Tom McAllister
@tmcallister.bsky.social
Author of novels HOW TO BE SAFE and THE YOUNG WIDOWER'S HANDBOOK, and essay collection IT ALL FELT IMPOSSIBLE.
Co-host of Book Fight! podcast (RIP). @Barrelhouse.bsky.social NF Editor. Rutgers-Camden MFA faculty. South Jersey.
Tom.mcallister.ws
Co-host of Book Fight! podcast (RIP). @Barrelhouse.bsky.social NF Editor. Rutgers-Camden MFA faculty. South Jersey.
Tom.mcallister.ws
Pinned
Tom McAllister
@tmcallister.bsky.social
· May 14
My book, IT ALL FELT IMPOSSIBLE, in which I wrote a short essay for each year of my life, is officially out today (paperback & ebook). I think it's the best writing I've ever done, the most I've ever sounded like myself on the page.
Full details, reviews, etc: rosemetalpress.com/books/it-all...
Full details, reviews, etc: rosemetalpress.com/books/it-all...
tried to use the Merlin app to identify a strange new bird call in the neighborhood, but it turned out to be just some lady making a real weird groaning sound
December 7, 2025 at 3:37 PM
tried to use the Merlin app to identify a strange new bird call in the neighborhood, but it turned out to be just some lady making a real weird groaning sound
the Frosty movie is on, which reminds me I have probably never shared this story I wrote based on it and his, uh, unusual friendship with Karen, the main girl
www.barrelhousemag.com/online-lit/s...
www.barrelhousemag.com/online-lit/s...
The Snowman in Love, by Tom McAllister — Barrelhouse
Thirty years after the incident in the greenhouse, Karen would relate it to her second husband as a turning point in her life—an ostensible adventure that would become the focus of countless therapy s...
www.barrelhousemag.com
December 7, 2025 at 1:48 AM
the Frosty movie is on, which reminds me I have probably never shared this story I wrote based on it and his, uh, unusual friendship with Karen, the main girl
www.barrelhousemag.com/online-lit/s...
www.barrelhousemag.com/online-lit/s...
Reposted by Tom McAllister
a new jersey-based christmas tree delivery service called Spruce Bringsteen
November 11, 2025 at 3:22 AM
a new jersey-based christmas tree delivery service called Spruce Bringsteen
Will never get over being governed by people this stupid and boring
December 6, 2025 at 4:51 PM
Will never get over being governed by people this stupid and boring
teaching a small press course for MFA students in spring, might give them an assignment to interview someone about their publish experience. If you're an editor and/or have published at least one small press book + would like to be included on the list of possible interview subjects, please lmk
December 5, 2025 at 9:38 PM
teaching a small press course for MFA students in spring, might give them an assignment to interview someone about their publish experience. If you're an editor and/or have published at least one small press book + would like to be included on the list of possible interview subjects, please lmk
looking very much like the grinch, sir, wonderful, they're saying nobody has ever looked more like the grinch
December 5, 2025 at 9:35 PM
looking very much like the grinch, sir, wonderful, they're saying nobody has ever looked more like the grinch
Reposted by Tom McAllister
Hello, my wife and I recorded a Hanukkah song! Enjoy! youtu.be/6aLhQqryWYY
Inverse Room feat. Stephanie Meissner, "Eight Little Candles"
YouTube video by Bright Small Songs
youtu.be
December 5, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Hello, my wife and I recorded a Hanukkah song! Enjoy! youtu.be/6aLhQqryWYY
Reposted by Tom McAllister
Even as a Millennial TurboLiberal for whom this website is made I have to admit I get pretty tired of reading about one trillion problems I neither understand nor can solve. "THOUSANDS of octopi are dying off the coast of Madagascar" alright I'm not in charge of that. That's not my job.
December 5, 2025 at 2:22 PM
Even as a Millennial TurboLiberal for whom this website is made I have to admit I get pretty tired of reading about one trillion problems I neither understand nor can solve. "THOUSANDS of octopi are dying off the coast of Madagascar" alright I'm not in charge of that. That's not my job.
Reposted by Tom McAllister
JEGOT Update: With Netflix acquiring Warner Bros., the odds of someone Becoming The Joker have risen greatly, potentially creating multiple paths to Achieving JEGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony, Becoming The Joker).
December 5, 2025 at 2:05 PM
JEGOT Update: With Netflix acquiring Warner Bros., the odds of someone Becoming The Joker have risen greatly, potentially creating multiple paths to Achieving JEGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony, Becoming The Joker).
the three max guys are not going to play together more than 3 times all season, and then they're going to try to convince us in April that they're all ready to roll
As first reported by @noahlevick.bsky.social, Joel Embiid is now listed as QUESTIONABLE for tonight's game vs the Warriors and Paul George is now OUT.
