Weird Lit Mag

Weird Lit Mag does #awp26! Come see us at Table 431 and say hi!

Orangey cats in suitcase

Cats in suitcase

Cat in suitcase

Sadly the familiars can't come on this trip. Don't think they didn't try, though...see you soon, Baltimore! Yeti is coming too. #AWP26 #readweirdlit

WLM sticker inserts

Bird "helping" make pins

Bird helping make pins

We've been hard at work this week making Weird Lit pins for #AWP26 along with a little help (?) from some of our non-human friends. Come by the Bookfair if you're attending and pick up some of our handiwork! #readweirdlit #birdsareartiststoo

AWP baltimore

The annual Association of Writers & Writing Programs (AWP) Conference and Bookfair is in Baltimore this year and the Weird Lit Crew will be there! We're excited to see YOU (if you're there too). Read more on the WLM blog below (or at link in bio).

www.weirdlitmag.com/...

(Another!) Interview with Author Holden Arquilevich Have you seen a ghost before? No, but I’ve smelled one.

We were excited to catch up with Holden this issue after selecting his story "Doctor Neighbour" for publication, a delightfully weird piece with sci-fi and philosophical elements. Read our full interview with the author below or at link in bio.
www.weirdlitmag.com/...
2/2

"Writing in particular is a long haul," said WLM author Holden Arquilevich in our recent interview. "Don’t be afraid to winter and take time to remember why you like to make art at all."
1/2

Hi James, apologies for the late response. Yes, we accept submissions from anywhere. Our next reading window will be coming up in April!

Woman sitting behind a sleepy white cat.

WLM author Brenna Marie Gautam expertly explores the weaponization of perception in her speculative piece "Chloe and the Sad Twin." Head to the link in our bio for an interview with the author and check out her story in our latest issue!

Graphic that reads: Weird Lit Magazine. Come find us at AWP Baltimore. Table #431, March 5-7.

We're getting excited for #AWP! If you're attending the conference this year, come say hi! We'll be table 431 and we're looking forward to meeting contributors, readers, and other editors. See you soon?

#readweirdlit

A graphic that reads "last chance to submit" weird short stories.

We are open for submissions of your weird short stories through February 15. If you haven't submitted work to us yet this reading period, now's your chance! We can't wait to read it. Full guidelines at weirdlitmag.com/submit.

Thanks for being a part of our weird community!

Interview with Author Juliette Cardinali I’d sit by any campfire I could find and I wouldn’t tell anyone my name.

Debut author Juliette Cardinali's first published story, "Edgar Allan Poe Joins the Rodeo" will stick in your mind long after you read it. Meet Juliette in our interview at www.weirdlitmag.com/... and learn a little more about the young author!

Interview with Author Matthew Pritt What really matters to me is that my work is unmistakably me.

" Is that any less weird than imagining a
world in which someone gets a job peeing on servers at
a data center?"
Head over to the WLM blog to read our interview with
author Matthew Pritt—we're pretty sure you'll enjoy. Read more at
www.weirdlitmag.com/post/matthew...
@matthewtpritt.bsky.social

A Conversation with Featured Author Tom Busillo I think absurdity is a way to retreat from the realities of the world while also shining a light on them. It’s also just fun.

You may know author Tom Busillo from such oddities as "The Soup Line" (published by Weird Lit) and many other works around the lit-sphere. Senior Editor Dina interviewed Tom recently and we think you'll find their conversation pretty fun! Find it at

A graphic with text that reads "submissions are still open" for weird short stories.

And just like that we're halfway through our submission window for our Spring 2026 issue. There's two more weeks left to submit so if you have something weird, polish it up and send it our way! We're open for submissions until Feb 15.

Two young kids stand on the edge of a dock on a lake, on sips on a sippy cup and the other is bending to the side and smiling at the camera.

Some of the stories that stick in our minds the longest are ones that speculate about worlds we had never considered—while exploring deeper truths about human nature, like debut author Juliette Cardinali's story, "Edgar Allan Poe Joins the Rodeo." Read our interview with the author, link in bio!

A man in an animal onesie holding a beer with a pumpkin on his lap.

Christian Fuller's story "Party Trick," published in our Winter 2025 issue, swept us up in into an absurd, sharp embrace, making us laugh while leading us to the edge of the abyss—our favorite view. Read our interview with the author at the link in our bio.

A graphic that reads: Call for submissions. Submissions for our Spring 2026 issue of Weird Lit Magazine will be open January 15-February 15, 2026. Weird Lit Magazine seeks stories under 3000 words in the following styles and moods: ​​Absurdist, ambiguous, avant garde, bleak, dark, deadpan, existential, experimental, grotesque, hopeful, horror, humorous, literary, magical realism, noir, psychological, slipstream, speculative, supernatural, weird. We seek stories with a strong voice and encourage non-realist narratives and settings. Visit weirdlitmag.com/submit for guidelines.

