 Welcome to Church of the Chair where we celebrate all the things we do well seated. I'm your host E and today We're talking to JB Taylor about his new book into the mouth of madness. Did I get that right? Yep I keep wanting to say At the mountains of madness, but that's HP Lovecraft and that's not why we're here today I don't I don't know why I just keep doing that But JB how you how you been man? It's been a long time since we talked. It has been a long time man It's good to be hanging out with you again Yeah, I've been good big keeping busy Grinding up the word counts and just Doing my thing. I've just started a fantasy like a couple weeks ago, and I'm digging it So just give me crazy. All right, so I what I'm gonna do right off the bat. Hello solvents. How you doing? Right off the bat I am actually going to go in and I'm going to read The description of the book that JB sent me right off the bat. I let you guys know I have not read this book yet. I do plan on reading it I am just so far behind but I did read and absolutely loved his last book unplugged You have have you had anything else out between those two books? No, okay? Not a novel. I had a very small story in something that happened. Oh, yeah, that's right But no no other novels, right? Okay. Yeah, I believe I've either read it. I Can't remember how many stories. I've read out of that and I'm not sure if I've read yours, but hopefully Hopefully I will get to it at some point in time because short stories aren't really my thing never happened I write them, but I just don't consume them. In fact, I've been reading Before we go on I've been reading the same short story collection by Hailey Piper who I absolutely adore Love everything by her, but I've been reading her I think unfortunate elements of my anatomy something like that. It's like a 200 250 page book I've been reading that ever since it came out and it came out like three years ago So every now and again, I'll pull it off the shelf and read it and I do the same thing with you know I think diet riot. Uh, sonora taylor put that one together Same with something that happened, you know gen and uh, I wasn't in a Isn't it a collaborative effort? I can't remember or is it just her press that put it out? um, it's her press that She uh pretty much put put it all together, but everyone contributed like stories and also artwork too, which is kind of cool Yeah, all right So here is the synopsis of into the mouth of madness After defying the warlord in control of his home planet belladon Ecta is sentenced to an eternity of suffering When his pod crash lands in the datalus crater of earth's moon He expects he will remain there forever his pod. However is emitting a pulse And from her station at the seti. Is that correct seti seti institute Abigail murray is about to hear something that will change her world forever proof of alien life first off That's topical my dude because we're dealing with that right now In in real life in real life if you haven't heard it I'll need to go out there and google it after discovering ekna's astonishing abilities will earth permit the stranger a peaceful life I really love that that Brings that brings me in that one line. I like to like to tell people things that hooked me It's the after discovering Ectas i'm saying ectas Am I saying the right ectas? Ecta Ecta's astonishing abilities will earth permit this stranger a peaceful life. I like that. That's a nice hook Or will their ambition and greed get the better of them ecta Will bring humanity new possibilities new hope But his people are not to be reckoned with and they are coming will earth be ready The very first thing i want to ask you is where did this idea come from this uh this It's it's got sci-fi horror thriller elements all of that stuff. Um, was there a seed Or did you just start writing what happened with that? um There was a movie with david bowie in it a long time ago and uh, I apologize if you can hear my ac But it's like 105. Oh, I got mine on too. So but we're not we're not about to be sweating all all string So be as comfortable as you want to are you talking about the man who fell to earth? Yeah, okay I Honestly, I cut like maybe 40 minutes. I think I was like on my way out to go to an appointment or something um And it just kind of stuck in my head and I thought that'd be kind of neat that actually happened but like if maybe he was a pacifist and he was put into a situation where Someone with power realized that if we if we utilize this person the right way We can get a lot from him kind of like how there's talk about alien crafts and how they crash and we can maybe reverse engineer They they have that idea with him, but you know With certain aspects of him, um, and I thought what if he was a pacifist and he was forced to be unlike himself What if he had to go against the grain the whole reason why he was You know send away from his worlds because he doesn't want to fight. He's he's So it's like What so it's a it's called a conscientious objector Yeah, what it's called because you can even get out of military service here in america because you can say that you know I don't believe in violence and they have to respect that if it's based on you know religious principles So, um, I find that interesting. Um, but yeah continue on what I I'm kind of focusing in and I don't want to I don't want any spoilers. Um, right, but I'm really focusing in on the idea that he has left his His planet because he is a conscientious Objector and then he gets to earth and what so what you're saying is now earth wants to use him for warfare and he's still on The fence kind of deal can you give me more details without going into spoiler territory without spoiling he's Um, he is held against his will and they're uh It's really hard to Yeah, if you can't do it without spoiling it, I don't want to spoil your book for you Um, as always you have very unique names here. You have ecta You have the planet of velodon is velodon based off anything that actually exists or did you just go whole hog? With the make believe uh, typically what I like to do is I as I like to use latin Um, and I think it might be latin. It's just Been so long since I came up with the name I genuinely forget but that's that tends to be my first go to is is latin I I what I like to do is I I like to understand Like if we're talking about a character what it is What the character is all about like like the background who they are What what kind of person they are what they stand for so I like since if a person is courageous and In caring, I'll go and look up like what's what's latin for caring? Then you know, I'll kind of scroll and see what sounds cool and with velodon it's um, I honestly Don't remember. I just Maybe I just pulled it out Hey, that's good. That's completely all right if that's the case and sorry