@ottsatwork@artsio.com
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ottsatwork

@[email protected]

Comix, cats, gay stuff. Black Lives Matter. Bahamian + Filipino living in Seattle 🇧🇸 🇵🇭 If you’re an artist, weirdo, or horny, I’ll probably boost you.

Older posts https://mastodon.cloud/@ottsatwork.

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Book 2: “Cat Burglar Black” by .

I saw some of his art online and thought it looked like “Invisible Hands” from Liquid Television, which I LOVED. Same artist! This didn’t have quite the same level of twisted, creepiness as that animated series, but I was so happy to find his work in comic form. There’s more too.

Someone stitched together all the “”. The voice acting is 🤌🏽 https://youtu.be/n5sP4yRb8Mw

@bookstodon

Panel 1, someone in bed, their head covered in bandages, eyes staring and teeth bared. A weak whisper: "Come closer, Katherine. Let me see you..." Panel 2 a severe looking older woman with her hands around the shoulders of a tentative, white-haired teen: "Don't be shy. Say hello to your aunt."

ottsatwork,
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Book 3: "Men I Trust" by .

Always loved Parrish's art: painted panels, odd proportions and perspective. This was kind of a bummer for me, but their art makes me want to break more "rules" with mine.

@bookstodon

A series of borderless, silent, painted panels. A Black woman on public transit. The same woman walking past graffiti-painted brick walls with barred windows: tags and courtly European dancers. Walking alongside a traffic jam. Walking past more tagged walls up to a red apartment door.

ottsatwork,
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Book 4: “Wool” by .

Refreshingly simple premise about a dystopian future where people live inside a silo their entire lives. The author wasn’t up to writing the inevitable “action set piece” as compellingly as the quieter parts of the book, and the ending felt a tad rushed, but I enjoyed it. Will read the remaining books in the trilogy.

@bookstodon

ottsatwork,
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Book 5: “The Town of Babylon” by .

A gay Latino returns home to the suburbs for a high school reunion and encounters key people from his past. Narrator alternates between 1st person to describe scenes and 3rd person to analyze social inequities. After a while, it feels a little like the kind of defensive writing people do on social media: it’s not enough to tell a story; you have to demonstrate your grasp of the conditions that led to it.

@bookstodon

ottsatwork,
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I'm moving my 2023 book thread to , the Fediverse equivalent of Goodreads. Apparently, you can see/interact with Bookwyrm posts from Mastodon and vice versa but it took me awhile to figure out how:

I had to follow my Bookwyrm account from here + (optionally?) vice versa. Now I can Boost my Bookwyrm posts into Mastodon for you to see. Gonna try it in a few...

@bookstodon

ottsatwork,
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Reporting back on cross-posting from to Mastodon: it works! And without the expected delay of the post appearing in my Mastodon feed.

However, it doesn't pull the body of the post over, just the headline of my review (rating and image too). Which makes you have to click through, and removes discoverability since the hashtags are in the body post as well as my tag for the group. Also! No way to enter ALT text for the image. 😕

@bookstodon @bookwyrm

ottsatwork,
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Conclusion: at the moment, cross-posting from doesn't meet all of my needs (ALT text for book cover image, hashtags for Mastodon discoverability, no importing of full Bookwyrm post text, adding additional images since I read comics too, no tagging Mastodon accounts).

I'll keep posting separately on each platform since I want to contribute to both. So resuming my 2023 reading thread here. Eh heh heh. 😬

@bookstodon @bookwyrm

ottsatwork,
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Book 6: "Hand-drying in America" by .

I love Katchor's line work and style. The observations and point of view in each comic strip are always interesting, but there's a density to them (visually and conceptually) that require a lot of effort from me to parse: architecture, history, urbanity, narrative.

I think I used to read them in an alternative weekly a while ago, and that's the kind of reading pace that worked for me: one per week.

@bookstodon

Comic strip with wobbly line work, colored in yellows and blues. City buildings and ads, one for a dentrifice with a close up of a toothy smile. A huckster-looking man picks his teeth, emulating the ad model: "Although Pepser is hardly aware of the sign's existence, its influence upon him is unmistakable." Outside view of ground-level shops: Meaty Burger and a dry-cleaner: "Like dry-cleaning fumes or the stench of fast food..." Pepser accosts someone outside an elevator with the pitch. Narration continues: "The essence of advertising has seeped through the wall and permeated his being." Pepser says: "Don't leave home without some!"

ottsatwork,
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Book 7: “Bury Your Dead” by .

I wanted to read more mysteries. Slowly making my way through The Inspector Armand Gamache series, mostly in winter. This one strengthens a sense of continuity between the books and offers history lessons on Quebec; the long-standing tensions between French & English Canadians. If it wasn’t clear before, Gamache isn’t infallible, and we see the large-scale and deeply personal effects this has on him and those around him.

