From the Desk of William Pauley III
I’ve been in a weird sort of headspace lately.
Not sure what it is.
I’ve been like this ever since finishing The Bedlam Bible. Have you read it yet? It’s wild, brutal, and psychedelic. In order to write it, I had to dive deep into the unknown sectors of my psyche, the stuff that subconsciously directs my every thought and action.
It was a trip.
The stories can get pretty outlandish at times, but they really helped me work some shit out… mentally, I mean—past traumas, toxic people, mental suffering—and it’s helped me more than anything I’ve written before. I can only hope that it’ll help others in that way as well.
The guiding theme of these stories is mental health, and of course the dangers of not taking care of yourself. It’s a tough thing to write about when you’re making a conscious effort to steer clear of all that darkness… but that’s the tricky thing about mental health, isn’t it? You can’t just take the easy road, those clearly-marked, paved paths, no no no… if you do that, the second an incident occurs, it’ll cause you to sway to the left or right and you’ll be right back in the woods again. Those ominous dark hills will always be there, looking down at you, watching, waiting.
To keep your mind healthy, you have to tend to those wooded areas, spend some time there, gathering the sticks and bramble, and once you’ve got a good section of it cleared out, set the residuum ablaze. Burn those motherfuckers out of your mind forever, that way when life throws an unexpected roadblock, any place it throws you, you’ll still be on a clear path… and you’ll be safe.
Anyway, so yeah, that’s exactly what The Bedlam Bible is, a purging of darkness, a celebration of working shit out and setting motherfuckers ablaze. It’s been incredibly therapeutic, but holy hell was it a bitch to write. I’m still exhausted. So much shit to work through…
When I’m in this clouded mindset it’s difficult for me to concentrate, so I’ve been watching mostly music-related stuff, like concerts and documentaries. I’m always in the mood for music. Here lately, I’ve really been into blues and soul music, and I was thrown into this spiral via the Wattstax documentary, directed by Mel Stuart. The conversations in this film are just as compelling as the music itself. The film as a whole gives us a great understanding of the black American experience in the early 70s. Unfortunately, though 50 years have passed since the film was shot, not much has changed. We’ve certainly made progress here in the United States, but nowhere near enough.
The concert was top notch though… brilliant performers, great songs, and the audience was loving it! They couldn’t stay in their seats! There’s performances by The Staple Singers, Isaac Hayes, David Porter, The Bar-Kays, Carla Thomas, Albert King, and many many others. We even hear inspirational speeches from Jesse Jackson and Fred Williamson, and multiple segments of an interview with comedy legend Richard Pryor.
I’ve also been spending time with Sign O’ the Times by Prince. I’m making a mental note to pick the album up for my collection. It’s absurd I don’t already own it.
I really enjoy seeing, reading, and listening to all forms of art that have been created by individuals with a perspective that’s totally different than my own. I do this not only because it helps me to write better, more real characters, but also because I feel it makes me a better human. The key to this being a decent person business is love and understanding. It’s that simple. Art allows you to see the world through another’s eyes. Art is another view. Art is the gift of perspective.
I’ve also been reading books to help me better understand the female experience as well, books like Breasts and Eggs by Mieko Kawakami, Shit Cassandra Saw by Gwen E. Kirby, and Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner. I also recently read Manhunt by Gretchen Felker-Martin, and although it’s a bizarre little horror novel on the surface, at the heart there’s real-life struggles that offer an insightful glance into the perspectives of both trans men and women. I highly recommend this book.
Alright, I’ve ranted long enough.
For fuck’s sake, be kind.
David Lynch Explains Transcendental Meditation /
Creativity / Catching the Big Fish
Last Week / This Week
Today I’ll be slingin’ DOOM in Bloomington, Indiana at The Bloomington Alternative Media Festival. Hope to see you there! For more info, click here.
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Storytime! is exploding! “A Mist of Light” was streamed over 200 times in its first 24 hours on the site! Hopefully we’ll continue this trend in the coming weeks, cause I have plenty more weirdness to share with you. The story will be available to listen to for free until Monday, when it disappears behind the paywall. Listen here. On the upcoming episode of Storytime!, we’ll be listening as Connor Brannigan reads my personal favorite story of Twelve Residents Dreaming. Be sure to check out “The Eden Room” when it drops on Monday!
Check out this excellent reader review of The Astronaut Dream Book! Thanks, Zaki! Pick up a signed copy here.
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Oddities Theater
Donnie Darko is a 2001 American science fiction psychological thriller film written and directed by Richard Kelly and produced by Flower Films. It stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Drew Barrymore, Patrick Swayze, and Seth Rogen. (Wikipedia)
Synopsis: Set in October 1988, the film follows Donnie Darko, an emotionally troubled teenager who inadvertently escapes a bizarre accident by sleepwalking. He has visions of Frank, a mysterious figure in a rabbit costume who informs him that the world will end in just over 28 days. (Wikipedia)
The History of The Tower
—or—The Origin of The Bedlam Bible
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