The Author's Barely-Disguised Addiction to Secret Underground Tunnel Systems
Message for Tumblr users, exciting ACIV update, favourite films, not writing advice, etc.
What Manner of Man is complete! Read it for free ✨ here ✨ or buy the better, more exciting revamped edition via Amazon or (DRM-free) on Itch.io.
Hello Darlings,
The following newsletter contains a word of advice to Tumblr users, a preview of some exclusive WMOM art, an update on the status of A Companion in Vice, and, just for fun, the official St John Starling Top 100 Films list challenge (+ I've written about plotting, outlining, and my drafting process in an exclusive post for patrons!)
SOMETHING > NOTHING
I'd like to begin with a brief but potentially urgent note to those of my readers who are Tumblr users!
To repeat what I said on Tumblr on Wednesday — due to the currently very uncertain-looking future of the website, it is my opinion that those of you who haven't already done so would be wise to take a moment to start connecting with your friends, mutuals, etc. on other platforms. In light of the, at time of writing, no information that we have to work with WRT what precisely will happen and how soon, I think it's best to focus on doing what's easiest; make this process as simple for yourself as possible.
Throw together a bare minimum Bluesky account.1 Be lazy with it. You can customize your profile, explore the site, etc. later.
Make Tumblr post directing people to add you there. Optionally, throw in your Discord handle / instruct friends to DM you for same, but keep it low effort.
Reblog it once per day. (Or schedule a weeks' worth of reblogs if you find that easier.)
REMEMBER: something is better than nothing! 👏
Speaking of which!
It was partly in consideration of precisely this scenario that I made this newsletter in the first place, and I'm very grateful not to be entirely dependent on any social media. Losing my network on Tumblr before the launch of A Companion in Vice would, however, still be a pretty serious blow to my ability to reach people, so if you'd like to help me to establish an alternate presence on Bluesky by following me there, I'd be inexpressibly grateful!
Shy, Waifish, Kidnappable
Word of advice: do not wear your favorite cassock into any kind of bodice ripper romance novel situation — this kind of thing WILL happen.
On Patreon — Beastly has shared a curated selection of currently-in-progress What Manner of Man pin-up art + misc. sketches. Remember to unwrap priest before eating →
Momentous A Companion in Vice Update!
I'm very excited to announce that I have completed 🎊 the roughest of all possible first drafts of A Companion in Vice! 🎊 I've completely changed the ending for a third (and hopefully final) time and resolved all the remaining uncertainties regarding plot and character development. I have collected the instruments of life around me; the dissecting room and the slaughter-house have furnished many of my materials — it remains only to infuse a spark of being into this lifeless Scrivener file. To celebrate, here's a context-free list of things that will appear in this novel:
A man-turned-monster (tragic and misunderstood) (perhaps this goes without saying)
Mad science power exchange kink dynamics
Secret underground tunnel system
(Making this — checking my notes — the third of three novels to feature secret underground tunnels)
Toxic lesbian representation
Creepy cemetery caretaker (a classic)
The Trans Agenda
Murders, crimes of passion, etc.
Kidnapping for fun and profit
Sundry other things of that nature
100 Very St John Starling Movies
You may or may not have seen the 100 movies list challenge meme that was making the rounds of Tumblr a week or two ago — but you will see it now, because here is mine!
How many have you seen?
St John Starling's Top 100 Movies
And if you have an insatiable craving for list challenges, I also did 100 books and albums!
Not Writing Advice
Most aspiring authors — when embarking upon their first novel — simply sit down and try to start writing. I believe this is a mistake. A novel is made of so many complex moving parts; trying to manage them all at once is a surefire path to frustration.
When I was first learning how to write, I carried over various lessons from my experience of learning to play an instrument. In music, when you're always stumbling over a particular passage within a piece of music, you isolate that passage and practice it on its own until you can play it fluently. I have never struggled with writing descriptive prose and dialogue, but the skill of nailing the dramatic beats of a narrative was foreign to me, so I figured out a way to isolate that skill and practice it. To read the rest, join my evil army on Patreon! →
Thank You!
Blasphemous tidings on this dark and sinister Bad Friday. I have numerous wicked schemes which should soon be coming to fruition (anyone present who remembers the WMOM polls will be pleased) so watch out! In the next week or so, I will, additionally, probably start making some changes to appearance of the newsletter, necessary to begin in earnest with hyping the publication of A Companion in Vice — (including a possible change to the title?)
Many and repeated apologies, by the way, to those who are waiting so patiently for physical copies of What Manner of Man. As I've mentioned elsewhere, I met some unexpected logistical problems to do with the process of getting the physical edition made, but I have finally made some progress and I hope to have real news for you shortly! The chores required of authors are manifold, the wretchedness of publishing is multiform, overreaching the wide horizon as the rainbow, etc.
Thank you for reading all the way to the end! For this, your place is secured among the elect.
Your humble servant,
St John Starling
I have, for professional reasons, explored to some extent all of the social media platforms that are currently most in use and it is my confident opinion that Bluesky is the only feasible option for a large-scale Tumblr exodus on short notice. Is it in any way an adequate replacement for Tumblr? Of course not, but it's indisputably preferable to no replacement at all!