iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

J. Ichabod Whateley @divershands.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Very excited for this! - even if they didn’t accept my story. (Honestly, the work I submitted was the most insane thing I’ve written thus far. It would have been deeply irresponsible of @cateyepress.bsky.social to publish it. Lot of fun writing it though.) Pre-order a copy now!

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J. Ichabod Whateley @divershands.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

I try to live my life as close as possible to ‘off-putting neighborhood weirdo, who will one day dispense cryptic wisdom that will change the course of your life’. Why I spend so much time hanging out in bars.

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J. Ichabod Whateley @divershands.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

I was not sadly, had to work. But I am friends with several of the competitors. Not sure I would want to be successful at that particular event.

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J. Ichabod Whateley @divershands.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Tonight’s post shift reading is the VERY recently released ‘This Movie Doesn’t End the Way We Want’ by @haileypiperfights.bsky.social . I’m only about four pages in (started tonight), but the prose is excellent, and it fits into one of my obsessively favorite sub genres - fiction about cursed film!

Hailey Piper’s ‘This Movie Doesn’t End the Way We Want’ with Penelope Rye whiskey and Lazy Day’s fresh hopped Helles lager (fuck yeah fresh hop season!) on a bar top.

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J. Ichabod Whateley @divershands.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

If you want to swing by the bar/restaurant I work at I can probably meet that demand. (Apparently not true as my liquor store guy brings guests to my bar to order Malört cocktails. Cause my pride in my work means I’ll *try* to make them taste good. I wish I could prove him wrong.)

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J. Ichabod Whateley @divershands.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Today’s break from biking around town is Mark Jaskowski’s ‘Beneath the Swimming Pools, the Teeth!’ (courtesy of the fine editors of @weirdpunkbooks.bsky.social ). Will this be the body horror that drives me to give up mood altering substances? No. But my flesh has been a mutant menace for years.

Mark Jaskowski’s ‘Beneath the Swimming Pools, the Teeth!’ on a weirdly textured outdoor table, with coffee and other implements of (literary) destruction.

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J. Ichabod Whateley @divershands.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Today’s Labor Day reading is the growingly appropriate’Dehiscent’ by Ashley Deng (via @tenebrouspress.bsky.social ). A story about acknowledging privilege in a broken world, and the cost that accompanies that knowledge. Excited to see how it ends.

‘Dehiscent’ by Ashley Feng accompanied by coffee and acknowledged resentment.

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J. Ichabod Whateley @divershands.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

Fuck! I’d forgotten about you talking about this at Pinky’s. Can I preorder it yet?

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J. Ichabod Whateley @divershands.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Is it possible to be too weird for a slasher novel? I say lean the fuck into more weird!

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J. Ichabod Whateley @divershands.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Today’s reading when I should be writing is Jacy Morris’ novella ‘It’s Under the Deck’. A character study in aging curmudgeonly, the lonely horror of the suburbs, and the worst case scenario for the newest PNW Saint: Jimothy. (Look, as the self-proclaimed Bishop of Cathedral Park I can pick saints.)

A copy of Jacy Morris’ ‘It’s Under the Deck’, complete with miasma and unsuspecting cyclist.

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J. Ichabod Whateley @divershands.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

Finished it last night - loved the ending. Still working out my takeaway, but it was a hilarious and thought provoking Bildungsroman (gotta use that lit degree sometimes), with an excessive amount of violence. Which is the correct amount of violence. Thanks for writing it.

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J. Ichabod Whateley @divershands.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

Tonight’s post shift reading is ‘The Adventures of Horus & Motherfucker’ by e rathke. While technically Sword & Sorcery, watching the character of Motherfucker self-radicalize herself into a prophet/martyr for a god they invented has been fascinating reading.

Grainy ass photo of e rathke’s ‘The Adventures of Horus & Motherfucker’ on a wooden bar with a beer and a shot.

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J. Ichabod Whateley @divershands.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

Try “Tlön, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius” by Jorge Luis Borges. I also feel that a couple of Cody Goodfellow shorts apply, but I’m not near my bookshelves to provide specific titles.

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J. Ichabod Whateley @divershands.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

‘Black Flame’ put you on my “purchase on sight” list. ‘Cuckoo’ is justifying that position.

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J. Ichabod Whateley @divershands.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

Tonight’s post shift reading is ‘Cuckoo’ by the delightfully perverse @scumbelievable.bsky.social . A truly terrible premise (conversion therapy camps are a form of torture, and the people who operate them should be put to death in horrible fashion) handled with beautifully crafted prose.

A grainy photo of Gretchen Felker-Martin’s novel ‘Cuckoo’ with attendant whisky and lager.

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J. Ichabod Whateley @divershands.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

Tonight’s (early!) post shift reading is @joshrountree.bsky.social ‘The Unkillable Frank Lightning’. I’m a sucker for both weird westerns and a Frankenstein retelling, but have been delighted by the narrative choices made within both tropes.

