I dearly love to read. Always have, and always will. But, since taking over editing and acquisitions for Rooster Republic Press (and more recently for Journalstone’s imprint, Bizarro Pulp Press), I find myself reading far less than I have been accustomed. For most of 2021, my spare time has been dedicated to Hailey Piper’s QUEEN OF TEETH, as well as chipping away at my novella, OCTOBER ANIMALS. In fact, the only book I’ve managed to sandwich between these projects was a lovely/harrowing little novella called WATCH THE WHOLE GODDAMNED THING BURN (by Doungjai Gam). It’s a limited release via Nightscape Press, and one I’d heartily recommend. You can grab a copy HERE.

Before that, I spent most of the last few months in 2020 working on various other titles seeing publication in 2021. And the last title I read for leisure was during Spring 2020, THE SILMARILLION (which I loved). Hoping to change that, however, in the next few weeks, especially as work on OCTOBER ANIMALS draws to a close.

Recent purchases include THE EDUCATION OF THE STOIC, which will fill a gap in my Fernando Pessoa collection. His BOOK OF DISQUIET is among my favorites, and I return to it often, so I am looking forward to a new piece of the Pessoa “heteronym” puzzle.

WILD GRASS ON THE RIVERBANK, by Hiromi Itō, is something I’ve been meaning to read since hearing about a few years ago, a mix of poetry and traditional narrative, which is a style I seem to be attracted to, having written something similar in AT THE END OF THE DAY I BURST INTO FLAMES, to say nothing of acquiring narrative-leaning poetry collections for both Rooster Republic/Strangehouse Books and Bizarro Pulp Press. And I find myself returning to this mindset with OCTOBER ANIMALS, so I wanted to feel inspired in that way in which a new book is capable.

THE CROCODILES is a book written by Youssef Rakha, who I found via Twitter, and who is a fellow fan of Fernando Pessoa. Looking into his book, THE CROCODILES, I saw comparisons made to another favorite of mine, Roberto Bolaño, specifically his THE SAVAGE DETECTIVES. Seemed like a fine idea to pick up Rakha’s book, which I very much look forward to reading.

I’ve been editing mostly horror, so I have really only been reading horror, and though I love working on people’s manuscripts, the experience is pretty far removed from reading for fun. And, after the last year, I need a break. So, getting away from horror for a bit. Hopefully, getting out of my own head, as well. It’s no fun in there, lately.