Saturday, July 1, 2023

GET OUT OF JAIL FREE JULY 2023 UPDATES


My boss, hard at work



Greetings, all! I hope the sum, sum, summertime is finding you in good health, secure in whatever vocation you toil at, and that you are having fun out in the world or in air-conditioned comfort. It has been some time since I last wrote with some creative updates, and I have a few to share with you. 

Music 
Dark Prairie Atmospherics Collective Vol. 2 continues Slowly, oh so slowly, this is getting pieced together. I hope by Autumn we'll have some spooky sounds to accompany the season. 

Other Music News 
I may be putting something together this weekend for release later this month! 

Writing 
A Submission 
I have a submission I am pretty proud of sitting in the queue, I will know whether it cuts the mustard in a few months (probably more, the place I submitted to gets a lot of quality stuff). I think this has a better shot than other pieces I've lobbed at them due to the nature of the piece (something fictional but done as non-fiction if that makes sense.) I can't wait for people to read it whether it gets accepted or not. 
More writing 
There is a project I started in mid-May that I am working on that will be a short (maybe a dozen flash pieces) collection that uses music as the impetus. I am aiming to complete this by the end of the Summer, time permitting, with the aim of self-publishing it at the end of the year. 

Olde Wyathscope's Quarterly Concern 
 Year 1 has now been sent to all of the subscribers, and I couldn't be more pleased with the response this has gotten. I am truly indebted to Mat Fitzsimmons for his hard work and patience with me as we got this weird thing assembled, printed and sent. Sending them in the mail was truly a rewarding bit of business for me, and hearing from readers who got what I was going for was incredibly satisfying. And a huge thanks as well to Nick Vasi and Mike Cavagnaro who have been good friends and encouraging of the weirdness that I put out there. 
Issues from year 1 are available individually or bundled - if you want them, info is at http://oldewyathscope.blogspot.com (and if you're on this email list, I will cut you a deal) 
Year 2 is completely written and I want to share a little bit of what is in store for Year 2 
New voices I have managed to secure some pieces by other folks for Year 2, and I think readers will be happy to see some unfamiliar faces delivering some truly out there content! 
New features Some new features are coming which I am very excited by - Correspondence, Opinion pieces, Poetry features, and more! 
My plan for Year 2 is to go a different route with subscriptions and getting content out to people. I don't know what form this is going to take quite yet, and I won't make a final decision until the content is ready to go - but I am hopeful that what I have planned will net more readers while not costing those readers more money. 
I will also be striving for a balance between written content available electronically, while making available deluxe, illustrated, bespoke physical copies with content unique to those editions. 
Magic Rabbit Press works coming soon! 
Sooner rather than later, I hope to start putting up for sale copies of Frayed Black Ribbon and Tattered Yellow Knots and the Magic Rabbit Press Annual 1. When they are printed and in hand I will post purchasing info! 

 If you care to join my email list (where you get updates like this, with additional information and bonus content), drop me a line! 

Thank you for your support!

Monday, December 12, 2022

NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER NEWS AND FURTHER UPDATES

Greetings all! The year is hurtling towards its end, and I hope your Autumn has proved crisp and tart like a nice, pressed cider. Several updates, do let's not dally!


Music
Dark Prairie Atmospherics Vol.2 proceeding! The other musicians are providing their pieces, and I am going through what has started to come in. If you liked Vol. 1, I think you'll really dig Vol. 2! Hopefully looking at a late November/December release for this one!

We All Float on Diseased Seas out now! Got a lot of nice compliments and several plays on the new, nearly half an hour behemoth which you can get now at 

Soundscapes for a Mork Borg Novel! Once again I am teaming up with creative juggernaut John "Toothcracker" Baltisberger on a Kickstarter campaign (which is already doing GANGBUSTERS) for a new novella set in the Mork Borg universe. One of the stretch goals is an audiobook, for which I'll be providing soundscapes coming in and out of the chapters. Probably a little more dark ambient than the middle Eastern doom stuff I did for Morkabbeans, but should still be a very cool end product!


Writing
Live Action 10/28/2022 at PechaKucha Night C-U!
So a lot of my energy this month (some have said "Nicolas Cage energy") has gone into rehearsing for PechaKucha Night, which is a regularly occurring thing here in the corn belt. Presenters get 20 slides and 20 seconds per slide to present on either a topic shared by all, or just something you're passionate about. This edition was "Spooky Stories", so I naturally applied with a selection of excerpts from Olde Wyathscope's Quarterly Concern. It was accepted, and Friday October 28 was the event. I am very critical of my piece, but the audience seemed to dig it, and I even sold a copy of the Concern afterwards. Video of the event should be going up relatively soon (it's an entirely volunteer-run thing) and I'll probably include the links in the December newsletter. I don't know that I would do it again, but it was definitely an interesting and kind of fun event!

Olde Wyathscope as a perk! 
One of my favorite horror podcasts is The Lovecraft E-Zine Podcast, and they have a patreon page here
Mike Davis runs everything there and does a fantastic job of providing Patreons with quality bonus items. I reached out to him, and he agreed that Patreons at the $10 and up level will receive e-copies of Olde Wyathscope's Quarterly Concern! This exposure has already gotten me a couple of new subscribers (at the higher tier no less!) and I am really excited to be associated with the podcast. 

Interview and Review of Olde Wyathscope in Cauldron of Chaos!
P.J. Blakey-Novis, with whom I appeared in the Trigger Warning: Speaking Ill anthology from Madness Heart Press earlier this year, runs an awesome horror magazine called Cauldron of Chaos. Issue 2, released on 10/30 features an interview with me and a review of Olde Wyathscope! Very kind thanks to P.J. for his support and kind words. You can get a hard copy from Amazon, or an e-copy from Godless at these links:



Magic Rabbit Press news!
Creative wizard Mat Fitzsimmons is still hard at work at the first couple of releases from his boutique micro-press, Magic Rabbit Press. Start saving your coins for early 2023, and a couple of releases I am involved in.These will be very limited run and special. The first should come out in Q1, with stories by myself, Nick Vasi, and Mat Fitzsimmons. 
The second is slated for Q2 or Q3, and is a collection of stories and poems titled "Frayed Black Ribbon and Tattered Yellow Knots". Here are two very gracious blurbs I received:

"Beautiful, evocative, and downright creepy; the most poetic takes on cosmic horror I've ever seen." -- Christine Morgan, author of Lakehouse Infernal

"Matt Henshaw's Frayed Black Ribbon and Tattered Yellow Knots, perfectly paired with playfully grotesque Mat Fitzsimmons illustrations, points to the future of the Dark Poetic Weird." - Matthew M. Bartlett, author of Gateways to Abomination

This also has an introduction written by the great Douglas Ford! (Little Lugosi, The Beasts of Vissaria County).

When all is ready and the stars are right, I'll be sharing links to info on these excellent, unique, scarce, and terrifying releases!!

