Todd Michael Cox
@tmcwrites.bsky.social
Writer, music-maker, animal lover, film nut. Fighter of cancer. Wisconsinite. Author of novels: The Keeping of Little Things, We Are Strange Creatures, Invasion of the Beekeepers, Lost Creek Falls, Iowa, Of Reptiles and Amphibians
Thoughts of cranes led me to find this old "Unhuggables" blog post of mine. The Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin field trip it talks about was a fantastic and magical experience... and we have another crane trip next week!
Anyway, check out this "Huggable Digression."
Anyway, check out this "Huggable Digression."
A Huggable Digression: Greater Sandhill Cranes
The cranes stood across the river, gray but distinct in the fading light. You could liken them to an image from a dream, and certainly there was about them something mythical and hypnotic, enhance…
unhuggables.wordpress.com
November 18, 2025 at 4:18 PM
Thoughts of cranes led me to find this old "Unhuggables" blog post of mine. The Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin field trip it talks about was a fantastic and magical experience... and we have another crane trip next week!
Anyway, check out this "Huggable Digression."
Anyway, check out this "Huggable Digression."
The jackasses are once again proposing a crane hunting season here in WI. I urge my fellow Wisconsinites to reach out to your representatives by tomorrow, when there will be a public hearing on the issue. Find your folks here and urge them to vote against this crap:
legis.wisconsin.gov
legis.wisconsin.gov
Wisconsin State Legislature Home Page
legis.wisconsin.gov
November 18, 2025 at 4:16 PM
The jackasses are once again proposing a crane hunting season here in WI. I urge my fellow Wisconsinites to reach out to your representatives by tomorrow, when there will be a public hearing on the issue. Find your folks here and urge them to vote against this crap:
legis.wisconsin.gov
legis.wisconsin.gov
The 4th story in this is one of my faves. A quiet rural loner decides he wants to marry his gun, and this simple and absurd declaration causes the others in his little community to contemplate what they've loved and lost in their lives.
"The Gun Story," from new collection ONLY BATS KNOW LOVE.
"The Gun Story," from new collection ONLY BATS KNOW LOVE.
Only Bats Know Love
Only Bats Know Love [Cox, Todd Michael] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Only Bats Know Love
www.amazon.com
November 18, 2025 at 3:45 PM
The 4th story in this is one of my faves. A quiet rural loner decides he wants to marry his gun, and this simple and absurd declaration causes the others in his little community to contemplate what they've loved and lost in their lives.
"The Gun Story," from new collection ONLY BATS KNOW LOVE.
"The Gun Story," from new collection ONLY BATS KNOW LOVE.
The 3rd story in this collection, "At the Door," is a tale of a young girl and her grandmother living in a lonely farmhouse... a farmhouse the grandmother is reluctant to let the girl leave.
"You won't want to be outside when THEY'RE at the door."
A story of paranoia... or is it?
"You won't want to be outside when THEY'RE at the door."
A story of paranoia... or is it?
Only Bats Know Love
Only Bats Know Love [Cox, Todd Michael] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Only Bats Know Love
www.amazon.com
November 16, 2025 at 4:37 PM
The 3rd story in this collection, "At the Door," is a tale of a young girl and her grandmother living in a lonely farmhouse... a farmhouse the grandmother is reluctant to let the girl leave.
"You won't want to be outside when THEY'RE at the door."
A story of paranoia... or is it?
"You won't want to be outside when THEY'RE at the door."
A story of paranoia... or is it?
The 2nd story & the 1st of the collection's four novellas, is "Hammerley." An homage to the old Hammer Studio horror films the wife and I love.
A cursed mansion. A deep and haunting forest. And a curse for the ages....
Check it out in ONLY BATS KNOW LOVE.
A cursed mansion. A deep and haunting forest. And a curse for the ages....
Check it out in ONLY BATS KNOW LOVE.
Only Bats Know Love
Only Bats Know Love [Cox, Todd Michael] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Only Bats Know Love
www.amazon.com
November 11, 2025 at 4:07 PM
The 2nd story & the 1st of the collection's four novellas, is "Hammerley." An homage to the old Hammer Studio horror films the wife and I love.
