Mercury Winters
LightNews LightNews
mercymercury.bsky.social
Mercury Winters
@mercymercury.bsky.social
670 followers 1.5K following 71 posts
Professional mess-maker and writer. Amateur Warrior Princess. I make art for girls, gays, and theys that enjoy horror, the bizarre, and having a good time.
Fight fascism, protect marginalized people, and clean up after yourself.
Posts Replies Media Videos
mercymercury.bsky.social
THE HAZE THAT EATS is sapphic body horror about a maintenance worker who discovers her apartment building is alive—and hungry.
Perfect for fans of MEXICAN GOTHIC meets MIDSOMMAR.

books2read.com/u/4E72O0

#IndieHorror #booksky #writesky #queerhorror #horrorauthor
A book cover featuring a dilapidated and run down apartment building. The cover text in yellow reads "The Haze that Eats by Mercury Winters"
December 1, 2025 at 1:36 AM
mercymercury.bsky.social
Honestly, I can't wait for this one to be out in the world cause I think everyone is gonna just love Doc.
#writesky #booksky #wipsnips #horrorauthor #queerwriters #writingcommunity
A picture of a gravel parking lot with the following text over it: "Are we gonna bury something?" Doc bobbed along behind Vee with the giddy glee of a kid holding a wrapped present, their entire being begging to open it. "Someone? What'd they do?" The gravel crunched under their feet as they walked to Vee's truck on the edge of the lot. It had taken a fair bit of cajoling to get Doc to leave the table. Social butterfly that she was, she seemed to think half the town should be included in the conversation. It had been a maze of Friday-night bar goers, each and every one Doc insisted on greeting warmly. Vee had almost given up and left her to Gus after "Oldest Friend in the World!" number seven. The cat would be more help to her than Doc in this state. But the cold air and clandestine nature of the conversation sobered Doc up as soon as they hit the parking lot. An excerpt from Treetop Hollow by Mercury Winters
December 1, 2025 at 12:12 AM
mercymercury.bsky.social
Let's just say, Lexi's big debut on her tiny town does not go as she plans for it to. #writesky #booksky #wipsnips #horrorauthor #queerwriters #writingcommunity
On the steps of the old courthouse, Lexi took a moment to sit and strap her shoes on, and smoke one of her dwindling supply of cloves. She was early, about forty minutes or so, but that was good. It gave her a chance to prepare: to check her deodorant and fix her hair. Tonight felt like a rebirth, like an announcement to the world of her womanhood. Lexi was determined to make an impression--on the town, and on Levi.
November 24, 2025 at 7:58 PM
mercymercury.bsky.social
I love rich people houses. They're so shiny and creepy.

#TreetopHollow #WIPSNIPS #WritingCommunity #amwriting #horror
A photo of house windows with text above: The hallway itself, sleek and white and glass, was a liminal dream space with heavy black doors jutting off of it. Doc pressed her weight into the double doors on the right. Well-oiled and silent, they gave way to dark wood glowing red under the eastern morning light. The east wall was nothing but windows- tinted and black on the outside, but gleaming with a light so crystal clear the sun may as well have been in the room. Which was wonderful, it counteracted the darkness of the three other oak-paneled walls. The fireplace, grand and imposing, even unlit, was crowned with big game trophies. Their marble eyes stared down at Vee, judging her, weighing her inclusion in the space. Vee wondered what she might look like on that wall, the creeping sense of fear and shame prickling behind her ears.
November 22, 2025 at 3:20 PM
mercymercury.bsky.social
Settling in for a writing day with my fancy coffee. Today will be a good day :) #writesky #amwriting #horrorwriters
November 15, 2025 at 3:16 PM
mercymercury.bsky.social
If only we all remembered how terrifying teenage crushes were.

