Shenanigan Report

GREETINGS STORY LOVERS

"It's a marathon, not a sprint." - Gallowglas

In the midst of many changes and upheavals in both my personal and professional life, it's dawned on me that I've neglected this newsletter far too much for far too long. I've done some research about the philosophies and methodologies of successful newsletters. We're going to go weekly. This newsletter is an example of the new format. If you can think of anything you'd like to see that I'm not putting in here, let me know. I'll definitely take it under consideration.

Going forward, I think I'll post these on Tuesday mornings.

Upcoming Schedule

June 21 - Poetry Unleased - Parliament Wine Lounge
June 23 - Write Right Now livestream on Twitch
June 27 - Reading as a Contact Sport - Zoom
June 30 - Write Right Now livestream on Twitch
July 3 - Book launch - Tears of Rage 5 & Dragon Bone Flute 3
July 9-12 - Summer Writing Retreat - In-person and virtual.
July 19 - Poetry Unleashed - Parliament Wine Lounge
July 24 - 28 - Comic Con International

Anyone going to Comic Con and want to hang out? Let me know.

For my full schedule: https://mtoddgallowglas.com/schedule/

Life of a Literary Underdog

This section will be a brief, behind-the-scenes update on where things are going with my creative life.

One of the cool things that happened this last week was rediscovering some old stories. You can read some about that in a Monday Musing. Patreon supporters can read one of the first stories I've ever written, "Nights of Sorrow." It's bad. Like REALLY bad. But it was a whole lot of fun going down memory lane. Now I have over a dozen forgotten short stories I'll be posting like literary time capsules on Patreon. Some of them will likely see their way into a Warts and All collection.

I'm in the final stages of two books coming out in a couple of weeks: The Sharpened Edge of Fate and Legend of the Dragon Bone Flute. I'm so glad to be getting these new babies into the world. Of course, I'm also having a blast working on stories in The Wyrd Frontier, including Perchance to Dream, which you get to read for signing up for The Shenanigan Report.

I have two passion projects on the side: Musings of a Non-Practicing Taoist & StoryMind. They may turn into something bigger someday, but for now, I'm just fiddling with them and jotting ideas down. In each newsletter, I'll post a thought or quote from each one.

Non-Practicing Taoist - Been thinking about the idea of radical acceptance. This has a huge overlap between Taoist thinking and modern therapy. Usually, this is applied to the bad things that happen in our lives, and how it's healthy to embrace the crappy stuff that happens as just a part of life. On the flip side of that, and something that isn't spoken of as much, is radical acceptance of the good in our lives. So many of us second-guess good things. Accept them. Sit with them and just enjoy the warmth those little moments bring to our hearts and spirits.

StoryMind - I'm working on a new way to look at the world. Reframing perspective, as it were. Right now, StoryMind asks us to consider three questions to help refocus with intention.

What is the story you tell yourself?
What is the story you share with others?
What is the story you want to live?
I'll offer further considerations in future newsletters

Media Consumption

I'll talk about what I'm reading, watching, and gaming.

Reading:

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett for Reading as a Contact Sport
The Tao of Pooh & The Te of Piglet by Benjamin Hoff - revisiting this to work on not practicing Taoism. Was thrilled to find them both in one volume.
Dibs: In Search of Self - Recommended by a dear friend.
A bunch of non-fiction books about the HMS Wager in research for a book project.
Fuzzy Nation by John Scalzi, listening to the audiobook narrated by Will Wheaton

Watching:

WWE, it's my thing.
The Legend of Vox Machina - Man... the feels in season 4.
Justified, on the recommendation of several friends. I've really enjoyed the show. Will probably finish up by the weekend. Need a new show to consume a couple of episodes here and there while I unwind. Any suggestions?

Gaming:

Right now, I'm playing a lot of Marvel: Rivels and having a hoot as Starlord. Might pick up Dispatch and livestream a playthrough.

Storytime

Each Shenanigan Report will wrap up with a bit of writing. First, you'll get a flash fiction or a poem. Then, I'll give you an installment of an episodic story. Not this time, though. That idea just popped into my head this morning, so I need to think of a story that both excites me and that I can break down into easily digestible chunks. Keeping with the theme of both Patreon and the Shenanigan Report, it'll be something from the Wyrd Frontier. I'm really digging that setting.

In the meantime, here's a flash fiction/prose poem that I rather like.

Riddle Me This

How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?

What music is playing, and what kind of dancing are they doing?

Do they need partners? If so, do both partners need to remain firmly planted on the head of the pin?

Are all pins created equally? Is it a flat-headed or round-headed pin? Must the angels remain on the up-facing side of the pin’s head, or can these angels dance at different angles and still count as being counted in this absurd thought experiment?

What if a demon shows up at the party? Does it count, as demons were once counted among the angels? Or does a demonic presence tarnish the sanctity of this semi-sacred musing that has plagued grassroots philosophers since at least the 1700s?

What if that demon dances his horns and tail often gets tired, but doesn’t want to leave the dance floor? In this case, the pin. But, the demon also doesn’t want the angels to keep having a good time. After all, they still have wings, halos, and hearts. Poofy fluffy clouds are probably much more comfortable to lounge on than fields of fire and brimstone.

How many angels will keep dancing if the demon goes around asking questions like:

What do you say to God when he sneezes?

Why do humans nail down the lid of a coffin?

What is another word for synonym?

If I strike someone with a dictionary, is it physical or verbal abuse?

How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

How many zombies could Rob Zombie rob if Rob Zombie could rob zombies?

How many angels aren’t dancing on the head of a pin?