Other Activities
The Olde Wyathscope News Report!
The less said about this, the better, but more coming soon on this!!!


Thoughts on Social Media Usage, Screen Time, and Work
This seemed to be the best place to expound on these various topics not directly related to creative output for me, but which definitely impact it.
You may have noticed if you follow my social media outlets (FB, IG, Twitter) that I have been posting there less lately. Some of this has to do with the time of year - I typically post less around the holidays as November-January are typically "tough" months for me in terms of dealing with the world and our consumer-driven culture. I still enjoy sharing the creative output of others, but I find I don't post enough that the algorithm likes to "grab" onto to give it much in the way of visibility. As a result, I don't go on the pages as much, and therefore don't post as much. I am also relatively sure that no one outside of those who get my monthly emails really cares a whole lot about what I do, and I don't have the kind of self-esteem to think that reporting about my activities is valuable to anyone but my friends who I would already be sharing that stuff with anyways. And this isn't to say I won't be back doing the normal posting stuff, but for the time being it is a help to not be doing as much of the social media thing.

Another facet of social media'ing that I am learning is unhealthy for me is the amount of screen time. I work all day in front of the computer, and then I found myself scrolling on my phone for a lot of the evening. This was making it harder to fall asleep at night, and also taking away from time when I could be reading books written by or recommended by my friends. So after my trip to Rochester in November, I have started turning my phone off around dinner time. The improvement has been significant, and I really have been reading a lot more and being just generally more present, so I will be continuing this "fasting" for the foreseeable future. No email or message is so important that it can't wait until the next day, and I would just as soon keep up my reading pace and having a generally easier time going to sleep at night (even if I find myself awake for hours in the dark early morning hours).

And I am finding as I write this that it is ALL connected isn't it? My screen is where I write, where I scroll, but mostly where I work. This gets to the last and very lengthy point about my work. In 2015 I was hired by a local hospital as a report developer, and the job has been incredibly rewarding. In 2018 I moved to an even better fit in my department, more behind the scenes, and have excelled. Even as we all moved to remote work in March 2020, I thrived with the work at home lifestyle, and my last review reflected this. Alas, change is inevitable, and over the past few years the hospital has been looking for ways to shore up the budget. Much as happened to me in 2011, we were told at the end of November that our entire department was outsourced to a company in Utah. Even though the pieces were all there, this came as a major shock to the team. Fortunately, we are all moving to the Utah company, all remaining remote, and for the time being paid the same ("nothing will change" is the mantra given by VP folks). But, ah, things WILL change. We were given offer letters to decide upon by December 15 (two weeks). Having had a history with companies that contract their talent out to outside vendors, I was extremely dubious of the offer, and set about doing research and so on to see about opportunities to stay in the hospital I am in. I had one interview but the job would not be a good fit for me (help desk duties being chief among them) and had to decline. I also searched for other jobs, but not expecting a prompt response on those, I reluctantly signed the offer letter yesterday. 

I am, to be blunt, miserable about this, and am really skeptical of my future work opportunities at the new joint. Reports online from employees claim they are very happy there, but I take that with a huge grain of salt. Contract work is contract work, and contracts are broken all of the time. I am keeping one eye out for any other local job opportunities that can match my current pay and provide more stability. This is going to be my part-time work for some time now. I also am rather angry about this.

These kinds of things are not things I would care to share on Social Media, and even am dubious of sharing here, but this is an outlet that I think I can talk about this (even while not naming names of orgs, people, etc.) Needless to say, this has also been a factor in curtailing my screen time and social media presence. \

All of this to say, between job stress, and the time of the year, I am not exactly thrilled to talk about myself very much with anyone except in one on one conversations with close friends. If we haven't talked yet, it is no reflection on our relationship. It is exhausting going through everything, and I have it in my head that outside of professional therapeutic talk sessions, it doesn't do any good to wallow in the misery and stress. I don't believe for me that sharing the stressful stuff helps me to bear the burden any easier. It still comes to me to be responsible, to act in the interest of my household, and to either direct my negative energy towards creative output or stack it on my pile of negativity that will inevitably drive me to an early grave. 

There is also a lot on the job front I don't know, and it is not to say that I don't reserve some hope this might be a good thing for me. It certainly may afford me the opportunity to reserve more creative time for myself than another job might allow for. The benefits at the new place are a bit better than the current place. Most importantly, I have a job. I am reminded in "American Splendor" of the scene where Harvey Pekar wakes up from a nightmare saying "I got a job", and how much I identify with that sentiment. I don't know what I would do without a job, I don't see myself ever retiring in a real way, and I am definitely in the final quarter of what I expect to live out. These are realities I accept, and not depressing things for me.

If you've read this far, please don't take this as me living in a hell of depression, anxiety, and stress. My wife and I laugh every day about nonsense, and I can still be creative. I still have a job. I will have a job for the foreseeable future. Things tend to get better even with dips in the road. I will be fine. I care, everyone cares, and I sincerely hope you have less on your plate than I do. Soon my plate will clear up, and stability will be reached. I hope you'll be with me to celebrate when things are good in the future-I know they will be too.

Thanks for reading, and happy rest of 2022, and beginning of 2023.

Thursday, October 6, 2022

OCTOBER 2022 NEWS AND UPDATES

 

Cover image for We All Float in Diseased Seas

October News and Updates (note that if you get my newsletter, you get Bonus stuff not in this post! Shoot me an email if you want to be added to the list!)


Greetings for the spooky season my friends, and I hope this finds you healthy and thriving. I apologize for this being about a week late, but there is a reason for that, which I'll get into below. So let's get to it!!


Music:

We All Float on Diseased Seas drops tomorrow Bandcamp Friday!
New solo release (been a while since I have had one of those!) for Bandcamp Friday! This is a single track, mostly guitar with some sprinkles of Rhodes EP MIDI in the mix. Dark ambient, great for the background. Play it loud! Stream for free starting tomorrow or only 4 bucks to download: https://pentamethdemon.bandcamp.com/album/we-all-float-on-diseased-seas Feel free to share with others as you see fit! Recorded in the last 24 hours, so this is very fresh and the main reason for the delay in sending this out!

Dark Prairie Atmospherics Collective Vol. 2 continues
Coming hopefully soon, the other collaborators are hard at work on their contributions-hoping for a November/December drop. Stay tuned to the Pentameth Bandcamp page

Other Music News
Still aiming to get the other ambient deathy thing worked on before the end of the year.


