Melissa Llanes Brownlee
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lumchanmfa.bsky.social
Melissa Llanes Brownlee
@lumchanmfa.bsky.social
2.1K followers 1.7K following 2.2K posts
Native Hawaiian writer living in Japan

https://www.melissallanesbrownlee.com/

Bitter over Sweet https://tinyurl.com/5hd7u63r

Hard Skin http://tinyurl.com/yc53
Kahi&Lua http://tinyurl.com/3ryfzvwh
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lumchanmfa.bsky.social
Melissa Llanes Brownlee @lumchanmfa.bsky.social · 23d
I’m still buzzing from my awesome book launch!! Thank you Deesha Philyaw for being a part of it and for your wonderful questions and @avitusbcarle.bsky.social for being an amazing host. Thank you to everyone who came and thank you to my friends who helped and supported me ❤️❤️❤️
sfwp.bsky.social SFWP @sfwp.bsky.social · 23d
TONIGHT at 7pm EST, @lumchanmfa.bsky.social will be in conversation with @deeshaphilyaw.bsky.social to celebrate the launch of BITTER OVER SWEET, hosted by @avitusbcarle.bsky.social! buff.ly/CtKtA0k

Can't make it? Get BITTER OVER SWEET right here! buff.ly/3pPOviA
@susanschulman.bsky.social
Reposted by Melissa Llanes Brownlee
claudineliterary.bsky.social
East Coast US midnight. First Monday of the month! 🐈‍⬛🎉🐈‍⬛

@jhhwriter.bsky.social @kimmagowan.bsky.social @susanllin.bsky.social @travisflatt.bsky.social @keithjpowell.com
December 1, 2025 at 5:14 AM
Reposted by Melissa Llanes Brownlee
smokelong.bsky.social
You can still join our free series of write-ins and open mics--five events each week until December 14th! Sign up for ZERO dollars. Yep. This one's on us.
www.smokelong.com/ready-for-pr...
Ready for Promptember 2025? - SmokeLong Quarterly
Join the SmokeLong community for Promptember, a mysterious intermonth happening between November and December of live write-in events designed to light a fire under your writing life. Participate in o...
www.smokelong.com
November 30, 2025 at 9:42 PM
lumchanmfa.bsky.social
weekly ukulele video 🥰❤️

youtu.be/5VYHwHiD0ak
weekly ukulele video 🥰❤️ (December 1, 2025)
YouTube video by Melissa Llanes Brownlee
youtu.be
November 30, 2025 at 9:40 PM
Reposted by Melissa Llanes Brownlee
pamavoledo.bsky.social
Weekend reading:

Bitter Over Sweet by @lumchanmfa.bsky.social

Santa Fe Writers Project
November 29, 2025 at 4:44 PM
lumchanmfa.bsky.social
weekly talk story about gratitude and being tired...

www.melissallanesbrownlee.com/talk-story/2...
A Quiet Week and Coming Down From My Book Being Out In The World — Melissa Llanes Brownlee
So yeah… it’s been a quiet week for me, at least publication-wise (not writing or submitting). Last year, I would have been depressed about it, but honestly, I am just tired. I am grateful for all tha...
www.melissallanesbrownlee.com
November 27, 2025 at 11:19 PM
Reposted by Melissa Llanes Brownlee
mczyzniejewski.bsky.social
Thanks—on Thanksgiving!—to @lit-namjooning.bsky.social (and Hema Nataraju and Lakshmi Iyer and @lumchanmfa.bsky.social) for nominating me for a Pushcart Prize!
November 27, 2025 at 7:29 PM
Reposted by Melissa Llanes Brownlee
smokelong.bsky.social
We made a numbered list of everyone who shared our FlashGiving posts across social media (thank you!) and generated a random number, which was 38, which means that Gill O'Halloran @quickasaflash.bsky.social is the winner of our 2025 FlashGiving draw! Please email [email protected], Gill.🙂
Black and white dotted image of an analogue camera with a large flash attachment. Red and white lettering: FlashGiving 2025. Green inset star burst with black and white lettering: Draw winner: Gill O'Halloran. SLQ logo.
November 27, 2025 at 8:00 PM
lumchanmfa.bsky.social
Just in case you missed it! My interview by @mynachang.bsky.social!!
sfwp.bsky.social SFWP @sfwp.bsky.social · 4d
ICYMI, Myna Chang recently sat down with Melissa Llanes Brownlee to discuss her latest collection, BITTER OVER SWEET! buff.ly/teB3epy

