Michael A. Gonzales
@magonzales.bsky.social
Born and raised in Harlem, Michael A. Gonzales has been anointed "the hip-hop Chester Himes" by Miles Marshall Lewis. He's published true-crime essays at CrimeReads, and short stories in Ellery Queen, Rock & a Hard Place and Vautrin magazine.
1959: It was that magical time between Thanksgiving and Christmas...
--" Frankie Five Hundred"
--" Frankie Five Hundred"
December 6, 2025 at 1:38 PM
1959: It was that magical time between Thanksgiving and Christmas...
--" Frankie Five Hundred"
--" Frankie Five Hundred"
Reposted by Michael A. Gonzales
@rollingstone.com can release what ever foolish movie list that they want, but am I really supposed to believe that Weapons was better than Sinners? Madness I say...sheer madness.
a man in a suit and tie is sitting in the grass with the words no vision behind him
ALT: a man in a suit and tie is sitting in the grass with the words no vision behind him
media.tenor.com
December 5, 2025 at 6:56 AM
@rollingstone.com can release what ever foolish movie list that they want, but am I really supposed to believe that Weapons was better than Sinners? Madness I say...sheer madness.
Reposted by Michael A. Gonzales
My latest Substack newsletter is live. A few words on the brilliance that is Don Carpenter’s 1966 novel HARD RAIN FALLING.
andrewnette.substack.com/p/hard-rain-...
andrewnette.substack.com/p/hard-rain-...
Hard Rain Falling
I was in a Berlin bookshop recently and noticed a brand spanking new Penguin Modern Classics edition of Don Carpenter’s 1966 novel Hard Rain Falling. I don’t know who is overseeing the cover design on...
andrewnette.substack.com
December 5, 2025 at 12:54 PM
My latest Substack newsletter is live. A few words on the brilliance that is Don Carpenter’s 1966 novel HARD RAIN FALLING.
andrewnette.substack.com/p/hard-rain-...
andrewnette.substack.com/p/hard-rain-...
@rollingstone.com can release what ever foolish movie list that they want, but am I really supposed to believe that Weapons was better than Sinners? Madness I say...sheer madness.
a man in a suit and tie is sitting in the grass with the words no vision behind him
ALT: a man in a suit and tie is sitting in the grass with the words no vision behind him
media.tenor.com
December 5, 2025 at 6:56 AM
@rollingstone.com can release what ever foolish movie list that they want, but am I really supposed to believe that Weapons was better than Sinners? Madness I say...sheer madness.
Reposted by Michael A. Gonzales
When I was in 8th grade my teacher found it hard to believe that I wrote a good poem by myself. With no proof at all she labeled me a plagiarist. It's a wonder that I became a writer at all.
The Plagiarist
Michael A. Gonzales recalls an unfounded accusation from childhood that galvanized him against plagiarism.
memoirland.substack.com
December 4, 2025 at 2:57 AM
When I was in 8th grade my teacher found it hard to believe that I wrote a good poem by myself. With no proof at all she labeled me a plagiarist. It's a wonder that I became a writer at all.
When I was in 8th grade my teacher found it hard to believe that I wrote a good poem by myself. With no proof at all she labeled me a plagiarist. It's a wonder that I became a writer at all.
The Plagiarist
Michael A. Gonzales recalls an unfounded accusation from childhood that galvanized him against plagiarism.
memoirland.substack.com
December 4, 2025 at 2:57 AM
When I was in 8th grade my teacher found it hard to believe that I wrote a good poem by myself. With no proof at all she labeled me a plagiarist. It's a wonder that I became a writer at all.
And all this time I thought Tarantino was the weakest actor in SAG.
There Will Be Blood is wildly overrated, and Paul Dano (in either of his roles) is really not the problem.
Quentin Tarantino says 'There Will Be Blood' had a chance to be his greatest film of the 21st century if it didnt have Paul Dano in it
"it’s supposed to be a two-hander, but ... [Dano] is weak sauce, man ... He’s just such a weak, weak, uninteresting guy. The weakest fucking actor in SAG [laughs]"
"it’s supposed to be a two-hander, but ... [Dano] is weak sauce, man ... He’s just such a weak, weak, uninteresting guy. The weakest fucking actor in SAG [laughs]"
December 2, 2025 at 11:25 PM
And all this time I thought Tarantino was the weakest actor in SAG.
