I’m happy to share that the St. Louis Writers Guild anthology, Weird STL, is now live on Amazon and in my personal shop! This anthology includes some creepy, unusual, slipstream or downright WEIRD stories by the funky members of the Guild, including yours truly.
Weird STL, by the St. Louis Writers Guild
I want to make it clear: My story is not a COVID story. It was written two weeks before the pandemic hit, and then became painfully prescient when the virus spread. But I enjoyed writing it, and I hope you enjoy reading it.
The ebook anthology can be purchased via Big River here. If, however, you would like the paper version, I hope you’ll consider ordering it directly from me here. You can opt to have it autographed! The copies have just arrived, and I have to say, I’m really pleased with how it came out.
You know what’s fun? Spending an hour writing your newsletter copy, only for a glitch to eat the whole thing. That kind of fits with how things are going these days, doesn’t it? Pretty WEIRD…
I know the world is burning down and reading your Facebook feed is enough to leave you hyperventilating into a paper bag, but… okay, there really isn’t a “but” there. Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you like the play?
Suffice to say that here at Donald Media Towers, the semester has begun without too much trauma, things are starting to pick up on the fiction front, and at the moment I am still breathing and ambulatory, which is about all that one can expect these days. Here’s to better news next month?
One thing already underway: I am participating in the easiest fundraiser ever. The American Cancer Society is hosting Read Every Day in February, and what do you know? I already read every day! I’ll be posting updates on ElizabethDonald.com, and you can donate to my fundraiser here.
Also note that I had a free article on the Patreon this week, as I have about twice as many free followers as paid on Patreon. You get SO much more content for only $1 a month, and I hope you’ll consider subscribing! Here’s the free photo essay: what’s with the gargoyles?
Publicity/Appearances
Usually I take January off for public appearances, for a tiny little breath of sanity before I start living out of a suitcase again. I broke precedent to add the Books and Brews Market in January, and it was probably the best one-day signing I’ve had in a decade. Many thanks to the Old Bakery Beer Co. in Alton, Ill. for hosting me and the other authors for a terrific day of bookselling and beer drinking.
Coming up this month is Conflation, which is always one of my favorite cons and cozy enough that it’s pretty much a family reunion. I’ve been asked to speak on the topic of book banning, which is not only very timely, but one of my favorite soapboxes. Following in March is Writers of the Riverbend, followed by Midsouthcon in Memphis and then AWP in Los Angeles, all in one month! So if I look a little frazzled by April, you know why. What time zone am I in anyway?
As you can see below, bookings for 2025 are starting to swarm. I am open to speaking engagements and conventions, but I book well in advance, so if you want me to come to your library, book club, literary festival or convention, contact kyates@donaldmedia.com.
2025 calendar: • Books and Brews, Alton, Ill. Jan. 18 • Conflation, St. Louis, Mo. Feb. 21-23 • Writers of the Riverbend, Alton, Ill. March 8 (tent.) • Midsouthcon, Memphis, Tenn. March 21-23 • AWP Los Angeles, March 26-30 • SPJ Regional Conference, Milwaukee, April 11-13 (tent.) • ConCarolinas, Charlotte, N.C. May 30-June 1 (tent.) • Imaginarium, Louisville, Ky. July 18-20 • Dragoncon, Atlanta, Ga. Aug. 28-Sept. 2 • Archon, Collinsville, Ill. Oct. 3-5 • SPJ Conference, Washington, D.C. Oct. 15-18 (tent.)
Journalism
• Nippon acquisition of U.S. Steel sent to Biden to decide (Labor Tribune) • President Biden blocks sale of U.S. Steel to Nippon (Labor Tribune) • Illinois completes minimum wage increase and other pro-worker laws taking effect (Labor Tribune) • Illinois unions call for Day of Action on pensions (Labor Tribune) • Daughter of union activist honored with MLK award (Labor Tribune) • Illinois task force releases recommendations on warehouse safety (Labor Tribune) • Hoffman pushes pro-Labor bills aimed at securing higher worker wages (Labor Tribune) • Madison County Federation of Labor elects new board for 2025 (Labor Tribune) • DNC national chair candidates make their case to Labor (Labor Tribune) • Nippon, U.S. Steel file suit over blocked sale (Labor Tribune) • Union bellringers raise $8,000 for Salvation Army (Labor Tribune) • Madison County Federation of Labor, SWIL Labor Council celebrate holidays (Labor Tribune)
Note: Not all articles are available online, and some may be behind paywalls. Fiction
I’m happy to announce that one of my creepy short stories is being reprinted in Weird STL, an anthology coming out later this month from the St. Louis Writers Guild. (You knew there was a reason for all the WEIRD, right?) This story has only appeared in River Bluff Review, and I’m looking forward to seeing it in print again. Hopefully by the next newsletter, I should have copies in hand and will be able to offer them on the online store and through Literary Underworld.
Elsewhere, work is proceeding on Blackfire Rising, and I think you guys are really going to enjoy returning to the Blackfire world. It certainly was a lot of fun for me, and I’m looking forward to my first release with Falstaff Books. More will be posted on the blog and social media once I have a cover. So far we seem to be on track to release at Midsouthcon, with preorders launching in advance.
Also, I participated in Authors Against Book Bans’ #UniteAgainstBookBans, reading a banned book in a bookstore. I wore my T-shirt that reads, “I survived reading banned books and all I got was smarter,” in a Barnes and Noble while reading Little Women.
Patreon/Medium/Blogs
Did you know that Patreon subscribers not only get at least one free ebook a year, but you get a 10 percent discount from me and The Literary Underworld? For the latter, that applies to all books, not just mine! For a dollar a month, you really can’t beat it. Just be sure to remind us at the booth as we do not have the subscriber list memorized. If you’re not a subscriber, the base level is $1 a month! You should totally join.