A cursed mansion. A deep and haunting forest. And a curse for the ages....
Check it out in ONLY BATS KNOW LOVE.
A cursed mansion. A deep and haunting forest. And a curse for the ages....
Check it out in ONLY BATS KNOW LOVE.
The leading story of this collection, "The Bats," serves as a kind of overture for the whole thing: there's a hint of mystery, a hint of family intrigue (and perhaps trauma...), a musing on love, and an overall mood of... well, moodiness.
www.amazon.com/Only-Bats-Kn...
www.amazon.com/Only-Bats-Kn...
Only Bats Know Love
Only Bats Know Love [Cox, Todd Michael] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Only Bats Know Love
www.amazon.com
November 10, 2025 at 4:05 PM
The leading story of this collection, "The Bats," serves as a kind of overture for the whole thing: there's a hint of mystery, a hint of family intrigue (and perhaps trauma...), a musing on love, and an overall mood of... well, moodiness.
www.amazon.com/Only-Bats-Kn...
www.amazon.com/Only-Bats-Kn...
As an Altman guy, it took me too long to finally see “Brewster McCloud.” Saw it alone, then with the wife… it’s immediately in my top four Altman movies.(“The Long Goodbye” will always be #1).
November 10, 2025 at 1:19 PM
As an Altman guy, it took me too long to finally see “Brewster McCloud.” Saw it alone, then with the wife… it’s immediately in my top four Altman movies.(“The Long Goodbye” will always be #1).
Strange tales. Some horror-adjacent, most of the psychological variety. And one homage to the old Hammer movies the wife and I love.
www.amazon.com/Only-Bats-Kn...
www.amazon.com/Only-Bats-Kn...
Only Bats Know Love
Only Bats Know Love [Cox, Todd Michael] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Only Bats Know Love
www.amazon.com
November 10, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Strange tales. Some horror-adjacent, most of the psychological variety. And one homage to the old Hammer movies the wife and I love.
www.amazon.com/Only-Bats-Kn...
www.amazon.com/Only-Bats-Kn...
Would it hurt or help if I’d have called this collection “Short Cox?”
Anyway, my first collection of short fiction (4 novellas, 4 short stories).
www.amazon.com/Only-Bats-Kn...
Anyway, my first collection of short fiction (4 novellas, 4 short stories).
www.amazon.com/Only-Bats-Kn...
Only Bats Know Love
Only Bats Know Love [Cox, Todd Michael] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Only Bats Know Love
www.amazon.com
November 6, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Would it hurt or help if I’d have called this collection “Short Cox?”
Anyway, my first collection of short fiction (4 novellas, 4 short stories).
www.amazon.com/Only-Bats-Kn...
Anyway, my first collection of short fiction (4 novellas, 4 short stories).
www.amazon.com/Only-Bats-Kn...
An early reader said that these stories represent an overview of what and how I write, so they're a good way to sample what I do. I would agree, but they are also a transition from my earlier interest in narrative experimentation toward something else altogether.
www.amazon.com/Only-Bats-Kn...
www.amazon.com/Only-Bats-Kn...
Only Bats Know Love
Only Bats Know Love [Cox, Todd Michael] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Only Bats Know Love
www.amazon.com
November 1, 2025 at 4:24 PM
An early reader said that these stories represent an overview of what and how I write, so they're a good way to sample what I do. I would agree, but they are also a transition from my earlier interest in narrative experimentation toward something else altogether.
www.amazon.com/Only-Bats-Kn...
www.amazon.com/Only-Bats-Kn...
It's alive! It's alive!
My first collection of short fiction (four short stories and four novellas). Some of my favorite stuff I've ever written is in this thing.
www.amazon.com/Only-Bats-Kn...
My first collection of short fiction (four short stories and four novellas). Some of my favorite stuff I've ever written is in this thing.
www.amazon.com/Only-Bats-Kn...
Only Bats Know Love
Only Bats Know Love [Cox, Todd Michael] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Only Bats Know Love
www.amazon.com
October 31, 2025 at 2:53 PM
It's alive! It's alive!
