Psychochronograph Lives!
Experiments, successes, and failures.
I hit pause on my mind/time/record here for a while. I went strolling about the ever-changing social media landscape, looking to see what I could find. Where could I exist? Where could I promote my writing? After a couple years of wandering, I think I’ve got a good plan. I’ve got some great streams of interaction going. My intent with restarting this, though, is to take a bit of a deeper dive month to month. Recap some of the stuff you’ve missed.
Reintroduction
I feel like a little bit of an introduction (or reintroduction) is in order, especially since so many people have added me! I am grateful, and I’m looking forward to diving in and exploring more on Substack.
Here’s my current author photo. I think the version on the dust jacket of the hardcover of my most recent book, The Master of Shearhaven, doesn’t have the “digital noise” of the online version. But I was feeling a certain way the day I created this version. And I just enjoy that it’s not quite me. Because that’s what our digital selves are, aren’t they? Us, but not all of us. Filtered. Packaged. I want to be as authentic as I can be, with those caveats, though.
I work as Director of Marketing for a wonderful green cleaning product manufacturer. In addition to that, I’m a writer, with three books currently in publication. I’ve written for video, ebooks, comic books, and much more.
I’m a gay man, and have been with my partner for twenty years. We have an open relationship that works wonderfully for us. We spend most of our time together since we both work from home. We laugh a lot.
I love movies as well as books. With both, I am very eclectic in my tastes. With books, it’s a lot of horror, sci-fi, fantasy, non-fiction, literary fiction—honestly, there’s few things I won’t give a go if it piques my interest. I also have a pretty extensive action figure collection I like to feature in my social media from time to time.
That’s it! Or, to be precise, enough for now. Welcome. I plan to use this space to keep people updated on my projects, share short pieces of fiction, and talk about topics that are important to me.
First up, I’d like to present to you an excerpt from Pscyhochronograph, the story. Before I named this Substack, I had been working on a story with that name. I’ve written it as a comic book script. I’ve written parts of a prose story (one of which this excerpt comes from) and turned it around in my mind countless times. One day, I think it’ll get out. But for now, here’s a small except I wrote nearly six years ago now:
EXCERPT: Psychochronograph (V2) February 2018
“How many times have you heard my story, I wonder?” asked Tobias, the man in chains. His voice is calm and proper, and possessing the hint of an accent of some indeterminate origin. The other man, Simon, looks at him quizzically.
“This is our first interview,” said Simon. Tobias smiles patiently, but his eyes narrows slightly in thought.
“Perhaps I should rephrase that. How many times has our story been told,” he said, wagging his finger from himself to Simon and back again. “This story.”
“One moment please.” Simon still did not understand the other man’s meaning. He pushes a button on his tablet, which responds with a gentle ping. “This is Officer Simon Bracken of the OCPD, interviewing subject 534-alpha-34.”
“Queer of skin or queer of mind. Utilized. Or left behind.”
“Is that a quote?”
“No,” said Tobias. “I just made it up. I just said it as though it might be. That’s what storytellers do. They manipulate. They play with expectation. They take a series of events and arrange them according to their own agendas. You see?”
“Okay.” Simon shifted in his seat. “Yes, I see. I see the shape of what you’re saying, if not the point.”
At this, Tobias let out a burst of air from his mouth, but in a way that was fairly good natured.
“My point is… aren’t you bored of this story? We, the ‘other,’ are oppressed and marginalized, until those in power find some way to use us.”
“Is this the part where you blame your crimes on the circumstances of your birth and your existence?” A cold steel crept into Simon’s otherwise affable and business-like demeanor. “Because you might find I’m less receptive to that than you might think.”
“No, I’m all about accountability.” Tobias waved the suggestion off. “My crimes are my own. But it would be—if not a crime, then at least simplistic—to not acknowledge that we do not all start out in the same place. I made my choices, sure, but let’s not pretend those choices were as plentiful.”
“I can certainly agree with that,” said Simon.
“And let’s also acknowledge that so often, this story—my story, your story—are being written by the very people and structures that have limited those choices. Agreed?”
At this, Simon looked uncomfortable, as he let the thought work through his mind. Tobias, on the other hand, simply smiled. He could see the answer in Simon’s eyes before Simon said it. He knew, with certainty, the concept was not a new one to Simon. It was simply one that Simon tried to shove to the side.
So Why Did I Share That, Exactly?
There’s been a recent outbreak in the BookTok corner of TikTok about politics and how much it belongs in the BookTok space in the wake of the US elections. There’s been a lot of talk about the idea of creating “safe” spaces away from politics. And talk about how some of the calls for that feel like silencing. And on and on. Of course, one of the biggest points that is often brought up is that reading is political. Writing is political. And, as I revisited this Substack and its name, it made me look back on the writing I did all those years ago. And I found this excerpt, and was surprised. Give me long enough, and I can forget my own writing easy enough.
