A BIG Change to the Paranormal Dinner Club

Why the weekly substack is going away and what's next

Well, in a year of unexpected twists and turns on this writing journey, here’s another one:

I’m going to stop publishing weekly posts, but I’d love to send you, dear reader, the novel for feedback.

How Did I Get Here?

When I started writing in fiction in January I had no idea where this would go. I set out with a simple goal — to write 500 words a day. It seemed impossible. I hadn’t written more than short story of fiction since college. My 15 years since were littered with half finished opening chapters of things that I never completed. But I decided to focus on something tangible — 500 words of something, anything. As Ecclesiastes would say, the craft is the important thing not the end result.

And I had a really simple hook: the invisible man’s assistant arrives at Dr. Moreau’s island. I didn’t know what would happen on the island. I didn’t know if Moreau was good or bad. I didn’t know who the other characters were. Then a magi popped into the story. Then a fierce teenage girl. Then an African explorer. The 70k words that followed were an unexpected delight. The consistency of the craft created something.

Last, I had no publication strategy. I had no idea if I’d be pitching this to publishers, publishing it myself, or filing it into a drawer somewhere. My most important audience was made up of a 9 year old and 11 year old — my sons. They liked it as I read it to them. That was enough for me, but I wanted to somehow sharpen the craft. If this was a project of learning to write fiction again I needed help — I needed readers who would tell me what they thought. So I hit upon the idea of getting feedback via substack and then self-publishing it. Maybe, someday, I’d pitch publishers, but this was more about the craft than a bestseller list.

What Did I Learn?

Along the way I’ve learned some wonderful things:

• I’ve learned that some other people love the world of H.G. Wells, Jules Verne, and Bram Stoker the way I do

• I’ve learned that a raven with a monocle makes a good mascot

• I’ve learned there is an appetite for all-ages reading — something that engages kids and adults as they read it aloud

• I’ve learned that Christians want to love fiction but it’s tough to wade through weird stuff and spice and all the rest (books don’t come with content warnings after all)

• I’ve learned that non-Christians who might never want to listen to a sermon from me were still willing to dive into a magic world I created, and I’m honored

But I’ve learned some things that have adjusted me too:

• I’ve learned that an email newsletter that evokes the old serial publications of Charles Dickens sounds great, but it tends to get buried in your email inbox

• I’ve learned that if you’re reading fiction you probably want to read it on paper, on your kindle, or via audiobook — not via your email app

• I’ve learned that asking for feedback after each smaller section is tough because you don’t really know where things are going yet

• Promoting a brand new book project yourself is tough and requires you to become a marketing department, social media manager, writer, editor, publisher and all the rest

• The world of book publication has a lower bar for entry than ever (self-publication) but is more complicated than ever and the options are dizzying

Where Will We Go?

So after thinking about it, looking at what is working and what isn’t, I’ve decided to change course. I’m going to stop publishing weekly posts via substack. Instead, I want to use the 100+ of you as beta readers by sending you the novel in probably 3 sections. As each one is edited I’ll send it via .pdf and ebook format and ask for your feedback. The first one is nearly done and ready to be packed up and sent to you. Look for it soon!

For the handful of paid subscribers, here is my idea: I want to give you what you signed up for plus something extra. You signed up for the whole beta ebook and audiobook. You’ll still get it. But since we’re changing course I’d like to send you something extra — a Christmas novella in printed form. I’m only making a handful for our family and you’ll get one, too.

I’m also going to move from Substack to my own website and newsletter so I’ve got more freedom with what I publish and how.

Here is what’s coming:

• The Paranormal Dinner Club: Chronic Argonauts SHORT STORY — This will be a short story introducing readers to the world of Paranormal Dinner Club based on a forgotten H.G. Wells story, though remixed and reinvented (Early 2025)

• The Paranormal Dinner Club: Dinner with Dr. Moreau NOVEL — The novel I’ve been publishing via substack (Spring 2025) [Oh and I haven’t forgotten about the audiobook. I have a bit of a crazy and fun idea for how to do it. We’ll see if I can pull it off. ]

• The Paranormal Dinner Club: Christmas Dinner at Drummond Manor NOVELLA— This is the Christmas novella I wrote for my family this year and perhaps I’ll publish it next holiday season? (Holiday 2025?)

As of now I’m still thinking I’d self-publish all this because in many ways I’m still working on my craft and learning. (And I’m not sure how many publishers would take a chance on a copywriter turned writer turned pastor turned writer whose subject matter is an obscure sub-genre of late 19th century speculative fiction.) Perhaps down the road I’ll get an agent and do the long complicated dance of traditional publishing. I have found on this journey that I have more ideas for more fiction if the Lord tarries. For example:

• A middle-grade novel about an afterschool cryptid hunter club and a bumbling principal

• A fantasy series set in a world of ice creatures, underwater bases, steampunk airships, and deep jungles

• A sort of Stranger Things style Amblin adventure about the paranormal occurrences in West Texas

THANK YOU

If you’re reading this I cannot thank you enough for your support. Seeing 100+ people sign up and say “Hey I’d like to read along” has been more encouraging than you possibly know.

I will still use this email list along the way to give you updates, send you sections of the novel, and offer some fun extras. Of course, if you want to change course and unsubscribe no hard feelings.

Any questions or feedback? Let me know.

Non nobis solum

-J R Alcantar