for the face wiping folks But it it's hot in this office. You know how it is and it's still daylight It's still it's still the heat of the day here. It's six o'clock. So yeah, anyways, okay, so Oh, go ahead. Don't continue. Please if if I don't use latin. I just I don't like to go with anything that's been heard before if I can which is really you know, super tough But I don't know. I just I don't want it to be like john. There's nothing wrong with john, but He's an alien. You can't name him john, you know, I I completely agree with you Um, in fact, I remember reading this one book and I thought this was rather cool But it was uh throat sounds instead of names It was fair. I can't remember what the name of the book was at this point in time It's been years. It's been over decades since I since I read it But uh, it was literally pretty much just they they had to write it phonetically But it was because the way this planet or or whatever they didn't have, you know, English They didn't have really any language other than like That kind of yeah, um, so it was one I do remember one character was just named M because that's the sound that the character made in the back of their throat I but what I'm saying is I agree with you. It's far more believable That you have a an alien. Yes, john haley said ha ha john the alien But yes, it is far more believable. Um, I had a friend when I was on writing.com who didn't use We we called it vanilla names. Um, who didn't use vanilla names whatsoever But at the same time it's like american Characters and not a sci-fi make-believe setting Named something like this cuckoo or something like that is just that that makes less sense to me Then uh, then something but I I agree with you as far as that's concerned If you're gonna if you're gonna go alien you got to do something different Um, even if it's just a rearranging of of work, you know letters in a word to make something new So, uh with with this one, I know you are a a big Big fan of inclusion and inclusivity that kind of thing Is this is this book as queer as some of your your older stuff? um There are Inclusive characters in it, but because of the pace um, I can't I I didn't really have The avenues to really explore that. Um But where these were certain characters to get their own story it would be very apparent. Um, but Basically my thought process going in was just How lonely ectom Is that makes I was just kind of the driving force it Originally, I wanted it to be a metaphor for autism But once I started the story I I realized that there was aspects of that to it But really it was just an expo an exploration of Of isolation and sadness and and what it can do um to your psyche and how Despite how bad things can be it doesn't have to change who you are and act as My goals for him to be that kind of living proof of that. It's like Dark times make you better sometimes. Um And I yeah, I just wanted him to be a driving force for that. Um, so with with ecta being an alien and humans being What pack animals? You know community what's ecta's home world like is it is it a community based? Uh situation there um, yeah, basically um You're required to have a certain amount of military training just because of where they are and This will be explored in future stories. I'm not like teasing because it'll be a wild part get to that but There are there are things that are required Of you because of where the planet is there's a lot of traffic So you need to be able to defend your home world Um, but primarily it's a peaceful place. There is a community and everyone's you know, they're very advanced It's not as judgmental. Um, it's more it's kind of hippie-ish, but you don't really get to see that because Oh a warlord uh Has gained power and he's pushing to control a great amount of territory. This is like kind of right up front So it's not really a spoiler. Um So you don't really get to see How good it is but before he came along Yeah, it's it's a pretty sweet place to live Oh All right, so we have ecta is not only a pacifist, but I would it would be would I be going out on the limb calling him a loner? Definitely a loner No, you you mentioned sorry you you mentioned i'm just very interested in this topic You mentioned uh seeds of you know autism there Um, is he a loner because he is misunderstood or is it just a matter of he does not like? You know, do people stay away from him or does he stay away from people? I guess is what he stays away from people. Um he he's very sensitive to Emotion which is something that I plan to explore Even more in future possibly possibly. Um Um, he's just he Kind of just understands people He knows he's empathic. Yeah to to an extent he he can he just knows a dick when Basically and he just you know Some a lot of people are fine, but it just got to the point where he felt better away from people Um because things were getting bad and he just wasn't comfortable. So he said, you know what? I'm just gonna chill over here for a while. Um, he doesn't hate people If you kind of like how I am this is where I am in the character I don't mind people. I would just prefer not to be around too many people I I think a lot of us, uh Not sympathized with that but solidarity definitely. There's definitely some solidarity there Um with so you you're definitely planning a series with this one. Um How many books are you looking at in total just to give people a You know feel for what they're what they can look forward to? um One for sure. Um More than that. Well, I'm not more than likely. It's definitely a prequel I because I want to go and I want to explore him more um Because I think there's a lot to to cover but I I would like I I told myself because because with unplugged I Kind of wrote myself into a corner. That's why I unplugged you hasn't come on yet and probably I was gonna ask you about that So if you want to go ahead and answer that question after you answer this Absolutely, uh, it's just like I I didn't want to wrap myself into a corner with this one So I was like it's going to end a certain way And if people like it Then I'll find a way to continue it. Um, and if there's just kind of okay Well, it's not a bad story, but it's not a barn burner either Then I'll go back and for my own self for my own bit of fun I'll I'll write his backstory. Um, so it just kind of depends. Um, but yeah There's definitely more to the story Have you have you considered? Um, just throwing this out there. I'm not trying to give advice or anything or even like plot points Um, but one of the major complaints from like the transformer series is we haven't spent a whole hell of a lot of time on cybertron Would you consider doing something? You know with going back you said you mentioned a prequel possibility So would that be 100 belladon? Yeah, it would be 100 belladon You would see it at its