Currently on the nightstand: Nasty Women: Feminism, Resistance and Revolution in Trump’s America is currently riding around in the office bag. At home it’s Why We Can’t Sleep: Women’s New Midlife Crisis, The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemison, and on the Kindle is An Old-Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott. Recently finished is Out There Screaming, which was the Jordan Peele anthology of new Black horror; as well as reviewing some excerpts from Carl Phillips’ excellent My Trade Is Mystery, which I’m using for my composition students this semester.
• Photography: Illinois winter fields (Patreon) • The Bernays House (Patreon) • Photography: Winter fields, again (Patreon) • Review: Leave the World Behind (Patreon) • Review: Out There Screaming (Patreon) • Dance with the page (Patreon) • Review: Nosferatu (Patreon)
Note: Patreon entries are indexed going back to its launch in 2018. I wanted new Patrons to be able to easily find the work that they’ve missed, and hopefully seeing how much work is on the Patreon might encourage some good folks to subscribe. Check out the index here.
Photography
Snow. Lots and lots of snow. What. I live in the Midwest, people. And my new commute has me driving through picturesque plains twice a week, so buckle in for snow, then spring fields, then amber waves of grain. This month’s pics are on Patreon at the links above, as well as a photo essay on a funky house in the town of my new employer.
Almost all of the images in the galleries are available for purchase, so if you see something you like that isn’t in the store, email kyates@donaldmedia.com and we’ll get you a quote. A few might not be available for purchase due to copyright issues.
Did you see this newsletter on my blog or Patreon and not in your inbox? Are you not subscribed to my monthly newsletter? For shame! You’re missing discounts and Photo of the Month and more! Sign up here, it’s free and I am way too disorganized to spam you.
Cribbing term papers is not a new invention; since the first teacher scratched out the first assignment on a stone tablet, Krog and Ug were sneaking peeks at each other’s slate. But AI has taken avoiding the work of writing to a new, shiny level, and for the first time we are seeing fellow academics hopping on board with enthusiasm because no one wants to get caught behind the 8-ball like we all were with, um, practically everything involving the internet.
Because this newsletter is again stupid late, I am fresh back from Archon, where I was on not one but two panels about AI and the creative arts, which also delved into AI and journalism and AI in academia and the Terminator is stalking me through the mall as we speak. Quite often I feel like the lone voice crying in the wilderness about the dangers of AI, not just in terms of its ethics but what it portends for critical thinking skills and the linguistic arts. But then I spend some time with fellow writers, the majority of whom walk on my side of the street.
I think I will be writing more about this as I move forward. It’s an odd feeling to be able to take a stand on divisive issues, after spending most of my professional life compartmentalizing my opinions to avoid the appearance of bias. But there are some subjects on which I can and should speak, including AI and book banning, which was the other topic on which I ran my mouth in Archon panels.
I wore my T-shirt that reads “I survived reading banned books and all I got was smarter.” I think I need an equivalent shirt for AI.
Publicity/Appearances
Of course, Archon is the big one this month, but it just ended! And it was a barrel of monkeys, folks. We had so much fun. We had seven Literary Underlords on site – almost eight, but one had a family emergency and couldn’t join us. Between the Underlords and our assorted Minions, the booth was well-staffed and did brisk business. In fact, it was the best-selling Archon we’ve had since I started keeping detailed records a decade ago.
Of course, we also brought the Literary Underworld Traveling Bar. “But wait, I thought you couldn’t get a hotel room??” Yes, as of a week before the event we didn’t have a room, but thanks to the intervention of Important People, we were able to get a room and bring the bar. We are very grateful to the concom and to the other room party people who made multiple efforts to help us out.
The Traveling Bar is always a popular feature, and our fans were asking about it at the booth from the moment we opened up shop on Friday afternoon. On Friday night, we opened our doors at 9 p,m, and I began serving drinks. My poor arm did not stop moving until 12:30, when I declared a five-minute union break and rested… so that I could get back to work and pour more drinks. One visitor said, “You’re the hardest-working person at Archon,” and this is demonstrably not true as the concom does far, far more work than me. But I appreciated the sentiment (and the tips).
Also: When I did the pre-con shopping for the very best in bottom-shelf Wal-mart liquor, I discovered this abomination:
I just took a picture of it because I thought it was funny. But 70-odd Facebook comments later, I dispatched The Man back to buy it (under his vehement protest) and stocked it on the bar.
They drank the whole bloody thing, folks. There was a succession of “dare you to” and lineups of people bolting shots with revolted expressions, but they drank it. Videos will be forthcoming when I catch up on my sleep (so, November?).
Also this past month: We hosted the Society of Professional Journalists Boot Camp, where I spoke on the practical application of the SPJ Code of Ethics and on freelancing for fun and profit. It was a highly successful Boot Camp with a great batch of young journos meeting with our terrific pros.
Coming up later in October: I’ll be speaking at The Bewitching Hours in Granite City, Ill. on Oct. 12, hosted by the Friends of Six-Mile Library. I’ll be doing a short reading and Q&A along with a handful of other spooooky authors, and we’ll all have our books for sale. I still haven’t figured out what I will read that is safe for all ages, as there possibly will be youngsters in the room and I do not wish to be responsible for their therapy bills.
(Now am I mystery, mayhem or mischief? Don’t answer that.)
Finally: Contra in Kansas City will be Oct. 25-27. I’m a tad nervous about this one as I am minion-less, and books are heavy. But Contra is always a great time, the people are friendly, and I get to run my mouth about book banning and the First Amendment. Rawr.
Added to the schedule: I’m delighted that the proposal for a caucus panel on adjunct teaching was accepted for the Association of Writers and Writing Programs conference for next spring. This will be my third AWP and my first as a presenter, and I am so glad to be able to participate. It also means a trip to Los Angeles in March, which is always a fun time and a healthy dose of nostalgia for me, as many of my family lived there when I was young.
As you can see, bookings for 2025 are starting to swarm. I am open to speaking engagements and conventions, but I book well in advance, so if you want me to come to your library, book club, literary festival or convention, contact kyates@donaldmedia.com.
