16 Comments

It had to be Emil, right?

I'm a deeply uneducated writer; I'd say diametrically opposite to his skills as a writer. Yet his work is still deeply accessible, even if the stories he tells are informed by culture and experiences that are foreign to me (the UK is very different!) and far outside my experience. His work makes me want to write more, be more, do more, read more. That goes for his writing and his editing.

Excellent promotion, M.P.

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Yeah, it had to be. His work ethic is contagious, isn't it? Thank you, I hope it puts more eyes on him!

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Thank you!!

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Could not say it better myself.

power demands sacrifice was a jarring read alright... might be interesting to get a blood pressure monitor.

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There should be a warning label on his stories that advises a blood pressure monitor before and after reading...

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I was in a mood when I wrote that, so, I guess, mission accomplished.

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Emil scares me... in the way my old head teacher used, they have all the knowledge I want but to get it I'm going have to expose myself fully - which I fear will feel like being strapped to the top of a dune buggy, naked, in the Paris Dakar rally. Emil has made me a better writer simply by being there whenever I feel brave and birth another screaming bastard into the world in the hope that this one will be real enough for him to play Godfather too. I didn't know writers like Emil existed and now I can't forget... we all must never forget.

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A good teacher will both inspire and strap you naked to a dune buggy... yes I agree wholeheartedly.

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Loved how it reads with the energy you talk about. Call it a gonzo war cry. Dope.

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I'm glad you liked it! I had a time writing this. Definitely read Ottom if you are not already

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Emil is an outstanding editor, deeply informed on the history and the current state of contemporary fiction, and a great fiction storyteller himself. he has also created one of the most interesting and realistic and fantastical characters on Substack.

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Well said.

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Feb 22Edited

Damn, forgot to say, great work highlighting him by another great writer in M.P.

Let's goooooooooooo...no fake camaraderie, just real love

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Thank you, I appreciate that

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Yes, thank both of you, and Thaddeus. And Andrew, thank you for recognizing that Emil Ottoman is indeed (partially) a character, and as I know you're not that guy with the real estate business, I'd say the same of you.

M.P. I think this is the best writeup I could have asked for. Thank you.

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You are very welcome. If you ever stop writing I'll super-murder™ you.

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