Sam Flynn's Cabinet of Curiosities - Issue #5

Big news! The Mystery of the Pale King audiobook narrated by yours truly is available on Patreon and Audible! Give the first five minutes a listen via the links and check out four further excerpts available on YouTube and TikTok.

It’s out at just the right time. My wife and I are currently raising funds to pay for a double surgery on our dog Harley Quinn’s injured hind legs. Poor girl walks on three legs and can’t use stairs anymore. All audiobook proceeds will go directly to helping her walk again!

Book News:

It’s been a busy spring and early summer. I broke out of my funk to write the Pale King sequel Dweller in Darkness which now sits near completion. Work on it has been all-consuming, the reason the newsletter is a little late this quarter. Finishing it in time for publication in 2026 is my number one goal at moment.

In the meantime, I’ve beefed up my Patreon and started publishing short fiction there. First up, the sci-fi short story Join Us. Dirk Larsen is a space labor activist imprisoned on the planet T'Lairen and interrogated by a faceless crony of the fascist government. As attempts to break his will fail, the roles of jailed and jailer blur, Dirk grapples with the ideals he willing to forsake to escape. I wrote this one in spring 2021 when the January 6th insurrection was fresh on my mind. Of all my banked stories, it’s the one that, to my mind, has only become more relevant since I’ve written it.

This spring also saw me start to the long-awaited querying of literary agents for my epic fantasy/mystery novel The Darkest Fate. Seven years in the making, it’s the most ambitious project of my life and the most personal. I posted a thread with details on the (agonizing) process over on BlueSky and other socials.

Recent/Upcoming Events:

Had a blast at the Athens Book Fair Block Party hosted by Tony’s Tavern on May 17, which couldn’t have been more conveniently located as Tony’s is two doors down from where I work.

Next up was the latest Hocking Hills Book Fair at the Lafayette Hotel in Marietta on June 14. They’re always a warm and welcome environment and I highly recommend their upcoming fairs in the fall, not the least of which because I’ll be there.

What I’m Reading/Watching:

Dark Crescent by Lyndsey Croal (June 3) is a fantasy short story collection based on Scottish folklore. Plus her story collection from last year Limelight was nominated for a British Fantasy Award! Congrats Lyndsey!

A Song of Legends Lost by M.H. Ayinde (June 3) is the first book in the African-inspired epic fantasy Invoker trilogy and exactly the kind of epic fantasy I love: a sprawling yet achingly personal narrative shouldered by an engrossing ensemble.

Both Lyndsey and M.H. are former Futurescapes classmates of mine and it’s truly inspiring to know and follow both of them.

We Who Hunt Alexanders by Jason Sanford (July 22). Sanford is a fellow Ohioan and foremost chronicler of the SFFH writing/publishing community. His fiction, like his journalism, captures the present in all its seen and unseen horror. Looking forward to this one.

When I’m deep in writing, my movie and TV watching nosedives. I’m looking forward to catching up on Star Wars: Andor at some point, as anti-fascist art could not be more needed. In the meantime my wife and I picked up detective show Dept. Q on Netflix, which I lovingly describe as “Scottish Detective House.”

That’s all from me! Share your comments/questions/suggestions on the newsletter to [email protected] and sign up for more updates via Patreon.

With authorly affection,

Sam