2024 calendar: • The Mill, Granite City, Ill. Oct. 12 • ContraKC, Kansas City, Mo. Oct. 25-27
2025 calendar: • Writers of the Riverbend, Alton, Ill. Feb. 8 (tent.) • Conflation, St. Louis, Mo. Feb. 21-23 • Midsouthcon, Memphis, Tenn. March 21-23 • AWP Los Angeles, March 26-30 • SPJ Regional Conference, Milwaukee, April 11-13 (tent.) • ConCarolinas, Charlotte, N.C. May 30-June 1 (tent.) • Imaginarium, Louisville, Ky. July 18-20
Journalism
This section is thinner while I’m in the teaching marathon, but it looks like spring will be lighter and I’ll be able to do more nonfiction after the new year.
Note: Not all articles are available online, and some may be behind paywalls.
Fiction
We have a tentative release date for Blackfire Rising, which is the compendium of all the Blackfire stories to date and some new ones as we relaunch the series with Falstaff Books! I’m delighted to be part of the Falstaff Misfits, as our Fearless Leader likes to call us, and I am looking forward to inflicting Major Sara Harvey and her band of miscreants on new readers. Blackfire Rising compiles all the previously published novels, novellas and short stories in the series into one volume, including The Cold Ones, Blackfire, Yanaguana and more. Think of it as the author’s preferred edition, and I can’t wait for you to meet the new characters joining Sara on her misadventures. It looks like Blackfire Rising will hit the shelves in March, so more on this one as we confirm dates, get cover art and begin preorders!
The ebook for Dreadmire was a freebie for paid Patreon subscribers, and I recently found that some folks didn’t get their ebook. All Patreon subscribers should have received a message from me, but just in case: if you are a Patreon subscriber and didn’t get your ebook, message me ASAP and I’ll get it to you. Dreadmire is, of course, available on Amazon and Literary Underworld in ebook and dead-tree versions, the latter of which is especially apropos if you’ve read it.
I also have a limited supply of the 2024 St. Louis Writers Guild Member Anthology and the December 2023 edition of parABnormal Magazine, both of which have pieces by me, so snag them while you can!
Patreon/Medium/Blogs
Did you know that Patreon subscribers not only get at least one free ebook a year, but you get a 10 percent discount from me and The Literary Underworld? For the latter, that applies to all books, not just mine! For a dollar a month, you really can’t beat it. Just be sure to remind us at the booth as we do not have the subscriber list memorized. If you’re not a subscriber, the base level is $1 a month! You should totally join.
Note: Patreon entries are indexed going back to its launch in 2018. I wanted new Patrons to be able to easily find the work that they’ve missed, and hopefully seeing how much work is on the Patreon might encourage some good folks to subscribe. (Hint, hint.) Seriously, subscriptions start at $1 a month, and I truly believe some of the best work I’ve ever done is on the Patreon. Check out the index here.
Photography
News photography was mostly the Labor Day parade slated above, and the cosplay at Archon that will be featured on the Literary Underworld and Elizabeth Donald blogs when I get my act together.
Almost all of the images in the galleries are available for purchase, so if you see something you like that isn’t in the store, email kyates@donaldmedia.com and we’ll get you a quote. A few might not be available for purchase due to copyright issues.
Holy late newsletters, Batman! Remember when I told you folks that I was a tad overcommitted for the fall? I wasn’t kidding. I ended up with nine classes at three universities for the fall, and that’s at least three to four more classes than any sane person should try to teach and four to five more than a full-time professor would teach.
Thus I am now deeply embroiled in 12-14-hour days, seven days a week, spinning plates to keep up all my classes and do right by my students. I’m also still freelancing, running my volunteer programs and doing fiction in the wee hours, though they’ve kind of taken a back seat to this glut of work. I’m hopeful that next spring, I’ll be able to achieve a bit more equilibrium.
Also, buy stock in coffee.
Publicity/Appearances
The big event was Dragoncon, which was a blast and chronicled on the Patreon. The most popular cosplays were Beetlejuice and Deadpool/Wolverine, but there were still plenty of Barbies, a startling number of Indiana Jones and even Olympics cosplay, which I found hysterical. The nonchalant shooting Olympian was the most popular among those, and kudos to the guy who used a banana instead of a fake gun.
(The Jedi Musketeers)
My panels included “Igniting the Horror Muse,” where horror authors reveal how we get in the right mindset to scare you pantsless; an urban-fantasy panel on vampire fun; “The Adventure Begins,” a writing craft panel on developing ideas and getting started; “101 Fascinating Ways to Kill Off a Character” (no idea how I ended up on that one… *halo*); another horror panel, this time focused on craft; a panel on writing from myths and legends; and of course a reading and a signing. The reading was unintentionally hilarious as I had about five people and then in the last five minutes, this huge legion of people came in. No, they were not there to hear the end of “Azrael“; I was apparently the warmup act for John Scalzi. Dangit.
Coming up: We have still been unable to snag a hotel room for Archon. A dozen attempts and pleas to the management and the convention have been unsuccessful. (We know there is construction going on, there’s no blame, to be clear. According to the hotel management, the room block sold out in two hours.) We will be there and the Literary Underworld will have our usual booth, so drop by there if you’d like to see us. Alas, no room party with the Traveling Bar unless a miracle happens.
Also pending: The Society of Professional Journalists Boot Camp, where I’ll be presenting on the SPJ Code of Ethics. That’ll happen on Sept. 21, and it’s always a highlight of the year for St. Louis SPJ.
Added to the schedule: I’ll be speaking at The Bewitching Hours in Granite City, Ill. on Oct. 12, hosted by the Friends of Six-Mile Library. I’ll be doing a short reading and Q&A along with a handful of other spooooky authors, and we’ll all have our books for sale. Now I have to think of something to read that is safe for all ages… something about bunnies and unicorns…
(Now am I mystery, mayhem or mischief? Don’t answer that.)
