Michael James
@michaelgjames.bsky.social
Novelist, film lover, rollerblader.
Pinned
Michael James
@michaelgjames.bsky.social
· Oct 16
FIction | Shane's castration - Overland literary journal
They were skating this mini ramp down by the bike path, Shane and the boys. It was awesome how pedestrians and bike riders, whole families, would stop and watch. Like they were doing a proper demonstr...
overland.org.au
"Sick little five foot mini, that one. Champagne. It was there that two amazing things happened on Labour Day long weekend in 1995..."
My short story 'Shane's castration', an excerpt from my novel still seeking a publisher.
#authors
#writingcommunity
#ausauthors
My short story 'Shane's castration', an excerpt from my novel still seeking a publisher.
#authors
#writingcommunity
#ausauthors
The same people hating on DELIVER ME FROM NOWHERE also raving about A Complete Unknown mystify me.
They're both guilty pleasures and flawed films in pretty much the same way...
If anything, Unknown is worse, because I'm Not There and Inside Llewyn Davis make it so redundant.
They're both guilty pleasures and flawed films in pretty much the same way...
If anything, Unknown is worse, because I'm Not There and Inside Llewyn Davis make it so redundant.
October 26, 2025 at 8:28 AM
The same people hating on DELIVER ME FROM NOWHERE also raving about A Complete Unknown mystify me.
They're both guilty pleasures and flawed films in pretty much the same way...
If anything, Unknown is worse, because I'm Not There and Inside Llewyn Davis make it so redundant.
They're both guilty pleasures and flawed films in pretty much the same way...
If anything, Unknown is worse, because I'm Not There and Inside Llewyn Davis make it so redundant.
Trent Dalton's GRAVITY LET ME GO book tour event in Hobart was a fun night. He's definitely a showman!
Liked the 10-up green Docs, too.
Liked the 10-up green Docs, too.
October 23, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Trent Dalton's GRAVITY LET ME GO book tour event in Hobart was a fun night. He's definitely a showman!
Liked the 10-up green Docs, too.
Liked the 10-up green Docs, too.
"Is horror too good now?"
"We have an insane between greatness... and everything else."
pca.st/episode/89fe...
"We have an insane between greatness... and everything else."
pca.st/episode/89fe...
The 10 Best Horror Movies of 2025 and ‘Black Phone 2’
pca.st
October 21, 2025 at 7:37 AM
"Is horror too good now?"
"We have an insane between greatness... and everything else."
pca.st/episode/89fe...
"We have an insane between greatness... and everything else."
pca.st/episode/89fe...
Reposted by Michael James
"There’s no shame in self-publishing. There should be considerable pride. So much so that I’d suggest there’s no utility in self-publishers calling themselves independent publishers. They already have a term that is more than good enough. And it doesn’t hurt to be clear about these things."
What is an independent publisher? What isn't?
The meaning of 'independent publisher' is becoming less clear. Self-publishers are also using the term. Does that matter?
open.substack.com
September 26, 2025 at 11:27 PM
"There’s no shame in self-publishing. There should be considerable pride. So much so that I’d suggest there’s no utility in self-publishers calling themselves independent publishers. They already have a term that is more than good enough. And it doesn’t hurt to be clear about these things."
Reposted by Michael James
Tasmania/Lutruwita based folk, this is next week! Tickets (possibly) selling fast. Would love to see you there.
Hey, it's the launch of my first book of poetry at Fullers Bookshop with Tassie legend Pete Hay! If you come along, there'll be somebody there at least.
www.fullersbookshop.com.au/event/lithos...
www.fullersbookshop.com.au/event/lithos...
Lithosphere | Ben Walter
www.fullersbookshop.com.au
September 9, 2025 at 6:55 AM
Tasmania/Lutruwita based folk, this is next week! Tickets (possibly) selling fast. Would love to see you there.
"The horror is not in the jump scare. The jump scare is relief. The horror is in the dread."
pca.st/episode/7f7c...
pca.st/episode/7f7c...
World building in horror fiction: Julia Armfield on Private Rites
pca.st
September 9, 2025 at 7:02 AM
"The horror is not in the jump scare. The jump scare is relief. The horror is in the dread."
pca.st/episode/7f7c...
pca.st/episode/7f7c...
Reposted by Michael James
Here's me in Guardian Australia on the total debacle with Meanjin.
www.theguardian.com/books/commen...
www.theguardian.com/books/commen...
