Allister Thompson
@allistert.bsky.social
1.1K followers 1K following 2.5K posts
"Amateur" musician, "Professional" editor/author from “Canada.” thegatelessgate.bandcamp.com http://www.allisterthompson.com https://editorattheendoftheworld.wordpress.com/
Posts Media Videos Starter Packs
Pinned
allistert.bsky.social
‘Birch and Jay’ is not just another post apocalyptic adventure novel. It’s also about how we can heal instead of destroy, which is all modern human beings have ever done. We created this situation that will cause so much suffering, but do we have the courage and honesty to learn from our mistakes?
Decades after the world was levelled by the effects of human-made climate change, the scattered remnants of humanity have begun to pull themselves together. Birch and Jay are a young couple living in a small, idyllic community away from the ruins of one of Canada’s great cities.

As a newly graduated Knowledge Seeker, Jay must leave Birch and their community to collect remnants of old wisdom from the dead world. Along the way, he comes across a mysterious elderly woman who offers to travel with him. He will receive more than a travel companion — she offers revelations about their town’s founding as well as knowledge of how to survive in a lawless world.
 
Birch, seeking adventure, pursues Jay but finds more danger than she ever imagined. Will they find each other in the chaos and brutality of the city and get safely back home to tell the tale?
allistert.bsky.social
I kinda like to at least offer a small honorarium.
allistert.bsky.social
Just saw this…another massive package! Will put on the wishlist.
allistert.bsky.social
We get a ton of bees in our messy yard.
allistert.bsky.social
That's interesting! Case in point. Also, the way the average bourgeois (male) homeowner has to manicure his property to within an inch of its life (mowing, raking, etc.) has always mystified me. But then I don't understand the appeal of golf either.
allistert.bsky.social
When did you first realize that it's silly and a waste of time to rake up all the leaves in your yard, when if you leave them there they break down over the winter and also provide habitat and help the grass grow? Ever since I gave up that crap, fall has been much more relaxed.
allistert.bsky.social
I am getting very, very close to the point of tuning out and dropping out.
allistert.bsky.social
Sometimes it feels like there are only two kinds of artists: those who are materially successful and get to feel really good about themselves - and those who get ripped off all the time.
allistert.bsky.social
(Great illustrations btw…very accurate!)
allistert.bsky.social
So the metal tentacle is comforting the sad man?
allistert.bsky.social
The heat ray also contains vitamin C and gives a good tan.
allistert.bsky.social
That seems considerably deeper than a ‘Buddha Zen Ibiza Chill’ compilation.
allistert.bsky.social
For decades it’s been deemed perfectly acceptable for Westerners to use Asian religious imagery that has deep, beautiful and difficult philosophical meaning in the service of promoting ‘chilling out.’ Imagine a Japanese mix called “Christian Chill Vibes” and it’s just middle-of-the-road IDM tracks.
allistert.bsky.social
They’d just be finishing the job we started.
allistert.bsky.social
And I thought everyone had at least experienced this:
An illustration from Jeff Wayne’s War of the Worlds of a Martian fighting machine melting the Thunderchild.
allistert.bsky.social
We welcome our blood-sucking octopi overlords!
allistert.bsky.social
It’s credited to a popular radio host, but who knows if he actually wrote the text itself.
allistert.bsky.social
It’s possible he just doesn’t read fiction. But media used to edit and fact-check properly.
allistert.bsky.social
No, venerable host Bob McDonald did, bless him.
allistert.bsky.social
Well, from their perspective … yes! Do a little cattle farming too.
allistert.bsky.social
I guess that’s one interpretation.
allistert.bsky.social
Surely the guy who wrote this and the fact-checker must be familiar with the zillions of TV and film adaptations!