June 2023 Notes
Notes from the Fiction Factory - Month in Review
June 2023 has come and gone, quite swiftly I might add. Summer is in full swing, which means more fun in the sun, 8pm sunsets, and drive-in movies with my family. How’s a guy supposed to focus on writing new words of fiction, eh? Simple. Find a way or make one! In the past, I’ve spent much of my carved out writing time being distracted by social outings, a phone call from a friend I haven’t seen in years, and just being a total coach bum. In the past, I would scold myself and always feel the weight of shame for “allowing” things like that to happen…but why? It’s not a healthy attitude, besides that’s the joy of life, a little spontaneity hurt nobody. Fortunately, I learned to stopped beating myself up and take in those sweet moments that life brings every now and then. All this to say, most of my writing time has been spent…not writing.
There are lots of new projects starting up which can be exciting, but will eat up most of my free time if I’m not too careful.
Now on with the show.
Words Written
About 3,000 words to a new short story. Like most of my fiction, it’s a bit strange (I don’t even have a title for it yet) but was a pleasure to write nonetheless. I’ve got about 1700 words written for a new story so far. Not too bad for lazy month.
Stories Read
Reading has slowed down too.
Short Fiction:
I'm on the Side of the Wildebeest - Amy Stuber (4/5)
Jenny Watches The Exorcist - Emma Stough (4/5)
Sink Monkey - Alyssa Proujansky (4/5)
The Touch - Kimberly King Parsons (4/5)
At the Taxidermy Museum of Military Heroes - Steven Dunn (5/5)
Bone Wars - Laura Citino (1/5)
The White Girl- Luis Alberto Urrea (3/5)
Skin - Sejal Shab ( 3/5)
Bigsby - Maurice Carlos Ruffin (5/5)
Over There - Patricia Q. Bidar (3/5)
The Pregnancy Game - Michelle Ross (3/5)
Monsters - Sadia Quraeshi Shepard (3/5)
The Weatherman’s Heart - Tessa Yang (4/5)
Shit Cassandra Saw That She Didn’t Tell the Trojans Because at That Point Fuck Them Anyway - Gwen E. Kirby (4/5)
Customer Service at the Karaoke Don Quixote - Juan Martinez (4/5)
The Logic of the Loaded Heart - Amber Sparks (3/5)
The Art of Losing - Julie Cadman-Kim (5/5)
Dimetrodon - Justin Herrman (4/5)
Gray - Bergita Bugarija (3/5)
Novels/Novellas:
The Outlaw Redeemer - Max Brand (4/5)
Cargo of Coffins - L. Ron Hubbard (3/5)
Fun Stuff
Today, some friends and I are launching Pulp, Pipe, & Poetry Magazine here on Substack. What started as a simple online chat, turned into a fully realized project in less than 48 hours. Talk about a sense of urgency.
We go live today at 12:15pm Eastern Time. Yesterday I published a short welcome letter to our readership. You can read the link below to find out more and if we’ve piqued your interest, then subscribe.
That was June 2023. I’ve got one more fun project that I’m wrapping up now and will hopefully announce (and launch) soon. More details to come.
As always, if you have been reading this little newsletter since the beginning, you have my eternal gratitude and thanks! If you are a new reader, welcome! Take some time to explore the archives. Most of my fiction is behind a paywall, but there are several articles and essays that remain free for you to enjoy. If you are a paid member, THANK YOU!! Your support means the world to me.
Till next time.
👍👍👌