Theodore C. Van Alst, Jr. ✶✶✶✶
@tvayyyy.bsky.social
Writer. Mackinac Bands of Chippewa and Ottawa Indians. Born and raised in Chicago.
Sacred Smokes, Sacred City, Sacred Folks. Never Whistle at Night.
The El has arrived. Available everywhere.
Books and more here: theodorevanalst.com
Sacred Smokes, Sacred City, Sacred Folks. Never Whistle at Night.
The El has arrived. Available everywhere.
Books and more here: theodorevanalst.com
Pinned
Now available for preorder wherever you get your book on. Got some cool words from cool folks on there.
www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738830...
www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738830...
Reposted by Theodore C. Van Alst, Jr. ✶✶✶✶
It’s #FridayReads time! Books make great gifts and are tastier than turkey. Repost this and let us know what to repost for you. Here’s a (45% off!) novel full of monsters, friendship, love, magic, revenge, ghosts, storms, syncretism, and maybe a bit of violence…
www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0316...
www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0316...
November 21, 2025 at 3:20 PM
It’s #FridayReads time! Books make great gifts and are tastier than turkey. Repost this and let us know what to repost for you. Here’s a (45% off!) novel full of monsters, friendship, love, magic, revenge, ghosts, storms, syncretism, and maybe a bit of violence…
www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0316...
www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0316...
Reposted by Theodore C. Van Alst, Jr. ✶✶✶✶
As always, thanks, Gabino!
#Novellavember will be wrapping up soon, and I know some of you are still looking for new books to round out the month.
Want a bittersweet love story? Or an ineffable space horror? Maybe both?
linktr.ee/authorlevai
#Novellavember will be wrapping up soon, and I know some of you are still looking for new books to round out the month.
Want a bittersweet love story? Or an ineffable space horror? Maybe both?
linktr.ee/authorlevai
November 21, 2025 at 6:25 PM
As always, thanks, Gabino!
#Novellavember will be wrapping up soon, and I know some of you are still looking for new books to round out the month.
Want a bittersweet love story? Or an ineffable space horror? Maybe both?
linktr.ee/authorlevai
#Novellavember will be wrapping up soon, and I know some of you are still looking for new books to round out the month.
Want a bittersweet love story? Or an ineffable space horror? Maybe both?
linktr.ee/authorlevai
Reposted by Theodore C. Van Alst, Jr. ✶✶✶✶
Libraries do so much for our communities and families and we'd like to give back!
Please take time this coming week to send an email or postcard of appreciation for your library to your superintendent, school board/city council, county commissioners court- or to librarians themselves!
Please take time this coming week to send an email or postcard of appreciation for your library to your superintendent, school board/city council, county commissioners court- or to librarians themselves!
November 21, 2025 at 1:17 AM
Libraries do so much for our communities and families and we'd like to give back!
Please take time this coming week to send an email or postcard of appreciation for your library to your superintendent, school board/city council, county commissioners court- or to librarians themselves!
Please take time this coming week to send an email or postcard of appreciation for your library to your superintendent, school board/city council, county commissioners court- or to librarians themselves!
Trip to Prairie Edge to sign some books and admire the @sgj.bsky.social shelf. Bonus — they had just sold out of Never Whistle at Night — again.
November 21, 2025 at 2:18 AM
Trip to Prairie Edge to sign some books and admire the @sgj.bsky.social shelf. Bonus — they had just sold out of Never Whistle at Night — again.
Well holymoly. Thank you Chicago Public Library!
THE EL is available everywhere across formats (oh — the audiobook has a 14-member cast including D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai and Michael Beck, who played Swan in The Warriors. Audio sample at link)
www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738830...
THE EL is available everywhere across formats (oh — the audiobook has a 14-member cast including D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai and Michael Beck, who played Swan in The Warriors. Audio sample at link)
www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738830...
November 19, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Well holymoly. Thank you Chicago Public Library!
THE EL is available everywhere across formats (oh — the audiobook has a 14-member cast including D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai and Michael Beck, who played Swan in The Warriors. Audio sample at link)
www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738830...
