iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

jmdonowriter @jmdonovan.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

#booksky #writingcommunity #poetry Well, I'm going to do it. I'm releasing a book of poems sometime in mid-October, right on top of the two new novels because wotthehell, wotthehell. The title is Meditations on Death and here's the blurb:

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jmdonowriter @jmdonovan.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

#icedcoffee At this stage in my life I doubt if I’ll ever be in a position to interview job applicants. But I can assure you an iced coffee wouldn’t disqualify you.

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jmdonowriter @jmdonovan.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

#caturday Four-week-old flufferbutt. That’s not his actual name.

Fluffy white kitten lying with his front paws together

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jmdonowriter @jmdonovan.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

#booksky #writingcommunity If we're kindred spirits politically (and I think we are), you might enjoy this novel, which covers life in a small Midwestern town from the invasion of Iraq to the Great Septic Tank Explosion of 2016. a.co/d/00ik573M

a.co

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jmdonowriter @jmdonovan.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

#booksky Why yes, I do have some books for sale.

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jmdonowriter @jmdonovan.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

#booksky "I laughed, I cried, I loved this book. All of those except crying. Donovan’s humor cracked me up more than once. The plot is weird in an endearing way. And yes, there is mystery and adventure, classic literature references up the wazoo, and even a bit of sappy romance." (Amazon review)

Cover of the novel Bob Smith by John M Donovan

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jmdonowriter @jmdonovan.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

#booksky We interrupt our usual new-novel promotion to present this meme that sums up my six years of writing and producing sketch comedy shows in the Des Moines metro:

Scene from one of the Thor movies. In the top panel, Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner says "I'd like to make it out to one of your shows sometime" and in the bottom panel Chris Hemsworth as Thor says "Would you really, though?"

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jmdonowriter @jmdonovan.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

#booksky Did you wake up today in the mood for a story of catfishing, unbridled lust, and vigilante justice? a.co/d/0ggz94Nx

Book cover for a mystery novel called Ripples in the Catfish Pond with ominous skies and a mysterious old house.

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jmdonowriter @jmdonovan.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

#nationaldogday Three pretty decent ones. Left to right: Jasper, Ruby, Chloe. Not pictured: Sam the cockapoo (sleeping).

Left to right: a black and tan Australian Shepherd, a black and white Australian Shepherd, and a Basset Hound.

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jmdonowriter @jmdonovan.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

#booksky Paperback available Tuesday--Kindle version is out now at (sorry) Amazon.

Cover of my new novel, Bob Smith, which features a cartoon raven perched on the S. A short passage from the novel is also shown. This reads: "We had arrived at the iron archway entrance of Whispering Acres Memorial Park, which had been in the news my freshman year when the county, facing a major budget shortfall, quietly started taking bids for the naming rights to the cemetery. The story was uncovered by Cambria Times-Gazette editor “Pulitzer Jack” Grentsch, who reported that two businesses submitted identical high bids: Spike Butt Enterprises and the Juicy-Bone Dog Food Company. There was public outcry. The shortfall remained short."

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jmdonowriter @jmdonovan.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

#trumpsucks Yeah, sure, let’s give shock gloves to a bunch of assholes whose favorite character in Toy Story is Sid.

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jmdonowriter @jmdonovan.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

#booksky Kindle version available now at (sorry) Amazon.

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jmdonowriter @jmdonovan.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

#booksky Psst--you didn't hear it from me, but if you don't want to wait five days for the paperback, Bob Smith is available on Kindle right this very second. a.co/d/0ckk1PVS

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jmdonowriter @jmdonovan.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

That “u” business has a real “How do you do, fellow kids?” vibe.

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jmdonowriter @jmdonovan.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

#booksky Work proceeds apace on the cover of Bob Smith and I still hope to get it out in August. In the meantime, here's some back cover copy to whet your appetite.

It's all text just so I wouldn't have to divide it up into multiple posts.

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jmdonowriter @jmdonovan.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

@upbeachbum.bsky.social The UP has been calling my name since 1980-81 when I had a long-distance girlfriend in the Sault. These days I’m completely enamored with Copper Harbor and the Keweenaw—wish I were there right now. I don’t know what you’re supposed to do with this information.

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jmdonowriter @jmdonovan.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

#cats Nick Furry just climbed into my arms and went to sleep so today’s writing is on pause.

Black kitty cat snoozing peacefully in his dad’s arms.

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jmdonowriter @jmdonovan.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

#booksky #poetry A snippet from one of the poems in what might or might not eventually become a collection called Meditations on Death: At the peak of the pandemic The funeral homes and cemeteries Were scrambling to keep up Like Lucy in the candy factory

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jmdonowriter @jmdonovan.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

#booksky Just talked to my cover designer yesterday and hope to have both Ripples in the Catfish Pond *and* Bob Smith ready to go in August. The latter includes a passage in which the title character is reading a version of The Grapes of Wrath written by Chaucer. Which I think is kind of fun.

