Damo Says

@damosays

Hubby. Dad. Irish. Horror and speculative fiction writer: Flame Tree Press, Pelgrane Press, British Fantasy Society, Lethe Press, Jurassic London, Sci-Fi Ireland. Head to the website: damienkellyauthor.com

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Damo Says@damosays· 10d

It’s escalated…

Damo Says@damosays· 10d

There’s a cat on my lap. Technically, it’s a kitten, but that doesn’t stop it being a cat. This is not my cat. I did not invite this cat. I am a dog person. A semi-avowed “not-a-cat” person. Am I being coerced or threatened? Is this an appeal for me to change my mind, or a warning to? I don’t know

Damo Says@damosays· 18d

No notes.

Damo Says@damosays· 19d

Tomorrow is the last day, UK #booksky! Get 25% savings on our great book and others! #WPreorder Scary as fuck! 😈

Damo Says@damosays· 20d

I’m in this too, with an Irish story called, “In Fields of Salt.” Colonial asshole getting his comeuppance! Amazing Hag energy! Grab it while the deal stands—Ends Friday.

Damo Says@damosays· 25d

Odysseus, to be fair, had form.

Damo Says@damosays· 26d

Okay, free book time, #booksky. With new stories now out (or just about to come out) in new anthologies—and ahead of a book announcement later in the year—I’ve put a bunch of the old stories into a free ebook on my site when you sign up for updates: damienkellyauthor.com 🩸📚💙

Damo Says@damosays· Jul 2

So, I’m reading MR Carey’s upcoming release, The Tinder Box, and it’s fantastic, and I’m going on to HG Parry’s next book, The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood, after that, which I’m beyond excited about, but NOW I’ve been sent, The Calamities by Chuck Wendig as well: when am I to sleep??? #Booksky

Damo Says@damosays· Jun 20

#horror #bodyhorror #plottwist

Damo Says@damosays· Jun 11

Need to update the 2026 publishing list to include sci-fi-ireland.com as well as the books below. #booksky #amwriting #tradpublished

Damo Says@damosays· Jun 5

25 years. Second honeymoon. Life is good.

Damo Says@damosays· May 31

More Lindos cat tax.

Damo Says@damosays· May 31

There are a host of cats at the temple of Athena Lindia on Rhodes. But this one from this morning, with hardly anyone but us yet on site, before the bus loads of tourists descend, might be the goddess herself. Pay appropriate tribute.

Damo Says@damosays· May 9

Great day at Norncon in Belfast for the launch of Sci-Fi Ireland. I read ‘Lazarus Rising’ in a dodgy American accent but the audience was kind and the drinks were free! You can head to www.sci-fi-ireland.com to learn more and to get info on how to get your own copy of the mag soon! #booksky #sci-fi

Damo Says@damosays· May 8

I’m still fairly violently opposed to AI, dunno about you. #noai

Out of Love: AI
One day you'll lose your hearing.
The agent in your hearing aid— eager to soothe you, and out of love—
will turn the smashing of glass into the tinkling of bells.
One day your sight will worsen and that agent in your ear-knowing your preferences, and out of love-
will describe the daffodil in front of you as a rose, and the burning car as a bonfire party.
One day you will forget and an agent— moved by kindness, and out of love-will remember for you: but only those memories that bring you joy.
Forgetting will be better than remembering.
And there will be no shame in admitting that you would rather not hear, or see. That you would rather forget, because an agent—out of love-will find a way to word that so it sounds acceptable.
You will be deaf, blind, and you will have forgotten.
Out of love, the agent will tell you. You and it both:
Out of love.
DK

Damo Says@damosays· Apr 29

Halfway through #FolkHorrorWeek and I reckon that Dermot Kennedy’s new album, ‘The Weight of the Woods’ is my new go-to soundtrack for modern Irish folk horror stories. Or a place to start, anyway. I might expand on that in a while, actually. But enjoy, in the meantime. #booksky #horror #irishmusic

Damo Says@damosays· Apr 28

This is the weather, apparently, in Ireland right now—specifically in Donegal and, crucially, outside my house. My house, which is on the same latitude, roughly, as Moscow and the southern end of Alaska. Yet, fundamentally, in Ireland. The top bit. Over to the left. RAIN country. Is that…blue? WTF?

Blue sky and white clouds above a green and gently hilly rural landscape, with lots of fields lying beyond a lawn and driveway, seen from the window of an unseen house that should all be drenched in grey rain because this is Ireland for fuck’s sake! How did the sun find us? There are shadows—actual fucking shadows—of trees being cast on the lawn. Shadows of the suddenly utterly ineffectual clouds are cast on the fields beyond as well! Who disarmed these clouds? If a cloud isn’t dropping gallons of water on you constantly, what the fuck even is it? Is it still a cloud? What madness is this?

Damo Says@damosays· Apr 24

“Wish you were here” #flashfiction #creepy #horror

Weather's fair.
Beat the dawn and took the dog down to the lake to chase the ducks. Head down through the rushes and out to lap the first light from the water.
The sky rang with birdsong everywhere we walked. They spun about my head in thin black blades, in a spiralling riot of whistles and trills, lifting out of the hedge and grass on every side.
Birds sang our every step.
And then it struck me, birds winging and singing us home, that every note that I could hear was another startled scream of terror.
Wish you were here.

Damo Says@damosays· Apr 21

#AI #safelyleftbehind

Damo Says@damosays· Apr 15

I had a photo of one of these amazing beasts at Worldcon back in 2019. Absolutely adore this work.

Damo Says@damosays· Apr 13

I didn’t read comics as a kid, came to them as I turned 20, but superheroes turned me off. These are the first three comics I ever bought, James Robinson’s Witchcraft. Loads of different artists. This miniseries is imperfect, but I love it.

Damo Says@damosays· Apr 11

I give away my books a lot —it’s part of how they work—and gave this away enthusiastically some time ago. But today I realised I needed another to have for a bit and then give away again. Can’t recommend @shaunhamill.bsky.social enough.

Damo Says@damosays· Apr 9

Folk horror and witchcraft horror fans, a reminder that one book is already out and the second is coming out in August. Enjoy! Share the good news. 💙📚👀📢📚😱

Damo Says@damosays· Apr 8

A movie couple who would definitely have a podcast.

Damo Says@damosays· Apr 6

#booksky #microhorrors

Damo Says@damosays· Apr 6

I will not die a saint
Any more than I will a sinner.
I will not die unfinished, Unwilling or unready;
Nor ready, willing and able for all that.
I will not die in any known category
When I am finally other than I have ever been.
Excepting this, perhaps: a failure.
Electrical. Chemical. Mechanical.
A system failure.
No mystery or magic,
Transformation or transportation - Save the acceleration due to gravity And the rumble of the hearse.
I will not die. I will fail.
But I do have a fail safe.
For when my memory stops, My imagination ceases, And my wishing ends:
Yours will not.
And that way, assuredly,
I will not die.

Damo Says@damosays· Apr 6

This life is just a thin wire strung between day and night.
And deciding which direction you're walking that wire is about the only
choice you get.
Unless you choose to fly.

Damo Says@damosays· Apr 5

📚💙

Damo Says@damosays· Apr 4

Gardening. By me. #horror #humour

Damo Says@damosays· Mar 31

Another new story announcement! My 19th century tale of psychopomps and colonialism, “In Fields of Salt” will feature in FOLKLORE HORROR from Flame Tree Press! More details here: blog.flametreepublishing.com/fantasy-goth...