I don’t really care who the Pope is, but seeing the reactions from a certain subset of bigots makes me think the cardinals made a good choice.

The only people who love a good map more than fantasy readers are fantasy authors. Mostly because we’re simple folk who are constantly messing up logistical details if we don’t record them somewhere for future reference1, but also because they look neat. open.substack.com/pub/markfeen...

Field Note #30: “Surviving once teaches you very little about surviving twice.” (These notes are drawn from my journeys with the Traveling Librarian. The full account arrives soon.)

Final major revision of The Traveling Librarian is complete! A few minor details to work out, then on to proofing.

I think I misunderstood something in the writing advice "open a blank page and lay bare your soul." Are we all writing naked or am I the only one??

Tales from the road.

We're having a book launch party for Vanthology! If you're in Vancouver and are looking for new genre fiction, come join us for a pint!

Enough with the manufactured drama already. Let the man rest.

I don’t know how I’d never heard of The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova, but what a spellbinding read. I was absolutely entranced for 700 pages of history, travel, and Dracula lore.

Found a copy of Age of Vice by Deepti Kapoor in a little free library and devoured it over 3 days. First read of 2026 was a wild ride!

2026 resolution is more belligerence. Way more belligerence.

How old am I? I’m “6:50 seems a bit late to see this 2.5 hour Paul Thomas Anderson film in theatre on a Wednesday night” years old.

#41 on the Rising in Fiction list! Come see what all the fuss is about at markfeenstra.substack.com

On my way to learn the fine art of stabbing people with swords at Academie Duello.

Currently running a Black Friday sale: buy one of my books and you get one of my books.

Had an ugly interpersonal conflict play out in public the other day. If you need me, I’ll be sticking my head in a favourite book* and not coming out until I’ve regained my equilibrium. (*Lies of Locke Lamora)

New short story up on the newsletter this morning. Read or listen free: open.substack.com/pub/markfeen...

Great day at CONnections today. Met so many lovely people and sold out of Wolf of the Library and Vanthology!

I'll be at CONnections this week, speaking on panels, reading, and signing books! Come say hi if you're in the Vancouver area. open.substack.com/pub/markfeen...

Accidentally got the French sports channel subscription for tonight’s Jays game and only understood every third word, but in the end, I think it made the whole thing more dramatic.

Four books to get to know me

VANTHOLOGY is here! From misty seawalls to far-flung worlds, Vanthology gathers original short fiction from the Vancouver Genre Writers community. If you love discovering new voices and fresh blends of genre, Vanthology belongs on your shelf. Get your copy now: mybook.to/vanthology

New (free) short story available now. Read or listen: markfeenstra.substack.com/p/a-trick-of...

So wrapped up in work that I forgot my kid was home sick. Freaked out for a moment wondering who was walking through the apartment.

Readers: those permanent bookclub/award stickers are The Worst. Publishers: hold my beer.

One of these is mine.

A behind-the-scenes look at what goes into making a book cover. This represents 15,000 Procreate brush strokes and more than 15 hours of work to get to the final cover treatment in Photoshop. [Book link in bio.]

Just want to give a shout out to an awesome writers group that I've been a part of since 2022. We have super-fun in-person meetups at pubs and cafés. Come join us when you're in the area! www.vancouvergenrewriters.com

Made the mistake of watching Murderbot with my partner, and now I’ll have to wait every week until we can find time to watch it together.

I don’t really care who the Pope is, but seeing the reactions from a certain subset of bigots makes me think the cardinals made a good choice.

I started reading James before it was cool. Like, a day before… but it still counts right?

May 5 is Red Dress Day. We remember and honour the lives of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ People. Their stories, their lives, and their memories matter. #RedDressDay #MMIWG2S #NoMoreStolenSisters #IndigenousEditors

it’s highly anticipated because you sat on the land for 17 years after getting a $211 million interest free loan

A little light reading on a Sunday morning.

My kid just started book 9 of the Keepers of the Lost Cities series. She’s about to discover the agony of waiting for the next book to release, which feels like a rite of passage for any fantasy reader.

Ploughed through the first half of The Bee Sting by Paul Murray yesterday. Not sure why, but I’d been worried this might be a slow read for me. It’s turning out to be one of my favourites of the year so far.

Happy launch day!

CIVILIZATIONS RISE CIVILIZATIONS FALL HEDY FRY IS FOREVER SHE WINS VANCOUVER CENTRE FOR THE 11TH STRAIGHT TIME

Took a break from watching election results to leave flowers at the Lapu Lapu day memorial on 41st and Fraser. Arrived during the candlelight vigil. Absolutely gutted, but somewhat buoyed by the outpouring of community support.

Gave myself permission to watch political movies (Current: Wag The Dog) and doomscroll politics all day. It’s ether that or day drinking.

Canadian peeps! Please remember to vote today! There is nothing more important than keeping Canada strong & free from fascism! (Every conservative govt elected in recent years has rapidly slid into authoritarianism. For reference, see India, Israel, Hungary, Italy, and now the U.S.) Please vote!

Had a great time at @tbcart.bsky.social’s book launch yesterday! Jester is a witty underdog story with a big heart. Can’t wait to see what Tim does next!

Elbows up, Canada! No excuses for not voting. Keep Poilievre from running this country into the ground.

Love trans people, protect trans people, feed trans people, and to hell with anyone, individual or govenment entity, that disagrees. UK friends, I'm so sorry.

If you think about it, the very best books are really just extremely long spells that turn you into a different person for the rest of your life

Just saw my first cybertruck in the wild. Obviously I knew it was more than a meme, but actually seeing one on the road was like watching someone eat a Tide Pod.

I fell off the Stormlight Archive halfway through book 4, but I’m seriously jealous of everyone who gets to dive into such a highly-anticipated fantasy epic at midnight! #WindAndTruth

I’m a 25 pages away from finishing this book and I realized I haven’t figured out my next read yet. Now I have to stop reading to plan ahead so I don’t waffle in indecision all night.

I love my mechanical keyboard for writing, but I am giving up on the desk and retreating to couch and blankets with my laptop for the rest of the day.

Is it so wrong that I just want to live in a cozy cabin in the woods very far away from other people but still be walking distance to great cafés, local markets, bookstores, and pubs?