Also note that Contra in Kansas City has changed weekends and hotels. This actually makes it slightly more convenient for me, as I have a lot going on in early November. Follow their Facebook page for further details.
As you can see, bookings for 2025 are starting to fill. I am open to speaking engagements and conventions, but I book well in advance, so if you want me to come speak, contact kyates@donaldmedia.com.
2024 calendar: • SPJ Boot Camp, Edwardsville, Ill. Sept. 21 • Archon, Collinsville, Ill. Oct. 4-6 • The Mill, Granite City, Ill. Oct. 12 • ContraKC, Kansas City, Mo. Oct. 25-27
2025 calendar: • Conflation, St. Louis, Mo. Feb. 21-23 • Midsouthcon, Memphis, Tenn. March 21-23 • AWP Los Angeles, March 26-30 (tent.) • ConCarolinas, Charlotte, N.C. May 30-June 1 (tent.) • Imaginarium, Louisville, Ky. July 18-20
Journalism
Note that after this month, this section may get thinner while I’m in the teaching marathon.
Dreadmire is live and roaming the earth! Click the image to buy the book, and if you’re interested in a free sample from my dark romp through the swamp, click here!
The ebook for Dreadmire was a freebie for paid Patreon subscribers, and I recently found that some folks didn’t get their ebook. All Patreon subscribers should have received a message from me, but just in case: if you are a Patreon subscriber and didn’t get your ebook, message me ASAP and I’ll get it to you.
I also have a limited supply of the 2024 St. Louis Writers Guild Member Anthology and the December edition of parABnormal Magazine, both of which have pieces by me, so snag them while you can!
• “Run Rabbit Run,” a short story on Patreon • “Azrael,” a short story on Patreon
I will have something else to announce shortly, but until it’s confirmed, mum’s the word. #vaguenewslettering #isthataword #itisnow #hashtagsoutofcontrol
Patreon/Medium
Did you know that Patreon subscribers not only get at least one free ebook a year, but you get a 10 percent discount from me and The Literary Underworld? For the latter, that applies to all books, not just mine! For a dollar a month, you really can’t beat it. Just be sure to remind us at the booth as we do not have the subscriber list memorized. If you’re not a subscriber, the base level is $1 a month! You should totally join.
• Recovering Journalist (Medium) • Bookworm (Medium) • Labor Day (Patreon) • Review: You Like It Darker by Stephen King (Patreon) • Reading: Adults only, and only what we say (Patreon) • The second shift (Patreon) • Dragoncon Day 1 (Patreon) • Dragoncon Day 2 (Patreon) • Dragoncon Day 3 (Patreon) • Draggin-con Day 4 (Patreon)
Note: Patreon entries are indexed going back to its launch in 2018. I wanted new Patrons to be able to easily find the work that they’ve missed, and hopefully seeing how much work is on the Patreon might encourage some good folks to subscribe. (Hint, hint.) Seriously, subscriptions start at $1 a month, and I truly believe some of the best work I’ve ever done is on the Patreon. Check out the index here.
Photography
This month’s photography was mostly cosplay at Dragoncon! It was quite a challenge to catch people with a cell phone camera while driving a scooter, as chronicled on Patreon.
Almost all of the images in the galleries are available for purchase, so if you see something you like that isn’t in the store, email kyates@donaldmedia.com and we’ll get you a quote. A few might not be available for purchase due to copyright issues.
That’s it for this month! Tune in next time, same Bat-time, same Bat-channel.
With the spring conferences done and the summer tour looming, it’s been kind of quiet here in the Tower. I’ve enjoyed this uncharacteristic spell of Not Traveling, being able to settle in and bake things and write things and… cough my lungs out?
Stupid bronchitis. This is why we can’t have nice things.
Fortunately that’s over with, though my singing voice is still a bit more Froggy the Gremlin than I care for. Summer has begun here in sunny Illinois, with the song of cicadas and the mugginess of a swamp. It could just be that I have swamps on the brain, as the anniversary release of Dreadmire will take place on June 18. Check the Fiction section below for more details, but if you planned to pre-order a signed copy, do so this week! I really love the cover and my book designer, Kody Boye, did such a fantastic job on this special edition. I hope you like it as much as I do! You’ll never look at mosquitoes the same way again…
Meanwhile, I am happy to report that my Relay for Life team has exceeded our goal of raising $3,000 for the American Cancer Society. Our local Relay celebration will take place this coming weekend, and we are looking forward to celebrating another year of birthdays for our cancer survivors. Click here if you would like to donate to my campaign. Together we can beat the Beast.
Publicity/Appearances Unfortunately I had to cancel my appearance on May 9 to discuss the evils of A.I. in news and publishing, thanks to the bronchitis. Rest assured that when I’m not sick, I will happily rant away about how A.I. is threatening democracy and the ability of writers to make a living.
Coming up this month is a return to the Collinsville Public Library, which is always one of my favorite locations. When I was a young reporter working for the Belleville News-Democrat, the Collinsville Library was just up the street a few blocks from my newsroom. There were many lunch breaks I spent in its quiet, cool lower level writing penny dreadfuls, and indeed some of my early novels were begun in that library. Thus it’s always a pleasant nostalgia to participate in their author and artist fairs. I’ll also be speaking to the National Federation of Professional Women this month, discussing opportunities and pitfalls in publishing.
I am hopeful to be able to set up an event or two in late June, as I will be traveling to Georgia and back and what is travel for if not to sell books? The details are still being worked out, so keep an eye on my Facebook and website. Meanwhile, I’m chagrined to find that the Edwardsville Book Festival, Archon, and AuthorCon St. Louis are all happening the same bloody weekend in October! I have not yet managed to perfect cloning myself, so we’ll see how that sorts itself out.
