Great American Casino - Everett

Winter had sucked all the color out of the world.
The prairie in the glory of midsummer had been a surge of green, summer winds sending pulses through the tall grass, causing it to wave like an underwater kelp forest in a strong current. Now, however, it had relinquished its blooming majesty, its former radiance dulled to straw the color of a deerhide. The flowerheads were stripped of their colorful identities, appearing like sepia photographs of themselves; the ghosts of summer past. The sweetclover, which had extended from one horizon to the other back in June, covering the prairie in a blanket of gold, was now skeletonized, its broken-off stems rolling like tumbleweeds in the winter gales.
Trevor was over it. Another South Dakota winter, another four months until the snows would cease and the ice would melt in the creek. In March and April, the spring blizzards would bury the world and on the subsequent sunny days, the combination of blue sky and white land would be startling, like finding oneself living in the center of a bicolored flag.
But for now, a capricious midwinter thaw had left snowdrifts only in the prairie draws, on the north-facing ridges, in the shadows of the ponderosas that speckled the hills. And around the trailer, mud. In a few nights, a deep freeze would turn the sides of the tire ruts into knife edges, testing the suspension of any vehicle that took the approach too fast. Still, that was better than the loamy mud, which could imprison even a 4x4 until freezing cold or drying winds finally freed it.
The view from the front porch could be gorgeous. Back in July, when the church group from Virginia had constructed a wheelchair ramp for the trailer, the evening sun had set the prairie on fire, its light reflected by a thunderstorm hanging in the sky as if by a puppeteer’s strings. “God almighty,” the youth pastor had exclaimed. But now, grays and browns mingled in a decidedly drab palette. Over at the little bird feeder, the goldfinches were no longer yellow-and-black exclamation points, but had acquiesced to dullness, dressed for a time of year when vibrant color seemed to be outlawed by some unseen authority.
Trevor stared at the expanse of mud that spooled out from in front of the trailer and unwound into a ribbon that led over the hill toward the old sundance ground and, eventually, the paved road. He wondered if he would get out today. Always a calculation this time of year. Driving on the muddy channel that was his approach was out of the question; he would set a course across the grass, which would provide enough barrier to keep his tires from sinking in again. Two-tracks radiating out onto the prairie showed how many times he and his family had taken this course of action since the last snow.
It felt ironic that their approach took them by far the long way around – heading north to go south; harder than it needed to be, like so much of life around here. But the way south was blocked by Roanhorse Creek. This wasn’t all bad; the creek provided nice wading in the summer and water for the horses for most of the year. It also gave rise to the only trees on the property, although the cottonwoods whose leaves whispered in the summer breezes now stood dumb and impassive, and resembled skeletal wraiths at nighttime.
A horse would make it, of course. He could saddle up the buckskin, ride cross-country and be in town in twenty minutes. But that would be silly…he snorted at the ludicrousness of this thought. First of all, he had to go way beyond town today. And even if he were just going to his old job at the tribal building, was he supposed to just hitch it up outside for the day? Tie its reins to one of the smokers’ benches by the entrance? What was this, 1895? No, better not to risk TȟatéZi getting stolen or having some gang sign spraypainted on it or some shit. Besides, he needed to pull into his job interview looking halfway decent, not spattered with mud and smelling like horse sweat.
Trevor regarded his truck, sitting smack in the middle of the sloppy mess. Fuck, he thought.
Still, he didn’t really have a choice today. No job interview, no job. No job, no funds. Another calculation, but this one was straightforward. He went back into the trailer and made his way to his bedroom in the back, passing his brothers in the living room. One was sleeping on the couch and the other was crashed out in the recliner, oblivious to the flickering hearth of the muted TV. Let ‘em sleep today, Trevor thought.
In the bedroom, he stepped across piles of clothes – some clean, some dirty – and over the miscellany of his life; a pile of old DVDs, a defunct gaming console, a canister of Bugler and squares of broadcloth for the tobacco ties he was supposed to make for ceremony, a scattering of empty Mountain Dew cans, a 24-pack of ramen, a basketball.
He hunted around in his closet for the dressy clothes that he knew were there. He had worn them once, on the day of his high school graduation, three years before. And there they were; a purple button-down shirt, a solid black tie, and black chinos. Further rummaging found him a pair of brown loafers and a tan braided belt. He would look sharp for this interview – couldn’t hurt.
Trevor took a quick shower. The hot water always took forever to come and once it did, didn’t last long. He got dressed hurriedly, glad the tie that had come as a set with the shirt was a clip-on, and ran a comb through his hair. It wasn’t long enough to do much with other than backcomb it a little with some hair gel, but he figured that looked better than not. He considered putting in big stud earrings to look extra fly, but decided again it; might not be the right look for the occasion.
Now fully dressed and ready, Trevor took stock of his appearance. His summer tan was long gone and his skin was as pale as the white kids he had met during his one semester of college. The same change of season that had desaturated the prairie and garbed the birds in dull colors had undone all those days spent out in the badlands sun – working with the horses, swimming at the dam, helping keep fire at sundance. Too many French fur traders in his lineage. He recalled the book that his eighth grade teacher had assigned them – Part-time Indian or something – and thought, Yup, that’s me. Indian in the summer and wašiču in the winter, like changing plumage.
Trevor envied his brothers their melanin. He had learned that word in one of his college classes and now thought of it nearly every day. Travis was a rich brown complexion even in the dark days of midwinter. Trenton was in between the two but had jet-black Lakota hair and definitely looked “ethnic,” enough to be followed around stores in the border towns. Trevor knew it was his privilege to be exempt from such treatment, but it bugged him nonetheless. He hadn’t asked to be light-skinned. His brothers called him žiží – a reference to his tawny hair. They had gotten into scraps over this, and Trevor even bloodied Travis’ nose in one such altercation. Once one of them had even called Trevor a “half-breed” but Trevor retorted with “Fuck you, boy, you got the same blood as me. Fuckin’ dumbass.” This seemed to put the issue to rest.
Trevor’s brief stint at college had been at an out-of-state school, which now struck him as an ill-advised decision. At least South Dakotans had some experience with Natives. Even the East River kids had at least crossed paths with one at some point, and didn’t think of Indians as something from the pages of a dime novel. Trevor was the first Native in many years – maybe ever – to attend the small-town liberal arts college in a neighboring state. He thought the fact that the college was reasonably selective would mean that the students were smart enough not to ask dumb questions. He was wrong.
The queries were predictable enough, clichéd even; Are you really Indian? (Yes) Do you speak your language? (No) Did you get in because you’re Indian? (Who knows? I’m pretty smart and got good grades.) Does the college have admissions quotas for Indians? (If it did, you’d think more would go here.) What’s it like on the reservation? (I don’t know; different.) Do you prefer “Native American”? (I find the question annoying, to be honest.) Do you like Leslie Marmon Silko? (Who?) Have you seen Dances with Wolves? (Some of it.) Do you know a guy from Pine Ridge named Verdell? He used to work with my dad. (Maybe) His last name was something Horse. Running Horse? (No)
Fielding these questions was exhausting and added another layer of weariness and alienation to his college experience.
He found himself having to answer such inquiries from his roommate, classmates, professors, his R.A…Sometimes they were cloaked in well-meaning concern (I bet you get tired of all these questions, huh?) but they were always there. Most evenings, Trevor would retreat to his room and call his mom. His roommate, Skyler, a cross-country runner who was handsome in an unspectacular way and who monitored his water intake religiously, was hardly ever around. He seemed to have no trouble making friends in college and reveled in the social opportunities around him.
In his phone calls back home, Trevor found himself experiencing a homesickness that inhabited the pit of his stomach like a hunger pang. He had never been gone from home for that long. Really, his only trip away had been the summer before his senior year, to a weeklong STEM camp for Native kids that one of the state colleges had put on. But that had been with a half dozen other students from his high school. Here he was alone.
The subjects of their conversations would leave Trevor feeling a gravitational pull toward home: Trenton got into a fight at school and got suspended. Travis is drinking again. We had sweat for your auntie because they have to amputate her leg after all. Those dogs were back again. Everett hit $200 at the casino on Tuesday night but of course he put it all back in. They’re having a basketball tournament for that boy who got paralyzed in that wreck. Our hot water heater went out but uncle came and fixed it. They still haven’t found that Two Arrows girl that went missing. Travis wants to go up on the hill this spring – maybe that will get him to quit drinking.
Good news, bad news, mundane news…The latter tugged at him the most. Like many who grew up on Pine Ridge, he had a love-hate relationship with the reservation. It was the home of his people after all, and could be so beautiful (“God’s country,” as it was called by even those who had no time for the white man’s God). But the hardships, the tragedies, the death…it all wore away at your spirit, hardened you. Still, the news of day-to-day life going on in his absence; a school powwow, a bingo tournament, tribal council drama, rumors of a Dairy Queen opening. It made him miss home in an ineffable way.
