephanieaustin.bsky.social · 28d

This is the way.

Reposted by Stephanie Austin

Barack Obama @barackobama.bsky.social · 29d

We don’t yet know what motivated the person who shot and killed Charlie Kirk, but this kind of despicable violence has no place in our democracy. Michelle and I will be praying for Charlie’s family tonight, especially his wife Erika and their two young children.

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Matt Bell @mdbell79.bsky.social · Sep 8

I just found out that REFUSE TO BE DONE is going into its 8th printing! I've heard so many stories from writers whose projects have been helped along by this little yellow book over the past three years. Nothing makes me happier!

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Reposted by Stephanie Austin

Chen Chen @chenchenwrites.bsky.social · Sep 7

so important to be hot AND funny AND sad

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Stephanie Austin @stephanieaustin.bsky.social · Sep 8

Stephanie Austin @stephanieaustin.bsky.social · Sep 7

If you are in the Phoenix area, come see us October 4th at Rift! We're gonna read, and we're gonna hang, and we're gonna have a good goddamn time.

Desert Grit reading series October 4th, 3 p.m. at Rift Wine Bar, 431 North Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, 85257
Matt Bell, Shipra Agarwal, Jonathan Danielson, Sabrina Hicks, Hayden Casey, Stephanie Austin

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