My first collection of short fiction (four short stories and four novellas). Some of my favorite stuff I've ever written is in this thing.
www.amazon.com/Only-Bats-Kn...
My first collection of short fiction (four short stories and four novellas). Some of my favorite stuff I've ever written is in this thing.
www.amazon.com/Only-Bats-Kn...
Out on Halloween: a collection (my first) of four new short stories and four new novellas exploring horrors from within and without.
ONLY BATS KNOW LOVE
10-31-2025
ONLY BATS KNOW LOVE
10-31-2025
October 28, 2025 at 12:39 PM
Out on Halloween: a collection (my first) of four new short stories and four new novellas exploring horrors from within and without.
ONLY BATS KNOW LOVE
10-31-2025
ONLY BATS KNOW LOVE
10-31-2025
Out on Halloween!
Eight stories (four short, four novellas), written between November of 2020 ("Hammerley") and October of 2024 ("Silverfish").
Eight stories (four short, four novellas), written between November of 2020 ("Hammerley") and October of 2024 ("Silverfish").
October 27, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Out on Halloween!
Eight stories (four short, four novellas), written between November of 2020 ("Hammerley") and October of 2024 ("Silverfish").
Eight stories (four short, four novellas), written between November of 2020 ("Hammerley") and October of 2024 ("Silverfish").
Since these stories are (most of them) somewhat horror-adjacent, it seems fitting to announce that the book will be published on Halloween!
ONLY BATS KNOW LOVE
Stories
October 31, 2025
ONLY BATS KNOW LOVE
Stories
October 31, 2025
October 26, 2025 at 3:08 PM
Since these stories are (most of them) somewhat horror-adjacent, it seems fitting to announce that the book will be published on Halloween!
ONLY BATS KNOW LOVE
Stories
October 31, 2025
ONLY BATS KNOW LOVE
Stories
October 31, 2025
I started new fiction last week. Back into that mentality after a two month break (during which I did a crapload of editing on the forthcoming publications, though). Should be on this new thing for the next four to six months.
July 23, 2025 at 6:58 PM
I started new fiction last week. Back into that mentality after a two month break (during which I did a crapload of editing on the forthcoming publications, though). Should be on this new thing for the next four to six months.
All 23 of the old songs on the album now. (There are a handful of uncompleted ones lying around).
Should sound rough, like... you know, something made by a real live clumsy human.
tomico.bandcamp.com/album/all-th...
Should sound rough, like... you know, something made by a real live clumsy human.
tomico.bandcamp.com/album/all-th...
All the Way From There to Here, by ToMiCo
23 track album
tomico.bandcamp.com
June 29, 2025 at 9:22 PM
All 23 of the old songs on the album now. (There are a handful of uncompleted ones lying around).
Should sound rough, like... you know, something made by a real live clumsy human.
tomico.bandcamp.com/album/all-th...
Should sound rough, like... you know, something made by a real live clumsy human.
tomico.bandcamp.com/album/all-th...
You’ll know this isn’t AI generated pretty easily. For one thing, AI can’t murder tempos like I can. Or go off pitch. And AI doesn’t have a voice made ragged from laryngeal cancer treatments.
#musiciansky
tomico.bandcamp.com/album/all-th...
#musiciansky
tomico.bandcamp.com/album/all-th...
All the Way From There to Here, by ToMiCo
16 track album
tomico.bandcamp.com
June 29, 2025 at 2:09 PM
You’ll know this isn’t AI generated pretty easily. For one thing, AI can’t murder tempos like I can. Or go off pitch. And AI doesn’t have a voice made ragged from laryngeal cancer treatments.
#musiciansky
tomico.bandcamp.com/album/all-th...
#musiciansky
tomico.bandcamp.com/album/all-th...
Every songwriter must write a divorce song. It’s the law or something…
tomico.bandcamp.com/track/no-fau...
tomico.bandcamp.com/track/no-fau...
No Fault State, by ToMiCo
from the album All the Way From There to Here
tomico.bandcamp.com
June 26, 2025 at 9:33 PM
Every songwriter must write a divorce song. It’s the law or something…
tomico.bandcamp.com/track/no-fau...
tomico.bandcamp.com/track/no-fau...
