Joy Deva Baglio
@joybaglio
Speculative Writer: Fiction in One Story, Ploughshares, Tin House, Apex, etc. Yaddo Fellow. Founder of Pioneer Valley Writers’ Workshop. Rep'ed by Peter Steinberg. Novel in progress. Bagpiper.
Had a wonderful first @readercon.bsky.social (#Readercon) in Boston last weekend! So many great conversations, panels, new (& old) friends - also loved being there with my Western MA author pals (& genius creatives) @robertvsredick.bsky.social & Mira Bartók! Feeling inspired! Now, to finish a novel!
One of my favorites of me and Eric, at Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland. Can you believe it’s been 16 years?!
Had a wonderful time at the @irishwriterscentre.bsky.social last night! I read from my fabulist parable “Frog Heart” (now available at Charlie Byrne’s’ Bookshop in Galway!) It was an incredible experience - especially hearing the work of the other writers. What a warm, welcoming center and crowd!
Exciting news! “Frog Heart” - my short story first in Ploughshares, later released as a stand-alone mini-book from @ikeproject.bsky.social - is now at the iconic Charlie Byrnes’ Bookshop in Galway, Ireland! Thanks to Méabh McDonnell, author and children’s section manager at the bookshop!
Toying with the idea of sharing one What If / theory every few days. Here’s today’s:
Had a wonderful time reading & talking craft / process last week at A Writer’s Night, in Longmeadow MA! Thanks to all the wonderful folks who showed up, joined in a very lively conversation about writing, and participated in my small frog-themed trivia challenge (winner won a copy of “Frog Heart”)!
Belated photos from my wonderful conversation with author Joanna Margaret at Odyssey Bookshop, about her novel The Daughters, a gothic mystery. We chatted about historical research, witch trials, writing suspense, & so much more! Thanks to all the amazing folks who joined us!
THURSDAY, May 14th! I'll be featured at A Writer's Night, in Longmeadow MA! I'll be reading fiction, sharing craft talk kernels, & telling you about the connection between bagpipe and writing (this is secret knowledge, but those present will learn). More details here: tinyurl.com/2s4mbpad
Hi Friends! Here's our just-out May newsletter, from @pvww.bsky.social with both virtual and IN-PERSON workshops, readings, & happenings! If you're in Western MA, I hope I get to see you at one of my upcoming in-person events listed here! Full list of May events here: tinyurl.com/7a475jr5
Accountability roll call! Let’s make May the month we show up in a big way for our projects. (Dare I say finish the novel?! Yes I dare.)
And I should mention this: While taking these photos of the "Frog Heart" chapbook at the pond by my house, the (fickle) wind blew one of my chapbook copies into the water - so yes, the Frog King is very much present, and he is calling!
TO ORDER: April 18th is official publication day! This chapbook is SO gorgeous, pocket-sized, & a perfect gift for fairy tale-loving friends, family, or any one who could use a story about letting go, the journey of parenthood, or frogs! Order at the link in my bio, or here: tinyurl.com/33y939pz
ENTER "FROG HEART" GIVEAWAY (by 4/24)! Ploughshares is doing a giveaway, free to enter! Winner receives my new "Frog Heart" chapbook (by @ikeproject.bsky.social) & Ploughshares issue where the story first appeared! To enter, go to @pshares.bsky.social's Instagram post, or here: tinyurl.com/mpt5j26r
Excited to share that I’ll be week three faculty at Martha's Vineyard Institute of Creative Writing this September! I’ll be leading three seminars, consulting with attendees, & hanging out / exploring the island! If you'll be there, let me know in the comments - and looking forward to meeting you!
Thinking today about my magical week last summer at Prospect Street Writers House in Bennington VT! Here I am (right of couch) at our final sharing-of-work at the end of the residency week. It was a week of writing, delicious communal dinners, & evening walks. Why am I thinking of all this? (1/2)
For those interested: The Porches has several fellowships each year - though you can also pay (a very reasonable rate!) & come any time. I'll be doing a longer Substack post on retreat & residencies recommendations (& building your own) soon. Also teaching a Zoom workshop on it this weekend, 3/29.
