M.J. Jones
@mjj-writes.bsky.social
Writer. M for Marie; M.J.'s fine. Words in Luna Station Quarterly, EMBALM/Myriad, and Gwyllion Magazine. Pseudonymous. 🏳️🌈 she/her
Pinned
M.J. Jones
@mjj-writes.bsky.social
· Nov 29
Since a few people are following me, I thought I'd do a little intro and share some of my published writing. So hi, I'm M.J.! I write short speculative fiction, mostly dark fantasy, and one day I want to write the novel you never forget. Until I manage that, you can find my words in:
Reposted by M.J. Jones
I called my father and it was bishop-on-bishop violence, a growing problem in these troubled times. The *biter* was George Bell of Chichester and he was moderately certainly that the *bitten* was the Bishop of London but he couldn't remember who.
trying to remember which philosopher/theologian got so mad at the Bishop of London defending the mass bombing of German civilians that he crawled under the table at Cambridge and bit him on the ankle. google isn't helping.
December 8, 2025 at 8:54 PM
I called my father and it was bishop-on-bishop violence, a growing problem in these troubled times. The *biter* was George Bell of Chichester and he was moderately certainly that the *bitten* was the Bishop of London but he couldn't remember who.
Make that 58 rejections and five submissions outstanding 😅
Totting up my submissions, this year I've had 55 rejections, eight submissions outstanding, and one acceptance. I often think that someone who tried harder would have been published more by now, but on reflection, those submission numbers are trying quite hard.
December 8, 2025 at 11:40 AM
Make that 58 rejections and five submissions outstanding 😅
Movie you've watched more than six times with a gif. Hard mode: no Stars (Wars nor Trek), LOTR or Marvel
[harder mode: no movies your children watched repeatedly]
[harder mode: no movies your children watched repeatedly]
December 7, 2025 at 11:08 PM
Movie you've watched more than six times with a gif. Hard mode: no Stars (Wars nor Trek), LOTR or Marvel
[harder mode: no movies your children watched repeatedly]
[harder mode: no movies your children watched repeatedly]
I get about one acceptance per calendar year and I spend a lot of time thinking there will never be another one.
Any other published writers live with anxiety over whether or not their last published story will be their last story ever?
December 7, 2025 at 6:14 PM
I get about one acceptance per calendar year and I spend a lot of time thinking there will never be another one.
Reposted by M.J. Jones
《 NEWS 》
Stanchion Magazine will open for submissions on January 5, 2026, for one day only, one month from today.
And for the first time, there's a theme: MUSIC.
All the pertinent info can be read here:
www.stanchionzine.com/submissions
Thank you for your interest in Stanchion. 🖤🤍
Stanchion Magazine will open for submissions on January 5, 2026, for one day only, one month from today.
And for the first time, there's a theme: MUSIC.
All the pertinent info can be read here:
www.stanchionzine.com/submissions
Thank you for your interest in Stanchion. 🖤🤍
December 5, 2025 at 2:44 PM
《 NEWS 》
Stanchion Magazine will open for submissions on January 5, 2026, for one day only, one month from today.
And for the first time, there's a theme: MUSIC.
All the pertinent info can be read here:
www.stanchionzine.com/submissions
Thank you for your interest in Stanchion. 🖤🤍
Stanchion Magazine will open for submissions on January 5, 2026, for one day only, one month from today.
And for the first time, there's a theme: MUSIC.
All the pertinent info can be read here:
www.stanchionzine.com/submissions
Thank you for your interest in Stanchion. 🖤🤍
Reposted by M.J. Jones
must emphasize again that the government and courts have not only attacked trans rights built in the last 15 years and that were *explicitly envisaged as part of the Equality Act they are using to attack them* but forcing a rollback of *decades-old* policies by individual groups.
Stuck on this gutting sentence on the Women’s Institute decision. For young people it’s watching the world close to them before they’ve had a shot at life, for older women it’s watching half a century of progress vanish. Either way it’s grossly, unbearably cruel.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
December 4, 2025 at 2:50 PM
must emphasize again that the government and courts have not only attacked trans rights built in the last 15 years and that were *explicitly envisaged as part of the Equality Act they are using to attack them* but forcing a rollback of *decades-old* policies by individual groups.
