2018 YEAR IN REVIEW

Merry Christmas, ya filthy animals! 2018 has come and is now on its way out the door. Time flies when you’re hustling! Regardless of the insanity in the real world, I built some great fictional insanity to tide you over. More published short stories, another novel in progress, more connections and friends. Here’s the breakdown of everything Joe Prosit for 2018:

“Pizza Face,” my first published short story of the year came from Dark Fire Fiction, which published the sordid tale of dead bodies, old pizza, and a whole house full of cats. As is to be expected, when the pizza runs out, the cat’s entire society beings to break down. Can their queen Snoots find a way to stay in power and save the pride? Read it at “http://darkfire.epizy.com/fiction_Prosit0818.html?i=1”

Also in August, “The Flea Circus” was published in Minnesota’s Emerging Writers anthology from Z Publishing. This is a tale of one man who must do what it takes to run his circus and elevate his show beyond the petty tricks of his childhood flea circus. The ringleader shows us all how desperation and depravity can lead to greatness. Get your copy at “https://www.zpublishinghouse.com/?rfsn=1560622.8d65f2”

My favorite story this year was brought to our ears by The No Sleep Podcast. The story, “Welcome to Mister Smiley’s Happy World Theme Park and Fun Land,” was produced by Phil Michalski and brought to life by the voice talents of Mike DelGaudio, Corinne Sanders, and David Ault. Hear from Mister Smiley on Season 11, Episode 15. “https://www.thenosleeppodcast.com/episodes/s11/11x15”

But it does stop there. Not for us. In October came two more tales of horror and wonder. Submitted to the Brainerd Writer’s Alliance contest, my Sci-Fi story “At the Core” won third place. Look for this story to get published soon.

And last but not least is “Mana for the Great Machine” from Aphotic Realm magazine. Enter a strange world where machines as seen as stone-faced silent gods ruling over humans. How much are we willing to sacrifice to appease them? Find out at “http://aphoticrealm.com/manna-for-the-great-machine/”

Short stories aside, I spent most of 2018 working on my two novels in progress: “99 Town,” and its sequel, “7 Androids.” 99 Town is a cyberpunk murder mystery featuring Federal Agent Chuck Alawode, whose stripped of all his twenty-second century hi-tech tools, and must close a murder case using only the technology available in 1999. But it’s only after he’s unplugged from the network and working in 99 Town does he start to see the truth of the modern technocratic society.

7 Androids finds Chuck plugged into the mind of an insane android named  Seven. Chuck must survive the demented brain of this robot-assassin in order to uncover what led to the terrible day that nearly ended humankind, “the Event.”

In their steady march towards publication, 99 Town is looking for an awesome agent to represent and bring this book to publishers. 7 Androids will soon needs some tough and honest beta readers to polish it up and help me make it the best it can be.

2018 was a big year, and I couldn’t have accomplished what I have without the help of my fellow writers. Whether it was the colossus effort of beta reading 99 Town, or helping me polish up the short stories in workshops, or even just swapping writing memes on Twitter, my gratitude goes out to the following: Repo Kempt, Kelly Weiss, Krista Soukup, Erin Hart, Sebastian Hetman, Kedzie, my ever-supportive and lovely wife Sarah, and of course, you, the readers. Without you all of this would be pretty pointless. Thanks, everyone!

Have a great holiday season and I’ll see you in 2019 with more Sci-Fi, horror, and psycho fiction!