#aflinley

Description: a screenshot of a tweet from A.F. Linley (aka my alter ego in the hat). Text reads: “Struggling to be creative in the midst of *gestures at everything*, it’s very hard not to take every patron who cancels a subscription as a reflection on me as a writer. 

“It’s not. I know it’s not. Sucks though, right along with everything else.” 

(A/N: Feel free to skip past the ✨Emotions✨ to the new monthly rundown, I just had some Feelings to vomit first.)

It's been a hell of a month this week.

I was in Canada when the Supreme Court decision regarding Roe v. Wade was handed down, and in the same breath that he told me the news, my photographer-spouse told me I should stay there. He was only half-joking.

How does one adjust to the realities of having fewer rights than an automatic weapon? In my case, by compartmentalizing like it's going out of style.

So I’ve been really lax and bad about promoting my Patreon because... well, self-promotion is hard and embarrassing and honestly there are probably better people for you to be supporting BUT ANYWAY

I’m trying a new side project over there where all Patrons get to vote on how this story is going to unfold. It’s a little like a Choose Your Own Adventure book, except instead of turning to a specific page in your battered little library paperback to read the next chapter, you’re voting to tell me what the next chapter is. 

Maybe come and give it a shot? I write a bunch of other stuff as well -- random bits of fiction, sneak peeks at the 1920s bisexual psychic vampire novel I’m working on, blog posts about odd little bits of historical ephemera, sometimes there are lake monsters... It’s an eclectic mix over there.

There’s a lot of content and I love comments, so um. If you somehow have an extra dollar a month and you’re looking for somewhere to put it... (gestures to Patreon)

FREE TO READ!!!

More importantly, happy 2nd birthday to this Patreon! Wow, two years… That’s about 20 months longer than I thought this project would last, and it’s all thanks to you, my confusingly loyal patrons. I don’t know why you’re here but I must be doing something right to have you all stick around, so I’m going to do my best to keep on keepin’ on.

And in keeping with established tradition, that means it’s time for the yearly Refreshing of the Tiers!

New Monthly Tiers

$1: Access to fiction, essays, and merchandise discounts

$3: A free PDF copy of “Creeps, Ghouls and Jewels” and you’ll be included in the dedication of anything I publish while you’re a subscriber. (Includes $1 perks)

$5: Free sticker pack! (Includes $1 & $3 perks)

$10: Free t-shirt! (Includes $1/$3/$5 perks)

$25: A monthly postcard with an exclusive serialized story excerpt! *To begin in June 2020 or whenever I actually have someone at this level (Includes all previous tier perks)

$50: A special Oddments post on a topic of your choosing! (Includes all the other tier perks.)

(Anyone already pledging above a dollar will need to resubscribe at their desired tier.)

“But April,” I imagine you asking, while a ghostly hallucination of your approximate form hangs vaguely in my view, “How do you have stickers and t-shirts to give away as subscriber perks? You don’t have any merchandise.”

“Aha,” I reply, undaunted by the social-distance-violating spectral vision of you, O Nameless Yet Best Beloved Patron, “that’s where you’re wrong! Today is the day that hath been foretold by the last three months of graphics teaser posts: My Redbubble store is finally open, and doth contain many t-shirts and stickers, as well as other vastly more ridiculous items, all adorned with @portraitoftheoddity​/ Alena Lane’s delectable designs!”

Would I like for people to decide they want to buy some of this stuff? Yes!

Do I expect anyone to buy anything? No!

Did I have fun putting Moonicorns on leggings and pink hats on socks and “Finishing Things is Hard” on spiral notebooks?

Oh, you betcha.

In times like these, I find hilarity where I can.