best at its at its people's best and at its Best societally, um, you'll you'll see it at its greatness and what earth could be if we just kind of put aside our bullshit And just we had common sense, you know Even 50 percent of the time it would be a much better place You you see you'll you'll see that in belladon and then you'll see Like the gradual collapse and why they got to the situation that he was in and all that All right, um the I guess I want to talk a little bit more About the unplugged two, uh the the unplugged sequel that never came Um with can you tell me what corner because i'm i'm i'm struggling with my memory here I read it. I read the first book and loved it. Um, I in fact, I believe I said, uh, the uh, it's the major It's what the matrix four should have been And I still stand by that But i'm having problems picking out how you wrote yourself into a corner because it did feel Like a first in the series book So without any spoilers, I I I want to talk more about into the mouth of madness It eventually but um I you you caught me with that one because i'm sitting you're trying to remember How in the hell you wrote yourself into a corner because everything at the end kind of You know alluded to we we had we had some stuff to do like, you know, we had places to go now that the I don't want to spoil anything now that everything has changed So so what corner was it? Uh, you can be as vague as as you want to be here. Um, but but yeah, well What what happened? What corner did you write yourself into? Um Corner might not have been the best way to describe it but basically there are two Um, there's a mother and there's a father. We have met the father um, the problem is the problem I found that um Is getting the characters to the mother um and The way that every instinct I have is telling me You need to unplug another person And you need to get them out and you need for them to break things down and you need that person to meet up with mac and aslan And have them join forces, but i'm like One of the things I had had hated about The second book in the giver series. I think that's what it's called was that it's essentially the first story kind of Yeah, and I I don't want to do that. So it's like How do I make it new? Um How to hey, how does john connelly write, you know 20 books? Based on the same pretty much the same damn concept over. How do how does any? Uh thriller author if it I mean even going back to like james paterson or uh Who's another one? I john con not john michael connelly. Um Here's if I if if I may I would worry less about that Because if someone likes that first book And they are willing to do as long as there's enough difference if it's pretty much the same plot line Just with either a new character and new shenanigans going on That's pretty much every thriller in existence now. I respect that you want to do something 100 new But at the same time you might just be giving people what they want Okay, there's there's a you know a five star, you know cuisine unique meal is great But sometimes all you want is the same old bola ramen Just just saying you know, there's there's there's some comfort aspects there if I may you don't have to take the advice Throwing that out there throw you a curve ball something something you can think about Um, but I do respect 100. I respect not wanting to tell the same story twice. Um, and I've I've been fighting that for the longest time. I've finally gotten to a place where uh, I understand that's that's what people want Especially uh reading reviews of books that go to wild fucking places After like a first in the series or even like 10th in the series Uh, I think what I point to the most when that happens is john connelly and his book the lovers You have this entire series up into that point. I think it's like book 12 or something Uh, you have this entire series from only charlie parker's point of view and then all of a sudden in the middle of the series You have a story that is 100 told from the point of view of angel and lewis or louis I still haven't figured out which one because the audiobook calls them both Earlier in the city in the series It's louis and then it changes the louis at some point in time then it changes back So i'm a little confused there But if you go and you read those reviews, it's pretty much the same storyline and charlie parker, you know makes an appearance It's pretty much the same build-up same delivery and all that Yeah, but at the same time you go back and look at those reviews and they're like this isn't a charlie parker book Why is it in this series? So it it's definitely a slippery slope or a fine line between upsetting Someone who is there for a series expecting one thing and being given another um At the same time I would say that that's where the matrix screwed up because the matrix going to matrix four Was pretty much just a read And they even picked on themselves what in in in the movie That they were just doing the you know beaten a dead horse doing the same thing and rebooting the series because it was popular and up to this Um, but there's definitely an argument for both sides of the both sides of the table You know, do you want comfort food or do you want a whole new restaurant experience that kind of thing? Yeah All right, so go ahead good. I just just to kind of Finish up with it. I I have a very very good idea And a very unique character that I know people would like But it was it was that it was that hanging up of not wanting to kind of do the similar thing, but you you definitely um That you you definitely made a point there and that i'm definitely going to reconsider and Probably start it sooner rather rather than later because I I already know what happens to the mother That that's what's been going on. That's just like and it's not the same thing that happened with the father Exactly. So it's really different same setup different delivery. Yeah. Yes Um, I I am I and I'm a little biased here But I am looking forward to the next unplugged and when you hit me up Well, you didn't hit me up uh jb asked the discord if anyone was interested or knew anybody doing interviews And I thought because you didn't mention what book it was. I was like, oh, holy shit. Maybe it's unplugged too Um, so I was like we certainly do I would have done it anyways if I had known that it was this But um, I wasn't I was excited for another another adventure in this world um, because We I hadn't I'm not a huge fan and maybe this will make more people go out And buy your stuff Just based off my own preferences. I don't like sci-fi and fantasy. I don't care about it I don't I would rather watch a movie Um, I would rather consume it that way because I have problems Maybe it's not my problem. Maybe it is the writer's problem, but I have problems picturing those worlds Um, and unless