A sentiment applicable to many situations, though this was another written about a dreadful job of mine. First line is a near-exact steal from an Orson Welles quote.
Pretty relatable sentiment, I should think. We've all unfortunately been there.
tomico.bandcamp.com/track/gnaw-m...
Pretty relatable sentiment, I should think. We've all unfortunately been there.
tomico.bandcamp.com/track/gnaw-m...
Gnaw My Hand Off, by ToMiCo
from the album All the Way From There to Here
tomico.bandcamp.com
June 25, 2025 at 11:48 PM
A sentiment applicable to many situations, though this was another written about a dreadful job of mine. First line is a near-exact steal from an Orson Welles quote.
Pretty relatable sentiment, I should think. We've all unfortunately been there.
tomico.bandcamp.com/track/gnaw-m...
Pretty relatable sentiment, I should think. We've all unfortunately been there.
tomico.bandcamp.com/track/gnaw-m...
A favorite of mine. Was written about an old employer but could easily be about another person.
tomico.bandcamp.com/track/im-so-...
tomico.bandcamp.com/track/im-so-...
I'm So Glad I Never Fell In Love With You, by ToMiCo
from the album All the Way From There to Here
tomico.bandcamp.com
June 24, 2025 at 1:53 PM
A favorite of mine. Was written about an old employer but could easily be about another person.
tomico.bandcamp.com/track/im-so-...
tomico.bandcamp.com/track/im-so-...
Still have nine more to get on here, but this album of songs I wrote 15-plus years ago is filling in:
tomico.bandcamp.com/album/all-th...
tomico.bandcamp.com/album/all-th...
All the Way From There to Here, by ToMiCo
15 track album
tomico.bandcamp.com
June 24, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Still have nine more to get on here, but this album of songs I wrote 15-plus years ago is filling in:
tomico.bandcamp.com/album/all-th...
tomico.bandcamp.com/album/all-th...
World's going to hell, so let's get married.
(Thinking of changing the cliche "best politicians money can buy" line to "best politicians and they never die," which is its own sort of tragedy... otherwise wouldn't tweak anything else).
tomico.bandcamp.com/track/lets-g...
(Thinking of changing the cliche "best politicians money can buy" line to "best politicians and they never die," which is its own sort of tragedy... otherwise wouldn't tweak anything else).
tomico.bandcamp.com/track/lets-g...
Let's Get Married Tonight, by ToMiCo
from the album All the Way From There to Here
tomico.bandcamp.com
June 22, 2025 at 7:42 PM
World's going to hell, so let's get married.
(Thinking of changing the cliche "best politicians money can buy" line to "best politicians and they never die," which is its own sort of tragedy... otherwise wouldn't tweak anything else).
tomico.bandcamp.com/track/lets-g...
(Thinking of changing the cliche "best politicians money can buy" line to "best politicians and they never die," which is its own sort of tragedy... otherwise wouldn't tweak anything else).
tomico.bandcamp.com/track/lets-g...
Have been recording these old songs I wrote 15-plus years ago. Thinking of maybe redoing the guitar solo (gets wonky) but otherwise I like this… and I like the irony of leading a record of old revisited songs off with one called “Never Go Back Again.”
tomico.bandcamp.com/album/all-th...
tomico.bandcamp.com/album/all-th...
All the Way From There to Here, by ToMiCo
1 track album
tomico.bandcamp.com
June 20, 2025 at 2:27 AM
Have been recording these old songs I wrote 15-plus years ago. Thinking of maybe redoing the guitar solo (gets wonky) but otherwise I like this… and I like the irony of leading a record of old revisited songs off with one called “Never Go Back Again.”
tomico.bandcamp.com/album/all-th...
tomico.bandcamp.com/album/all-th...
You’ll know my music was made by a human when you hear it, simply from the drumming. Good lord, I am definitely not monogamous when it comes to tempos. I’m a living broken metronome for sure.
June 16, 2025 at 12:17 AM
You’ll know my music was made by a human when you hear it, simply from the drumming. Good lord, I am definitely not monogamous when it comes to tempos. I’m a living broken metronome for sure.