Resistance Reads

Stories, Power, and Resistance: A New Focus for 2026

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Original Digital Art: Inner Sanctum of the Celestial

Endings and beginnings have a way of forcing honesty.

For me, 2025 did that on every level. Personally, physically, and politically. Like many people in the United States, I could not ignore what was happening around me. That reckoning is what led to the creation of the Resistance Reads podcast. Then, in September, a cycling accident during the Denver Century resulted in reconstructive surgery on my left thumb and months of recovery. An interruption like that has a way of clarifying what truly matters.

What I returned to was simple.

My deepest commitment is to writing books, telling meaningful stories, and using anthropology to help people better understand themselves and the societies they live in.

A Refocused Direction

As a result, my work is more intentionally focused moving into 2026. This is not a dramatic change so much as a narrowing of attention toward what I do best and care about most. I want to be clear about that direction so readers know what to expect.

This site and my Substack will center on storytelling, culture, power, resistance, and transformation, especially through speculative fiction and anthropological insight.

What’s Coming This Year

Books

I will be publishing at least one book this year, possibly two. I plan to share transparent updates on drafting, revision, and release as those projects move forward. At least one audiobook will also be released. I have a big announcement about a stand alone book coming very soon, but I’m also working on Through and Endless Darkness Gleaming (Shades and Shapes in the Dark #2) and The Children of AEIS (Chronicles of the Great Migration #5).

Short Fiction

I’m currently revising several short stories. Some will be submitted to magazines and journals. Others will be shared directly with readers, with select pieces available to paid subscribers.

Paid Subscriber Content

Paid subscribers to my substack receive early access to novels, behind-the-scenes reflections on the writing process, and deeper explorations of anthropology and worldbuilding. That said, there will always be substantial free content available. I am aware of subscription fatigue (I certainly feel it myself) and want this work to remain accessible. If I could do this all for free, I would, but the more support I have, the more content I’m able to make.

Resistance Reads Podcast

The Resistance Reads podcast continues. Matt (my cohost) and I are excited about what’s ahead in 2026. The first episode of the year covers Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones. Conversations about banned books, power, and resistance are also live on the NEW Resistance Reads YouTube channel, alongside major podcast platforms including Apple, Spotify, Amazon, and iHeartRadio.

Ask an Anthropologist (Live)

This year I am launching live YouTube Q and A sessions focused on anthropology and storytelling. The first session, Ask an Anthropologist About Worldbuilding, takes place on January 13, with additional topics to follow. Future sessions will be shaped by reader and viewer interest.

Looking Ahead

If these themes resonate with you, I am glad you are here. If not, that is okay too. My goal this year is focused, meaningful creation, grounded in curiosity and care for how stories shape the world we live in.

If you are following along, I would genuinely love to know what you are most interested in exploring this year: books, anthropology, or the intersection of politics and fiction.

With curiosity,
Michael Kilman

Progress updates on upcoming books will be posted on the homepage of LoridiansLaboratory.com every few months for readers who enjoy following projects as they take shape.

I’m Teaching at the Creative Colorado Writer’s Retreat (And Other Updates)

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It’s been a minute, so I have a few pieces of news and they kind of involve most areas of my creative work, as well as a book chapter I wrote in an Anthropology book.

First up is that for the second year in a row, I will be teaching a session at the Creative Colorado Writer’s Retreat run by the incredible small press, Twenty Bellows. I have to say, I think this year has some of the most talented teachers of both poetry and prose in their line up. You can find out more about it here.

For my part, I’ll be teaching a session titled: Worldbuilding Without Info Dumping: How to Master Reader Immersion in Your Writing. My session will be on Saturday September 20th starting at 2:40 Pm.

The goal of the workshop will be to explore worldbuilding without exposition and instead looking how to build through dialogue and action so that your reader connects more deeply to your characters in the middle of the flow of the story.

But wait! There’s more!