Writing:
ABCs of Terror Vol. 4 Out Now from D&T Publishing
The editor of this email regrets the error in the title - ABCs of Terror Vol. 4 is out now on Amazon and Godless! Links below and this contains my story "L is for The Lacrimosas"

E-book via Godless https://godless.com/products/abc-s-of-terror-volume-iv-edited-by-dawn-shea
Amazon for physical https://www.amazon.com/ABCs-Terror-IV-D-Publishing/dp/B0BFTMJHYB/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=abcs+of+terror+volume+4&qid=1665076796&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIwLjAwIiwicXNhIjoiMC4wMCIsInFzcCI6IjAuMDAifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=ABCs+of+Terrr%2Caps%2C236&sr=8-1

Other things in the works
Still working hard on Year 2 of the Concern - currently about 3000 words into a supplemental story (novella?) for the Emporium Crepuscular cycle. Moving in modes erotic and very weird, I am hoping to execute a bit of a trick with this one which will leave the reader shook!
In 2023, there are a couple of releases from a new press - these will be very limited run and special. The first should come out in Q1, with stories by myself, Nick Vasi, and Mat Fitzsimmons. Just want to whet the appetite and look for more on this soon.
The second is slated for Q2 or Q3, and is a collection of stories and poems titled "Frayed Black Ribbon and Tattered Yellow Knots". Here are two very gracious blurbs I received:

"Beautiful, evocative, and downright creepy; the most poetic takes on cosmic horror I've ever seen." -- Christine Morgan, author of Lakehouse Infernal

"Matt Henshaw's Frayed Black Ribbon and Tattered Yellow Knots, perfectly paired with playfully grotesque Mat Fitzsimmons illustrations, points to the future of the Dark Poetic Weird." - Matthew M. Bartlett, author of Gateways to Abomination

This also has an introduction written by the great Douglas Ford! (Little Lugosi, The Beasts of Vissaria County)

More to definitely come on this!

Other Activities
A LIVE Performance of Selected Items from Olde Wyathscope's Quarterly Concern!!

Yes, this is a true thing that is happening, and the other reason for this getting a slight delay. I will be performing selections from the Concern at Pecha Kucha Night on Friday October 28 at 7PM at Broadway Food Hall in Urbana, IL. The presentation is 20 slides with 20 seconds per slide, and I got the thumbs up from the coordinators of the event last night. This is going to be CRAZY, especially knowing some of the other presentations. The event will be recorded for posterity and uploaded to YouTube - watch the crickets chirp, the audience lose their minds, and me dragged off stage covered in blood and viscera (my own) I am hopeful that this will raise awareness of the Concern to another level, and maybe even an opportunity to talk about the project in interviews....speaking of which...

Interview and review forthcoming on Red Cape Publishing!

Peter over at redcapepublishing.com sent me an interview form and will be reviewing the Concern later this month. Follow Red Cape Publishing for more on when this will drop. A lot of fun doing this, and always open to doing more of these things!!

Friday, September 2, 2022

SEPTEMBER 2022 NEWS AND UPDATES

 

Illustration by Mat Fitzsimmons for an upcoming project in late 2023

How did I forget to post something in August? Because I have been busy! Here are the updates for September!

Music:

Soundtrack to Morkkabeans! Back in July, John Baltisberger (Madness Heart Press) approached me about creating a soundtrack to a game he was developing for Kickstarter called Morkkabeans! The project funded quite spectacularly, and as a result, the soundtrack was made and will be released to backers of the Kickstarter! The direction I was given was Middle Eastern Doom, and I played a little with that, drawing on sounds like those created by Zaum and Om, but also delving into more drone-like sounds, brutal power electronics/grindcore, and the cavernous sounds of Khanate. What resulted was about 50 minutes of music that I think will enhance gameplay and rewards listening on its own. 

Dark Prairie Atomspherics Collective Vol. 2 recording/production underway!
I am beginning to produce files for the other collaborators of the DPAC (I will reveal them when we get closer to release), and excited by what they are going to bring to the table. There will be three of us working on it this time, so that will be awesome! As with the last time, each collaborator will include a unique bonus track with purchases from their individual bandcamps. I am hopeful this will see release in either October or November.

Other Music News
There is a piece I am working on that will be a single track, long-form release in the coming weeks. 

Writing

ABC's of Horror Vol. 4 from D&T Publishing out in September!
I am delighted to announce that I have a story in this anthology coming out next month in physical and e-versions from D&T Publishing! 25 other authors worked on a theme around "neighbors" for this collection, and I am certain it will be phenomenal. My story, "L is for The Lacrimosas", will definitely be unique, not just for my approach but for the content. I am hopeful others will enjoy it. Cover reveal and links to purchase will be shared when I am given the go-ahead.

Nafallen University Course Catalog enters a seminary library!
I was tickled to learn from a friend that the seminary they work at in town will be adding the Course Catalog to their collection (and I'll be going in to sign and stamp it of course)! It has been great hearing positive responses to the catalog. Additionally, I have surreptitiously added a copy to a local sidewalk "library" in an effort to spread its insidious word around town. You can acquire your copy from http://getbook.at/NUCC2022

Awards season
As we enter the last few months of the year, I will be working on verifications for the Stoker awards. There are other awards focused on horror and speculative fiction as well, and if you think my work rises to the level of consideration, I would be delighted to be recognized/nominated! Let me know if there are awards you think I should know about, and I can follow up!

Other things in the works
I had some work items take away from creative writing energy in the last 6 or so weeks, but I am slowly coming back to it. There are some upcoming releases from Magic Rabbit Press that I will let you know more about when the stars are right (not too far off!), as well as ongoing work on Olde Wyathscope's Quarterly Concern (well into Annum 2 writing, Issue 1 went out yesterday to subscribers!  I am very excited to hear what they think...) There are also some submissions I have out there which I hope to hear back on soon!


Other
Podcasts and Interviews- I've been in touch with a couple of folks about potential podcast appearances and interviews - I am always happy to talk with people about my creative projects, and if you know someone who would like to talk with me, please feel free to make the connection! Zoom is always best and I have the account to allow me to talk for as long as they care to!



Well Wishes: I want to close by again expressing your support for my creative work. I want to encourage you to create and put your work out there-do not be discouraged if it struggles to find an audience or you get rejected. We all face these challenges. You will overcome them. Let your loved ones know you love them, because tomorrow is not guaranteed to any of us. Boost the signal for creators you enjoy - when one of us wins we all win.

Friday, July 1, 2022

JULY 2022 NEWS AND UPDATES PLUS FIRST HALF OF 2022 OVERVIEW

(Edited from my first newsletter which contains even more goodies-write me if you want to get in on it!)

Good morning/afternoon/evening for whenever you get to read this!


Old but not bad picture

Thanks for being interested in/supporting my creative endeavors! 

The first half of 2022 has seen (for me) a tremendous amount of output in a variety of outlets. The Year of Collaboration has borne more fruit than I could have imagined, with more on the way in the months to come.

Out now
Music:
Dark Prairie Atmospheric Collective Vol. 1 - Midatlantic Lustset is available for download from pentamethdemon.bandcamp.com. This is a mainly ambient but at times noisy collaboration I did with Professor Ping (aka ZeKeith McKinney of Urbana, IL who lives a couple blocks from me). We traded files, manipulated, remixed, and combined our individual approaches into something cool and unique. Always free to stream, and the download is reasonably priced at 5 dollars for over an hour of music. Please share with others that you think will dig it, and be on the lookout for a Vol. 2 later this year!

