News, Other Stuff

I don’t have anything against people that like romance novels but I can’t stand them. Besides being all mushy and lovey-dovey and shit, the sex scenes in them suck, and not in a good way.

If sex is in a story it needs to add something, to drive the story forward, not just be in there for show or shock value. I’ve written sex scenes before and even provided one as part of my grad application submission, and one faculty member told me that he was pretty sure the rest of the faculty took my work home with them. I guess that was a good thing.

My writing was explicit. The story called for it to be.

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What happens when a psychic who can’t control her powers gets institutionalized?

Bryce Dekker is a young woman that has suddenly been given extraordinary power, a psychic link to her surroundings. In her desire to help others, she becomes entangled in a murder case where her knowledge of specifics has made her the #1 suspect.

Now mandated to undergo observation at Werthem Glen Sanitarium, Bryce is at the mercy of her fellow patients. Surrounded by madness and unable to control her power, she is having a hard time separating her thoughts from the insanity around her.

Bryce has found only one way to keep track of reality, and that’s by keeping a record of the visions and voices in her head. She has become the vessel for those around her, telling the stories of their illness. She is the biographer of their insanity. Their stories have become hers, and Bryce’s only hope is that by embracing the madness, she finds her sanity.

Asylum Doors is a serial comic we'll run every Wednesday.  See the previous installment here.  See next week's installment here.

Chris Prunckle is a graphic designer, illustrator and comic book artist banished to the suburbs of Chicago. Though an advertising industry minion by day, he slaves his nights away creating a mad little world.  He’s previously worked on the comics Fisted, Bonesetter, and The Scarab.  Follow him at @midjipress.

Curbside Splendor Publishing, Another Chicago Magazine, and Quimby's Bookstore present the March installment of Karaoke Idol Chicago, a monthly fundraising series at Beauty Bar Chicago.  Starting at 8pm on Thursday March 14, cultural and community oriented organizations we dig will battle it out for karaoke glory and a share of the door money.  A jambassador from each of the orgs and one from the crowd will battle for the Idol crown and a lion's share of the loot. Judges will select one person from the hour-long audience audition at the beginning of the night to compete as the sixth contestant so come early and sing. Offical competition begins at 10:00. Open-mic karaoke throughout the evening until close.  Free Jim Beam Devil's Cut with RSVP.

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What happens when a psychic who can’t control her powers gets institutionalized?

Bryce Dekker is a young woman that has suddenly been given extraordinary power, a psychic link to her surroundings. In her desire to help others, she becomes entangled in a murder case where her knowledge of specifics has made her the #1 suspect.

Now mandated to undergo observation at Werthem Glen Sanitarium, Bryce is at the mercy of her fellow patients. Surrounded by madness and unable to control her power, she is having a hard time separating her thoughts from the insanity around her.

Bryce has found only one way to keep track of reality, and that’s by keeping a record of the visions and voices in her head. She has become the vessel for those around her, telling the stories of their illness. She is the biographer of their insanity. Their stories have become hers, and Bryce’s only hope is that by embracing the madness, she finds her sanity.

Asylum Doors is a serial comic we'll run every Wednesday.  See the previous installment here.  See next week's installment here.

Chris Prunckle is a graphic designer, illustrator and comic book artist banished to the suburbs of Chicago. Though an advertising industry minion by day, he slaves his nights away creating a mad little world.  He’s previously worked on the comics Fisted, Bonesetter, and The Scarab.  Follow him at @midjipress.

If you are going to the Alcoholics, Writers, and Pornographers conference, or AWP conference in Boston this week, we will be there!  Table ZF.  On Saturday the bookfair is open to the public.  We will have crazy deals on our recent books The Way We Sleep, MAY WE SHED THESE HUMAN BODIES, Chicago Stories, Piano Rats, and limited previews of some of our upcoming books like Everything Flows by novelist / musican / screenwriter James Greer.

Amber Sparks, author of MAY WE SHED, will be at our table on Saturday at the bookfair from 11am to 12pm, available to sign copies of her book, chit-chat, and what-not.

Also, you can find us at the following parties we're throwing:

Thursday March 7 at 8pm, at Cantab Lounge, Words & Music featuring James Greer and a host of excellent authors.  Limited Advanced Review Copies of Everything Flows will be available.  James will have a guitar and will tear it up.

Saturday March 9 at 4:30pm at Brookline Booksmith, one of our nation's finest indie bookstores, Amber Sparks will be part of an excellent intimate reading featuring a special appearance by author Steve Almond, and more...  See here for more!

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See you there if you'll be there...