On the Metaphor of Social Darwinism Inherent to the American Progress Narrative

When it really boils down to it, evolution is just a spore creating the fungus of progress, feeding itself on a steaming pile of excess, ever-becoming history’s paradoxically both finished and unfinished product.” –Stoned Philosopher #1 from “The Para(Fa)ble of the Stoned Ape.” “The Para(fa)ble of the Stoned Ape,” the first story from Judgment Day… Continue reading On the Metaphor of Social Darwinism Inherent to the American Progress Narrative

New Review Up at Reedsy Discovery!

I have a new review up at Reedsy Discovery to celebrate my book launch today! Give it an upvote to help me get featured in the weekly newsletter! Follow the link below: https://reedsy.com/discovery/book/judgment-day-other-white-lies-mike-hilbig#review

The Para(Fa)ble of the Stoned Ape

Early cover design by Crowcrumbs An excerpt from Judgment Day & Other White Lies. Now availble for preorder from Madville Publishing! “Before the beginning of everything, and by everything, I mean before humans were around to invent the beginning, so like before that, there were these apes who got pushed out of the jungle, found… Continue reading The Para(Fa)ble of the Stoned Ape

Envy & Forgetting in Houston, TX: The Setting of Judgment Day & Other White Lies

“Shit, a city is the perfect place to forget about culture.”–Professor Threat Most of the stories in my short fiction collection Judgment Day & Other White Lies, forthcoming from Madville Publishing in Feb. of 2022, are set in my hometown: Houston, TX. Like the old writing cliché advises to “write what you know,” the practical… Continue reading Envy & Forgetting in Houston, TX: The Setting of Judgment Day & Other White Lies

How is a Narrative a Fractal Shape? On the Geometry of Judgment Day & Other White Lies

Imagine for a moment that the each of the smallest subsections of the above fractally constructed green succulent plant is a story. Then, imagine that each next smallest subsection you can find is a genre. Now, imagine that each slightly larger subsection is a tradition. Imagine the whole picture is the process of storytelling in… Continue reading How is a Narrative a Fractal Shape? On the Geometry of Judgment Day & Other White Lies

Under the Cover – Judgment Day & Other White Lies

Shortly after my short story collection Judgment Day & Other White Lies was picked up by Madville Publishing, I read “Under the Cover – Mistakes by the Lake” on Madville’s blog where author Brian Petkash describes his process of coming to the stunning book cover design for his debut short story collection Mistakes by the… Continue reading Under the Cover – Judgment Day & Other White Lies