Get BITTER OVER SWEET here: buff.ly/uaVHtkD
@lumchanmfa.bsky.social
November 26, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Reposted by Melissa Llanes Brownlee
sfwp.bsky.social
ICYMI, Myna Chang recently sat down with Melissa Llanes Brownlee to discuss her latest collection, BITTER OVER SWEET! buff.ly/teB3epy

Get BITTER OVER SWEET here: buff.ly/uaVHtkD
@lumchanmfa.bsky.social
November 26, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Reposted by Melissa Llanes Brownlee
mczyzniejewski.bsky.social
Lovely book mail today from @lumchanmfa.bsky.social and @sfwp.bsky.social!
November 26, 2025 at 2:59 AM
lumchanmfa.bsky.social
weekly ukulele video 🥰❤️

youtu.be/qtiJW0ekSus
weekly ukulele video 🥰❤️ (November 24, 2025)
YouTube video by Melissa Llanes Brownlee
youtu.be
November 23, 2025 at 11:55 PM
Reposted by Melissa Llanes Brownlee
pleomorphic2.bsky.social
Massive thanks @gooseberrypielit.bsky.social for this mom! And thanks @lumchanmfa.bsky.social for picking this crazy queer arthropod piece for the comp! Co breaths fellow nominees 🧡. Here’s my weird-ass story: gooseberry-pie.com/the-undulati...
November 21, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Reposted by Melissa Llanes Brownlee
mizuki-yama.bsky.social
I am over the moon! SO grateful to @lit-namjooning.bsky.social for the nomination! 🌟 Congratulations to everyone 🌟
November 20, 2025 at 9:44 PM
lumchanmfa.bsky.social
weekly talk story about @claudineliterary.bsky.social and @pitheadchapel.bsky.social...

www.melissallanesbrownlee.com/talk-story/2...
Celebrating My Pushcart Prize and Best Microfiction Noms and Not Writing — Melissa Llanes Brownlee
I am so happy to have received a Pushcart Prize Nomination from Claudine, A Literary Magazine ! If you missed it, I hope you read “ The day auntie makes you sort the pakalolo into baggies before...
www.melissallanesbrownlee.com
November 20, 2025 at 11:36 PM
Reposted by Melissa Llanes Brownlee
sfwp.bsky.social
ICYMI, BITTER OVER SWEET by @lumchanmfa.bsky.social was included in @clmporg.bsky.social's Reading List for Native American Heritage Month 2025! buff.ly/TCDByuE

Treat yourself - or a loved one - to BITTER OVER SWEET right here: bit.ly/3PuHbEn
@susanschulman.bsky.social
A Reading List for Native American Heritage Month 2025 - Community of Literary Magazines and Presses
For Native American Heritage Month, observed annually during the month of November, we asked our member presses and literary magazines to share with us some of the books and magazines they recommend…
buff.ly
November 20, 2025 at 7:51 PM
Reposted by Melissa Llanes Brownlee
sfwp.bsky.social
With the upcoming holidays, there's holiday shopping to be done! If you have someone who loves traveling to Hawaii, consider gifting them a copy of BITTER OVER SWEET by @lumchanmfa.bsky.social! buff.ly/0TMZh4p

@susanschulman.bsky.social
November 19, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Reposted by Melissa Llanes Brownlee
mynachang.bsky.social
My interview with @lumchanmfa.bsky.social came out in the WOW Markets newsletter in support of MLB's new book, Bitter Over Sweet!
In Conversation with Melissa Llanes Brownlee - Author of Bitter Over Sweet
Melissa Llanes Brownlee is well known in the flash community as a consummate writer and an unflagging supporter of her peers. Her upcoming collection, <em>Bitter Over Sweet</em>, explores the lives of...
www.wow-womenonwriting.com
November 19, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Reposted by Melissa Llanes Brownlee
mynachang.bsky.social
❤️
lumchanmfa.bsky.social Melissa Llanes Brownlee @lumchanmfa.bsky.social · 12d
You all!! I have the BEST PEOPLE in my life!! Thank you @gilloshaughnessy.bsky.social for your insightful and wonderful words!!