Writing:
The Nafallen University Course Catalog 2022-2023 (Madness Heart Press)
http://getbook.at/NUCC2022
I am full of glee at the response this has gotten! The vision I had for this was flawlessly executed by the over 30 contributing authors, and I believe it is like nothing else out there. I did write about half of the content myself, but honestly getting listed as Editor was a huge honor, and I felt weird about including those credits in my "bio" at the end. By the way, the email in the back is totally a working thing - people who write to it may get a little surprise in their inbox. Physical copies from Amazon are available now, and also as John (the publishing editor and head honcho at Madness Heart Press) is also stocking these at his tables at various conventions over the summer. ALSO - this will be released as an e-book on July 26 (a day before my birthday!) on Godless.com for those who prefer e-books. If you have read it, please consider leaving reviews at Amazon and Goodreads as they will help raise awareness about it and the other entry in the Madness Heart Life series (the Madness Heart Press Employee Handbook, which I had nothing to do with but love almost as much as the Catalog). There will also be an announcement about a contest associated with the series when the e-books drop on the 26th, so stay tuned for more on this!

Cosmic Horror Monthly July 2022 Issue (Cosmic Horror Monthly)
My micro piece, "The Creak of Sunrise", was included in this issue, along with the first part of The Yellow King by Robert Chambers! Very delighted and honored to be in this magazine. If you enjoy my piece in here, there is more that will be of a similar tone coming out in the not too distant future.

Bear Creek Gazette Issue 10, July 10 (Bear Creek Press)
One of my longer pieces, "Kind and Hobscroll's Sporting Day Out", is included in this issue. It is straight up bizarro, and very, very strange. Very excited to be in this collection! 

SOON
These are some items coming up that I hope you'll be as excited about as I am


Writing:
Olde Wyathscope's Quarterly Concern Issue 1 shipping in September!
The first 4 issues are in hand and Issue 1 will ship to subscribers and purchasers in September. Info on purchasing can be found at the link below. This is me and Mat Fitzsimmons putting something really indie and homemade out. The response from folks who I sent issue 1 (and more) to has been enthusiastic. This is in the form of an alamanac, with weather reports, trivia, predictions, and more. I have written half of the second year already, and it gets even stranger. I am really pleased with this, and it has helped me become a better writer and artist (I have done some actual art for these, but most of it is Fitz!) If you liked it, please help boost the signal so I can cover printing and shipping costs (full transparency, I have put around 1000 dollars into this so far). 
If you would like a PDF of Issue 1, I am happy to send you one-just let me know and as always, if you like it please share it!

ABCs of Horror (September 2022, D & T Publishing)
My story "L is for The Lacrimosas" will be included in this anthology out in September. I am almost certain no other story will be like this one in terms of form and content. I am really pleased with how this came out.

If you know of any podcasts or other interview outlets that might be a good platform to talk about my creative output, I would be delighted to take the time. 

Remember, when one wins, we all win! Tell me about your stuff, and I will check it out and boost your signal.

Here are a ton of links!!!

http://www.cosmichorrormonthly.com Cosmic Horror Monthly
http://getbook.at/NUCC2022 Nafallen University Course Catalog
http://oldewyathscope.blogspot.com Olde Wyathscope's Quarterly Concern
http://pentamethdemon.bandcamp.com Music by Me
http://bearcreekgazette.com Bear Creek Gazette
https://wxxt-gare-occult.square.site/the-wxxt-program-guide Matthew M. Bartlett's WXXT Program Guide/Devil's Radio
http://getbook.at/TW3 Trigger Warning: Speaking Ill (contains my story "Khilljoy Memorial Home"
https://godless.com/products/matt-henshaw?_pos=3&_sid=6c47538fc&_ss=r Self published stories by me on Godless - 50 cents each - Three Family Portraits and Merry and Bright

Thursday, June 2, 2022

NAFALLEN UNIVERSITY COURSE CATALOG 2022-2023 IS UP FOR SALE NOW - Notes and Acknowledgments


GET IT ON AMAZON NOW http://getbook.at/NUCC2022



 

Notes and Acknowledgments for the Nafallen University Course Catalog

I would not have thought a year ago that my idea for an evil college course catalog would have been anything more than another weird idea I had that would at most be a writing project for myself. Somehow though, this book is now a real thing, and I couldn’t be more excited to have others read it and hopefully get some enjoyment out of it. Even better, it’s been wonderful to work with a bevy of talented people to have this come into fruition.

I have not seen acknowledgments really done in an anthology before, probably because it would get very long to have all the contributors share their thoughts and thanks. But I would be remiss not to account for everyone that had a hand, seen and unseen, in making this project happen. This on its own will be a little lengthy but I hope you’ll give it some time and attention, and give attention and support to all of those mentioned. When one wins we all win, and this is most certainly a win I want to see ripple forward. I apologize if I’ve excluded anyone from this list, there are truly a lot of people to thank-and please know your support and encouragement means a lot to me, and I wish you all success, peace, health, and love.

 

Thanks to my wife Jennifer, and our cat Rumi, who help me stay grounded and give me a loving base to be able to work from.

Thanks to my parents, who probably won’t read this, but raised me to embrace my imagination and to be creative and silly.

The idea for this project was born from a walk where I was listening to an interview with Matthew M. Bartlett talking about his phenomenal chapbook series, the WXXT Program Guide. I started thinking about what kind of universe I could create that might mimic what he is doing with that series (and his writing in general is a large inspiration to me). Matt was an enthusiastic supporter of the idea, and over the months has proven time and again how wonderful people in the independent horror community are to one another. I am proud to call Matt a friend, and even prouder to have done a little playing in the WXXT-verse myself.

John Baltisberger is the head of Madness Heart Press which put this book out. In the midst of his own prodigious and excellent output, and running a small press, and just life in general, John has been a joy to work with and is committed to supporting his writers. He took a risk on an unknown weirdo with a crazy idea, and I hope this reinforces his belief that there is a necessary place in this world for weird horror stuff. I can’t believe how fast he made all of this happen-I’m still pretty blown away by it! I look forward to working more with John in the future.

A critical part of Madness Heart Press is Charles Bernard, who has been a great supporter of mine and a hell of a writer in his own right. Thank you for all you do for the Press and for your friendship!!

The entire roster of Madness Heart Press is so supportive of one another and are all doing phenomenal work deserving your attention. Christine Morgan, Susan Snyder, Jay Wilburn, Lucas Mangum, Ben Arzate, Maxwell Bauman, and many more. Do yourself a favor and pick up ANYTHING from madnessheart.press and you’ll have a fantastic reading experience.

