
My latest newsletter is live. It features my retelling of a Kabbalistic folktale and personal reflections around it. Please give it a read!
I’ve had trouble concentrating while writing lately, so I made a writing app to help me focus. As someone with ADHD tendencies, that means more stimulation and feedback. I thought it might help other writers like myself so I put it on itchio as donationware! It’s called StimuWrite.
The app lets you set a word count goal and has a progress bar that fills up and emojis that appear as you write for a visual reward and feedback. There are 9 backgrounds to choose from and a light and dark mode. Plus a full screen mode, adjustable font, and fun typing sounds!
The Serafim or “Fiery Ones” are serpent-like fire angels of incomprehensible size with six wings and sixteen faces. There is one for each of the four winds and they are reborn each new day from the river of light that flows from the Throne of Glory. In Kabbalah they are the higher angels of the first created divine realm of Beriah where they continually burn themself up into nothingness. Image: Tamarah Hayardeni
Here are some of my recent appearances on podcasts, panels, readings, and interviews!
“In this episode Marian chats it up with members of the Queer Horror Community as they discuss the fact that anybody can be a shitty ass serial killer regardless of who they like to diddle. We’re kicking off Pride Month with one helluva fucking BANG. FEATURED GUESTS: Eve Harms, Mick Collins, Dylan Mottaz, Angelique Jordonna, Rowland Bercy Jr”
“I’m excited to welcome writer Eve Harms onto the Tomb to discuss her trans body horror Transmuted. Please check out the following link for more info on the book and to learn more about the author”
“Eve Harms (author of Transmuted) knows a lot about alchemy, which is why we got together for the latest episode of GHOULISH to talk about a man who once boiled 1,200 gallons of piss.”
“Eve and I talk about the limits of what science can teach us, do a competitive bracket to determine the best body horror movie of all time, and discuss the complexity and joy of gender identity exploration.”
“The inaugural Ghoulish Book Festival occurred in downtown San Antonio, TX on April 30th and May 1st. If you missed it, do not fear. The panels were recorded and will be released through the podcast—including today’s episode of GHOULISH, which features Brian Asman as our moderator and Tom Deady, Jay Wilburn, Eve Harms, and Cynthia Pelayo as our panelists for a discussion about DIY horror.”
The Arcade Asylum weird fiction author series, sponsored by the Lovecraft Arts & Sciences Council, has been traditionally held in the historic Providence Arcade. As we work through the Covid pandemic, we are resurrecting the series with remote / zoom editions.
This edition features these three amazing authors: Gretchen Felker-Martin, Eve Harms, Hailey Piper
Teresa interviewed me as a part of her write up on the Ghoulish Book Festival. Check it out
Despina Durand interviewed Gretchen Felker-Martin, Hailey Piper, and I in a supplemental interview for the Arcade Asylum Virtual Authors Readings series. Check it out
I was a part of Kiste’s round table discussion series on different topics around women in horror.
Sonora Taylor interviewed me about writing Transmuted for Fright Girl Winter’s Ask the Author series. Check it out
Sumiko Saulson interviewed me for Pride Month 2021. Check it out
Engravings of hybrid monsters from Opera nela quale vi e molti mostri de tutte le parti del mondo antichi et moderni or “Work in which there are many monsters from all parts of the world, ancient and modern” by Giovanni Battista de’Cavalieri, 1585. Image: Wellcome Collection
Depictions of dreams of a patients in Jungian analysis by M.A.C.T., 1970s. Source: Wellcome Collection
Catacomb saints are the lavishly decorated bodies of early Christians that were exhumed from the catacombs of Rome by the Vatican and placed in towns throughout Europe between the 16th and 19th century. The bodies were covered in gold and precious stones and acted as relics. Images: Neitram, Dalibri & Dbu (wikimedia commons)
The Hand of the Philosophers is an alchemical symbol first appearing in Isaac Holland’s Die Hand der Philosophen, 15th century. Each feature of the hand corresponds to a quality, element and/or ingredient of the alchemical process. The thumb features a crown & quarter moon and represents the chemical saltpetre, which Holland calls “The King & Lord of all salts.”
The index finger features the star with six points, the meaning of which is only available to initiated alchemists, and the salt Roman Vitriol. The middle features the Sun, and represents Sal ammoniac. Above the ring finger is a lantern, representing alum. The little finger represents both the lock and key of the “hand” as well as common salt. In the palm, the fish represents Mercury, and the fire is just fire.
Images: Sammlung Alchymistischer Schriften, 18th century, Die Hand der Philosophen, 15th century