22 Comments
User's avatar
User's avatar
Comment deleted
May 30, 2023
Comment deleted
Expand full comment
Julian Simpson's avatar

I think, realistically, it would not be a shame if you dedicated the rest of your life to these.

Expand full comment
Michael Marshall Smith's avatar

I'm honestly kind of up for it. And if the strike goes on forever, it may realistically come to pass. And thank you ;-)

Expand full comment
Julian Simpson's avatar

I'm going to assume you've seen Wisconsin Death Trip?

Expand full comment
davidestevens's avatar

A whimsical alternate history with images, comments and longer stories about the places and people. I’d buy it!

Expand full comment
Michael Marshall Smith's avatar

I may be working myself up to something like that... we'll see!

Expand full comment
Sean Sakamoto's avatar

Those statues in the pet cemetery really get to me. Humans seen through the alien eyes of their pets, depicted by the mourning animals as towering, gaunt bipeds. Creepy and wonderful!

Expand full comment
Michael Marshall Smith's avatar

Thank you! The slightly "off" qualities of those statues was exactly what gave me the idea for that one...

Expand full comment
Sean Sakamoto's avatar

Have you been to the museum of Jurassic technology? Your work belongs there.

Expand full comment
Susie W. Jones's avatar

Maybe, the last photo is of an exercise class where only two students showed up? Been there, done that.

Expand full comment
Michael Marshall Smith's avatar

Ha — finally it's explained!

Expand full comment
Shire Jansen's avatar

I enjoy these bizarre little stories so snooped your site for other gems, landed on some fabulous guitar "solo" vids and had a wonderful Saturday morning concert of sorts! Upgraded to paid in appreciation, Thank you!

Expand full comment
Michael Marshall Smith's avatar

No, thank you — and thank you for subscribing!

Expand full comment
Gareth Smith's avatar

As an unofficial Santa Cruz historian, I'm pleased to be able to shed some light on a few of these tales.

The Miramar Grand Hotel was in fact the headquarters of the American Bullshit Conglomerate who officially applied to make it invisible in 1924. They then moved it to the Isles of Scilly in 1974 as a practical joke and forgot about it.

The photo of Edward Schnaufal was in fact taken by the brother he murdered. He was called Foreman Shufflebottom and was a successful grape wrangler.

The last unexplained image, from 1915, is, in fact, the first and probably last sighting of the carbon based version of an AT-AT, before they went back in time and were cybernetically enhanced by the Empire in a galaxy far far away.

Hope that clears up some of the stories for you.

Expand full comment
Michael Marshall Smith's avatar

I regret to inform you that all but one of these explanations is incorrect, and I'm not at liberty to explain which ones.

Expand full comment
Gareth Smith's avatar

I think it may be the explanations where I keep using the phrase "in fact"🤔

Expand full comment
Pat O’Hara's avatar

Like before, I love these vignettes! So evocative.

Expand full comment
Michael Marshall Smith's avatar

They're fun to do... and I'm glad you enjoy them!

Expand full comment
vic_tori's avatar

Poor Mary Perkins. Beautiful yet haunting.

Expand full comment
Michael Marshall Smith's avatar

Thank you :)

Expand full comment
Cat Mihos's avatar

I LOVE THESE. (all-caps shouty!)

Expand full comment
Michael Marshall Smith's avatar

Excellent :-) And welcome! x

Expand full comment