Michael Bettendorf
1. What have you been up to these last couple of months? Share freely any publication news you may have, and please include any links you’d like us to include.
I’ve had a pretty great start to the year in terms of writing. I had a weird western story called, “Devil is Fine” in the January issue of Cosmic Horror Monthly, my micro “#E0E0E0 Sky” with you at Libre just a few weeks ago in February, a two-story mini series was picked up at Intrepidus Ink (Rhonda is a ton of fun to work with. Really great and enthusiastic editor!). That should go live sometime this spring in their 10th cycle.
I’ve got a surreal/slipstream piece called “Never Odd or Even” in Issue 5 of Inner Worlds (March 5th), and I had a set of drabbles picked up recently, but I’m not sure I can talk about it yet. That sounds like a lot – and it is! I’m super grateful. I’m not sure I’ve ever had a year kickoff like this in my writing career. Here’s to hoping I don’t have a drought the rest of the year haha.
2. What are your long-term creative plans? Are you working on something big and secret or taking it day by day?
Long term creative goals would be to make a living off my writing and be the best friggin house husband the world has ever known, but in the meantime, I will continue to work my day job (it’s not so bad) and write because I have no other choice. It’s some intrinsic thing. A drive? A curse? I dunno. Either way, I truly don’t feel like I have a choice in the matter.
My debut with Tenebrous Press, “Trve Cvlt” released in September, so I’ve been trying to maintain steady promotion, hit cons and events when feasible, and continue working on both short and longer fiction. I’ve got some longer works on submission right now as well as a collection. I’m currently working on a new novella that I’m not quite ready to talk much about, but I think it will connect with a lot of folks. It’s about chronic pain and illness.
3. What’s the status of your mental health these days? It’s in all ways prosaic to say that we live in trying times. How is the zeitgeist responsible? What are some actionable ways in which you’re taking steps to quiet the void, if any? (If it’s a glass of wine and an episode of Mad Men at the day’s end, that counts, please know that).
It’s always a day-by-day basis. Generally speaking, I think I’m doing okay all things considered. As you’ve said…trying times. I’m privileged in many areas that the zeitgeist affects me indirectly in most cases, however for a lot of my family and friends, not so much. Our jobs are at risk. Our lives. Our status as humans. It’s fucked up. I’m avoiding a lot of social media. That’s a massive help. I’m emailing senators. Trying to stay educated on current events. I’m donating because sometimes that’s all I can do to help. I’m making art. Spending time with the people I care about. Hanging with my dog. Enjoying some escapist activities in moderation.
4. What is something you’d like readers to take away from your work in regard to mental health advocacy, discussion, or criticism?
Hmm. This is tough. I suppose that they aren’t alone? I can’t help how my work is interpreted, but I can only hope that readers find something to connect with.
5. Why do you create, still, despite the climate and political current and pervasive doubt we’re made slaves to?
I sort of touched on this in question two, but it’s intrinsic. I’m not the same when I’m not writing or creating. I also run off of spite. AI bros can try to replace us. They can try to ban our books and degrade us and tell us we aren’t important and if nothing else, writing is a big fuck you to all of them.
6. When was the last time you told your psychiatrist or therapist something you were afraid to disclose? In your own words, how do you feel about going up against the stigma?
I graduated from therapy a lil while back! But uhhh that doesn’t mean permanently. I think we should all go to therapy and I’m currently in a place where I can take some time away. Going against the stigma is tough though. We want to feel safe and secure and comfortable as humans and disclosing things that go up against the stigma is doing what our brains don’t want us to do, but it’s necessary. In time.
Oh lord. Yeah, it hasn’t been directed at me specifically so much, but I think anytime you give folks a platform (like twitter or social media in general) you’re bound to see it. I don’t have a specific example off the top of my head. All I can say is: block folks, mute them. Mute words or phrases. It goes a long way. Some people will blab about how that’s putting yourself in an echo chamber, but fuck that. You should protect you and your community. If blocking someone who uses harmful language or belittles you or your friends, then they aren’t entitled to you or your time. Life is too short.
7. Anything else you’d like to share or for us to share on your behalf?
Thank you for having me, this was a lot of fun and these were thoughtful questions you don’t often see in writing interviews. I suppose I’ll plug my website www.michaelbettendorfwrites.com. I’m pretty decent at updating it.
I’m on Bluesky @BeardedBetts. Stay weird – but stay safe out there!
Michael Bettendorf (he/him) is a writer from the Midwest. His short fiction has appeared at Cosmic Horror Monthly, Mythaxis Magazine, the Drabblecast, and elsewhere. His debut experimental horror novel/gamebook "Trve Cvlt" was released by Tenebrous Press (Sept. 2024). Michael works in a high school library in Lincoln, NE. Find him at www.michaelbettendorfwrites.com.