📚 Writer of fantasy, sci-fi, and horror 🧬 Neuroscience PhD | 🎨 Artist | They/them ✍️ Currently querying: space fantasy with a queer love story Find me elsewhere: https://bio.site/cjyeateshttps://bsky.app/profile/cjyeates.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/cjyeates.bsky.social/post/3lvbrcbnw222xMy short story, “The Merit of a Curse” is out in The Literary Fantasy Magazine today! I put a lot of myself and my experience with leaving academia into this story about a tenacious curse and the burgeoning romance between a pair of retired mages.31 Jul 2025 18:28 +0000at://did:plc:o7soog7nhd5fuoqbqf2ngmgo/app.bsky.feed.post/3lvbrcbnw222xhttps://bsky.app/profile/cjyeates.bsky.social/post/3lpmhsmu3vc2rI’m pumped up about getting back into a more regular art practice, which of course means that the impulse to buy 5,000 new reference photos has struck.20 May 2025 16:07 +0000at://did:plc:o7soog7nhd5fuoqbqf2ngmgo/app.bsky.feed.post/3lpmhsmu3vc2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/cjyeates.bsky.social/post/3lootitnmcs2vMade a couple pour paintings today. I didn’t pour them at the same time, but the patterns ended up matching really well. May keep them as a set like this.08 May 2025 21:16 +0000at://did:plc:o7soog7nhd5fuoqbqf2ngmgo/app.bsky.feed.post/3lootitnmcs2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/cjyeates.bsky.social/post/3lmx6hru7es2gI am querying a space fantasy novel, and I don’t know what to do when literary agents say they don’t like space opera. Do you dislike the “space” part or the “opera” part? Because my story involves interplanetary travel but isn’t an opera. There’s no ongoing military conflict and no dystopian drama.16 Apr 2025 18:03 +0000at://did:plc:o7soog7nhd5fuoqbqf2ngmgo/app.bsky.feed.post/3lmx6hru7es2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/cjyeates.bsky.social/post/3ll5lbpyz2s2nI’ve got three pieces of flash fiction and one piece of CNF I’ve been working on. I’m planning to send one flash piece to an open call this week. The others I’m not sure where I’ll send yet, but I’ve been wanting to expand my flash repertoire for a while.24 Mar 2025 20:18 +0000at://did:plc:o7soog7nhd5fuoqbqf2ngmgo/app.bsky.feed.post/3ll5lbpyz2s2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/cjyeates.bsky.social/post/3lkk67eg4i22mBG3 is my favorite rummaging simulator.17 Mar 2025 03:04 +0000at://did:plc:o7soog7nhd5fuoqbqf2ngmgo/app.bsky.feed.post/3lkk67eg4i22mhttps://bsky.app/profile/cjyeates.bsky.social/post/3ljzxa6ixxk2dDone with my painting of the anomaly from #Arcane! This was a lot of fun, basically one big experiment. Acrylic paint with a ton of modeling paste and also beads for texture and color variation.10 Mar 2025 16:16 +0000at://did:plc:o7soog7nhd5fuoqbqf2ngmgo/app.bsky.feed.post/3ljzxa6ixxk2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/cjyeates.bsky.social/post/3ljva7r35ik2xSaturday Caturday.08 Mar 2025 19:14 +0000at://did:plc:o7soog7nhd5fuoqbqf2ngmgo/app.bsky.feed.post/3ljva7r35ik2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/cjyeates.bsky.social/post/3ljq7twl2gc2pTexture painting experiment based on the anomaly from Arcane. I want to make a few more adjustments, but I need to let it dry.06 Mar 2025 19:24 +0000at://did:plc:o7soog7nhd5fuoqbqf2ngmgo/app.bsky.feed.post/3ljq7twl2gc2phttps://bsky.app/profile/cjyeates.bsky.social/post/3ljjcaan3tk2dMan I want pączki, but they don’t sell them around here, and garden variety jelly doughnuts don’t quite scratch the itch04 Mar 2025 01:18 +0000at://did:plc:o7soog7nhd5fuoqbqf2ngmgo/app.bsky.feed.post/3ljjcaan3tk2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/cjyeates.bsky.social/post/3ljb7cjfg4223Why is it that any time paint is labeled “nontoxic” part of my brain goes “alright, it’s finger painting time”28 Feb 2025 20:04 +0000at://did:plc:o7soog7nhd5fuoqbqf2ngmgo/app.bsky.feed.post/3ljb7cjfg4223https://bsky.app/profile/cjyeates.bsky.social/post/3lizmw5jdls2rThere is something repulsive about drinking a smoothie and suddenly getting a big lump of partially defrosted, unblended banana25 Feb 2025 19:46 +0000at://did:plc:o7soog7nhd5fuoqbqf2ngmgo/app.bsky.feed.post/3lizmw5jdls2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/cjyeates.bsky.social/post/3liuzgzeiac2wSketch of an old character of mine. Seriously, I’ve had some version of this guy in my head for twenty years, and I am tempted yet again to resurrect an old comic project. Eventually. For now I’m just trying to practice drawing faster.23 Feb 2025 23:47 +0000at://did:plc:o7soog7nhd5fuoqbqf2ngmgo/app.bsky.feed.post/3liuzgzeiac2whttps://bsky.app/profile/cjyeates.bsky.social/post/3lilavpxrmc2kToday is leg day, meaning the cat is sitting on my exercise mat and watching me judgmentally as I flail my way through Bulgarian split squats.20 Feb 2025 02:34 +0000at://did:plc:o7soog7nhd5fuoqbqf2ngmgo/app.bsky.feed.post/3lilavpxrmc2khttps://bsky.app/profile/cjyeates.bsky.social/post/3likbhm27n224Just a sketch of a little dude inspired by both Flow and a fluffy black cat that lives in our neighborhood.19 Feb 2025 17:12 +0000at://did:plc:o7soog7nhd5fuoqbqf2ngmgo/app.bsky.feed.post/3likbhm27n224https://bsky.app/profile/cjyeates.bsky.social/post/3liitfpgrzc2fWe’re watching Flow, and oh my god, this movie is gorgeous. Also, despite having my namesake, a cat, as the main character, I’m pretty sure I’m the lemur.19 Feb 2025 03:27 +0000at://did:plc:o7soog7nhd5fuoqbqf2ngmgo/app.bsky.feed.post/3liitfpgrzc2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/cjyeates.bsky.social/post/3lihr7r4hfs2qI still remember, back in college, my bestie and I having a conversation about how all our favorite pairings involved at least one character with pronounced dark circles under their eyes. I am pretty sure that has held true in all the years since then.18 Feb 2025 17:15 +0000at://did:plc:o7soog7nhd5fuoqbqf2ngmgo/app.bsky.feed.post/3lihr7r4hfs2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/cjyeates.bsky.social/post/3lif65jzot22eI ground some star anise yesterday in the spice grinder I usually use for my coffee and nope, I definitely did not get all of it out before the coffee beans went in. Tastes nice, though.17 Feb 2025 16:29 +0000at://did:plc:o7soog7nhd5fuoqbqf2ngmgo/app.bsky.feed.post/3lif65jzot22ehttps://bsky.app/profile/cjyeates.bsky.social/post/3lid5knedu223He was just staring at this patch of sunshine on the floor.16 Feb 2025 21:13 +0000at://did:plc:o7soog7nhd5fuoqbqf2ngmgo/app.bsky.feed.post/3lid5knedu223https://bsky.app/profile/cjyeates.bsky.social/post/3liaa2rbcgk2lStarting to think it’s just a matter of time before I get into 3D printing. I want so badly to learn how to make cosplay props that move. Am I finally entering my tinkering era?15 Feb 2025 17:20 +0000at://did:plc:o7soog7nhd5fuoqbqf2ngmgo/app.bsky.feed.post/3liaa2rbcgk2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/cjyeates.bsky.social/post/3li6ozfs3bc2uWelp, it’s starting to look like everything I write from novella length up involves some sort of psychic connection or characters speaking in each other’s minds. What can I say? It’s one of my favorite things.15 Feb 2025 02:42 +0000at://did:plc:o7soog7nhd5fuoqbqf2ngmgo/app.bsky.feed.post/3li6ozfs3bc2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/cjyeates.bsky.social/post/3lhx2zuqnrk2uI bought a couple pumpkins to use as indoor Halloween decorations in early October and they just… never went bad. So now it’s becoming a bit of a science experiment as to whether they’ll make it to next Halloween.12 Feb 2025 01:56 +0000at://did:plc:o7soog7nhd5fuoqbqf2ngmgo/app.bsky.feed.post/3lhx2zuqnrk2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/cjyeates.bsky.social/post/3lhtptvpjt22kSelf portrait in the Arcane style! I really sank some time into this one because I wanted to use it as painting practice. And as an excuse to stare at tons and tons of Arcane character art.10 Feb 2025 17:58 +0000at://did:plc:o7soog7nhd5fuoqbqf2ngmgo/app.bsky.feed.post/3lhtptvpjt22khttps://bsky.app/profile/cjyeates.bsky.social/post/3lhrpue2wqc26Every time I realize I need new running shoes, I actually needed new running shoes like three weeks ago.09 Feb 2025 22:53 +0000at://did:plc:o7soog7nhd5fuoqbqf2ngmgo/app.bsky.feed.post/3lhrpue2wqc26https://bsky.app/profile/cjyeates.bsky.social/post/3lhgvpqpge22xI know it’s time to get a haircut when I wake up looking like Charlie Kelly05 Feb 2025 15:38 +0000at://did:plc:o7soog7nhd5fuoqbqf2ngmgo/app.bsky.feed.post/3lhgvpqpge22xhttps://bsky.app/profile/cjyeates.bsky.social/post/3lhed5iorsc2fIs it too much to ask that I make tangible progress on all 800 of my current projects every single day?04 Feb 2025 15:01 +0000at://did:plc:o7soog7nhd5fuoqbqf2ngmgo/app.bsky.feed.post/3lhed5iorsc2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/cjyeates.bsky.social/post/3lhcrh7vth22bI swear, all the cats I see wandering around the neighborhood look like they could steal my lunch money and stuff me into a locker04 Feb 2025 00:11 +0000at://did:plc:o7soog7nhd5fuoqbqf2ngmgo/app.bsky.feed.post/3lhcrh7vth22bhttps://bsky.app/profile/cjyeates.bsky.social/post/3lhc6qjhmes2aGotta say, this is an absolutely terrible time to have OCD that specializes in catastrophizing03 Feb 2025 18:36 +0000at://did:plc:o7soog7nhd5fuoqbqf2ngmgo/app.bsky.feed.post/3lhc6qjhmes2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/cjyeates.bsky.social/post/3lgyv546sks2yMy partner and I started watching Detroiters, which is basically I Think You Should Leave with a plot, and I keep wanting to call it Detroiters: Become Human-er31 Jan 2025 01:50 +0000at://did:plc:o7soog7nhd5fuoqbqf2ngmgo/app.bsky.feed.post/3lgyv546sks2y