Jess Gofton
@jessgofton.bsky.social
410 followers 470 following 240 posts
Speculative fiction and poetry writer. 16th century nerd. Mint chocolate connoisseur. Centaur enthusiast. PR and Marketing Manager @solarisbooks.bsky.social she/her Views my own
Posts Media Videos Starter Packs
Reposted by Jess Gofton
solarisbooks.bsky.social
For our next Solaris Presents event we've come over all spooky!

In a fortnight, we'll be welcoming @isabelcanas.bsky.social & @mkhardywrites.com to talk all things gothic romance and celebrate their latest books:

Watch FREE live or on catch up anywhere in the world: geni.us/SPGRICMKH
Against a red background, white text "Solaris Presents... Gothic Romance with Isabel Canas and MK Hardy. Wednesday 22nd October 2025 BST. Free - watch on Crowdcast live or on catch up!

The book covers for THE POSSESSION OF ALBA DIAZ and THE NEEDFIRE next to headshots for the authors.
Reposted by Jess Gofton
roxiqt.com
I am not built to be a girl boss. I am built to eat shredded cheese directly out of the bag and sleep for 12 hours a day.
Reposted by Jess Gofton
schwartzwords.bsky.social
What’s wrong with this picture? While I’m a longtime supporter of Banned Books Week, I’d love to see more displays in libraries and bookstores showcasing the actually most commonly banned books—BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and other marginalized books. Decades-old bestsellers aren’t truly in danger.
My kind of trouble held up before a banned books display reading “have you read these banned books?” With to kill a mockingbird and Matilda.
jessgofton.bsky.social
"The Saint of Nothing at All" is in Issue 15 of @havenspec.bsky.social and can be read online here: www.havenspec.com/the-saint-of..., for those of you who like a side of Catholicism with your guilt 💀 #NationalPoetryDay
A grey skull sits in the bottom left corner of a black background. White text reads:

"I am a vertebra crowning
Sevilla's ghoulish horde.
Ribs on a chandelier
in Prague. Ten fingers
twitching in ten churches.

"The Saint of Nothing at All"
Jess Gofton

Haven Spec Magazine,
Issue 15"
jessgofton.bsky.social
"The Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi as recorded by Gwenllian ferch Gruffydd" can be found in Issue 7 of @gwyllion.bsky.social #NationalPoetryDay

They're doing great work publishing SFFH from Wales, and I remain delighted that they gave this poem a home 💚

gwyllionmagazine.com/product/gwyl...
jessgofton.bsky.social
There's still 30 minutes left of #NationalPoetryDay, which means there's still 30 minutes left for me to annoy you with my two published poems (so far)!
a cartoon of spongebob standing on top of a boat
Alt: A GIF of Spongebob Squarepants dancing around a grumpy Squidward.
media.tenor.com
Reposted by Jess Gofton
bookjockeyalex.bsky.social
To add to the discussion going on about what to have on short speculative fiction publisher websites, here's what I want as a reviewer and reader. I'm sure authors have other needs, but these in particular would make my life easier:
jessgofton.bsky.social
GORSE fans! Preorder the forthcoming sequel, RAGWORT by @samkhorton.bsky.social, in any format and submit your proof of purchase below to receive deleted scenes from GORSE 🧚

docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
samkhorton.bsky.social
Head to tinyurl.com/45xwv5zj toshare your proof of purchase for a bonus bit of Gorse! Thanks to @solarisbooks.bsky.social!
Reposted by Jess Gofton
rjbarker.bsky.social
"You talkin' to me? To you? To me?"
jessgofton.bsky.social
Morning Womble! I'm romping my way through The Devils by Joe Abercrombie and having a great time
Reposted by Jess Gofton
reactorsff.bsky.social
Christina Orlando highlighted Caskey Russell's The Door on the Sea as one of their most anticipated books of 2025, and now we're sharing an excerpt!! Check out a piece of this Tlingit-inspired epic quest fantasy 🌊

reactormag.com/excerpts-the...
Read an Excerpt From The Door on the Sea by Caskey Russell - Reactor
An epic quest fantasy debut that is the Tlingit indigenous response to The Lord of the Rings
reactormag.com
jessgofton.bsky.social
Huge congratulations, so well deserved!!
jessgofton.bsky.social
THE NEEDFIRE is out in the wild!