they're super and even even when they are super highly detailed I have problems because then we're stuck on so much detail when for me in Fantasy and sci-fi. It's just a much better visual medium because I can be spoon fed these weird worlds Um, but that being said I love jb's book. I loved unplugged It went places that I did not expect Um, and the ending I thought was absolutely fantastic and I was hoping for more um Now did you go into This one into what where'd the title come from? Did you did you have an idea because I'm I'm trying or if it's a spoiler please stay away from it, but It's the it really sounds like a horror novel and I know it has horror elements But what what is the mouth of madness and who's traveling into it? Um, it's kind of a metaphor. Okay. Um thinking but yeah, yeah, yeah for Yeah, I don't typically you typically go for metaphors because that Kind of adds more pressure because you really have to hit the nail on the head, you know um, but I just thought it was kind of apt because of what happens. It's just You have a pacifist. You have a guy who just yes, he can handle his own You don't want to fuck with him and you know fuck around find out But I love he he would rather not Um, he just he wants To relax. He wants to go hunting. He wants to just chill But if you make him he will handle him, you know, he will handle his business. Um But you take a guy like that Who's very chill? Who is a pacifist and you put him into a situation that is very unfamiliar for a guy like him It's just it's kind of a descent of madness. It's just like Will will he break and if if he does how? Right, so just yeah I was wondering if it was something like that or if it was just giving you, you know Sometimes it helps writers. Um When they they see how their work is perceived even before someone buys it and reads it. Um, the first thing I thought was Madness would be earth, you know It's the the chaos of the human condition that kind of thing and being thrust into this weird world That wants to either experiment on him or or whatever the details are and I wish I would have had more time to I wish I would have had time to read it before we did this Because that's where I do most of my deep dives. Um, but It the into the into the mouth of madness I remember you talking about this way back on twitter when I still had a twitter account Yeah, and the the very first thing that I thought of of course was horror and if it does have a horror horror Elements in it like you said But also I think I'm kind of tricked Not by you but by my own brain because when I read into the mouth of madness. I think of Uh, the john carpenter movie, um, like what is it? Uh, I can't remember then there's also the h.p. Lovecraft one. Um, so I'm immediately taken to A horror situation. I was actually pleasantly surprised that you were still doing the whole the whole sci-fi thing Because you write the type of sci-fi that I want to read. Um, you have a Wonderful sense of discovery. Um, you have when and this is just me talking jb up at this point It's a wonderful sense of discovery. It's almost like reading It's better written than this don't get me wrong. Um, it's almost like reading a child's You know mind Where you don't have these constraints that some other authors would have like you would go to places that are just Fucking fun, and I respect that about you Do you go into these stories trying to make them as fun as possible or What do you balance more message or fun or Whatever what what do you want to achieve with the books? Did you write fun? Like to go back to unplug for for a second when I when I wrote there are Some messages in that. Um, I stumbled upon those and when I realized that they were there I kind of went with it a little bit Um, so any story that I start um, I'm just going in just For fun like I don't force anything I don't I don't go in thinking okay We got to have action on this page. You gotta have some round to go out on this page You know, we gotta have some On that page. I don't I don't I just I want to have fun I don't know what the next page is gonna have because I don't I don't give a shit Do you not not right yet? Do you have just as much fun with slice of life stuff in your stories as you do the action sequences? Yeah, yeah, I I enjoy every single aspect because I don't force anything. I just I have the seed of an idea and I think okay, this character could be cool if I don't fuck it up and this This idea could be cool again if I don't fuck it up And so I'm just like, okay, we got a seed of an idea. I've been thinking about it for a minute Let's just go and I just have fun. Um Yeah, I I don't force anything. I don't like if I sense a potential Message I don't I just kind of just go with the flow. I don't force it Um, I just want my characters to sound different but be unique Um and and be unique I should say and I want the story to be fun. Um, I don't feel the need to Like what you were talking about inclusion earlier like some people kind of like Crowbar that in oh, yeah. Yeah, it it happens a lot. Yes. I get what you're saying. You want it to happen naturally. Yeah that That's why like Like for this story like it's not like Obvious like it is with unplugged. Um, it's just I just go with the flow And I just have fun and I just goof around I I I do have to read myself in sometimes because there are times when I'm like, okay Get the not everyone's gonna be high when they read this story. It's maybe just kind of So like I there is some raining in but yeah, I just I just want to have fun people want To de-stress they want to declutter their mind. They don't want to be burdened with too much shit This story that was kind of dark. So you might fucks with your head a little bit But yeah, I I just like to have fun. I I don't consider myself like the most talented writers So I just go in and try my best to have a good time. Yeah, let me let me emphasize this To anybody who has not read JB stuff Of course, I've only read the one book, but that's one of the things that stuck with me the most is just how much fun And even some and I do not mean this as offense because there's nothing new under the sun even though that's right That's that's a lazy cop out sometimes people be like, oh, I'm just going to do this thing You know to to make the story work When they could try to do something, you know a little more original but With with you you have an I even hesitated saying that it was it was the story that I wish matrix 4 would be because I don't want people making those parallels But I want to give you credit because It was more fun than the last three matrix movies It it was it was and and that's that's Terrible for the matrix series because the last matrix. Well, the third matrix movie was nothing but like non-stop action It's just I didn't care And you gave me a whole new