Edith Pilaf

Nothing to see here. Just me weeping after reading the poem The Two-Headed Calf.

Reading Update: "Katabasis" The first half of R.F. Kuang's sprawling epic is a wrenching and haunting examination of academia, trauma, and the perils of magick.

Good evening, everyone! For today's edition of Omnivorous I reviewed the first half of R.F. Kuang's Katabasis. It's beautiful and haunting and devastating, just like good fantasy should be. My review of the second half will come next week!

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eaded to Detroit for the Ban this Book Fest, and I couldn’t be more excited!

TV Review: "Monster: The Ed Gein Story" (Episodes 1-4) The newest season of the true crime anthology drama is unfocused, often quite silly and, perhaps worst of all, boring.

Happy Thursday, everyone! For today's edition of Omnivorous I reviewed the first four episodes of Monster: The Ed Gein Story, which is sadly a major dud, both incoherent and often tragically boring.

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This little excerpt from my forthcoming queer Appalachian romantasy is one of the best things I've ever written, I think. It sums up so much of what it's like to be Appalachian.

Writing Wednesday: Navigating the 5 Stages of Revision Grief Revision can be an emotionally wrenching experience, but the payoff makes it more than worth it.

Good evening, everyone! For today's light-hearted edition of Omnivorous, I talk about what I call the 5 stages of revision grief, and how working through those feelings can really help you create stronger writing.

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Omnivorous | Dr. Thomas J. West III | Substack Pop culture commentary and sundry other writings by a recovering academic and self-proclaimed public intellectual. Click to read Omnivorous, by Dr. Thomas J. West III, a Substack publication with hund...

Aaaaanyway, if you wanna support an indie queer film and TV critic, head on over to Omnivorous. Despite what they say, I think you'll find there's quite a lot of analysis over there.

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Given some of the dreck that somehow makes it into the approved critic list, though, I'm not particularly offended.

Just got turned down to be a Rotten Tomatoes approved critic. Not enough analysis in my reviews, apparently, as well as a lack of reach/engagement. Oh well. Onward.

I will grant that there were always bad things. I will grant that not dealing with the bad things allowed them to get worse. But I refuse to believe everything was always *this* bad, because I remember them being relatively better.

So, I am highly disappointed by Monster: The Ed Gein Story. It just lacks the gripping intensity of the first two seasons. It's both dumb and ultimately quite boring, which is really a let-down. Sigh.

Y’all, I love this furry little goblin so damn much it’s ridiculous.

In Praise of Patricia Routledge and Hyacinth Bucket The British actress, who passed away last week at the age of 96, brought a surprising amount of depth and richness to a character that could have been little more than a figure of mockery.

Like a lot of others, I was deeply saddened by Dame Patricia Routledge's passing last week, so I decided to sit down and write about why she really is brilliant as Hyacinth Bucket, the true role of a lifetime.

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In Praise of the Appalachian Queer Film Festival This little festival-that-could continues to make queer and trans futures a reality, right in the heart of Appalachia.

Happy Monday, everyone! For today's edition of Omnivorous, I wrote a recap of the Appalachian Queer Film Festival, which continues to bring queer and trans futures to life in Appalachia (full disclosure: I'm on the board, but I stand by every word I wrote here).

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I just wrote a new prologue for Bound by Blood and Stone, and it really just...works? It helps to do some heavy lifting when it comes to world building, and it introduces a side character who becomes pivotal later on. I didn't realize that this what this book needed, but here we are.

This is what we're dealing with. Roughly half (or slightly more) of the country simply doesn't think or act rationally. I have no idea how you govern when you have people who are not only detached from reality but demand that you accept their detachment as itself reality.

Swoony Sunday Book Review: "See You at the Finish Line" Zac Hammett's debut rom-com is a delightful romp that shows that sometimes, opposites really do attract.

It's Swoony Sunday over at Omnivorous, where I reviewed Zac Hammett's debut romance novel See You at the Finish Line, which is a delightful and fun romp that demonstrates that often, opposites really do attract.

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Book Review: "Deep & Wild: On Mountains, Opossums, & Finding Your Way in West Virginia" Laura Jackson's book of essays and anecdotes is a beautiful, moving, and side-splittingly funny examination of the strangeness of being West Virginian.

Hello, everyone! For today's edition of Omnivorous I reviewed Laura Jackson's Deep & Wild, a truly terrific look at the contradictory experience of being a West Virginian. It's a must-read!

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I’m once again honored to be a part of the Appalachian Queer Film Festival. This place and these people give me so much fucking joy, and it’s an honor to be here.

Book Review: "Hellbent" Leigh Bardugo does it again, delivering a powerful, haunting, and beautiful sequel that is just as good as, if not better than, its predecessor.

It's Fantasy Friday at Omnivorous, where I reviewed Hellbent, Leigh Bardugo's terrific follow-up to Ninth House. It's powerful and haunting and beautiful; everything I want from dark academia fantasy!

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I just heard that Dame Patricia Routledge passed away today. What a tremendous loss. Her portrayal of Hyacinth Bucket has brought me—and my mom, grandma, and partner—so much joy and laughter over the years. What a remarkable talent. Heaven just got a whole lot funnier.

My editor's comments really lit a fire under me. I'm firing on all cylinders as I sculpt carve away at this draft, creating a final copy that's tighter, more developed, and more coherent. THIS is the story I wanted to tell.

As my characters would say, thank all the New Gods and the Old for editors.

TV Review: "Haunted Hotel" (Season 1) The Netflix animated series is a lot of fun and, though it's not brilliant, it has the potential to be if future seasons are just a little bit more ambitious.

Happy Thursday, everyone! For today's edition of Omnivorous I reviewed the Netflix series Haunted Hotel. It's a lot of fun, and while it's not GREAT, it definitely has the potential to be if future seasons push things just a little bit!

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II put together this little social media post honoring Jane Goodall for my library, and now I'm in tears at my desk. She was also an inspiration to me as a kid, as someone who loved science and animals. Truly a beautiful soul, and I can't shake the feeling that we lost someone really, truly special.

Bound by Blood and Stone releases this December. I hope y’all are ready for Titus, Aemon, and their star crossed love!

Also, after careful consultation with my editor, I'm tweaking the title to the queer Appalachian romantasy. It's now: Bound by Blood and Stone, Book 1 of Bound Hearts.

Coming December '25!

Had a really great chat with the editor last night. Doing some pruning and trimming today, taking out some unnecessary clutter and letting some other elements shine. Added a short prologue and some world-building.

The story is coming together. Nov. 15 will be here soon, and the book will be ready!

Writing Wednesday: On Libraries, Book Signings, and Unexpected Queer Connections A recent book signing in Charleston, West Virginia brought home, again, the simple joy of connecting with readers and future writers.

It's Writing Wednesdays over at Omnivorous, where I wrote about my recent book signing at the fabulous Kanawha County Public Library, finally meeting Matt Browning in person, and the joys of writerly and readerly connection.

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God this is the most disgusting administration in history.