44 Comments
Mar 1, 2023Liked by Michael Marshall Smith

Is this tumblr all over again?

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In what way? Tumblr always seemed to me for either individual images or VERY short-form texts, whereas the center of gravity here is semi-longform... Intrigued as to why you feel it's similar.

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A treasure trove of past expressions spread across a billion servers. Fragments of older persona dotted along a forgotten, linked chain of permitted software. A digital ego?

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I may have been using Tumblr in the wrong way and I’m new to Substack so haven’t seen it’s firm & function in full.

I always thought of/think of Tumblr as a place to read or write semi long articles mixed with sharing images and short form text. I guess I followed a lot of over sharers. I’ve not used it directly for a few years, it may have (de)evolved? I also feel like developers make us jump through these application loops from one platform to another MySpace, insta, Facebook, Twitter, tumblr, goodreads, reddit etc... and we oblige, we sign up and create accounts and forget about ones that now only get content redirected from even older, fallen out of favour applications. Maybe I’ve just fallen victim to a newly trained short attention where I get fed up of platforms and move on, maybe we all are? Is this evolution now? Rolling from one app to a newer one, just adding a link to a chain of forgotten platforms, each with a slightly newer profile picture of an older version of oneself. (I may have had too much cheese!)

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Feb 26, 2023Liked by Michael Marshall Smith

Right, I have now got my head round this and I’m all signed up. Good.

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author

Excellent!

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Now I’m deleting your comments mms... aaargh! Wanders off muttering strangely

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Feb 26, 2023Liked by Michael Marshall Smith

Looking forward to it. Sweary posts to be encouraged.

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author

Oh, there will be swearing, I'm sure ;-)

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Feb 26, 2023Liked by Michael Marshall Smith

I look forward to this. I hope you're going to continue writing novels and the tv and movie people haven't bodysnatched you.

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author

Hey there! Well, they slightly have, but I've written a couple of novellas in the last six month and am gearing up to a novel soon...

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Feb 26, 2023Liked by Michael Marshall Smith

That is very exciting. I'm happy no matter if it's Nolan or Hannah or anyone else in the new novel.

Now's the point where I say shut up and take my money but that might be a bit rude.

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author

I had thought about another Nolan book, but have got a couple of other ideas... trying to figure out which to go with ;-)

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Feb 26, 2023Liked by Michael Marshall Smith

I'm not a picky reader. Anything you put in front of me is fine.

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Feb 26, 2023Liked by Michael Marshall Smith

UK founder member here. Only Foward was my first MMS read and from that point I was hooked. I have recommended it to so many people and it has blown peoples minds. Only wished there was an audiobook version so I get immersed whilst listening. What a great opportunity and looking forward to see what this new direction brings. Keep up the amazing work.

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author

Hey Adam! Thank you for the kind words, for spreading the world — and also very much for becoming a founder member! A couple of people have asked about an audio version of ONLY FORWARD... I've half a mind to just do it myself.

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Feb 26, 2023Liked by Michael Marshall Smith

Wowsers! What a buzz to receive MMS mail - thanks for reaching out.

Looking forward to the virtual beer banter!

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Feb 26, 2023Liked by Michael Marshall Smith

All very good thanks! I’m very excited about this new platform of yours! Looking forward to updates. Hope you and fam are all well? I’m a head chef still so when you are in my neck of the woods the meal and beers are on ME! 😁

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author

Sounds fantastic — and congrats on the head chef gig :-) Yes, all good thank you... very busy at work and with family and, generally keeping on keeping on.

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Feb 26, 2023Liked by Michael Marshall Smith

Ah! You wrote to me in 1996 and I’m still here, following one of the world’s greatest humans. I’m just sat here mucking about with the gravbenda©️

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author

Wow, hi there! Really nice to see you here, and I hope all is well with you.

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Feb 26, 2023Liked by Michael Marshall Smith

This is great. Cats...

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Feb 25, 2023Liked by Michael Marshall Smith

Looking forward to hearing from one of my favorite authors! Love your work. The Strawmen series was awesome!

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author

Thank you very much - and glad to see you here!

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founding
Feb 25, 2023Liked by Michael Marshall Smith

What a pleasant surprise! Looking forward to escaping the doom of Twitter for some whimsy from one of my favourite people

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author

Thank you! Delighted to have you here... and I shall try to be largely undoomy.

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founding
Feb 25, 2023Liked by Michael Marshall Smith

So happy about this. I’ve been in love with your writing for probably as long as you’ve been writing! Come to Denver and buy me beers.

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Feb 25, 2023·edited Feb 25, 2023Author

Hello — and thank you, especially for being a founding member! Weirdly, I was in Denver less than two weeks ago, on a college tour with my son... next time!

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Feb 25, 2023Liked by Michael Marshall Smith

So happy I came across this! Follow you on Twitter and love your books and your cats. Oldest boy now has a copy of Only Forward and fully expect him to love it as much as I do x

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author

Excellent - thank you! And I hope the child enjoys ONLY FORWARD - let me know!

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Feb 26, 2023Liked by Michael Marshall Smith

Speaking of Only Forward, I irresponsibly read that to my daughter as a bedtime story, on occasion, when she was 11, with me editing words in real time, but I'll never forget how much she laughed when I read "...in a lake of turd soup". She's 16 now and still uses that line!

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Ha :) Well, I’m glad you edited the language!

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founding
Feb 25, 2023·edited Feb 25, 2023Liked by Michael Marshall Smith

About bloody time!

Being a fan boy is a test of patience 😁

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author

Better late than never ;-)

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founding

It's like the longest cliffhanger EVER🤪

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Feb 25, 2023Liked by Michael Marshall Smith

Let's rotate.

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founding
Feb 25, 2023Liked by Michael Marshall Smith

This is awesome. Looking forward to it!

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