Reposted by M.J. Jones
trying to think of good UK-Based Nature Phenomena. so far I got:
- starling murmurations in Somerset
- bluefin tuna jumping in Cornwall
- salmon jumping in NE England
what else. more ideas pls. ideally ones which aren't jumping fish
- starling murmurations in Somerset
- bluefin tuna jumping in Cornwall
- salmon jumping in NE England
what else. more ideas pls. ideally ones which aren't jumping fish
December 2, 2025 at 1:25 PM
trying to think of good UK-Based Nature Phenomena. so far I got:
- starling murmurations in Somerset
- bluefin tuna jumping in Cornwall
- salmon jumping in NE England
what else. more ideas pls. ideally ones which aren't jumping fish
- starling murmurations in Somerset
- bluefin tuna jumping in Cornwall
- salmon jumping in NE England
what else. more ideas pls. ideally ones which aren't jumping fish
Reposted by M.J. Jones
Plans for an Ozvent calendar are meeting with some scepticism
December 2, 2025 at 8:14 AM
Plans for an Ozvent calendar are meeting with some scepticism
Honoured and delighted to have my pandemic selkie story, Sunk Cost Fallacy, in this issue of Luna Station Quarterly! I can't wait to read everyone else's pieces.
The new issue is out! Need a break from the holidays? We've got aging druids, adorable bee-cats, vengeful weather witches & more.
www.lunastationquart...
#ShortStories #WomenWriters #SpeculativeFiction #Fantasy #SciFi #Books #Reading #Writing #Magazines
www.lunastationquart...
#ShortStories #WomenWriters #SpeculativeFiction #Fantasy #SciFi #Books #Reading #Writing #Magazines
December 1, 2025 at 10:47 PM
Honoured and delighted to have my pandemic selkie story, Sunk Cost Fallacy, in this issue of Luna Station Quarterly! I can't wait to read everyone else's pieces.
Reposted by M.J. Jones
It's true! Nightmare Magazine will open to subs in January! Check out the schedule below for dates & times; read the guidelines for more specifics.
And yes, as ever, each writer can make one submission to each category: short story, flash, poetry, CNF.
adamant.moksha.io/publication/...
And yes, as ever, each writer can make one submission to each category: short story, flash, poetry, CNF.
adamant.moksha.io/publication/...
Moksha
adamant.moksha.io
November 18, 2025 at 4:59 PM
It's true! Nightmare Magazine will open to subs in January! Check out the schedule below for dates & times; read the guidelines for more specifics.
And yes, as ever, each writer can make one submission to each category: short story, flash, poetry, CNF.
adamant.moksha.io/publication/...
And yes, as ever, each writer can make one submission to each category: short story, flash, poetry, CNF.
adamant.moksha.io/publication/...
This delights me.
Further citation, since I was curious! (Seems like the researcher elaborated in press interviews) archive.org/details/chri...
November 13, 2025 at 11:56 PM
This delights me.
Reposted by M.J. Jones
On August 12, 1971, 16-year-old me mailed the first story I ever wrote off on its first submission to my dream market, F&SF. My tale was quickly rejected. On July 17th, 2025, I finally sold a story to that magazine. Here's why I felt I had to withdraw that story. www.scottedelman.com/wordpress/20...
November 12, 2025 at 9:27 PM
On August 12, 1971, 16-year-old me mailed the first story I ever wrote off on its first submission to my dream market, F&SF. My tale was quickly rejected. On July 17th, 2025, I finally sold a story to that magazine. Here's why I felt I had to withdraw that story. www.scottedelman.com/wordpress/20...
Reposted by M.J. Jones
Reposted by M.J. Jones
New SFFH lit mag alert!!!!
my friends started a lit mag!!! submissions open on january 1st. pay is 0.03/word for unpublished fiction! accepting stories, reprints, cover artwork! www.thephantompulse.com
November 1, 2025 at 9:07 PM
New SFFH lit mag alert!!!!
Reposted by M.J. Jones
"The English profs keep sweeping our work under the rug, but that rug is about three feet off the floor by now, and things are coming out from under it and eating the English profs."
(Ursula K. Le Guin, Prospects for Women in Writing, 1986)
(Ursula K. Le Guin, Prospects for Women in Writing, 1986)
October 30, 2025 at 8:37 AM
"The English profs keep sweeping our work under the rug, but that rug is about three feet off the floor by now, and things are coming out from under it and eating the English profs."
(Ursula K. Le Guin, Prospects for Women in Writing, 1986)
(Ursula K. Le Guin, Prospects for Women in Writing, 1986)
Reposted by M.J. Jones
BIG ARCHAEOLOGY NEWS! 💫
A new section of Hadrian’s Wall has been discovered! The furthest west bit found yet - and it is glorious! 🤩
Reported by the great WC21. Link to his full video here: youtu.be/VfVvl3A_sO4?...
#archaeology #history #Roman
A new section of Hadrian’s Wall has been discovered! The furthest west bit found yet - and it is glorious! 🤩
Reported by the great WC21. Link to his full video here: youtu.be/VfVvl3A_sO4?...
