This is Eat/Breathe/Sleep Stories, a newsletter about Writing, Cooking, and Film News.
So this is my first Substack. There’s a growing community of people starting these in the wake of Twitter’s acquisition, so while I’ve been posting on my blog and Patreon, I’m going to start a more creativity/joy focused newsletter here that keeps people up to date on my film and book projects, story news, creativity process talks, and for paid subscribers there will be interviews and videos from my film and book projects.
Mostly, I’m just excited to continue to connect with people who are no longer going to be on Twitter, but who have been part of the art community there for so long. I’ll be on Twitter as long as I can be, but I’m here now too (and trying to recover access to my dormant Tumblr account since apparently, it’s 2009 again—economic distress, Tumblr’s the place to be, and David Tennant’s the Doctor again—who knew.*)
*Not an intentional pun, but I’m going to leave it because again, if you’re here, you should accept the occasional pun as part of the cheesy magic that is me.
So let’s get down to it.
What am I reading this week?
I’m currently on the last book of The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells, although I just picked up N.K. Jemisin’s The World We Make—a sequel to The City We Became which, like all Jemisin’s writing, just absolutely blew me away. I can’t wait to dive into it. Her prose constantly excites to not only write, but to dream. Here’s an interview she gave Rolling Stone about the new book. I’m slowly making my way through Ocean Vuong’s Time is a Mother—I almost never read poetry fast. I prefer to sit with poems I love. In short fiction this week, I’m re-reading a story by K.C. Mead-Brewer that debuted in The Rumpus on Halloween. I was lucky enough to read this in a workshop we took together last year, and it’s even better to read a year later.
What am I watching?
When I’m doing web and graphic design work, I’m rewatching Only Murders in the Building on Hulu. It’s my go-to cozy show right now, and it’s also some of Steve Martin and Martin Short’s best comedic acting and that’s saying something. When I’m not working, Vasant and I are making our way through Primal on HBOMax, a breathtaking animated show from legend Genndy Tartakovsky that’s as precious about the bond between human and beast as it is violent. I’m also loving season two of Abbott Elementary (ABC), Reboot (Hulu), and Andor (Disney+) is redefining what Star Wars is capable of (and lovingly homaging so many things in Star Wars: Rebels).
What’s inspiring?
Early ballot returns. There are some encouraging results from early ballots being turned in that show increased voter participation this year, but you know the drill: don’t trust polls. Vote early. Vote out fascists.
What am I working on?
I am halfway through my fantasy novel and my revision of my literary novel is on deck as soon as I am done with that. I’m finishing a few essays and art pieces too, and slating two new film projects as well as a project with Clarion West that I’ll talk about in future letters. It’s a busy time and I’m already feeling pressured by the oncoming end of the year where I’ll get disregulated by too much sugar and not enough routine, but I love all of it.
First comment!! Yay! I really need to start only murders in the building. It’s been on my list to start for awhile!