THE EL is available everywhere across formats (oh — the audiobook has a 14-member cast including D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai and Michael Beck, who played Swan in The Warriors. Audio sample at link)
www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738830...
Some Mississippi River #photography
November 19, 2025 at 12:21 AM
Some Mississippi River #photography
Epic one-star review for THE EL just dropped.
Making a T-shirt out of this one
Checkout the fuss for 15% off: www.amazon.com/El-Theodore-...
Making a T-shirt out of this one
Checkout the fuss for 15% off: www.amazon.com/El-Theodore-...
November 17, 2025 at 2:07 PM
Epic one-star review for THE EL just dropped.
Making a T-shirt out of this one
Checkout the fuss for 15% off: www.amazon.com/El-Theodore-...
Making a T-shirt out of this one
Checkout the fuss for 15% off: www.amazon.com/El-Theodore-...
Son house John the Revelator
YouTube video by Laura Dangerously
www.youtube.com
November 15, 2025 at 8:18 AM
Reposted by Theodore C. Van Alst, Jr. ✶✶✶✶
“Many of the women say that they were pressured to have unwanted or unnecessary gynecological procedures while in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement”
"They tried to shut me up by deporting me."
www.npr.org/2020/12/22/9...
www.npr.org/2020/12/22/9...
Dozens Of Women Allege Unwanted Surgeries And Medical Abuse In ICE Custody
More women are coming forward to say they were pressured to have reproductive surgeries they did not want or understand, offering a glimpse into alleged medical abuses at an ICE detention center.
www.npr.org
November 15, 2025 at 3:11 AM
“Many of the women say that they were pressured to have unwanted or unnecessary gynecological procedures while in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement”
Reposted by Theodore C. Van Alst, Jr. ✶✶✶✶
NEW — Chicago’s favorite historian Shermann “Dilla” Thomas stopped by The TRiiBE Studio with some new gold: his 2025 Chicago/Midwest Emmy Award.
“I cried later, yeah, but I’m like, ‘don’t cry on the stage,’” Dilla said. “I was literally at a loss for words.”
thetriibe.com/2025/11/emmy...
“I cried later, yeah, but I’m like, ‘don’t cry on the stage,’” Dilla said. “I was literally at a loss for words.”
thetriibe.com/2025/11/emmy...
Emmy win highlights Dilla’s quest to preserve Chicago’s Black heritage • The TRiiBE
Self-made biographer is recognized for videos highlighting the history and culture of overlooked neighborhoods
thetriibe.com
November 14, 2025 at 5:51 PM
NEW — Chicago’s favorite historian Shermann “Dilla” Thomas stopped by The TRiiBE Studio with some new gold: his 2025 Chicago/Midwest Emmy Award.
“I cried later, yeah, but I’m like, ‘don’t cry on the stage,’” Dilla said. “I was literally at a loss for words.”
thetriibe.com/2025/11/emmy...
“I cried later, yeah, but I’m like, ‘don’t cry on the stage,’” Dilla said. “I was literally at a loss for words.”
thetriibe.com/2025/11/emmy...
Hey now. Brand new account and first post from my youngest. Excellent free read:
blooregard.substack.com/p/black-chri...
blooregard.substack.com/p/black-chri...
Black Christmas (1974) The Most Progressive and First Modern Slasher Film Ever Made.
When we think about the first slasher, oftentimes we’re inclined to conjure images of a disguised Anthony Perkins stabbing his way through the iconic mother of the somehow even more iconic future ulti...
blooregard.substack.com
November 15, 2025 at 12:10 AM
Hey now. Brand new account and first post from my youngest. Excellent free read:
blooregard.substack.com/p/black-chri...
blooregard.substack.com/p/black-chri...
Reposted by Theodore C. Van Alst, Jr. ✶✶✶✶
I sent this to someone yesterday who had no idea it existed and so I’m sharing it here—if you are trying to find a publisher for your scholarly monograph and not sure who to approach, start with this, courtesy of our pals at @aupresses.bsky.social
AUPresses Subject Area Grid - Association of University Presses
Guide to the subject areas in which member presses have recently published.
aupresses.org
November 14, 2025 at 1:26 PM
I sent this to someone yesterday who had no idea it existed and so I’m sharing it here—if you are trying to find a publisher for your scholarly monograph and not sure who to approach, start with this, courtesy of our pals at @aupresses.bsky.social
Hey cool. Thanks so much!