@bookstodon

ottsatwork,
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Book 8: “Winter’s Orbit” by .

By the end, I really liked this. Up until then, it felt a bit YA in how it treated the leads’ feelings for each other. Why draw things out with the whole “not talking to each other honestly” trope? I have nothing against prolonging things, but it needs to be deftly done to not feel cheap. This wasn’t cheap though! I loved these boys. Their marriage (not a spoiler) feels hard-won. Plus, look at that cover. SO gay.

@bookstodon

ottsatwork,
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Book 9: "The Atlas Six" by

Written like bad streaming TV: mandatory "plot twists" clumsily done, artificially draws things out, a rushed final episode, and introducing a shadowy character in the last shot to laugh menacingly.

Frustrating, like most books. It’s got some interesting ideas and moments, but the writing doesn’t sustain them. The magic system and world-building are underdeveloped. Is it a rule that magic users are assholes?

@bookstodon

ottsatwork,
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Book 10: “Artichoke Tales” by .

A local artist I’m lucky to call a friend. I did not expect such a serious and mature story. The art style seems so … innocent. The villages have their own traditions, belief systems, and a shared history that I didn’t follow enough to fully understand. But I know how to load a cannon now, and there are some lovely moments beautifully drawn.

@bookstodon

Silent comic panel of a person on a stool, bent over their knees. A lit candle in the windows blows into the room, leaves swirling around, its light, also shaped by the wind. Jars and bottles line the shelves, baskets on the floor.

ottsatwork,
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Book 11: "It Won't Always Be Like This" by

Her second graphic memoir, it explores her Arabic and Muslim side. A bit more angsty given it was Gharib's teenaged years (and it was the 90s). I love her openness in relating messy family stuff, and cringe at the same insecurity I felt from wanting to fit in with dominant (American) culture.

The colors and panel structure in this book are more varied. It's exciting to see this cartoonist grow.

@bookstodon

Page spread of a teen Malaka and her young, Egyptian step-mom. Hala is waxing Malaka's moustache and eyebrows, asking about her boyfriend. "How do you know I even have one!?! Ouch! Okay, you have to promise not tell dad." "Tabain" translated from Arabic means "Of course." "His name is Michael, and he's not Egyptian, he's American." Malaka refuses to have her arm hair waxed because, "In America, people aren't bothered so much with arm hair."

ottsatwork,
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Book 12: "The Spare Man" by .

I've read and enjoyed all of Kowal's books. The worldbuilding is considered & smart, and her characters are always horny for each other (often, newlyweds).

Didn't expect a mystery, but this was fun. Initially annoyed by all the cocktail recipes, but she persuaded me to seek out complex flavors of the non-alcoholic variety (my preference). I always learn something from her, including a 5-senses grounding technique.

@bookstodon

ottsatwork,
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Book 13: “Violenzia and other deadly amusements” by .

Four stories, the two with Violenzia were the best. I love Sala’s creepy sensibilities, but this didn’t do it for me. My library doesn’t carry many more of his books so this may be my last (for now anyway). We’ll always have “Invisible Hands” though, which I’ll link to (again!) for your delectation: https://youtu.be/n5sP4yRb8Mw

@bookstodon

Two comics panels. First: two sinister red robed figures: “Senator, we need to get you to the V.I.P. exit.” “This is outrageous! I won’ allow some lunatic female to wreck this set-up! Kill her, Frogg!” Frogg is a menacing, bald oaf with a pointy head, carrying a hatchet. “Kill!” Second: Violenzia shoots frog with her dual pistols: Bang Bang Bang Bang. Their poses are wooden and there’s no blood. It’s very cartoonish.

ottsatwork,
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Book 14: "Who Will Make the Pancakes" by

Five really different short stories, most drawn in different media: ink, watercolor, colored pencil. Kelso's writing comes from a place I often can't predict, her observations a revelation. I don't think it was her intent, but I felt unsettled in the way that good art often leaves you.

@bookstodon

Black and white ink panels: an attic with some cats still sleeping in baskets labeled with their names: Tux, Smokey, Winky, and Nanny. A young girl sleeps among them. One cat dressed as an old timey maid stands on two leg and leans over the girl, "Mrow". Behind, five cats also dressed in servants' clothes stand on two legs and sleepily make their way downstairs. Panel 2: A woman lies awake in bed at night. A sound drifts down from upstairs: Eeeeee, eee, eeeeeee. Panel 3: In the morning, she and the little girl sag over their breakfast, the father asks, "Why so droopy ladies?"

ottsatwork,
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Book 15: “The Mountain in the Sea” by .

