Rachael Raine Rivers
@rachaelrainerivers.bsky.social
All things books!
Reader, Writer, Librarian, & Harpist
In my cozy fantasy/fairytale era
"too sensitive," "too direct," "too many words," "too earnest," "too much"
https://linktr.ee/rachaelrainerivers
Reader, Writer, Librarian, & Harpist
In my cozy fantasy/fairytale era
"too sensitive," "too direct," "too many words," "too earnest," "too much"
https://linktr.ee/rachaelrainerivers
Reposted by Rachael Raine Rivers
February 16, 2026 at 7:05 AM
Reposted by Rachael Raine Rivers
Someone has sure already made this observation but the fact they can convert all those empty warehouses into prison camps means they could have converted them into housing, community centers, job training centers or, hell, libraries or schools all along. It’s always a matter of will not resources.
February 15, 2026 at 5:30 PM
Someone has sure already made this observation but the fact they can convert all those empty warehouses into prison camps means they could have converted them into housing, community centers, job training centers or, hell, libraries or schools all along. It’s always a matter of will not resources.
Reposted by Rachael Raine Rivers
There are non US citizens influencing our elections, they’re called corporations.
The establishment wants us to not focus on this.
The establishment wants us to not focus on this.
February 14, 2026 at 9:15 PM
There are non US citizens influencing our elections, they’re called corporations.
The establishment wants us to not focus on this.
The establishment wants us to not focus on this.
Reposted by Rachael Raine Rivers
Today (2/14) in 1870, Seraph Young became the first woman to legally vote in the modern US, two days after the Utah legislature passed a law allowing women the vote.
February 14, 2026 at 10:41 PM
Today (2/14) in 1870, Seraph Young became the first woman to legally vote in the modern US, two days after the Utah legislature passed a law allowing women the vote.
Poem for Valentine's Day! Plus, you get to hear a recording of me reading it out loud for you.
open.substack.com/pub/rachaelr...
#writersky #poem #poetry #valentinesday #beauty
open.substack.com/pub/rachaelr...
#writersky #poem #poetry #valentinesday #beauty
Skin Deep: A Poem about Beauty
One of my original poems
open.substack.com
February 14, 2026 at 4:30 PM
Poem for Valentine's Day! Plus, you get to hear a recording of me reading it out loud for you.
open.substack.com/pub/rachaelr...
#writersky #poem #poetry #valentinesday #beauty
open.substack.com/pub/rachaelr...
#writersky #poem #poetry #valentinesday #beauty
Fun fact: The traditional Scottish harp is called the clàrsach.
Week 2, Day 3 of my “Butt Back into Music” practice challenge.
Do you recognize this song? Link to the full video in the comments.
#musicsky #harp #moviemusic
Week 2, Day 3 of my “Butt Back into Music” practice challenge.
Do you recognize this song? Link to the full video in the comments.
#musicsky #harp #moviemusic
February 13, 2026 at 2:21 AM
Fun fact: The traditional Scottish harp is called the clàrsach.
Week 2, Day 3 of my “Butt Back into Music” practice challenge.
Do you recognize this song? Link to the full video in the comments.
#musicsky #harp #moviemusic
Week 2, Day 3 of my “Butt Back into Music” practice challenge.
Do you recognize this song? Link to the full video in the comments.
#musicsky #harp #moviemusic
Recieved a rejection for something I submitted after midnight last night. New speed record?
#writersky
#writersky
February 12, 2026 at 2:24 AM
Recieved a rejection for something I submitted after midnight last night. New speed record?
#writersky
#writersky
Week 2, Day 1 of the “Butt Back into Music” Challenge. Filmed in one take. No edits. All mistakes left in.
I had been going to play all “love” songs for the week of Valentine's Day. Do you think this one counts? Comment if you recognize it.
Arrangement by Trish Boril.
#musicsky #moviemusic #harp
I had been going to play all “love” songs for the week of Valentine's Day. Do you think this one counts? Comment if you recognize it.
Arrangement by Trish Boril.
#musicsky #moviemusic #harp
February 9, 2026 at 11:38 PM
Week 2, Day 1 of the “Butt Back into Music” Challenge. Filmed in one take. No edits. All mistakes left in.
I had been going to play all “love” songs for the week of Valentine's Day. Do you think this one counts? Comment if you recognize it.
Arrangement by Trish Boril.
#musicsky #moviemusic #harp
I had been going to play all “love” songs for the week of Valentine's Day. Do you think this one counts? Comment if you recognize it.