The last vestige of his indecision evaporated after a particular conversation in the lounge of his dorm. He had been sitting on a beanbag chair, discussing random topics with two friends (at least, he considered them friends, in some ill-defined adolescent way). They had all left a dull party that hadn’t livened up even after a couple of drinks, but still felt heady and obligated to prolong the night a little longer. So, they were shooting the shit, in a garishly-lit common space that smelled of burnt popcorn, and Trevor was feeling rather collegiate. An off-campus party, late-night conversation; weren’t these the trappings of university life that he had seen in teen movies, if a much more prosaic version?
Kayleigh, tipsy off Jäger bombs, started the chain of events that would unravel his college experience with a simple, but pointed question: “How Indian are you, anyway?”
Colton snorted at this comment. “Kay, you can’t just ask that!” But he was clearly more amused than disapproving.
“You mean like my blood quantum or what?” Trevor asked.
“Is that what you guys call it?” said Kay, now playing the innocent party. “I just mean, like, you say you’re Indian, I mean like I know you are, like, I know you are on paper…” The alcohol was causing her to trip over her words but she plowed on. “I mean like, okay, if I were to like, run into you on the street…” Kay was now gesturing expansively, as if the meaning of what she was saying wasn’t explicit from words alone. “Like, I wouldn’t be like, ‘Damn, look at that Indian,’ right? I’d just assume you were a white guy. I mean you know what I mean? Ugh, I’m not making sense.”
She was making perfect sense. Colton looked embarrassed, and for a second, Trevor thought he might shut Kay down. But instead, his inhibition similarly worn down by a few shots of German 70-proof, he followed suit. “I think what Kay’s drunk ass is trying to say is, like, your ancestors are Indians, right, like in the history books. Like Geronimo or whatever. But do you consider yourself one of them? Or are you, like, their descendant?”
Trevor could feel the ball of rage growing within him, a sea urchin radiating spikes in his gut. Stop talking, he thought. Just stop talking.
Colton continued, heedlessly. “Okay, so like I’m Irish but I’m not like Irish Irish, like a leprechaun or some shit. Like my ancestors…”
Trevor stood up, his fists balled. He was now stone-cold sober but his anger was its own intoxicant. “It’s none of your fucking business. It’s none of your business what the fuck I am!” He was shouting; he couldn’t help it. He picked up a half-empty can of PBR and threw it at the wall, slamming the door to the lounge on his way out. The sudsy contents of the can leaked onto the ugly orange dorm carpet, as Kayleigh and Colton sat in stunned silence.
“Jesus,” said Colton finally. “Just trying to ask an honest question.”
After that, Trevor had holed up in his room for a few days, skipping classes and avoiding other students. When he told his mom he was dropping out, she hardly sounded surprised. He knew she would be glad to have him back home; the prodigal son returning. Trevor, the one who had his shit together, who had gone to a STEM camp and was almost salutatorian. He knew she thought that once he got back, he could do what she couldn’t; get Travis on a better path, bring another income to the household, fix what needed to be fixed around the trailer, shoot at the stray dogs when they came around. It would all fall to him. His failure was their blessing; they would lean on him as long as he could stand.
So here we fucking go, he now thought, patting his gel-stiffened hair and giving himself one last hazel-eyed glance in the mirror. Gotta get that bread. His brief stint at the tribal building hadn’t panned out. He was a good worker but wet weather made his road too sloppy to get out easily. Too many latenesses had translated into a pink slip. “Shit man we all got bad roads. Gotta leave earlier,” his boss had said.
So, lesson learned, he was giving himself extra time getting ready for this interview. Really, the lady had just told him to come by “around mid-morning,” so he’d probably be okay. The job was off-rez, down at the county livestock auction and sale barn in one of the closest border towns, “white towns,” as Ridgers called it. It was mostly going to be paperwork – inventory and itemizing and that kind of shit – but it was decent pay and Trevor hoped that he could transition over to working with the animals before long. On most days, he preferred their company to dumbass people.
Grabbing his bag, Trevor stuck the loafers inside with his other miscellany. He would need to wear his cowboy boots across the muddy expanse between the bottom step of the porch and the door to his Blazer so he jammed his feet into them. Outside, he walked gingerly so as not to stain his black slacks with muck. Once in the driver’s seat, he figured he would leave the boots on for the drive, since they were already smearing mud on the floor liner, and in case he got stuck and needed to get out. Trevor knew that the people who worked at the sale barn were as countrified as he was and wouldn’t judge muddy boots under most circumstances, but he also knew that being from Pine Ridge meant he had to put his best foot forward, literally in this case.
Trevor fired up the Blazer, put it in four low, and gunned it. His tires found grip and he jerked along, slimy divots of earth spattering his windows and roof like hail. His windshield wipers left a pasty smear that obscured much of his view, but he practically knew the way by feel. As soon as he could, he bumped up onto the grass, gopher holes and clumps of prairie bluestem jolting his ride, testing what was left of his suspension. When he finally hit the pavement, the smoothness was startling as it always was, like a TV being suddenly muted, like silence after a door slamming.
He cruised through town, passing the gas station, the other gas station, the commod building, the quonset hut, the old BIA headquarters…and turned south into Nebraska. He tried to ignore the persistent squeal under the hood that had gotten worse lately. The overcast sky reflected the dullness of the land – as below, so above – and Trevor alternated between zoning out and counting hawks on telephone poles. A handful of miles south of the border, the vehicle gave a jolt and Trevor felt a temporary loss of control. He hit the brakes and steered toward the shoulder, but the Blazer was suddenly steering like an army tank. Fuck, he whispered.
Once he wrestled Blazer off the road, Trevor got out and popped the hood. He already knew what he would find under the rising steam. “Fucking serpentine belt,” he hissed to the universe. Trevor was good with cars but he didn’t have the tools for this fix. Luckily, he thought, out here in the country, somebody who did would be by soon. Lots of Natives on this road, maybe even a cousin would happen by who could at least give him a ride to town. Trevor thought of calling his dad’s brother Everett on his cell, but figured he’d give it a bit. He hated the thought of owing Uncle Ev anything.
Sure enough, in a few minutes, a gunmetal gray truck passed by slowly, hit a u-turn, and pulled up behind him. Trevor felt a twinge of envy over this late-model Dodge Ram MegaCab with duallies. It had county plates on it, so the cowboy-hatted driver was a local guy, and as he got out, his Carhartt overalls and mud-caked boots identified him as a rancher.
“Trouble?” MegaCab asked, giving Trevor an easy smile.
“Serpentine belt busted,” said Trevor, unconsciously smoothing out his rez accent in favor of a more neutral affectation. Code-switching – another term he had learned at college (by the professor who asked him if he prefers “Native American”).
“No shit, huh?” MegaCab considered this information. “I got nothing for that but I could give you a ride somewhere. You call anyone? Someone coming after you?”
“No,” said Trevor. “I’m trying to get down to the sale barn for a job interview.”
MegaCab looked at Trevor as if for the first time. “Oh ok so that’s why you’re all fancied up. Well, hop in if you don’t mind leaving it here.”
Trevor considered this. He was off the rez so there was less of a chance that the Blazer would end up with busted windows or slashed tires. And he was eager to get his interview over and done with.
Before he could answer, MegaCab added “I have to stop in Whiteclay first but then I’ll take you down.”
This was only a few miles out of the way so Trevor assented and climbed into the rancher’s idling behemoth. It still retained some new-truck smell, mixed with a tinge of manure and rich earth. Really, it was almost luxurious.
MegaCab flipped a u-ey again and headed back north toward Whiteclay. Formerly notorious for copious alcohol sales to people from the dry reservation whose border it sat on, Whiteclay’s package stores had been shuttered after the state had revoked their liquor licenses following years of protests over their depredatory business model. Now, it was just a town of a couple small stores and fewer than a dozen permanent residents, its streets empty of vagrants, its ghosts banished.
“So, you from Hot Springs?”
Trevor momentarily wondered where this question had come from, and then remembered that he had 27-plates on the Blazer – Fall River County, a relic of when he bought the car from a white lady over there. He had kept the off-county registration because the plates were far less likely to get you pulled over off-rez than the infamous 65s of Oglala Lakota County.
MegaCab continued without waiting for an answer. “I used to go up to Hot Springs a lot when my dad was in the V.A. hospital up there. Nice town.”
“Yup, it’s pretty nice,” said Trevor, wondering if he would have to sustain this small talk the whole way.
Luckily, MegaCab took it from there, reminiscing about his high school football team dealing Hot Springs a particularly lopsided loss, and then they were at Whiteclay. Trevor played around on his phone while his driver of the moment went into the little grocery store. He looked up his old roommate Skyler on Facebook (why, he didn’t know; certainly not to friend him) and then Googled “Pine Ridge South Dakota Dairy Queen” just to see if there was any truth to that rumor.
MegaCab returned with some mail – Trevor had forgotten that there was a little post office in there – and they turned south toward Rushville.
Two miles and five hawks-on-telephone-poles into their trip, MegaCab got chatty again:
“I still can’t believe that the state revoked the liquor licenses. They had no legal right to do that of course, but just like everyone else these days, they bowed to the pressure from liberal special interest groups. Those store owners – my brother was one of them – followed the damn law to a T but still got their rights taken away. They’re the real victims in all of this.”
Trevor, whose father was found dead in Whiteclay when Trevor was ten years old, didn’t answer.
