John Stadelman
@johnstadelman.bsky.social
Horror/sci-fi/lit writer - compiler of words - nightmare crafter - I also write about music - sometimes fun at parties - roaming the city in a state of confusion and awe
Additional words at johnstadelmanwriter.com
Additional words at johnstadelmanwriter.com
I read some books this year, and some of them were pretty awesome.
Top Reads of 2025
I think I read more this year than I have since grad school… so it’s been a year well-spent. Here’s what I loved the most. (Disclaimer: these are books I read in 2025, not books that necessarily ca…
johnstadelmanwriter.com
December 11, 2025 at 1:46 AM
I read some books this year, and some of them were pretty awesome.
Reposted by John Stadelman
Sigh
Listen.
Vote for democrats.
Listen.
Vote for democrats.
November 26, 2025 at 5:09 AM
Sigh
Listen.
Vote for democrats.
Listen.
Vote for democrats.
Turns out my top movies of 2025 were all horror. Huh.
Top Watches of 2025
To absolutely no surprise, my top movies this year are all horror. Considering that the genre is a commentary on the society it comes from, it’s no surprise how recently, much of our collective cre…
johnstadelmanwriter.com
November 19, 2025 at 2:01 AM
Turns out my top movies of 2025 were all horror. Huh.
My top albums list this year is kinda dark, but that feels appropriate, considering.
At least the music's still good though.
At least the music's still good though.
Top Listens of 2025
My favorite album releases this year skewed toward the dark, which isn’t all that surprising considering that (1) look at the fucking world right now and (2) a great artist can make the darkness be…
johnstadelmanwriter.com
November 13, 2025 at 2:49 AM
My top albums list this year is kinda dark, but that feels appropriate, considering.
At least the music's still good though.
At least the music's still good though.
Being a horror writer is fun because when I have a nightmare so intense that I can’t go back to sleep, I get to turn it into a story and traumatize my readers, too.
October 26, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Being a horror writer is fun because when I have a nightmare so intense that I can’t go back to sleep, I get to turn it into a story and traumatize my readers, too.
So there’s apparently not enough money to give out SNAP benefits next month to keep poor Americans from starving, but there’s enough for a $250 million demolition and new ballroom at the White House?
October 22, 2025 at 1:18 PM
So there’s apparently not enough money to give out SNAP benefits next month to keep poor Americans from starving, but there’s enough for a $250 million demolition and new ballroom at the White House?
I might turn this "Windy City Spooky" thing into a yearly series.
This time, here are some ideas for Chicago-specific Halloween costumes.
This time, here are some ideas for Chicago-specific Halloween costumes.
Windy City Spooky 2: Return of the Spooky
It’s the sequel nobody asked for! Following up last October’s post, combining two of my favorite things (Halloween and Chicago) I figure that an unnecessary follow-up is due. The focus this year: C…
johnstadelmanwriter.com
October 20, 2025 at 9:43 PM
I might turn this "Windy City Spooky" thing into a yearly series.
This time, here are some ideas for Chicago-specific Halloween costumes.
This time, here are some ideas for Chicago-specific Halloween costumes.
Hey Chicago, did you know that because the CTA is doing maintenance on the Ventra card readers, they’re letting everyone ride the trains for free all day tomorrow?
That’s pretty cool if you and a bunch of other people are trying to go do something downtown.
That’s pretty cool if you and a bunch of other people are trying to go do something downtown.
October 17, 2025 at 11:57 PM
Hey Chicago, did you know that because the CTA is doing maintenance on the Ventra card readers, they’re letting everyone ride the trains for free all day tomorrow?
That’s pretty cool if you and a bunch of other people are trying to go do something downtown.
That’s pretty cool if you and a bunch of other people are trying to go do something downtown.
Reposted by John Stadelman
Attn Black people, stop scrolling.
This is not a drill: Chicago
This is not a drill: Chicago
October 4, 2025 at 3:20 AM
Attn Black people, stop scrolling.
This is not a drill: Chicago
This is not a drill: Chicago
Very pleased to have my experimental gothic short in Illustrated Worlds, paired with a disturbingly appropriate illustration, just in time for spooky season.
September 24, 2025 at 12:43 AM
Very pleased to have my experimental gothic short in Illustrated Worlds, paired with a disturbingly appropriate illustration, just in time for spooky season.
