The Escape Hatch Is Open Again

My apologies for the long period of radio silence. Been a while since the last Escape Hatch, huh? It was hard to find a moment in the first couple months of the year to work on the newsletter. I have recently relaunched my old blog on joehillfiction.com and have been using it to provide occasional proof of life. You can follow along with my sporadic updates right here. I’m also on Instagram, which I would warmly describe as one of the least sucky of the social networks.

I’ve tried to get less superstitious about my own work but still find myself reluctant to share too much about ongoing projects. I’ll only say that for the moment I’m juggling four big ones, and that’s a couple more than I’m used to managing at any one time. I’m just going to assume it’s like running off a cliff in a Road Runner cartoon — as long as I don’t look down, I’ll be fine, right?

Lest that sound like a complaint: creatively I’ve been having a hell of a good time in 2019. I wouldn’t change a single thing.

There’s also been an exciting distraction cropping up more and more: the forthcoming summer release of NOS4A2 on AMC. I’ve seen the entire ten episode run that comprises the first season, and boy, I just thought it was so scary and heart-wrenching and right. Ashleigh Cummings and Zachary Quinto deliver everything anyone could’ve asked and then some… and they’re supported by lovely performances from Virginia Kull, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Jahkara Smith, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, Dalton Harrod, and the rest of our killer cast. I can’t wait for NOS4A2 to land in people’s living rooms.

Wanna see a trailer????

March – April Appearances

The spring snuck up on me when I wasn’t paying attention. I’ve got a bunch of stuff on the calendar for the next few months. Here’s the rundown on upcoming appearances. If one of these events happens to fall in your neck of the woods, I hope you’ll come on out and say hello.

AUSTIN, TX * SXSW FESTIVAL
ALAMO LAMAR
MARCH 11, 6:15 PM
w/ ASHLEIGH CUMMINGS, ZACAHARY QUINTO, JAMI O’BRIEN
I’m in Texas to show-off the very first episode of AMC’s NOS4A2 with our heroine, Ashleigh, our villainous villain Zach, and our amazing show-runner Jami. Q&A to follow.

ANAHEIM, CA * WONDERCON
ARENA
MARCH 30, 11:15 – 12:45
w/ ZACAHARY QUINTO, JAMI O’BRIEN
See me at WonderCon with Zach and Jami (and mmmmmaybe Ashleigh) with another chance to show off a killer first episode.

EXETER, NH * EXETER LIT FEST
EXETER TOWN HALL (upstairs gallery)
APRIL 6, 7 – 8PM
w/ BITTER PILL
I’ll be in Exeter, New Hampshire, to read… something… do a Q&A and sign books, all to support the inaugural Exeter Lit Fest. Bitter Pill is going to bring the rock’n’roll.

TALLAHASSEE, FL * WORD OF SOUTH FESTIVAL
LYRIC STAGE
APRIL 14, 3PM
w/ MATTHEW RYAN
I’m so looking forward to doing an event with my pal, Matthew Ryan, rock’n’rolla extraordinaire. When my story “Dark Carousel” was released as an audiobook on vinyl, Matt provided a transcendent cover of the Stones’ “Wild Horses” to go with it. Come on out and see us — he’ll play, I’ll read, and we’ll all have fun.
Those who can’t make it to Austin or Anaheim to see me can still catch a preview screening of NOS4A2 (episode one). It’s playing Emerald City in Seattle and C2E2 in Chicago as well. Check it out if you can.
And daaaaaaamn I’m out of time. Gotta hop on a flight to Tejas. We’ll have a longer catch-up in the next newsletter… and the results of our subscriber survey! I won’t make it so long between issues next time.

Hang in there and I hope I catch you on the road.