28 Comments
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Justin Deming's avatar

Well...you weren’t lying when you said dark. A powerful story all around with loads of memorable lines embedded throughout.

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Jimmy Doom's avatar

Thanks. It was just there. I couldn't push it aside in favor of a lighter piece because I never would have recaptured it and would have always second guessed posting it. Honestly, I think that's part of the magic of daily publishing

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Justin Deming's avatar

The way you roll stories out is awesome. A perfect blend. Your constant creativity is inspiring. Thanks, Jimmy!

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Jimmy Doom's avatar

It's hard for me to believe sometimes. Glad it's inspiring. I get really flustered seeing our Substack colleagues struggling and allowing mundane distractions to derail them. When I got sober I leaned on " if all these clowns in this church basement can do it, so can I." If I can publish decent to above average work daily, I'm pretty sure most people who really try can bang out two a week.

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Justin Deming's avatar

Without a doubt. One or two stories a week is (or should be) reasonable for most. It does require a certain level of determination and grit. I’ve found it’s much easier to simply keep going, keep writing, make the deadline, opposed to taking a break or stepping away. It’s more challenging to hop back on the bike and get pedaling again.

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Jimmy Doom's avatar

Very much like sobriety

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Ernie Brill's avatar

AS LONG AS YOU DONT GET. TIRED. OR HAVE A BREAK DOWN.

REMEMBERR:WHERE THERE'S A WHEEL THERE'S A WAY.B

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Joe's avatar

Don't apologize for being a writer.

Warnings are ok.

Your stories are all over the map.

Most writers seem to stick with one genre and learn to excel in it.

You are a rare one; excelling in not just every corner, but any and all areas of fiction.

If your stories were always formulaic, I would have tuned out by now.

Tickled you found a sponsor, if only for a week.

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Jimmy Doom's avatar

Thanks J/S. I don't want to lose you. I want to gain 100 more of you.

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Alix's avatar

I am grateful fir the ‘free’ opportunity to read your work. I do not feel this is dark. Tragedy, yes. yet when a reader has experienced similar, watched it around them, it feels not dark but a cold truth, an understanding of human frailties and pain.

Thank you Jimmy. Grateful for this opportunity to read your work.

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Jeremy Ian Harvey's avatar

My god, what a great ending...

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Jimmy Doom's avatar

That's always the goal, without forcing it too much

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Beevil's avatar

We’re all so fucking human. Thanks JD

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Jimmy Doom's avatar

Human, and temporary. Thanks for reading the stories.

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V Moire's avatar

Deeply flawed, deeply beautiful humans, live, hurt, heal, cry, cling, love, let go and die. All perfectly captured here.

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Jimmy Doom's avatar

This is a poetic review. One of our mutual friends seemed to think that Substack was just an alternate GoFundMe

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V Moire's avatar

No! Who is it? I’ll give them what for

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Jimmy Doom's avatar

Your best friend's brother. It's cool. He's going through some stuff

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V Moire's avatar

yeah. Thanks for being understanding

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Stefanie Schimpff's avatar

Oy...

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Jimmy Doom's avatar

Vey

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Glenda Thompson's avatar

Wow! I don't know what else to say. As the child and ex-wife of alcoholics, mother of five, and the wife of a cancer survivor, you hit ALL my buttons with a few short, powerful words. Well done, Jimmy. Very well done.

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Jimmy Doom's avatar

Thanks Glenda. This one poured out of me. Thanks for liking it. I knew it might be painful for some people. I cry when I write some of them.

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Patty Mallett's avatar

Dark and light. And what an ending!

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Adam's avatar

Oh man. Crushed.

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Ernie Brill's avatar

NEVER, EVER EVER EVER APOLOGIZE FOR DARK. AMERICANS FRONT OFF LIGHT, AND BEER COMMERCIALS WITH WATERFALLS AND EVERYONE SHOWING SKIN AND MEN HOLDING THEIR BEER CAN DICKS AND IT'S ALL A GREAT. PARTY

BUT BEHIND THE TVS TURQOOUSE FAKE SKIES ARE THEGHOSTS OF THOUSANDS OF INDIANS AND THEIR LIVES AND BEINGS AND JOKES AND FRY BREAD. BEHIND THE GRINS OF THE BANKERS AND LAWYERS ARE THE GHOSTS OF SLAVES AND SLAVEREBELIONS AND THE SONDS AND DAUGHTERS OFTHEMOST MASSIVE KIDNAPPING IN HISTORY BUT ITS COVESESDUP WITH CHEERS REUND AND THE HOW DODPEY CAN WE GET SITCOMS

HEY GET YOUR COPY OF WAITING FOR NOTHING, OR READ MY BOOK OF STORIES ABOUT HOSPITAL WORKERS AND THE BEDPAN BRIGADE NO S...T? UH UM QUTE THE OPPOSITE AND BRING A NOSE PLUG. THERE ONCE WAS A COUNTRY SURREAL?/ THAT BRAGGED IT WAS THE BEST DEAL/ THE CONQUREED CONCURED? AND GAVE THEM THE BIRD/ CALLED US THE GRATEFUL DEAD FOR REAL

WE 'RE SO OFTEN AT WAR WITH SOME ONE ANDODDLY WE SELL BOTH SIDES GUNS/

AND THOUGHWE MAY CEASE ONE WAR/ WE THEN START ONE MORE. FORT HE MONEY AND MAYBE SOM FUN. AND THE FEW LEFT LEFT SAYING,"IM DONE

AND THE RULERS BEGAN TO PERSPIIRE

FEW KILLERS WERE LEFT TO RETIRE

WHAT HAPPENSSNOW. WHAT CANWE ALLOW HELL THE WHOLE WORLD IS ON FIRE

HOWAREWE AS WE BURN AND WE TURN? PAST DISASTERS HAD US SAYING

WE'R ETOAST

BUT NOW WE SHUDDER, WE NOW ARE POT ROAST AND AT THE END OF THIS MOURNFUL GESTALT, WE ONLY HEAR SOMEONE SAY. "WHERE'S THE SALT"

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Jimmy Doom's avatar

I have a lot of friends going through difficult times. I have new readers coming from a variety of sources. I felt a small heads up was warranted. I'm going to continue to publish my Substack however I see fit.

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Ernie Brill's avatar

SOUNDS SOUND ALL AROUND

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