Under a Black Rainbow

  NOVEMBER  (4 books | 926 pgs) 99.)  Something is Killing the Children, Vol. 8 (Graphic Novel, 144 pgs) |  5/5 100.) Poe Knows: A Miscellany of Macabre Musings (Nonfiction, 255 pgs) | 3/5 101.) Uncanny by Junji Ito (Nonfiction, 301 pgs) | 5/5 102.) Saint the Terrifying by Joshua Mohr (Fiction, 226 pgs) | 5/5 *     *     * I didn't expect to hit 100 books read this year, but I'm glad to have hit the benchmark after so many years of reading being a struggle. I'm sure I'll read another two or three, but the holidays tend to make it tough to read, what with all the family stuff that goes on and all the friend stuff that goes on beyond that.  Thanksgiving was a small, but great, affair this year. Three very close friends joined up to carve out pieces of a deliciously cajun-smoked turkey brought over by my boy Kid Domino (yes, his real name). We played a few games, had entirely too much Fireball, and simply enjoyed a drama-free day with each other...

Today was the fifth anniversary of my father's passing. Just like that day five years ago, today was my writing session with my writing partner. I didn't get much done, but that's how it goes sometimes. This Atlas of Bone & Sorrow project has a way of suckerpunching me repeatedly while trying to make my way through it. I may need to focus on something else for a little bit, return to it in short spurts here and there so I don't get caught up in my own swamps of despair.  After our session, I finished sorting through old boxes I'd pulled from the storage unit I emptied last week. Old photos and letters and report cards and art projects - from myself, my siblings, and even old shit from my mother's youth - have been sitting in my living room for over a week waiting to be sifted through and given some level of importance: keep for later review or toss in the trash.  Weird day of marinating in things of the past. Wasn't intending to do so, but here we are.  ...

  OCTOBER  (5 books | 909 pgs) 94.)  The House of Slaughter, Vol. 4: Alabaster (Graphic Novel, 160pgs) |  5/5 95.) Critical Role | The Mighty Nein Origins: Beauregard Lionett (Graphic Novel, 56 pgs) | 5/5 96.) Critical Role | The Mighty Nein Origins: Cadeucus Clay (Graphic Novel, 56 pgs) | 5/5 97.) A Guest in the House by E.M. Carroll (Graphic Novel, 256 pgs) | 3/5 98.) Anthology of Emo, Vol. 1 by Tom Mullen (Nonfiction, 381 pgs) | 3/5 *     *     * August and September were super anemic on the writing front. Between being sick for much of August and then having so many events happening in September, I just never got back into the swing of things. Really tried to do more with October as I took the last week off for vacation, but other life stuff got in the way and I was forced to spend much of my free time handling that.  I remain in a creative rut, at least somewhat. There are little sparks here and there every so often, but the dam is sturd...