“You know it’s just going to push the problem down the road. These Indians are gonna get their liquor one way or another. You guys must see that all the time up in Hot Springs.”
These Indians. You guys. Trevor suddenly recognized MegaCab’s presumption, and wondered when if he should correct it.
“If they wanted to buy millions of cans of beer in Whiteclay every year and drink themselves to death, shit, I say let ‘em. It’s a free country, right? Those AIM types are always going on about Native rights and shit, y’know? Well shit, you have the right to drink and die if you want. Not saying that I want that for those people or anything, but the nanny state can’t be protecting everyone from problems of their own making.”
Trevor, whose brother had first gotten jailed for drunk and disorderly at age 14, two years after their father died, said nothing.
MegaCab continued to rhapsodize about “the Indians” and their problems, adopting the tone of an expert, one who knew all about them. Trevor felt the blood rise to his face. Some coloration at least, he thought darkly. In the pit of his stomach, the sea urchin had returned to stab at his insides. What must it be like, he wondered, to live a life in which people aren’t constantly telling you who you are, naming your characteristics like symptoms, trying to trap you like a spirit in a photograph?
The Blazer came in sight on the shoulder ahead. “Can you let me out at my ride?” Trevor asked, his voice hardly recognizable to his own ear, like hearing himself talk underwater.
“Sure, you need to grab something out of it?” said MegaCab, reluctantly pausing his diatribe.
“No it’s okay,” replied Trevor, “I’m gonna call someone to come help me fix this after all.” He fiddled with his phone as if to underscore this intention.
“Well, if you’re sure,” said MegaCab. “And hey,” he added as Trevor stepped down onto the running board. “You be careful around here. One of these rezzers might see you here all by yourself and try to mess you or your car up. And watch out for drunk drivers. You just never know with these Indians.” MegaCab gave a serious nod to accentuate this show of concern. Then he wished Trevor luck and drove off.
Trevor watched the truck recede into the distance until it was merely a gray speck between the monochrome earth and the steely sky. He sat down in the cold front seat of the Blazer and looked into the rearview mirror. Hazel eyes stared back at him under a pale forehead. Fuck it, he thought; people are dumbasses. Let ‘em believe what they want; that he was from Hot Springs, that could be was related to that Apache, Geronimo, that he was only Indian on paper. Trevor saw what they didn’t; the hidden depths beneath the surface, and in their faces, in the spaces between their words, their ignorance displayed like a tattoo.
In another minute or two, he would call Uncle Ev for a ride. In another hour or two, he would be offered a job at the sale barn that would bring another income into his household (and buy him a new serpentine belt). In another day or two, he would finally finish the tobacco ties for ceremony, at which he would pray for Travis’ sobriety and his auntie’s diabetes. In another month or two, the lengthening of the days would be unmistakable.
Spring would come as it always had, first heralded by a single meadowlark piercing the predawn silence with his song. This would be followed by a green sprig on the prairie, pushing up, perhaps, through snow. Then a cluster of pasqueflowers appearing suddenly on a hillside, a skein of geese overhead, sheet lightning on the horizon. Small miracles, one after another. Finally, color would surge back into the world like paint scintillating on a canvas, causing goldfinches to glow like stars and evening thunderheads to stand like towering fires.
The brilliant Dakota sunlight would stoke the melanin in Trevor’s skin, and nobody would mistake who he was. He would go up on the hill for two days and nights with Travis that spring, and Trenton would keep fire for them. He would pray for the coming year, for the survival of his people, for enough blessings to outweigh the hardships. And there, among a sea of undulating green, facing the crimson blaze of sunrise, he would again know himself and find the strength to carry on, in the face of all the peculiar indignities of this world.

Tell us a little about yourself.
I'm a guy that loves stories, whether I'm doing the listening or the telling, and regardless of the medium. I love animals and intentionally bad jokes among many other things. :)
When did you first become interested in horror?
Pretty much since I could read. I grew up reading horror stories, watching horror movies, etc. My mother would read me Stephen King books and skip the rough parts. I love a lot of different genres, but most days I'll take mediocre horror over good something else.
Was there a specific moment you knew you wanted to write in that genre?
To some extent, I think we tend to write what we read. Because I always read a lot of horror, it was natural that I would gravitate toward it as a writing genre. I started writing stories when I was probably 8 or 9, and I know I was writing more fleshed out horror stories starting at about 13. I've written horror ever since (with some other genres here and there as well).
That's a long time! Do you recall what any of those early stories were about?
Some of them were pretty rough, but one early one I liked was about the spirit of an old alien who died on Earth and wound up trapped in the house built on the spot where it crashed. It was told from the ghost's perspective and was weird but kind of neat.
What is the most terrifying thing you have personally experienced?
I think for me the scariest things have always been related to someone I care about being in danger. I don't want to personally be hurt or die of course, but I deal with being in danger personally much better than it being someone else, especially if I'm not in a position to help.
As far as more horror-themed stuff, I lived in a house that was haunted once. Saw several things there, but it was more mildly creepy and cool than it was terrifying. I've had the chance to see a lot of interesting things over the years, but most of the time I think any scariness gets outweighed by positives, and there's a lot of times that the scariness is a positive.
Whoa, living in a haunted house is definitely spooky. Have any of your real life experiences ever made their way into your work?
I think a lot of my life experiences have impacted my work, though I think frequently ideas and emotions are the things that bleed through more than specific events. You always hear write what you know, but I think that if you can write from a place of empathy, it becomes easier to apply real feelings to very alien situations, and that can make bizarre stories and characters feel much more alive and genuine.
What are some of your biggest influences from media?
There are a ton, and there's so much that influences you that seeps down into the crevices of your brain. It's still there, but you can't see or recall it anymore. That being said, I'll try to give some highlights by category.
Authors: Lovecraft, King, Gaiman and Barker are all big. Though not a horror writer, I think that Frank Herbert is one of the best writers I've ever read, particularly when it comes to discussing complex ideas and philosophies in a clear and engaging way. Three of my favorite books are IT, American Gods, and Dune, and my favorite short story is "The Professor's Teddy Bear" by Theodore Sturgeon.
Horror Movies: Hellraiser generally, In the Mouth of Madness, Event Horizon, It Follows, and so many more. The new IT movie and Hereditary are very good. I really didn't like A Quiet Place for a variety of reasons. As for horror directors, some of my favorites are Takashi Miike, David Lynch, John Carpenter, and Rob Zombie.
Music: I also love music of various genres, and sometimes listen to it when I write, though I tend to use stuff without lyrics for writing so I'm not distracted. But listening to music while driving or doing whatever can be a good source of inspiration too.
How did you discover NoSleep? What prompted you to begin writing for it?
I had heard of NoSleep for awhile, and had glanced at it once or twice in the past, but I had never really taken the time to look at it closely and start reading stories until this past Spring. Right away I was struck by several things. First, there are a lot of talented writers on there. Second, there are a lot of smart and passionate readers on there. And third, everyone on there loves horror like I do. After that it was an easy decision to start reading and writing there regularly.
What NoSleep stories and/or authors have had the strongest impact on you?
This is a hard one because there are a lot of great stories and authors I've found on here. Definitely some of them include u/Dopabeane, u/ByfelsDisciple, u/BlairDaniels, and u/Mr_Outlaw_ among many others. Storywise, the Left/Right Game, A 911 call where nothing made sense, and I clean crime scenes are all some of my favorites.
Other than writing, what are some of your hobbies? What other creative mediums do you enjoy?
I enjoy movies and video games quite a bit, playing with our animals and generally hanging out with loved ones. I tend to be pretty laid back though I always have a rough plan or schedule for what I'm doing in the back of my mind. As far as other creative mediums, while I enjoy drawing/painting and music, I'm terrible at both. I'm much better at appreciating other forms of art than I am creating them.
Do you ever explore writing other genres besides horror? If so, what other styles of writing? Which do you prefer?
I do sometimes write things that are closer to fantasy, science fiction, or drama, but even then they typically have some horror or otherworldly element to them. I feel like there are so many subjects that can benefit from at least a little something weird or terrible that it is hard not to incorporate it into most of my writing.
We've noticed that! Many of your stories have almost a futuristic thriller feel to them, with a focus on sci-fi elements, or alternate worlds. What do you find most compelling about intertwining those concepts with horror? Do you ever struggle to stay within the realm of horror?
It's kind of like the old Arthur C. Clarke quote that any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. So much of horror is also fantasy or science fiction and vice versa. If I ask you what genre Terminator 2 is, you might say scifi or even "action". If I asked young John Connor or Sarah Connor that, I bet they'd say horror.
I think that one of the things that makes horror so wonderful is that most horror stories are deeply personal. They play on our fears, but also our senses of wonder and morality. They are ways of talking about spiritual and philosophical ideas in more concrete terms than some genres easily allow. I think scifi and fantasy do the same thing, but they are all heading for the same part of town from different streets.
Part of it being personal is that it's also fairly subjective. I try not to worry too much about if I'm telling horror stories or scary stories, but just if I'm telling the stories I feel passionate about sharing with others. To me they are almost always horror, but a given reader might disagree, and I think their opinion is just as valid as mine.
Have any of your stories ever involved research? If so, what was involved?
