Writing Update: January 2026

A note: it’s been a tough month that followed a, frankly, brutal year in the US and world at large. The overwhelm of news and heartbreak and fear is a real and tangible thing; I felt it in my shaking hands when I held my phone to watch yet another murder on video last weekend. Do what you can, where you can, and, please, take care of yourself and those around you.

Some writing gets picked up by the first magazine you submit to. Others really take their time. I've got one of each for this January publication line up. I swear that, after a walk around my neighborhood this past summer, the first story went from my head to the page and then straight into the acceptance queue for Neon & Smoke. The second, a much beloved dystopian told from the point of view of a cactus, was first written back in 2023 and racked up 32 rejections before it found its home with Flash The Court. I am very proud of both of them and grateful to have them make their way to your reading queues.

• A Conversation with One of The Many Houses in My Neighborhood I Can't Afford - Neon & Smoke

  • Read time: <5 minutes (500 words)

  • Genre: Literary fiction with a twist

• She won't survive this - Flash The Court

  • Read time: <5 minutes (500 words)

  • Genre: Science fiction/dystopia

Court even wrote a little intro for the piece:

In “She won’t survive this,” Salena Casha artfully blends speculation and personification, interiority and exteriority. We might also mention elements of post-apocalyptic flash fiction, though readers will encounter very little “post” in this environmental apocalypse, except for nameless “mutants,” endless “shades of tan,” and one last courageous soul. —Court Harler

Like last year, we started strong out of the gate for good reads. Shoutout to my friend who recommended this first stunner to me.

• Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar (Fiction)

  • I know this came out in 2024 so I’m late to the party but wow. What. A. Read. There’s poetry, multiple point of views, and a main character who can’t help but get in his own way. It’s a meditation on immigration, the American dream (or, in many cases, the false hope of it), substance abuse, religion, the relentless drive to make life meaningful, and the generational histories that bring us to the current moment while also making us feel like we’re moving back in time. The highlight for me were the parts set in a museum in New York that focused on conversations between the main character and a terminally ill painter who put her gradual death on display for visitors. No summary of the plot alone can do it justice, so I’d suggest just reading it.

I have a novelette coming out!! This winter!! With ELJ Editions!!

It will be my longest published work to date (~11,000 words and 35 pages) and the tentative launch date is February 13, 2026. It’s a bit of a cross between sci-fi and fantasy, and was inspired by a first sentence that my writing partner, Leigh Loveday came up with. It’ll be in print and ebook formats, and I’ll be sure to post information about how to order your copy soon! I will be donating all royalties I receive to local organizations providing immigration support in Portland, Maine.

Here’s the blurb (and COVER) if you want to learn more:

Somewhere on Echo IV, there is a memory of an older, unmarred Earth that could give humanity a chance at starting over. Mission Control calls the alleged portal ’a way back,’ and Dreyer and her team are tasked with finding it. The planet’s barren landscape, filled with cairns and false memories, doesn’t make it easy for them, but then again, when the team has a leader like Dreyer, easy isn’t in their vocabulary. So, it’s no surprise that when Dreyer disobeys mission guidelines and sets out on her own, she finds herself confronted by a haunted past—just not the one she’s looking for. A Way Back is a punchy cross-genre exploration of obligation, regret, and the futility of trying to escape a future that is all but predetermined by the choices we’ve made.

In other long form news, TERESA 2.0 WILL SEE YOU NOW is with a line editor so I'm hoping that you'll be seeing some upcoming publication dates and preorders (omg, it's happening) soon! Advanced Reader and/or pre-order sign up can be found here.

While net new writing generation has been on the slower side, I’ve gotten a bit more into nonfiction essays this winter, and put down one about a David Bowie burlesque show I went to back in November (lol, I know) and another about working at one of my first jobs as a math textbook editorial assistant. I’m not entirely sure why nonfiction has been speaking to me more than normal so just trying to enjoy the ride and see where the pen takes me.

Stats for the year so far:

Stories accepted to be published in 2026: 9 (these include a dream publication of mine called Okay Donkey, a best of anthology with Ghost Parachute, and a story I first wrote back in 2021 and that racked up 40 rejections before finding a home with Beyond the Stars press this winter).

Rejections in 2026 so far: 4

Submission sent in 2026 so far: 19

Acceptance rate (rolling 12 month): 8.7%

Honorariums paid for 2026: $70 (not bad for two stories under 500 words!) donated to frontline organizers in Minneapolis via Tending the Soil