cast of characters. It's pretty much the same setup You have people who are plugged in people who aren't all that stuff. It unfolds in new and Various ways that you know, I thought was amazing Um at the same time when I bring up the matrix when I'm talking about unplug I don't see any difference between that and bringing up Salem's lot when I'm talking about Dracula or or vice versa You know that kind of um because you this idea that there's uh, you know AI world or we're living in a simulation isn't new to the matrix either So now but people people like to point at things that are, you know, bigger bigger products bigger pipe, you know pop culture iconography whatever you want to call it and say, you know that that was you know You're stealing off of that when that idea has existed ever since those tropes have, you know, like technology People are immediately going to think what if this is a simulation, you know, we have computers and the smarter they get um all that stuff and now You're kind of prescient here my friend because proof of alien life you got this book about proof of alien life and My next question is going to be have you been following all the stuff that uh that they're talking about now? Of course, we don't have proof proof. We have uh the government saying there were cover-ups What do you have to say about that considering you just you're in your in your description? It says proof of alien life is, you know, a big bombshell Yeah, um, I have been following it primarily through tiktok to be honest. Um, and I think it's fascinating. Um I'm not surprised. Um, I can't remember his name, but there's a guy who was like a whistleblower like in the 80s or something um I can't remember bob bob lasar. I think it's his name like Bob lasar Yeah I think I know who you're talking about. I got like this much knowledge of that there's a great documentary of him and He came out like in the 80s and a lot of stuff that he's talked about like over the years has been proven true True and true and now we have this um, it's talking about reverse engineer crafts and stuff like that and um, contact Uh with aliens or whatever. Um, it's it's it's fascinating. Um, you know I you know, you've always been in the mindset that there's something out there. Yeah, I've I've seen a UFO Might sound crazy saying that They tell your truth. Um But it was in manheim, germany because my dad was in the military So we were stationed there and it was just like the saucer kind of disc thing It just casually strolling over the military apartment buildings and I ran home. I was like, I saw this I saw this and I grabbed one of those Sharpies it was like one of those 90s sharpies. We popped off the lid and you're instantly high Then yeah that I have a I have a friend who says, uh He doesn't use sharpies anymore because they took something something good out of the recipe and that that just made me laugh Uh, he also stopped using, uh Alka seltzer when they took this pseudoneprin out of it. Um, so So you could you tell what kind of friend this is but anyways Continue continue on we're talking aliens here. Let's go. It was I I immediately ran home and I drew what I saw And my mom was like, no, no, you didn't see I you didn't see that I'm not kidding you like six months ago We're at my mom's house and we're talking and for some reason UFOs came up or whatever and I was like I saw one it was in Germany. It was flying over the bases and you didn't believe me and my mom was like Everybody saw that we just didn't want you to be scared So like my whole fucking life thinking like I was batshit crazy or something So cover up time mom and dad covered up state secrets to protect their child Yeah, I I I have never believed I've never seen anything. Um, so I'm definitely 100 a skeptic But at the same time It's foolish to believe that we're the only intelligent or we're the only life forms Whether whether we be intelligent or not We're the only lot, you know, it would be it's also solipsistic to to believe that we're you know, we're the only life forms but I what I always thought was there's a Much more likely would be like extremophiles The you know the bacteria and things that live in volcanoes or that can live in ice that kind of thing Um, I thought it was much more likely that we would come across stuff like that And we would you know another race of beings out there Somewhere along the way But now I Hey the more that comes out maybe maybe not but at the same time we have you know astrophysicists Saying that we don't have this proof that we have you know the Hubble We have all that stuff way out there in the depths of space. We have one satellite That's a a million miles away from earth and hasn't caught a single thing um, and then there's also the tidbit that people Are saying that it doesn't have to be Inner galactic or whatever to be an alien, you know these things could come from our own water They could come from from you know the depths of our planet that kind of thing because I mean every time something new You know washes up on out of the ocean What do people say that thing looks like an alien? Yeah But I I thought I thought it was interesting because especially when I read that line The the the part about uh, yeah, uh, that will change her world forever proof of alien life Um, I I thought hey if nothing else you might bring some people in just based on you know The current the current stuff that's going on in the news. I mean just like you I got all my stuff off of tip tiktok too You know, I'm I'm I haven't watched any real news stories. Yeah. I I've always been fascinated by like I I'm still not 100 certain that It's like aliens I Because like look like back in the day with I think it's a stealth bomber like there was like exactly there was like Images of that and people were dead certain it was alien. It just turns out weird technology. We weren't telling people about um So who knows I don't know. I just find I just find the subject fascinating and it That david bowie movie the carl sagan book Contact it just knows like birthed that seed in my mind of What happened what like what would we do? As a society, what would people of power do? Um, and then what would the alien? Himself do so it's I always found that kind of fascinating because I because I think Regardless of who's in office rider left. I think If once they found out, okay, maybe we can get something out of this guy I think greed would immediately take over. Oh 100% man. It's like, uh, I can't remember what scientists said it but uh, there there are two things for certain If we find alien life one of them someone is going to want to have sex with it And then the second one is someone's going to want to cut it open and it doesn't matter if they're alive or not Um, they're they're going to want to dismember this thing to find out more