A copy of ‘The Unkillable Frank Lightning’ by Josh Rountree on a gold bar top, accompanying a pale ale and a single barrel select of Woodford Double Oak.

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J. Ichabod Whateley @divershands.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

Our family tells a very different tale about what happened to the brothers during that unpleasant affair…

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J. Ichabod Whateley @divershands.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

It’s fucking great! …but you should take a gander at Absolute Wonder Woman.

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J. Ichabod Whateley @divershands.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

Not real sure how I should feel about any of that, given my line of work…

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J. Ichabod Whateley @divershands.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

Patient ID wristband while awaiting surgery. Jury Duty Summons post card in a courthouse security line. Torn, bloody set list stolen from the stage of a punk show. Broken off temple from a pair of glasses stomped to dust in a mosh pit. I used to bring books to shows to read between sets a lot.

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J. Ichabod Whateley @divershands.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

The really good news is that you’re only a three hour train ride from trying all of them.

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J. Ichabod Whateley @divershands.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

The much anticipated (and not at all late) summer cocktail menu is live! Thanks to Tom Spanbauer, @casskhaw.bsky.social , @kellylink.bsky.social , Thomas Pynchon, Brian Francis Slattery, & @steveaylett.bsky.social for the wonderful words to conjure these enlightened spirits.

A summer cocktail menu with six drink specials named for deliciously unconventional prose novels, and one short story collection. These works include: ‘The Man Who Fell in Love With the Moon’ by Tom Spanbauer; ‘The Library at Hellebore’ by Cassandra Khaw; ‘Magic for Beginners’ by Kelly Link; ‘Shadow Ticket’ by Thomas Pynchon; ‘Spaceman Blues: A Love Song’ by Brian Francis Slattery; and ‘Shamanspace’ by Steve Aylett. You should read and drink all of them.

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J. Ichabod Whateley @divershands.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

For context, here is the dog Beans in her natural habitat: curled up on a couch with blankets looking overly sad at her deeply unfair life. Truly her misery knows no bounds, even unto the tragedy she has so unfairly been maligned by comparison.

A Chug (chihuahua/pug mix) in dramatic lighting looking grossly forlorn at the injustice of having her picture taken rather than being given treats. Truly hers is the saddest of all fates to befall caniniekind.

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J. Ichabod Whateley @divershands.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

This afternoon’s cardio/escape is brought to us by @markzdanielewski.bsky.social ‘s ‘Tom’s Crossing’ - which is roughly the same dimensions and weight as my dog. It is also an utter masterpiece of storytelling and use of dialect. Those people who tell you there are rules for writing? Fuck them.

Slightly off-kilter image of Mark Z. Danielewski’s ‘Tom’s Crossing’ on wooden desk beside very necessary caffeine supply.

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J. Ichabod Whateley @divershands.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

“Bridge of Birds” by Barry Hughart.

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J. Ichabod Whateley @divershands.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

Technically speaking, we are queer and have an espresso machine, so yeah, it’s appropriate.

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J. Ichabod Whateley @divershands.bsky.social · 26/05/2026

For the love of whatever you hold holy - step the fuck away from your keyboard. LLM’s *ARE* search engines. They do not possess any cognitive function whatsoever, and so do not have anything resembling intuition. They are capable of sifting vast amounts of information, quickly, with human direction.

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J. Ichabod Whateley @divershands.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

(Alright, so only *one* fellow juror asked - and was ranted at - but other jurors were present…)

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J. Ichabod Whateley @divershands.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

Tonight’s post shift reading is by @spookhouse.bsky.social . Technically, I started reading ‘Darkvoid Deathship’ on my lunch break serving as a juror, which meant I got to explain the plot to ‘Camp Ghoul Mountain Part VI: The Official Novelization’ to 13 people who were unprepared for my enthusiasm.

Bitching Lukaasz Kowalczuk cover fronting Jonathan Raab’s ‘Darkvoid Deathship’, which is further bookended by bourbon and beer on a bar top. Fuck you, alliteration always assholes!

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J. Ichabod Whateley @divershands.bsky.social · 15/05/2026

Tonight’s post shift weirdness is ‘Olyoke’ by @endwellian.bsky.social (and the fine folk @tenebrouspress.bsky.social ). Fragmented storytelling anchored by slow (candle) burning high strangeness - AND it has a cursed theme park. Fuck yeah!

Vincent Endwell’s ‘Olyoke’ propping up the bar with a half pint of stout and a glencairn of Dickel 8 yr bourbon.

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J. Ichabod Whateley @divershands.bsky.social · 06/05/2026

Finally pulled @keithrosson.bsky.social ‘s ‘Coffin Moon’ off the TBR bookcase, and fuck did I do myself a disservice by waiting this long. While Rosson can write messy, complex characters well, he fucking slays at writing monstrous dirtbags - quite literally in this case.

Keith Rosson’s ‘Coffin Moon’ pleasantly discofied - which felt appropriate for the time period of the setting.

