Aeryn Rudel
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aerynrudel.bsky.social
Aeryn Rudel
@aerynrudel.bsky.social
1.1K followers 640 following 1.1K posts
Author, rejectomantic blogger, dinosaur nerd, sword enthusiast, SFWA & HWA member. Stories in PseudoPod, On Spec Magazine, Factor Four Magazine, Radon Journal, others.

https://linktr.ee/Aeryn_Rudel?utm_source=linktree_admin_share
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aerynrudel.bsky.social
A 24-pound Maine Coon squeezing his floofy orange immensity into a cat bed designed for a critter half his size is the definition of "If I fits, I sits." lol #cats #catsofbluesky
Big orange Maine Coon in a blue cat bed that's too small for him.
November 26, 2025 at 1:49 AM
aerynrudel.bsky.social
Nice little submission milestone for the year. My best in a calendar year is 120, and I think I've got a good chance of beating that. Of course, I'd like a slightly higher acceptance percentage, but I can live with 10%.

#writersofbluesky #writingcommunity
Graphic from Duotrope showing 100 submission year to date.
October 18, 2025 at 10:37 PM
aerynrudel.bsky.social
More from my supernatural thriller HELL TO PLAY. Hey, what's worse than getting possessed by a demon? Getting possessed by TWO demons, of course. ;)

#WIPSnips #writingcommunity #novels
"Gonna need satanic potholders or some shit for that." She left the doll where it lay for the moment and knelt beside Raj. She took one of his hands. "Raj, can you hear me?" The detective blinked and turned his head toward her. He closed his mouth and swallowed. He looked like a man coming to after getting his lights punched out in a boxing match. "I . . . uh, what happened?" Oh, please, please, please let him not remember. "We won, thanks to you. Bael is trapped in that doll, but your partner has probably already found Kendal Yakuta’s body and is almost certainly gonna connect the dots and show up with most of the SPD." Raj sat up and ran his hands through his hair, then his mouth trembled, and he looked at the ground. "B-Bael was . . . was inside of me." Fuck. "I know." "I . . . I saw . . . things," Raj continued, eyes brimming with angry, horrified tears. "He filled my mind with . . . I can't . . ." Lindsey remembered the images she'd seen when Bael had enveloped her. Probably just the preview of the full horror show Raj had experienced. "Raj, I'm so sorry. If I could have stopped him, I would have, but we have to get out of here. Right now." Raj drew in a shaking breath, and his eyes clouded, became distant. "Adramelech was different. He helped me, told me what to do until the end." It didn’t surprise Lindsey that the demon hadn’t abused Raj's flesh or tormented him. Adramelech was different, had become different, but she didn't fully understand why. Lindsey stood and pulled Raj to his feet. "I promise we'll talk about this. I'll . . . help you."
June 11, 2025 at 6:04 PM
aerynrudel.bsky.social
From my other WIP, SECOND DAWN. Queried this one last year, and though I got full manuscript requests, I didn't secure an agent. It's your typical "vampire becomes human again and is hunted by the occult arm of the Russian mob so they can make super vampires" story. :)

#wipsnips #WritingCommunity
The next morning, he lay tangled in sweat-soaked sheets, gritting his teeth against the riot of feelings and sensations overloading his body. When his door opened, and Agents Sung and Gonzales stepped into his room, he almost wept with relief at the distraction. "You look terrible," Agent Sung said. "And you smell like shit," Agent Gonzales added. Everett sat up and tried to smooth out his rumpled scrubs. He needed to at least present the image of a man in control. "I'm fine. Bad dreams." Agent Sung shook her head. "If you're not up to this, physically, emotionally, whatever, you need to tell me right now." "I'm fine," he repeated. "I'll hold up my end of our deal if you hold up yours." Talking and interacting was helping a little, and he could feel his heart rate slowing. "Okay, here's how you start holding up your end of the deal," she said. "I need to know where Gloria lives, what condition she might be in, and how my team can prepare for that." He laughed. "You think I can prepare you if Gloria's still a vampire?" "Why is that funny?" Agent Gonzales asked. "Because if that's the case, and we walk into her lair, I'm the only one who will survive. She'll kill every one of you." "I'm bringing fifteen highly trained and well-armed agents. You don't think that'll matter?" Agent Sung looked insulted. "You could bring fifty and it wouldn't matter," Everett said. "You have no idea what a vampire her age can do." "Then tell me," Agent Sung said. "I won't tell you how to kill her," he said. "But I'll tell you enough to save yourselves."
June 10, 2025 at 4:53 PM
aerynrudel.bsky.social
More demonic dalliances and supernatural shenanigans from my WIP HELL TO PLAY. :)