The end of Meanjin after 85 years is as sad as it is infuriating | Ben Walter
MUP says it is ‘no longer viable’ to make the literary magazine – but almost none of them are financially viable. That’s not their purpose or value
www.theguardian.com
September 6, 2025 at 12:44 AM
Here's me in Guardian Australia on the total debacle with Meanjin.
www.theguardian.com/books/commen...
www.theguardian.com/books/commen...
Really not sure why so many recipes talk about oxymoronic 'sourdough discard'.
That's just 'using your sourdough starter'.
If you regularly use and feed your starter, there's no need to discard.
And if you're using some of your starter, by definition you're not discarding it.
That's just 'using your sourdough starter'.
If you regularly use and feed your starter, there's no need to discard.
And if you're using some of your starter, by definition you're not discarding it.
August 31, 2025 at 11:30 PM
Really not sure why so many recipes talk about oxymoronic 'sourdough discard'.
That's just 'using your sourdough starter'.
If you regularly use and feed your starter, there's no need to discard.
And if you're using some of your starter, by definition you're not discarding it.
That's just 'using your sourdough starter'.
If you regularly use and feed your starter, there's no need to discard.
And if you're using some of your starter, by definition you're not discarding it.
Good to hear Norwegian director Kristoffer Borgli make the case for public arts funding.
The arts ought not only be conceived as a commercial product but a public good—like libraries and parks—and so worthy of public funding.
pca.st/episode/078c...
The arts ought not only be conceived as a commercial product but a public good—like libraries and parks—and so worthy of public funding.
pca.st/episode/078c...
‘The Marvels’ Is Here. Is It Too Late for the MCU?
pca.st
August 21, 2025 at 3:07 AM
Good to hear Norwegian director Kristoffer Borgli make the case for public arts funding.
The arts ought not only be conceived as a commercial product but a public good—like libraries and parks—and so worthy of public funding.
pca.st/episode/078c...
The arts ought not only be conceived as a commercial product but a public good—like libraries and parks—and so worthy of public funding.
pca.st/episode/078c...
WEAPONS is so fabulous. So glad I saw it at the cinema.
Naruto running was never so frightening.
Naruto running was never so frightening.
August 14, 2025 at 6:36 AM
WEAPONS is so fabulous. So glad I saw it at the cinema.
Naruto running was never so frightening.
Naruto running was never so frightening.
Reposted by Michael James
Announcing a new tool to fight AI slop in the book world - and authenticate that the books we publish are written by, you know, humans.
Books by people vs books by AI
open.substack.com/pub/samj/p/b...
Books by people vs books by AI
open.substack.com/pub/samj/p/b...
Books by people vs books by AI
Announcing a new book certification scheme that enables publishers to prove their books are written by humans
open.substack.com
August 6, 2025 at 8:20 AM
Announcing a new tool to fight AI slop in the book world - and authenticate that the books we publish are written by, you know, humans.
Books by people vs books by AI
open.substack.com/pub/samj/p/b...
Books by people vs books by AI
open.substack.com/pub/samj/p/b...
So of course both seasons of ANDOR are excellent.
But they really should be 8-or-10-episode seasons rather than 12. Really.
But they really should be 8-or-10-episode seasons rather than 12. Really.
August 3, 2025 at 6:49 AM
So of course both seasons of ANDOR are excellent.
But they really should be 8-or-10-episode seasons rather than 12. Really.
But they really should be 8-or-10-episode seasons rather than 12. Really.
PISSANTS by Brandon Jack is a gritty, gross & funny multi-perspectival book about reserve players in an AFL team.
The book event at @ Fullers Bookshop explored experimental forms, sport lit & male readers.
Dare I hope agents & publishers might be open to more work in this vein?
The book event at @ Fullers Bookshop explored experimental forms, sport lit & male readers.
Dare I hope agents & publishers might be open to more work in this vein?
July 19, 2025 at 10:55 PM
PISSANTS by Brandon Jack is a gritty, gross & funny multi-perspectival book about reserve players in an AFL team.
The book event at @ Fullers Bookshop explored experimental forms, sport lit & male readers.
Dare I hope agents & publishers might be open to more work in this vein?
The book event at @ Fullers Bookshop explored experimental forms, sport lit & male readers.
Dare I hope agents & publishers might be open to more work in this vein?
The Coen brothers are having fun "but they're having fun in God's universe."