Arrangement by Trish Boril.
#musicsky #moviemusic #harp
I'll do a proper Substack post later. But OH MY GOSH, IT'S OUT!! My first published fantasy story. Read it below.
[Peers tremblingly through fingers while you read].
fantasticother.com/issue-11-a-w...
#writersky #booksky #fantasy #sff #specfiction #litfiction #literarymagazine #published
[Peers tremblingly through fingers while you read].
fantasticother.com/issue-11-a-w...
#writersky #booksky #fantasy #sff #specfiction #litfiction #literarymagazine #published
Issue 11: A Winter in Metamorphosis
Cover art by Mallory Caloca. This winter, we asked our contributors to send us metamorphosis-themed art, poetry, and fiction. The response was both exhilarating and overwhelming; due to an unexpect…
fantasticother.com
February 8, 2026 at 8:17 PM
I'll do a proper Substack post later. But OH MY GOSH, IT'S OUT!! My first published fantasy story. Read it below.
[Peers tremblingly through fingers while you read].
fantasticother.com/issue-11-a-w...
#writersky #booksky #fantasy #sff #specfiction #litfiction #literarymagazine #published
[Peers tremblingly through fingers while you read].
fantasticother.com/issue-11-a-w...
#writersky #booksky #fantasy #sff #specfiction #litfiction #literarymagazine #published
Reposted by Rachael Raine Rivers
And we are thrilled to be the home for Rachael Raine Rivers's first fantasy story! Plunge into the depths of "Now I am a Lake" at fantasticother.com/issue-11-a-w...
February 8, 2026 at 7:38 PM
And we are thrilled to be the home for Rachael Raine Rivers's first fantasy story! Plunge into the depths of "Now I am a Lake" at fantasticother.com/issue-11-a-w...
Week 1, Day 5. “Butt Back into Music” Challenge. Song 2 of 2. One take, no editing. All mistakes and tempo, er, choices left in. I literally haven't even watched the playback as I'm posting this.
Comment if you recognize the song!
#musicsky #harp #practicechallenge
Comment if you recognize the song!
#musicsky #harp #practicechallenge
February 8, 2026 at 1:49 AM
Week 1, Day 5. “Butt Back into Music” Challenge. Song 2 of 2. One take, no editing. All mistakes and tempo, er, choices left in. I literally haven't even watched the playback as I'm posting this.
Comment if you recognize the song!
#musicsky #harp #practicechallenge
Comment if you recognize the song!
#musicsky #harp #practicechallenge
My first fantasy short story is getting published! And it comes out tomorrow (Feb 8, 2026). Follow @thefantasticother.bsky.social.
Or read more here: open.substack.com/pub/rachaelr...
#writersky #booksky #fantasy #shortstory #sff #specfiction #published #litfiction #literarymagazine #soexcited
Or read more here: open.substack.com/pub/rachaelr...
#writersky #booksky #fantasy #shortstory #sff #specfiction #published #litfiction #literarymagazine #soexcited
February 7, 2026 at 6:36 PM
My first fantasy short story is getting published! And it comes out tomorrow (Feb 8, 2026). Follow @thefantasticother.bsky.social.
Or read more here: open.substack.com/pub/rachaelr...
#writersky #booksky #fantasy #shortstory #sff #specfiction #published #litfiction #literarymagazine #soexcited
Or read more here: open.substack.com/pub/rachaelr...
#writersky #booksky #fantasy #shortstory #sff #specfiction #published #litfiction #literarymagazine #soexcited
Would like to petition for the immediate incorporation of Hobby Horsing into all Winter Olympics sports. So that, for example, hockey players would have to skate around with a hobby horse held between their legs at all times and could only wack at the puck with their free arm.
#winterolympics
#winterolympics
February 6, 2026 at 6:12 PM
Would like to petition for the immediate incorporation of Hobby Horsing into all Winter Olympics sports. So that, for example, hockey players would have to skate around with a hobby horse held between their legs at all times and could only wack at the puck with their free arm.
#winterolympics
#winterolympics
Week 1, Day 4 of the “Butt Back into Music” Challenge. I've already missed a day because my dumb grown-up job got in the way.
So this, unfortunately, is all I have for you this evening. A demonstration from me on how I dust off my harp before tuning. ASMR??
#musicsky #harp #practicechallenge
So this, unfortunately, is all I have for you this evening. A demonstration from me on how I dust off my harp before tuning. ASMR??