Madness Heart Press is one of several small presses out there putting phenomenal work out. Had I gone through the usual channels for pitching something, two I definitely would have gotten a hold of were Silent Motorist Media and Nightscape Press, run by two of the kindest folks I have met in the community. Justin Burnett runs Silent Motorist Media, and has been incredibly generous with his time and thoughts. Dream Wilson runs Nightscape Press, and has also been a really wonderful person to talk to and get to know. Please consider supporting them and their work!

Jon Padgett is a writer of formidable talent, another strong influence on my writing, a very nice guy who also runs Grimscribe Press. His passion for putting quality work into the world of the weird and the horrible has been an influence on my editing for this project.

Mike Davis runs Lovecraft E-Zine (the press and podcast) and has introduced me to many writers I hadn’t known previously. He is a very nice man who does great work championing the indie horror community.

An anthology would be naught without the talent contributing to it. For every author who wrote something for this, THANK YOU for making it more awesome than I could have hoped for. I encourage you, reader, to seek out other work by these amazing authors and give them your support and encouragement.

One of my creative partners going back to the school bus is Michael Cavagnaro. In addition to being my longest and one of my best friends, this guy has writing talent to stun and shock you. I am hopeful to introduce you to his work in the near future.

Another more recent creative partner here in Illinois is Nick Vasi. His encouragement for this idea has truly made me feel like this earns a spot on your bookshelf. He is also quite the writer, and I’ll be excited to give him a platform for his creative output in the near future.

I met Mat Fitzsimmons through Matt Bartlett, and together we have created something truly awesome with Olde Wyathscope’s Quarterly Concern-a very strange, horrible, and weird almanac. His creativity and support fuel me, and if you like the Course Catalog, I think you’ll really like what we have cooked up. We also have a few other irons in the fire that we’ll look forward to revealing to you in the months to come.

Farah Rose and Michael Cisco are two awesome people who have also influenced me as well as being supportive of my work. I am grateful to count you among my friends.

Through Farah, I met Leah Bond who graciously interviewed me (with Matt Bartlett!) for her podcast. Thank you for boosting my signal and being a wonderful host.

Daniel Braum ran several very entertaining weird reading events last year over Zoom which featured several of my favorite writers as well as authors new to me. He is a terrific guy and writer. Check him out.

Brian Evenson is another writer who influenced me greatly, especially with his talent for the super short and disturbing writing as well as injections of the surreal and absurd.

Drew Stepek, Christina Pfeiffer, Marian Elaine, and all the authors and talent associated with Godless.com have been phenomenal to me and supportive in my creative endeavors. Truly too many to name, but my thanks is deep and wide to you.

I have several friends who I incorporated into the catalog – you’ll know who you are and please consider it a little tribute to what you mean to me and my unending gratitude for being in my life.

If you have given me a creative platform in the last couple of years, you don’t know how much it means to me to have my creative output validated and shared. Thank you very much!

If you’re an author who has even said thank you to a message from me, your time, effort, and talent mean a lot to me and have helped fuel my own creativity. Thank you very much!

If you’ve listened to my music and dug it and shared it, or we’ve collaborated on something together, you mean a lot to me, and thank you very much!

If you’ve read my writing, thank you very much!!

If this lengthy document doesn’t call you out by name, but you’re reading it, you mean a lot to me! Thank you very much!

If you are a creative person, and want to work together, if you don’t ask you don’t get, and I would love to connect and talk about ideas for things to do together. Together, when one wins, we all win. Let’s put something awesome out in the world that we can be proud of.

I love you.

Matt

 

 

Wednesday, June 1, 2022

JUNE 2022 Updates and News!!

 


GET IT NOW http://getbook.at/NUCC2022

Welcome to this June update on writing and music!! As always, I appreciate your interest and support!!

Writing:
The big news is that the Nafallen University 2022-2023 Course Catalog is for sale!! http://getbook.at/NUCC2022 !!! Huge thanks to John Baltisberger for editing and cover/content assistance, and Lori Michelle of theauthorsalley.com for the great layout work. When available I am also going to post an acknowledgments on this site as well since so many wonderful folks had a hand in the creation of this unique book!! I truly can't wait for you all to crack this open!

From the back cover:

Established in 1613 by academic and occult pioneer, as well as failed vintner, Fenrick Oglebutt, through trans-chronological phallacies and a lust for knowledge, Nafallen University has become one of the foremost centers of learning on all matters from the mundane to the mythic.

 

Located in beautifully desiccated Crisp, Texas, Nafallen University is dedicated to bringing its students the best in education, career opportunities, and fulfilling student lives from any university in current existence.

 

Nafallen University offers a hands-on and practical approach to education, with in-person, virtual, and astral courses offered at all levels of degree tracks.

 

Within this tome, enterprising students who wish to expand their minds and power will find courses offered for the current semester. Course descriptions are provided by the professors themselves, ensuring and honest appraisal of the material.


In other news, Olde Wyathscope's Quarterly Concern issues and subscriptions are LIVE! I am still waiting for some of the bonus items, but all 4 main issues for year 1 are complete and printed. Schedule to send this out is September, December, March, and June. Issue 5 is written, Issue 6 is in progress. More bonus content for Year 2 has been written, and you're going to be in for a treat!! Head over to oldewyathscope.blogspot.com for ordering info!!

There are a couple of additional writing projects I am working on with Mat Fitzsimmons which are still taking shape, but which will prove to be excellent I am sure!

I will have a story in the upcoming ABCs of Horror Vol 4 from D&T Publishing later this year - "L for The Lacrimosas" is my story, and I am currently outlining it to have written by the end of the month! A lot of other excellent writers are included, and it is a joy to share the TOC with them! More info on this to come!

My micro-fiction piece "The Creak of Sunrise" is slated to appear in Cosmic Horror Monthly next month!! Very excited to be a part of this publication and will share more info when the TOC is revealed!

I am also hoping to submit again to Grimscribe Press - there is an idea I have but I need to determine how feasible it is for me to accomplish it...

Lastly, I am excited to share that I have some content included in the Devil's Radio issues for April and May (and possibly beyond!) - head over to matthewmbartlett.com for info on subscribing to the chapbook series - well worth it!!

I'll put some links at the end of the post for all the places you can find my writing!


Music

Ideas for future releases continue to percolate. Stay tuned!


Links:

Music: Best place is pentamethdemon.bandcamp.com

Writing:

Three Family Portraits (extreme horror): 

https://godless.com/products/three-family-portraits-by-matt-henshaw?_pos=2&_sid=17ad90bc5&_ss=r


Merry and Bright (extreme horror-not just for the holidays!)

https://godless.com/products/merry-and-bright-by-matt-henshaw?_pos=1&_sid=17ad90bc5&_ss=r


Trigger Warning: Speaking Ill (extreme horror-contains my story 'Khilljoy Memorial Home')

https://godless.com/products/trigger-warning-speaking-ill?_pos=1&_sid=5c7532aea&_ss=r

or

https://www.amazon.com/Trigger-Warning-Speaking-John-Baltisberger/dp/1955745102/ref=sr_1_1?crid=8BDMCHO7PNE4&keywords=trigger+warning+speaking+ill&qid=1654097835&sprefix=trigger+warning+speaking+ill%2Caps%2C157&sr=8-1

or

Contact me for a hard copy, signed or Hartfield Books in Monticello for hard copies!!


www.cosmichorrormonthly.com for Cosmic Horror Monthly (consider becoming a Patreon or funding their Kickstarter!_


www.dandtpubslishing.com D&T Publishing


www.madnessheart.press Madness Heart Press 


oldewyathscope.blogspot.com Olde Wyathscope's Quarterly Concern



Thursday, May 19, 2022

MAY 2022 NEWS AND UPDATES

 



Thanks for coming by the blog for some recent updates on creative projects!

