Hi everyone!
A lot of what I published this year came before this newsletter, so I thought it might be useful to do a summary and get all of this year’s stories into one place.
The Election in Babylon
The Election in Babylon is an exploration of a society in which every single fact about reality, from whether the wind blows, cigarettes are healthy, or, in Marisa’s case, who you’re married to is up for a vote. Hers is one of four interwoven stories set in this society, which explore how these referendums affect the distribution of power, the boundaries of the self, and the spirituality of a society dedicated above all else to Democracy. Pay what you want for this novella on Gumroad.
Confluence
Confluence is a 30-page comic which follows Stephanie Portis’s attempt to track down her doppelganger. Stephanie has grown listless years after transitioning, and in her attempt to track down the other Stephanie, who appears to have the life full of friends and purpose that she seeks, begins to lose track of her own sense of self. Buy a print copy of this comic for $8 on Gumroad.
I Sexually Identify as the “I Sexually Identify as an Attack Helicopter” Controversy
The narrator’s gender is the time that Isabel Fall got harassed off the internet for publishing a story called I Sexually Identify as an Attack Helicopter. That’s all there is to it. Read it at Blood Knife Magazine.
Lisztomania
A woman goes to a concert by celebrated pianist Franz Liszt, only to be caught up in a music-induced delirium, and later an association with some women who read instructions in his music–which must be carried out before his next performance. The woman doesn’t know about any instructions. All she feels is a consuming drive to see and hear Franz play again, no matter what. Pay what you want on Gumroad,
In the Shape of the Emperor
All the emperor’s concubines need to stay in practice, should the emperor call upon them. But there are six hundred of them, and many get one night a year with the emperor, if that. To prevent any of them getting rusty, the emperor employs a body double, and for reasons of jealousy, many don’t last more than a few months. The latest one has held onto the job for twenty years, but all of a sudden, he wants to abandon the methods that have kept him safe for so long. Read it on Substack.
Procreation Myth
A mortal woman named Aglaia is begging for Zeus to have sex with her, but he has misgivings. He says it’s because he fears retribution, but must endure his family’s mockery and perversions as he sorts through his reluctance. Read it on Substack.
Notorious
Bobby, a good liberal in shock at the state of the world and in despair over its future after the passing of Justice Ruth Bader-Ginsburg, heads to her grave with an idea to fix everything. Read it on Substack.
That seems like a sufficient round-up! Thanks for subscribing to this newsletter, I’ve got big plans for 2022.