#musicsky #harp #practicechallenge
February 6, 2026 at 2:48 AM
Week 1, Day 4 of the “Butt Back into Music” Challenge. I've already missed a day because my dumb grown-up job got in the way.
So this, unfortunately, is all I have for you this evening. A demonstration from me on how I dust off my harp before tuning. ASMR??
#musicsky #harp #practicechallenge
So this, unfortunately, is all I have for you this evening. A demonstration from me on how I dust off my harp before tuning. ASMR??
#musicsky #harp #practicechallenge
So, I MIGHT have an announcement....
My first story is getting published! Links in the article.
And come back this Sunday for the big reveal. That's the day the issue comes out!
open.substack.com/pub/rachaelr...
#writersky #booksky #fantasy #specfiction #sff #literaryfiction #shortstory #published
My first story is getting published! Links in the article.
And come back this Sunday for the big reveal. That's the day the issue comes out!
open.substack.com/pub/rachaelr...
#writersky #booksky #fantasy #specfiction #sff #literaryfiction #shortstory #published
I'm getting my first story published!
Does this make me a "real" writer yet??
open.substack.com
February 6, 2026 at 1:39 AM
So, I MIGHT have an announcement....
My first story is getting published! Links in the article.
And come back this Sunday for the big reveal. That's the day the issue comes out!
open.substack.com/pub/rachaelr...
#writersky #booksky #fantasy #specfiction #sff #literaryfiction #shortstory #published
My first story is getting published! Links in the article.
And come back this Sunday for the big reveal. That's the day the issue comes out!
open.substack.com/pub/rachaelr...
#writersky #booksky #fantasy #specfiction #sff #literaryfiction #shortstory #published
Week 1, Day 3 of “Butt Back into Music” Challenge. Short/easy song 1/3. Single take. No editing.
This is “The Castle of Dromore,” a traditional Irish tune arranged by Deborah Dahl Shanks.
#musicsky #harp #irishmusic #celticmusic #practicechallenge
substack.com/@rachaelrain...
This is “The Castle of Dromore,” a traditional Irish tune arranged by Deborah Dahl Shanks.
#musicsky #harp #irishmusic #celticmusic #practicechallenge
substack.com/@rachaelrain...
Rachael Raine Rivers (@rachaelrainerivers)
Week 1, Day 3 of “Butt Back into Music” Challenge. Short/easy song 1/3. Single stilted take. No editing. Not even of the “millennial pause.”
This is “The Castle of Dromore,” a traditional Irish tune ...
substack.com
February 4, 2026 at 12:32 AM
Week 1, Day 3 of “Butt Back into Music” Challenge. Short/easy song 1/3. Single take. No editing.
This is “The Castle of Dromore,” a traditional Irish tune arranged by Deborah Dahl Shanks.
#musicsky #harp #irishmusic #celticmusic #practicechallenge
substack.com/@rachaelrain...
This is “The Castle of Dromore,” a traditional Irish tune arranged by Deborah Dahl Shanks.
#musicsky #harp #irishmusic #celticmusic #practicechallenge
substack.com/@rachaelrain...
Being this close to the art building on campus is the best. Because sometimes students will casually walk by with a broken shower caddy under one arm and Meijers bag full of bubble wrap in the other. And you have no idea what their project is, but you now absolutely want to see it when it's done.
February 3, 2026 at 6:07 PM
Being this close to the art building on campus is the best. Because sometimes students will casually walk by with a broken shower caddy under one arm and Meijers bag full of bubble wrap in the other. And you have no idea what their project is, but you now absolutely want to see it when it's done.
Week 1, Day 2 of “Butt Back into Music” Challenge. Today we're just doing finger conditioning exercises.
Oh! And speed tuning. Both concert grand and the mini. This, btw, if you are not a harpist, is what we spend A LOT of our time doing. So. Much. Tuning.
#musicsky #harp #tuning #practicechallenge
Oh! And speed tuning. Both concert grand and the mini. This, btw, if you are not a harpist, is what we spend A LOT of our time doing. So. Much. Tuning.
#musicsky #harp #tuning #practicechallenge
February 3, 2026 at 12:40 AM
Week 1, Day 2 of “Butt Back into Music” Challenge. Today we're just doing finger conditioning exercises.
Oh! And speed tuning. Both concert grand and the mini. This, btw, if you are not a harpist, is what we spend A LOT of our time doing. So. Much. Tuning.
#musicsky #harp #tuning #practicechallenge
Oh! And speed tuning. Both concert grand and the mini. This, btw, if you are not a harpist, is what we spend A LOT of our time doing. So. Much. Tuning.