Olde Wyathscope's Quarterly Concern Annum 1 sales have begun!! I now have all four issues back from the printer (see below) and have updated http://oldewyathscope.blogspot.com with purchase information!




Olde Wyathscope has been getting some positive attention from other readers!! Rebecca Rowland posted the following on IG: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cc6CmRwPdfu/

Christine Morgan (Trench Mouth, Lakehouse Infernal) also provided a nice write up here: https://christinemariemorgan.wordpress.com/2022/05/19/quickie-corner-may-2002/?fbclid=IwAR1T_HnaJwg8CWZo-Ect77dGwKr8RY202Gj6NLMVoe2NlwHLayvTp5cy0oA

Issue 1 will ship out in September!! Please contact me if you are interested in a review copy (PDF).

Other writing news!!

I am delighted and thrilled to announce that a microfiction piece I wrote, "The Creak of Sunrise" will be appearing in the July 2022 issue of Cosmic Horror Monthly! They are currently doing a Kickstarter that is worth backing if you are able-they've already hit their goal but can always use more! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/crtyra/cosmic-horror-monthly-2022?ref=user_menu

I am also pleased as punch to be a part of Volume 4 of D&T Publishing's ABCs of Horror. "L for The Lacrimosas" is currently under drafting, and the anthology should be coming out this Autumn, all things going to plan. D&T is another of the fine small publishers out there that really value their writers, and I am sharing the TOC with some formidible talent!

Another letter (the first in a potential series of contributions) was printed in the April issue of Devil's Radio, Matthew M. Bartlett's monthly chapbook series. I always am happy for the chance to "play" in the WXXT-verse, and am hopeful you'll see what else I have submitted in the months to come. Head over to http://www.matthewmbartlett.com and purchase any and all of his wares!!

Otherwise with writing, there is still Annum 2 writing for the Concern ongoing, I would love to have Annum 2 done by Summertime, and if we get enough subscriptions I can begin to look into adding other contributors for year 2 and beyond!

The last bit of writing related news is I may be one of the author's featured in an upcoming article about writers and the pandemic by Jay Wilburn! Look for links in my social feeds when the time comes.

Music is a little bit on the backburner, but ideas are coalescing and I am aiming to get some more base tracks recorded for a collaboration I will be very excited to share more about. This will be atmospheric black metal adjacent, and (hopefully) utilizing some sounds from Africa and Asia in the mix! Once that is done, then there is a secret project that may end up seeing the light of day later this year, and perhaps another volume of the Dark Prairie Atmospheric Collective by year's end!

As always, your support and encouragement mean a lot to me. Thank you very much until next time!!



Wednesday, April 20, 2022

Legends of Tabletop Podcast Interview with Leah Bond and Matthew M. Bartlett

 I recently did a podcast with Matthew M. Bartlett for the Legends of Tabletop, and it was a lot of fun! I talked about the Nafallen University Course Catalog and Olde Wyathscope's Quarterly Concern. Listen to the podcast here or in your favorite podcast app!


https://legendsoftabletop.com/?p=5787



Friday, April 8, 2022

APRIL UPDATES AND MUSINGS

 



Hi everyone, and thanks for checking this lengthy update and musing post out!


Here are some updates on the creative front, followed by some thoughts about some current life stuff.


Creative front:

Music:
New music is coming on a couple of different fronts that I can't say a lot about. One of the projects is in collaboration with a writer I greatly admire which has the tentative title of "Crow Sorcery". This will likely be 3-4 lengthy tracks (over 10 minutes) spanning genres from black drone atmospherics to strings and rhtythms remiscent of African drum and kora melodies. It should prove to be pretty wild, but will take some time and care to craft it into what I am hearing in my head. Plus I want to give the writer time to craft something he is happy with, and of course, we both need to be happy with it before it arrives in your earholes. Stay tuned for more on this in the coming months!

Still holding on some other music release news for a couple of other projects-again, stay tuned.


In the meantime, The Dark Prairie Atmospheric Collective Vol 1. - MIDATLANTIC LUSTSET is available from last month, and I have gotten some very kind feedback on it! Pick it up here, along with my other work: https://pentamethdemon.bandcamp.com


Writing:

Nafallen University Course Catalog: The catalog is on its way to layout! Thank you so much to all who have contributed to this becoming a reality. I think it is really something special, and I am proud to have my name associated with it! I think a little over half of the content is mine, but it wouldn't be as strong without all of the other authors who contributed to it. When I have a drop date from the publisher you will be sure to hear about it!


Olde Wyathscope's Quarterly Concern: You can see your old pal up at the top of this post, and I am delighted to report Issues 1 and 2 are back from the printer, and they look pretty damn awesome! Issue 3 is being printed now, and  issue 4 will likely be wrapped by May 1. This is way ahead of my schedule, which means that I will shortly be able to announce sales for issues and subscriptions! There is another blog for that at https://oldewyathscope.blogspot.com which right now has very little, but will have much more in the weeks to come! 

What is Olde Wyathscope's Quarterly Concern? It is an almanac of the weird, surreal, silly, and horrifying by myself and Mat Fitzsimmons (WXXT Program Guide). There are weather reports, horoscopes, advice, fiction, and much more! Four issues per year, each anywhere from 38-44 pages, festooned with art!


Other projects: These, for now, are mere hints at what is to come. There are some submissions I have outstanding, with one potential sale looming. There are a couple of projects with Mat Fitzsimmons that are brewing but probably won't come to completion this year. And other drips and drabs here and there. I am also going to be on a Zoom call to become a YouTube clip in conversation with one of my favorite authors - I will post that link when it becomes available!


Now for the Personal:

I mention these things because they are personal accomplishments I have a little pride about, and that I want to share with you reading this. It is not meant as a brag; rather, as hopefully inspirational for you (as in, if Henshaw can do this, maybe I can too about something I want to attempt). In that spirit:


I am proud today because it has been one month since I have eaten any meat. My wife is a vegetarian, and while she has never pushed me towards it, it has always been something I admire about her. It is not easy to be vegetarian when we have options for all kinds of food, and especially raised as an omnivore. There have been brief spurts of Meatless weeks and days over the last 13 years or so, but nothing has stuck for as long as this one. It turns out today there are actually a lot of great non-meat options out there to substitute for, and all it took me was a little discipline to stick to it. To be honest, I had one bad day last month (the 8th of March) where I did eat a chicken tender breakfast sandwich. I didn't feel good about that after the fact, especially since part of my impetus for choosing a vegetarian diet is the animal cruelty thing. I feel great and actually have lost some good weight as a result. I am going to try to stick with it, and give myself grace when I will inevitably not make "the best choice" in alignment with my philosophical stances. And this is not to say I still don't eat like crap sometimes, I definitely do. But I am trying to be mindful, and for now that feels like a win for me.