The Porches is such a special retreat! For the first week, I was joined by my dear friend (and incredible writer) @laraehrlich.bsky.social, author of the fabulist short story collection Animal Wife & the mythological mermaid novel Bind Me Tighter, Still. Keep an eye on her work - it's amazing. (3/4)
I worked obsessively on getting my novel manuscript's first 100 pages ready for my agent to read - & there were so many synchronicities that occurred: a nearby vegan cafe named after my protagonist, a dilapidated shoemaker’s cottage across the street - as in my story! (2/4)
Recently returned from a 12-day writing retreat at The Porches, in VA, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains! So grateful for the Nancy Zafris Short Story Fellowship, which made this possible - & to magical founder Trudy Hale - who even got me to play my bagpipes before I left! (1/4)
THIS APRIL! Excited to share my short story "Frog Heart" - a fairy tale about parenthood & trying to save the ones we love - originally in Ploughshares - in its new form as a standalone chapbook, thanks to @ikeproject.bsky.social! Pre-order & read about it here: asterismbooks.com/product/frog...
And before you watch our full Nevermore recording (haunted #AWP26 event) here’s a short peak thanks to @cieramcelroy.bsky.social! Reading features Carmen Maria Machado, @sequoian.bsky.social, GennaRose Nethercott, me, Jen Pullen, & Matthew Lansburgh! Full recording here: tinyurl.com/yc73pt7n
More Nevermore photos, the haunted off-site event Jen Pullen and I hosted (through @pvww.bsky.social). Here: the haunted Lord Baltimore hotel theater, the hundreds of people lined up to get in, & some of the authors hanging out post-reading! (Before we sleuthed ghosts on the 19th floor!) #AWP26
Loved co-hosting (& reading in) @pvww.bsky.social’s haunted off-site Nevermore, with superstars Carmen Maria Machado, @sequoian.bsky.social, GennaRose Nethercott, @matthewlansburgh.bsky.social, & @jenniferpull9.bsky.social. 600 RSVPs, y’all! It was special. Full recording here: tinyurl.com/5yvaf3p8
Loved moderating our Speculating the Machine panel at #AWP26 (on writing about AI, in fiction) with these visionary science fiction writers & genre-benders. Amazing discussion. We also did a pre-AWP reading of our own fiction about AI, for those curious - watch here: tinyurl.com/bdd9r2zk
Belated #AWP26 highlights from Baltimore! Meeting my brilliant One Story editor Karen Friedman in person - and hanging out with the whole awesome One Story team! Also got to see friend and Ghost Parachute editor Brett Pribble & Yaddo friends Anne & Vu from a very special residency!
Headed to Baltimore! Find me on Thursday at Nevermore, our haunted Poe-themed reading at the Lord Baltimore Hotel, featuring these all-stars! (Whether you've RSVPed or not, COME EARLY to get a seat - every seat will be taken!) Doors open at 5:45pm. More details / RSVP: tinyurl.com/nszruurr
An inspiring writer friend just said this to me in an email, and I felt a boost of whimsical "YES" energy, so sharing it here for others: "Let's you and me just write and make wondrous things in the world, despite the darkness and evil." Yes, let's do that! (Plus, beautiful snow today.)
Friends, acquaintances, writers headed to #AWP26: Anyone last-minute looking for a place to stay & want to share a room? DM me if yes. I have a double at the Lord Baltimore Hotel, & would love to split the cost / share (plus it's haunted, & I'm scared, lol). It's very close to the Convention Center.
Where to find me at #AWP26! Who will be there?! Would love to see you! Here are links to all my events: Nevermore: A Haunted Literary Reading: tinyurl.com/nszruurr Speculating the Machine (panel): tinyurl.com/mwv3c687 Smiling at the End of the World (panel): tinyurl.com/25khs2ff