News:
“Growing Things” tied for first for last month’s Eco-Horror Shallow Waters contest. I believe this should send you to a free-to-read page. No hosting the contest this time. I deferred to the other winner, since I got to host just a few months ago and it was his first time. Still want to do it again, though.
Squirm Books is putting out a queer anthology of beauty and body image called Skin Deep, and my mall story “Changing Room” has found a home on its TOC. Look for it February 2026.
Works in Progress:
I couldn’t put it off any longer (although I had several shorter editing projects to distract me), so I started Never & Forever (Meridian Book 8), and while there are weak areas here at the beginning, it’s moving apace and doesn’t involve quite as much pulling teeth as the last novel I tried. I’m at around 9K words of an anticipated 85K. The story itself is simple but the emotional stakes are pretty ambitious. It’ll be interesting to see if I can accomplish it.
Books I’m Reading:
Raising Loki: A Memoir by Elliot Manarin
Texas Bigfoot by Lyle Blackburn (finished)
Rose Madder by Stephen King
Things I’m Listening To:
Abyss/Ascent playlist
Nocturne playlist
Halloween playlist (finally)
Things I’m Watching:
The Awakening
Unknown Number: The High School Catfish
CSI series
CSI: NY series
Private Practice series
9-1-1: Lone Star series (finished)
Wear Whatever the F You Want series
Hoarders series
The Rookie series
NCIS series
Poem of the Week:
what would you give for a life? a lifestyle?
a toe, a heel, an ankle, a delicate stretch
of leg to the knee and beyond?
what is a bribe but a clearance sale
to spare someone far more precious?
such a small thing, your dignity and pride,
your security and safety, your sleep and dreams,
in exchange for one more day, and one more day.
Amanda M. Blake 