Well-written and smart in the way that makes you notice just how many sci-fi books … aren’t. The ideas aren’t new—alien life forms, AI, mind-hacking, new linguistic systems, and questions of sentience—but Nayler’s take and world-building are inspired. Especially how he connects capitalism to climate collapse, exploitation, and species extinction. Humans really are terrible. Highly recommend this book. 🐙

@bookstodon

ottsatwork,
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Book 16: “Shift” by

Part 2 of a trilogy, this one depicts how we got to all of the events in Part 1. More of a near future scenario with white guy™️ protagonist constantly failing up until he has the power over all of our lives. None of the characters are particularly sympathetic, and like the first book, some parts went on too long: could’ve been a full third shorter at least. Curious if the TV show is any good.

@bookstodon

ottsatwork,
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Book 17: “The World We Make” by .

Does well making up for the first book’s faults: less tortured metaphors of an embodied NYC, more story and world building. Still, none of the five boroughs/characters has a chance to really develop. I’d rather just a low key hang with them all rather than the multiversal drama. I love Jemisin, but this series is my least favorite. She really did rescue it with this second installment though.

@bookstodon

ottsatwork,
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Book 18: "Long Division" by .

I love Southern literature (American South)—almost specialized in it in grad school. Something in its sensibility reminds me of Caribbean lit. Almost every page of this novel-within-a-novel CRACKED. ME. UP.

Make sure to read this edition. It requires you to flip the book over & around to read the intertwined stories: a really cool tactile mechanic that brings new layers of meaning to the experience. Really is book art.

@bookstodon

ottsatwork,
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Book 19: "Ace of Spades" by .

This was on a list of recommendations. And with POC? I borrowed it from the library with a quickness. But I kept waiting for the magic and instead got a vibe. I watched the original TV show, so I'm not hating. This book just wasn't what I expected.

Which is a shame because I would normally be into a story about the only two Black kids at a private school. Categorize 👏🏽 books 👏🏽 properly 👏🏽

@bookstodon

ottsatwork,
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Book 20: "Radicalized" by .

I went through a brief love affair with Doctorow. But the sweetly clunky how-to-do-X-techie-thing-to-bring-down-Y-bad-guy-slash-system got too clunky for me. And repetitive too.

These short stories were OK though. Maybe he's gotten better, or maybe it's been long enough between my readings. Either way in all his writing, I still don't understand how encryption and private/public keys work (not asking for an explanation).

@bookstodon

ottsatwork,
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Book 21: "The Power" by .

Cool premise that the author can't carry all the way through. The story unfolds through several POV characters, but there's always the one (or more) that you're bored with, or there's a boring stretch for one you do like. So I always felt like it wasn't quite hitting.

@bookstodon

ottsatwork,
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Book 21: "" by .

Cool premise that the author doesn't carry all the way through. The story unfolds through several POV characters, but there's always the one (or more) that you're bored with, or there's a boring stretch for one you do like. So I often felt unsatisfied.

The conceit that the book itself is written by a man in a matriarchal world is fascinating. It only bookends the novel with "research" interspersed—I wished there was more.

@bookstodon

ottsatwork,
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I'm including , small press stuff, and in this 2023 "What I read" thread.

"Civic '99" by is a riso zine about a kick-ass 1999 Honda Civic, "Speed! Action! Violence!" Hell yeah! Before I bought it, we talked about my 1995 Toyota Tercel. Had to get this.

You can find more of Benjamin's work on Instagram @ WorldsBiggestMinecraftSbarro.

@bookstodon

Inside page hand written in black ink: "Can you feel it? Can you fucking feel it? The raw power surging through the wheel? You fucking pervert, YOUR desire for sadistic, depraved ultraviolence got US here. I wanted no part in it, but since I'm here, I have to call it as I see it. Are you proud? This car has it all. Lick the fucking road dust left by all this new construction. A WeWork space? Do you NEED it? Are you proud? I'm packing up and heading back to Rockford. At least there YOU have to beg me for mercy. Civic '99. Benjamin Paul Kraco Thanks Yewon Kwon Chungo.
Two page spread of a line drawing of the 1999 Honda Civic. Also in black ink is this hand lettering above and below it: "It was a Honda Civic. But not just any Honda Civic. It was THE FASTEST I ever got to test drive." A circular aura emanates from the Honda Civic, rendered in bright fluorescent pink ink. Get in, loser.

ottsatwork,
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“Waves” by is a lovely packet of three on accordion folded paper. See more of their lovely work here:

https://tenderly-honestly.com/

@bookstodon

Three strips of accordion folded paper laid next to each other. Their folds look like waves. Haiku 1 has a colorful gradient of yellow, orange, pink, purple blue from left to right, and images of leaves, birds, water and the moon. Haiku 2 has swirly blue lines and sensual bodies with red writing. Haiku 3 is on black paper with gray patterns.
The haiku are arranged next to each other, standing up. You can see their covers which depict simple lines forming different wave shapes. The envelope that holds them all is below.
Inscription in gray ink on the inside of the envelope reads: Pieced together by Alex Belardo Kostiw while Lake Michigan cooled. Printed by the Service Bureau in Chicago in 2022.

ottsatwork,
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Book 22: “Promises Stronger Than Darkness” by #CharlieJaneAnders.

