As far as the writing life goes, 2025 -- a year that started with burnout and ended back in the query trenches -- is not one I'll be particularly sad to see the back of.
I don't see much point trying to get nominated for awards when I'm a tiny fish in a very big pond, so tend to treat the traditional end-of-year eligibility lists as a chance to remind myself that I did, in fact, create and publish some things over the course of the year. This year, I'm feeling the need to do so more than usual, so I hope you can indulge me.
And maybe give one of them a read?
Myra's minding her own business when she spots a woman holding a strange, goblin-like creature. But now that she's seen it, she can't unsee it, and it clings to her everywhere she goes -- until she'd do just about anything to get rid of it.
"Bright Bleeding Girls" in The Future Fire.
The magical brightblood girls are the subjects of many strange rumours. It's not until our narrator falls in love with one of them that she realises the most disturbing stories are true.
In a world devastated by a deadly infection, a woman grieves her sister's death and moves on -- with help from an unexpected visitor.
Non-fiction"Fantastical Doubles and Split Selves" in New Welsh Review 136.
A review-essay where I talk about magical and traumatic doubling in Carly Holmes's
Crow Face, Doll Face
, Vajra Chandrasekera's
The Saint of Bright Doors
, and Lloyd Markham's
Fox Bites
.
I also reviewed a handful of books --
for Ancillary Review of Books, Eliza Chan's
Fathomfolk
in
, and
also for ARB.
Writing news
This week I finished off and submitted a novelette I've been working on for a fun new anthology project, still currently under wraps. Hopefully I'll be able to share a bit more about that next time.
What I've been reading
I've been finishing off 2025 with a handful of novellas, and so far the pick of the bunch is P. L. McMillan's
Sisters of the Crimson Vine
, an eerily atmospheric piece of folk horror about a convent full of sexy nuns who make suspiciously good wine. Transported me to the heat of a sultry, fey midsummer day, despite reading it in the middle of winter.
What I've been watching
Cardiff's Sherman Theatre can usually be relied on to deliver an entertaining Christmas show that's a bit different from normal panto fair, and this year's
is no exception. Silly, spectacular, and just the right level of sentimental. I think the Elvis-impersonating Humpty Dumpty was my favourite part.
What I've been listening to
A friend recently sent me TTSSFU's EP,
, which was predictably right up my street and I'm now looking forward to seeing her play Cardiff later in 2026.
That's all from me for this year. I hope it's been a good one for you -- and if not, that the next one brings good things.
See you on the other side.
JL