Who here is migrating to Bluesky? I've started posting over there instead. Come follow me: buff.ly/3UW45HP

I read Harlan Ellison's Greatest Hits. I've read loads of Golden Age/New Wave sci-fi, yet somehow missed Ellison. This is an eclectic and impressive collection, infused throughout with anger, wisdom and astonishing prescience. Too many highlights to meaningfully list. Inspiring.

Watched 2046. In counterpoint to the chasteness of predecessor In the Mood for Love, here the heartbroken protagonist becomes a sex pest. Interwoven stories about unrealised love. "Love is all a matter of timing. It's no good meeting the right person too soon or too late."

Reader comments on John Leahy's refreshingly original sci-fi short story: "Very cool story! Great blend of economic jargon and sci-fi concepts. A fun one to read." "It leaves plenty to think about after reading!" "fascinating!" fictionontheweb.co.uk/2026/1…

Paul Stapleton's story got strong reader reactions: "That was powerful, short and direct, with an especially strong ending." "I love the ambiguity and the mythic allusions." "A powerful story which pulls you down the river at top speed." fictionontheweb.co.uk/2026/1…

Saw The Social Reckoning. Terrifying reminder of the pervasive harm caused by social media & Zuckerberg’s (ongoing) decisions to prioritise growth even at the cost of propagating disinformation, mental ill health & social division on a massive scale. Felt exposition-y in places.

Saw Forgotten Island. Two Filipinas discover the power of friendship when they are transported to a fantastic island populated by creatures from Philippine folklore. Same kind of hyperactive ultra-colourful animation style as Bad Guys or K-Pop Demon Hunters. Imaginative and fun.

Saw NAZA at the cinema. Documentary interviewing Israeli ex-intelligence officers about the systems and ethos behind the genocidal killings in Gaza. Highlights the monstrous hypocrisy of the Netenhayu regime, and draws strong parallels to the Nuremberg defense. Cold and brutal.

I was interviewed for the "Let's Have a Renaissance" podcast. It's on Apple, YouTube, Spotify, etc. I talk about starting Fiction on the Web in the 90s, the meaning of freedom, losing a bet to my wife and getting a tattoo, and lots more. music.youtube.com/watch?v=-T…

Bishop Bob by Mary Jo Rabe. Reader comments: "I enjoyed Bishop Bob's unconventional piety and his detailed backstory. That final sentence was surprising yet perfectly in character." "A lovely human story, so smoothly told." "Loved it!!" fictionontheweb.co.uk/2026/0…

Reader comments on Patrick Carella's short story, published on Monday: "Some of the passages here reminded me of vintage Damon Runyon or Nat Fleischer, vintage sports writing from the Golden Age." "Vivid and amusing. I loved the ending." fictionontheweb.co.uk/2026/1…

Joseph Hirsch's irreverent ghost story got a good reaction from readers: "I really enjoyed this! Very absorbing, it hums along from start to finish. Very cool!" fictionontheweb.co.uk/2026/1…

Reader reactions to D. C. Martin's short story: "Wow, a writer totally lost in a rich fantasy life. He experiences almost a waking dream; or is it a nightmare. ... Very well done!" "A very interesting story. Well done, D.C." fictionontheweb.co.uk/2026/1…

Watched In The Mood for Love. My first Wong Kar-Wai, and I want to see more. Kind of a Chinese Brief Encounter. Very distinctive cinematography. The music choices, and Mrs. Chan's dresses, both stood out too. Enjoyed this, but perhaps admired it more than I enjoyed it.

Rewatched Disney's Pinocchio. Child-trafficking body horror movie, you know, for kids. The animation is very creative. Story's a little all over the place, but at least it has a happier ending than the original book (in which Pinocchio gets hanged).

Saw both parts of De Gaulle at the cinema. The story of his stewardship of Free France during WWII. Fascinating. The line was so thin between him being remembered as an absurd madman and a patriotic hero. He overcomes setbacks with diplomacy, luck, and unwavering conviction.

The link between the official Fiction on the Web t-shirts being worn in this picture, and the silly behaviour, is correlation not causation. I promise. redbubble.com/i/t-shirt/Fict…

D. C. Martin's short story at Fiction on the Web was selected as "Story of the Week" in the Topiary Stories Sunday Fiction Review: topiary.code.blog/2026/10/10…

Huge reader reaction to T. E. Poremba's short story: "The premise of this story and its development are fascinating, as is the ending." "This was a horror story to me. The whole world turned into facsimiles and lies." "Love the black humor in this piece!" fictionontheweb.co.uk/2026/1…

Topiary Stories picked The Kidnappers by Cris Aboobaker as as story of the week. FotW reader liked it too: "I love this story! I love the mix of normal and I guess paranormal." "Evokes the childhood imagination." "This one is both eerie and enchanting." fictionontheweb.co.uk/2026/1…