The 70th Delusion

Is the Hunt Better Than the Catch?

I remember when I got into the Dead Kennedys. It was after listening to their compilation album Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death. I was maybe fifteen. My best friend at the time was very into punk. We listened to the tape and there was something exciting about the music. Especially “California Uber Alles”. And that’s the version with those swingin’ lounge sections in the middle and the recipe for the Tricky Dicky Screwdriver with a jigger of formaldehyde from the jar we got Hitler’s brain in behind the counter.

The following weekend I went to Sam Goody or Musciland in the mall and checked the Dead Kennedys section. They had a couple albums but not Give Me Convenience. No worries. Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables had a few of the same some songs on it, so I grabbed that one. I put it on my stereo when I got home and I was a fan for life. It was even better than Give Me Convenience.

I went back at some point and bought the other DK album they had, Frankenchrist, and my buddy grabbed Plastic Surgery Disasters/In God We Trust, Inc. We listened to those albums a lot for the next year or two until one day I was perusing the used cassette tapes at my local Music Trader and came across—what?!—a Dead Kennedys album I’d never heard of or seen before: Bedtime for Democracy. It was such a rush to find that there was another DK album out there when I thought we had them all. I was excited. I started wondering if there were more, though I was fairly certain there weren’t. I’d heard the story about the lawsuit after using HR Giger artwork inside one of the records that featured phallic imagery. What inspired the title track for Metallica’s …And Justice for All.

The excitement of finding something like that final DK album is pretty much gone now. With the ability to type in a command and get just about every bit of information about any subject, author, band, city, movie—anything you want—has eliminated the fun of the hunt. Sure, there are things so obscure they’re not easily found on the Net or even as easily obtainable on sites like eBay, but the thrill of the hunt is nearing its end. I still feel that thrill when I go to used bookstores and find a title I’ve never heard of or have been on the search for. But they’re few and far between these days. It’s still fun and I love going to used bookstores, especially the ones I’ve never been to. There is treasure to be found, but one day the hunt will come to an end. One day the treasures will have all been pilfered and the hunt will be digital. And let me tell you, that’s not nearly as fun as coming across a gem in a sea of mediocre fiction or shitty mainstream music. As of writing this, I will be heading to a used bookstore I go to a few times a year. It’s been a while, so I hope I find something good.

Disco Rice has been doing very well since release on March 2nd, and I can’t thank the readers enough, especially those of you who have shared your thoughts and reviews on social media. This book has grown quicker than anything I’ve released before. There are a few hundred Kindle Unlimited reads every day, which means people are reading the book every day! That’s awesome!

I’m currently working on Back Alley Baby Fights and a collaboration. In addition, I’m getting the two stories ready for the second Spooky Splatter Pulps release, awaiting cover art for my next book, The Traveling Movie Show, and working on a couple short story invites.

With the success of Disco Rice I am extremely nervous about releasing The Traveling Movie Show. I have been brainstorming on ways to promote the book. See, when Baby Fights came out and did well, the following books tanked. I have no idea why. So that worries me with my next release. I’m excited to see the cover art. I commissioned someone I’ve been wanting to work with for a while now. Once I get that cover art I will start talking more about The Traveling Movie Show. I certainly hope you’ll be interested enough to take the journey to some of the remaining drive-in theaters in the Midwest. And who knows, maybe there will be a murder or two…

Thank you always for spending a little time with me reading my newsletter. I have an update on the used bookstore . . . it was a total bust. Didn’t find anything good. Even went to a few consignment shops and thrift stores. Nothing. The hunt for vintage horror paperbacks is becoming futile. But maybe next time . . .