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An Overdue Hiatus

It’s a little odd to post something like this during a lull in my blogging, but I like to keep my readers informed when I will be away from the internet for a bit (as much as you can realistically be “away” these days.) Anyway, this post is to announce that this blog will be dormant—I mean even more dormant—for the next month or so. Why? Well…

Kari-Lise and I are taking our second trip to Scotland! (Our first visit was in 2017. You can read about our experience here.) This trip is long overdue. It was supposed to be for my 40th birthday, but COVID did its thing, and everything was delayed and then delayed some more. But no more. It’s happening. Finally. We’re planning to visit some favorite places (Edinburgh and Islay) and hit up some new spots (Orkney) and generally get lost in the solitude of the open country. We’re really looking forward to it and it should be a good time.

We will be gone most of April, so my current plan is to resume blogging in May. I expect to be writing quite a bit while in Scotland, so I hope to have lots to share upon our return. While away, I’ll almost certainly post to Instagram, so I recommend following me if you’re interested in my travels. And as always, expect a trip report upon my return.

If you’re looking for something to read or explore in the interim, here are a few suggestions:

For more travel-related photos, previous trips, and trip reports check out:

Mar sin leat, and see y’all when we return!

Want to stay in touch with me? Sign up for Dead Drop, my rare and elusive newsletter. Subscribers get news, previews, and notices on my books before anyone else delivered directly to their inbox. I work hard to ensure it’s not spammy and contains interesting and relevant information. Sign Up Today →

Raunch Review
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Raunch Reviews’ New Home

Just a quick housekeeping update for regular readers. This weekend I’ve started working on the next batch of Raunch Reviews (The Dresden Files, Transformers: Beast Wars, The Mandalorian, and more!), and I realized that past reviews are scattered all over my blog. That makes them difficult to browse, and that cannot stand!

I took a little time this morning to collect them all in one handy location to solve that issue. You can find Raunch Reviews on their official Raunch Reviews page. It’s also under the “Blog” button in the upper navigation. They’re ordered by release, and any new reviews will be featured on that page after they go live.

Browse Raunch Reviews

Have a suggestion for Raunch Reviews? It can be any made-up slang word from a book, comic, television show, or movie. You can email me directly with your recommendation or leave a comment below. I’ll need to spend time with the property before I feel confident reviewing it, so give me a little time.

Old Haunts — Vignettes and Visions from the City of Lovat
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Old Haunts, New Location.

Those who tuned into DEAD DROP Live on Tuesday already know this. But for those that didn’t, I wanted to make a quick announcement that Old Haunts have expanded to their own page, and you can check it out here!

As I’ve been rolling out my Reader Resources for The Bell Forging Cycle, I thought it’d be helpful to give them their own space. While they’re similar to the stills you find on Echoes, they’ve grown into their own thing over the last few months. As new ones arrive I’ll keep adding them there. (That page also lets me show off the fun noir-esque title cards.)

If you want to see how these are made, check out Tuesday’s stream of DEAD DROP LIVE—I go into extensive detail. There’s plenty more to come! Keep following me here or over on Instagram to see, uh… new Old Haunts.

The Murder of Deadspin
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The Murder of Deadspin

The internet is ephemeral. It’s always seething and shifting. Nothing remains the same from day to day, month to month, or year to year. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking over the last few days in regards to the very public murder of my formerly favorite blog: Deadspin. I’m not going to recap the whole incident. You can read about its demise here and here and here and here and here. It’s been a thing. But it’s a thing to which I can relate—I’ve gone through an acquisition, and I’ve watched startups collapse around me, I’ve seen friends and colleagues go through the same both good and bad.

I have some thoughts.

Great Hill Partners (the private equity firm that bought Deadspin), G/O Media (the company that operates Deadspin’s blog network), and Jim Spanfeller (the CEO) made a purchase that was, in its essence, a talent acquisition. But either they didn’t realize it was a talent acquisition or they didn’t understand what to do with the talent they acquired. Most likely both. They failed to recognize that fans (myself included, Deadspin had been my homepage for years) didn’t go to Deadspin to read a generic sports blog. We went to Deadspin to read articles on all manner of things from writers we loved. Sport was a part of that, but it certainly wasn’t all of that. And that was its draw. There are a hundred other charmless sports sites that bloviate ceaselessly about sports—they exist for those who want them. Loyal readers didn’t want Deadspin to “stick to sports.” We wanted Deadspin to stick to Deadspin.

Loyal readers didn’t want Deadspin to “stick to sports.” We wanted Deadspin to stick to Deadspin.