#musicsky #harp #tuning #practicechallenge
Welcome back to a new semester at magic school for writers! Are you ready to use your wordwielding power for social good this month?
open.substack.com/pub/fantasys...
#writersky #writingchallenge #sff #specfiction #fantasy #scifi #hopecore #cozyfantasy #speculativefiction #makemagicforminneapolis
open.substack.com/pub/fantasys...
#writersky #writingchallenge #sff #specfiction #fantasy #scifi #hopecore #cozyfantasy #speculativefiction #makemagicforminneapolis
February 2, 2026 at 10:47 PM
Welcome back to a new semester at magic school for writers! Are you ready to use your wordwielding power for social good this month?
open.substack.com/pub/fantasys...
#writersky #writingchallenge #sff #specfiction #fantasy #scifi #hopecore #cozyfantasy #speculativefiction #makemagicforminneapolis
open.substack.com/pub/fantasys...
#writersky #writingchallenge #sff #specfiction #fantasy #scifi #hopecore #cozyfantasy #speculativefiction #makemagicforminneapolis
New February challenge! Provisionally titled “Rachael Gets Her Butt Back into Music."
The goal is that I at least tune and warm up every single day in February.
And then, like three times per week, I have to record and post myself playing an EASY song on my low-tension small harp.
The goal is that I at least tune and warm up every single day in February.
And then, like three times per week, I have to record and post myself playing an EASY song on my low-tension small harp.
February 2, 2026 at 12:48 AM
New February challenge! Provisionally titled “Rachael Gets Her Butt Back into Music."
The goal is that I at least tune and warm up every single day in February.
And then, like three times per week, I have to record and post myself playing an EASY song on my low-tension small harp.
The goal is that I at least tune and warm up every single day in February.
And then, like three times per week, I have to record and post myself playing an EASY song on my low-tension small harp.
If you zoom in, you can see that the weird little green orb on the tree is actually a kind of fruit from the fairy realm. If I had eaten some, who knows where/when I would have ended up this evening.
#writersky #booksky #fantasy #fairy #walk
#writersky #booksky #fantasy #fairy #walk
February 2, 2026 at 12:04 AM
If you zoom in, you can see that the weird little green orb on the tree is actually a kind of fruit from the fairy realm. If I had eaten some, who knows where/when I would have ended up this evening.
#writersky #booksky #fantasy #fairy #walk
#writersky #booksky #fantasy #fairy #walk
He's mind of hard to see in photos, but I found the teensiest snowman while out and about today.
January 30, 2026 at 11:21 PM
He's mind of hard to see in photos, but I found the teensiest snowman while out and about today.
Would just like to point out that my author name now has more “R” initials than either J.R.R. Tolkien's or George R.R. Martin's.
#writersky #booksky #fantasy #penname #jrrtolkien #georgerrmartin #sff #specfiction
#writersky #booksky #fantasy #penname #jrrtolkien #georgerrmartin #sff #specfiction
January 27, 2026 at 3:36 PM
Would just like to point out that my author name now has more “R” initials than either J.R.R. Tolkien's or George R.R. Martin's.
#writersky #booksky #fantasy #penname #jrrtolkien #georgerrmartin #sff #specfiction
#writersky #booksky #fantasy #penname #jrrtolkien #georgerrmartin #sff #specfiction
Reposted by Rachael Raine Rivers
Weather so dreich it can stop a dalek.
January 27, 2026 at 10:32 AM
Weather so dreich it can stop a dalek.
Thank you to everyone who voted to help me select my pen name from the Substack intro post below.
I think I am going to try the name Rachael Raine Rivers on for size. 💜
open.substack.com/pub/rachaelr...
#writersky #booksky #penname #pseudonym #intro
I think I am going to try the name Rachael Raine Rivers on for size. 💜
open.substack.com/pub/rachaelr...
#writersky #booksky #penname #pseudonym #intro
"I am Nobody! Who are you?": A Re-Introduction to My Substack, Part 1
Help me pick my pen name?
open.substack.com
January 27, 2026 at 12:07 AM
Thank you to everyone who voted to help me select my pen name from the Substack intro post below.
I think I am going to try the name Rachael Raine Rivers on for size. 💜
open.substack.com/pub/rachaelr...
#writersky #booksky #penname #pseudonym #intro
I think I am going to try the name Rachael Raine Rivers on for size. 💜
open.substack.com/pub/rachaelr...
#writersky #booksky #penname #pseudonym #intro