2024 calendar: • Collinsville Author and Artist Fair, Collinsville, Ill. June 15 • National Federation of Professional Women, St. Louis, Mo. June 20-22 • CAFE at Spine Books, St. Louis, Mo. July 7 • TechWrite STL, St. Louis, Mo. July 10 • St. Louis Writers Guild, St. Louis, Mo. July 13 • Imaginarium, Louisville, Ky. July 19-21 • Plethora of Pens, Glen Carbon Public Library, Aug. 5 • Dragoncon, Atlanta, Ga. Sept. 5-9 • Archon, Collinsville, Ill. Oct. 4-6
Journalism I was happy to add new client Hearst Corp. to my roster this month with my first byline in the Edwardsville Intelligencer, which is kind of funny since I’ve been living in and covering Edwardsville for nearly a quarter century. This means I officially do some level of work for all three major news chains in our area: Hearst, Lee, and McClatchy. One more and I get bingo!
Fiction A reminder that preorders are about to close for the re-release of Dreadmire in its 15th anniversary edition! Read here to find out more.And if you’re interested in a free sample from my dark romp through the swamp, click here!
I also have received a limited supply of the 2024 St. Louis Writers Guild Member Anthology and the December edition of parABnormal Magazine, both of which have pieces by me, so snag them while you can!
Patreon/Medium • Nevermore (Medium) • Words that lead us into mystery (Medium) • Review: The First Omen (Patreon) • Review: The Thing Around Your Neck by Chimamanda Adichie (Patreon) • Poem: Once I was a girl (Patreon) • Panic, caffeine and spite (Patreon)
Note: Patreon entries are indexed going back to its launch in 2018. I wanted new Patrons to be able to easily find the work that they’ve missed, and hopefully seeing how much work is on the Patreon might encourage some good folks to subscribe. (Hint, hint.) Seriously, subscriptions start at $1 a month, and I truly believe some of the best work I’ve ever done is on the Patreon. Check out the index here.
Photography As has been the last few months, most of my shoots have been on assignment for my freelance clients. But I do occasionally get to go see pretty things…
• Sculpture roll: Laumeier Sculpture Park (Patreon)
Almost all of the images in the galleries are available for purchase, so if you see something you like that isn’t in the store, email kyates@donaldmedia.com and we’ll get you a quote. A few might not be available for purchase due to copyright issues.
Photograph of the Month
This is Loretta Williams, a reenactor portraying labor leader Mother Jones at the annual Mother Jones Festival in Mt. Olive, Ill. The original Mother Jones insisted on celebrating her birthday on May Day (the original Labor Day) rather than August when she was actually born, and requested to be buried in Mt. Olive next to the miners who were killed in the Virden Massacre after the mine owners retaliated against their strike. Mother Jones was a fascinating person, and I was delighted to write a historical feature about her that will appear in the coming weeks.
In the late 2000s, I wrote a media tie-in novel titled Dreadmire. It was a dark fantasy adventure tied to a d20 RPG published by Spellbinder Games, sourcebook by Randy Richards. The medievalesque high fantasy Randy created was inspired by the ecology and culture of the Louisiana bayous, and I found it a fascinating setting. I was hired to write a novel set in the world, a mixture of Randy’s creatures and my own machinations. It was a delightful romp in the swamp, and I was very pleased with its release. When it went out of print, Inkstained Succubus Productions picked it up for a re-release and it had a good run until Inkstained sadly went out of business.
From time to time I’d get questions about Dreadmire, and I always had to tell them their only hope was the used bookstores. However, as Dreadmire approaches its 15th anniversary, Randy and I have figured out the contracts and Dreadmire will be released once again on an unsuspecting public.
More about this in the fiction section below, and there’s plenty more going on this month! I did some hard-news work on election coverage (and there will probably be more coming), got my first public-radio byline, did a deeper-dive in the growing epidemic of suicide among construction workers, and more! Read on…
Publicity/Appearances
This month was both AWP and Conflation, which thankfully had a week between them so I had a chance of catching my breath. AWP was an absolute delight, which I narrated daily in the Patreon, so check the links below for specifics. I didn’t do much in the way of photography in Kansas City, as I’ve hit that city several times to date, but mmm barbecue.
Conflation closed out the month, which is always like a big family reunion for me. I love the relaxacons, which allow me to sell books out of my room and close the door for a nap when I need it. I taught a writing workshop based on using images, which comes from some of my MFA work and the workshop I taught last year, and I’m continuing to refine it for con requests.
Coming up this month is Midsouthcon! It was the first convention I attended as a pro, if I remember correctly, and the one I haunted as an undergrad lo these many eons ago in Memphis. We are deep in our mischief-plotting for our return to the weird Escher hotel where MSC will be hosted; the last time we were in the Hotel of Many Ramps was 2009, which doesn’t seem like it was that long ago. If you’re going to be in the area, please come by!
2024 calendar: • Midsouthcon, Memphis, Tenn. March 22-24 (guest author) • Sigma Tau Delta conference, St. Louis, Mo. April 3-6 (attending) • SPJ regional conference, St. Louis, Mo. April 13 (speaker/coordinator) • National Federation of Professional Women, St. Louis,Mo. June 2022 (speaker) • TechWrite STL, St. Louis, Mo. July 10 (speaker) • Imaginarium, Louisville, Ky. July 19-21 (guest author) • Dragoncon, Atlanta, Ga. Sept. 5-9 (guest author) • Edwardsville Book Festival, Edwardsville, Ill. Oct. 12 (tent.) • Archon, Collinsville, Ill. Oct. 4-6 (guest author)
Note: Not all articles are available online, and some may be behind paywalls.
Blogs
With the new year, I started two new blog features. Each week (more or less) I have posted on DonaldMedia.com a roundup of Show Your Work: updates in the journalism world and a rundown on what was total garbage on the internet this week. Like you, I am tired of seeing rampant misinformation mindlessly reposted on social media without the simple Google search that would show it’s completely false. I also have begun posting BookNotes on ElizabethDonald.com that not only updates on the latest kerfuffle in the publishing and speculative fiction universes, but follows the ongoing issue of book banning and censorship in the U.S.
