39 Comments
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V Moire's avatar

Amazing. Amazing. Tuazz’s magic starts in his head. It begins with intuition. A lot like you, Jimmy.

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Jimmy Doom's avatar

Thank you. I really, really try.

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Sharon Thompson's avatar

Great story.

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Jimmy Doom's avatar

Thanks. It was a fun one to write.

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Sharon Thompson's avatar

Must check out more of your 'stuff'. I liked the whole piece. Do you submit to literary comps or journals at all?

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Jimmy Doom's avatar

No. I looked at the turnaround times for acceptance/ rejection on most of those things and decided I'd rather publish on Substack and get paid. I come from the Detroit punk rock scene with a DIY ethic. Don't need to wait 9 months for a team of literature MFAs in Wales to tell me " No." I love the immediacy of publishing daily and getting feedback.

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Jimmy Doom's avatar

Check out Grandmaster. That one is probably worthy of many literary publications

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Sharon Thompson's avatar

I totally understand and love this reply. I must take a similar ethic with my shorter fiction too... why I haven't is beyond me. *Rolling eyes at myself here. I've taken a similar line of thought for my longer fiction.

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Jimmy Doom's avatar

If Substack would advertise, I think we might have a shot at a passable income or at the very least , a rewarding side hustle.

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Sharon Thompson's avatar

I would kill for a passable income :) (not literally like)

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Bill Adler's avatar

Tauzz was made to do magic. Wonderful story.

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Jimmy Doom's avatar

I think that goes for a lot of magicians and musicians and writers.

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Stefanie Schimpff's avatar

This one is my favorite.

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Jimmy Doom's avatar

All time?

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Stefanie Schimpff's avatar

All time

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Jimmy Doom's avatar

Wow!

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Joe's avatar

That is quite the story!

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Jimmy Doom's avatar

Thanks J/S. Thanks for helping me get to my 3rd Substack anniversary

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Joe's avatar

Mile posts are always exciting.

We know what we have seen and how we've come, and are excited to find what's ahead.

There may be uphill and downhill, wide meadows and streams, along with endless skies, but all the experiences make us who we are.

Life is fleeting, but words reach and bring messages from forever.

You have already brought us years of experiences and thoughts and I, for one, am curious to read the future emissions of the Weal.

Great 'Wows' and many more, Jimmy!

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Jimmy Doom's avatar

I'm gearing up for the next year. It may see some schedule changes, almost certainly will see more fantasy and speculative fiction. I hope I can keep my loyalists happy and bring some more new readers in.

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Jeff Kalinowski's avatar

I know writers are always searching for the perfect words, the perfect poem, the perfect story. A task that is nearly impossible. Damn Jimmy, this story is damn near perfect. Bravo! Thanks for sharing this with us. PS: it was the Children’s Hospital thing that made it so real for me.

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Jimmy Doom's avatar

That was the toughest part of it. Adding that element without dissolving into it.

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Meg Vannelli's avatar

My whole body reacted to this story. Fucking magic.

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Jimmy Doom's avatar

I'm thrilled that you love it

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PJ Ryder's avatar

That was a good one!

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Jimmy Doom's avatar

The real magic was turning Eliza Howell Park into a carnival. 🤡

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Nance's avatar

A great one, my friend.

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Jimmy Doom's avatar

Thank you. I'm glad this one is reaching people. The 3 year anniversary on here seems like a huge milestone.

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Diana Elizabeth's avatar

This is so good!! Amazing!! I saw everything in my mind. ❤️

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Jimmy Doom's avatar

That's always fun when you can really see it

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PJ Ryder's avatar

Hah! Yep.

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Jimmy Doom's avatar

To this day when I drive by there my brain just says " mescaline" , then I laugh.

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Patty Mallett's avatar

Great story, Jimmy. Terrific. Felt every bit of it--good news and bad. Can I throw another WOW your way? The story--and you--deserve it.

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Jimmy Doom's avatar

Thanks Patty. There was a wow moment for me today. Three years. Wow. Glad this one was a hit.

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Kim Van Dyke's avatar

The magic here is what flowed from your mind to the screen (or paper, since my heart wants to believe you write these with a favorite pen). This is my favorite story. Congratulations on three years of fascinating us.

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Jimmy Doom's avatar

When I was younger I'd write em in a notebook. The first one I remember like that was Elevation and Comfort. It was about a poor city kid in love with a girl from Palmer Woods. Maybe soon I'll write one in a notebook and post it as photos.

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Marc Typo's avatar

New reader and a new fan - that last line was a banger.

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Jimmy Doom's avatar

Thanks Marc! There's 1,089 more of em. I mix it up, all over the place. I was going to suggest another specifically, but I guess we'd both be happier if you just wander the archive. Let me know what you like and what you like less.Thanks for being part of this.

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scottyG's avatar

Fantastic story!

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