#archaeology #history #Roman
October 26, 2025 at 11:55 AM
BIG ARCHAEOLOGY NEWS! 💫
A new section of Hadrian’s Wall has been discovered! The furthest west bit found yet - and it is glorious! 🤩
Reported by the great WC21. Link to his full video here: youtu.be/VfVvl3A_sO4?...
#archaeology #history #Roman
A new section of Hadrian’s Wall has been discovered! The furthest west bit found yet - and it is glorious! 🤩
Reported by the great WC21. Link to his full video here: youtu.be/VfVvl3A_sO4?...
#archaeology #history #Roman
Is it a good thing if my pieces are under consideration longer than, say, the average response time on Moksha? Should I be encouraged by that, or is it just an artifact of magazine editors being very busy?
October 26, 2025 at 1:35 PM
Is it a good thing if my pieces are under consideration longer than, say, the average response time on Moksha? Should I be encouraged by that, or is it just an artifact of magazine editors being very busy?
Reposted by M.J. Jones
Reposted by M.J. Jones
"The idea of deporting people with settled status is disgusting, and anyone proposing it should be immediately drummed out of polite society. Breaking promises made in good faith to our friends and neighbours is racist, extremist and immoral."
I'm basically shouting at the sky here, but still.
I'm basically shouting at the sky here, but still.
It’s racist, it’s extremist and it’s immoral
The right is still calling for deportations, and the government is still being cowardly about it. Also: London’s first green belt; some notes on a shark; and some news, on my next book.
jonn.substack.com
October 22, 2025 at 1:22 PM
"The idea of deporting people with settled status is disgusting, and anyone proposing it should be immediately drummed out of polite society. Breaking promises made in good faith to our friends and neighbours is racist, extremist and immoral."
I'm basically shouting at the sky here, but still.
I'm basically shouting at the sky here, but still.
Reposted by M.J. Jones
To be absolutely clear, it is impossible to vote for a party that cannot bring itself to unequivocally defend the rights of people living and working legally in this country. Because arbitrary removal of legal rights, or sudden varying of terms, for some is ultimately a threat to everyone.
October 21, 2025 at 10:13 AM
To be absolutely clear, it is impossible to vote for a party that cannot bring itself to unequivocally defend the rights of people living and working legally in this country. Because arbitrary removal of legal rights, or sudden varying of terms, for some is ultimately a threat to everyone.
Reposted by M.J. Jones
Announcement: PodCastle Is Trialling a Six Month Submissions Window!! We will open in November and close in April. See our announcement on the website for details. All our usual Submissions Guidelines still apply.
podcastle.org/2025/10/17/a...
podcastle.org/2025/10/17/a...
Announcement: PodCastle Is Trialling a Six Month Submissions Window - PodCastle
Greetings, writers of fantasy fiction! We at PodCastle are due to open back up to general submissions in November. When we do, instead of our usual one month open period, we plan to open for six month...
podcastle.org
October 19, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Announcement: PodCastle Is Trialling a Six Month Submissions Window!! We will open in November and close in April. See our announcement on the website for details. All our usual Submissions Guidelines still apply.
podcastle.org/2025/10/17/a...
podcastle.org/2025/10/17/a...
Reposted by M.J. Jones
whoa october is around the corner!
reminder that we'll be open again for novellas soon.
more info here: www.neonhemlock.com/submissions
reminder that we'll be open again for novellas soon.
more info here: www.neonhemlock.com/submissions
September 24, 2025 at 4:09 PM
whoa october is around the corner!
reminder that we'll be open again for novellas soon.
more info here: www.neonhemlock.com/submissions
reminder that we'll be open again for novellas soon.
more info here: www.neonhemlock.com/submissions
Reposted by M.J. Jones
I wrote an article for @publisherswkly.bsky.social on how setting shaped several new gothic novels: www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/...
Gothic Horror Goes Global
Authors unearth terrors in an Arizona mine, rural Japan, and beyond
www.publishersweekly.com
October 16, 2025 at 5:55 PM
I wrote an article for @publisherswkly.bsky.social on how setting shaped several new gothic novels: www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/...
"The zookeepers were like, “Yeah, that bird is evil. We have to put on helmets when we go in, because he’ll run up the wall to try to stab us in the head with his beak.”"
I was lucky enough to chat with @tkingfisher.com for @publisherswkly.bsky.social about “Snake-Eater,” the strangeness of the southwest, and how roadrunners are actually pseudo-velociraptors: www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/...
Hostile Landscapes: PW Talks with T. Kingfisher
The Hugo and Nebula winner discusses how location informs her next two works of horror: Snake-Eater and Wolf Worm.
www.publishersweekly.com
October 16, 2025 at 6:56 PM
"The zookeepers were like, “Yeah, that bird is evil. We have to put on helmets when we go in, because he’ll run up the wall to try to stab us in the head with his beak.”"