Quentin Grimes is AVAILABLE, too.
Quentin Grimes is AVAILABLE, too.
December 4, 2025 at 4:33 PM
the three max guys are not going to play together more than 3 times all season, and then they're going to try to convince us in April that they're all ready to roll
if you accept the premise that Santa is always watching everyone, always updating his list, then every movie is, ultimately, a Christmas movie
December 4, 2025 at 2:38 PM
if you accept the premise that Santa is always watching everyone, always updating his list, then every movie is, ultimately, a Christmas movie
I refuse to accept that people are debating marginal shit about "abuse" of disability accommodations at colleges when the actual president is randomly picking and choosing colleges to destroy based on whether they have paid him a big enough bribe
December 4, 2025 at 3:36 AM
I refuse to accept that people are debating marginal shit about "abuse" of disability accommodations at colleges when the actual president is randomly picking and choosing colleges to destroy based on whether they have paid him a big enough bribe
one time I turned in a paper so half-assed the teacher emailed that night to say, "I am not going to read this. You have until tomorrow to turn in something better." Thinking about the email still fills me with shame. Anyway, I realize now I should have emailed the governor to let him know I suck
December 4, 2025 at 1:09 AM
one time I turned in a paper so half-assed the teacher emailed that night to say, "I am not going to read this. You have until tomorrow to turn in something better." Thinking about the email still fills me with shame. Anyway, I realize now I should have emailed the governor to let him know I suck
Have to admit I never noticed this before but it's true
just finished reading a christmas carol by charles dickens. pretty good, and a quick, breezy read. but damned if he didn't rip off basically the whole story from the muppets.
December 4, 2025 at 12:16 AM
Have to admit I never noticed this before but it's true
Reposted by Tom McAllister
"From start to finish, Tom McAllister’s new book of essays—one for each year of his life up to now—vibrates like a master cellist’s bow across the strings of his favorite instrument" -- thanks to Nancy and Lit Hub for including me on this list
Shout out to @tmcallister.bsky.social and his essay collection IT ALL FELT IMPOSSIBLE, one of the 100 Notable Small Press Books heralded on @literaryhub.bsky.social today! The book was published by @rosemetalpress.bsky.social. I loved reading Tom's work and you will too!
lithub.com/100-notable-...
lithub.com/100-notable-...
100 Notable Small Press Books of 2025
The idea of 100 Notable Small Press Books was born November 2024, after The New York Times’s annual 100 Notable Books list featured eighty-two books from the Big Five publishing houses (Pengu…
lithub.com
December 1, 2025 at 1:58 PM
"From start to finish, Tom McAllister’s new book of essays—one for each year of his life up to now—vibrates like a master cellist’s bow across the strings of his favorite instrument" -- thanks to Nancy and Lit Hub for including me on this list
Rich's newsletter is the first thing I read every day. Brings back that feeling of picking up the Inquirer sports page over breakfast every morning, except I'm not getting mad at Tim Panaccio and I can't flip to the next section and find out what's new with The Lockhorns
📰 New @phlysports.bsky.social newsletter 📰
🏒 Flyers suffer a costly injury
🦅 Busy day for Kevin Patullo
🦁 Is Penn State bungling their search?
🏀 Joel Embiid, all-offense no-defense
Subscribe here and get your Philly sports in your inbox every day. It's free! newsletter.allphly.com/p/a-particul...
🏒 Flyers suffer a costly injury
🦅 Busy day for Kevin Patullo
🦁 Is Penn State bungling their search?
🏀 Joel Embiid, all-offense no-defense
Subscribe here and get your Philly sports in your inbox every day. It's free! newsletter.allphly.com/p/a-particul...
December 2, 2025 at 5:49 PM
Rich's newsletter is the first thing I read every day. Brings back that feeling of picking up the Inquirer sports page over breakfast every morning, except I'm not getting mad at Tim Panaccio and I can't flip to the next section and find out what's new with The Lockhorns
everywhere you look, TAs carrying donuts and other little treats; that's how you know it's course eval day
December 2, 2025 at 4:07 PM
everywhere you look, TAs carrying donuts and other little treats; that's how you know it's course eval day
I love to receive 4000 emails about Giving Tuesday, the Tuesday when we give
December 2, 2025 at 4:01 PM
I love to receive 4000 emails about Giving Tuesday, the Tuesday when we give
Reposted by Tom McAllister
Guess which small #Philly press is honored on @literaryhub.bsky.social's 100 Notables for 2025?
