Under a Black Rainbow

JANUARY  (7 books | 2,036 pgs) 01.) The Game Master's Book of Villains, Minions, and Their Tactics (Game Manual, 256 pgs) | 4/5 02.)  The Game Master's Book of Traps, Puzzles and Dungeons (Game Manual, 256 pgs) | 4/5 03.) Loteria by Cynthia Pelayo (Stories & Poetry, 344 pgs) | 3/5 04.) The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins (Novel, 528 pgs) | 2/5 05.) Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth by Chris Ware (Graphic Novel, 384 pgs) | 3/5 06.) Root Rot by Saskia Nislow (Novella, 140 pgs) | 3/5 07.) The Undead by Johan Egerkrans (Art, 128 pgs) | 4/5 *     *     * I am late in posting my monthly reading list and personal updates. The new job is full of wonderful people and challenging work, but I often feel like my productivity is being used inefficiently. There are ways to mitigate this, and I'm working on it.  But this struggle makes for a crowded headspace. After being in the office all day most of the week, I yearn for the silence of...

JUNE  (11 books | 1,756 pgs) 14.) The Wolf Wants Answers by Joshua Mohr (Novel, 236 pgs) | 4/5 15.) Storyforge: Advanced Writing Prompts for Seasoned Storytellers, Book 1 (Workbook, 100 pgs) | 0/5* 16.)  Storyforge: Advanced Writing Prompts for Seasoned Storytellers, Book 2 (Workbook, 100 pgs) | 0/5* 17.) Alfred Hitchock & the Three Investigators #20: The Mystery of Monster Mountain  by MV Carey (Young Adult, 172 pgs) | 3/5 18.) Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke by Eric LaRocca (Stories, 281 pgs) | 2/5 19.) Alfred Hitchock & the Three Investigators #21: The Secret of the Haunted Mirror  by MV Carey (Young Adult, 172 pgs) | 3/5 20.) Alfred Hitchock & the Three Investigators #22: The Mystery of the Dead Man's Riddle  by William Arden (Young Adult, 145 pgs) | 3/5 21.) You Should Have Left by Daniel Kehlmann (Novella, 128 pgs) | 2/5 22.) Strange Houses by Uketsu (Novel, 208 pags) | 4/5 23.) Mapping the Interior by Stephen Graham Jones (Novella...

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...

AUGUST  (0 books | 0 pgs) Obviously, I was unable to read as much as I have in prior months. September, however, is looking nice and ripe for some catching up on the books I meant to complete this month. If nothing else, I've already read 93 books and had planned on reading 80 for the entire year, so...not a bad time to take a break for a minute while life has its way with me.  August found me busy with two of the remaining four stops on the 2024 "Book Tour" I've tried to complete, with one event in Blue Springs netting me 16 book sales and my reading/signing event in St. Louis netting me 8 more book sales. I had the pleasure of meeting a ton of great people at the local event and can't wait to meet more at the Phantom Pages Festival on Saturday, October 5th .  I was inspired by several of the authors seen at the Blue Springs event, and decided to up my own self-promo game by buying a collapsible vinyl banner and creating some excerpted bookmarks.  I began helping...

  While completing work on my latest book (which you can purchase HERE ), I made it a goal to have more readings and get involved with more literary events in the hopes of widening my reach and, hopefully, growing my audience outside of my normal circles.  I was fortunate to have my first book release party at Afterword Tavern & Shelves here in KC back in April. It was a fantastic event and I've never seen so many of my people in one place to help support my literary endeavors. Even the bartenders were shocked at the turnout.  I'm fortunate to, again, get to do a reading and signing at Subterranean Books in St. Louis this month. It's a great little store and I'm looking forward to a ton of my favorite STL people to show up (and snag dinner with afterward).  And now I've gotten to meet some great word nerds around town who are putting on regular events to hype local authors. Through Sarah Wakeman , the Karma Community Market, and others, I'm getting the cha...

Because of the next book, I released this current one. Despite releasing Under a Black Rainbow five days ago, I've been deeply involved in the creation of the next book, which feels more immediate and has, like other projects worth completing, become its own maelstrom of things to contend with.  Though dense in topicality, I've found a way to have a little fun with it (as I usually tend to do). Fictional locales of Latin-ized stages of grief, emotional landmarks on the map, incomplete fictions, potential GPS coordinates for signifcant places in significant moments, playlists that consumed my brain during particular stints... Excited is the wrong word for this book, but there is a thrumming pulling me along and telling me it's worth telling.  So I've been busy doing what it is that I tend to do best, which is make shit for other people to consume. Enjoy these fruits from your favorite dancing monkey. Works totally in progress. May your 2024 be better than you expect, an...