Just received a rejection from a magazine. The rejected piece was submitted over a year ago and was published by the magazine in their music issue. Weird.
a man in a red shirt and black shorts is standing on a basketball court
ALT: a man in a red shirt and black shorts is standing on a basketball court
media.tenor.com
December 2, 2025 at 8:09 PM
Just received a rejection from a magazine. The rejected piece was submitted over a year ago and was published by the magazine in their music issue. Weird.
Reposted by Michael A. Gonzales
#SaggSeason
#SaggGenius
#BillyPaul
“in my case, that meant singing like a horn player. I’d always been a John Coltrane fan—he was from Philly; you know, and he told me once he wanted to be a singer and that’s why he played the way he did. Well, I sang the way he blew."
medium.com/@tnimixtape/...
#SaggGenius
#BillyPaul
“in my case, that meant singing like a horn player. I’d always been a John Coltrane fan—he was from Philly; you know, and he told me once he wanted to be a singer and that’s why he played the way he did. Well, I sang the way he blew."
medium.com/@tnimixtape/...
Am I Black Enough For You? The Legacy of Billy Paul by Mark Anthony Neal
Billy Paul was a grown man of 37 years-old when he registered his first and only Pop hit with the classic “Me and Mrs. Jones.” But to think…
medium.com
December 1, 2025 at 11:02 PM
#SaggSeason
#SaggGenius
#BillyPaul
“in my case, that meant singing like a horn player. I’d always been a John Coltrane fan—he was from Philly; you know, and he told me once he wanted to be a singer and that’s why he played the way he did. Well, I sang the way he blew."
medium.com/@tnimixtape/...
#SaggGenius
#BillyPaul
“in my case, that meant singing like a horn player. I’d always been a John Coltrane fan—he was from Philly; you know, and he told me once he wanted to be a singer and that’s why he played the way he did. Well, I sang the way he blew."
medium.com/@tnimixtape/...
One of those books I read a million years back when I was trying to teach myself to be a music journalist.
December 1, 2025 at 7:10 PM
One of those books I read a million years back when I was trying to teach myself to be a music journalist.
Reposted by Michael A. Gonzales
Who in their right minds would have a dedicated magazine section of their bookstore devoted to random film, TV and music issues from across the last five decades? Plus Mad Magazine anthologies? Why, us, of course. mzs.press/Magazines-c1...
Magazines
This section contains magazines of both recent and older vintage. Some were purchased in the wild (i.e. out of a rack at a store), while others were found in secondhand shops or liberated from the pro...
mzs.press
December 1, 2025 at 7:21 AM
Who in their right minds would have a dedicated magazine section of their bookstore devoted to random film, TV and music issues from across the last five decades? Plus Mad Magazine anthologies? Why, us, of course. mzs.press/Magazines-c1...
Reposted by Michael A. Gonzales
Finally read, and enjoyed, Tar Baby by Toni Morrison. Next stop will be Sula.
--portrait by Tim Okamura
--portrait by Tim Okamura
November 30, 2025 at 7:52 PM
Finally read, and enjoyed, Tar Baby by Toni Morrison. Next stop will be Sula.
--portrait by Tim Okamura
--portrait by Tim Okamura
Reposted by Michael A. Gonzales
Filling a book with beautiful language is hard. Doing so without coming off high-toned or inauthentic to your characters is even harder.
Daniel Woodrell threaded this needle better than any contemporary author I know. His passing is an enormous loss.
#RIP #DanielWoodrell
Daniel Woodrell threaded this needle better than any contemporary author I know. His passing is an enormous loss.
#RIP #DanielWoodrell
November 30, 2025 at 12:21 AM
Filling a book with beautiful language is hard. Doing so without coming off high-toned or inauthentic to your characters is even harder.
Daniel Woodrell threaded this needle better than any contemporary author I know. His passing is an enormous loss.
#RIP #DanielWoodrell
Daniel Woodrell threaded this needle better than any contemporary author I know. His passing is an enormous loss.
#RIP #DanielWoodrell
Reposted by Michael A. Gonzales
You know what? I'm going to post this again. It's really important that as many Americans see this as possible.