This proved to be more work than I could reasonably keep up with given the rate of freelance work I’m getting and also had to be canceled on weeks when I travel. I am considering shifting them to Substack on a biweekly schedule, but that requires more research. As always, whatever I write is offered to Patreon subscribers for free, because they’re already paying for my work. (Which is why you should totally subscribe.) I intend to keep this up, as I believe both of these topics need attention, but the format might shift as we go forward.
Dreadmire is leading the news this month! If you want a taste of my dark swamp (ew), you can read the prologue here for free. The image posted above is the preliminary cover; it may see some tweaking between now and the release, which I hope will be soon. Book publishing moves faster when it’s already been edited extensively by the staff of two (2) publishers, but it still takes some time.
Also out this month: the St. Louis Writers Guild 2024 anthology includes a short piece by me titled “Not.” I’m honored to be included in this anthology for the first time, and with a piece of literary fiction, which is a departure from my usual ghosties and beasties. You can preorder a dead-tree version here, or get it for Kindle here.
Patreon/Medium
• Pearl-clutching at the restroom door (Medium, Patreon) • Review: Life Signs by James Lovegrove (Patreon) • Your obituary, brought to you by robots (Patreon) • AWP: Onward (Patreon) • AWP: Success is making words (Patreon) • AWP: The poetical political (Patreon) • AWP: The long walk (Patreon) • Review: The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride (Patreon)
Note: All Patreon entries are indexed going back to its launch in 2018. I wanted new Patrons to be able to easily find the work that they’ve missed, and hopefully seeing how much work is on the Patreon might encourage some good folks to subscribe. (Hint, hint.) Seriously, subscriptions start at $1 a month, and I truly believe some of the best work I’ve ever done is on the Patreon. Check out the index here.
Photography
My shoots this month were pretty much work-related: union protests, lots of food shoots, a few pieces of future blackmail evidence from Conflation, some spot news photography, and KITTIES. Yes, I got to shoot a cat cafe for Feast Magazine, and it should be published sometime soon. I got to hang around adorable kittycats and eat espresso cookies for my job. Sometimes this gig rocks.
Almost all of the images in the galleries are available for purchase, so if you see something you like that isn’t in the store, email kyates@donaldmedia.com and we’ll get you a quote. A few might not be available for purchase due to copyright issues.
The image above was a sign on the wall of the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Atlanta, one of the five host hotels for Dragoncon. I was delighted to return to Dragoncon after an absence of eight years, which was just long enough to remember where the food court is, and completely forget which level you need to find the habitrails.
And if you’ve ever been to Dragoncon, you know why that sign is hilarious.
I had a delightful time at Dragoncon, plus or minus the usual exhaustion and realizing I am too old for late-night partying (but not too old to hobble about the site). Capping attendance has eliminated some of the congestion – certainly better than it was in 2015 – but it’s still one I wouldn’t recommend for people who have problems with heights, crowds or noise.
A full daily travelogue of my return to Dragoncon posted on the Patreon for all Patrons – and why haven’t you subscribed yet? If you want to see Obi-Wan KENobi, Starlett O’Hara and other awesome costume pics, you should totally sign up.
Publicity/Appearances
Appearances slowed down a bit in August, what with Dragoncon and the launch of the fall semester. I’m teaching four classes this fall, which kind of takes a little time and attention. But there’s plenty on the way for the Fall Deathmarch!
Added to the schedule: I’m honored to be hosted by the Martin (Tenn.) Public Library this Saturday! For those who don’t know, I did my first two years of high school at the Bryn Mawr School in Baltimore and the second two years at Martin Westview High School, and this weekend is my 30th (!!!) reunion. The library is hosting me for a signing before the reunion, and I’m honored to be there.
Then there’s the Spine Book Fair in St. Louis on Sept. 23, followed by a signing at the Society of Professional Journalists conference in Las Vegas on Sept. 29. Also coming up this fall: the Melting Pot in Granite City on Oct. 7 and Writers of the Riverbend on Oct. 14.
As previously announced, I will not be at Archon as it conflicts with SPJ, but the Literary Underworld will be there under my husband’s supervision, so you should be sure to grab books from us at the show!
Note that my workshop for Plethora of Pens originally slated for Sept. 11 is being rescheduled. I’ll announce the new date when I know it.
Added to the schedule: presenting at the RWA/St. Louis Writers Guild conference hosted at the St. Louis Central Library on Oct. 21, and I am confirmed as a guest for Midsouthcon in Memphis next March.
Finally: Don’t forget Leclaire Parkfest! It’s not an official author appearance, but I run the St. Andrew’s charity book fair in Edwardsville and we do an extra sale at Parkfest to benefit the American Cancer Society. The festival is Sunday, Oct. 15 at Leclaire Park in Edwardsville, Ill. and it’s a lot of fun! Come by and say hello.
Whew!
2023 calendar: • Martin Public Library, Martin, Tenn. Sept. 9 • Spine Book Fair, St. Louis, Mo. Sept. 23 • SPJ Conference, Las Vegas. Sept. 28-Oct. 1 (presenter/book signing) • Archon, Collinsville, Ill. Sept. 21-Oct. 1 (LitUnd only) • The Melting Pot, Granite City, Ill. Oct. 7 • Writers of the Riverbend, Alton, Ill. Oct. 14 • Leclaire Parkfest, Edwardsville, Ill. Oct. 15 (charity sale only) • RWA/St. Louis Writers Guild, St. Louis Central Library, Oct. 21 • ContraKC, Kansas City, Nov. 10-12 (solo and LitUnd)
2024 calendar: • Association of Writers and Writing Programs, Kansas City, Mo. Feb. 7-10 • Conflation, St. Louis, Mo. Feb. 23-25 • Midsouthcon, Memphis, Tenn. March 22-24 • Sigma Tau Delta conference, St. Louis, Mo. April 3-6 (tent.) • ConCarolinas, Charlotte, N.C. May 31-June 2 (tent.)
