Old Hipster Recommends Vashti Bunyan

Have you ever had that experience where an old song suddenly floats to the top of the common consciousness and no one will shut up about it? For bonus points, it’s almost always from an artist who you’ve kind of heard of but never listened to, and suddenly you’re out there, playing catch-up. Whether it’s […]

Fringe Candy: In Defense of Salt Water Taffy

It’s been a long while since I’ve done a Fringe Candy post. What I can I say? Nothing like a diabetes diagnosis to make me scale back my enjoyment of sugary goodness. While I still enjoy a bit of the sweet shit from time to time, I won’t lie… some of the joy is gone. […]

Interview: Dawn Vogel, Author of the Brass and Glass Steampunk Trilogy

Hey guys! Today I got the chance to interview NW Author Dawn Vogel about her soon-to-be-completed Steampunk trilogy. Pull on your Jodhpurs and aviator goggles and let’s get cracking! Let’s start with a quick run-down of Brass and Glass. What’s it all about? The Brass and Glass trilogy follows the adventures of Captain Svetlana Tereshchenko […]

A Winter Lullaby: Liner Notes

Less than twenty minutes ago, I typed “END” at the bottom of a novel I’ve been wanting to write for a while now. I started the outline on December 5th, four years ago, and chugged away on a few chapters and one or two short insert scenes, including a prologue of sorts that don’t plan […]

Old Hipster Recommends: Fenomeno Fuzz

Listen. I don’t know much about surf rock. I grew up on the edge of the fucking desert, arguably a decade or so after the height of surf rock. I know some of the classics. The Ventures, Dick Dale, etc. But I don’t think of it very often. And typically when I do, it’s when […]

Deep Cuts–David + David’s Boomtown

There was one of those innocuous Twitter questions that caught my eye earlier this morning. Four albums that saved your life in high school–Album covers only, no commentary. I’m a sucker for those kinds of questions. It’s like being interviewed. Like someone actually cares about the answer, when in fact so few rarely do. But […]

Old Hipster Recommends Kassi Valazza

Yeah, it’s one of your favorite old hipsters talking music again. Or “Spreading New Shit for Old Ears,” as I like to think of it. Maybe I’m missing some idealized version of the American West that I never really fully appreciated when I was growing up, but I’ve really taken a hankering to country music […]

Old Hipster Recommends: The Delines

I sometimes take it for granted that, when listening to music, not everyone is looking for something new. I’m almost constantly on the hunt for something unexpected. While I can often sink into the comfort of old favorite bands and albums (and you honestly could not comprehend just how many times I’ve listened to Diamond […]

A Guide for Characters and Arcs in RESISTANCE

Unlike other recent Cobalt City novels which focus on only a handful of characters, Cobalt City: RESISTANCE has a huge cast. Some are well established heroes. Some are newer. Some get big arcs that have big implications in the ongoing narrative. Some are cameos to give another perspective. I realized that while the book is […]

A Cathartic Chapter from Cobalt City: RESISTANCE

When I wrote Cobalt City: RESISTANCE in the wake of the 2016 elections, I knew things were bad–that they were almost certainly going to get worse. That was a big impetus for getting the book launched in time for the 2018 elections. Well, the launch happened. The election happened. And now everything is fixed. *listens […]