I am also proud today because for the first time in over 2 years I went to the gym. Before the pandemic, I went to the gym at least 5-6 times a week for an hour at least. I was also on WW and seeing incredible results, down to my lowest weight since I was in college. The pandemic and stress around that and other circumstances had me returning to bad eating habits and a reduction in physical activity. I know I feel better when I do regularly exercise, and after weighing the risks, I decided to re-up my gym membership. Today I did 5 miles on the bike and a 30 minute circuit. I'm exhausted, but I know this is what happens when you don't go to the gym on a regular basis. I am looking to change that, and between this and the vegetarian diet (along with smaller dinners for the most part), I feel like I can reset my health goals and get to where I was going a couple years ago (out of obesity, under 200 lbs). I have rewards set for myself when I hit them that I would be excited to "cash in" on but it will take more discipline and work.


Lastly, this is something I wrote when prepping the sales launch of Olde Wyathscope that I think wouldn't necessarily be appropriate to put on that site, but I will put it here because I want to be transparent when it comes to selling my wares-the same generally applies to all my creative output, so here it goes:


Transparent Miscellany of Potential Interest

Hi, I’m Matt Henshaw, and this post is where I tell you a little more about the genesis of this project [Olde Wyathscope's Quarterly Concern] and what has been involved with getting it off the ground!

My association with Mat (Fitz) Fitzsimmons came after a letter I wrote to Matthew M. Bartlett’s “WXXT Program Guide” got a wonderful illustration by Fitz. Matthew Bartlett gave me Fitz’s email and we hit it off well-this is why Matt Bartlett will be thanked in every issue. Fitz suggested we work on a project at some point, and in February 2022 I came up with the idea of doing a quarterly, limited run chapbook that would take the form of what I thought might be in an almanac. I quickly wrote a few sections and sent them to Fitz, who began firing back amazing illustrations. By the middle of March, four issues were written and almost all illustrated. I am currently on issue 6 as I write this in early April. It was my intention to start selling these when I had a year completely printed and ready to go (even though I will be sending them out on the schedule listed above). Everything has come together much more quickly than I expected it to, and exceeded my expectations in almost every way. As we worked through the “basic” issues, we also have been developing bonus content-namely, four shorter chapbooks printed by Fitz featuring our pseudonymous contributors. The issues, as well as these shorter super limited chapbooks, are not just full of silly, horrific, and weird written content, but they are works of bespoke art that I am proud to put my name to.

It has been an intense and rewarding exercise and lesson(s) in self-publishing, and I have been fortunate to have the help not just of Fitz, but a couple of other creative persons in terms of how to execute this (Nick Vasi and Mike Cavagnaro). Nick put me in touch with Dixon Printing here in Central IL who have produced limited runs of 60 for each issue. Both Nick and Mike have helped review the issues (and will have more contributions in Year 2!) for content. I’ve also sent issue 1 to some of the writers and friends I have made since starting this writing thing in earnest in 2021. My wife Jenny has also been incredibly patient and supportive throughout this process.

I am also very lucky to have a full-time job which allows me to work from home and to devote a reasonable amount of outside-of-work time and money to this endeavor. Throughout, I have struggled with a fair price to charge for this that will allow me to at least make back the investment, and have extra left over for expenses and compensation for contributors. Here is roughly how it breaks down:

A run of 60 print issues runs me about $210-$230, depending on the length of the issue, so about $900 for the year.

First class shipping of an issue is $1.71 – this will be a little more for the bonus issues and other ephemera.

Then I’ve also spent about $40 on an embosser, stamps, and pads and other items like test prints.

All of this to say, if we end up with sales of $1000 off of this in a year, we’ll have broken even! And that would frankly be amazing to me, since I am new (and admittedly not excellent) at marketing and “the business” of publishing.

What I can commit to is this though; anything above and beyond breaking even goes back into the Concern, in the form of enhanced artwork in Year 2, paying a fair rate to contributors in Year 2, and having this go into Year 3, 4, and possibly 5. Fitz and I have already been talking as well about compiled versions of the years as print-on-demand paperbacks and e-books, and if it proves somewhat popular, there are some small presses I would be delighted to have publish these as well.

So, big plans, but they all start with a small step, and sincerely, thank you so much for giving this your time and attention, and I am very excited for you to check this work out and enjoy it for the foreseeable future!

If this project is entertaining to you, the best thing you can do is share it in your social media feeds and with other friends you meet out in the world. Word of mouth is how this will really gain traction and get attention! One thing I have learned in the weird/horror community is when one of succeeds, we ALL succeed, and that means supporting one another and boosting signals within and outside of our circles. 





Wednesday, March 2, 2022

MUSIC: OUT MARCH 4 - DARK PRAIRIE ATMOSPHERIC COLLECTIVE VOL 1. MIDATLANTIC LUSTSET - PRE-ORDER NOW


Out Friday 3/4 - Pre-order now on https://pentamethdemon.bandcamp.com/album/volume-1-midatlantic-lustset


This collaborative release is the first of, I hope, several this year under the Dark Prairie Atmospheric Collective handle. It was a lot of fun putting this together, and contains a couple of startling vocal elements by myself.


From the Bandcamp Page:


About Dark Prairie Atmospheric Collective


The Dark Prairie Atmospheric Collective serves to bring together musicians operating in experimental modes to collaborate and create sums greater than the whole of their parts. Please contact the artist whom you have found this release under for more information and potential collaborative opportunities. WE ARE ALL IN THE DARK PRAIRIE.


About Vol. 1 - Midatlantic Lustset

This inaugaral entry in the series sees two artists from Urbana, IL in collaboration for the first time-Professor Ping and Matt Henshaw. Drones, noise, silence, spoken word, harsh vokills, and more are at play in these pieces. Suitable for writing strange words, dance rituals with fellow ghouls, or accompanying meditative practices during insomnia.


Purchase of a download includes an exclusive bonus track from the artist you are purchasing from.


Please visit my collaborator at https://zekeithmcfisto.bandcamp.com/ for more excellent music.


During the month of March 2022, all artist proceeds of sales of Midatlantic Lustset will be donated to a GoFundMe fundraiser in support of surgery recovery for a local creative talent. If you choose to stream this release for free, please consider donating directly to the GoFundMe here: https://gofund.me/f93ef7d8


Special thanks to ZeKeith for his involvement, support, and excellent work on this effort.


