Here’s hoping your Octoberfest doesn’t … bite?
Sorry.
It’s officially Halloween season, which is my favorite time of year – it would be, wouldn’t it? I’m trying to take it a little lighter this year since I’ve got so many appearances slated for later in the fall, which is how I have actual Saturdays open in October. Sort of.
For many years I’ve wanted to do 30 days of horror movies and write them up for the blog, but I haven’t done it yet, and that year is not this year. Perhaps in the future when I’m all graduated and stuff. Remind of this next September and I’ll clear my schedule. Still, ’tis the season for spooky, and for one like me who was born with the love of the unquiet grave, it’s the happiest season of all.
Look for signings and festivals all this fall, as I continue to chronicle my MFA adventures on Patreon and write like a mad weasel for the six or seven major projects I have going on in addition to my freelance work. While you’re at it, pick up one of the spooooky tomes we have at the Literary Underworld, even if they’re not mine. Ghoulies and ghosties and long-leggedy beasties and things that go chomp in the night, all of them crawl across our pages, and there’s no better time for a good scare.
Just be sure to check under the bed before you go to sleep tonight, children.
Publicity/Appearances
We kicked off September with a shoot at the Japanese Festival, which is in line behind the 20 or so other shoots I haven’t processed yet. *whistles*
Next came the Edwardsville Book Festival, which is an all-day event in City Park and always a pile of fun – and sales were terrific. We next held the St. Louis SPJ Student Journalist Boot Camp, and I had actual students voluntarily listening to me step up on my soapbox about the application of the SPJ Code of Ethics.
Finally, we survived one of the highlights of the year: Archon! There will be blog posts shortly about the shenanigans – and there were shenanigans – but suffice to say we had high traffic at the booth and in the Literary Underworld Traveling Bar. No sleep, but plenty of fun!
We’ve got a few additions to the calendar below, so please check it out. And for you Patrons: Anyone who subscribes to my Patreon gets a discount at the Literary Underworld booth. Just give your name (or the name you used when you registered on Patreon) to the Minion working the booth.
Coming up:
• Leclaire Parkfest, Edwardsville, Ill. Oct. 16 (charity book sale)
• Smithton (Ill.) Public Library, Oct. 22
• SPJ National Conference, Washington, D.C. Oct. 26-30
• ContraCon, Kansas City. Nov. 11-13
• Books-a-Million with Cuppa Words, Edwardsville, Ill. Nov. 19
• Collinsville (Ill.) Library Holiday Market, Dec. 3
Journalism/Essays
• Pritzker makes major push for Workers Rights Amendment (St. Louis Labor Tribune)
• Union leaders push back against candidate’s call to reduce minimum wage (St. Louis Labor Tribune)
• Highland votes to give next council pay raise (Highland News-Leader)
• ‘Historically rare’: Paramedics deliver babies twice in two months (Highland News-Leader)
• Labor honors leaders at 54th annual ceremony (St. Louis Labor Tribune)
• $7.6 million in economic development for metro-east Illinois (St. Louis Labor Tribune)
• Highland plans property annex (Highland News-Leader)
• Tyson Foods plans expansion (St. Louis Labor Tribune)
• University to install machines in restrooms after anti-trans vandalism (The Alestle)
• Union members turn out for Labor Day celebration (St. Louis Labor Tribune)
• Want to know what’s happening in Highland? There’s an app for that (Highland News-Leader)
Note: Not all articles are available online, and some may be behind paywalls.
Fiction
• “Shiny People” (Patreon)
Patreon/Blogs
• Last MFA standing (Patreon)
• 2022 SPJ Boot Camp! (STLSPJ)
This one is not mine, but it’s important. Please read how Rachel Brune and Crone Girls Press developed the anthology A Woman Unbecoming at the speed of light, with writers and artists donating their services for an anthology to raise money for reproductive healthcare rights.