#wipsnips #WritingPrompts #WritingCommunity
Adramelech considered telling Lindsey what he'd seen. He might be rewarded for warning her about a potential danger. The thought summoned instant shame. He was a demon, a fallen angel, an entity who had literally stood in the presence of the almighty. How could he consider bargaining with a mortal so he could watch more TV? How had he gotten so low? As if sensing Adramelech's thoughts, Lindsey's voice blared in his mind. Hey, this dude is giving me the creeps. You sensing anything weird? A choice stood before Adramelech: tell Lindsey about a possible threat and bargain for more ephemeral distractions or wait and see if some real entertainment developed. But there was a risk. If something terrible did befall Lindsey, as much as he might enjoy watching said terrible thing happen, he'd be stuck inside a doll for the next sixty years, possibly without a human being who believed he was real, or worse, with one who’d tie a rock to him and drop him in the ocean. Hey, Lindsey broke in again. Earth to demon. I said are you getting anything from this guy? Adramelech turned his attention back to Robert Miller, admiring his sucking void of a soul like a person might admire a beautiful piece of art. It was splendid. Adramelech made his decision. Nah, he's fine. Probably just a garden-variety creeper. I'd guess the evilest thing about him is a suspect search history on PornHub. Lindsey stifled a laugh midsentence as she was explaining more about "empathic projections" and "vaporous entities." Fair enough. Keep an eye out, though. Adramelech felt the complacency in her reply, the comfort. Not trust, no. She was too smart for that, but she believed she had him under control, and that, more than anything, strengthened his decision.
June 9, 2025 at 5:46 PM
aerynrudel.bsky.social
From my girl-meets-demon supernatural/urban fantasy/horror/humor mash-up WIP HELL TO PLAY (working title). Coming to dozens of agents' inboxes soon! ;)

#wipsnips #WritingPrompts #WritingCommunity
Mark sighed. "Fine, but this conversation never happened, and any information you get from me you found on your own. Will you promise me that?" "I promise you, Mark. I wouldn't hurt—" "Yeah, let's not go down that particular road, okay? You said noise complaints." She closed her eyes. His reproach stung, but she couldn't blame him. "Yes, very specific ones, though. Babies crying, but not just you know, the usual." "What do you mean?" "I mean, not just crying like a hungry baby." What Adramelech had told her about Bael when he'd posed as the Carthaginian god Ba'al Hammon came roaring back, and the sound she'd heard at the Millers rang clear and awful in her head. I mean like . . . crying in pain." "Jesus, you weren't kidding. That’s pretty damn specific." "I know, but it's important. Also, in the same area, I need to know if there are any complaints about smoke." "Where are you going with all this? Does it have anything to do with your new line of work? You chasing ghosts or something?" I wish it was just ghosts. "It's a hunch, Mark. Something I picked up at the scene."
June 6, 2025 at 5:46 PM
aerynrudel.bsky.social
Got another book-to-film scam email. They're getting pretty sophisticated, but there're lots of red flags. The big one here is the book is a media tie-in novel. I don't own the rights, so a real film deal would, of course, not come to me. Anyone else getting these on the regular?

