Summer dispatch (two book recs + a few thoughts on satire and the Swifties on Thre*ds)

Is this thing on??

I was off the Stack in June and now it is July—impossible. I’m still pinching myself from the sale of my debut novel, and keeping an eye on my inbox for the edit letter that will shape my coming weeks/months. I’m dangerously excited, resting up, moving as much of my TV writing work off my desk as possible, and reading lots of wonderful un-put-downable books / watching lots of twisted documentaries and reality television to prime myself to reenter the world of my weird and wild little novel!!

Re: the books I have not been able to put down—

These two super different books both share that insanely addictive quality I pray I’m learning through osmosis: their pages seem to turn themselves; I actually cancelled plans to read them; I woke up and grabbed them off the nightstand when I got up to brew my coffee (I’m usually a nighttime reader).

I just so happened to crack open CULPABILITY right after watching the absolutely diabolical AI Doc that’s now streaming on Peacock, unfortunately and fortunately. Fortunately because the documentary itself is an important and beautiful work of art; unfortunately because it is also perhaps the scariest thing I’ve ever watched in my whole live long life. Mama my Lexapro was working O-V-E-R-T-I-M-E as these geeks talked about the end of the world and the mess we’re in with these fucking bots!!!!!!!!

So as spooky of a read as Culpability is, I was already in the throes of an existential crisis when I picked it up, and I was so inspired by/jealous of Holsinger’s ability to distill the threat of AI into a twisty tinderbox of a taut family drama. Watching then reading these two love letters to our humanity in direct response to the looming threat of a tech-apocalypse rendered me weepy. Also very scared. Also a lil hopeful.

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A GOOD PERSON is the exact book I didn’t know I needed to read as I gear up for the big edit of my debut (!!!!!!) I say this because I keep picking up ‘traditional’ thriller and suspense novels (seeing as I accidentally seem to have written one) and find myself worried that my future readers are going to be disappointed by my book—that it’s too slow of a burn, too character-y, too genre-blended, too comedic and un-serious. But baby, Kirsten King is here to remind my insecure little ass that none of that shit matters!! Talk about a book that stays in its own lane, takes what conventions it likes from the genre and fucks the rest¹. I’m so inspired and tickled by this hilarious, irreverent anti-heroine romp!!

~!Sidebar: of course some of my future readers will be disappointed by my book!! That’s the gig, sweetheart!! But, needful reminder: I’m not writing the book for them! I’m writing it for people who like to laugh and gasp in equal measure, who want a Goosebumps for adults, who want to pick up a book and be surprised by it, who understand that satire can have heart.

Let’s see how that goes!!!

Speaking of satire, I don’t know why I felt the need to poke the bear that is Swift Nation² or whatever they’re called, but I had a wildly informative experience posting this stupid, first draft note on Thr*ds—which I think we can all agree is Substack’s evil twin:

Here are a selection of dismayed replies that I think speak to our present moment as a culture (we’re cooked):

^ This beautiful diptych wishing shame upon me (with the added note of backhanded flattery that the second commenter thought I actually was invited.)

^ The top comment. Diva of course it didn’t happen!! What gave it away??? (This is the main category of response, people racing to catch me in my lie.)

^ I love this one, which I’m choosing to read in earnest, with this woman truly wondering about and asking after the logistics of the event and venue itself.

^ And my personal favorite, this illegible conspiracy theory, which I like to read as speculative micro-fiction imagining what might have happened if JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessett had a son, who Taylor Swift picked up from school, and briefly dated, in a major deal, in a three-book deal, at auction. (No but wait is that actually my next novel?)

The gag? The thread got far more engagement in The Bad Place than it did here in the Good Place. (Don’t worry, I would never abandon Substack to become a Thre*ds girlie, I would truly not survive a month over there.)

Anyhoo, as a palate cleanser and sign-off, here are some photos I took out in the world in June, which I spent basically not writing at all, tbh!!!!!!! It’s summer!! Enjoy it!!

JUNE

PS: What are you reading? What thriller and suspense books kept you crazy hooked but also surprised and/or laughing?

adore you all,

Dan

1. One day I’ll write a dedicated post to my beloved fiercely non-competitive dance aerobics class, Pony Sweat, where the motto is “fuck the moves,” and my incredible friend/icon Emilia lovingly screams at you to: “TAKE WHAT YOU LIKE AND FUCK THE REST!!”

2. for the record: I’m actually NOT a hater/anti-Stan!! I like a lot of her songs!!!! I’m just being a silly bored little gay guy who is waiting for notes on his novel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!