J.K. Ullrich's Blog, page 3

Journey to “The Protean Shore”: Writing for Mason Jar Press’ Literary Journal

Power thrums through the headset. Every nerve sizzles with alien sensations: water flowing over speckled skin, the lingering taste of fish, a symphony of echoes lapping my mind’s protean shore. Phantom limbs unfurl into a broad tail… My writing has undergone significant evolution in the past few years. I shifted from YA to adult fiction, … More Journey to “The Protean Shore”: Writing for Mason Jar Press’ Literary Journal

“After the Noise”: A Music/Poetry Collaboration

As if writing and photography weren’t enough creative pursuits to consume a person, I also play music. Not terribly well, since I rarely have time to practice these days, but it’s still a strong frequency in my spirit. Thus when a music artist on Mastodon sought voice segments for a project, I responded. Recording a … More “After the Noise”: A Music/Poetry Collaboration

What A “Literary Scholar” Gets Wrong: A Climate Fiction Author’s Rebuttal

Apparently I’ve written a seminal work of cli-fi, but it wasn’t one of my books. In a recent BBC Culture piece titled What The Last of Us, Snowpiercer and ‘climate fiction’ get wrong, self-proclaimed literary scholar Tyler Harper argues that the genre does not inspire environmental action among readers, but demoralizes them. He alleges the … More What A “Literary Scholar” Gets Wrong: A Climate Fiction Author’s Rebuttal

God Save The Queensland, Pt. II: Reef Restoration

This two-part blog post series begins with my first visit to north Queensland in July 2022, and concludes with a second trip to the Gold Coast in March 2023. After the mid-2022 trip to North Queensland, I didn’t plan on returning anytime soon. There were many other places I wanted to explore, like New Zealand. … More God Save The Queensland, Pt. II: Reef Restoration

God Save The Queensland, Part I: Destination Daintree

This two-part blog post series begins with my first visit to north Queensland in July 2022, and concludes with a second trip to the Gold Coast in March 2023. I stepped out into the winter day and immediately began dripping sweat. “How is this place habitable in summer?” I asked my Laddie, crossing the Woolworths … More God Save The Queensland, Part I: Destination Daintree

God Save The Queensland, Part I: Daintree and the Great Barrier Reef

This two-part blog post series begins with my first visit to north Queensland in July 2022, and concludes with a second trip to the Gold Coast in March 2023. I stepped out into the winter day and immediately began dripping sweat. “How is this place habitable in summer?” I asked my Laddie, crossing the Woolworths … More God Save The Queensland, Part I: Daintree and the Great Barrier Reef

“Beat In Her Blood”…In Your Ears: My First Audiobook, and How You Can Get It For Free

The audiobook was an accident. When I finished revisions on Beat In Her Blood late last year, my sister “Alice”—who had provided invaluable critique on earlier drafts—wanted to read the final product, but her eyes weren’t cooperating. Her myriad neurological afflictions from Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) include difficulty reading text longer than a chat message. Rather … More “Beat In Her Blood”…In Your Ears: My First Audiobook, and How You Can Get It For Free

“Beat In Her Blood”…In Your Ears: My First Audiobook Now Available!

The audiobook was an accident. When I finished revisions on Beat In Her Blood late last year, my sister “Alice”—who had provided invaluable critique on earlier drafts—wanted to read the final product, but her eyes weren’t cooperating. Her myriad neurological afflictions from Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) include difficulty reading text longer than a chat message. Rather … More “Beat In Her Blood”…In Your Ears: My First Audiobook Now Available!

Video Game Review: “Horizon: Forbidden West”

Since Syzygy turned just turned five, let’s keep celebrating eco-apocalypse science fiction with another story anniversary: Horizon: Forbidden West, (HFW) which came out a year ago this month. Why has it taken me so long to review this video game? Living overseas with an old American Playstation, I had to wait months for a copy … More Video Game Review: “Horizon: Forbidden West”

Celebrate Five Years of “Syzygy” with a New Edition and a Free Prequel

The words “five years” always make me think of the opening track on David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust album: News had just come overWe had five years left to cry inNews guy wept and told usEarth was really dying… – from “Five Years”, by David Bowie Apocalyptic lyrics seem especially appropriate when I say that five … More Celebrate Five Years of “Syzygy” with a New Edition and a Free Prequel