about it Because humans are pretty much just cats without tails Our curiosity is is far more powerful than our own self-preservation instincts sometimes. Yep. Um We do we do it to everything we come across everything Exactly And it doesn't have to be an alien because you know beastiality exists all that stuff, you know We we cut up literally in our science classes. We cut up animals Whether those animals are dead or alive. I know they bring in dead animals for it But you know what happened how those animals end up dead anyways And that's that's a whole nother discussion, but um, I I do wonder What has happened with the things because we we don't uh, let like Chinese spy balloons fly in our You know our area too long without taking them out And I do wonder how many if if this is if any of this stuff is true How many that we have scared off by firing upon it and then you know They've never been back and how many we have actually taken down Um, if any of this stuff ends up being true I um when I was watching Because I because I watch stuff like this all the time and Bob Lazarus said that we are in possession of a great mini crafts And there was one documentary that I was watching that said all the sightings Started around the time we tested the first nuclear bomb Which I found pretty fascinating. So it's like it could have been a beacon It could have been something where someone, you know Out in the depths of space with the same technology or better than ours Was watching and that happened or they were just watching our area and they just happened But then again, you know, you think about it. We're we're this We're not even a dust mode in the grand scheme of things of the universe So is that kind of thing even possible and who's to say it's not, you know with a with a society that might be Super Uh, technologically advanced to be able to see something like that. Um, it also begs the question Why would they come back if we have taken their their Their spacecraft and we have hidden it away or done whatever to it Why do they keep coming back knowing that it's just going to be a snatch and grab situation and we're not going to let them leave Uh, so are we actually dealing with intelligent life form? I that's that's the stuff that my mind automatically goats do because I'm a Uh, I'm easily I'm a skeptic on of all things no matter what it is You can tell me we're having turkey for dinner and I'll be like, are you sure about that kind of thing? You know, um, I don't believe anything at face value. Uh, so The the more I look into it, um, but but also at the same time and I keep saying this at the same time How many people have seen bigfoot? How many people have seen the Loch Ness monster? And while I believe that you saw something as a kid You know, what was that thing? You know, there's always that question. I think being a skeptic is good for us. Yeah, because That lets us Break down and unfortunately dissect Uh, the situation, uh, so that we can you know move forward with something without looking like a complete nut or fool Uh, because I don't I don't think an alien and I hope they're passives. I hope they're exactly like your dude ecta because If they're not We're fucked if they already have interstellar travel figured out, um, if they're smart enough to do all that stuff and come down here Uh, who's to say that, you know, we wouldn't just be wiped off the basis of the planet as nothing more than an invasive species You know, um, because we don't even take care of each other Why would we take care of people from other planets? Yep So I agree Anything else you want to say on that is we'll get back to books Uh, I'm planning on getting back to books right after that. But is there anything else you want to say on the topic of aliens? I I I'm right there with you. Um Yeah, just let's hope they're like like ecta because fuck Yeah, uh, I do not want an independence day or literally any other movie about, uh, aliens except for maybe what was that one movie, uh, paul That that That was a funny movie. Yeah, that'd be great. So, um, whether or not I I talked you into unplugged two What were you planning? Sorry What were you planning on doing next? Did you have plans? Were you gonna go do the I'll just let you talk. What were you planning on doing next or do you not even think about what you're doing next? Um, I'm working On a fantasy. It's called the chronicles of oligarch um and centers around four kingdoms who are Who it takes place over thousands of years. It's going to be a long time in in the works Basically the story is centered around a great thaw My idea was I thought it was a Thaw thaw like a thawing ice Okay, it's ice and snow and just bitter wind and I thought All these kingdoms have ever known is ice and snow What would happen if So summer is coming. Yeah, if if summer comes. Yeah, basically and I thought that'd be kind of neat because They're underground. It's how they've learned to best stay warm. Um They have to I I thought okay, you're gonna have diseases. You're gonna have you're gonna have dragons You're gonna have treasures. They're gonna discover things. They didn't know was there and now there's gonna be in fighting There's gonna be fighting between the kingdoms and I just thought it would be kind of neat To see how that breaks down That is a fantastic fucking idea. Like I have I have seen sci-fi stuff like that all the time I mean, we have what the fame, you know, the one of the most famous sci-fi horror movies of all time and that came up, but That's a great idea To have an entire planet world whatever you have That suffers a thaw and that's where your story starts. Yeah, you're talking about alien Landscapes, you know, these people have never seen and that's a damn good idea And I'm looking I'm looking forward to that one, especially since you know, you have like I said before You have a flair for the fun. Yeah It's I've been having a lot of fun with it. There are four kingdoms and One that's not recognized as a kingdom. It's they're kind of barbarians Yeah, and I just one is I I I went all out. There's there's a paranormal kingdom. There's like, you know, there's like an all-female kingdom. There's there's a an old I I call them spellcasters, but it's witches and wizards and whatnot and then there's humans and I just thought put all those people On a thawing world and just shit starts happening and like and that's that's just literally the start Yeah, and I mean, you also have the the Catastrophe of so much water at one time. No, it's just sudden sudden fucking oceans That kind of thing. Um, so I so each each one of these Each one of the I don't want to say races, but each one of these cultures are going to have their own Like underground civilization. So they don't even have experience with each other or they do they there is interaction Usually