Author: Jotham

Jotham Austin, II lives in Chicagoland with his wife and two sons. He has his PhD in Botany, and can be found taking electron micrographs of cells at The University of Chicago. His Rom-Com novella, “Tomorrow May Be Too Late” will be published as part of the romance anthology, “Askew Ever After,” January 2021. His debut novel, a sci-fi psychological thriller, ‘Will You Still Love Me, If I Become Someone Else?” will be released February 2021. Jotham recently started a newsletter that explores the science in science fiction (signup at jothamaustin.com). Preorder books and Follow Jotham on social media at https://linktr.ee/Jothamaustin

Change is hard

I’m on the move. Not physically but digitally. Moving my newsletter from Mailchimp to Substack.

Besides my Rabbit Hole of Research newsletter, Substack will also be home to my podcast, and more regular updates about other creatives, my writing journey and the lessons I learn along the way.

I’ll try to update the blog here with updates as well, but please consider joining me at Substack. Hope to see you there.

NWI Comic Con

I started going to this con for the past 8 years (we missed the 1st year). And this will be our second year vending.

We are friends with many of the other creators and performers at this Con. It has a big Con feel, but very accessible and great time for families.

Come on out and say hello. Georgia and I will be at table B07. And we will have many new prints and two new Rabbit Hole of Research Zines!!!

Lake County Fairgrounds • Crown Point, IN

11 AM to 6 PM

https://nwi-comic-con.wixsite.com/2023-updates

Two Big Announcments

After meeting J. D. Butler at MarsCon 2023, he invited me to be part of his February newsletter giveaway. It’s a five book giveaway chance with 5 winners.

The contest runs from February 5th-12th, so get over and sign up (I’m actually sending HARDBACK copies of my novel to the winners).

Click the link:

http://davidjohnbutler.com/giveaways/february-2023-five-sci-fi-novels-giveaway/

FIVE WRITERS are banding together to bring you a giveaway of FIVE SIGNED SCIENCE FICTION NOVELS. This drawing will have five winners, and each winner will receive:

  • A copy of TRAITOR, signed by Drew Avera,
  • A copy of THE SIGNAL OUT OF SPACE, signed by Mike Jack Stoumbos,
  • A copy of WILL YOU STILL LOVE ME IF I BECOME SOMEONE ELSE, signed by Jotham Austin, II,
  • A copy of AVENGER, signed by Blair Howard, and
  • A copy of ABBOTT IN DARKNESS, signed by D.J. Butler.
JD Butler 5 science fiction book giveaway


Other big news is NWI Comic Con is February 11th, and Georgia (AtomicNumber14) and I will be releasing 2 new Zines, (Episode 4 and 5). One about the science of AI and one about the Birds and the Bees (not those Birds and bees).

Check out the Details here and hopefullly we’ll see you this Saturday (Feb 11th 2023)

https://nwi-comic-con.wixsite.com/2023-updates

What am I Reading and Listening to

07 January 2023

Comics, Fiction, Non-Fiction, Music/Podcasts

Comics:

The Jet Saga:
Row Sky

I was at a John Streetz Alliance Comic and Craft event at Soundgrowler Brewery in December 2022 and I met Row Sky, among other creators I’ll be taking about over this year.

Row introduced me to the world he is creating through his words and comics. A world where superhero’s are just being discovered and exploited.

Here is what The Jet Saga is all about in Row’s words:

“Kevin is trying to find his self-worth in a world where heroes are now just becoming a thing. While a nation is being divided by inescapable change, Kevin is desperately trying to provoke change within himself.”

Go learn more about Row Sky and his comic at his website (there are trailers and art work).


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Fiction / Indie-Fiction:

The Deep:
Rivers Solomon, Daveed Diggs, William Hutson, Jonathan Snipes:

This was the first book I’ve read in 2023, and it was incredible. And the process and transformation of the idea and themes in the book cross several creative disciplines, Music, Writing, and Art.

The book has its roots in the Music of Drexciya, a Detroit based Techno duo. The story reimagines the horror of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade by posing the question, “What if the descendants of pregnant mothers thrown overboard created an underwater society?”
This theme was picked up by Daveed Diggs and his rap group Clipping. The idea was further explored and expanded by author Rivers Solomon in the book, ‘The Deep.” And to keep the idea and world building expanding, Abdul Qadim Haqq created a graphic novel: The Book Of Drexciya Volume One and Two

Back copy excerpt for ‘The Deep’:

“The water-breathing descendants of African slave women tossed overboard have built their own underwater society—and must reclaim the memories of their past to shape their future in this brilliantly imaginative novella inspired by the Hugo Award nominated song “The Deep” from Daveed Diggs’ rap group Clipping.