Over the years, the site made a name for itself with a brash tone and a punk attitude. They punched up, made stands, took sides, and spoke truth to power. That was something that resonated with its fans. It set them apart from everyone else. Anyone could see that trying to force them to be something they weren’t would have backfired. Smart and capable leadership should have known that before the purchase was finalized.

As you’d expect, when a company doesn’t understand its talent acquisition, things went poorly. A longtime editor, Barry Petchesky, was fired when he spurned mandates that went against the site’s ideology. The staff revolted and refused to capitulate to management’s ridiculous demands, and they left en masse. Of course they left. They should have left.

Good on them.

I applaud and admire the staff of Deadspin for sticking to their principles. It’s uncommon to find that level of integrity in online media today—especially in blogging, and particularly in sports blogging. My gut tells me that the Deadspin I knew as a fan will never be back. That’s the nature of our everchanging web. But often, when this sort of thing happens, the result ends up becoming something greater. The talent goes elsewhere. The hydra spawns two new heads. Something new arises from the ashes, and it is often something better, with a wider reach and a tremendous impact. So while I mourn the death of my favorite blog, I cannot wait to see what the writers and editors do next.

Deadspin was a good website.

Deadspin forever. ✊

My Ongoing Blog Series You Can Read Today
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My Ongoing Blog Series You Can Read Today

There’s plenty of writers on the internet who user their blogging platform to dish out advice on writing or focus on the craft. While that is all well and good, I’ve intentionally chosen to do something a little different with my blog. For several years, among the book updates, pleas for reviews, and general news—I’ve been writing several reoccurring series about all manner of things. Fake swearing, my books, plants, riverboats, history, the list is large and full of interesting things.

In this post, I’ve collected all my ongoing series and have provided links so you can peruse the various categories—I even offer starting suggestions. So, if you’re looking for something a bit different than your standard author-blog content, consider starting with one of these…

Wild Territories

Frequency: When they’re ready
Category: Bell Forging Cycle lore
Current Number of posts: Three
Start with: Faiths and Creeds of Lovat

It’s always fun to explore the backstory of a series. I love extending some of the lore and legend that surrounds my novels. I’m also a fan of PBS and Marty Stouffer’s Wild America. That all came together for Wild Territories, a series about the extended lore of my books. Currently, there’s only a handful of posts, but with Gleam Upon the Waves coming soon, I’ll have many more on the way.

Garden of Horrors

Frequency: Monthly/Bi-monthly
Category: The natural world is gross
Current Number of posts: Nine
Start with: The Clathrus Archeri

Nature is a wild and weird place, in this series, I take a look at the more unusual bits of the earth’s flora. Generally, it’s pretty gross, sometimes it’s disturbing, but it’s always fascinating to see what sort of bizarre adaptations exist. Sometimes that feeling of disgust can come from the most unexpected places.

Raunch Reviews

Frequency: Monthly
Category: Language
Current Number of posts: Sixteen
Start with: Mork & Mindy/Starsiege: Tribes

The English language is a stupid language. It evolves, steals, shifts and absorbs, and it never looks the same across centuries. Slang is often the driver of this drift. Raunch Reviews is a series about slang, particularly, profanity. Not real profanity, but speculative swearing. Authors often try to incorporate original, innovative forms of profanity into our own fantastical works as a way to expand the worlds we build. Sometimes we’re successful. Often we’re not.

Riverboats! Revolution! Magic!

Frequency: Occasional
Category: History
Current Number of posts: Ten
Start with: A Riverboat’s Menu

Researching history for my big ol’ project Coal Belly has given me insight into bits and bobs of history and the details surrounding riverboats—stuff I never learned in school. In these posts, I share my findings, focusing in on the people or technology that made these vessels so unique and sharing a plethora of photos from dusty old archives.

#NoBadMaps

Frequency: Monthly (for 2019, at least)
Category: Cartography/History
Current Number of posts: Nineteen
Start with: #NoBadMaps

This started as a project to help fantasy indie authors develop their own maps for their books and has grown into something much more. Now, eleven brush sets and several tutorials later #NoBadMaps has become something greater, and it’s exciting to see people using these in their work.

Visual Inspiration

Visual Inspiration

Frequency: Occasional
Category: Art
Current Number of posts: Eleven
Start with: Yuri Shwedoff

I’ve been a graphic designer for nearly two decades now; I’m drawn to visual mediums. Often, I come across an artist’s work, be it paintings, concept art, or digital drawings that enliven me creatively. In this series, I share the work of artists who’s work I have found inspiring, perhaps they’ll inspire you as well.

