This is the long lost episode of Slipstream: The Pulp Culture Vlog. After I didn't move on in the Geek & Sundry Vlogs search, I allowed myself to feel down for a few days. It transformed into a sneaky shame spiral and I'm only just pulling my head back up almost two months later. Slipstream is going to be a weekly show on Thursdays with all the horror, sci-fi, and fantasy criticism you can handle. I'm really excited to bring this series to life and explore my favorite genres in a new way.

This week's episode is all about text. Literally. It's about how horror, sci-fi, and fantasy authors experiment with the physical form on the page to bring new meaning to their work. Watch it here then click through for all the behind the scenes goodies.

• I do own a copy of House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski. I just loaned it to a student and haven't gotten it back yet. I realized that when I went to film the episode and still haven't called to ask what's happening with it. Some day.
• I came up with the concept for this episode during my Spring Into Suspense theme month and anchored it on Joyce Carol Oates. Of course I did. She's one of my favorite novelists.
• I tried very hard to cut Raw Shark Texts as my Prose Interpretation speech for collegiate Speech & Debate competitions but could never find the right angle for the story. I think my team just wasn't up for experimenting with the rules since the only way to really sell the story would be to include the shark visuals at the climax.
• Did you notice the camera didn't change? I actually did this entire video in one long 15 minute take and edited it down for clarity and interest. I TL:DR hard and there wasn't dead air beyond switching the books in front of me.
• That's a lie. I had to cut a lot of House of Leaves coverage because I always call it House of BLUE Leaves. Whoops.
• Just for my own satisfaction, I'll point out that I have lost a good chunk of weight since this episode was filmed in June. I have a ways to go, but I see the difference between this and the newest episode of Sketchy Details @Home. Yay, me!

If you'd like to purchase any of the books mentioned in this episode of Slipstream, you can use my affiliate links below. Help a writer out, would you?

Avoid the Kindle editions of Danielewski's books and Raw Shark Texts. The formatting isn't right. Raw Shark Text really suffers from being plain text the whole way through on eReaders.

Share your thoughts on the video, the books, and your favorite experimental genre novels below.