Gauthic Times: The Bill Gauthier Newsletter #133, or The Newsletter Without an Essay

Hello, friends!

This was the first week all summer where I didn’t have many obligations. I wrote and drew and was my true(ish) creative self. It was terrific. It should’ve led me to writing a deep, entertaining essay for my weekly newsletter.

Alas, the essay became a shitshow.

I was going to write about how sports are oftentimes taken more seriously than the arts for a lot of children. This came to me at G’s basketball games this week, which were a mess and left her angry and upset. But I didn’t like what was coming. Then I wrote about some movies whose anti-intellectual views have hurt society. That essay was pretty long but something was wrong. I asked Pamela to read it and she agreed. It needs more work.

Not today, Satan. And by Satan, I mean my essay.

Alas, there’s no real essay for today’s newsletter. I’m sorry. I will do penance. I will flagellate myself until blisters rise and weep on my back. I will force myself to watch pro-wrestling and eat Spam. I shall be punished.

Anyway, there’s still plenty of other things to write about in this newsletter, so I’m going to do that.

Welcome to the 133rd installment of Gauthic Times, the newsletter about my writing, my life, and whatever I throw into it. If you’re a reader who subscribes via Substack, my website, or Patreon, your encouragement helps motivate me. I’m not breaking any records but I’m thankful to have any audience.

Thank you.

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This week I started the 3^rd draft of Project: Amusement Park. I’ve read through and revised 38 pages of the novel so far and have cut it down by around 500 words so far. That’s not much but what’s happened is I’ve also tried to explain things a little better. I tend to do more heavy lifting working on the 2^nd draft than on the 3^rd. Going from 1^st to 2^nd is often about making sure the story is there and that it works. Cleaning, moving things around, tightening, rewriting. Going from 2^nd to 3^rd draft is usually faster. I’m cleaning and tightening more than rewriting. If anything, I’m even more likely to cut things because I know now even more whether they’re needed. I can tell this because if I get sick of revising that part, it’s usually because I’m bored and know it’s not needed. That means DELETE!

I also continued writing the 1^st draft of Project: Moons. I added about 2,600 words, bringing the total up to 117 pages and 27,800 words. I think I’m almost halfway through the story. Since I don’t work from outlines, I’m guessing. I know where certain parts are going. Or at least I suspect that I know where they’re going. I can’t tell you that right now, though.

I also worked on drawing a Gabby Ray comic story I’ve been working on for a few years. I’ve been sporadic about it but really want to finish it. At this point, it’s really more to see if I can do it. I would like to have it done and then see what to do from there.

It’s been good. I’ll work on Gabby Ray in the morning, Project: Amusement Park in the afternoon, and Project: Moons in the late afternoon or evening. That’s how the whole summer should’ve been!

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We Are Always Tender with Our Dead by Eric LaRocca, the first of his Burnt Sparrow trilogy, is a brutal work of transgressive horror. Once again, Eric LaRocca weaves a beautifully written, haunting story. There were points when I felt violated and sat there thinking, “He went there! He actually went there!” He’s been making a name for himself the last few years with his brutal work. I found myself transported into the novel and not wanting to put it down. I still think about it days after finishing it.

Burnt Sparrow, New Hampshire, will likely become a terror destination up there with Castle Rock, Maine, and I’m looking forward to the return trip.

Thanks to NetGalley and Titan Books for the opportunity to read it.

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That’s this week’s newsletter. Thank you so much for subscribing, reading, and for your support.

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