Yes, I do research for quite a few of my stories. For instance, the "I think my grandfather might be a serial killer" series and the "Outsider" stories tend to involve things that require some level of medical knowledge due to one of the main characters being a skilled surgeon. I've been asked before by readers if I'm actually a doctor, and I'm not, but I do want to make sure I get details like that right, so I read up on things I want to include that I don't already know about. Another example is in "Come live in the ashes of my heart", a book written in 1909 describes a specific type of Waterman pen. I researched pens and found that that particular pen was first sold via catalog to the public in October of 1908, so it made sense that he could get one as a gift the following year and not have seen one ever before given his...predicament.
Let's talk about those Outsider stories. You've crafted a fully fleshed out universe that's home to several intricately connected series. Did you always intend to create such an expansive world? Has your initial vision changed over time?
I always knew it was going to be a large world, and I wouldn't say my overall vision has changed over time, but it has certainly expanded as I write. The best way to explain is by explaining how I typically write by way of a terrible analogy.
Imagine you are walking up to a large, strange house in the middle of a moonless night with only a flashlight to help you. As you shine your light and walk closer, you see new parts and take in new details. That's writing for me. The house is always there, but it just takes time to see it all, and I write what I see.
See? I suck at analogies. And poetry.
How far in advance have you mapped out the world involved in those stories? Without giving away spoilers, can you give us any info on what's in the future for the characters?
It's all in my head, and the world is very large. Or going back to the bad house analogy, it's a very large house. I am still exploring it, but I can say there are a lot more stories I plan on telling in that world and I already see the major plot points as well as the broader cosmology of the universe, much of which hasn't been revealed yet.
As for what's coming, here's a bit of info without giving away too much.
The Nightlands are very important, particularly to two people we've already met, and they will be explored in some detail over time. Like, physically explored, not just talked around like some neverending tease mystery box.
Several people are going to seek revenge for different reasons. Several important people are going to die. At least one person may not be who you think they are. Things are even more connected than it may appear.
The inner chambers of Mystery Cave are in the Nightlands, and we haven't seen the last of her.
You've previously published two novellas and short story anthologies, and recently announced two forthcoming compilations. Can you tell us a little about your prior published works, and what we can look forward to in the upcoming releases?
Sure. "Mystery" and the two short story compilations, "On the Hill" (which includes Mystery) and "Whimsical Leprosy" are stories I wrote over a period of time, so they vary some in mood and style, especially the older stories in "On the Hill". The novel, "Darkness", tells a single story, but with many parts, so it's almost like a short story collection itself.
As for the new books, I currently have two in the works that should be out within the next two months.
The first is "The Outsiders: Book One". It takes the core Outsider stories I've posted on NoSleep so far and puts them into a consolidated book formatted in such a way they can be read as discrete stories or together as a novel. So the "grandfather" series and "House of the Claw" stories among others, as well as two stories exclusive to the book called "The Hollow City" and "The Nightlands: The Ballad of Joshua the Beggar". That book just came out on August 1st and is available in ebook and print format at Amazon.
The second is "You saw something you shouldn't have". It is a collection of my other NoSleep stories that are either less directly connected to the Outsider universe or completely unrelated. Again, I'll have a couple of exclusive stories in the book so there's some additional value beyond having an easier to read, permanent copy of the stories you may have read before. It should be out in September.
I say this all the time, but I always want to be clear because I do tend to tell long stories. I won't ever make the end of a story or some critical plot point of a larger storyline limited to just exclusive paid book material. I appreciate you reading my stories whether you buy a book or not, and if you start a story of mine for free on NoSleep, you'll be able to finish it there. The extra stories are intended to be deeper dives into certain things for those that want that, not a pay wall to finish a story you've already invested your time in.
The House Spider centers around yokai, figures from Japanese folklore reputed to manifest in multiple forms. What made you choose that specific mythos, and the form of a spider?
The idea sprang from images that came to me of a spider spirit lurking around a house. I knew some about yokai, and researching more, it seemed a good fit. The form of the spider at the end was influenced by a mixture of cute close-ups I've seen of some spiders and my ferret, who is the best yokai I could ever ask for.
You've also invented your own creatures in stories like A thing called Candleheart killed my brother. Do you have a preference for fabricating your own myths and monsters over using commonly known ones, like in I convinced my friend I'm a vampire?
I don't really have a strong preference, it just depends on the story. A lot of my creatures have a basis in some established myth or folklore, though usually only as a jumping off point. If the initial idea for the story is the creature, I usually don't draw from established myths and legends. If the initial idea is a character, situation, or idea, I often do.
How much time do you spend writing in an average day or week? Do you have any rituals that help you focus?
It varies from week to week, but on average I probably spend 10 to 12 hours a week. The only things I really need is a keyboard and limited distractions.
When crafting a piece of fiction, do you generally start with an outline or simply begin writing?
I rarely do outlines or rough drafts outside of my head. A number of my stories come from dreams I have or from a simple phrase or idea that pops into my head randomly. From there I ponder and study it until I have a better grasp on it as a story, and then I start writing. I usually write at a fast pace when I get going, as I'm basically just transcribing what I see in my mind. When I'm done, I reread what I wrote for typos and stylistic tweaking, though I generally don't do any major changes.
Are there any topics you feel are too controversial for you to address or that you prefer not to explore in your writing?
Too controversial? Probably not. But there are some topics that I do find distasteful or that I think would be so polarizing that it would take focus away from the story itself. I'm ultimately trying to tell the best stories I can, and I want the subject matter to enhance that, not detract from it.
What are your feelings toward NoSleep's immersion/believability rule? What impact, if any, do you think the suspension of disbelief format may have when transitioning your work toward a mass audience unfamiliar with NoSleep?
I think that the NoSleep rule is great overall. Over the years, I've only written a handful of stories that would qualify under NoSleep's ruleset. Conforming to it for many of my more recent stories has been a great asset in finding creative ways to tell certain tales. I also think that the limits NoSleep imposes gives it a level of uniqueness and brand-permanence that has helped make it so successful. People know what kind of horror stories they're getting to some extent, and that comfort and familiarity can be a big positive.
In a perfect world, I wish NoSleep had a twin sister without the limitations but with the same audience, writers, and moderators. Having the flexibility of both subreddits while insuring the same level of quality would be great. But until that happens, I can't complain. NoSleep is pretty awesome.
As for transitioning my work toward a mass audience, I don't think that's necessarily a big problem. Some things I write won't be suitable for NoSleep, but anything I write for NoSleep will be suitable for a mass audience. Are some of the rules and stylistic choices different? Sure. Are the trends and popular naming conventions different on NoSleep than in some other forms of horror stories? Absolutely. But I don't see that as a bad thing. For horror to thrive, it has to continue to evolve, and I think there's plenty of room on reddit and bookshelves for more traditional "literary" horror and more contemporary takes that use a more conversational or experimental style.
Do you have any favorite reader reactions to your writing?
I love almost every comment or message I get, but some of my favorites are when you have different readers discussing some aspect of a story. Much of what I write is interconnected in one way or another, so when I see people getting excited over figuring out some clue or reference or debating what X could mean for Y, it makes me very happy and excited too.
Also, I'd like to give special thanks to u/hayclonic, who volunteered and constructed a massive, beautiful map of connections they found between my different stories. It is really wonderful and far better than anything I could have done. If you're fairly caught up on my stuff, you can find it here. If you're not, you may want to wait so you aren't spoiled and things make more sense.
What story or project are you most proud of?
Like so much of this, I have multiple answers. I'm proud of my novel "Darkness" because I think it tells a fairly unique and interesting story. I'm proud of "I think my grandfather might be serial killer" and the Outsider universe overall because I think it has interesting characters that have complexities and deep emotions that drive them. But I'm also like the proud father that loves all his children, regardless of their flaws.
What's the most valuable lesson you've learned since you began posting to NoSleep?
How to format my stories in Word for NoSleep. As you can see, I'm long-winded, and my earlier attempts at formatting my super-long stories were not awesome. But thanks to a NoSleep OOC comment, I have seen the light. Double-entering between paragraphs is my jam, yo.
As a successful author on NoSleep, do you have any advice for new contributors?
Don't psyche yourself out. If you enjoy telling stories, trust yourself to tell them well. Don't stress out about upvotes, but be happy when you have a popular story. You're posting on NoSleep because you want others to read and hopefully enjoy your work. So you're naturally going to want to have popular stories. Pay attention to what kinds of stories people want to read, what kinds of titles get people to click on a story. Read other writers here and elsewhere and figure out what works and what doesn't.
Then decide what that means for you. You can write everything trying to appeal to what you think the largest audience wants and frame it with the clickbaitiest of clickbait titles. Or you can do the polar opposite, adhering purely to what you want to write about without any influence from your readers/potential readers. My suggestion is to stay somewhere in the middle between those extremes. Write what you want to write and are passionate about, but be open to what others want to read as well. If you can find the right balance, you will likely produce things you are proud of. And keep in mind that your best stories and your most popular stories are not necessarily going to be the same thing.