#writingcommunity
I hope this message finds you well. My name is Marcus. I’m a film executive currently curating a shortlist of literary works with strong screen adaptation potential. I’m excited to share something that may be a milestone moment in your storytelling journey. Your book Acts of War: 1 (Flashpoint) has been officially shortlisted for a private industry showcase hosted in collaboration with Amazon Prime Video. This invitation-only event is designed to connect a select group of high-potential literary works with film and television producers, studio buyers, and top-tier creators who are actively seeking the next breakout screen project. Why This Should Be on Your Radar: This is not a submission call. Your book was nominated through a confidential review and selection process. Backed by real momentum. Prime Video is currently prioritizing original adaptations across drama, thriller, true crime, sci-fi, documentaries, and prestige fiction. Global reach. This showcase offers exposure to decision-makers with production capability in over 200 markets. Whether you’re a debut author or a seasoned writer, this is about one thing: turning exceptional stories into cinematic experiences—with the right team behind it. Next Steps (If You’re Open): Send a private PDF copy of your book for internal review by our content development team. (Fully confidential—industry standard.) Let us know how to reach you for a short 15-minute call. No pressure, just context and clarity on how this process unfolds. What You Should Know: You don’t need an agent to explore this. We speak directly with authors, rights holders, and reps alike. There’s no cost or obligation. If your work resonates with the team, we move forward. If not, you’ve still earned an exclusive review. Timing matters. Only 10-15 titles are being invited this quarter, and final slots are closing shortly. We know this space is full of noise. That’s why we keep this process discreet, direct, and driven by story value.
June 5, 2025 at 8:22 PM
aerynrudel.bsky.social
Big submission milestone today - 900 submissions since I started tracking them on Duotrope way back in the ancient yesteryear of 2012. I'd like to hit 1,000 subs by year's end.

#writingcommunity #amwriting #writing
May 7, 2025 at 7:31 PM
aerynrudel.bsky.social
And there it is. The rejection I received this morning gets me another nice, round rejection milestone.

Yep, 700 total rejections since I started tracking my subs through Duotrope in 2012. I also got a further consideration letter from a pro market, so it wasn't all bad news.

#writingcommunity
March 16, 2025 at 4:37 PM
aerynrudel.bsky.social
Now, I don't generally hope for a #rejection, but when I checked my overall rejections total on Duotrope this morning, well, one more couldn't hurt, right? lol

#amwriting #writingcommunity #milestones
March 13, 2025 at 4:54 PM
aerynrudel.bsky.social
Grocery shopping with a demon in your ear is challenging. They're always judging your choice of breakfast cereal and hard liquor. ;)

(From my #WIP Hell to Play.)

#WIPSnips #horror #amwriting
Lindsey hated leaving her apartment most of the time, but she’d run out of food and good booze, so three days after meeting with Detective Batra, she hauled herself out to the grocery store down the street, a PNW mega-mart chain called Fred Meyer. On a whim, she stuck Adramelech in one of her oversized shopping bags. She told herself it was because Bael was out there somewhere, and she needed Adramelech to defend her. The truth was far less pragmatic. It was nice to have someone to talk to, even an eight-thousand-year-old demon whose attitude could best be described as petulant serial killer. You know that shit is terrible for you, Adramelech said as Lindsey pulled a box of Lucky Charms off the shelf. Lindsey dropped the box of cereal in her cart. Fuck you. They’re magically delicious. Yeah, they’ll pair magically with those two handle-jugs of vodka you grabbed seconds after walking in here.
February 21, 2025 at 6:43 PM
aerynrudel.bsky.social
Hangovers are bad enough. Hangovers while babysitting a bored demon are, well, absolute hell. ;)

From my current WIP HELL TO PLAY.

#WIPSnips #horror #writingcommunity #amwriting
“Oh, come on!” A knife-edged voice slashed into Lindsey’s en-suite bathroom where she knelt before her toilet wishing like hell she could just puke and get it over with. Adramelech’s vocal range was somewhere between furious hornet and screeching teakettle. “That is such bullshit!” Lindsey had a vague recollection of setting the doll Adramelech inhabited in front of the TV the night before to keep him occupied. She’d put on an episode of the demon’s favorite show, Sex and the City, but the streaming platform’s autoplay had now apparently switched to something less to his liking. “Can you please keep it the fuck down in there?” Lindsey shouted, her voice echoing off the inside of the toilet bowl where she hung her head, sweat-tangled hair brushing the bleach-scented water. As was common with her worst hangovers, her guts roiled like a class five hurricane but were entirely unwilling to give up their contents to the great porcelain god.
February 18, 2025 at 6:21 PM
aerynrudel.bsky.social
This is how I feel every day I don't write or work out, which is a great recipe for getting fit and published. It's also a great recipe for a nervous breakdown. 🤣😭

#writingcommunity
February 2, 2025 at 4:10 PM
aerynrudel.bsky.social
Don't you hate it when you get to the gym and every treadmill is in use?