I expected to be lost—it’s been a while since I read the prior 2 books—but nope! And we get to spend more time with the Grattna, a species whose bodies, language, and worldview is based on 3s, not binaries. Fascinating!

Overall, the series has too many species, cultures, etc. to fully track, but the way they solve problems and work through their shit is how more people should be in the universe.

@bookstodon #Bookstodon #Books

ottsatwork,
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Book 23: “Three Parts Dead” by #MaxGladstone.

What a great writer. Learned after the fact that he’s one of the co-authors of “This Is How You Lose the Time War”. Makes sense.

The ideas here felt new and exciting. Exposition and world-building doesn’t happen in clunky blocks like it does in so many books. It takes real skill not to frustrate readers when you throw together dead gods, magic from starlight, gargoyles, vampires, contract law, and a whole lot more.

@bookstodon #Bookstodon #Books

ottsatwork,
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Book 24: “Babel” by .

I really wanted to like this. And I did until just after Robin gets into Oxford. Maybe it’s because so much resonated with my own life & studies, I didn’t need to be lectured to as much as he did—I get it, girl. My frustration may just be disappointment in my younger self. What is going on with editors these days? It did NOT need to be this long. The magical system rooted in translation was pretty cool. fails me again.

@bookstodon

ottsatwork,
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Book 25: “Two Serpents Rise” by .

The second title in The Craft Sequence, I didn’t like it as much as the first. Gladstone doesn’t hand-hold in his world-building, which I prefer, but I felt I missed a lot of subtleties with the new characters, time period, and location. This is the kind of thing a re-read will address though, and I look forward to that.

I do love every part of the world across these books, just certain parts more than others.

@bookstodon

ottsatwork,
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Book 26: “The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet” by .

Wow, not what I expected: actual character development in a sci-fi title with lots of new species, cultures, and morphologies. How refreshing to take the time for this and not just plot plot plot! It does drag just a teeny bit: I wanted more to happen at one point. But I have faith Chambers can calibrate plot and character development for the rest of this series. Excited to read the rest.

@bookstodon

ottsatwork,
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Book 27: “Performances for Waiting in Line: Performed Alone or in Collaboration with Others” by .

Shortt’s print work “plays with, mocks and appropriates cultural norms, authority and rules”. I like his stuff. It’s accessible and brings art into everyday life. First encountered it in “How to Art Book Fair”: straight up advice.

This book has 60 performances. I’ll let you know if I ever attempt any. 😅

https://www.shortteditions.com/product/performances-for-waiting-in-line

@bookstodon

ottsatwork,
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Book 28: "Full FathomFive" by #MaxGladstone.

This series is too smart for me—not in a bad way, just that I think I'd get more enjoyment out of it if I were able to have both a pulled back and a focused in view of the world. The interconnections and the highly specific details of this city, this magic, this social strata.

Like the second book in this series, I think I'll enjoy it more on a re-read, which I'm really looking forward to doing.

@bookstodon #Bookstodon #Books

ottsatwork,
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Book 29: “New Suns: Original Speculative Fiction by People of Color” edited by #NisiShawl.

Read this after learning a Mastodon mutual is in it. Tend to have a hard time with short story collections, but this one slowly grew on me. I loved the author bios and having a better sense of what informed their pieces, especially as POC authors in this genre. “New Suns” makes up for some of its less successful parts by gathering these voices together into a greater whole.

@bookstodon #Bookstodon #Books

ottsatwork,
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Book 30: “A Closed and Common Orbit” by .

Really enjoyable, and only the second book in this series. This one follows two characters from the first book, and like the first, devotes good time to their arcs. Unlike the first, the plot moves quicker: it jumps back and forth in time to explore one character’s history.

I think it works as a standalone book, but even better if you read the series. Taking my time to read the next one to prolong it.

@bookstodon

ottsatwork,
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“one cat bus away” by local artist #MyraLara (ti.ra.de.ro).

A sweet, wordless comic about public transportation, activism, and weed. I love Lara’s art, politics, taste in music … I’m lucky to know them. This was a limited edition I picked up at Short Run this year. The digital image doesn’t do the yummy riso textures justice.

Myra’s website is https://mylar.carrd.co/ and their art Insta is https://www.instagram.com/ti.ra.de.ro/

@bookstodon #Risograph #Comix #CatBus @seattle

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