Write frequently and learn/maintain good grammar. Push yourself and what you're comfortable with writing. Always respect your readers and yourself. Remember that telling a story is a gift for the writer and the reader, and as long as you are able to touch and affect one reader with your words, you're both richer for the story having been told.
What are your short-term and long-term writing goals?
To keep telling stories for as long as I live. I plan on writing on NoSleep and other similar places for many years to come, and periodically I will keep turning those stories and other works into books for people that want to read things in that format as well.
Community Questions:
Submitted anonymously: How long have you been writing?
I've been writing stories since I was around 13.
Submitted anonymously: If you were able to spend the day with any figure in the horror community (author, director, actor, etc.), who would you choose and why?
Dead: H.P. Lovecraft, because his stories and ideas on writing have always meant so much to me. Living: Either Clive Barker or Neil Gaiman because they both seem like very nice British people that are wonderful writers and love the worlds they create. Honorable mention: Shirley Jackson, because she was awesome.
From FoolishWhim: Everyone has a process they go through when writing a story, what is yours?
I typically start by discovering a small part of an overall story and looking at it for awhile. As I see more of it, I start writing what I see, and when I'm done, I go back and review for typos and stylistic tweaks.
What is your favorite fairy tale?
The King of the Cats or The Monkey's Paw. "Cats" because it does such a good job of marrying the mundane world with the secret world beneath (above?) it. "Paw" because it uses both supernatural rules and consequences, as well as the power of emotion and loss, to such wonderful effect. And before you say I cheated and these aren't fairy tales, Wikipedia says they are, and as we all know, Wikipedia is the great loom upon which all truth is woven.
How do I get my hands on one of those memoriam dolls?
Uncle Teddy still makes them, but you better have something valuable to offer. I'd think twice before dealing with such a dangerous character though, especially now that he's a free agent!
From Colourblindness: As a newer author do you sometimes feel overwhelmed by the pressure or the hype that readers expect you to meet?
While I've written stories and books for years, I'm still pretty new to nosleep, and it is a very different experience in some ways. The immediate feedback is wonderful, and getting a sense of a reader's enjoyment or excitement just after they finished a story or in the middle of a longer series is something I really treasure. That definitely drives me to always do my best and hope that people enjoy how a story is told and ends, but I don't feel like it's pressure at all. My stories are what they are for the most part, and my job is to see them and tell them as clearly as I can manage. And I care about my stories deeply, so when my readers care about them too, sharing that with them is the biggest reward and source of encouragement I could ask for.
Submitted anonymously: If you had to live in the established universe of any of your stories, which would you choose and why?
The Outsiders universe. In part because it is a complex place that is filled with heroes and monsters and everything in between, and while it is full of a lot of pain and evil, there's a lot of hope and wonder there too. And out of all of my favorite characters, so many of them live in that world.
Submitted anonymously: What is the greatest album of all time and why is it Metropolis Part II: Scenes from a Memory?
I think you spelled Lateralus by TOOL wrong. And if you really need a wonderful discussion of Metropolis, Dopabeane's response is already perfect. But seriously. TOOL is the best.
From poppy_moonray: If you had one time round trip access to a time machine, where would you visit and what would you do?
I would go to late 1944 Germany, kidnap Hitler and brainwash him. I would bring him back with me to the future and turn over the time machine to him with his new brainwashed purpose. He is to go back to a year before I arrived, kidnap his past self, brainwash him, and then have the past Hitler kill him, the first Hitler I kidnapped. The past Hitler will then take the time machine to go back another year to his past Hitler and do the same thing, on and on, until they get to 22 year old Hitler, who, after killing 23 year old Hitler, will journey to Southhampton, England for a nice ship ride on the RMS Titanic.
Or I'd go see some dinosaurs.
What fruit do you empathize with most strongly? What fruit fills you with an unbridled fury?
Blackberries. They are interesting looking and delicious, and I bet they would help you out in a jam. Get it? A jam?!?....oookay. Mangos, on the other hand, are not meant to be seen by God nor Man. They are the unfruit, and their inclusion in salsa or chutney signals the tolling of the bells of doom.
If you were to torture a person (just assume this is, like, a very bad dude who totally has it comin'), how would you do it?
I would make them love things other than themselves very much. Depend upon them. And then I would slowly tear those things apart in front of them. And when they got through the anger and the despair and the numbness of defeat, I would show them that it was all their fault, but that they could do better next time if they just tried harder. And then I'd start again.
Who's your favorite character you've ever created? Least favorite?
I love a lot of my characters, but Dr. Patrick Barron is one of my favorites to be sure. The main villain in my first book, which isn't even in circulation any more, is probably one of my least favorites. He wasn't a bad villain, but was just a giant asshole without a ton of depth. I like my protagonists and antagonists to be more complex and hard to fully like or dislike. I had a comment on the YouTube narration of the "grandfather" series that was like "Gramps is an asshole!" and I loved that! Just don't let Dr. Barron hear you say it.
Please write a haiku about NoSleep and/or horror, thank you very much.
you find no slumber
when itching eggs are hatching
just under the skin
From iwantabear: If you had to write entirely in one genre that isn't horror what would you pick and what would be the title of your first book? also who is your favorite James Bond?
Fantasy. It would be called "Dragon and Star: Book One", though that's cheating a bit, both because it's a mixture of fantasy, scifi and horror, and it's a trilogy I may actually write some day.:) And Pierce Brosnan is James Bond. And if he cannot fulfill his Bond duties, Idris Elba is James Bond. The rest are just keeping the seat warm.
Submitted anonymously: Are you a Brennan or a Dale?
Based on the internet test I just took, I'm a Brennan. I also now know a secret method casinos hate but they can't do anything about.
Submitted anonymously: What book made you cry hardest?
The Dark Tower series at several points towards the end. If you've read it, you know the parts.
From ByfelsDisciple: What do you think is your most underrated story? Your most overrated?
Underrated? Maybe "FM Rider"? Just because I like it a lot personally and it connects to certain other things in interesting ways. Overrated? I think that's harder to say, not because I don't have my favorites, but because I don't think I'm in a position to judge what other people like about my stories, and saying one of my stories is overrated feels too close to criticizing my readers just because they got different things out of them than I did. It's a cop-out answer, but it's a detailed cop-out answer. And that's how you pass an essay exam.
Submitted anonymously: Which of your stories has been the most difficult to write, and why?
I think the ones where I really like or at least sympathize with a character and they have really bad things happen to them. An old story of mine involved a messed-up little boy who killed his mother because he thought she was going to kill him. Everett getting drug into Mystery Cave. Poor Mike in Coventry as a more recent example. I love my characters and they have terrible things happen to them sometimes, but it's more tragic when the character is driven by love or loneliness or betrayal into the jaws of something terrible with their eyes open. They know what's coming and all they can do is lower their head and wait.
Submitted anonymously: What question did you want to be asked that didn’t get asked?
Why is Babylon 5 the best science fiction show ever made? The answer is because if you watch the entire series, and you're asked afterward who's the best character on the show, no matter who you say, you'd be right.
On a voyage for more Verastahl? Don't become vexed!
Check out his

• Subreddit
  
• Website
  
• Amazon Author Page
  
• Barnes and Nobles Author Page
  
• Apple iBooks Author Page
  

You can also purchase his fantastic brand new book, The Outsiders: Book One!
NoSleepInterviews would like to extend an entire galaxy worth of sparkly thank you stars to the glittering Verastahl for granting us this fascinating and insightful interview! Your incredible writing talent impresses us almost as much as your plans to set forth a sea of increasingly younger Hitlers to murder each other, and we can't wait to see what new marvels you create in the future!
We'll see you back here in two weeks on Monday, August 20th when we crack into the chaos behind the mind of the cool cat known as Colourblindness! Until then, why not repeatedly point at different objects and ask him what color they are? Colorblind people love that, right?

Happy Father’s Day -- JAY SEKULOW: Trump is not under investigation -- Scalise update -- WHITE HOUSE week ahead -- KNOWING MARK CORALLO – SCHUMER’s first big test -- WEEKEND READS – RODAY/MARRE wedding pool report
by [email protected] (Daniel Lippman) via POLITICO - TOP Stories
URL: http://ift.tt/2soWHWP
Good Sunday morning. HAPPY FATHER’S DAY! SPEAKER PAUL RYAN discusses what he’s learning as a father as his kids approach their teenage years. http://bit.ly/2rJIO3F
FIRST IN PLAYBOOK -- Speaker Paul Ryan spent the weekend at the Homestead in Virginia for his annual “Team Ryan” summer outing. His message to K Streeters and donors: the Republican agenda is on track. The Wisconsin Republican laid out his preferred timeline for Obamacare repeal bill, saying that it will be done by mid-summer and tax reform will be completed by the end of the year. Ryan said that he expected the Senate to pass their health care bill before the July 4 recess and that would give House Republicans the rest of July to take action. Ryan said he has been talking to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell daily. Ryan also was bullish on infrastructure, telling the group that a series of infrastructure bills will be passed by the end of the year. SPOTTED: Chris Russell, Bob Wood, Chris Giblin, David Tamasi, Richard Hunt, Ray Berman, Ed Kutler and Nicole Gustafson.
