My newest poem, Trans Rage 2: The Reckoning is available now over at Strange Horizons to read for free. Below is a link and an excerpt.
This was an exciting piece to see published because when I wrote it, I thought for sure it would have a hard time finding a home. Luckily the editors at SH liked it as much as I do. It was created in response to transgender depictions in horror media, which almost entirely relegate trans individuals to the role of sexually deviant killers, monsters, or disgusting stereotypes.
Excerpt:
What’s Your Favorite Scary Movie?
Psycho Sleepaway Cam- Silence of the L-
Always the slasher and never the final girl.
Notes from the severed studio heads:
If she does survive, she needs to be legless or blind, eyes gouged out or wheelchair bound.
The George A. Romero Foundation and Bloody Disgusting are looking for aspiring writers to create stories for their upcoming fiction podcast “The Dead,” created in the spirit of George A. Romero. Here’s my 100 word submission:
That the smoke had drawn the hoard to the valley, they were certain. None had seen the dead in such numbers. Thousands shambled into the mouth of the valley, scrambling over fallen trees, it defied sanity.
If only it would rain. Downpour. Then they could escape through the pass. Connor turned back toward the wildfire burning in the east.
There was only one way now. Convince the factions to stop fighting each other and row to the center of the lake, to the compound on Druid Island, home to The-Church-Of-Silver-Dawns, isolated since the fall, and beg sanctuary from the cult.
…
This story is titled “Dead Mountain” and focuses on four groups who have survived the zombie apocalypse by eking out an existence in a narrow mountain valley, far from the civilization that fell:
The Rangers: Former members of the forestry service, who still man the lookout tower on the peak of Glass Mountain. They monitor the roads and woods, relaying information by radio to the others below.
The Survivalists: Conspiracy theory doomsday-preppers who finally got to meet the end of the world. While they began the apocalypse well stocked, their supplies are now dwindling. So far, they have been content to trade with the others for what they need, but a new leader has taken over and they want more.
The Campers: The remnants of Camp Tamarack, a summer camp for troubled youth. The few members of the staff, councilors, and campers who did not evacuate have turned the camp into a refuge where they grow crops, hold classes for the children, and try to find a sense of normality. They are the largest group.
The Church Of Silver Dawns: A highly secretive religious organization that has largely remained isolated since the fall. Their compound is located on Druid Island in the center of Lake Tamarack. They are regarded as a fringe cult organization.
Existence in the valley is often tense and fraught with conflict, but thus far the groups have achieved an uneasy peace. However one year after the fall, a wildfire threatens their way of life. To make matters worse, an enormous hoard of the undead has been drawn into the narrow mouth of the valley by the smoke. It will take everyone in the valley to survive what is coming, but can they join together in time?
Polu Texni is a fantastic magazine that I was fortunate to be featured in a couple of times. This piece was inspired by the greek legend of Arcas & Callisto as well as the constellations that bare their names. Or should I say…bear?
they always told me,
You should have seen her back when she-
(before she had you)
the beautiful hairless nymphs
of Boucher and Titan
had nothing on her
cut marble eyes
Mariah Carey jeans
endless flowing midnight hair
Your mother was a looker kid,
you know that?
...
[Read the full poem for FREE over at Polu Texni Magazine: http://www.polutexni.com/?p=10850]
Last fall I was proud to accept the award for best micro-fiction story from the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival. Here is a link to the announcement and a list of the other winners:
How will this poor American soldier ever get over his FRAULEIN SWEETHEART?!!
These questions and MUCH more get answered at The Gentleman’s Romantic Book Nook on our Young Romance special, a brief look at the classic comic book series by industry legends Joe Simon and Jack Kirby. We begin at the start of their work on the project in 1947 and work our way forward, into the age of the Comics Code Authority.
My new dark fantasy poem Remore is out in the latest issue of Typehouse.
I went back some years ago and saw them from a distance, what had become of my people howling atop the castle gate, the moat run brown-red with silt and man…
My new Sci-Fi poem is out in the new issue of Liminality. It’s about long space journeys and the ways we occupy our time. It’s a great issue so stick around and check out the rest of it while you’re on the site!
Vast Dark Wild by Mack W. Mani
Every hundred years,
you open up the viewing bay
to glimpse the passing stars,
the brief and harmless radiation
lapping your eyes with
benign cosmic fever…
Congratulation to Krishan and the Neon Team on reaching their 50th issue! It’s a steller lit magazine with some of the best curated content out there and definitely my favorite binding of any magazine I’ve been featured in.
I’m happy to see two of my new poems, “Seattle 2110” and “Endless Dream” out in this one, sitting among some great poets and authors.
Read a sample and pick up your digital or print copy here:
I wanted to share with you an exciting new project I’ve been developing with a close friend of mine:
It’s a comedy podcast called The Gentleman’s Romantic Book Nook, a book club-style show where each week we dive into chapters from the most ridiculous romance novels we can find.
This month we read BEAR by Marian Engel, a tender love story between a shy librarian and a real actual bear. Catch up on Spotify, iTunes, or straight from the tap at GRBookNook.com.
Here in the old
Enchantments
you can find remnants
of her still,
her smile a ragged
and torn tarn shore,
her perfume
the come-gone scent
of slapdash rain…
Mack W. Mani 