Watching History

Frequency: Occasional
Category: History
Current Number of posts: One
Start with: Watching History 1

When I was a kid, my favorite TV channel was the History Channel. But in recent year, the History Channel has eschewed history in favor of scripted and reality programming. It’s a bummer. Thankfully, the internet has stepped in. There are all sorts of amazing creatives who run YouTube channels with a focus on making history come alive. In here, I share my favorites.

Lovecraft-Inspired Holiday Gift Guide

Lovecraft-Inspired Holiday Gift Guide

Frequency: Yearly
Category: Cosmic Horror Gifts
Current Number of posts: Five
Start with: The 2019 Lovecraft-Inspired Holiday Gift Guide

For the last six years, I’ve been assembling a highly-curated list of cosmic horror goodies that are perfect for yourself or the cosmic horror fan in your life. Books, Games, Music, Apparel, Housewares and a whole lot more! Loads of goodies worth checking out around the holidays or… at any time of the year, really.

I’m really proud of the work I’ve been doing. It’s been nice to work on blog posts in between writing sessions. Keeps me on my toes, lets me explore different concepts, and I think it makes my books better. Hopefully, you’ll find something entertaining or eye-opening among this list.

Have a question, comment, or want to drop me a line? Leave a comment below, or visit the Contact K. M. Alexander page for a list of handy ways you can reach out.

Dead Drop: Missives from the desk of K. M. AlexanderWant to stay in touch with me? Sign up for Dead Drop, my rare and elusive newsletter. Subscribers get news, previews, and notices on my books before anyone else delivered directly to their inbox. I work hard to make sure it’s not spammy and full of interesting and relevant information.  SIGN UP TODAY →

Farewell Facebook, One Year Later
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Farewell Facebook, One Year Later

One year ago today, I deleted my Facebook account. (I laid out my reasoning in this post.) I haven’t gone back, and I’ve had little temptation to return. Since it’s been a full year, I thought I’d take a moment to reflect on my decision and share what I’ve learned over my last year without Facebook.

I’m still in the ecosystem—much like Amazon or Google, it’s hard to remove yourself from Facebooks grasping tentacles completely. Instagram (from Facebook™) is still in my life, and I share work there frequently. I also use WhatsApp to connect with friends outside of the US. But, if alternatives rose up or if these apps no longer brought me value, I’d consider leaving either of them. Instagram, in particular, hasn’t gotten better.

Much of my suspicions from a year ago were proven correct, and I’m in a better headspace because I’ve left. I don’t have to read cruel, insipid, bigoted, or racist diatribes that were disappointingly common. I’m no longer marketed products I don’t want. My work isn’t walled off in strange little corners. I don’t have Facebook hounding my wallet in a vain attempt to “boost” posts for my “audience.” I don’t have to worry about my private information being stolen or sold. (Not just a Facebook problem, I realize.) Succinctly: I no longer have to engage with nothing for the sake of nothing.

“I no longer have to engage with nothing for the sake of nothing.”

The wicked trick of social media is convincing you that it’s essential. That you’ll lose contact with friends, colleagues, and loved ones if it’s removed from your life. That you’re somehow missing out if you’re not engaged. It sows FOMO to encouraging engagement. Reality couldn’t be further from Facebook’s “truth.” If anything I found the opposite is true. Facebook isn’t essential. This has been the best year on my blog since I started doing this eight years ago. My audience is still here, and I don’t have to wonder if my readers see what I share. It’s all visible. Nothing is hidden. Likewise, I’ve made time for the important things. I’ve stayed connected with relationships that matter. My interests have expanded.

What one chooses in regards to their social media presence is personal. My path might not be right for you. If Facebook brings you joy, then stay on Facebook. But if it doesn’t, then why are you wasting your time? As for me, I’m glad I left. Happy even. It was a big step in decoupling the behaviors built into social media. (Something I wrote about a few weeks ago.) Now, when I sit down to work, the old muscle memory isn’t betraying me by sending me into a path of wasted time and squandered emotional energy.

As I said a year ago: things can always change. Perhaps with a shift in leadership Facebook could turn itself around. Companies change, ten years from now, it’ll be different than it is today. Who knows what the future holds? I have no regrets in leaving, and honestly, I wish I had taken this step sooner. It’s been a good year.

Dead Drop: Missives from the desk of K. M. AlexanderWant to stay in touch with me? Sign up for Dead Drop, my rare and elusive newsletter. Subscribers get news, previews, and notices on my books before anyone else delivered directly to their inbox. I work hard to make sure it’s not spammy and full of interesting and relevant information.  SIGN UP TODAY →