STATEMENTS FROM PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP FROM CAMP DAVID -- @realDonaldTrump at 6:38 a.m.: “The MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN agenda is doing very well despite the distraction of the Witch Hunt. Many new jobs, high business enthusiasm,..” … at 6:46 a.m.: “...massive regulation cuts, 36 new legislative bills signed, great new S.C.Justice, and Infrastructure, Healthcare and Tax Cuts in works!” …at 7:02 a.m.: “The new Rasmussen Poll, one of the most accurate in the 2016 Election, just out with a Trump 50% Approval Rating.That’s higher than O’s #’s!”
-- @kylegriffin1: “For reference (spot the outlier): Gallup 38 … Economist/YouGov 42 … Reuters/Ipsos 40 … PPP 41 … Quinnipiac 34 … Rasmussen 50”
TAKE NOTE: Trump had just one surrogate on the Sunday shows: a member of his legal team. Not one Cabinet secretary or adviser talking about policy or politics.
SUNDAY BEST, PART I -- JAY SEKULOW tells CHUCK TODD on NBC’S “MEET THE PRESS” that the president isn’t under investigation -- TODD: “The president tweeted earlier this week, ‘I am being investigated for firing the F.B.I. director by the man who told me to fire the F.B.I. director. Witch hunt.’ So let me start with this. When did the president become aware that he was officially under investigation by the special counsel?” SEKULOW: “The president is not under investigation by the special counsel. The tweet from the president was in response to the five anonymous sources that were purportedly leaking information to The Washington Post about a potential investigation of the president. But the president, as James Comey said in his testimony and as we know as of today, the president has not been and is not under investigation.”
-- MARCO RUBIO to JAKE TAPPER on CNN’s “STATE OF THE UNION” -- TAPPER: “Some of your Senate colleagues, as you know, are concerned that President Trump is preparing to fire Mueller or Mueller and Rosenstein. How would you react if he did?” RUBIO: “Well, first of all, that’s not going to happen. I don’t believe it’s going to happen. And here’s what I would say. The best thing that could happen for the president, and the country, is a full and credible investigation. I really, truly believe that. If we want to put all this behind us, let’s find out what happened, let’s put it out there, and let’s not undermine the credibility of the investigation. And so my view on it is that’s the best thing that could happen for the president and for the country, and I believe ultimately that’s what will happen, irrespective of all the other stuff that’s going on out there.”
-- SEKULOW GETS TESTY under sharp questioning from Chris Wallace on "Fox News Sunday": "I do not appreciate you putting words in my mouth, when I've been crystal clear that the president is not and has not been under investigation."
SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE PRESIDENT’S WEEK -- MONDAY: Trump has Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela and his wife to the White House. He will participate in an American Technology Council roundtable at 5 p.m. WEDNESDAY: The president is going to Iowa. THURSDAY: The Congressional picnic.
THE BIG SUNDAY READ -- NYT, A1 -- “How Michael Flynn’s Disdain for Limits Led to a Legal Quagmire,” by Nick Confessore, Matt Rosenberg and Danny Hakim: “Mr. Flynn decided that the military’s loss would be his gain: He would parlay his contacts, his disdain for conventional bureaucracy, and his intelligence career battling Al Qaeda into a lucrative business advising cybersecurity firms and other government contractors. Over the next two years he would sign on as a consultant to nearly two dozen companies, while carving out a niche as a sought-after author and speaker -- and ultimately becoming a top adviser to President Trump.
“‘I’ve always had that entrepreneurial spirit,’ Mr. Flynn said in an interview in October 2015. In the military, he added, ‘I learned that following the way you’re supposed to do things isn’t always the way to accomplish a task.’ But instead of lofting him into the upper ranks of Beltway bandits, where some other top soldiers have landed, his foray into consulting has become a legal and political quagmire, driven by the same disdain for boundaries that once propelled his rise in the military.” http://nyti.ms/2sDrCkx
SCALISE UPDATE -- “Hospital says Scalise showing ‘signs of improvement’ after additional surgery,” by Rebecca Morin: “[House] Majority Whip Steve Scalise is showing ‘signs of improvement’ and is ‘speaking with his loved ones’ following an additional surgery, according to an update provided by MedStar Washington Hospital Center on Saturday. The hospital also downgraded his condition from critical to serious.
“‘Congressman Steve Scalise is in serious condition. He underwent another surgery today, but continues to show signs of improvement,’ according to a statement from the hospital, courtesy of the Scalise family. ‘He is more responsive, and is speaking with his loved ones. The Scalise family greatly appreciates the outpouring of thoughts and prayers.’” http://politi.co/2tBoHG5
-- TEAM SCALISE’s video from Thursday’s Congressional baseball game http://bit.ly/2rsXeGe
FROM TYSON LOBBYIST MATT MIKA’S FAMILY: “We want to thank the team at George Washington University Hospital for their world-class care, and we continue to be grateful beyond words for the heroic actions of the U.S. Capitol Police this week. In addition, the positive thoughts, prayers and words of encouragement from across the nation have meant the world to Matt and to all of us.
“Matt has undergone additional surgery and his physicians have reported positive results. Matt will remain in the ICU through at least this weekend. He continues to communicate with us through notes, and even signed the game ball for the Congressional Baseball Game. Matt especially valued the professionalism of the officers of the Capitol Police, and would appreciate contributions to the Capitol Police Memorial Fund, one of the designated charities at Thursday night’s ballgame.
“While we know there will be difficult and challenging days ahead for Matt and our family, the physicians and specialists at Matt’s side expect a full recovery. This will be our final update pending Matt’s discharge from the hospital. We again ask for your understanding and respect of our family’s privacy.”
FOR YOUR RADAR -- “Navy stops search for 7 missing sailors after bodies found,” by AP’s Mari Yamaguchi in Yokosuka, Japan: “The search for seven U.S. Navy sailors missing after their destroyer collided with a container ship off Japan was called off Sunday after several bodies were found in the ship’s flooded compartments, including sleeping quarters. Vice Adm. Joseph Aucoin, the commander of the Navy’s 7th Fleet, described the damage and flooding as extensive, including a big puncture under the waterline. The crew had to fight to keep the ship afloat, he said, and the ship’s captain is lucky to have survived.” http://apne.ws/2sGAXc0
BLAST FROM THE PAST -- KNOWING MARK CORALLO: “Meet the man managing Trump’s biggest crisis yet,” by Eliana Johnson, Josh Dawsey, and Josh Gerstein: “Veteran GOP operative Mark Corallo is known for accepting tough crisis-management cases, but even he wasn’t daredevil enough to accept the job an embattled President Trump considered him for last month: White House communications director. Instead, Corallo chose to stay outside the building, becoming the top spokesman for Trump’s personal lawyer Marc Kasowitz.
“In his new role, he finds himself handling the White House’s defense against independent counsel Robert Mueller’s probe into Russian interference in the presidential election, which has expanded to include inquiry into whether Trump himself tried to obstruct the investigation. Corallo had never met Trump or Kasowitz before taking the job but is now routinely in the West Wing several times a week, strategizing with a temperamental and media-obsessed president who sees himself as his own best spokesman.
“‘I think I will be more help to the president on the outside than I would have been on the inside,’ Corallo told POLITICO.” With cameos from Karl Rove, David Ayres and Ed McFaddenhttp://politi.co/2seOZjF
-- FLASHBACK: Corallo speaking to Isaac Dovere in May about Trump staff: “They’re hostages.” http://politi.co/2rKcOMS
SCHUMER’S FIRST BIG TEST -- “Democrats to step up attacks on GOP’s Obamacare repeal effort,” by Burgess Everett: “Democratic senators are planning to hold the Senate floor until at least midnight on Monday to thrash Senate Republicans for refusing to hold committee hearings on their health-care overhaul, according to several people familiar with the plan. The round of speeches is being organized by Sens. Patty Murray of Washington state and Brian Schatz of Hawaii.
“But on the more weighty question of whether to object to the GOP’s committee hearings or refusing to allow routine business in the Senate regarding nomination votes or uncontroversial matters, the party has made no final decision. While the party's liberal wing is demanding that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York and his team shut the Senate down, Schumer has made no decision and often tries to forge consensus in his caucus before executing party strategy.
“Though several sources on the party’s left believe Schumer may be open to the idea, Democratic leaders have been resistant to procedural obstruction thus far. They believe blocking unrelated matters could shift the spotlight from Republicans' secretive process to Democratic obstruction. And it could set expectations high among the party's base that Democrats can stop the repeal, when in reality if Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has the votes the party will be powerless to stop him.” http://politi.co/2seOyWF
-- IT’S WORTH NOTING: Since assuming the top Senate leadership job after the 2016 election, Schumer has made it his leadership style to govern by consensus. Depending on how the Obamacare repeal effort plays out, this could be test for how he’ll appease his frustrated left flank while not overplaying his hand.