At 11am on the second day of the writer retreat, we’re having a book fair. The book fair runs 11 am to 1 pm. I’ll have a table there if you want me to sign your books or pick up a copy of one of my 7 books. Again, there are many very talented authors at the book fair and It’s gonna be a ton of fun!

In other news, Resistances Reads Episode 8 goes live Monday September 15th at 7pm over on YouTube. And if you haven’t seen yet, we’re now on all the major podcast services. Episode 8 will cover the book, Black Empire by George S. Schuyler originally serialized in the 1930s, and is an early example of Afrofuturism. Literatura Obscura will air it’s 3rd episode this week as we discuss the book Ishamel by Daniel Quinn. It’s a novel about a telepathic gorilla who teaches a man the secrets to saving the world.

In terms of book updates, I have something to admit… I’ve been working on a secret project and it’s been distracting me from other things. But, I’m not quite ready to discuss that 8th and decidedly stand alone novel just yet. I am also working at building some of the lore right now for Shades & Shapes in the Dark universe. For those of you who read the first book that came out last may, you might suspect that it’s not really just a horror novel, but also edging into something more. In Through and Endless Darkness Dreaming (Book 2) Clarissa will discover that there’s more creatures out there, than just her own tormenter, Demon and that the world of magic is so much bigger than she realizes.

I am, also, slowly spending time in the world of The Chronicles of the Great Migration. I promise, I am still working on The Children of AEIS, and the final two other books of the series. They will get done.

One final announcement. This one is in the world of Anthropology. I recently published a chapter in the book, Exploring Digital Ethnography: From Principles to Practice. My chapter is titled: Worldbuilding as Pedagogy: Teaching Anthropology and Diversity in Contentious Classrooms. Now this is an academic volume, so while it’s not cheap, you absolutely can purchase it here. There are some great chapters in this book covering a variety of digital and interactive approaches to anthropology.

But if you just want to read my chapter… well… if you contact me, we might be able to find a way…

Until Next Time.

Resistance Reads and Literatura Obscura

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Greetings all,

I’ve been a bit silent since I launched Shades & Shapes in the Dark. That’s largely because I’m busy working on both the Audiobook edition (it’s an enormous amount of work but about 3/4ths done) and the sequel Through and Endless Darkness Gleaming!

But there’s something else I’ve been working on. Some of you may already know about my podcast with Matt Wellstrom, Resistance Reads (the link will take you to past episodes on all your favorite services) but, at a party recently I was asked to do another book based podcast. The name that Athena Huff-Sandstrom and I came up with was Literatura Obscura. This podcast focuses on strange, unusual, or lesser known fiction.

We will be launching the first episode live on YouTube on July 9th with the book, The House of Leaves, an horror novel about… well… it’s a bit difficult to describe but it’s definitely unusual.


Episode 5 of Resistance Reads airs live on YouTube on July 6th and will cover the classic John Steinbeck novel, The Grapes of Wrath. We love it when people join us for the live stream.

A New Podcast and Preorder for Shades & Shapes in the Dark!

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Hey everybody,

I have two pieces of news for you. The first is that the preorder for Shades & Shapes in the Dark has launched! You can preorder the ebook version from your favorite online store or you can preorder the paperback from Barnes & Noble at this link.

Want to get the book early and for free? I’m looking for 17 more Advanced Review Copy (ARC) readers. Basically, you let me know you want a copy by commenting below or shooting me an email and I’ll send you a copy in exchange for an honest review (yes even if you hate it).

The second piece of news is that me and my good friend Matt Wellstrom are launching a brand new podcast called, Resistance Reads. The podcast will explore the concepts of power and resistances through literature. Our inaugural episode will cover George Orwell’s classic novel 1984.

You can join us at the livestream here on April 19th at 11am MDT out of Denver. https://youtube.com/live/AqlLzQvCBBU?feature=share You can also watch the replay at the same link. Come join our discussion and ask your questions!