Anaxagology for November 2023

The soundtrack for this mont’s newsletter is Voyager’s Golden Record, for reasons that will become clear.

Catching Up

Hello and welcome to Anaxagology for November. (It’s still November, it counts!). This month I’ve cobbled together a (slightly nerdy) writers gift guide made of some of my favorite things. Before we do that, a few notes:

I have nearly abandoned Twitter/X but I keep a toehold there to keep an open channel for folks who haven’t yet moved on. I’ve tried to make Mastodon a thing, but people just seem put off by it and I’m not finding a lot of interaction there. It can be cumbersome, and the sign-up process is less than optimal. Threads is a privacy nightmare, from the people who brought you the OG Privacy Nightmare of Facebook. Thus, for the moment at least, I’ve made Bluesky my regular stop. If you’d like to leave Twitter’s anti-semite/nazi/racist platform behind, drop me a line (reply to this email) to get an invite code for Bluesky.

I can’t believe I’m saying this but February will be the 10th anniversary of the pilot episode of the series I created for Amazon, Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street. I’m not holding my breath that Amazon will do anything to acknowledge the milestone of the show that redefined children’s television, but if anyone has any suggestions for how we can celebrate together, what you’d like to see, or if you just have burning questions…still…after ten years…reply to this email or leave a comment and let me know.

As for more current matters, I’m deep into writing my latest middle grade novel, for which my agent is patiently waiting. Can’t say much about it at this point. It’s set in a fictional costal southern California town and contains enigmatic messages, dangerous sea creatures, mysterious recluses, dark secrets, and as always, adventure and friendship. I think it’s going to be a blast, and it’s aimed for upper-middle-grade.

Finally, my short science fiction story, “We Shall Not Be Bitter at the End of the World,” about a young boy having his final birthday on the day of the apocalypse, is scheduled to be published in Lightspeed in January 2024. I’ll have a preview next month.

The (Slightly Nerdy) Writers Gift Guide

And now, as promised, a few ideas for gifts or stocking-stuffers that the nerdy writer in your life might enjoy. Or maybe you want to put some of these on your own wishlist. These items are personal favorites of mine, and none of them are affiliate links or sponsored. It’s all about the love…

Voyager Golden Record LP Box Set

For fans of vinyl and space. I treasure this LP Box Set of The Voyager Golden Record, a tribute to the Golden Record time capsule sent on Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 space probes in 1977. I own the Kickstarter version, which came with a gorgeous hardback book. This new set comes with the same book in softcover, and many other goodies, including an art print and slipmat—which you can purchase separately if that’s more your speed.

The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Print

I own several prints by Michael Whelan and this one is next on my list. I’m a huge Stephen King fan, and a super-huge Dark Tower dork. As DT fans know, the epic series opens with one of the most iconic lines of any book ever written. This is a print of that opening line, with Whelan’s suitably gritty line art illustration. It’s great inspiration for any writer, but especially fans of fantasy, science fiction, or weird westerns.

Clairefontaine My Essentials Notebook

I’m a fountain pen geek. And if you love fountain pens, you love good paper. While I do enjoy the very popular Leuchtturm 1917 books for many reasons, their thin paper is prone to bleed-through with many of my favorite inks. I upgraded my notebooks to Clairefontaine’s My Essentials and their paper is extraordinary. It handles any ink I throw at it. You can get dot grid, lined, or blank paper—be sure to check before you buy!

Iro-Utsushi Dip Pen and Col-o-ring Ink Testing Book

Half the fun of fountain pen ownership is the ink. Okay, maybe it’s more 60/40. I love ink. I love trying out new ink. I don’t love loading up a pen with a small sample of ink, then cleaning the nib, the feed, and the adaptor, then loading it again, then cleaning it…it’s a pain. But trying new inks out is tons of fun with the Iro-Utsushi dip pen. It’s a must for anyone who loves bottled ink as much as they love their fountain pens (and that’s just about everyone). Cleaning it is quick and simple.

Also essential is the Col-o-ring ink testing book for keeping ink samples organized and together in an easy compact form. No two inks are the same, even if they are the same color. Reminding myself what each ink looks like on the page is simple with a sample book.

Organics Studio Nitrogen Royal Blue Ink

And now, my favorite ink. This stuff is like writing with magic. Organics Studio Nitrogen is a royal blue ink with a metallic red sheen. It’s as spectacular as it sounds, and it is also impossible to do the ink justice with a picture. The red reflects back at you as you tilt the page in the light. It makes all other ink feel as lifeless as a dead fish by comparison. Get a sample, or a whole bottle.

ICYMI

If you’re just joining the party, here’s a regular rundown of what I’ve been up to and where you can find my work.

I will be a guest on the Shining Moon podcast after the new year, discussing YA and middle grade fiction.

My short SF story, “We Shall Not Be Bitter at the End of the World,” will be published in the January 2024 issue of Lightspeed. Consider subscribing to get great science fiction and fantasy stories every month.

My most recent short fiction, “The Boy Who Ran from His Faerie Heart” is free to read at Lightspeed. They also published my SF novelette, “Anything Short of Death is Survivable.” Visit my Bibliography for a full list of works and links.

I wrote for Nickelodeon’s Glitch Techs, an animated sci-fi adventure about teens who hunt video game monsters that have broken out into the real world. I also created and co-executive produced Amazon Studio’s first live-action kids and family series, Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street, about three kids whose life is anything but normal.

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About this Newsletter

Anaxagology is a free monthly(ish) newsletter from TV writer, SFF author and novelist David Anaxagoras. Subscribe now! You can find more about Dave at his website, or follow him on Mastodon or Bluesky.