Trump’s FBI Spent Nearly $1 Million on Redacting Epstein Files
A new report reveals the FBI’s frantic “special redaction project” when they thought the Epstein files would be released.
newrepublic.com
November 29, 2025 at 7:50 PM
You know what? I'm going to post this again. It's really important that as many Americans see this as possible.
It's Billy Strayhorn Day...
Frankie Five Hundred (a Harlem based short story that attempts to show a different side of Black life in 1959 NYC)
evergreenreview.com/read/frankie...
evergreenreview.com/read/frankie...
November 29, 2025 at 5:35 PM
It's Billy Strayhorn Day...
In 1959 the coolness of Kind of Blue played on the console, the cinematic hotness of Shadows simmered on screens and my Harlem dwelling Mom worked in a bookstore, went to jazz clubs and took modelling classes. Check out the story Frankie Five Hundred: evergreenreview.com/read/frankie...
November 29, 2025 at 5:34 PM
The Making of a Writer (2003)
Indeed, I had been trying to look like a writer since I was a teenager. This is me at 40 on the penthouse of the Hudson Hotel in NYC.
Indeed, I had been trying to look like a writer since I was a teenager. This is me at 40 on the penthouse of the Hudson Hotel in NYC.
November 29, 2025 at 3:23 PM
The Making of a Writer (2003)
Indeed, I had been trying to look like a writer since I was a teenager. This is me at 40 on the penthouse of the Hudson Hotel in NYC.
Indeed, I had been trying to look like a writer since I was a teenager. This is me at 40 on the penthouse of the Hudson Hotel in NYC.
Reposted by Michael A. Gonzales
Andrew Cuomo is like a gambler who has lost all of his cash at the blackjack table, but refuses to leave the casino. "I could've won..."
a man in a suit and tie is speaking into a microphone at a podium that says governor andrew m. cuomo
ALT: a man in a suit and tie is speaking into a microphone at a podium that says governor andrew m. cuomo
media.tenor.com
November 29, 2025 at 2:56 AM
Andrew Cuomo is like a gambler who has lost all of his cash at the blackjack table, but refuses to leave the casino. "I could've won..."
Reposted by Michael A. Gonzales
You might be cool, but you ain't Burt Bacharach and Angie Dickerson cool.
November 29, 2025 at 2:43 AM
You might be cool, but you ain't Burt Bacharach and Angie Dickerson cool.
Andrew Cuomo is like a gambler who has lost all of his cash at the blackjack table, but refuses to leave the casino. "I could've won..."
a man in a suit and tie is speaking into a microphone at a podium that says governor andrew m. cuomo
ALT: a man in a suit and tie is speaking into a microphone at a podium that says governor andrew m. cuomo
media.tenor.com
November 29, 2025 at 2:56 AM
Andrew Cuomo is like a gambler who has lost all of his cash at the blackjack table, but refuses to leave the casino. "I could've won..."
You might be cool, but you ain't Burt Bacharach and Angie Dickerson cool.
November 29, 2025 at 2:43 AM
You might be cool, but you ain't Burt Bacharach and Angie Dickerson cool.
Reposted by Michael A. Gonzales
Hey, wanna buy some CDs? Here's a complete guide to everything Burning Ambulance Music has released in our first 5 years:
burningambulance.substack.com/p/its-black-...
burningambulance.substack.com/p/its-black-...
It's Black Friday! Buy Our CDs!
A guide to the Burning Ambulance Music catalog...
burningambulance.substack.com
November 28, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Hey, wanna buy some CDs? Here's a complete guide to everything Burning Ambulance Music has released in our first 5 years:
burningambulance.substack.com/p/its-black-...
burningambulance.substack.com/p/its-black-...
Reposted by Michael A. Gonzales
Alt text, the cover of Toni Morrison's TAR BABY with an abstract blue human form & yellow squiggles on a turquoise background, & an illustration of a lush forest carpeted with moss.
Reading Tar Baby by Toni Morrison. Never expected her to name drop Frank Frazetta when describing the beauty of a landscape.
November 28, 2025 at 1:39 PM
Alt text, the cover of Toni Morrison's TAR BABY with an abstract blue human form & yellow squiggles on a turquoise background, & an illustration of a lush forest carpeted with moss.