Pour One for the Devil by Theodore C. Van Alst, Jr.
An atmospheric and deliciously fucked up gothic tale that is a mishmash of Confederate legacies, indigenous cultures, Gullah language, and demons both literal and figurative.
Unexpectedly my favorite of these four?
An atmospheric and deliciously fucked up gothic tale that is a mishmash of Confederate legacies, indigenous cultures, Gullah language, and demons both literal and figurative.
Unexpectedly my favorite of these four?
Pour One for the Devil by Theodore C. Van Alst, Jr. — Lanternfish Press
A college professor accepts an offer to speak in a remote coastal mansion that proves too good to be true.
lanternfishpress.com
November 13, 2025 at 5:29 PM
Hey cool. Thanks so much!
Saluting all who served.
Happy Veteran’s Day.
Happy Veteran’s Day.
November 11, 2025 at 5:11 PM
Saluting all who served.
Happy Veteran’s Day.
Happy Veteran’s Day.
🤣
Whoa -- Sen. Durbin went to up Leader Thune during the vote last night to tell him that on the shutdown vote and ACA promise that "8 of us are sticking our neck out that you're going to keep your word. I hope you will. He said 'I assure you I will,'" Durbin says just now
November 11, 2025 at 9:17 AM
🤣
Reposted by Theodore C. Van Alst, Jr. ✶✶✶✶
Authors, Beware! There's a firm called "ClaimsHero" doing aggressive social media outreach claiming to
"help" you file to get $ in the Anthropic class action. In fact, it's a bait-and-switch, they are luring authors to sign up with them, then OPTING THEM OUT of the class action so they'll get zilch.
"help" you file to get $ in the Anthropic class action. In fact, it's a bait-and-switch, they are luring authors to sign up with them, then OPTING THEM OUT of the class action so they'll get zilch.
November 10, 2025 at 10:01 PM
Authors, Beware! There's a firm called "ClaimsHero" doing aggressive social media outreach claiming to
"help" you file to get $ in the Anthropic class action. In fact, it's a bait-and-switch, they are luring authors to sign up with them, then OPTING THEM OUT of the class action so they'll get zilch.
"help" you file to get $ in the Anthropic class action. In fact, it's a bait-and-switch, they are luring authors to sign up with them, then OPTING THEM OUT of the class action so they'll get zilch.
Reposted by Theodore C. Van Alst, Jr. ✶✶✶✶
Hi writers! I’m looking to assign a couple of features for Slate before the end of the year. If you have anything in mind that you think would be a fit please send me a pitch! Jenée.Desmond- harris@slate.com or dm me.
RTs are appreciated so this can reach more people. Thanks!
RTs are appreciated so this can reach more people. Thanks!
November 10, 2025 at 6:06 PM
Hi writers! I’m looking to assign a couple of features for Slate before the end of the year. If you have anything in mind that you think would be a fit please send me a pitch! Jenée.Desmond- harris@slate.com or dm me.
RTs are appreciated so this can reach more people. Thanks!
RTs are appreciated so this can reach more people. Thanks!
Miss you being in the world, Maestro
November 10, 2025 at 10:02 PM
Miss you being in the world, Maestro
Reposted by Theodore C. Van Alst, Jr. ✶✶✶✶
Ping ping ping hissss. The sound of fall in Chicago.
A History of Radiators in Chicago: Q&A with The Steam Whisperer
Why steam radiators fell out of favor after World War II, the 1918 flu's influence on heating systems, and why they make those loud noises.
www.chicagomag.com
November 9, 2025 at 9:33 PM
Ping ping ping hissss. The sound of fall in Chicago.
Some Chicago thundersnow #photography
November 10, 2025 at 6:45 AM
Some Chicago thundersnow #photography