The days are getting longer again and that means we're another step closer to our Spring 2026 Issue. Submissions for our next issue are now open from 1/15-2/15.
Head to weirdlitmag.com/submit for guidelines. We can't wait to read your new and weird stories!

Painting with the style of mosaics in facial portraits

Matina Vossou, the artist featured in our Fall 2025 issue, explores the complexity of her subjects with her striking mosaic style. Learn more about her relationship with creating, what she hopes viewers will gain from her work, and the woes of being a child prodigy.

www.weirdlitmag.com/...

We also received our full 501c3 nonprofit status at the end of 2025 and are now able to accept tax-deductible donations. Thank you so much for considering us. And if you know a fellow weirdo who'd like help support our mission and community too, give us a share! Thank you!

Both links in bio.

Weird Lit Memberships - New!

We're excited to announce our new membership program! We've been growing and expanding our community of authors, artists, and readers over the past years, and we've designed some cool perks and ways to connect with members. We can't wait to grow even further and support the weirdness that ensues.

Interview with Author Nisha Hartelius I’ve always known [I was weird]. It’s only recently I’ve realized that’s pretty cool.

Debut author Nisha Hartelius's story "Recycling" will catch in your throat and stick with you long after you've finished reading. Learn more about what keeps her writing, what she'd be doing if she wasn't, and her relationship with her stapler in our interview at www.weirdlitmag.com/...!

Text: happy new year / weird lit magazine. Image: smiling face of magazine team wearing coats and parkas on a lit-up street at night.

Thanks to everyone who helped make 2025 an excellent year for Weird Lit: our contributors, readers, submitters, and everyone else in our evolving community. We hope you all run headlong into 2026 with strange, elaborate ideas and the gumption to sculpt them into life. #readweirdlit

A person in a black had and glasses holds a big-toothed smiling photo in front of their face.

We aren't sure what weird, creative planet author Matthew F. Amati hails from, but we'd really like to visit. His third story in Weird Lit is lyrical, melancholic and full of unexpected turns of phrases. Much like the interview we did with him recently. Head to weirdlitmag.com/post... for some fun!

An image of a pagan deity in prayer, with a crown of candles on their head. Text reads: Weird Lit Magazine. Winter 2025 Volume 2 Issue 4.

On this winter solstice we come bearing gifts! Today we’re celebrating the release of our Winter 2025 Issue, featuring eight fantastically bizarre stories and our first photography as featured artwork. Head to the link in our bio to read our full issue or go directly to weirdlitmag.com.

Authors: - Matthew F. Amati - Holden Arquilevich - Tom Busillo - Juliette Cardinali - Christian Fuller - Nisha Hartelius - Brenna Marie - Matthew Pritt Art/Photography: - Zander Fieschko

We're drawing close to the darkest day of the year in the north. Our Winter 2025 Issue is almost ready, however, and has been a flame for us in this time of long nights. On that note, here are our contributors this round! Full issue will be available to read online this Sunday, the solstice.

Pushcart nominations: "Popular Demand" by Tim Conley; "Yellow Feather" by Mish Gajewski-Zambataro; "Transmission" by Gene Wang; and "Please, God, Don't Let Dogs Die Anymore" by Douglas Hackle.

Congrats to our 2026 Pushcart Prize-nominated authors! We're excited to share your work. Best of luck! Links to stories in bio.

"Popular Demand" by Tim Conley; "Yellow Feather" by Mish Gajewski-Zambataro; "Transmission" by Gene Wang; and "Please, God, Don't Let Dogs Die Anymore" by Douglas Hackle.

who are the best lit mags of 2025?

Chill Subs is hosting their 3rd annual Community Favorites Best Lit Mag Awards, and we'd love if you voted for Weird Lit! Vote at www.chillsubs.com/be...! Voting closes Dec. 7. P.S. Voters are entered to win a year of Chill Subs Best or $500 too.

WLM Nessie logo and aforementioned text in caption.

We're excited to announce our nomination for the 2026 PEN/Robert J. Dau Short Story Prize for Emerging Writers: "Transmission" by Gene Wang! This prize recognizes twelve emerging writers/year for their debut short story. Read Gene's outstanding debut story at www.weirdlitmag.com/.... Best of luck!

Author smiling and sitting in a cool rounded golden chair around them.

"... dear lord that eyeball’s back ..."

We loved the breathlessness and absurdity amidst a real human story about loss and grief in Nancy S. Koven's story "Five Hours to Wilmington." Read our interview with the author on the WLM blog at www.weirdlitmag.com/...!