Thanks to J. Henshaw and M. Cavagnaro as always for their support and encouragement.


 

Tuesday, March 1, 2022

MARCH 2022 UPDATES


Obligatory photo of Matt and Rumi

Happy March everyone! Hope you are safe and healthy wherever you are reading this from. Below are some updates on creative work in progress and coming soon!

MIDATLANTIC LUSTSET (March/April 2022, Bandcamp)
I am really excited to announce a collaborative release from myself and Professor Ping (Urbana, IL) which is nearly completed. The title is MIDATLANTIC LUSTSET and combines both of our strengths and interest in dark ambient atmospherics into something really unique. Two tracks feature vocals by myself. The finishing touches are being worked on for one of the tracks, and then we will likely drop the release on our respective Bandcamp pages. If you've dug what I've done in the past, I think you'll enjoy this new release very much.

NAFALLEN UNIVERSITY COURSE CATALOG (Date TBD, Madness Heart Press)
Edits continue on the Course Catalog-I am expecting an initial draft to be ready by the end of the month. More edits will be sure to follow, along with layout and images. Stay tuned! This will be a very cool collection when it is finally ready!

BLACK RIBBON AND OTHER PERTURBED TEXTILES (2022, ???)
The initial draft of Black Ribbon is ready, and I have begun sending it off to some small presses for review. I also have the draft out to some local artists for interior illustrations. Depending on how the subs go, it may come out from a small press, or may be self published. More updates will follow!

SECRET PROJECT (Date Q2 or Q3 2022, Self-Published)
A lot of my creative energy the last month or so has been poured into this project. I can reveal a few elements of the project here:
  •     It will most likely be self-published.
  •     It will be a quarterly release, with options to either subscribe to a year or purchase individual releases.
  •     Year 1 is nearly complete-Year 2 content is already in the works. A more formal and detailed announcement will be made when Year 1 is complete in the next month or two.
  •     I am working with an enormously talented artist and will contain written work by he and I in Year 1.
  •     The focus is on a limited physical release (there may be an e-release at some point).
  •     It will be very strange, weird, horrific, gross, and hopefully funny if your sense of humor runs that way.
  •     If it is successful in Year 1, Year 2 will open up to invited guest writers.
  •     There is also the potential that the quarterly releases could be gathered together in the future into a compendium release of some sort.
Believe me when I say there is almost nothing like this project out there, and I have been having so much fun writing it and collaborating on it. I truly can't wait to share more news about this when the time is right!

That's all for new news! Below please see some links to my work available now!


https://pentamethdemon.bandcamp.com/

The Bandcamp site where you can get my most recent (2020-present) music releases. I am always glad to see little bumps from folks checking it out! The latest release is Dewfall Opulence. Bandcamp Friday is 3/4 where they are waiving their fee-a great day to purchase some of my work (always free to stream though!)


https://getbook.at/TW3

Trigger Warning 3: Speaking Ill (Madness Heart Press), containing my story "Khilljoy Memorial Home" is available now from the link above! Signed and stamped copies are available at Hartfield Book Co. in Monticello, IL. You can also write to me and we can arrange for you to get a signed & stamped copy as well.


https://godless.com/collections/vendors?q=Matt%20Henshaw

My two Godless exclusive stories, "Merry and Bright" and "Three Family Portraits" are still available for 50 cents a piece on Godless.com. The link above sends you to my author page where you can buy both or link to me on other social media.


 

Tuesday, February 1, 2022

FEBRUARY 2022 Updates

 







A happy February to you and yours, and hoping you're staying warm, healthy, and safe whereever you are...

Below are some updates on upcoming creative work:

TRIGGER WARNING 3: SPEAKING ILL

On February 7 on Godless.com, Trigger Warning 3: Speaking Ill will be released in e-book form. This anthology from Madness Heart Press includes works by Christine Morgan, Jay Wilburn, Susan Snyder, Douglas Ford, and others including my piece "Khilljoy Memorial Home". Only $4.99, purchases on Godless will be entered into a drawing for a $25 gift card. Given the title, expect disturbing content! 

Hard copy versions of the book will be available on 2/14 via Amazon. I will be purchasing some copies to sell on consignment at a couple of local indie bookstores which will be signed and stamped by me (and possibly will include a little surprise). If you want to get a signed copy directly from me, please let me know and I can arrange to get that for you. 



Forthcoming and in progress:

Nafallen University Course Catalog

I'm pleased to say that work on the catalog is continuing to move along! All accepted courses are being edited, and I am really happy with what we got! Madness Heart Press is still slated to release this in 2022, but at this time I don't have a firm timeline to share. We are working with an artist for some illustrations, and filling out some additional course content. I am very excited to get more eyes on this, and will share updates as they are available, including some of the creative folks who have contributed content.


Untitled Music Release #1

I'm working with a local musician on a joint release in the spirit of my previous post about collaborating on creative projects in 2022. So far, I think we have something pretty great in the works. Definitely look for more on this in the next month or so.


Untitled Music Release #2

There is another project I just embarked on with an unnamed but highly talented author to combine some dark ambient with spoken word. More to come on this, probably a Q2 or Q3 release.


Black Ribbon and Other Perturbed Textiles

The collection is *basically* ready! I still need to write some Notes and Acknowledgments, and I am still waiting to confirm the pieces which are out for submissions so I can give proper credit and include/exclude as needed. There may also be some illustrations (I already have one GREAT one for a poem from Mar Garcia!)

I have submitted the basic manuscript to one small publisher for review, and have some other feelers out. I am envisioning a couple of different release tactics:

    An e-book release bundled with an accompanying soundtrack on Godless.com

    A limited run physical release bundled with a download of an accompanying soundtrack or possibly a physical CD-R

    A limited run physical edition through a small publisher with special content exclusive to that publisher (may be the soundtrack, may be special art for the cover/interior), followed by a more basic release via conventional 

    An entirely self-published release with a print-on-demand option

More to come on this, and still committed to this coming out in 2022.


Letters to WXXT

A series of Letters to the Program Director have been submitted for inclusion in upcoming issues of the WXXT Program Guide chapbook series. I am delighted that at least 2 of these have been given the green light, and I hope the others will also see release. Please explore subscription options here! https://wxxt-gare-occult.square.site/the-wxxt-program-guide


Other potential writing projects/collaborations

I have been starting talks with an artist on a possible writing collaboration which could be very interesting! I've also had some submissions that are outstanding which I hope to hear about in the next few months. The response so far has been extremely positive from people who have looked at them, and I hope some of these come to fruition.


Thanks for reading all of this, and thank you for the support!!


OUT NOW

Two stories on Godless.com - 50 Cents each! Merry and Bright and Three Family Portraits

https://godless.com/products/matt-henshaw?_pos=3&_sid=96624d312&_ss=r


Several releases on Bandcamp, newest is Dewfall Opulence - free to stream, inexpensive to purchase!

https://pentamethdemon.bandcamp.com/