"Well crafted and paced," Janice Deal's THE BLUE DOOR "is a beautifully told story of loss and escape."
Also on the list: Philly's own @tmcallister.bsky.social.
lithub.com/100-notable-...
#bookstoread
"Well crafted and paced," Janice Deal's THE BLUE DOOR "is a beautifully told story of loss and escape."
Also on the list: Philly's own @tmcallister.bsky.social.
lithub.com/100-notable-...
#bookstoread
100 Notable Small Press Books of 2025
The idea of 100 Notable Small Press Books was born November 2024, after The New York Times’s annual 100 Notable Books list featured eighty-two books from the Big Five publishing houses (Pengu…
lithub.com
December 1, 2025 at 7:57 PM
Guess which small #Philly press is honored on @literaryhub.bsky.social's 100 Notables for 2025?
"Well crafted and paced," Janice Deal's THE BLUE DOOR "is a beautifully told story of loss and escape."
Also on the list: Philly's own @tmcallister.bsky.social.
lithub.com/100-notable-...
#bookstoread
"Well crafted and paced," Janice Deal's THE BLUE DOOR "is a beautifully told story of loss and escape."
Also on the list: Philly's own @tmcallister.bsky.social.
lithub.com/100-notable-...
#bookstoread
always fascinating to learn which incidents on college campuses warrant wall-to-wall national coverage and which are deemed to be unworthy of any commentary at all
December 1, 2025 at 7:25 PM
always fascinating to learn which incidents on college campuses warrant wall-to-wall national coverage and which are deemed to be unworthy of any commentary at all
nothing is happening and nobody knows who did it
talking to reporters last night, Trump claimed of Hegseth's double tap strike that "I don't know anything about it," then moments later claimed "I don't who you're talking about" when asked his plan to pardon the former Honduran president
December 1, 2025 at 4:16 PM
nothing is happening and nobody knows who did it
Reposted by Tom McAllister
Congrats to @tmcallister.bsky.social and his amazing memoir-in-essays IT ALL FELT IMPOSSIBLE for being one of @wirobooks.bsky.social's 51 favorite books of the year!
December 1, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Congrats to @tmcallister.bsky.social and his amazing memoir-in-essays IT ALL FELT IMPOSSIBLE for being one of @wirobooks.bsky.social's 51 favorite books of the year!
"From start to finish, Tom McAllister’s new book of essays—one for each year of his life up to now—vibrates like a master cellist’s bow across the strings of his favorite instrument" -- thanks to Nancy and Lit Hub for including me on this list
Shout out to @tmcallister.bsky.social and his essay collection IT ALL FELT IMPOSSIBLE, one of the 100 Notable Small Press Books heralded on @literaryhub.bsky.social today! The book was published by @rosemetalpress.bsky.social. I loved reading Tom's work and you will too!
lithub.com/100-notable-...
lithub.com/100-notable-...
100 Notable Small Press Books of 2025
The idea of 100 Notable Small Press Books was born November 2024, after The New York Times’s annual 100 Notable Books list featured eighty-two books from the Big Five publishing houses (Pengu…
lithub.com
December 1, 2025 at 1:58 PM
"From start to finish, Tom McAllister’s new book of essays—one for each year of his life up to now—vibrates like a master cellist’s bow across the strings of his favorite instrument" -- thanks to Nancy and Lit Hub for including me on this list
Perfect shot of the ref simultaneously calling possession for both teams, we love NBA officials don't we folks
December 1, 2025 at 1:43 AM
Perfect shot of the ref simultaneously calling possession for both teams, we love NBA officials don't we folks
Reposted by Tom McAllister
RIP to Daniel Woodrell, whose book Winter's Bone is just about as good as a novel can be. Here's a Book Fight ep where we talked about him with Tod Goldberg
New Book Fight! Noir season continues with @todgoldberg.bsky.social discussing WINTER'S BONE, worldbuilding in the Ozarks, subverting crime novel tropes, writing violence, and a whole lot more.
Listen on Spotify or pretty much anywhere else open.spotify.com/episode/3RQQ...
Listen on Spotify or pretty much anywhere else open.spotify.com/episode/3RQQ...
Tod Goldberg on Winter's Bone
Book Fight · Episode
open.spotify.com
November 30, 2025 at 1:58 AM
RIP to Daniel Woodrell, whose book Winter's Bone is just about as good as a novel can be. Here's a Book Fight ep where we talked about him with Tod Goldberg