Letter From The Founder
Sometimes I read the pieces, write this introductory letter and then finish by writing the blurbs for each piece. Sometimes I go read, blurb and then intro last. This time I have opted for the second option which may well have proven to be a mistake because at this stage I am effectively speechless.
Sounds hyperbolic but it’s true.
Of the 16 contributions to this month’s Symposium not one doesn’t feature a creator at the top of their game and really pushing the edges of their craft and technique. People are bending genres and creating new lanes as well as drilling down and doing what they do best even better than ever, whether they be long time contributors or people who are making their first appearance.
It’s genuinely inspiring stuff. It just makes me wish that this Substack was 20x the size it is because everyone who submitted work to this months issue deserves a much larger audience than they currently have. So I’m gonna conclude this section with a big fact subscribe button and an exhortation for you to spread the good news about what we are doing here.
Enjoy.
Essays
bookmark #723 by Deepansh
many days have passed since i stood leaning at the balcony railing, a cup of coffee on the marble sill. today, the city turned beige, and the regularity of the moment, the normalcy of all of it, drew me in again.
Deepansh is a stylists stylist. Always an absolute pleasure to read his prose. Flows like water.
Silent Echoes by Minna
The combination of stunning photography, gently probing questions and reflections and beautiful prose (as always) add up to something really special from the always excellent Minna.
Bloodlines by SLART
Steven is a new contributor to the STSC and he is off to an absolutely flying start with his Substack that is little more than a week old. His combination of art (see the painting at the top of this roundup) and prose works extremely well. A unique creator.
Solitude and isolation by Terry
We’re not an especially metric-driven bunch here but Terry’s latest is ‘doing numbers’ and rightly so. As with some of our other essayists in this issue this is another fantastic example of the merging of prose and visuals. Perhaps a theme is emerging here?
Isolation by Vita
It took me a while but I just noticed that Vita’s ‘Stack is called ‘Vital Ideas’ which made me laugh more than it was probably supposed to. Whereas this Covid inspired piece on ‘isolation, with purpose’ on the other hand, made me think and reflect, as his work often does.
Fiction
Deleted Scenes from the Bestselling Utopian Novel by Vanya
First past the post (as always) with the monthly Substack submission was Vanya with this index to his Novella- the wonderfully titled (and written) ‘Deleted Scenes from the Bestselling Utopian Novel. I’m halfway through it as I write this and it is fantastic. Can’t recommend it enough. The Barnsley Badman
has also created a banger of a cover for it too.Belle Isola by Trilety
It’s always great to see STSC creators collaborate with each other- it was one of my main aims when first starting this place to have it be an incubator of sorts. So it was great to see the incomparable Trilety deliver another incredible piece of fiction inspired by Jeanne’s painting (see an accompanying image below). Both artists have outdone themselves with this one. Incredible work.
The Beautiful Lopsided Eyes of Trigger Guards by Victor D Sandiego
I’m going to quote Mr Mike Leavy from the comments section of this one because he sums it up perfectly:
Another great example of choosing an item from the (growing, unfortunately) inventory of societal ills and putting a face to it, internalizing and manifesting it as a human story. Yes, it is dark - but what it reflects is dark, and real. We shouldn't close our eyes. Well done.
Couldn’t have said it any better myself. A great, great story here.
Gauge's Wall by Clint
Wall Street, poetry, Ambien, dark nights of the soul, chilling final sentences- what more could you ask for? This is extremely good work from Clint. Excellent control and eye for detail here.
Finnbar's Last Stand by James Carran
The man of many aliases James Carran offer up a slice of mythopoetic Celtic fantasy pulp goodness. You have to read it.
If I were a more insecure man I would be worried that these young turks at
are going to soon usurp the STSC. But this isn’t a zero sum game.in a cave somewhere outside Akureyri by Yuelian
Yuelian has this low-key, doesn’t-need-to-wave-its-arms-for-attention style and artistic sensibility that is absolutely incredible in my eyes. The real deal.
The Bittersweetness Of Deep Times by Edward
I know I say a variation on the same thing every time with Edward but I find the quality, breadth and sheer scope and magnitude of his output and it’s quality to be an incredible achievement. And I suspect he’s only just getting started to.
Art and Poetry
Belle Isola- Oil on canvas- 16" x 20" by Jeanne Thompson
As mentioned above, this painting is the piece that inspired
‘s story. And it may well be Jeanne’s best painting to date.Watch your step by Oleg
One thing I don’t remark upon often enough is how many of our great writers speak (or rather write) English as a second language. Absolutely unbelievable. And like Oleg they make it seem effortless, unlike my comme ci, comme ça schoolboy French, for example.
Isolation Has Done This To Me by G.K. Gaius
In Isolation, I was safe. In the open, I learned what it is to be human. To be filled with sorrows yet still have joy to dance with the world. What more needs to be said? The medium spanning G.K. gets to the heart of the matter with this rule-defying bit of verse.
Audio
I•So•Lay•Shunned by D.B.
In which D.B. casually invents an essentially new medium of audio art (if silent film is soundless cinema then this is filmless sound) and accompanies it with an an excellent essay that explains the logic and process of that creation. Because he can.
So that was the STSC symposium on Isolation. We hope you enjoyed reading it as much as we enjoyed creating it.
Thank you for your support with these projects we share, thank you for reading them and thanks for all of your comments, feedback and notes. Thank you for taking the time to share them and pass on the word.
And of course above all thanks to all of the contributors and those who help keep the STSC going via their kind support, especially those who keep a low profile, I hope we will be able to coax more of you into taking the plunge and participating in future issues.
Cheers.
Fantastic theme. I’ve written on this topic often myself. Very important. Cool links.
Michael Mohr
Sincere American Writing
https://michaelmohr.substack.com/
Thanks, Tom. I'm really looking forward to reading this collection about isolation.