#thorngale

the brothers gale

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You have no idea how delighted I was to get this message, I have been obsessed with and deeply influenced by Munly and the Lee Lewis Harlots (and his other group, Slim Cessna's Autoclub) since I got into them in highschool, and Big Black Bull is one of Thorngale's biggest inspirations. I am so glad someone actually heard it and made that connection in their own brain, makes me feel very seen.

But yeah, God, that is song of all time. I borrowed so much from it-- the sexual abuse between brothers, the weird totem-esque way the cows function as a conduit for their sex , much like the horses in Thorngale, the ritual and religious tone and empahsis on words/language. I just chose to strip the Americana and take it to a much different locale/pastoral setting/country/culture and class.

I have always LOVED the tight, neat way that song written, too, verses an themes like nesting dolls. The building action, the stunning images like the bull riding around in the truck like a chariot, the dirty words/talking dirty motif. And FUCK, THE CLIMAX, WITH THE BROTHER MIMICKING THE BULL?

"The big black bull, he come down hard on the flatbed, he forced himself inside the pen with the she-cow, he stood up tall on two legs like a man does, he swoll himself up hard," followed by "me myself, I stood up tall on the flatbed,see I pitched when I saw them sway, and when that bull come back down to four legs, my brother forced himself onto the flatbed" all with repeated, echoed language (pitching and swaying, swelling/swoll, the flatbed, FORCING). It is a masterclass in poetry. Also, "when the calf come, it come, like I come, it come backwards," KILLERR.

Thorngale Oracle Deck kickstarter now live!!

As many of you know, I have been diligently creating a 44 card oracle deck to pair with my debut novel, Thorngale. It will come with a booklet explaining each card and a black velvet storage back. I hope to print enough to sell some on my website, but purchasing a deck through the kickstarter itself will be the most cost efficient way to get the deck, AND some reward tiers come with stickers or digital downloads of my other work, so head on over to check it out! I am super proud of it, it's a tremendously self indulgent labor of love.

It's not necessary you read the book to enjoy or benefit from the deck, but there are also options to back the kickstarter and recieve an ebook of Thorngale as well, if you end up curious! The deck contains only mild spoilers.

Transcending borders. @knotsnuffles

@thistlecatfics >>>>>> del