#TreetopHollow #WIPSNIPS #horrorwriters #booksky #writesky
It wasn't any set of features that made him so disarmingly attractive, as he stood there with his jacket held over his shoulder, and Lexi's poem in his other, outstretched hand. He held it with the delicate adoration of an autumn leaf. It was the synergy that radiated from the whole package of him. It was more than the touches of silver at the temples of his smooth dusky hair that flowed to his shoulders. Just like it was more than the way his glasses, pushed down his long nose, framed his piercing eyes like the works of art they were. He looked like a professor, a scientist, a tattooed academic who understood the raw, sexual truth of the world, from experience.  And that face! Ugh! It didn't matter how stupid and vapid the prose, if his face were on a romance novel, Lexi would order enough copies to build a bed of his visage to sleep on.  "Did you write this?" He asked. Lexi had been right about his voice, as it rumbled and whined in a way that Lexi could feel reverberating in her chest. It left her breathless.
November 13, 2025 at 7:48 PM
mercymercury.bsky.social
Didn't have any burgers today, but I did have an elk that surprised our MC.
#queerhorror #horrorcomedy #horrorauthor #queerauthor #writesky #booksky #WIPSNIPS
A text post reading: The cat swatted one paw in the air before stamping it down on the elk's shoulder, her demanding haughtiness in full effect. When her paw pressed on its chest, a stale breath escaped the giant beast. Freshly dead, the iron in the air made Vee's mouth drool. The sensation disgusted her, but that disgust did nothing to quell the gnawing hunger growing deep in her body. "Did you do this?" she asked the cat in a whisper. She felt stupid even asking, but Vee was at a loss. She clawed a fingernail down her thigh, hoping vainly it was just another dream. But with no such luck, the cat nodded in affirmation. As if trying to instruct her, the cat climbed down to settle in front of the elk's soft belly. Her amber eyes met Vee's, ensuring she was watching before she leaned forward and, with a violent pull of her tiny jaws, ripped a fist-sized hunk of flesh and fur from the elk's side. Pawing it so the fur was down and the blood up, the cat began to eat. Disgust bubbled in Vee's throat, but it had nothing on the hunger ready to rip her apart. As the iron-copper smell of meat grew stronger with every inhale, Vee felt weaker and weaker against her own basic wants. Drool slipped from her lips as she watched the cat eat with pure jealousy.
November 11, 2025 at 3:57 PM
mercymercury.bsky.social
How better to get acquainted than a barbeque? #wipsnips #queerwriters #horrorwriters #writingcommunity #amwriting
A simple background with text: “Gus was followed by a small parade of villagers coming by to thank Vee for the meat - and Doc for the invitation, as if it were her home. The thought bristled Vee, but only because she hadn't thought she'd need to pee on each corner to mark the place as hers. It seemed everyone in town had some memory of Vee's little cabin: Blythe Gunter, a sturdy farmer, first kissed her third husband on the property when it used to be Lovers Lane. She inherited his farm not long after. Gus had sheltered on the porch when he got lost on a camping trip. The same view that had so captivated Vee convinced him to make a new life in Treetop Hollow. Even Sam was convinced that he had tracked a sasquatch onto the property once. But they all had something in common: none of the locals actually seemed particularly local. Like the Barkers, Ellie and Lexi. “Mother-daughter Extraordinaires!” as Doc introduced them. They had come from some nameless big city to run a combo grocery/gas station/café in the middle of the mountain range.”
November 10, 2025 at 9:18 PM
mercymercury.bsky.social
Ok it's actually crazy fun that today's prompt lines up with the opening paragraph of Treetop Hollow. It just feels nice. #writesky #wipsnips #writinghorror #indieauthors
A backdrop of an aged cabin in the woods, with the following text above: "The photo had obviously been taken decades before. The charming hunting cabin, wearing a thick layer of fresh white paint in the picture, was long gone. A looming specter of moss and time had consumed the little building, leaving a cabin-shaped husk behind. Not that she was surprised the picture was outdated. The listing featured nothing but a single, crooked scan of a Polaroid, and a suspiciously attractive price."
November 9, 2025 at 4:39 PM
mercymercury.bsky.social
You get one folkloric defense item to survive a supernatural encounter. No weapons. What’s in your toolkit? #writesky #booksky #horror
November 9, 2025 at 3:03 PM
mercymercury.bsky.social
Writing horror-comedy means balancing dread and punchlines. My rule: if the monster eats someone, it better be funny or emotionally devastating #writesky
November 8, 2025 at 2:54 PM
mercymercury.bsky.social
Every time I write about body horror, I’m also writing about care. What breaks, what heals, what lingers. #BodyHorror #WritingThroughIt #writesky
November 6, 2025 at 2:26 AM
mercymercury.bsky.social
Oooh, time for a #wipsnips from Treetop Hollow. I am so excited to share any portion of this story. Surprise though, this is a surprisingly chill moment in the story? Not for long.... #writesky #writingcommunity #writingprompts
A girl walks through the woods with her shoes in her hands. Test reads: Lexi knew the path from her house to the Moondrop better than she knew her social security number. First, of course, there was the steep descent, made all the easier by exposed roots. Over the years, their edges had grown flat enough to function as stairs. But that didn't stop her from going barefoot, her heels dangling from one hand and her flashlight in the other. They were the only "fancy" shoes Lexi had, and she was hardly about to get them covered in mud. Once the descent was done, it was as easy as taking the game trails--or really, more like game highways at this point. Heading east, she could hang out at the barn for some aesthetic privacy. If she kept going up a few more steep climbs past it, she would find the campground turned private party area. But tonight, with the sun dropping behind the mountain at her back, Lexi was headed to the only place she wanted to be.
November 5, 2025 at 2:27 PM
mercymercury.bsky.social
Started writing at 2am with headphones on. Woke up at 6am with 3,000 words, a nosebleed, and a new god.
November 5, 2025 at 1:27 AM
mercymercury.bsky.social
My fictional cat’s powers include: glowing eyes, teleportation, and the ability to ruin group chats.
November 2, 2025 at 3:03 PM
mercymercury.bsky.social
Legit question: Has the word "monster" become cliche in fiction?

