Jess Simms

I find it kind of funny that Guatemala has so many Maya ruins they use artifacts as decorations. Like this is a 1500ish year-old carving from Kaminaljuyu and it's one of several just casually sitting next to paths out in the open at the zoo.

@AgnesCallard Thanks for writing & sharing it! Made at least one weirdo feel seen over here ☺️

@jrsimms29 thanks!

This article in Asterisk Magazine's weird issue is definitely worth a read. Hits a lot of points about belonging & being weird I've felt/thought about but never been able to articulate this well. asteriskmag.com/issues/09/wher…

Fun fact: in Guate, Uber has a motorcycle option. I am not nearly brave enough to try this but for anyone who is it's quite cheap.

Writerly PSA: Fantasy magazine is being relaunched by Psychopomp and they're open for subs through 1/29: Psychopomp.com/fantasy-magazi…

Welp they at least let me leave the country with an X passport. We'll see in roughly 20 days if I'm still considered a human and allowed back in. Or maybe I'll just stay in Guatemala, I already saw someone wearing a Penguins shirt so it's basically home.

@robertisenberg Lol! I've had that happen before with subs. I suppose the bright side is that they at least replied 😆

Apparently January 14th is official Send Rejections Day because I've gotten literally 5 today, including one for a submission I sent almost a year ago. On the plus side I'm already 10% of the way to my 100 rejection goal for 2025 😆

New article up over at City Paper highlighting some new PGH publishers: pghcitypaper.com/arts-entertain…

Tomorrow night at Poetry Lounge in Millvale! Should be a fun night of chill tunes and weird words.

Crediting a least a portion of our AWP success to the presence of the emotional support pickle bought en-route in Casey IL.

@BeanCanDan Dude, right? The grind and hustle are no joke, definitely makes me appreciate it more than I would've when I was younger now that all that work is starting to bear fruit.

@jrsimms29 You've been a real writer! But right on! All this stuff takes an alarming amount of time, don't it?

I've sold my first story for 2024, have another on short list with one of my favorite mags, and am about to go sell books I made & wrote at AWP. Yinz, think I might actually be turning into a real writer, IDK when this happened but I'm into it

About to watch my first ever Lucha Libre match live at at amateur luchador arena and this feels like the right way to end a trip to Mexico.

Pittsburgh literary folks: the next Send It meeting is this Saturday 2-4pm, if you've got stuff to send out to publishers come on out to East Liberty library for info and support to help you submit it! More deets here: scribblehousepgh.com/events

Love how the normal rules of society are suspended in long-distance public transit stations. Wanna wear fuzzy slippers and a neck pillow? Sit on the floor with your shoes off by the outlet? Go for it bud, everybody's too f-ing tired to care.

Travel pro tip: a cloth face mask alao functions as an effective sleep mask for daytime naps.

So I saw a wifi network named "FBI Surveillance Van" at my hotel in Sacramento and chuckled at it. But now there's 2 of them here in Omaha, which could mean a) that's a weirdly popular network name or b) the FBI is following me and being super unsubtle about it.

@robertisenberg Right? Love it when I get to take advantage of the digital nomad life 😄

Nothing like a cross country Amtrak ride to remind you just how friggin huge the US is. I left Sacramento at 1130am, am currently still in Nevada, and won't reach Omaha until 5am on Monday. And there is so so much empty in between (pictured: the empty)

@Paveluljuk Agreed, love the Amtrak! So much better than flying when you've got the time to mosey a bit.

@jrsimms29 Nice photo, nice trip. Amtrak is good train.