If you're a fan of the legends that are Daphne du Maurier and Sarah Waters, or you love a book about a creepy house, or you just love a good story, @mkhardywrites.com have written a stonker. 🔥

Available now where all books are sold! (Or in your library!)
solarisbooks.bsky.social
🎉🎂Happy Book Birthday to @mkhardywrites.com 's Scottish, sapphic, gothic THE NEEDFIRE where a bride arrives at her new home to find it oozing with atmosphere and crackling with tension.

In the Highlands, the roots of the past run deep, and even the earth is angry...

geni.us/needfire
A flatlaid hardback of THE NEEDFIRE by MK Hardy on black fabric surrounded by dried flowers and matches. The white Solaris logo is in the bottom right corner.
jessgofton.bsky.social
When a Type A character receives a completely unrelated compliment in the middle of a tirade and their brain short circuits
oliviawaite.com
Favorite romance microtrope, go!

Mine: someone gets pushed into a pond or fountain.
Reposted by Jess Gofton
cjlavigne.com
Canadian SFF writer friends, don't forget it's the last day to vote in the Aurora Awards! I mean don't forget like I, uh, almost did www.csffa.ca
The Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Association (CSFFA) – Home of the Prix Aurora Awards and CSFFA Hall of Fame
www.csffa.ca
Reposted by Jess Gofton
solarisbooks.bsky.social
We've got THREE titles in Indigo's "Most Anticipated SciFi Books"!!!!

THE GANYMEDAN @shoutoutmapes.bsky.social
THE HUNGRY GODS by @aptshadow.bsky.social
AN UNBREAKABLE WORLD by @voidcricket.bsky.social

AND you can preorder them for 25% off for only 1 week only! bit.ly/4lyaTH4
Against a blue starry sky, white text "Indigo's Most Anticipated SciFi books. Preorder now for 25% off!" Across the middle of the page are 3D mockups of THE GANYMEDAN by R. T. Ester, THE HUNGRY GODS by Adrian Tchaikovsky and AN UNBREAKABLE WORLD by Ren Hutchings.
jessgofton.bsky.social
I finished Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell so will patiently await my medal in the post.

(It's wonderful, but everyone already knew that.)
jessgofton.bsky.social
Morning Womble! I'm on the final 200 pages of Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke and having a brilliant time
Reposted by Jess Gofton
leahspann.bsky.social
Not sure how much reach this will get, but I'm going to give it a try. Publishing friends, I really need to find some additional work as a copy editor or proofreader. Ideally for SFF, because that's been my bread and butter for almost a decade, but I would consider other opportunities as well.
Reposted by Jess Gofton
augursociety.bsky.social
HEY SFF WRITERS 👋✨

We want your books.

So we can acquire them.

And print them.

For our ✨🪶 SOON TO BE LAUNCHED PRESS 🪶✨

Submissions are open until August 30. 12.5k-40k words.

Guidelines are live on our site, found down-thread.

Pass it on 👀
Augur press novella and novelette submissions now open! Be a part of augur press’ debut line up. We’re looking for works from 12,500-40,000 words to launch as print books in 2027-2029. Canadian & international authors welcomed.  Open July 6-August 30. Guidelines at augursociety.org/press-submissions.
Reposted by Jess Gofton
solarisbooks.bsky.social
We're so excited that Indigo Books have selected Caskey Russell's THE DOOR ON THE SEA as one of their "Most Anticipated Fantasy Books"!

To celebrate, from 7th-13th July you can preorder for 25% off exclusively through Indigo - what are you waiting for?! bit.ly/4euljo9
Against a watery undersea background, white text "One of Indigo's Most Anticipated Fantasy Books - preorder now for 25% off".

Below, a gold arrow pointing to a 3D hardback of THE DOOR ON THE SEA by Caskey Russell. 

A red circle with white text "7th-13th July only". The white Solaris logo is in the bottom right corner.
jessgofton.bsky.social
Ffs absolutely clownery from Kent council
ldlapinski.bsky.social
You know when we kept saying this was coming, this was happening, this was never a US-only issue, we were having events cancelled and being left off lists and parents had to sign permission slips when we were coming in to do assemblies? You know? www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Kent council bans transgender books in children’s library section
KCC says the move came after a
www.bbc.co.uk
Reposted by Jess Gofton
kercoby.bsky.social
Putting on my Publisher hat, I have an announcement:

Augur Press will be open to submissions of Novellas & Novelettes from both agented and unagented writers starting THIS WEEK!

It’s not open yet. But while we wait…

AMA about publishing with this fledgling small press.