I got a response praising that a flash fic was really good, only for them to zero in on the word "monster" and write a whole paragraph about how THE WORD was played out.

News to me, I guess? What about you? I'm genuinely curious.
November 1, 2025 at 1:54 PM
mercymercury.bsky.social
Mad scientist authors: what’s the most unhinged thing your villain has done that you’re proud of?
October 29, 2025 at 12:27 AM
mercymercury.bsky.social
Trying to write dystopia that doesn’t feel autobiographical.
Reality, I’m begging you: pump the breaks on being comedically apocalyptic for like, five minutes.
October 27, 2025 at 7:38 PM
mercymercury.bsky.social
#selfieoftheday as a reminder to the internet (and myself) that I am indeed a real person.
October 27, 2025 at 7:28 PM
mercymercury.bsky.social
I never follow shows real time anymore, but I am living for White Lotus. So I made myself this bingo card for the finale. (Possible spoilers?) So fair warning, if I get a bingo, y’all are hearing about it!
April 6, 2025 at 11:03 PM
mercymercury.bsky.social
Felt cute, decided to subject the internet to it. ❤️
March 5, 2025 at 6:33 PM
mercymercury.bsky.social
In reality, the wind took my car door but hit me on the face. But when I go back to work, Imma let people think it happened over family thanksgiving
November 29, 2024 at 9:12 PM
mercymercury.bsky.social
Sometimes making video essays is really good for my self image. Sometime, I catch myself making this face for an extended period of time.
November 17, 2024 at 3:41 AM
mercymercury.bsky.social
The Haze That Eats is a modern day gothic horror set in the most haunted of all places, an apartment complex run by a slumlord. Marisol is just trying to survive, and date the pretty girl down the hall, but that’s not a luxury afforded to her easily.

tinyurl.com/TheHazeThatE...
November 16, 2024 at 3:21 PM