This month's #FromTheCoursesMouth includes wonderful-sounding stuff from @stillsquirrel.bsky.social @sagetyrtle.bsky.social @pleomorphic2.bsky.social @taniahershman.bsky.social @jmgatford.bsky.social @tenpennydreams.bsky.social
fromthecoursesmouth.substack.com/p/mar-apr-26...
Thank you for your thoughtful editorial eye!
"The breakfast shift rolls in on a smog of cigarettes and suburban dew that turns the hotel parking lot into a dry ice stage."
New fiction: "The Fourth Law of Motion" by Jo Gatford aka
@jmgatford.bsky.social
www.matchbooklitmag.com/mb/gatford/t...
“The Outs” www.theouts.com
“Whatever This Is” whateverthisis.com
And all things Starkid www.teamstarkid.com/licensing
Don’t mind me, I just have dried superglue all over my hands and will now be screaming every time I touch anything forever.
My beloved writers! Come and hang out with me tonight to chat about creative fuckery (and unfuckery), and all the things that spark and stifle our writing:
open.substack.com/pub/fixionin...
I want to be the writer in residence somewhere but I'm going to need someone to do my real life for me like a body double or something
A promo image for the 'write what you know: setting and place' workshop with Jo Gatford. A light blue-green background with white text and a graphic depicting mountains and a forest with a starburst sun behind.
Upcoming workshop: Write What You Know: Setting & Place — Tues 3 Mar @ 6.30pm GMT
Bring your worldbuilding to life by starting with what you know, using memories, observation and details to create vivid, realistic settings (even if they’re entirely fantastical)…
www.jogatford.com/workshops-co...
"Validation is ostensibly a slap on the haunches to keep moving. Because the writing is the thing I’m chasing."
Wonderfully honest assessment of writing, submissions and not-quite-acceptances from @jmgatford.bsky.social
fixioning.substack.com/p/publicatio...
My new crime series protagonist
My washing machine is making the motion detection noise from Alien
Just realised my name on WhatsApp has been “Rick Mattress” for an unknown period of time and an entirely unknown reason.
Also: why has no one told me this?
Treating myself to a signed real life copy of this beautiful book because crying on my e-reader just isn't the same. (I like to watch the tears sink right into those pages...) forms.gle/SN3EFQrGSg7C...
This really is a treasure of a novella by @pleomorphic2.bsky.social
No no that’s not how time works thank you, it’s still approx 2002 right?
Bewitching elf queen just wanted her cheese
With all the wisdom you share, it’s very likely 😀
Well now I need the story…
To be fair, I'm short enough to be avoided pretty easily
Me on the Gatwick express
The very best (and harshest) audience 😂
"If art and creation is needed most when the world is particularly irrational ... why is it so fucking hard to write when life knocks us sideways?"
Wonderful post (as always) from @jmgatford.bsky.social
fixioning.substack.com/p/how-to-be-...
Haha, one of the participants was sure it was an exercise fro one of your workshops!
Sheep in a jeep! I’d forgotten that one. We had a whole repertoire of voices for stick man, too.
Going to LONDON for a THING <vagueness vogues into the horizon>
A poem by Jo Gatford published in Issue 3 of Kicking Your Ass magazine. Unrealistic expectations: don't ask me / to thrive / in a fast-paced / environment / I see you / and I raise you / absolutely / nothing / braless and / unbothered / body / doubling / the void
First publication of the year and a vibe I intend to continue throughout 2026: kickingyourass.org/issue-no-3/
Thanks @kickingyourass.bsky.social
“Portaloo! I really needed a number two…”
Portaloos and lay-bys are such excellent liminal spaces.
A photo of a portaloo at night, illuminated by a streetlight, next to a roundabout sign. It casts a long triangular shadow across the asphalt of the lay-by. Behind the sky is black; barely visible is a broken fence and two for sale signs.
3. Driving home at 10.30pm and being compelled to pull over and take a photo of this film noir portaloo (because I do what the art goblin tells me) #GrimArt
2. Submitting my first piece of writing this year — starting strong with a story that was rejected four times and longlisted twice in 2025 (and is also still waiting for another response from last year, but gotta hedge your bets, right?).
Three things that have sparked my creative synapses so far this week:
1. A big knitted poncho/shawl thing I found at a charity shop — not only is it keeping me bundled up while I work but every time I pass a mirror I get to cosplay someone different: hedge witch, medieval peasant, cowboy etc…
