The E_ection Special
Letter From The Founder
Sigh.
It’s that time again. That time where the whole internet becomes absolutely inundated with partisan politics talk, hit pieces, astroturfing, bots, irritating memes and people who have lost all sense of proportion and decorum.
Yes, even more than usual.
I am talking, of course, about the US Election season. I’m not even American and I barely use the internet outside of STSC related stuff and even I am finding it to be pretty much inescapable. I’m sure you, dear reader, are experiencing a similar thing. I’m sure you, dear reader, are quite sick of it.
Which is why this month’s theme, as the careful readers among you will have noticed is ‘The E_ection Special’. Now that gap there could be filled with the letter L and the writer could talk about party politics and electioneering and all the rest of it. But it could also be erection, ejection, exection (to cut something away) or frankly anything else that a creative writer can crowbar in to vaguely fit the theme. As far as I am concerned it’s a free-for-all, and anything that offers you the reader a reprieve from doom-and-gloom news is highly welcome.
Maybe politics and polling and analysis and all of that has its place. But that place is not here. We have always aimed to offer you something of an oasis away from the stress and worry and rage of the wider internet with this Substack. And we continue in that vein today.
Enjoy.
Essays
PSA for the upcoming elections by Konstantin
The title didn’t hook me, I’ll admit. ‘Oh no,’ I thought ‘this is just going to be dry election analysis.’ But instead it turned out to be a odyssey of amusing mathematics, world cup predicting octopuses and ‘weird-ass medieval marine unicorns.’ I should have had more faith in the wonderful
If more election thinkpieces featured ideas like these I would be more inclined to peruse that garbage.
The Optickal Phantasies Of Utopia And Dystopia by Edward
The word “Elect”, as in “election”, has Latin roots in “Ex” and “Ligere”, “Out” and “To Choose”, with deeper Indo-European roots in “Leg”, “gather, collect”. It also has roots in “Lecture”, as in “lectura”, “reading from”, and “a discourse”.
Etymology, Bohemian Rhapsody, Isaac Newton. Prisms, Utopias, Madcap speculation on stocks. This one has everything. And yet it all coheres perfectly.
- the unique speculative storyteller- shows us that he is also phenomenally skilled at the art of the essay too.Goblins by Clint
Of course it goes without saying that this isn’t the only entry from
today. He’s so prolific that it almost feels like he has been a little lazy today by only bagging a brace instead of a hat trick. Until, that is you read both pieces and realise they are both superb. This one might be my favourite of the two as it is quite simply, as one commenter put it, masterfully done.Dragons in the Dungeons of Mind by Vanya
An interesting synchronicity here with how this topic brought to mind first goblins for Clint and then dragons for
. And as with Konstantin’s piece above this one is also filled with fantastic imagery of medieval beasts. Curious that. It goes without saying that this essay is fantasic, just as it goes without saying that the brave Lancelot was also quite wise.E_ection, is that a dirty word? by Jeanne
You should talk about sex and politics in polite company, they say. Well
clearly didn’t get the memo. Which is good for us readers because this discussion of the history of risque campaign slogans and other political chicanery is hilarious. This is the laugh that I suspect many who are taking life just a tad too seriously need right now.Fiction
Paradigms of Choice by Konstantin
successfully executes Vanya’s Gambit.1 And he does it in style. The paranthetical ending absolutely cracked me up.The Jester's Election by Clint
A second instance of Vanya’s Gambit being employed. This is a potent blend of fantasy, political absurdity and Spooky Season spookiness. The images throughout are just the cherry on top.
Rhyme and Punishment by Adam K
The poet stands accused, and the stakes are high. Only someone with
‘s poetic sensibility, storytelling chops and light touch could make this premise work. But of course he pulls it off in emphatic style. Impressive.Please Don't Feed The Wall by Greg
comes back and without any fuss makes a statement with this story. Brilliantly executed, lovely prose, good pacing and zero fat. What more can you ask for?Welcome to the Simulation by Minna
This one instantly draws you in. And it incidentally ends up making a good argument for the use of AI to enhance the human created works of writers with real talent. A real case of ‘show, don’t tell.’
Film
Ominous Horizon by Dane
celebrates the two-year shootiversary of his short film Ominous Horizon by sharing it with us along with some genuinely fascinating thoughts and digressions on its genesis, VFX and the use of AI in film. Really worth checking out this.E_ection by Trilety
52 seconds of live-shot pro-wrestling footage as oblique commentary on politics? It makes all of the sense in the world to me
.‘How many of us are in the match yet thing we are in the audience? shouting in the wrong direction.’
🤌
This final section is normally a cut and paste job where I insert the same message thanking the readers, commenters and people who offer up feedback and notes. And of course those kind people who are premium subscribers and pay hard earned money to help us keep this show on the road.
All of that still applies and it always will. I’m extremely grateful for everyone who has helped to keep this thing going.
But, I primarily want to use this space here to highlight the fact that next month sees the return of our annual double edition fiction special Symposium.
I consider last year’s Fiction edition to be the best thing we have collectively presented to all of you- essential a free short story collection to end the year in fine style.
And I suspect this year’s edition is going to be even better.
It’ll be out on Sunday 1st December.
Don’t miss it…
Vanya’s Gambit = submitting two works across two mediums in a single symposium. The ultra-rare Clint Stratagem is when a writers submits three works across three mediums.