Yetu holds the memories for her people—water-dwelling descendants of pregnant African slave women thrown overboard by slave owners—who live idyllic lives in the deep. Their past, too traumatic to be remembered regularly, is forgotten by everyone, save one—the historian. This demanding role has been bestowed on Yetu.

Yetu remembers for everyone, and the memories, painful and wonderful, traumatic and terrible and miraculous, are destroying her. And so, she flees to the surface, escaping the memories, the expectations, and the responsibilities—and discovers a world her people left behind long ago.

Yetu will learn more than she ever expected to about her own past—and about the future of her people. If they are all to survive, they’ll need to reclaim the memories, reclaim their identity—and own who they really are.

Inspired by a song produced by the rap group Clipping for the This American Life episode “We Are In The Future,” The Deep is vividly original and uniquely affecting.

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Non-Fiction:

Robert McKee

Dialogue: The Art of Verbal Action for Page, Stage, and Screen

I am continuing my journey and deep dive into the theory of story, and after focusing on structure, I am moving to dialogue.

Backcopy:
”Now, in Dialogue, McKee offers the same in-depth analysis for how characters speak on the screen, on the stage, and on the page in believable and engaging ways. From Macbeth to Breaking Bad, McKee deconstructs key scenes to illustrate the strategies and techniques of dialogue. Dialogue applies a framework of incisive thinking to instruct the prospective writer on how to craft artful, impactful speech.”

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Music/Podcasts:

No new Podcast to report: Still catching up on them all!

But on the Music Front, there have been several mentions in this post already, Drexciya, and Clipping, but I was gifted a subscription to Vinyl Moon by my lovely wife Georgia (atomicnumber14). And I did some organizing.

Vinyl Moon is like a mix tape on vinyl, but they create a multimedia experience, Art, Story and Music. I am excited to get new additions every month.

Also, I spent organizing my vinyl collection. I used my woodworking skill and laser engraver to make dividers for my LPs. I will do the same for the hundreds of 45s that I have. Maybe I need to get a jukebox.

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Okay, that’s where I’m at. I’ll try to update y’all every month on books, comics, and music (podcasts) that I’ve been digging! I’ll try to add some indie author reads!

Email me and let me know what you’ve been into and what I should check out! Or follow me online for more realtime updates: Jotham’s Social Links

Happy New Year 2023

Wishing you a wonderful and healthy 2023

I’m kicking off the new year with a bang and going to be a guest and panelist at MarsCon 2023 in Virginia Beach, VA!

MarsCon January 13-15th 2023!

I’ll be on six panels:

1. Religion, Magic and Science

2. Worldbuilding: Food and Drink

3. Researching Your Story

4. Do They Still Need HMO’s in Your World?

5. Dystopia is a Double Edge Sword for the Author

6. How Do You Define SciFi in 2023?

I am so excited. This was one of my personal goals of 2022 to be invited to a Con and be on panels talking about science and science fiction. Come on down and check it out! Hope to see you there.

Find your next favorite book or author with these December 2022 newsletter giveaways or virtual book-fairs:

Book Fairs — Discover New Authors 

Holiday Book Giveaway
Free stories, because it’s the holiday season
Fantasy and Sci-FI Giveaway
Looking for a new Fantasy or Sci Fi author?
Characters discovering their truth!
Characters discovering their truth!
SF/F Giveaway December
SF/F Giveaway December
Wonderful Winter Books
Wonderful Winter Books

Author Newsletter Swaps

Review Copy of The Female Breeder
Review Copy of The Female Breeder
Review Copy: Hannah of Planet Echo
Review Copy: Hannah of Planet Echo
Review Copy: Secrets at Safety Cove
Review Copy: Secrets at Safety Cove
Review Copy: Vox
Review Copy: Vox

Thanks for supporting these fellow authors by checking these Giveaways and book fairs out.

Two early 2023 Conventions I’ll be attending, MarsCon January 13-15 2023 and NWI Comic Con February 11th 2023!

MarsCon 2023

MarsCon January 13-15th 2023! Yes, I am going to be a guest and panelist at MarsCon 2023 in Virginia Beach, VA! I’ll be on six panels:

  1. Religion, Magic and Science
  2. Worldbuilding: Food and Drink
  3. Researching Your Story
  4. Do They Still Need HMO’s in Your World?
  5. Dystopia is a Double Edge Sword for the Author
  6. How Do You Define SciFi in 2023?

I am so excited. This was one of my personal goals to be invited to a Con and be on panels. Come on down and check it out! Hope to see you there.

NWI Comic Con

And speaking about Cons, I’ll be at the NWI ComiCon 2023 with atomicnumber14 (Georgia) February 11th, 2023!

More info on NWI Comic-Con soon!