through messengers like messenger birds or they have patrols Because they do have a barbarian issue Because as far as as the barbarians are concerned and also the merpeople as far as they're concerned Yeah I I forgot to mention those They They believe they they control the water the barbarians believe because they were their first and honestly They were that they control all land and everything was taken from them. So just a lot of pissed off people around all these kingdoms and I just thought Okay, now there's a thaw and these people are having to come up And that's that's cool. Yeah. Yeah, she's gonna be so you have a frozen And I'm here. I am hyping up a book that doesn't even exist yet, but so you have a frozen Upper upper world like the the Face of the planet with the surface of the planet Yeah, but you also have like underground water systems and merpeople living in those underground water systems yeah There are oceans um that that are frozen over but you know, they've always been in the water so really nothing's changed Uh for for them and then you have yeah the barbarians who have I have a kingdom here kingdom here kingdom here kingdom here and then the barbarians are right in the middle Because they kind of been as the each kingdom was born. They were pushed further and further into the middle And yeah, I just Yeah, they have to come up and then they realize holy shit. We don't know what to do there are There are fucking dragons now where they come from. It's been ice for thousands of years. What the hell's going on? Um, I just thought it'd be kind of neat. I I was definitely it's definitely neat. I agree with that I was I was hesitant because you have the whole like winter is coming but for this it's gonna be this summer is coming You know, I mean, I was the first thing I thought of but I'm still open for that Like I was saying with you know, it's comfort read or new experience, you know And that's what I go into with With with books period is What do I want something that I think is going to be the same old same old just so I have a comfort read Or do I want a completely new experience the older? I get the more I'm new experience because I've I've experienced so much, you know, especially in reading I've read over a thousand books in my lifetime and you know, it's It's getting to the point where it's hard to find anything that you haven't seen before Yeah, there's there's some people still doing it But there are more people doing what you did with unplug which is taking an idea and making it their own and You know, absolutely nailing the concept to the point where It you completely forget that this concept has been used by other people is what I'm getting it So oh go ahead. No, you're fine. Go ahead. That's that's one of my favorite things about writing is Yeah, just Escaping and just creating something fun and I don't I don't take myself too seriously and I don't I I know going in I'm not writing Shakespeare You know, that's like an important novel. So I'm just like I'm I'm never going to be that dude. I think I'm good I think I can provide some entertainment for people Let's just go in and have and have a fucking ball and that's There's absolutely nothing wrong with owning there's absolutely nothing wrong with, you know, popcorn cinema or just just stuff there to be fun and but also To to keep you from belittling you what what what you were doing I know you're not looking for a grand literary experience Yeah, but you're helping people because you're helping give people an escape and while you your messages might not be deep Your your themes might not be, you know intergalactic or whatever. Yeah You're still helping people because you're providing an escape. You're providing a release You're providing something to these people that you know You're giving them time away from this catastrophe we call life Yeah A moments reprieve from the darkness as it were Yeah And that's always on my mind, which is why like when I was writing unplugged And there's a there's a scene in the story that involves very specific medical things. That's why I hit you up And for like advice because like it is escapism and I do want to get you away from everything that's going on But I also don't want to insult your your intelligence as a reader. I want To have a foundation of believability and then I'm just going to fuck with it after that I'm just going to have fun after that I love that. I I remember Neil deGrasse Tyson was talking to uh, Andy Weir and he and Tyson was like Get the get the facts right and didn't do it Yeah, get the basics down and didn't have your fun and that he was praising we're because we did that I was like, oh that always stuck with me. It's like You can make popcorn cinema or however you want to call it But just don't belittle the reader because they're gonna pick up on that shit It's like um, it's like using a gun in a movie and like it's a six It's a six shot gun, but he fires 12 shots. It's like what the fuck are you doing? You know literally growing up dude. I used to count for the two things I used to do in every single movie because when I was growing up uh Every single action movie had one of two things either. They had a gunfight or they had someone who had to hold their breath under water um So there were those are those two things and every single fucking action movie ever and usually it was the gun but Failing that there was at least That someone having to hold their breath for a ridiculous amount of time Yeah, um, and I would I would always do I don't know when it started, but I would always count the bullets always That was always something with me whether the touch of the tism whether it be adhd whether it be whatever might be ocd Something there made me count the bullets. It's like okay, and that gun only like you said that gun is a six shooter My dad watched westerns all the time Why is the person with the six shooter firing and then my dad told me something and this is the point I'm getting to he goes Just because you didn't see him reload doesn't mean he didn't do it. Yeah, so I That brings me to my next point. Also with the water thing. I would literally hold my breath As long to see if I could stay down there And but that's what made it believable or not for me for the longest time until I realized that There is no time limit on people holding their breath like some people can hold their breath longer than other people Um, so which brings me all the way to something. I'm going to actually be talking about in a In a video next week. I think it's monday's video. Let fiction be fiction. Yeah, um, while it's important to have your baseline stuff Also We need the wild shit the wild shit needs to be there. Um, and I respect people getting the facts right Just as much as I it's you know, just as much as I respect someone who goes off