(@mynachang.bsky.social she mentions your amazing interview too 🥰)

@sfwp.bsky.social
@susanschulman.bsky.social
gilloshaughnessy.bsky.social Gillian O’Shaughnessy @gilloshaughnessy.bsky.social · 12d
⚡️Fast Flash Review: Bitter Over Sweet by Melissa Llanes Brownlee. A stunning read. Plus, Melissa writes in Hawaiian Pidgin Creole & English, this book is a masterclass on authentic own voice writing. Unmissable.
@lumchanmfa.bsky.social @smokelong.bsky.social @sfwp.bsky.social
November 19, 2025 at 12:58 PM
Reposted by Melissa Llanes Brownlee
mizuki-yama.bsky.social
I've always admired the story selections I've read in #Mondettes.
What a special feeling to find my story from @lit-namjooning.bsky.social in it this month! Thank you so much Shome Dasgupta and @mattkendrick.bsky.social 💚
mattkendrick.bsky.social Matt Kendrick @mattkendrick.bsky.social · 12d
This month's #Mondettes picked by
Shome Dasgupta

⚡Ten wonderful flash fictions
🔍Ten splashes of analysis as to why Shome made these brilliant picks
🪴Three fantastic prompts to get you writing

mondettes.substack.com/p/november-2...
November 2025
Ten stories picked by Shome Dasgupta
mondettes.substack.com
November 18, 2025 at 10:13 PM
lumchanmfa.bsky.social
You all!! I have the BEST PEOPLE in my life!! Thank you @gilloshaughnessy.bsky.social for your insightful and wonderful words!!

(@mynachang.bsky.social she mentions your amazing interview too 🥰)

@sfwp.bsky.social
@susanschulman.bsky.social
gilloshaughnessy.bsky.social Gillian O’Shaughnessy @gilloshaughnessy.bsky.social · 12d
⚡️Fast Flash Review: Bitter Over Sweet by Melissa Llanes Brownlee. A stunning read. Plus, Melissa writes in Hawaiian Pidgin Creole & English, this book is a masterclass on authentic own voice writing. Unmissable.
@lumchanmfa.bsky.social @smokelong.bsky.social @sfwp.bsky.social
November 19, 2025 at 6:28 AM
Reposted by Melissa Llanes Brownlee
gilloshaughnessy.bsky.social
⚡️Fast Flash Review: Bitter Over Sweet by Melissa Llanes Brownlee. A stunning read. Plus, Melissa writes in Hawaiian Pidgin Creole & English, this book is a masterclass on authentic own voice writing. Unmissable.
@lumchanmfa.bsky.social @smokelong.bsky.social @sfwp.bsky.social
November 19, 2025 at 6:21 AM
Reposted by Melissa Llanes Brownlee
kelliborges2.bsky.social
Bookmail!! Can’t wait read this gorgeous collection by the talented @lumchanmfa.bsky.social ❤️❤️❤️
November 18, 2025 at 7:55 PM
lumchanmfa.bsky.social
“I…I’m sorry! I don’t know!” she faltered.

“Are you a witch to claim such knowledge?” the storyteller silked. The villagers muttered and shifted, their voices gathering momentum.

It was never clear who hurled the first stone.

Damn… @pleomorphic2.bsky.social in @bloodhoneylit.bsky.social
November 18, 2025 at 8:25 AM
Reposted by Melissa Llanes Brownlee
pleomorphic2.bsky.social
Super chuffed to have my flash up at @bloodhoneylit.bsky.social featuring an enigmatic storyteller and his doubting ex-wife. This story was much rejected, so thank you @davidestringel.bsky.social for believing in it 🙏🏾

www.bloodhoneylit.com/fiction/the-...
the fable of the storyteller and his witch — Blood+Honey
by Sumitra Singam “It was never clear who hurled the first stone. The flinty piece of rock hit her on the head, leaving a dark bloom of blood.”
www.bloodhoneylit.com
November 18, 2025 at 8:11 AM
lumchanmfa.bsky.social
I want tamarind-soaked flesh, briny and sour. Isn’t that what you want too?

Maybe I want a salad. Maybe I want you to savour me down to my empty shell. Maybe I want to keep hiding inside this recipe.

GORGEOUS 😍😍😍

@pleomorphic2.bsky.social and @kathrynreese.bsky.social in @manyworlds.place ❤️❤️❤️
November 17, 2025 at 7:53 AM