Category Archives: Ruminations

Greetings from the Northern Mountains

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Hey friends, long time no talk (at least for my official writing page and list). I’ve been primarily focused the last year on managing my Facebook page (which now reaches tens of millions of people a year) and writing a screenplay and original concept I REALLY like. As well as my adventure photography and the gym. In addition, you can find me at my Instagram. I also just started a new Youtube and Titktok and would love to see you all over there (all under @michaelhodgesauthor).

So, what’s been going on? I’ve got a couple new novels being shopped by my literary agent. And “The Gloaming” (my short story collection) received a new publisher and cover and the audio rights for “The Invasive” have been renewed for seven years by Tantor Audio, which is cool. They did an amazing job.

In addition to this, I’ve been writing non-fiction articles on my Facebook page to accompany an image or short film, which has been fun and well received by millions upon millions of people.

It was also an honor to recently be contacted by a sitting United States Senator and to be asked for my public endorsement, which I did across my platforms.

In all honesty things have been a bit nuts. Reaching this many people a year has caused some issues in public that I’m adapting to. But I’m not going to lie, I still love going out to bars, socializing, and being way back in the wilderness next to grizzly bears. I seem to gravitate to the core of life, towards the wild things. I don’t like the boring stuff. There’s not much sitting around over here. I’m always moving, always onto the next thrilling thing. Sometimes that can be dangerous, especially in the case of wild animals like moose and grizzlies.

And speaking of that, I just got back from a three week trip to SPECTACULAR Glacier National Park where I hiked and did adventure photography.

Hopefully my Montana fire lookout tower ghost story “Bitterroot” will be coming out soon.

And be good. Or not. Heh.

Best,
– Michael

Update from the North Country, 2023 version.

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Hey guys, it’s been a dang interesting spring so far (and about to be summer). I’ve been bouncing around Montana and the PNW, attending speaking engagements at conventions and also acquiring content for social media and the documentary I’m working on titled “Leaving Montana”.

I had an excellent time speaking at Miscon 37 in Missoula, Montana. There’s hardly a better place to be in the world than western Montana in spring.

In all that, I managed to finish a new novel, a psychological thriller based in Montana. It’s currently on submission with my agent.

I hope you all are having a great warm season. You can find me where the tall, north country forests mingle with hidden waterfalls and lumbering moose.


2022: A Life Altering Year.

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Hey guys, I didn’t get a chance up until now to post a 2022 year end wrap up, so here it is.

 I’m sitting here in a hotel room in the Pacific Northwest working on my latest novel. There’s a lot going on. To the point I’m just trying to balance everything the best I can.

In 2022, My Facebook page reached 45 million people. I started that page to post writing and adventure photography a few years back. I’m extremely appreciative of all of you who frequent that page. I am humbled and surprised at what’s happening.

Also in 2022, my debut novel The Puller was published by Pyr and distributed by Simon and Schuster. I actually saw my book on the shelves next to Stephen King books at Barnes and Noble. I was stunned!

In addition, I did a very brief thing on the TV show Yellowstone that qualified me for SAG.

2022 was pretty cool.

I can’t thank you all enough. I have to admit, it’s also been a little weird. When you start accomplishing some of the career things you’ve always wanted to accomplish, you find out real quick who was actually rooting for you and who secretly wasn’t.

And that’s been a revelation. But as always, my eyes are on the big picture. To forge meaningful relationships and to create meaningful art. And to promote kindness and awareness through my writing and photography.

Here’s to a happy, healthy 2023 to all of you!


Father’s Day

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I’ve been walking a lot in Missoula. It’s what I do when I’m taking an hour break from writing. Usually I’m on my headphones listening to music, taking audio notes, trying to pet whatever dogs and cats I see. Yesterday, I walked past a bookshop I’m familiar with. The shop was where I had my first ever book signing in 2015. The book was my debut.

Eight people showed up.

One of those was my dad.

He flew out from Chicago for it, sat in the “audience” to support my first ever novel. And make no mistake, at the time that was me jumping off into the unknown. A leap of faith. A new valley to call my own.

After the signing (it didn’t take long haha), we ate ice cream and watched the river. A bald eagle soared over the valley, searching. He and I watched the scene quietly, an unspoken understanding between us.

No matter what, through it all, this guy has had my back. I strive to be more like him, more kind, less judgmental, more logical and practical.

A few years ago we took a camping trip to my favorite Montana river, and then on to Yellowstone. He bought a new tent and sleeping bag just for the trip. We fly fished and took pictures deep in the national forest. I still remember us wading the river at sunset, watching as the trout nipped bugs on the surface, as a moose and calf slowly emerged from the woods and crossed the river. Or filming the elk in Yellowstone, or the spectacular night sky. Or the poor guy having to eat my terrible cooking.

When I was a teenager and getting into trouble, he set me aside and told me I could be anything I wanted to be if I put my mind to it. I never forgot that lesson.

I miss those trips. Those times. I don’t see my parents as much as I used to.

But you see, that’s what they taught me. A healthy eagle flies far from the nest.

Happy Father’s Day.

My dad on the most epic of Montana’s rivers.

Writing and social media update, Missoula, Montana June 2021

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Hey everyone,

So, there’s a lot going on. My official Facebook page reached 1 million readers in the month of May.

I’m shocked, and the impact on my life has been immediate. I appreciate you all sticking by me over the years and participating in my art.

To put that into context, one of the top outdoor magazines in the country (and one my work has been featured in), Outside Magazine, reached 650,000 people last month.

On the writing front, my nature thriller “The Puller” is coming from award wining PYR in November, with distribution by Simon and Schuster. I couldn’t be more thrilled. I’m currently planning a tour in Montana, California, and the PNW. Can’t wait to see you guys!

I’m also working on two new novels.

If you look at my novels, “The Puller” was always a literary thriller at heart. Much of the novel is dedicated to landscape as character (see Cormac McCarthy as the best example of this) and to the relationships, with social commentary. My novel “Black Friday” expanded on this style, with a very expanded landscape, and also a focus on relationships and social commentary.

I was fortunate that “The Puller” was optioned for film and in development, and there are currently other options in the pipeline, for other stories.

I’m bringing this up because the new novels are absolutely a continuation of “The Puller” and the “Black Friday” literary experimentation style.

There were several directions I could’ve taken my career, but this path seemed to be the most organic fit. It’s not forced. It’s just what’s in my heart.

More news to come.