Dreaming Dangerously
Art by Leonora Carrington
Damn, it’s December already?!? Time’s moving at the pace of a bullet train. It’s strange because this is the most time I’ve spent in solitude in years. I’ve been meditating a lot more, having personal revelations, and I’ve been in a sea of constant change and rebirth…
Sidenote: I created a paid tier for subscribers. The weekly newsletter will continue to be free, but if you wish to pay $6 monthly, you’ll get exclusive posts, extra newsletters, fiction snippets, etc. If you’re interested, navigate over to the subscriptions section or click the Literary Loud header at the top, and there should be a big ass blue button that says “Upgrade to paid.”
Now back to the newsletter…I’ve always been deep into lucid dreaming and studying dreams in general. This is actually how I discovered my intuitive gifts. Somehow, my dream intuition kind of shrunk into the background for maybe six years, but it’s coming back full force. I’m dreaming within dreams within dreams within dreams again.
My dream worlds feel so much more tangible, the dream architecture is always hovering in my conscious mind. I wake up wondering if I’m doing too much. If I’m losing my mental thread perhaps…but I feel like I’m on the right path.
I’m traveling to numinous spaces that feel somewhat dangerous and exhilarating, but I feel like a veteran in this space. Like a mystic deep sea diver who’s been doing this for several lifetimes.
I’ve been feeling a deep yearning to travel overseas again, but I have to be patient. In the meantime, I’ll continue my dream travels…
Every time I look at the news, I see articles about technology being evil and how it’s going to take us out. Stumbling across this ai chatbot used for healing and growth was touching. Michelle Huang is an artist-scientist, experience architect, and creative coder. I think this so cool, and y’all know I’m big on tarot readings. I preach about healing your inner child a lot so it’s refreshing to see technology utilized holistically.
Deadstream was a lot of fun and reminded me of that crazy energy in the Evil Dead franchise. Genuinely surprised me during a few moments and I enjoyed the use of esoteric symbols like the Hand of Hamsa. One of the best found footage films I’ve seen in a long time.
I stumbled across this cool list, which features God’s Leftovers on it. This is the 15 best indie horror books released in the last 3 years. I feel honored and flabbergasted that I made it on here, but then again, I do have the juice.
My Broken River brothers both dropped new books and I assure you, they are certified bangers. You can pick up Dying World here and Howl here.
What am I working on? I made some progress on Project Melancholy and I brainstormed a trilogy of horror books on a whim one night. I would love it if I end the year with a fresh first draft. I might knock out a couple of short stories that have been percolating in my head too. We’ll see what happens though.
Currently Watching: Moon Knight & Ozark Season 1 & Love, Death & Robots Season 3, Cyberpunk 2077
Currently Reading: God Damn Chainsaw Murderer by Sean M. Thompson & Nudes by Elle Nash & Blame! by Tsutomu Nihei & To Rouse Leviathan by Matt Cardin & Women Who Run With the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estes
I read Earth Vs. The Star Mummy in one sitting earlier this week. Fantastic book with humorous ads, zany violence, and a badass space mummy destroying a small quaint town. Think of it as a fun throwback to those 50s flicks like The Blob or Invasion of the Body Snatchers. This is my first Lucas Mangum book and it somehow exceeded my expectations. Pick it up here.
"A terrifying intersection of climate-based horror and science fiction set in a futuristic Seattle full of body modification, corruption, missing kids, and dreams. Like a lost episode of Black Mirror meets True Detective. "-Grant Wamack, author of God’s Leftovers
Oh yeah, I blurbed the book above. Scoop that up too. Also, I helped co-host the podcast episode promoting the book. You can look at my face and listen here. And on sidenote, if you want me to blurb your book, hit my line or hop in my DMs.
Currently Smoking: Alien Labs Agent X
Currently Listening to: Black Tapes Podcast & The Danny Brown Podcast
“I only trust my momma, my glock, and my plug.”
I never knew how much I needed Tony Shhnow and DJ Scream to join forces. This has that classic mixtape energy I’ve been missing and Tony SShhnow doesn’t miss a single step.
King Yella channels the spirit of his fallen comrade Fgb Duck on “I GOT.” His rapping hiatus seems to have paid off because these hyper aggressive adlibs sound amazing along with Duck’s flow.
Quadeca went from rapping to producing, engineering, and singing powerful songs full of sadness, longing, and sorrow. “Tell Me A Joke” is one of my favorite singles off his album and manages to get me in my feels everytime.
Emilio Rojas manages to unleash fire bars while simultaneously weaving political commentary and immigrant pride into a dope ass song. This feels inspirational even though I don’t have a green card.
Until next time…
Congrats on making the list of best indie horror books! You out here doing BIG thangs! I would be super interested in reading a horror about dreams within a dream within a dream! 🤔
Thanks for the shout!