I’m not going to lie to you. I gave a lot of consideration to skipping this week’s post. I am completely depleted, scared, and angry. This will be relatively short and probably not as humorous as y’all are used to, but I decided that writing something today would be a small step, the first in a long line of small and large rebellions.
I was already feeling down, putting away all of the Halloween stuff always does that. Then the country that I live in decided that greed and hatred were more important than anything else. The upcoming years are going to be difficult. The immediate future is uncertain and terrifying. Just know that it is OK to be scared. It is OK to be angry. It is OK to take a day or a week or however long it takes to process the election results.
But also know that while it may feel like you are alone, you are not. We are here.
If you need someone to reach out to during these difficult times:Suicide and Crisis Lifeline — dial 988 or visit www.988lifeline.org
Listening To: I recently finished Axiom’s End by Lindsay Ellis an excellent first contact novel with a conspiratorial/espionage twist. I’ve also been listening to Symphony of Lungs, the recording of Florence + the Machine at Sir Albert’s Hall. It’s an amazing reinterpretation of the songs with orchestral accompaniment. I saw Florence in person and that was easily one of the best concerts I’ve ever attended.
Currently Reading: The Madman’s Library: The Strangest Books, Manuscripts and Other Literary Curiosities From History by Edward Brooke-Hitching. This is a beautifully illustrated exploration of odd books from the ancient to the bizarre.
Current Obsession: Yeah, this should be pretty self-explanatory.
Dragon’s Roost Press News
As of this writing, 85% of those who backed the Arkham Institutions Kickstarter have returned their surveys. As soon as the last 10 backers reply will start fulfilling the rewards.
We have received auditions from nine different voice talents for the audiobook version of The Pleasure in Pain and are in the process of reviewing them.
We are pursuing some interesting projects for 2025 and have started making plans for next year’s appearances. Keep on eye on the Dragon’s in the Wild section for further updates.
Finally, our next in person event will be the Tales from the Cryptid Artisan Market this Friday, 8 November, at the Ypsilanti Freight House.
This Week’s Rambling: Persevere
It took multiple trips to the storage facility to put away the Halloween decorations.
During one of the first trips there, the driver in the car in front of me signaled that there was a speed trap coming up. I had already been notified by the GPS (and I was going a reasonable speed for that stretch of highway), but I thought it was nice of them to let me know. For the next five minutes, the driver gave me multiple thumbs up. It finally dawned on me that they were showing their appreciation for my passenger — Hamish the 5’ tall skeleton who had been riding shot gun for most of the month. I waved and got a horn toot in response. I smiled for the rest of the day.
On one of the trips back, I was behind a truck flying two large flags. I was instantly in a bad mood. Around these parts, this usually signifies someone supporting the President Elect. I was already feeling pretty foul, having put away my “friends” for the season. The last thing I wanted to do was get stuck behind one of those people.
As I drove, I stared at the personalized license plate, but couldn’t quite figure it out. I pushed it out of my head and tried to focus on the audiobook that was playing.
Eventually the freeway split off and I went one way and the driver of the pick up went the other. We were briefly alongside each other, at which point I noticed that the flags in question were actually from the Satanic Temple and a local band. It was then that it clicked that the license in question was an abbreviated form of the word “metalhead.”
The point to these stories? I have no idea. They were just things that made me smile. For a brief moment I felt connected to these strangers. I wasn’t alone.
And neither are you.
Stay strong.