and writes bizarro Because we need the only way we're gonna have new experiences Is that people do that wild shit that they're not expecting? And we have been programmed for so long that if something isn't believable, it must be bad You see that a lot when uh supernatural elements are put in the books You know, I'm a huge steven king nerd. Um all the time you see constantly Oh, I can't stand that steven king made this book supernatural. It was fine up into that supernatural as a cop out That's not a rule. That's not a thing that exists Just because it can happen in his world or his universe or whatever does not mean that it is That that it should be labeled impossible or a cop out Um, because I have found it is far Far harder to write supernatural stuff Than it is real world stuff because when you're dealing with something that a hundred percent rooted in the real world You have to get everything right or else people are going to nitpick the smallest detail And then you have to be an expert in every single subject because let's say that let's just say for this book Uh for into the mouth of madness you get all of the science fiction stuff, right? But you but all the science stuff, right and you somehow screw up Uh How many miles per hour you can go on a certain road down there on earth because your stuff is set on earth Someone, you know, let's say a cop reader is like I work in that county and that's not believable because it's only 45 there It's not 35 that kind of thing And I think as a as a society as readers as consumers of entertainment We kind of need to move past that Um, because if not we are going to end up getting the same stories over and over and over again because no one is going to Want to take chances anymore Yeah, so so while I agree I also disagree Um, you know, let fiction be fiction sometimes. Yeah And I I think I don't think you have that problem because you have You you got the fun shit that you got the stuff the unexpected stuff down. You don't have that problem Um, but you know for for anyone out there listening and watching Don't let expectations Dictate your output. Yeah Have fun. Yep And I think unless there's anything else you want to talk about with into the mouth of madness I think we're done here my friend. I Just want to say yeah that I fully fully agree with that and I just I Yeah, just just read and have fun and that's that that's what I try to do That's why I don't really touch Literary because I know that's not my my cup of tea. Yeah, I I know that I'm I'm really good at blowing shit up, man and having weird aliens and you know Machine overlords and stuff like that. Oh, yeah It's you know, just have fun and and I hope people enjoy the book because I think it's pretty good. It's Different definitely different. Um, yeah There is a links to I did not give your if you want to go ahead and give your social media presence Let everybody know that but there is a link There's also the description of the book that we've been talking about into the mouth of madness out now by jb. Taylor There is a description and a link to where you can go buy the book down there in the doobly-doo JB where can people find you out in the world? Um, I always forget this part My uh Twitter handle is at JB Taylor 42 and That's where I'm at and I'm also on instagram. I'm pretty sure because I'm lazy. It's the same exact Uh, hold on. I actually know it's by now to use it every day. Um Yep, no, it's 19 JB Taylor 85 for instagram um Yeah, and uh, you're gonna get word pictures of me because I I like making faces and lots of pictures are my dog Because that's how I get down. Do you JB is also a youtuber? Do you want to plug your walk-off sports channel also, please? Um, if you're into sports? Um baseball and football I'll be doing some hockey and basketball as well. It's walk-off sports talk It's a very chill atmosphere. You aren't going to get like a in-depth, you know Super sports nerve breakdown of stuff. We're just going to chill and and watch the sports together So if you're into that sort of thing, it's walk-off sports talk Very cool. Um, I will be tuning in for the hockey stuff. I had no idea that you're going to be covering hockey I don't give a shit about baseball football basketball any of that stuff But I love absolutely fanboy over hockey. So I will be tuning in for that Also, you have a discord for the walk-off sports stuff that I'm a member of Uh, how how can people find find you there? Just search for it. I'm not I'm not big on discord I use discord, but I don't know how it works. So same. I Literally one of my subscribers set all that shit up for me. Same. Same here We're we're getting old JB. We're getting old brother. Yeah Um Later, I well this uh, this will stay live, right? Oh, yeah, it'll stay live What I'll do is you can you can send me all that stuff So if you're watching this after the fact or you can come back if you're watching it live Um, I'll have JB email all that information to me and I'll put it in the body of this Of this video down there in the doobly-doo as it works But thank you so much for coming and talking to me I'm really looking forward to the book. Like I said, your stories are hella fun. Your concepts are are high But they're they're still Grounded enough that they're just a lot of fun And I'm so glad to to know that Unplugged two is gestating because I'm looking forward to that one and uh, Congratulations on the new release my friend. Is there anything else you want to say before we go? Um Thank you for Doing this. I greatly appreciate it and yeah, I just I'm thankful for because it's been What like two years since I put out unplugged. I'm just grateful that It boggles them on that anybody still, you know Wants to read my stuff. So I'm always super appreciative. I'm not knocking myself to say it's literally been two years I'm surprised people haven't forgot it, right Hey, I you know, I'm in the same business brother. Um, I feel the same way Uh, it it is it is a constant grind It does feel like if you were away for too long that people are going to forget about you But I will also point out authors like thomas harris who wrote the Hannibal series Donna tart who writes standalone novels. They only write one about every seven to ten years So, you know, as long as you're putting stuff out there, I wouldn't worry too much about it just to give yourself some I don't know some A little bit of a boost If people like your stuff, they're going to be even more excited when they come across something that you've done recently And be like, holy shit. I really dug unplugged. This dude has a new book out Um, yeah, thanks for taking the time with me. Everyone go check out jb's new book Go buy his new book. Go read it. Go review it reviews are important, especially word of mouth But until next time I'll hail the chair. Bye. Bye I do