Stuff I’m Digging in December 2022

Comics

Mega Centurions by
Jon Parrish

Jon Parrish Mega Centurion #5
Jon Parrish Mega Centurion #5 (1 of 5)

I’ve talked about Jon in my Newsletter before, (Click here to check it out), but in short Jon worked with Scout Comics to release his comic series Mega Centurion. The final book was just released. Go check Mega Centurion and all the rest of Jon’s stuff on his website: Jon Parrish’s Home Page

Books

Fiction:

I’ve been busy editing my new MS, so reading has taken a back seat. Yet, I pulled this off the To Be Read Pile (TBR), Nnedi Okorafor’s Africanfuturism novel “Remote Control”. It’s a much welcomed break in between editing sprints.

Nnedi Okorafor: Remote Control
Nnedi Okorafor: Remote Control

Non-Fiction:

The last few Newsletters I have talked about getting more into story theory and Robert McKee’s book was highly recommended. Even though it focuses on Screenplay writing (future project?), it goes through the essential elements of crafting a story.

Story: Robert McKee
Story: Robert McKee

What I’m digging in July 2022

Comics:

The Fist by

Brandon Bitros

I first saw The Fist on Kickstarter from Blackstone comics and creator Brandon Bitros. I had to support this comic and excited to read, becasue it is set in my birth city and home for many years, Philadelphia! Also, the premise was interesting and the artwork and writing was awesome. Go check it out!

Set in 1919 Philadelphia, The Fist is the tale of Riley Reece, a working stiff with a broken marriage and an affection for drunken vigilante justice.

Back Copy excerpt:

“Riley Reece may not look like much, just another working-class boozer with a broken family from the slums of Philadelphia. But Riley Reece isn’t just a drunk — he’s a drunk with a scret. After late night benders of agonizing self-destruction, Riley’s guilty conscience prompts him to sport a black hood and become Philly’s most feared vigilante.

Fiction:

Everfair by
Nisi Shawl

 

Nisi’s debut novel Everfair, was a finalist for the 2016 Nebula Award. This book has been on my TBR list for some time and I’m finally getting to it. 

Back copy except:

“Everfair is a wonderful Neo-Victorian alternate history novel that explores the question of what might have come of Belgium’s disastrous colonization of the Congo if the native populations had learned about steam technology a bit earlier. Fabian Socialists from Great Britain join forces with African-American missionaries to purchase land from the Belgian Congo’s “owner,” King Leopold II. This land, named Everfair, is set aside as a safe haven, an imaginary Utopia for native populations of the Congo as well as escaped slaves returning from America and other places where African natives were being mistreated.”

Go check out all the rave reviews and an excerpt here then add it to your TBR-list!

Indie-Fiction:

Sour Roots by

Shawn Burgess

 

My fellow writer/friend Shawn Burgess has a new prequel novella coming out. You don’t need to have read his debut novel, “The Tear Collector”, to enjoy this story (but you’ll probably pick it up to enjoy more of his writing and the horror).

I had the pleasure of reading a beta-copy, and I think fans of Jonathan Maberry’s ‘Ghost Road Blues, will enjoy Shawn’s fast paced horror prequel to ‘The Tear Collector’.

Look for this one on Shawn’s website, or sign up for his newsletter so you don’t miss this release.

Back copy excerpt:

“Roger and Gertrude Davis enjoy an idyllic existence in the small Appalachian town of Harper Pass. With vast land holdings, a successful business, and love for the family they’ve built, they’ve avoided the suffering The Great Depression has wrought on the area until it all comes crashing down on a sweltering summer day in 1932.

With the twin daughters they dote on gone missing and ominous signs of foul play evident, a suspect quickly emerges. But not everything is always what it seems. Amidst the murder, madness, and mayhem, they soon learn there’s blood to pay when the past comes calling.”

Music/Podcasts:

No new Music to report, but I have been listening some new Podcasts:

Story Nerd
Melanie Hill and Valerie Francis

As my writing career progresses I have continued to study the craft of writing (the scientist in me like to break things down and figure out why they work), and in doing so hopefully write/tell better stories. Listening to the first few episodes have been enlightening.

Podcast Description:

 

“The Story Nerd Podcast demystifies story theory so writers spend less time studying and more time writing. Literary editors and writers, Valerie Francis and Melanie Hill, analyze a film a week as an example of a storytelling principle. The show focuses on concepts common to all stories across film, television, novels and screenplays.”

Okay, that’s where I’m at. I’ll try to update y’all every month on books, comics, and music (podcasts) that I’ve been digging! I’ll try to add some indie author reads!

Email me and let me know what you’ve been into and what I should check out! Or follow me online for more realtime updates: Jotham’s Social Links