AmaZINE It’s In A Book Edition: Previewing ‘This Mortal Coil’ From Bonedust Press

Welcome to the table,

We exist in a landscape where “big blockbusters” feel more akin to the sword of Damocles, set to fall upon us and pin us down under it’s oppressive weight, leaving cultural scars we carry with us for the rest of our days. It’s always under the shade of independent and more avant-garde publishers that I find myself sheltering to avoid the sword drops being dialed in by massive ad campaigns and seemingly endless storms of hot takes and curated quips. These powerhouse media projects have campaigns and legacy intellectual properties that can, at times, take on a life of their own.

This sense of all-consuming stories and world-recognized characters are not only bolstered by billions of ad dollars, but also seeded on a grassroots level. They’re tucked into fan-fiction, spin-offs, video games, theme park rides, and a slew of other things that all rest precariously on their most high-profile players. Any goodwill and happy childhood memories shared around a book, film, or show can be eroded if those in very visible positions, the entities who serve as ambassadors or the voice of these brands, reveal themselves or are discovered to be problematic.

The xenophobic, transphobic, racist genies, much like those little creatures who once dwelled in Pandora’s box, do not go back into the dark once let out into the public eye. That changes the relationship with these big brands on some level. At least from my subjective opinion of not being able to separate the creator from the creation, regardless of what excuses are provided on an apology tour. We can forgive, but we rarely forget.

So when it comes to really settling in and enjoying something personally, unless it’s from creators I trust or who have shown themselves to consider everyone at the table, I tend to keep myself to the small corner shades of independent and small press. It feels a little quieter, a little less full of fandom that can spring into strange spaces and make one feel uncomfortable if they are counted among them. Generally, and this is objective right now, small press and indie publishing seem to always provide new ideas and fresh perspectives that come from an authentic place.

One of my favorite indie publishers to rest comfortably in the shade of, for a multitude of reasons, is Bonedust Press.

Focused on original, fun, and indulgent illustrated novels and novellas, Bonedust Press is dedicated to quality over quantity and producing stories at a cadence that is sustainable. They are also staunchly anti-scrape-bots, large language models, and other sorts of generative whatnot, supporting the endeavors of the creatives at every point in their publishing process.

Bonedust Press’s newest illustrated novella, This Mortal Coil, has my attention. Not only does it live in the spaces I love to explore, but the two creators helming it are both people whose opinions I trust and whose work I have enjoyed for quite a long time.

Author Jasmine Walls is not only the founder of Bonedust Press, but also an award-winning writer, editor, and artist. I’ve had the privilege to collaborate with her on a role-playing game project based on one of her The Last Session comic series for Mad Cave Studios, and I’m always looking for more stories she tells, so a dark fairy tale about a sentient sword in crisis, and a reluctant skeleton caught up on a quest it never wanted to be on, immediately sounds like something I want to read.

Jasmine is joined by Marie Enger, one of the most boombastic creative visionaries operating in the space right now. Marie’s work has never ceased to delight. Their particular style lends itself perfectly to this story full of tortured ghosts, cursed souls, and murderous witches all trying to plague a shambling skeleton, and it’s slightly stressed-out, broken sword.

This Mortal Coil is currently available for pre-order at the Bonedust Press site, including a limited edition paper miniature of Marrow and Kingslayer in collaboration with BenoitRC, and is set to publish on July 31st in ebook and paperback formats.

Until next time, I can’t wait for my copy to show up. I have already pre-ordered and will keep you posted with a review, but based solely on the talent behind this alone, I know this is going to be a good time that does not leave me morally anxious afterward. In the current media landscape, that is peace of mind I am certainly grateful for.