Blog

So I'm still riding a high from yesterday's news about my story, "Prompted", finally being let loose in the world. Please see my Writing page for the link to purchase the latest edition of Weird Fiction Quarterly. Also, too: if you are a fan of the legendary DC punk band, Fugazi, then you might be interested to know that the long-shelved version of their album "In On the Kill Taker" mixed by the one and only Steve Albini has also been let loose into the world! You can find i

It's here! It's here! OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG!!! Click the image for the AI Issue of Weird Fiction Quarterly! I hope you enjoy my story, "Prompted", along with the others in this issue of WFQ. Now, if you'll excuse me. I'll be floating for the rest of the day...

This is a strange piece of good shit: a withdrawal. My first submission withdrawal. Remember that story I read aloud at the Beaverton Main Library at the end of January? The one that was accepted for publication by Black Sheep magazine? Well, I had submitted it to another publication at the same time. This morning, I received notice from that magazine that "Flamenco Frio"had passed through their first round of review and was on to the second. Sounds great, right? Well, there

I collect a lot of images that I find in my online travels. Here are a few I really like a lot. Enjoy! A photo of a foggy Forest Park in Portland, Oregon. A Norwegian landscape by Tonnyfroyen.com . A thunderstorm seen from the International Space Station. A beautiful sunrise over Mount Hood.

Apologies for this late update. But I had a great weekend and I didn't have time to update in time. Apple Watch screenshot of the atrocities. Started out the weekend with a short and brutal workout that pushed me past the evil redline. Anti-ICE/Trump protesters along a major highway. This is only the East side of the road, there were just as many on the West side. Seeing people out protesting on a Friday afternoon was heartening. Most passing motorists honked their approval.

Ever since my Father took me to see "Alien" when it first came out, I have been fascinated and horrified by the future presented in these stories. The uber-corporation, Weyland-Yutani, bestrides the future like a colossus, and is forever hungry for profit and knowledge. That hunger for knowledge leads them into the darkest corners of the universe, and what resides in those corners sometimes bleeds acid. On this day, in the fictional timeline year of 2023, a young Peter Weylan

Sometimes good shit makes you sad for all the right reasons. I was thinking about this poem a few days ago. It is a splendid work of verse, made even better by its inclusion in "Four Weddings and a Funeral". "Funeral Blues" by WH Auden. Performed by John Hannah.

Thanks to billionaires, their accountants, and their laywers! But I did get my taxes done today, regardless of how stupid the process is in this country. And, for the record, my taxes went UP this year under 45's first year of his second term. I'M NOT FEELING GREAT AGAIN, DONNIE. And I can't help but feel that I paid MORE than any techbro billionaire.

Here is an announcement I have been waiting for with (somewhat) bated breath... Part of the cover of the upcoming AI issue of Weird Fiction Quarterly, by Betty Rocksteady .

Ryan Coogler and Mulder and Scully. Now this is some good shit!

US Men's Hockey Team Celebrating Their Gold Medal by Honoring a Deceased Teammate Normally, I'm not a big "USA! USA! USA!" kinda guy, especially not these days. But I was happy to wake up today to see that the Men's Hockey team joined the Women's Team by winning Gold. And when I saw this picture of the team holding up the sweater of a fallen teammate, and holding his kids in the picture, I may have teared up a little. Sometimes sports can be more than just winning and losing.

Finally found the tagline for my "Alien"novel. And I wrote over a thousand words today. It's been a while since I did that. Nice to get back in the groove...

Got to the gym early today, in time to see one of my coaches headed out the door. She teaches a class for older folks just before my class and one of her atheletes followed close behind. "Tom, this Olivia," Paula said. "Good morning, Olivia," I said. "I hope Coach Paula wasn't too rough on you." For context, Olivia was pushing a walker and wearing a nasal canula, with tubes trailing down to an oxygen tank she carried over her shoulder. "Well, I deadlifted a bit," Olivia said.

Work words. I don't often post word counts about my day job, but it's nice when you break through some "writer's block" and finally get some writing done on a project.

Some of my so-called nonsense. I'm getting close to putting triple digits over my head again. It's been a while, and my form felt pretty good. My coach confirmed my last set was straight up and down, so I'm taking the win.

A few things: Tomorrow I'm going to try to follow through with this idea for Lent: https://thecorners.substack.com/p/40-days-of-good-shit-a-lenten-discipline?fbclid=IwY2xjawQBsBRleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeV7smekCx5DwZNh6uPUd0eI6Ehw0_S7HWV2pJE8iABBpPdzTKpBVsHDMcujM_aem_n1KOsDtReymtsTA3kyfZhQ I spent the last week in Southern California to attend the passing of my girlfriend's Aunt. She battled Parkinson's for a long time, and she seemed to be at p

What? Two blog posts in a week? Tom's on a roll, baby! Well, sort of. I did some writing today! Was it in either of my WIPs? A new short story, perhaps? No. I wrote a Spenserian sonnet about Olivia Nuzzi falling in love with RFK Jr.'s brain worm. Why are you looking at me like that...? A Canto for Olivia Journalism's femme fatale , Olivia Nuzzi. “I loved his brain. I hated the idea of an intruder therein. Others thought he was a madman; he was not quite mad the way they thoug

I used to LOVE the month of January. After all, I was born in January! January 6, 1968, to be precise. Yes, that means I’m old, but it also means that I’m a Christmas Baby! And not just a Christmas Baby, but an Epiphany Baby! That’s right, Christians! I was born on the day that the Wise Men finally got to Jerusalem to check out Baby Jesus. I’m a “Twelfth Night” baby, baby! Paul Oakley Stovall steals many a scene as Malvolio in “Twelfth Night.” Photo by Liz Lauren for the Ch

Look, I know it’s been a while since I’ve written here. But, in my defense, I’ve been busy! Busy writing! And taking vacations! And working! And dealing with (gestures frantically in the air) all of this! Everything is fine . For a while, I was disappointed in myself for not writing anything here. But then I realized that this is my space and I can do what I darn well want with it. So, I gave myself some grace and got back to the business of living my life as best I can. From

Here we are at the end of the boot camp! This was far more enjoyable then I expected, and I think I may have unearthed a few characters...