THE JUICE …
-- Community Catalyst Action Fund is launching a seven-figure TV and radio ad buy targeting Republican senators in Alaska, Maine, Nevada and West Virginia on Obamacare repeal. The TV ads, produced by GMMB, will run for the next two weeks and feature a mother whose son has chronic asthma and requires frequent trips to the doctor. The radio ad, also produced by GMMB, and digital ad component are part of the “Keep Care at Home” campaign, which is focused on Medicaid cuts, and will also include events in each state. The TV adshttp://bit.ly/2tglz3j … The radio adhttp://bit.ly/2seKt4W
THE LATEST IN GEORGIA -- TOO CLOSE TO CALL: “Georgia special election hurtles toward nail-biting finish,” by Steven Shepard: “As the most expensive House race in history rushes toward the finish line Tuesday, the latest public polls are unanimous: The Georgia special election between Democrat Jon Ossoff and Republican Karen Handel is too close to call. The race for the suburban Atlanta seat, closely watched for clues about the shape of the 2018 midterm elections, appears to be within a few percentage points — with perhaps the slightest edge to Ossoff, the 30-year-old Democrat seeking to wrest away a traditionally Republican seat in the first major election of Donald Trump’s presidency. … The current state of play: Of the six public polls conducted in June, Ossoff leads in five of them — and hits the 50-percent mark in each of the five — with the fifth showing a tie.” http://politi.co/2rt57uY
-- NYT's ALEX BURNS and JONATHAN MARTIN: "High-Stakes Referendum on Trump Takes Shape in a Georgia Special Election"http://nyti.ms/2rEqr50
SUNDAY BEST, PART II -- JOHN DICKERSON speaks to SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R-FLA.) on CBS’S FACE THE NATION -- DICKERSON: “The president has called the investigations a witch hunt. What’s your opinion of that?” RUBIO: “Well, I know he feels very strongly about it. My advice to the president is what I communicated publicly. The way I’ve tried to communicate to everyone on this issue. And that is this. It is in the best interest of the president and the country to have a full investigation. If I were the president, I would be welcoming this investigation. I would ask that it be thorough and completed expeditiously and be very cooperative with it. That’s what ultimately I anticipate they will do. That’s in the best interest of the president. I really believe that. I think it’s in the best interest of our country that we have a full-scale investigation that looks at everything so that we can move forward.”
DICKERSON: “So regardless of what you may think about James Comey’s firing as FBI director, you think it should be investigated?” RUBIO: “Well, I just think it’s important to answer questions. Because otherwise, if people have any doubts, it undermines confidence in our system of government, in our elections, in our leaders. As I said, the best thing that can happen for the president and for America is that we have a full-scale investigation that is credible, that it reaches its conclusion one way or the other so that we can move on. But at the same time be knowledgeable. We have to know everything the Russians did and how they did it so that we can prevent this from happening in the future.”
RUBIO talks with CHUCK TODD on NBC’s “MEET THE PRESS” -- TODD: “The more the administration tries to soften the sanctions in the House, at any point, do you understand, if some people see that as circumstantial evidence in this probe?” RUBIO: “I could understand how some people would make that argument. I could also tell you though that I personally believe that at the core of the resistance is not the president. And I don’t think the president himself has a problem with additional sanctions on Russia. I think the concern actually comes from the State Department and for the following reason: they argue that they are trying to get the Russians to be more cooperative on a number of fronts and that this could set us back. It's a legitimate argument, I’ve thought about it, I don't agree with it. And you saw the majority of my colleagues didn’t agree with it this week.”
POWER PLAYBOOKER – DAVID PETRAEUS to PBS NewsHour’s Judy Woodruff on why Americans should support staying engaged in Afghanistan: “This is a generational struggle. This is not something that is going to be won in a few years. We’re not going to take a hill, plant the flag and go home to a victory parade. We need to be there for the long haul but in a way that’s sustainable. You know we’ve been in Korea for 65-plus years because there’s an important national interest for that. We were in Europe for a very long period of time, still there of course, and actually with a renewed emphasis given Russia’s aggressive actions.” Videohttp://bit.ly/2rF21IN
THE BIG QUESTION AHEAD OF TRUMP’S TECH SUMMIT -- “CEOs Have Access to Trump, but Do They Have Clout?,” by WSJ’s Vanessa Fuhrmans and Peter Nicholas: “When tech industry executives gather at the White House Monday, brainstorming ways to modernize government will be on the agenda. But on display will be President Donald Trump’s evolving relationship with America’s corporate chieftains. Some 300 business leaders have met with Mr. Trump since he took office promising the nation’s top executives a direct line to the Oval Office and a chance to shape economic policy.
“The discussions have helped the president project an image of CEO-in-chief as he awaits a major legislative victory and have given CEOs a voice in initiatives like the administration’s push to expand apprenticeship programs. But corporate leaders are learning about the limits of their clout. Hopes for an overhaul of the corporate-tax code this year are fading, some executives and corporate lobbyists say, as the White House and lawmakers struggle to reach consensus on a plan that could get through Congress. Mr. Trump’s move to quit the Paris climate accord has been a stinging lesson for some that White House face time doesn’t always translate into influence.” http://on.wsj.com/2rEUp8V
WHAT K STREET IS READING -- “Republicans debating remedies for corporate tax avoidance,” by Reuters’ David Morgan: “President Donald Trump and Republican leaders in Congress will soon confront a complex challenge for tax reform: how to limit U.S. corporate tax avoidance schemes that take advantage of low tax rates in foreign countries. Congressional and administration staff have begun to examine options to address profit-shifting schemes that include so-called transfer pricing, earnings stripping and tax inversions. A decision on how to handle these in tax legislation could come before Congress leaves town for its one-week July 4 recess on June 29, officials and lobbyists said.” http://reut.rs/2seHWaU
WAPO’S ABBY PHILLIP -- “Milwaukee Sheriff David Clarke rescinds acceptance of Homeland Security post”: “‘Late Friday, Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke Jr. formally notified Secretary of Homeland Security John F. Kelly that he had rescinded his acceptance of the agency’s offer to join DHS as an assistant secretary,’ said Craig Peterson, an adviser to Clarke. ‘Sheriff Clarke is 100 percent committed to the success of President Trump and believes his skills could be better utilized to promote the president’s agenda in a more aggressive role.’” http://wapo.st/2sDJaNA
MORE ON MEGYN KELLY -- “Unedited Putin Interview Reveals A Missed Opportunity For Megyn Kelly and America,” by Yashar Ali in HuffPost: “As Megyn Kelly and NBC News face a firestorm over her interview with InfoWars’ Alex Jones, unedited footage from her recent interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin shows a nervous Kelly who asked the authoritarian leader softball questions and failed to hold him accountable on key topics. Most troubling, Kelly devoted precious time in her short interview to a question that led one former CIA Russia analyst to say that it sounded as if Putin had written the question himself.
“In the full, unedited discussion, obtained by HuffPost, Kelly repeatedly fails to interrupt the Russian president while he rambles in his responses. She also asks Putin questions he can easily dispute. The last question Kelly asked Putin, which was not aired, was startling in its pandering. ‘We have been here in St. Petersburg for about a week now. And virtually every person we have met on the street says what they respect about you is they feel that you have returned dignity to Russia, that you’ve returned Russia to a place of respect. You’ve been in the leadership of this country for 17 years now. Has it taken any sort of personal toll on you?’” http://bit.ly/2rsxPwo
MEDIAWATCH -- “The Danger of Ignoring Alex Jones,” by Charles J. Skyes in the NYT: “When Mr. Jones was merely a marginal figure on the paranoid right, the case could plausibly be made that he was better left in obscurity. But now that, at least according to Mr. Jones, the president of the United States has praised him and thanked him for the role he played in his election victory, it’s too late to make that argument. We can’t keep ignoring the fringe. We have to expose it.” http://nyti.ms/2rsZ61q … Charlie Sykes is an MSNBC contributor
TV TONIGHT -- MSNBC will air a special edition of “The Point with Ari Melber” at 5 p.m. for the 45th anniversary of the Watergate break in. The show features Tom Brokaw, Dick Cavett, former Watergate special prosecutors and never-before-seen documents from the Justice Department’s Watergate Special Prosecution Force.