• Review: Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (Patreon) • Archival evidence (Patreon) • Free to wear pink (Patreon) • Dragoncon: Everybody walk the dinosaur (Patreon) • Dragoncon: 100,000 of your closest friends (Patreon) • Dragoncon: A roomful of readers (Patreon) • Dragoncon: Hi Barbie! (Patreon) • Dragoncon: The roar of unbridled avarice (Patreon) • Dragoncon: Denouement (Patreon) • The whispering woods (Medium)
Note: Recently I indexed all the entries I’ve posted on the Patreon going back to its launch in 2018. I wanted new Patrons to be able to easily find the work that they’ve missed, and hopefully seeing how much work is on the Patreon might encourage some good folks to subscribe. (Hint, hint.) Seriously, subscriptions start at $1 a month, and I truly believe some of the best work I’ve ever done is on the Patreon. Check out the index here.
Photography
It’s all on the Patreon! So many awesome costumes at Dragoncon. You should really subscribe.
I’m delighted to be returning to Dragoncon after a long time away! Below is my schedule, where I get to meet up with some old friends and new faces as well. It’s a fairly light schedule, so I may have free time (!) to meet up and chat!
I will have a limited quantity of in-print books for sale at my reading and signing. If you want a book, you might message me in advance to reserve it. As I am flying, I can only bring so many.
See you in Atlanta!
FRIDAY
2:30 p.m. Signing with Timothy Zahn (Overlook, Westin)
SATURDAY
11:30 a.m. Vampire variety in urban fantasy (Chastain 1-2, Westin)
3:30 p.m. Reading (Marietta, Hyatt)
10 p.m. 101 Interesting ways to kill off a character (Embassy EF, Hyatt)
SUNDAY
10 a.m. Writing effective short horror fiction (Peachtree 1-2, Westin)
MONDAY
2:30 p.m. Forecasting the future of fantastic fiction (Embassy EF, Hyatt)
Let me start with the big one: my screenplay for “Infinity” was finalist at the Imadjinn film festival, complete with a nifty little trophy for my office. This was the first screenplay I ever wrote, as part of a workshop at the university under Professor Valerie Vogrin, and I was so pleased at its warm reception.
It’s August, which means travel and fun is winding down in favor of preparing for the fall semester. I’m teaching at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville this fall. The semester starts in two weeks, so if your professor friends seem mopey and distracted (well, more distracted than usual), have sympathy on them. Bring them coffee and sugary treats. Soon, it will be the running of the bulls, and resuming our recitation of “it’s in the syllabus.”
July 27 was Freedom Day, the five-year anniversary of becoming a full-time freelance writer. Of course, those five years were also grad school, but I’ve always loved being my own boss and I’ve deeply enjoyed writing the projects I choose. Each year I’ve written a reflection on Freedom Day, and this year I didn’t, because so much of my career is in flux right now. But we still marked the occasion with ice cream, as my family chooses to celebrate. No regrets.
Publicity/Appearances
July was busy! First, I spoke to TechWrite STL on the thrilling subject of grammar. Look, you can make almost any subject interesting with enough snark and memes. By the audience response, they found it a fun exercise and we managed to cover the major pitfalls of the English language without resorting to diagramming sentences.
Next was Imaginarium, where I was honored to share a dinner table with Terry Brooks and had a terrific time catching up with my fellow authors. The Literary Underworld was there in force, and so was the Traveling Bar (always the highlight of the event for us).
I also joined my fellow members of Cuppa Words at the Alton Night Market on July 20, which saw the collapsing end of my poor traveling table. It was also the Mississippi Valley’s version of OMG are you kidding why do I live here hot. As I have frequently complained as the summers get hotter: If I wanted Tennessee weather, I would have stayed in Tennessee.
Next up is Dragoncon! It’s been a long time since I joined 75,000 of my closest friends in the Hotlanta marathon. I’m delighted to return and am looking forward to my panels and catching up with the Atlanta crew. My full schedule will be posted on ElizabethDonald.com as soon as I have everything confirmed. If you’re going to be at Dragoncon, please come by my reading! I’d love to see you.
Sadly, I have had to cancel my appearance at Archon this year. I haven’t missed an Archon since 2007, and that only because my father and stepmother were holding their wedding celebration that weekend. But this year, Archon conflicts with the Society of Professional Journalists’ annual conference. I am still president of the St. Louis Pro chapter, and thus am obligated to attend. I’ve offered to participate in any virtual panels at Archon, should any take place. I have also had to cancel the Edwardsville Book Fair, as I will be running the St. Andrew’s charity book sale during that weekend.
However, please note that the Literary Underworld WILL be present at Archon! The show can go on without me. My husband Jim Gillentine will be running our booth at our usual table, with the assistance of LitUnd Underlords Sela Carsen, Nikki Lanahan, Mary Koppenhofer and others. Please drop by and say hello! Sadly, we will not be able to offer the Traveling Bar, but we promise to come back in a big way next year!
Added to the fall schedule: the Spine Book Fair in September; a book signing in Las Vegas during the SPJ conference; the Melting Pot in Granite City, Ill. on Oct. 7 and Writers of the Riverbend on Oct. 14. And that’s in addition to the previously scheduled stuff! Whew.
2023 calendar: • Dragoncon, Atlanta, Ga. Aug. 31-Sept. 4 • Edwardsville Book Fair, Sept. 9 (charity sale only) • Spine Book Fair, St. Louis, Mo. Sept. 23 • SPJ Conference, Las Vegas. Sept. 28-Oct. 1 (presenter/book signing) • Archon, Collinsville, Ill. Sept. 21-Oct. 1 (LitUnd only) • The Melting Pot, Granite City, Ill. Oct. 7 • Writers of the Riverbend, Alton, Ill. Oct. 14 • Leclaire Parkfest, Edwardsville, Ill. Oct. 15 (charity sale only) • ContraKC, Kansas City, Nov. 10-12 (solo and LitUnd)
2024 calendar: • Association of Writers and Writing Programs, Kansas City, Mo. Feb. 7-10 • Conflation, St. Louis, Mo. Feb. 23-25 • Midsouthcon, Memphis, Tenn. March 22-24 (tent.) • Sigma Tau Delta conference, St. Louis, Mo. April 3-6 (tent.) • ConCarolinas, Charlotte, N.C. May 31-June 2 (tent.)
