“To Be Born Again”: In Touch Magazine’s First Graphic Essay
In Touch magazine recently published its first graphic essay, and I wrote it! Jeff Gregory illustrated it. Read it here!
Read CTJ/Saint Upid’s Writings
My Honorable Mention Essay in Belle and Sebastian’s “Write about Love” Contest chadthomasjohnston.com, January 12, 2011 The Star-Lassoer: An Interview with V2/Bella Union Artist Stephanie Dosen chadthomasjohnston.com, February 13, 2011 Music Review: Rubblebucket “Omega La La” Somewhere Over the Audio Rainbow, Prime Parents Club, July 8, 2011 Music Review: SPIN Magazine’s “Newermind: A...
The Prayer Chain “Shawl” Vinyl/Concert Fundraiser/The “Eric Campuzano Attic Tape” Bootleg
KICKSTARTER: SHAWL DOUBLE VINYL & LIVE CONCERT The Prayer Chain is fundraising on Kickstarter to release their album, Shawl, on double vinyl, and to provide a concert experience for fans (i.e. for me!). As of this writing, they’re almost 75% funded, but they need your help! So go here and fork over your hard-earned dead...
A Strange School of Apocalyptic Fish: A Review of “What Will Soon Take Place” by Tania Runyan
My Review ***** (Out of 5) Tania Runyan has conjured up a strange school of apocalyptic fish with What Will Soon Take Place (Paraclete Press). Each of the poems in this collection, which explores the book of Revelation through a personal lens, wriggles with wit, catches light like so many shining rainbow scales, and sets ripples...
Indoor Smoke Signals: A Thanksgiving Essay + Recipe
Picture Above: Grandpa Jack, me, and Grandma Ruthie back in the day when I rocked bangs. I wrote this piece a few years back for our church’s cookbook. I hope you like it and the recipe that accompanies it. The event described in the piece took place sometime around 1992 or 1993, I believe. Indoor...
Cacao Euphoria: A Salute to a Lawrencian Baker
Yeah. I’m posting a blog entry for the first time since humanity discovered fire. I know it’s been awhile. But Evie goes to kindergarten in 78 days (Who’s counting though?) and I fully expect that I will be able to post more often once this happens. So I am beginning today by posting a little...
Sanctuary of the Cinema 2016-2017 Syllabus
Sanctuary of the Cinema, 2016-2017 Course Syllabus Instructor: Chad T. Johnston chad1978@gmail.com Twitter: @Saint_Upid All features begin at 6:00 p.m. in the sanctuary at First Baptist Church, Lawrence, Kansas. FBC is an American Baptist congregation, and is based at 1330 Kasold Dr. Film screenings followed by group discussion. Food and drink are permitted, and occasionally...
Marcia Epstein Interviews CTJ on LawrenceHits.com
In 2014, I realized that if God found it necessary to rest on the seventh day of creation—literal, figurative, or otherwise—I might do well to take a few deep breaths, too. That being said, last year I resolved to slay fewer word dragons, eased up on my overeager social media output, read more (I even finished Dune,...
Book Review: Elizabeth Esther’s “Girl at the End of the World”
I read this book in two days. I never read anything in two days—not ever. I am a tortoise of a reader, trudging along the highway with innumerable hares haranguing me as they hurry past me. Most books take me weeks or months to mull over. As a writer, I am also pretty pokey. But...
CTJ Designs Jennifer Luitwieler’s “Seven Days in May” Book Cover
In February, I designed the cover of Jennifer Luitwieler’s new book, a novel titled Seven Days in May. Unfortunately, I did not draw the marvelous map of Tulsa that adorns the cover. That’s an authentic work from 1918. My biased review of the book is up at Amazon here. Buy the book, and follow Jennifer...
Denison Witmer Sings Evie to Sleep
I have been listening to Denison Witmer since I discovered his Safe Away album in 2001, which was a very lonely year for me. I was in graduate school, girlfriendless, and vocationally clueless. I soothed myself by listening to Safe Away and a few other albums I mention here in my essay, “The Flowering Dark,“...
JWB Interviews CTJ + Blurbs to Make You Buy “Nightmarriage”
JWB vs. CTJ: An Acronym Battle for the Ages Read author, editor, and English teacher Jeri Walker-Bickett’s interview with me! In it, I discuss Nightmarriage, eLectio Publishing, Danny Joe Gibson, IMAGE Journal, Anne Lamott, and many more people, places, and things. http://jeriwb.com/author-interview-chad-thomas-johnston-6764/#more-6764 Do me a solid: If you like the interview, share it on Facebook,...
“Nightmarriage” Announced as Finalist for “Shirley You Jest! Book Award”
I just received email notification that Nightmarriage is officially a finalist for the Los Angeles, California-based “Shirley You Jest! Book Awards!” Hooray! The judges of the contest write, “From his explanation of the title (no, it’s not about getting married at night) to his explanation of his wife’s lost phone (she’s a black hole), Nightmarriage...