BONUS GREAT WEEKEND READS, curated by Daniel Lippman:
--“Young Men Are Playing Video Games Instead of Getting Jobs. That's OK. (For Now),” by Peter Suderman in Reason in the July 2017: “A military shooter might offer a simulation of being a crack special forces soldier. A racing game might simulate learning to handle a performance sports car. It’s a simulation of being an expert. It’s a way to fulfil a fantasy. That fantasy is one of work, purpose, and social and professional success.” http://bit.ly/2twpXdC
--“Can Democrats Fix the Party?” by Rolling Stone’s Tim Dickinson: “Trump’s victory exposed the party establishment as utterly broken – now Dems hope to rebuild in time for a 2018 comeback.” http://rol.st/2rAh2eF
--“What Makes a Glass House the Ideal Home for a Communist Gynecologist,” by Cody Delistraty in JStor: “The windows in the waiting area are high, allowing light to enter, but also arranged so that infertile women waiting for the doctor weren’t forced to see the Dalsace children playing in the backyard.” http://bit.ly/2syDZhU
--“The Ideal Iceland May Only Exist in Your Mind,” by Taffy Brodesser-Akner in Afar magazine: “But you can, and should, still go in search of it.” http://bit.ly/2tBnmzi
--“Vatican tailors, cobblers try to adapt to Francis’s ‘papal athleisure,’” by Claire Giangravè in Cruxnow: “Pope Francis’s emphasis on simplicity and frugality is a hit all around the world, but it’s produced just a bit of backlash among fashion-conscious Italians, including an exclusive club of tailors and shoemakers who outfit pontiffs -- some of whom are a little nostalgic for the days when being pope also meant dressing to the nines.” http://bit.ly/2sBCccz
--“The Fake Hermit,” by Natalia Portinari in piaui: “Thomas [Pynchon] was very thin and very handsome, like a Romeo kind of guy. He was like an Italian lover, very, very sexy. He wasn’t interested in money. He had a very dry sense of humor, so that’s why we got along so well. He never hurt my feelings. He tried to be a hippie, but it wasn’t easy for him. He was a hard worker.” http://bit.ly/2roGnnU
--“What Duck Sex Reveals about Human Nature,” by Johann Grolle in Der Spiegel: “Copulation in most birds is achieved by a cloacal kiss, just an apposition of orifices. This is the essential reason why birds are so beautiful. Since they have the freedom of choice, females exhibit aesthetic preferences. And, as a result of these preferences, males developed amazingly elaborate ornaments.” http://bit.ly/2sC9W9A
--“How the U.S. Triggered a Massacre in Mexico,” by ProPublica’s Ginger Thompson, co-published in NatGeo: “There’s no missing the signs that something unspeakable happened. Entire blocks lie in ruins. In March 2011 gunmen from the Zetas cartel swept through like a flash flood, demolishing homes and businesses and kidnapping and killing dozens, possibly hundreds, of men, women and children. The destruction and disappearances went on in fits and starts for weeks.” http://bit.ly/2sHUo43
--“If Israel were smart,” by Sara Roy on Gaza in the London Review of Books: “[A]lmost half the labour force [do not] any means to earn a living. Unemployment – especially youth unemployment – is the defining feature of life. It now hovers around 42 per cent (it has been higher), but for young people (between the ages of 15 and 29) it stands at 60 per cent. Everyone is consumed by the need to find a job or some way of earning money. ‘Salaries control people’s minds,’ one resident said.” http://bit.ly/2roQAR5
--“Philip Roth’s Newark,” by Steven Malanga in City Journal: “The city at its peak and in its decline are the novelist’s two greatest characters.” http://bit.ly/2sa9tu0 (h/t ALDaily.com)
--“‘A reckoning for our species’: the philosopher prophet of the Anthropocene,” by Alex Blasdel in The Guardian: “Timothy Morton wants humanity to give up some of its core beliefs, from the fantasy that we can control the planet to the notion that we are ‘above’ other beings. His ideas might sound weird, but they’re catching on.” http://bit.ly/2rF51QB (h/t Longform.org)
--“What It Would Really Take To Sink A Modern Aircraft Carrier,” by Robert Farley in Jalopnik: “Even a supersonic cruise missile can take twenty minutes to reach its target area at maximum range, and a carrier maneuvering at high speed can move ten miles in the same period of time. A massive aircraft carrier can move surprisingly fast for something weighing over 100,000 tons, with a top speed of more than 30 knots, or about 35 miles an hour, which is what you get when you go for nuclear power.” http://bit.ly/2roV3Dy
--“After Oranges,” by Wyatt Williams in Oxford American, discussing “Oranges,” by John McPhee: “Fifty years later, Oranges reads as an agile survey of world history, a vivid period piece of changing American foodways, and an early classic by a master just beginning to find his form ... Today, no one is quite sure if Florida’s oranges will survive” http://bit.ly/2tbvwPw (h/t TheBrowser.com)
WEEKEND WEDDINGS – Zack Roday, press secretary for Team Ryan, and Alleigh Marre, who does press for HHS, got married on Saturday with the ceremony and reception at Rust Manor House in Leesburg, Virginia. The bride came down the aisle to “At Last,” and the wedding was officiated by Zack’s childhood friend and Best Man Ben Horwitz. The couple met on Gov. Scott Walker’s campaign in Wisconsin. Picshttp://bit.ly/2sHijAK ... http://bit.ly/2rEL5Cb ... http://bit.ly/2sE16r1
--SPOTTED: Gov. Scott and Tonette Walker, Matt Gorman and Annie Clark, Jesse Hunt and Kim Kaiser, Ian and Elsie Prior, Chris and Andrea Grant, Jake Kastan, Kevin Seifert, Betsy Ankney, Eli Miller, Jason Heath, Alexandra Clark and Scott Dillie, Bryant Avondoglio and Ellie Krust.
--“Cathryn Clüver, Tom Ashbrook”– N.Y. Times: “The bride, 41, is the founding executive director of the Future of Diplomacy Project at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at the Harvard Kennedy School. She graduated from Brown and received a master’s in European studies from the London School of Economics and a master’s in public administration from the Harvard Kennedy School. ... The groom, 61, is the host of the NPR talk show ‘On Point,’ a daily program produced at WBUR in Boston. He graduated from Yale. He is the author of ‘The Leap,’ which chronicles his time as an internet entrepreneur, after a career as a journalist.” With pichttp://nyti.ms/2soxxYq
– “Stephanie Sy, David Ariosto”: “Ms. Sy, 40, is a New York-based special on-air news correspondent for PBS and the host of Carnegie Council’s ‘Ethics Matter’ interview series, a public affairs program that is shown periodically on PBS. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania. ... On June 26, Mr. Ariosto, 36, will begin working as a supervising producer of ‘All Things Considered,’ the NPR news program. He graduated from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and received a master’s degree in public policy from George Mason University. ... The couple met in June 2015, at Al Jazeera America, where the bride was a news anchor and the groom an on-air reporter.” With pichttp://nyti.ms/2sMcBgR
--“Sara Randazzo, Christopher Kirkham”: “The bride, 31, is a legal reporter at The Wall Street Journal in Los Angeles. She graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles. ... The groom, 33, is also a reporter at The Journal in Los Angeles, covering the casino and hotel industries. He graduated from Northwestern, where he also received his master’s degree in journalism. ... The couple were introduced through mutual friends in New York in November 2011.” With pichttp://nyti.ms/2seYvDG
SPOTTED at the going-away party last night (with a live band) in DC for Paul Wood and Ruth Sherlock, who is leaving in two weeks to become NPR’s new Beirut correspondent (she was previously U.S. editor at The Telegraph): Susannah Cunningham, Merrit Kennedy, Susannah Wellford, Thomas Gibbons-Neff, Emily Lenzner, Suzanne Kianpour, John Hudson, Nihal Krishan, Vivek Jain, Matt Rosenberg, Karoun Demirjian, Diaa Hadid, Athena Jones, Karen Attiah.
BIRTHDAYS: Dina Powell ... WaPo’s Fred Barbash … Charlie Herman … Joanne Lipman, chief content officer at Gannett and editor in chief of USA Today … Niall Stanage, WH columnist at The Hill, is 43 ... David Wood (Mr. Beth Frerking), Pulitzer winner ... Kate Knudson ... Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-Calif.) is 66 ... Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY) is 68 ... Nick Johnston, editor at Axios, is 4-0 (h/t Bill McQuillen) … Megan Mitchell ... Bipartisan Senate alumni birthday: former Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WVa.) is 8-0 and former Sen. Mike Johanns (R-Neb.) is 67 ... David Drucker, senior political correspondent at Washington Examiner, is 46 ... Romney alum John Whitman, now press secretary for Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ... HFA alum John McCarthy, COS for Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-Penn.), (h/ts Fran Holuba, Anastasia Dellaccio and Ben Chang) ... Millie Harmon Meyers, public affairs at the U.S. Mission to the UN (h/t Ben) ... Geri M. Joseph is 94 ... Kenneth Lipper is 76 ... Blair Effron is 55 (h/ts Jewish Insider) ... DOT alum Ajashu Thomas ... Clare Bresnahan, executive director of She Should Run (h/t Jill Bader) ... Politico Europe’s Blanca Renedo is 29 ... Kevin Landrigan, legendary New Hampshire political correspondent ... HFA and GSG alum Chris Allen ... Bob Scutari ...
... Will Kinzel, managing director of gov’t affairs at Delta ... Jennifer Carignan ... Politico’s Claire Okrongly and Shannon Rafferty ... LifeZette’s Jim Stinson (h/t Jon Conradi) ... BuzzFeed’s Mary Ann Georgantopoulos ... Bert Gomez, Univision’s SVP of federal and state gov’t relations... Tom Readmond ... Michael Van Der Galien ... former Hardballer Jeremy Bronson, now creator of “The Mayor,” airing this fall on ABC ... former CNNer Meryl Conant Governski, now an associate at Boies, Schiller & Flexner LLP ... Zach Wilkes … Jason Kello ... Daniel Epstein is 33 ... Levi Drake ... Max Stahl is 3-0 ... Lisa Barron ... AJ Goodman ... Ron Rosenblith ... Dick Mark ... Debbie Shore (h/ts Teresa Vilmain) ... country singer Blake Shelton is 41 (h/t Kurt Bardella) ... Sir Paul McCartney is 75 ... Dizzy Reed (Guns N’ Roses) is 54 (h/ts AP)