#cats #catpics
January 31, 2025 at 7:50 PM
aerynrudel.bsky.social
Okay, let's try this #wipsnips thing. This is from my WIP, Hell to Play, which I plan to start querying in a few months. The novel has A LOT of ridiculous conversation between a demon-possessed doll and its owner. This passage is pretty representative of their repartee. :)

#writingcommunity
January 29, 2025 at 9:46 PM
aerynrudel.bsky.social
I'm in this photo, and I don't like it one goddamn bit. lol

*sullenly returned to writing his vampire story*

#writingcommunity #amwriting
A bar of soap labeled Soap for Writers Block with the following description: smells like regurgitated ideas and probably a vampire.
January 26, 2025 at 9:29 PM
aerynrudel.bsky.social
Here's my admittedly ambitious #shortstory goals for 2025 in bingo-card format. I've achieved or gotten close to most of these things individually, but never all in the same year. Even if I can only accomplish half of what's here, that's a pretty damn good year.

#writingcommunity #amwriting
A bingo card with short story writing goals instead of numbers. Goals include achievements in submissions, acceptances, rejections, new stories written, and professional sales.
January 22, 2025 at 7:32 PM
aerynrudel.bsky.social
I have new story out today in the latest issue of Black Cat Weekly. It's a sci-fi/thriller called "Rijal's Run", and it's kind of Blade Runner meets a fitness infomercial from the 90s. You know, like Cyberpunk ThighMaster. :)

blackcatweekly.com/b/QrPIs

#writingcommunity #mystery #scifi
January 5, 2025 at 5:17 PM
aerynrudel.bsky.social
To contrast with the first set of stats, here's another piece I recently sold, a longish sci-fi story. I generally find that in sci-fi my prose gets a tad more complex. Not Lovecraftian or anything, but, you know, more complex ideas and concepts often require a bit more detail.
Flesch-Kincaid readability scores for a short story. Reading Ease - 71.4 Grade Level - 6.0 Passive Sentences - 5.5%
December 13, 2024 at 9:09 PM
aerynrudel.bsky.social
Hey, #writingcommunity, do you ever run the readability stats on your work? I always find it interesting, especially the way it can vary depending on genre. Here's the stats for the last story I sold, a flash fiction horror piece. Obvs, my prose tends to be pretty straightforward. lol
A screenshot of Flesch-Kincaid readability scores. Reading Ease - 86.8 Grade Level - 4.1 Passive sentences - 1.4%
December 13, 2024 at 9:05 PM
aerynrudel.bsky.social
Thanks. Have you heard the good news about our lord and savior, Cthulhu? ;)
December 6, 2024 at 8:03 PM
aerynrudel.bsky.social
Today on the blog, we're taking a look at my November submission report card. Not a bad a month, overall. More subs than rejections, and, hey, look, an actual acceptance, too. Check it out. :)

#writingcommunity #submissions #rejections

wp.me/p6jTNd-2jq
A blackboard filled with chalk hashmarks. Below the blackboard is a red octagonal sign with an abacus in it next to the words Submission Statement
December 2, 2024 at 8:07 PM
aerynrudel.bsky.social
Hey, show me a cool, weird thing you own. I'll go first. Here's my Otodus megalodon tooth with LEGO Luke for scale. :)
A black fossilized megalodon tooth about three inches wide and five inches high sits on a polished quartz countertop. A LEGO minifigure of Luke Skywalker with a blue lightsaber stands next to the tooth for scale.
November 23, 2024 at 9:55 PM
aerynrudel.bsky.social
Today on the blog, I'm looking back at an important milestone, 500 rejections, and thinking about what lessons I learned from all those NOs, other than, you know, get better. :)

Check it out.

#WritingCommunity #rejections

wp.me/p6jTNd-26G
A blackboard filled with geometric symbols and equations. Below that is a yellow label made to look like a hazard sign that reads "Dubious Writing Advice."
November 12, 2024 at 6:06 PM
aerynrudel.bsky.social
🎶Cats in Pots🎶 (sung to the tune of Duran Duran's "Girls on Film")

My three Maine Coons and one half-feral trash cat shelter rescue. :)
November 9, 2024 at 1:03 AM