Trash Cat Lit - OPEN FOR SUBS

This somewhat sunny day we bring another fabulous preloved story 🦝

We loved the gritty, salty language here, the relatable-while-infuriating MC, and the use of cheese to enrich and hold the story.
Grab a cracker or two and read @jdhellenwrites.bsky.social rich tale
trashcatlit.com/the-ripening...

Today's issue spotlight is a real mood-booster 🦝

It's short, it's sharp and it's gloriously, Britishly funny.
Set your GPS and go read and listen to @doctor-dolittle.bsky.social's wee delight.

trashcatlit.com/you-have-arr...

Microfiction for the Mini Bin SUBMISSIONS NOW OPEN! UNTIL 10th MARCH 2026 For this short sharp Pop-Up we’re looking for short sharp microfiction for our mini bin. Writing smol stories is a real skill and we want to embrac…

If you've been inspired and wowed, as we were, get your own micros subbed before 10th March.
Pack them with story!

trashcatlit.com/microfiction...

We're halfway through our Mini Bin sub call - so today's Preloved Stories spotlight is very relevant 🦝

Guest reader Madeleine said of @charlylou.bsky.social's microfiction: "I’m impressed with what this has packed into a tiny word count."

Read and listen here:
trashcatlit.com/listening-to...

Our spotlight has a side of Q&A today 🦝
We found @ekmacdonald.bsky.social's short story to be full of tension, grit and authenticity - a proper *story* and a flawed, complex character in Reg.
trashcatlit.com/watching-the...

Also read Emily's cracking interview:
trashcatlit.com/2026/03/04/q...

Today we aim the spotlight at @christinaltudor.bsky.social🦝

Trash Cat said: "It hooked me hard with the strangeness, and kept me hooked. Swollen with pain and loss and torment. Leaves you breathless."

trashcatlit.com/i-was-born-a...

Our first spotlight from our current issue 🦝

We were hooked by Zilla and that first line, then immersed in fabulous dry humour and chaos in a relatable setting without any cliche.
Superb voice and an MC you want to be BFFs with 😀

trashcatlit.com/bride-zilla/

Submissions for the Mini Bin are now OPEN.
Send us your best micros before 8pm (UK Time) on the 10th March.
Make 'em short, make 'em sharp, make 'em story.
50-175 words, any genre.

trashcatlit.com/microfiction...

Put the biscuits aside and grab some cheese for this one!
Love having you J.D 💜

We are thrilled to have you Tracie 💜

The voice is captivating and won't let you go.
Thank you for sharing Tracie 💜

Underbelly Press Issue 6 coming soon March 13 Underbelly Press logo in the bottom right corner. Text is on a black background with a stack of cash behind the text.

I’m delighted to share that Issue 6 of Underbelly Press will be released on the 13th of March!

I appreciate your support. Thank you for taking the time to read our issues, share them, and submit to them.

Cover art submissions are open until 28.02

General Issue Five Preloved Stories Stories labelled LISTEN IN THE BIN have audio versions SHORT STORIES Fool’s Springby David Henson “This is nice,” my wife says as we seat ourselves at a window table with a v…

It's LAUNCH DAY! 🦝
Fifteen shiny new Trash Family delivering their most treasured words - Preloved Stories given a new home and lease of life 💜
Thanks again to @madeleinewrite.bsky.social for her reading assistance

Grab a cuppa, several biccies, and get stuck in.
trashcatlit.com/general-issu...

Thank you lovely Lori 💜

Our Trash Family Gallery has some new additions. Check out our Preloved Stories contributors - their words are coming tomorrow!

trashcatlit.com/trash-family...

Just two more sleeps until the Mini Bin opens for your microfictions 🦝

trashcatlit.com/microfiction...

It's our final tease before the Preloved Stories issue launches on Saturday 🦝

@tracierenee.bsky.social sets the table for more than just those in the home, as a way of letting go

@jdhellenwrites.bsky.social MC struggles to move forward in life, especially when the cheese is so good

It was an honor to have "DMC" chosen as a finalist for the @fracturedlit.bsky.social Flash Fiction Open, particularly to know it was read by the incredible @gwenekirby.bsky.social! And thanks, of course, to @smokelong.bsky.social where the story began last summer. fracturedlit.com/dead-mother-...

Nobody judges better...🙂

Temple in a City literary journal Flash fiction Eight Times Table by author Joyce Bingham. Published in Temple in a City literary journal.

The use of repetition in this @joycebingham.bsky.social story, a lifetime lived and relived in one trepidation-filled event. Whew.
templeinacity.com/flash-fictio...

Penultimate teasing for our Preloved Stories issue - coming on Saturday 🦝

Zoe @meanerharker.bsky.social tells us what might be waiting on the other side, foodwise
Vicky @doctor-dolittle.bsky.social shows us what might happen when you over-rely on your vehicle's GPS

Congratulations to you Bill 💜

Congratulations Emma 💜

Just four more days until this issue launches! 🦝

@jaimegill.bsky.social uses a tension building structure to show how life is often far worse than the movies

@bmerklee.bsky.social's MC deals with a lost relationship but ends up with something considerably more intense

Double tease for our Preloved Stories issue - look out for it in five days 🦝
We couldn't choose between these pieces by @noranadj.bsky.social

'Baby, Be Mine' is a breathless micro that builds and twists with tension
The Others is a powerful coming of age story with a surreal edge

The reason our posts were late this morning...

We're tempting you before the Preloved Stories issue launches on the 28th 🦝

@ekmacdonald.bsky.social gives us Reg, a character in crisis, wondering if he can change in time while a storm rages

@lousie-w.bsky.social shows us a young girl torn by the loss of the best person in her life, and a hen

We apologise for any confusion and will amend our wording accordingly.
We only require first exclusive rights once the submitter has acknowledged and accepted our acceptance of their work. As soon as the work is published, those rights revert to the writer.

The end of a very wet, grey February here in bin-land will also mark the beginning of our March Mini Bin special sub call.
Microfictions is what we want - any genre - 50 to 175 words.
Get informed here: trashcatlit.com/microfiction...

Some more teases ahead of our preloved stories launch on 28th Feb 🦝

David gives us relatable tension and heartache in a relationship while winter still grips outside

@charlylou.bsky.social gives us a story-packed micro that's so much more than two kids listening to music