Well, fuck. It’s June something already. Summer is here and I still don’t have a plan for it, except getting up everyday, hustling to survive, going outside a lot, and writing as much as I can in the between times. Sort of sounds pretty much like every goddamned summer of my life to be honest.
There are those that love me, and thank Buddha for them, and many of them will occasionally ask what they can do to help, and I always say, “take care of you and be happy,” because I don’t do well at the ask or take help thing. But this one time, I’m going to intentionally spell out a few things that you could do to help me as a writer.
You could subscribe on Patreon for as little as a dollar a month, or to Substack for free. Reading my work is a big help. That’s all I’ve ever wanted. Buy my books. From me. From my publisher. From Amazon. From indie bookstores. You can order most of them online from dozens of places. Recommend my books to others. Support my publishers, Punk Hostage Press and Roadside Press, so that I know they’re always around for me and other writers. Visit your local library. Read more books. Share my posts. Share my blogs and columns. Let me know if you read something you love, even if I didn’t write it. I love to read, too. Support your local artists, and your local art scene. They’re vital to me, you, and our communities.
Last week I survived one of the deadliest illnesses known to mankind: the dreaded man cold. Call it allergies. Call it sinus infections. Whatever it is, it makes life miserable, yo. I used to be able to power through these things, but my middle agedness is slowly reducing me from invincible to ordinary.
Hard cover copies of my latest novel The Dead and the Desperate (Roadside Press) are shipping out as you read this. It’s a beautiful book, and for only $25 it’s bound to be a true trailer park collector’s item. And maybe it’ll find a home on a few additional library shelves.
Events this week: Friday June 7th! Fuck It Friday Free-For-All, virtual, round robin open mic on Zoom. Welcome all the creative, the witchy, the spiritual and the divine. Email dandenton1978@gmail.com if you need the zoom link. Show starts at 9pm eastern time.
Upcoming events: Insomniacathon - a 57+ hour marathon poetry, film and music event, featuring over 50 poets and 20 musicians, held in Louisville, Ky and hosted by Ron Whitehead and Kent Fielding. Friday July 26th - Sunday July 28th. Hope you can attend.
Books I’ve loved over the last week:
Abandoned By All Things (Roadside Press) a new collection of poetry from Karl Koweski. I first discovered Koweski when I was asked to provide a blurb for a different collection of his last year, and I’ve been a big fan ever since. This book is good. It’s honest, raw, unfiltered and unflinching. If you enjoy my work, you’ll enjoy this.
Monster Manual (Pure Sleeze Press) a chapbook of poetry by Izzy Maxson. I met Izzy in Portsmouth, OH in April, and we traded some books. This is the first of theirs that I’ve read. It’s a short chap, monster themed, but only in theme. The poetry is damn good, and I’m not even a monster movie guy.
A Bouquet of Nails (Zeitgeist Press) the previously uncollected poems of my favorite poet David Lerner. I’m finally finishing it up for the second read through. I’ve yet to read another poet that more poetically captures what it’s like to be bipolar in hypocritical America.
Positive thoughts for the week? Be Kind. Please Rewind. If you ever rented VHS tapes, back when movie rental stores were as prevalent as gas stations, then you remember the “Be Kind Please Rewind” stickers. Whenever I’m in public, like at a grocery store, or on line at the post office, and I feel my anxiety and impatience inflate, I often repeat “Be Kind Please Rewind” over and over in my head like a mantra. It’s because every time I’d tell myself to “Be Kind” my brain would automatically interject “Please Rewind” and somehow that’s become my go-to brain soothing mantra that sometimes is useful in preventing me from being anything other than kind. You’re welcome to borrow it, but hopefully you already got one more clever.
Love,
Dan
Signing my name in books will never get old. Also, my autograph is inconsistent, and these hard covers are gorgeous ($10 a month Patreon subscribers: your copies will start going out this week.)
Dropped into the Old West End Festival in Toledo last Saturday night. The festival was voted the best in Toledo, and the fella in the photograph was voted the best writer back in March.
My favorite ice cream and my favorite t shirt in one photo
Took a friend to the new Goodwill thrift store in Perrysburg, OH. It’s pretty sweet. Toledo artist Chris “Chilly” Rodriguez painted this mural for them.
Meme of the week…. And I already live in the camper, so I’m almost there.
Dan you are money. Hope to work with you someday, out in the territory or the great white veldts of internet media.
Keep bleeding.
Enjoy the Insomniacathon - give my regards to Ron Whitehead.