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J. Ichabod Whateley @divershands.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

Today’s high weirdness is brought to us by the dashing @jacymorris.bsky.social . Glad I could finally pay for one of your books.

Jacy Morris’ “One-Shot” (I promise you, the title does not refer to what you think it does. Seriously.), accompanying espresso and soda water.

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J. Ichabod Whateley @divershands.bsky.social · 26/04/2026

Tonight’s post shift escapism comes to us from Edwin Callihan’s ‘Baculum’. A reliable source for weird occult fuckery. Much thanks to @weirdpunkbooks.bsky.social for continuing to release strange ass shit.

Edwin Callihan’s Baculum with whiskey from the Blue Ridge Mountains and beer from the Cascade Range.

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J. Ichabod Whateley @divershands.bsky.social · 21/04/2026

Just finished a short story for submission (they’d be absolutely insane to actually buy it) for the first time since COVID, and am celebrating by reading significantly better short fiction courtesy of @tenebrouspress.bsky.social

‘The Best New Weird Horror, Vol. 2’ on a bar waaay too late at night. Because I am a drunk.

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J. Ichabod Whateley @divershands.bsky.social · 21/04/2026

Are you currently showing at Common Grounds? Thought I saw one of those opossums there.

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J. Ichabod Whateley @divershands.bsky.social · 16/04/2026

Tonight’s after shift reading is brought to us by @carsonwinter.bsky.social ‘The Corpse Priest’. Have only read short fiction by Winter, so excited to see what he does with an extended format. So far: a guard puking up the entirety of his organs, and giant feline mounts. Coming out swinging.

Carson Winter’s ‘The Corpse Priest’ on a gold bar within the outline of a moon behind a bird laden tree.

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J. Ichabod Whateley @divershands.bsky.social · 02/04/2026

Tonight’s post shift reading is the ever entertaining @texascthulhu.bsky.social splatter western ‘For a Few Souls More’. Was told it’s better than its preceding volume - which was pretty fucking great. So far we are not disappointed.

A copy of Wile E. Young’s ‘For a Few Souls More’ flanked by Larceny whiskey and Mourning Rituals dry Irish stout. I understood the fucking assignment.

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J. Ichabod Whateley @divershands.bsky.social · 01/04/2026

This evening’s escape from reality brought to us by Edwin Callihan and @filthyloot.bsky.social . Small town dirt bags, over-the-top violence, and pervasive entropic decay by cosmic forces beyond mortal ken are absolutely my jam!

A copy of Edwin Callihan’s ‘Strange Spells’ in the ever portable Filthy Loot novella format. Fits in a pocket!

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J. Ichabod Whateley @divershands.bsky.social · 29/03/2026

While the former New Yorker in me still internally flinches at that statement, I can’t actually say anything as I do work at a pretty great pizzeria and whisky bar in this town.

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J. Ichabod Whateley @divershands.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

Post shift reading is @cstross.bsky.social ‘The Regicide Report’. Would have gotten here sooner, but spent the last month rereading the previous 9 novels and 2 novellas in the Laundry Files. Also appreciate the Portland, OR shoutout; but, alas, the 24 Hour Church of Elvis is no longer with us.

A copy of Charlie Stross’ ‘The Regicide Report’ accompanied by a dry Irish stout and a Glencairn of Bruichladdich whisky.

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J. Ichabod Whateley @divershands.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

So fucking good. Gotta find a copy of ‘Spookshow’ next.

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J. Ichabod Whateley @divershands.bsky.social · 21/03/2026

Not just trying to be a random stranger, we met at Broadway Books when @wnwagner.bsky.social was interviewing you. Looking forward to buying your next book.

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J. Ichabod Whateley @divershands.bsky.social · 17/03/2026

I just really enjoy that the majority of the punters in this bar wouldn’t understand what that post meant. But, I have been trying to get this novella onto the pub’s book club schedule.

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J. Ichabod Whateley @divershands.bsky.social · 17/03/2026

Spending St. Patrick’s Day in America, proper like: re-reading Irish horror literature in verse, set in a post Fenian uprising in Ulster. Thanks as always to the fine folk at @tenebrouspress.bsky.social and the ever talented @goresorcerer.bsky.social

A book, a whisky, and a pint on a table. The three things necessary to repel spirits on the Feast Day of St. Gertrude.

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J. Ichabod Whateley @divershands.bsky.social · 13/03/2026

Sexiest thing I’ve seen in a hot gotdamn minute!

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J. Ichabod Whateley @divershands.bsky.social · 08/03/2026

I think one of those dogs is mine… Don’t let Beans know, her ego is swollen enough.

An incredibly ugly chihuahua pug mutt named Beans who has gotten trapped between some couch cushions. She’s not terribly bright.

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J. Ichabod Whateley @divershands.bsky.social · 05/03/2026

As a former New Yorker and recovering Catholic, I was deeply shocked when New Jersey continued to exist after Pope Francis extolled that there was no purgatory. Now I live in Portland Oregon, and we are much better than NY ever was at respecting trans rights and existence… but not quite great.

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