Matt B. Perkins

Archives for November 2015

The Winter Ride

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The following is a work of fiction.

Frost caked the plastic of the headlights, and the jagged beams cut through the static of the night.

It was winter, the deepest of it, and the two of them entered into the heart of the north, the bleeding sun behind them now, as they moved on the salt-laden road.

“What in the hell are you doing?”

This from Arthur Snow, at the wheel, coffee in left hand, still hot in the thermos, which surprised him. The label on it said Hot Up to 9 Hrs. It made true on its word.

“What?”

This from Derek, the younger one by three years. No coffee for him, only the fizzling head of a fresh-cracked can. [Read more…] about The Winter Ride

Ello, there…

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A couple of months ago, I joined this little emerging social network called Ello. I first learned about this through the blog of fantasy writer Ksenia Anske, who has written extensively about the network and manages the @ElloWrites community there. 

Ello, at its core, is a minimalist social network and home to thousands of artists and creators of various media (writing, photography, illustration, graphic design, etc.). I say minimalist because it’s just that — white background with black type, of the Courier-style font, giving it that old-school typewriter feel, which I personally love and frequently use. I’ve been pleasantly surprised to find that the community there is humble, welcoming, open-minded and it’s a platform that fosters creativity. There are countless brilliant artists on there. Lots to like.

I was humbled when Ello listed me on its recent list of “10 awesome Ello’ers” and also received notification that I’d been listed as a featured user. I have yet to really dig into what this means, let alone dig into the network, but next to Twitter, it’s emerging as my favorite venue for creative efforts and discussion.

And no, the folks at Ello have not asked me to promote the platform…I simply felt the need to express my thoughts on the network. It’s a great up-and-coming tool in the world of social media, especially for writers and artists of all mediums. I’ve dabbled quite a bit in the other giant social platforms, and I’m honing in on the following as my go-tos: Twitter, Google+, Ello and Instagram. That’s just where I find myself most comfortable (it’s impossible to keep up with every social platform, after all, and so it’s good to focus only on what works best for oneself). 

Want to learn more? Check out this fantastic article from Vermontguides.com on founder Paul Budnitz.

I still have a ways to go and more to do on the site, but if you feel inclined to check out something new, then by all means.

Come say Ello.