Well, that last post ended up receiving a great deal more attention, likes, and re-stacks than either I would have expected, or have ever received on here before. It’s a touch overwhelming, and I’m thankful to the folks who commented, who restacked it, and/or who gave it a read or a like. I tend to be a relatively quiet presence here on Substack, despite my early adoption of the platform and consistent use of it to post genre fiction material.
This post is especially for the folks who are new to my material, who’ve taken an interest primarily based on the last post, wherein I took Mr. Katz and Ms Kabas, along with their censorious cohorts, to task for being the kind of nattering scolds who we used to roll our eyes at as kids, because we were able to identify on some gut instinctive level that all they really wanted was absolute control over any and every conversation, and to establish what could and could not be part of the freewheeling dialogue shared among the people of the neighborhood.
I’ll be blunt- I am, as the title of this piece suggests, very likely going to disappoint you. I don’t frequently indulge in conversations dipping into the socio-political, or current events and news. That isn’t primarily my bag. I’m a horror, fantasy and occasionally sci-fi storyteller of long and short-form narrative fiction. That’s the vast majority of my material here, as can be surmised with even a brief peek through the 300 plus posts I’ve put up on The Storyteller’s Corner Substack. Yes, I do have at least one more ‘Storyteller’s Perspective’ non-fiction observation piece presently being drafted up in the background to share regarding this whole recent discussion on Substack’s ‘Nazi problem’, but it has less to do with that discussion and more to do with breathing absolute fire on one particular group of folks who have represented themselves here as some kind of collective bastion of good fiction taste here on the platform.
I’m looking directly at you, Fictionistas. But that’s for later.
If you have decided to give me a chance based on the small handful of non-fiction pieces I’ve put up on here in the recent days, weeks and months, you are appreciated and welcome here, as is pretty much everyone. Except you, Steve; I told you to you weren’t welcome back until you put a new blade on my lawnmower. Because you broke the blade when you borrowed it! I don’t know, maybe, Lowe’s? Home Depot? Regardless, just, go, man, I’m trying to do something here, okay? Thanks. Any ro’, you are, as I said, more than welcome. But I have to be honest with you, these current events/socio-political commentaries are not my usual thing, and I worry that maybe you’ll get bored or tire of the fiction that comes down the pike from me. If you find yourself not enjoying the work, I will be more than understanding of the decision to unsubscribe later on, seeing that what had drawn you in had just been a brief flash of fire, and not a routine part of what I do.
If that’s more the sort of thing you want to read, however, might I take a moment to aim you in the direction of a few folks for whom this sort of thing is typically in their realm of regular contribution? Firstly, there’s Daniel D, over at “A Ghost in the Machine”. He’s a talented essayist, and has a sharp wit and excellent word selection. Then, there’s Morgthorak The Undead, a lich lord who has opted to turn his bleak gallows humour into an ongoing series of posts that can birth a dark chuckle from even the stodgiest of us. Holly Mathnerd, over at Holly’s Substack, has a skill set that confuses but fascinates even dopes like myself as well. Don’t forget John Carter over at Postcards From Barsoom. Also of interest is the Librarian of Celaeno, an intensely well-read fellow who deserves more than a fair shake from the folks using Substack as a place for contemplative reading of the philosophical.
There are many more I could name, but I have to get running for now. In this moment, I just wanted to once again thank you, newcomers, for taking the time to offer me a sliver of your attention and support. If what you find in the days ahead does not appeal to you, because genre fiction just isn’t why you enjoy coming to Substack, there are no hard feelings. Just as it is nobody’s place to tell you what should or shouldn’t be allowed to be said on this platform, it sure as shite isn’t my place to suggest that you owe me any more of your time and attention than you have already offered me.
I hope you’ll stick around or come back for a tale or two, but I have no right to insist upon it.
Do you see, Mr. Katz? Ms Kabas? That’s how you talk to people without being a controlling dickbag. Take some notes. (Sorry, can’t resist the opportunity for a parting shot at them)