Somewhere Over the Bloodbath

The first installment if my new music column for NSFWCORP is now live. The title--"Somewhere Over the Bloodbath: Ingrid Michaelson's Grotesque Sandy Hook Singalong"--pretty much says it all. That said, I hold out hope you may read the whole thing. WARNING: not for the weak of stomach or the lover of shitty folk-pop.

A one-second dream I had last night

It's how old I feel

Here's my latest article for The A.V. Club, in which I talk about Bad Brains, Black Flag, Minor Threat, Youth of Today, and the notion of hardcore growing old. Not that, you know, I'M getting old or anything. Perish the thought.

Some thoughts on introverts

As I gear up to attend another convention -- my brain a beehive of both excitement and dread -- my heart goes out to my fellow introverts. Rarely understood, often made to feel weird, we do our best to maintain our composure in the face of ridicule, social pressure, and the aggression of well-meaning extroverts. With that in mind, here are a few stray thoughts I've had about introversion over the years. And now to get ready for a weekend of fake smiles and daydreaming through conversations...

-Someone needs to coin a word for the look of disgusted confusion that extroverts give us introverts when we tell them we'd rather stay home.

-There ought to be "introvert tents" set up at all public gatherings, although I suppose that might defeat the purpose.

-Some of my friends, current and former, will vouch for this: Never jump on an introvert's back in public. It is freaky, and you will get punched.

-Introverts aren't unfriendly. They just don't need any more conversations to remember, faces to recognize, or people to keep track of.

-If you have a child who's an introvert, here's the best thing to do: Leave her alone, and if any motherfucker calls her "shy," punch him.

-The real world doesn't frighten introverts. Okay, so it kind of does. But mostly it's just boring. Inside our heads is where the action is.

-Introverts spend their entire lives making excuses and going to elaborate lengths in order to seem otherwise. Thanks, Extrovert World Order.

-One thing that will lure this introvert out of doors: a ticket to see Alice Cooper at the Paramount Theater in Denver on 11/23. You don't need to come with... :)

This weekend's MileHiCon schedule (now with more Heavy Metal)

Okay, so: This weekend I'll be at MileHiCon, Denver's own long-running SFF convention. 'Tis a noble and worthy institution, and I'm looking forward to reading, talking, and hanging out with numerous writerly friends 'n' acquaintances, new and old. Below is my schedule; note the screening and discussion of the legendary animated film Heavy Metal! Hope to see you there. FRIDAY 10/19 9pm, Grand Mesa A: Reading (w/ Mario Acevedo, Cherie Priest, Stephen Graham Jones, Betsy Dornbusch, Julie Kazimer) SATURDAY 10/20 11am-1pm, Mesa Verde B: Speed Meet An Author w/ bunches of people 1-2:30pm, The Highlands: Heavy Metal (the movie) screening 3pm-4pm, Grand Mesa A: Heavy Metal discussion (w/ Aaron Michael Ritchie)

About a book about Bowie

My review of Peter Doggett's excellent new David Bowie book, The Man Who Sold The World, has found a home -- at my old home, Westword. Thanks, Westword.

New story in Paper Darts

A short story of mine, "A Month Before the Sun," will be appearing in the fourth and latest issue of the fine literary/arts magazine Paper Darts. The story concerns coffee, queues, and the causal contradictions of the chronological continuum. Or something. Order now!

Interesting review...

The Adam Smith Institute -- which as, as its name implies, a free-market (i.e. libertarian) organization -- just reviewed Taft 2012. Overall, it was a fair-minded, balanced, and, um, interesting review. Final line: "In the end, Taft 2012 is a perfectly enjoyable bit of fun which is as disposable as its title destines it to be." The market has spoken!

Quirk Summer Reads Sampler

Want to read the first few chapters of my novel, Taft 2012? For free, I mean? My publisher, Quirk Books, is offering a Summer Reads Sampler, a free download that contains chapters from Taft 2012 (as well as lots of other great Quirk releases: The Last Policeman by Ben H. Winters, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs, Pride & Prejudice & Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth-Grahame Smith, Bedbugs by Ben H. Winters, and Night of the Living Trekkies by Sam Stall and Kevin David Anderson). Do it!

Stellar review

Newbury Port News just gave Taft 2012 a rousing, lengthy review. Mentioned in the same breath as Vonnegut and Twain, be still my unworthy heart!