Riot Fest 2025: Surfin' with Stamos
Riot Fest 2025: Surfin’ with Stamos
This year’s Riot Fest was everything we’ve come to love about it and more. For three days, roughly 50,000 people came together in Douglas Park for a politically-charged and wild (dare I say riotous…
johnstadelmanwriter.com
September 22, 2025 at 10:09 PM
Riot Fest 2025: Surfin' with Stamos
So I nerded tf out on what I think would be really cool adaptations taken from the Lord of the Rings lore, with some free literary analysis on the side:
Realizing the Myth in The Lord of the Rings
4 Possible Adaptations for The Lord of the Rings (with recommendations and a free, bonus literary analysis!) With the success of The War of the Rohirrim, season three of The Rings of Power on the w…
johnstadelmanwriter.com
August 8, 2025 at 1:55 AM
So I nerded tf out on what I think would be really cool adaptations taken from the Lord of the Rings lore, with some free literary analysis on the side:
Reposted by John Stadelman
Reposted by John Stadelman
Whenever I watch a nature documentary, I start booing when it shows humans.
Then I remember those humans are usually conservationists and scientists, so I take back my boos.
Then I remember those humans are usually conservationists and scientists, so I take back my boos.
July 7, 2025 at 1:03 AM
Whenever I watch a nature documentary, I start booing when it shows humans.
Then I remember those humans are usually conservationists and scientists, so I take back my boos.
Then I remember those humans are usually conservationists and scientists, so I take back my boos.
Reposted by John Stadelman
Freedom from kings.
Freedom from fascism.
Power to the people forever. ♥️
Happy Independence Day 🇺🇸
Freedom from fascism.
Power to the people forever. ♥️
Happy Independence Day 🇺🇸
July 4, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Freedom from kings.
Freedom from fascism.
Power to the people forever. ♥️
Happy Independence Day 🇺🇸
Freedom from fascism.
Power to the people forever. ♥️
Happy Independence Day 🇺🇸
Happy birthday to this big beautiful country
July 4, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Happy birthday to this big beautiful country
Even Miles showed up to Pride this year
June 29, 2025 at 6:38 PM
Even Miles showed up to Pride this year
Very happy to start off the weekend with a new horror/crime story out in this anthology!
“Wyatt Howe thought he’d silenced Rachel with a bullet. But her pain birthed something far worse.”
“Wyatt Howe thought he’d silenced Rachel with a bullet. But her pain birthed something far worse.”
June 27, 2025 at 11:31 PM
Very happy to start off the weekend with a new horror/crime story out in this anthology!
“Wyatt Howe thought he’d silenced Rachel with a bullet. But her pain birthed something far worse.”
“Wyatt Howe thought he’d silenced Rachel with a bullet. But her pain birthed something far worse.”
Nerded out on interpreting Sleep Token's new album, which meant finally getting to use my English degree alongside textual evidence, biblical/mythological references and FEELINGS
With the Cycle Unbroken the House Endures: An Interpretation of Even in Arcadia
Introduction About two months after its release, Sleep Token’s juggernaut new album Even in Arcadia has garnered near-universal acclaim, launching the band up to the top of multiple charts and cros…
johnstadelmanwriter.com
June 24, 2025 at 10:16 PM
Nerded out on interpreting Sleep Token's new album, which meant finally getting to use my English degree alongside textual evidence, biblical/mythological references and FEELINGS
Writing a book that has giant flesh-eating mutant cockroaches in it means I have to describe what cockroach faces look like, which means I have to search close-ups of actual cockroach faces
Don’t search close-ups of cockroach faces
Don’t search close-ups of cockroach faces
June 15, 2025 at 12:41 AM
Writing a book that has giant flesh-eating mutant cockroaches in it means I have to describe what cockroach faces look like, which means I have to search close-ups of actual cockroach faces
Don’t search close-ups of cockroach faces
Don’t search close-ups of cockroach faces
I’m not religious but I’m pretty sure a double rainbow over a queer-friendly church means God wants you to have a happy Pride
June 5, 2025 at 12:41 AM
I’m not religious but I’m pretty sure a double rainbow over a queer-friendly church means God wants you to have a happy Pride
Reposted by John Stadelman
Folks don’t miss a beat 😂
May 30, 2025 at 12:40 PM
Folks don’t miss a beat 😂
Reposted by John Stadelman
One of the cartoons from Physics for Cats
May 22, 2025 at 1:51 PM
One of the cartoons from Physics for Cats
Reposted by John Stadelman
Hells Librarians🔥 #LibrarySky #ReadToLive
May 16, 2025 at 4:25 AM
Hells Librarians🔥 #LibrarySky #ReadToLive