Michael Bourne

Say hello to the cover for my second novel, due out from Doppelhouse Press in October. Such a cool design that totally captures the mood and subject of the book.

@michaelbourne.bsky.social reports on the inclusive, DIY ethos of retreats run by writers, especially as alternatives to residencies sponsored by established organizations. Delve into the nitty-gritty of these programs’ logistics, financing, and community-building: at.pw.org/ScrappyFunkyGritty

Facebook appears to be down. I'm getting this error message. Anyone else?

The world is laughing at America tonight. After that crazytown performance at the White House today, what other possible response could there be?

We used to be a world power. Now, we're a laughing stock.

35 years sober, today. A mind-boggling fact.

That Hegseth dude is one smarmy motherfucker.

My top five reads for 2024:

1. Fire Weather, John Valliant
2. Demon Copperhead, Barbara Kingsolver
3. Dreamland, Sam Quinones
4. The Least of Us, Sam Quinones
5. The Devil at His Elbow, Valerie Bauerlein

Rickey Henderson, Baseball’s Flamboyant ‘Man of Steal,’ Dies at 65 Widely regarded as the greatest leadoff hitter in baseball history, he was not just one of the game’s most exciting players but also one of its most eccentric.

RIP Rickey

Elon Musk Flexes His Political Strength as Government Shutdown Looms The world’s richest man led the charge to kill a bipartisan spending deal, in part by promoting false and misleading claims about it.

Oh, the irony. GOP voters voted to get the elite out of power only to have a tech-industry billionaire running the country.

When do we get to start saying, We told you so. I'm thinking now is good.

Matterhorn | Grove Atlantic A big, powerful saga of men in combat, written over the course of thirty-five years by a highly decorated Vietnam veteran.

Anybody read Karl Marlantes' Matterhorn? It's a beast of a book, 600 pages of combat mayhem interspersed with bureaucratic chickenshittery and bouts of adolescent rage. It's way, way too long, but it's probably the closest I'll come to feeling what it was like to be in Vietnam.

Mike Shatzkin, Colorful Publishing Industry Guru, Dies at 77 His blog, The Shatzkin Files, was an essential read for industry insiders. His observations about the changes digital publishing would bring were prophetic.

If you've ever covered publishing as a journalist, you've talked to this guy. Garrulous, friendly, opinionated, and smart AF. Sorry to hear of his passing. A library of book knowledge has shut its doors.

Gonna guess we're going to be reading some retractions soon on that VF story on Cormac McCarthy. I don't know if the woman quoted in the story made up stuff or the writer of the piece did, or if they both did, but that is some first-class fantasy, not journalism.

Mehmet Oz running Medicaid, Linda McMahon running the Ed Department. Trump is just straight-up trolling the Senate.

Maybe that's what I meant. She's got a cartoony vibe about her she didn't used to have. Guess that's what happens when you hang out with Republicans.

How Tulsi Gabbard Became a Favorite of Russia’s State Media President-elect Donald J. Trump’s pick to be the director of national intelligence has raised alarms among national security officials.

Am I the only one thinking Tulsi Gabbard is starting to look like the Evil Queen from Snow White?

Hand-wringers worrying about Trump cancelling the 2028 election and staying on as president-for-life have to remember that the man will be 82 in 2028. The presidency is a brutal job, esp. for an older person. Think about Biden. He was a vigorous guy in 2020 and a near-zombie in 2024.

Years ago, I worked in a restaurant with a cook called Turtle. He taught me this song:

When I need a drink,
I'm a hands in the sink,
I'm a please and thank you man
But when I get my head
Full of that Kentucky red, mama
I don't give a good god damn.

Is this a real song or did Turtle make it up?

How sad that we are now very old men, minus the enormous wings. Please don't lock me up in the chicken coop. Hope all's well in Oz.