Today we’re here with a rather unique interview! Please welcome Michael McClung and the launch of his new indie eZine, Murderhobo, which features speculative fiction by indie authors as a middle finger to AI slop. You can read the first issue of Murderhobo for free with short stories from A.C. Cross, Jared Leys, Michael McClung, Timy Takács, and M.D. Presley.
Michael McClung is no stranger to indie publishing after winning the very first SPFBO with The Thief Who Pulled on Trouble’s Braids, high fantasy that follows the misadventures of the thief, Amra Thetys.
But what is Murderhobo, and why should you read it? Let’s put the Murderhobo-in-Chief in the spotlight:
Tell us a bit about yourself and your publishing history!
Most people would know me as the guy who won the first SPFBO. I’ve got a few series out there, and I’ve been around for more than twenty years as a published author, believe it or not (I have a hard time with it, personally). If people have an interest, they could visit amrathetys.com.
What is Murderhobo all about and why did you start it?
Murderhobo is a zine. A psychopomp, of sorts, for the longed-for death of AI. A barbaric YAWP. An allergic reaction to the times we live in. A sort of writers’ clubhouse. A creative outlet for those who choose to participate, away from the marketing and money concerns that follow indie writers (Maybe one day we can get to a point of paying writers and artists. That would be nice, eh?)
Why the name, Murderhobo?
So maybe you’ve heard of Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet, a long-running, twice-yearly zine that’s garnered awards and nominations in the speculative fiction space. The name has always bothered me, like an itch that just won’t go away. It’s just so incredibly specific and at the same time random. It sticks in your head (well, mine anyway). I wanted something that also had a chance to stick in people’s heads, but was less uhhhhh refined. Of course it has the roleplaying connotation, which is perfectly fine, but language is flexible. There’s no reason ‘murderhobo’ can’t also stand for speculative fiction that takes chances.
What’s your opinion on generative AI being used in the publishing industry and by authors?
Anyone who professes to not understand the many, many, MANY issues with generative AI/ LLMs at this point is being willfully obtuse. Even if it wasn’t horrifically resource intensive, or actively degrading students’ cognitive abilities, or being used as an excuse for companies to fire thousands upon thousands of workers, or actively contaminating our knowledge base, or (x100), it’s fruit of the poisonous tree, so to speak. Every artwork and book these models were trained on without permission was stolen. Millions upon millions of thefts. Fuck these techbro thieves, and fuck prompt jockeys who use the plagiarism machine to pretend to be an artist or writer.
Ahem. AI is bad and stuff.
What future ideas do you have for Murderhobo?
Will you be accepting submissions from authors in the future? If so, what kind of stories are you looking for?
Oh, certainly! As for what kind of stories, I don’t want to limit authors beyond the story having some sort of speculative or surrealistic element. Nonfiction would also be welcome.
Anything else you’re working on?
I’m trying to dig myself out of a very deep, very dark case of burnout when it comes to writing. If I can get anything completed this year, then I’ll shout it from the rooftops.
What other indie or self-published authors do you recommend?
Oh, jeez. Too, too many to mention. Every SPFBO winner and finalist would be a good place to start.
About the Author
Michael McClung was born in San Antonio, Texas, but now lives in Europe. He has had the requisite number of odd jobs expected of a speculative fiction author, including soldier, book store manager, and bowling alley pin boy. His first book, the Sword & Sorcery novel “Thagoth,” won the Del Rey Digital first novel competition in 2002 and was published by Random House in 2003.
Website: AmraThetys.com