@seanfennessey.bsky.social on INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS
@seanfennessey.bsky.social on INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS
July 19, 2025 at 12:14 AM
The Coen brothers are having fun "but they're having fun in God's universe."
@seanfennessey.bsky.social on INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS
@seanfennessey.bsky.social on INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS
Rob Reiner is such a glorious addition to THE BEAR season 4.
"He made you a great offer, go suck his balls."
"He made you a great offer, go suck his balls."
July 15, 2025 at 10:40 AM
Rob Reiner is such a glorious addition to THE BEAR season 4.
"He made you a great offer, go suck his balls."
"He made you a great offer, go suck his balls."
"She knew the true shape of the world. All else was shadow and the sound of distant drums."
Thankful to my daughter's recommendation to read THE SLOW REGARD OF SILENT THINGS by Patrick Rothfuss, a gorgeous, meditative piece of literary fantasy.
Thankful to my daughter's recommendation to read THE SLOW REGARD OF SILENT THINGS by Patrick Rothfuss, a gorgeous, meditative piece of literary fantasy.
July 11, 2025 at 10:23 AM
"She knew the true shape of the world. All else was shadow and the sound of distant drums."
Thankful to my daughter's recommendation to read THE SLOW REGARD OF SILENT THINGS by Patrick Rothfuss, a gorgeous, meditative piece of literary fantasy.
Thankful to my daughter's recommendation to read THE SLOW REGARD OF SILENT THINGS by Patrick Rothfuss, a gorgeous, meditative piece of literary fantasy.
A good read, I thought.
The Vanishing White Male Writer
It’s easy enough to trace the decline of young white men in American letters—just browse The New York Times’s “Notable Fiction” list.
www.compactmag.com
July 11, 2025 at 12:47 AM
A good read, I thought.
Sam Jordison raging against the realities of comparative title: why they're probably necessary & they kinda suck.
I provide them when submitting, but don't fret too much. An agent/publisher will always think of 'better' comps to suit their needs than I can.
open.substack.com/pub/samj/p/c...
I provide them when submitting, but don't fret too much. An agent/publisher will always think of 'better' comps to suit their needs than I can.
open.substack.com/pub/samj/p/c...
Comparisons are odious?
What to make of the publishing industry's apparent obsession with comparative titles
open.substack.com
July 9, 2025 at 9:48 PM
Sam Jordison raging against the realities of comparative title: why they're probably necessary & they kinda suck.
I provide them when submitting, but don't fret too much. An agent/publisher will always think of 'better' comps to suit their needs than I can.
open.substack.com/pub/samj/p/c...
I provide them when submitting, but don't fret too much. An agent/publisher will always think of 'better' comps to suit their needs than I can.
open.substack.com/pub/samj/p/c...
I used to believe that it's rare authors who were bold, brave, daring, innovative.... as in it took a rare writer to do certain things.
Now I realise there's probably thousands and thousands who do.
The bold thing is actually a publisher taking them on.
Now I realise there's probably thousands and thousands who do.
The bold thing is actually a publisher taking them on.
July 9, 2025 at 4:30 AM
I used to believe that it's rare authors who were bold, brave, daring, innovative.... as in it took a rare writer to do certain things.
Now I realise there's probably thousands and thousands who do.
The bold thing is actually a publisher taking them on.
Now I realise there's probably thousands and thousands who do.
The bold thing is actually a publisher taking them on.
"You're yet to have your finest hour."
'Radio Ga Ga' really does play differently in the era of podcasts.
'Radio Ga Ga' really does play differently in the era of podcasts.
June 29, 2025 at 10:41 PM
"You're yet to have your finest hour."
'Radio Ga Ga' really does play differently in the era of podcasts.
'Radio Ga Ga' really does play differently in the era of podcasts.
Reading Thomas Pynchon's VINELAND because of the forthcoming One Battle After Another and not especially enjoying it. Just grinding out the last 100 pages.
It was on the English syllabus in my first year or university and I didn't read it all then.
It was on the English syllabus in my first year or university and I didn't read it all then.
June 22, 2025 at 8:15 AM
Reading Thomas Pynchon's VINELAND because of the forthcoming One Battle After Another and not especially enjoying it. Just grinding out the last 100 pages.
It was on the English syllabus in my first year or university and I didn't read it all then.
It was on the English syllabus in my first year or university and I didn't read it all then.