Author of stranger fiction. Advocate of writing the wrong way. Poet laureate of Hell.
How are ya? For real.
Hello from Jonathan BallStrange Ink #2 |
Hello, Reader! How are you doing?Myself, I've been busy. So much has been happening of late that it has been overwhelming. Even though I have help from a small and great team, I have too many things going on. That doesn't make me special. I'm sure you feel the same. Let me know! This looks fancy lately, but it's still my personal, private email, and you can just reply to it and tell me how you're doing. No really, how are you doing?Right now, I am prepping out my university courses. Every year I do a few courses to keep engaged in the local community, and keep in touch with what "kids these days" are thinking and feeling. Something I always do is ask my students what problems they are encountering as writers. I try to focus my courses around their needs, although I also have a lot of existing curriculum. But it's a question that matters. How are you doing? What are your problems? As a writer ... or even as a reader! I know, myself, I can't find a good comedy series that doesn't veer off into "stock drama" (and become a poor dramedy). That's my "readerly" challenge these days. Send me your questions and problems about the world and writing and reading. I don't have all the answers, but I do have a large bank of answers from having done this for over 25 years, and I also have a vast network of smarter people I can ask. I would love to try to get an answer to your question or problem, either direct to you or to all via my podcast or other means. Speaking of that podcast... check out new episodes (and the archives) of Writing the Wrong Way here or wherever you get your podcasts.
A Poem for You.Still working on my poetry manuscript, Motion Dazzle. Here's one of my favourite poems so far. See if you can spot the two men I am alluding to (one is much more obvious than the other). It's a literary game! OLYMPUS MONS Rich men long for Mars, Lie under darklight. Do not meet
Preorder this comic.It's not mine... maybe it's better! My friends and collaborators Lyndon Radchenka & Steven Kaul have a great new comic that you can tell your fave comic shop to preorder for you! Do it now! You may know Lyndon & Steven as the rest of the team on my comic Dirk Dirkson vs. The Demons from Mars. If you don't, now you do. Stay strange, Jonathan |
PO Box 70043 Kenaston PO, Winnipeg, MB R3P 0X6 |
Jonathan Ball, PhD
Creative Evil Overlord, STRANGER FICTION INC.
Author of stranger fiction. Advocate of writing the wrong way. Poet laureate of Hell.
Hello from Jonathan Ball The Princess and the Dragon Hello, Reader! We're making a movie! Last year, GMB Chomichuk and I sold the film rights to our story "The Princess and the Dragon" to an intrepid crew of filmmakers and began a journey to make a movie! This week, we go into production. Wish us luck! I will have more to report when I have more to report. Suffice it to say, things have been hectic and busy lately, since this is not the only thing going on. Exciting times! 2024 promises to be...
Hello from Jonathan Ball We hit McNally's bestseller list! Hello, Reader! Stranger Fiction has TWO books on McNally's bestseller list this week! Of course, this is thanks to all of YOU! It's not uncommon to hit McNally's list if you have a well-attended launch. However, I still wasn't expecting us to hit it due to how we were launching two books. I thought people would buy one of the two and split the sales and dilute them in that way. But those of you who showed up really showed your...
Hello from Jonathan Ball Back in the Saddle of Evil Hello, Reader! I'm back in the saddle of evil. I keep saying this, hoping it will catch on. This time it's me, Jonathan, back after Lyndon's hijacking of the newsletter. Although maybe I shouldn't be! Lyndon's been doing a better job than me lately... A few things I wanted to tell you. First of all: Me, Myself, and Stranger Fiction will be at the Fireside Book Market TOMORROW (December 3). All the info is on this handy poster created by...