This is probably some of the most straightforwardly political writing I’ve done. It’s couched in sci-fi. But through that I was able to express a little of my thoughts at the time. 2018. In the middle of Trump’s first (shiver) term. It certainly informs the writing. Just as it was a large part of why I wrote In the Dark of the Grove, although with that book it’s much more hidden between the lines. But it went beyond that. I still often feel that our current political climate is not about one man. Or even one movement. It’s about the larger mechanisms in place. The structures of power that keep us sniping at each other, voting against our own interests, as the rich and the powerful get richer and more powerful.
When you’re caught up in those mechanisms and structures, it can feel like you’re powerless.
And when you fall down in between them all
Here you are whole, not broken
-Not Broken, Skye
Writing was a way to reclaim some power. Even if it wouldn’t change my circumstance, writing provided an outlet for me. Reading can work the same. Not everyone is a writer, or has the time or interest in it. But you can read a book, and see a little of yourself—whether in body or mind—and that connection can be comforting. I find that sort of solace in movies, TV, and music too. What we consume is often linked to us personally. We form bonds and connections with it. For some of us—we tiny little checker pieces that so often get used as lightning rods in political debates—the political and personal are almost impossible to separate. Being able to cocoon yourself and “ignore politics” is simply a privilege many of us don’t have.
I unfollowed a lot of people. Not because of who they voted for. But because their posts seemed so selfish and out of touch. To invoke your privilege and tell marginalized communities to please quit talking about politics is what I objected to. Many of these people got an influx of new followers, of course. Those more “aligned” with their beliefs, I suppose.
I would dearly love to treat politics as a good natured contest full of reasonable people who just have differences of opinions. I hope one day we can return there. But I have my doubts, to be honest. In the meantime, I and so many others have to deal with the uncertainty and fear that will come with the next four years. Giving a little space to those people to work through it feels like so little to ask.
Things I’ve Greatly Enjoyed
Okay, let’s switch gears. I wanted to get that out, but let’s have a little fun. In the past I did a feature on the things I’ve really enjoyed that I’ve consumed in the last month or so. Time to bring that back!
Agatha All Along
I know I’m not alone when I say I’ve become a bit burnt out on the MCU after the confused, scattered storytelling of the post-Endgame landscape. There were definite highlights, but I kind of skipped out on some of the more recent shows. But Agatha? I was in from the start. I love Kathryn Hahn. And then they added Locke, LuPone, and Plaza? It honestly feels like Agatha was made for queer people and people who are into that vibe. Every single cast member - including Zamata, Ahn, and Rupp were all superb. The Down the Witches Road song is a banger I’ve listened to many times, and the show itself was a spectacularly dark and fun ride.
Perdido Street Station by China Miéville
Some people I trust on BookTok recommended this, and after I read The Book of Elsewhere (the book Miéville worked on with Keanu Reeves) I was intrigued to read more of his work. I’m so happy I did. I found this to be a well-told story in a fascinating new world that’s beautifully rendered on the page. Looking forward to continuing this series soon.
Assassin’s Quest by Robin Hobb
The first trilogy in the Realm of the Elderlings series came to a close, and I have myself a new favorite fantasy series and writer. I just loved this whole trilogy so much. Fitz and the Fool are such special characters in a book full of special characters. I sort of ship them.
Cold Hand in Mine by Robert Aickman
I totally fell in love with this book and Aickman’s work. The perfect read for October, full of strange tales with few answers, but enough meat on the bones to keep you chewing on them long after you’ve read them. I actually covered each story in some depth in videos. You can watch these on this YouTube playlist.
The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas
This was a wonderful surprise. I’d heard good things about Cañas’s work, so I picked up this and The Vampires of El Notre at the same Half-Price Books on a trip to see my family in Michigan. I’m glad I dove in based on this book. It’s a wonderful gothic tale (both horror and romance) set in a hacienda in Mexico in the 1820s. A wonderful blend of historical fiction, horror, and gothic romance. Highly recommended for those who into that sort of thing.
The Substance
Coralie Farget’s follow-up to her wonderful film Revenge is this amazingly confident, stylish, funny, biting, and horrifying film that knocked my socks off when I saw it in the theater a couple months ago. I was looking forward to it based on the strength of Revenge and the marketing, but I wasn’t prepared for how insane and amazing it would get, especially at the end.
Scenes From Gay Domesticity
True snippets of my life with my partner.
Getting Testy
Paul, preparing cookies: I got two sizes of scoops. 1 tablespoon and 1 1/2 tablespoon. I'm going to try both and see which one works best.
Me, impressed: Wow, what are you, America's Test Kitchen?
Paul, in a extremely cute voice: A *little* bit.
Something Cool From The Internet
I really loved this mash-up of Gaga and Agatha. With a little sprinkle of Wednesday.
good to hear from you! Kathryn Hahn was great!