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Welcome! Richard Leis writes poetry, speculative and dark/horror short fiction, and the occasional blog post. Announcements here on the homepage; bio, contact info, upcoming writing workshops, and lists of his published works at the links above.

Free writing workshop this Thursday evening, September 23

I’m teaching a free writing workshop online this Thursday evening. I’ll tell you all about The Writers Studio, persona writing and our approach to critiques, and our Fall 2021 workshops, and then I’ll introduce a free exercise and give you time to write and share your writing in class, if you like. We always have good attendance at these free classes, so register today! I wrote up a post and shared information from our recent newsletter with links and more information.

This fall, I’ll be teaching my usual Saturday morning Tucson Workshop as well as a Monday evening Tucson Advanced Workshop for students who have completed two beginning workshops/Level 1 and two intermediate/Level 2 workshops at The Writers Studio. See the Workshops page for more information and registration links.

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New story in The Molotov Cocktail “Elemental Flash” Issue

“Goodbye to Rock” placed seventh in the “Elemental Flash” Contest from The Molotov Cocktail and is now available to read online.

We remind them that road trips and human exploration lead back, without adding “if all goes well.” Ride an explosion, walk on another rocky surface, collect some samples, more vials, return with the samples on top of another explosion. We can be there to cheer them on.

If all goes well.

from “Goodbye to Rock”

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New poem in Impossible Archetype

“I Can’t Explain Love or Loss if the Only Language I Have is Geology or What I Watch on YouTube” is now available in the latest issue of Impossible Archetype.

The couple quit uploading to YouTube two years ago.

Their videos are something pitiful and earnest now,

something long buried, sand-scratched, rubbed raw.

Thumbs down, I think. None of my business.

from “I Can’t Explain Love or Loss if the Only Language I have is Geology or What I Watch on Youtube”