• The original guilty pleasure (Medium) • Review: Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (Patreon) • The whispering woods (Patreon) • Everything wrong with The Flash and comics movies (Patreon) • Runner-up (Patreon) • Wearing the pants in my own damn life, or the IDGAF jeans (Medium)
Note: Recently I indexed all the entries I’ve posted on the Patreon going back to its launch in 2018. I wanted new Patrons to be able to easily find the work that they’ve missed, and hopefully seeing how much work is on the Patreon might encourage some good folks to subscribe. (Hint, hint.) Seriously, subscriptions start at $1 a month, and I truly believe some of the best work I’ve ever done is on the Patreon. Check out the index here.
The Summer of Job Hunting has definitely been a challenge to my patience and stress management, on a number of levels. But that isn’t to say I’ve been sitting around my living room breathing into a paper bag, either!
June kicked off with the long-awaited Paris trip, which was an amazing experience happily shared with my mom, stepdad, and sister. Patreon readers got a daily travelogue of my adventures in Paris, and a full travel essay on Notre Dame is pending. Check out the links below for more details! (What, you’re not a Patreon subscriber? My dudes, it starts at $1 a month and I really feel it’s some of my best work. Make with the clicky and join today!)
In the meantime, I received the incredible news that I’m one of five finalists for the Knost Award. The Michael Knost Wings Award is granted to a writer who is either a new, up-and-coming voice or someone who’s been around for a while and hasn’t gotten the recognition they deserve. I can only assume I’m in the latter category, because 20 years is a long time to be up-and-coming. (What’s the old saying? It takes 20 years to become an overnight sensation?) I was uncharacteristically speechless at the nomination, and very grateful to the committee for considering me – and I’m in fine company, as well.
To add to the fun, my first screenplay made the finalist list for the Imaginarium Film Festival’s screenplay competition. This screenplay, titled “Infinity,” is based on a novella I wrote several years ago and was developed in workshop during my final semester of grad school under the guidance of Prof. Valerie Vogrin. Needless to say, I’m looking forward to the ceremonies next weekend in Louisville!
At the moment, I’m working on the next couple of books for Falstaff, doing as much freelancing work as I can scrounge, and continuing the Great Job Hunt as the fall semester looms. Wish me luck!
P.S. I am still on Twitter as both author and journalist, as well as Facebook and Instagram with very rare postings on YouTube. I’ve now added TikTok with guidance from my son, who is much hipper than I am, because apparently it’s required. I think that’s enough social media for the moment…
Publicity/Appearances
June kicked off with ConCarolinas, which was a delight as usual. It was great to see old friends like Rachel Brune and Nancy Knight and my awesome publisher, John Hartness. I always enjoy the show, though I keep meaning to schedule an extra day sometime so I can actually see something of Charlotte, N.C. besides the airport and the hotel.
Paris came only 24 hours after returning to St. Louis, and it wasn’t technically a work trip except I wrote travelogues the entire time, so it counts! Highlights of the trip included Shakespeare & Co., the Opera Garnier (also known as the hangout for the Phantom of the Opera), the Musee d’Orsay, Eiffel Tower and much more. Again, check out Patreon for the details!
Coming up this month is a presentation for TechWrite STL, followed by Imaginarium in Louisville on July 14-16! Terry Brooks is the guest of honor and the film festival is rocking, so if you’re in the vicinity, come see us! We will be bringing the whole Literary Underworld and the Traveling Bar, so you know it’ll be a blast.
2023 calendar: • TechWrite STL, St. Louis. July, 11. (presenter) • Imaginarium, Louisville, Ky. July 14-16 (guest author) • Dragoncon, Atlanta, Ga. Aug. 31-Sept. 4 (guest author) • SPJ Conference, Las Vegas. Sept. 28-Oct. 1 (presenter) • Archon, Collinsville, Ill. Sept. 21-Oct. 1 (LitUnd only) • ContraKC, Kansas City, Date TBA. (guest author)
Note: Not all articles are available online, and some may be behind paywalls.
Fiction
I’m happy to report that the much-delayed annual bonus is finally on its way to my Patreon subscribers! Watch your emails for your survey, Patrons.
Patreon/Medium
• Wearing the pants in my own damn life, or the IDGAF Jeans (Medium and Patreon) • Con Report: ConCarolinas 2023 (Patreon) • Paris Je T’aime: Day 1.0 (Patreon) • Paris Je T’aime: Day 1.5, sipping champagne at Notre Dame (Patreon) • Paris Je T’aime: Day 2, or adventures in ordering (Patreon) • Paris Je T’aime: Day 3, the farmer’s market (Patreon) • Paris Je T’aime: Day 4, of bravery and beauty and books (Patreon) • Paris Je T’aime: Day 5, “I specifically said Box 5 was to be kept open” (Patreon) • Paris Je T’aime: Day 6, or dreaming beauty in pictures (Patreon) • Paris Je T’aime: Day 7, always moving forward (Patreon) • The MFA Reading List (Medium)
Note: Recently I indexed all the entries I’ve posted on the Patreon going back to its launch in 2018. I wanted new Patrons to be able to easily find the work that they’ve missed, and hopefully seeing how much work is on the Patreon might encourage some good folks to subscribe. (Hint, hint.) Seriously, subscriptions start at $1 a month, and I truly believe some of the best work I’ve ever done is on the Patreon. Check out the index here.
Photography
Just about all of the important photography this month happened in Paris, with the best shots on the Patreon. Some of them will appear on the photography site soon and will be available for purchase! Stay tuned.