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jmdonowriter @jmdonovan.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

Occasionally the Zuckbook suggests a friend and if it's someone from HS I'll at least look at their page to see if they turned into MAGA asswipes. Many have. The one yesterday had a specious post about "Kamala Harris's 25 lies" from the 9/10/24 debate. A/k/a the "they're eating the dogs" debate.

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jmdonowriter @jmdonovan.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

The cool raccoon in Seattle brings to mind some doggerel I wrote years ago: So Tim is the nickname for Timothy And Jim is the nickname for James But why isn’t Jim short for Jimothy? And why isn’t Tim short for Tames?

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jmdonowriter @jmdonovan.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

#booksky Just a reminder that the offer I made in 2023 still stands: One of the first ten reviewers of my novel Kerouac's Ghost will be picked at random to receive a free copy of my short story collection. As of today there are only ten more reviews to go. a.co/d/0iDB65QL

a.co

Kerouac's Ghost

Kerouac's Ghost [Donovan, John M] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Kerouac's Ghost

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jmdonowriter @jmdonovan.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

Actual response from a former HS classmate to my post about Jan 6: * * * “Storming” was about as far from the description given to me by a friend I worked with who was there. It sounded a lot like a setup where Capitol police invited people in. * * * Yeah, sure looked like it on video too. 🤨

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jmdonowriter @jmdonovan.bsky.social · 11/07/2026

#booksky #poetry #limericks There once was a poet named Dan Who at limericks thought he’d try his hand But you won’t have to ask Why he failed at that task Because for some reason his limericks just wouldn’t scan

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jmdonowriter @jmdonovan.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

#booksky I don't know if I have any novels left in me but I seem to have this long prose poem called Meditations on Death wanting to come out. In it, an old man (that would be me) reflects on life and religion and politics and being an old man. Here's one stanza I particularly like:

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jmdonowriter @jmdonovan.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

#theoffice Last night I dreamed I was in Season 1 of The Office, though of course there wasn't a recognizable Office setting anywhere in the dream. I was flirting shamelessly with Pam, then realized I wasn't moving in on Jim, I was moving in on Darryl. To her credit, Pam wasn't interested.

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jmdonowriter @jmdonovan.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

#caturday This picture of Mynx was taken last June, but I think it looks like something from a hundred years ago.

Gray ragdoll cat peeking out of a hole in a garage next to a big planter. It's a color photo but everything seems to be in shades of gray.

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jmdonowriter @jmdonovan.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

#theyoungones I suppose it was always just a matter of time, but Jerzy Balofski showed up in one of my dreams last night.

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jmdonowriter @jmdonovan.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

#dylan If all these FB posts from people seeing recent Dylan concerts are any indication, a lot of people thought they had tickets for the Rolling Thunder Revue.

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jmdonowriter @jmdonovan.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

#booksky Coming in July: Ripples in the Catfish Pond Mitchell Lazarus keeps falling for the wrong women: One who lives too far away, one who's too married, and one with too many secrets. He records all of this in an unpublished memoir but then vanishes. 1/3

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jmdonowriter @jmdonovan.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

#iowa Just sent my semi-regular note to Grassley asking if he’s ever going to decide to be an American and start representing the good people for once.

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jmdonowriter @jmdonovan.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

I had low expectations for Pappaw Felon’s Redneck Rasslin’ Match and Tent Revival on the White House lawn, but to have some guy who makes a living getting punched in the head make the tired, bigoted, assholish claim that Michelle Obama is a man proves that there is no basement for these deplorables.

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jmdonowriter @jmdonovan.bsky.social · 06/06/2026

#NFL #Bears What the heck, I think the Detroit Lions should move to Ft Wayne, the Cincinnati Bengals should move to Lawrenceburg, and the Los Angeles Rams should move to St Louis just along enough to prepare for their move to Evansville. Also, put an expansion team in Brown County.

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jmdonowriter @jmdonovan.bsky.social · 05/06/2026

I can’t swear there wasn’t some user error involved, but it sure seems like a terribly glitchy app to me. open.substack.com/pub/johnmdon...

open.substack.com

And Now, 71 Places That Don't Have My Medical Records

Although I'm sure the neurologists in Johnson City, Tennessee are lovely people

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jmdonowriter @jmdonovan.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

I still say we wouldn’t be dealing with any of this bullshit if back in 2016 enough people had had the critical thinking skills to ask themselves “What does Fox News have to gain by continually debasing Hillary Clinton?”

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