C.M. Black

@foucaultu

Writer of things great and small. B.A., Philosophy; M.A., Technical & Professional Writing Blog writer for The Philosopher's Shirt Always goth.

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C.M. Black@foucaultu· 12d

Here are a few pictures. The illustrations are awesome. I have an older book that concerns the same subject matter, but I don't think it does it as well.

This picture depicts a dark-polished hand holding a copy of Floriography by Jessica Roux, in front of a bookcase with knick-knacks and neon lights.

This photo is of two pages from Floriography, held in a person's hand, the thumb nail polished darkly. The left side has the text for the flower, belladonna, showing its meaning, origin, and what you could use to make a bouquet for someone in the Victorian era. The right hand side depicts belladonna in a painterly way, a sprig.

C.M. Black@foucaultu· 16d

Don't love posting selfies, but freshly dyed hair and trimmed bangs always make me feel some kind of way. #goth

A selfie-style portrait of a woman with pale skin and black hair, wearing glasses embellished with bats. Her lips are painted black and she wears a corset-style bodice.

C.M. Black@foucaultu· Jul 8

I'd like to put up some copies of The Haunted Quill anthology up for sale. My story "Hunger" is an eerie tale of generational trauma and the occupants of an old house in Macon, GA. I will personalize and sign your copy, should you choose to purchase. Each anthology is $14.

An image of three gray books stacked one atop the other, in an artistically messy array. The cover of the one on top says: The Haunted Quill: Compiled by Lucy Harrelson, Lowell & Benson Publishing. The cover features an open book with a quill scrawling, smoke emitting forth. Ghosts and a skull litter the cover.

A picture of the first page of "Hunger," by C. M. Black.

C.M. Black@foucaultu· May 22

It's #WorldGothDay and I don't have anyone to dance with for the first time in a year. But I am celebrating the best I can, with some music and a storm..

A selfie-style portrait of a pale woman with black hair, wearing black lipstick and a Universal Monsters purple and black "cold shoulder" style top. She also is wearing black cats eye glasses and several necklaces.

C.M. Black@foucaultu· May 15

Today was my birthday. If you asked me any time in my life, I would have told you, I wasn't going to make it to 40. But here I am at 41, living a life and honestly very grateful I stayed. This birthday was a little sadder than last year's, but is met with quiet gratitude, even still.

A woman in a pink dress with flowers in her flowing black hair. She wears glasses and is pale.

C.M. Black@foucaultu· May 13

Thank you for hosting this, @marywyrd.bsky.social. I really love these! Will be in Atlanta for the Monsterama Market Macabre this Saturday, with copies of The Haunted Quill anthology (with my story) and a zine about how to style for goth. In the area? I would love to see you! #HorrorWritersChat

A stack of pamphlets tied with a white ribbon on the left, and a gray covered book on the right, sitting on a wooden table. The left pamphlets read Styling for Goth and the right books read The Haunted Quill.

C.M. Black@foucaultu· May 13

I made my first corsage, for my birthday dinner tomorrow. I used to be so bummed that I never got a corsage for dances and birthdays. I didn't care about dates, but wanted the hand flowers. I will attach it to a wristlet I will make. I had all materials but the flowers. #goth

A colorful corsage with pink and black ribbon, inset with a cameo.

A closeup of a colorful corsage with pink and black ribbon, inset with a cameo.

C.M. Black@foucaultu· May 10

Should you find yourself remotely close to Atlanta, consider coming to see me vend at the Monsterama Market Macabre. I will be selling plus sized goth clothing, jewelry, t-shirts from The Philosopher's Shirt, and some of my own writing. :) #horror #goth

Green and black flyer with a skeleton and some creepy hands pointing to text. Text reads: Market Macabre 4 One week away from your favorite horror yard sale! Free face painting Food truck Drogo Coffee & Tea 10am-3pm 1032 South Marietta Pkwy SE Marietta 30060

C.M. Black@foucaultu· Apr 16

I made this piece as an edit of a friend's design. The centerpiece is a glass suncatcher charm I proudly bought on a school trip in the 3rd grade. The two black beads are Czech glass from a choker my aunt gave my sister a long time ago. It ended up a memory piece and I couldn't be happier.

A pale woman's neck, sporting a delicate chained necklace with a unicorn pendant in the center. The bottom of her face is exposed, and you can see part of her chest, clothed.

C.M. Black@foucaultu· Apr 13

Did you know I have a Pango bookshop? If you are at all interested in helping out a starving writer who is going through a lot, please don't hesitate to buy a book. I offer discounts and you can send bundle offers. A photo from a trip to the Root House in Marietta. pangobooks.com/bookstore/go...

A woman in a black dress and jacket and veiled hat seated in front of an old Victorian photography set. She is wearing black lipstick and looks very serious.

C.M. Black@foucaultu· Mar 20

I'd like to invite you to read my newest #Substack post on living with bipolar disorder. I never thought I'd make it to a point where I could write about two taboo subjects: my childhood and my mental health. I am proud to be here. #writing #bipolar open.substack.com/pub/cmblack/...

An arrangement of peonies, irises, roses and daisies in a ceramic vase against a blurred background. Text: The Brain's Betrayal: How I lived with bipolar and found order in the chaos.

C.M. Black@foucaultu· Feb 24

An older poem. I used to write a lot of poetry but fell out of the habit because of bad times. #poetry #writing

A poem in white text on a black background, decorated with a vintage ghost and haunted house graphic: I Fear Poetry The way others fear ghosts I search for Sylvia Plath's Haunted House (looking for that empty oven) And I shiver The vibrato and the pain Beautiful words On A Page It's a wordier murder Poe's beating heart Oh wait...That wasn't a poem.

C.M. Black@foucaultu· Feb 9

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of visiting one of the gothiest places. Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta was having free tours, so I got to tag along. I enjoyed myself too much for photos, so here is one after.

A selfie style picture of a woman with black hair in an updo, wearing a lacy black dress, though the portrait cuts off near the bust.

C.M. Black@foucaultu· Feb 5

I sticker bombed my laptop. It was cathartic and relevant to my interests. This is the laptop I take to coffee shops for work, so it is a political statement and a sign for certain people to keep away. #goth #lgbtq+ #writer

A laptop with a hodgepodge of stickers in a collage format. The stickers range from colorful to gothic to classic.

C.M. Black@foucaultu· Jan 30

I sell books on the Pango app. I've an absurd array for (nearly) every taste. I spent 20+ years collecting books, so most of these are my own. I need to pay for my new insurance premiums and the grad school application fees. Starving writer life is not lucrative. pangobooks.com/bookstore/go...

A selfie style picture of a pale woman in black glasses, with black hair and bangs, as well as black lipstick; a goth.

C.M. Black@foucaultu· Jan 22

My latest is up on Substack. I swear, I never know what I am going to write about. #writer #bodypositivity open.substack.com/pub/cmblack/...

A Substack ad for the article: There Is (Probably Not) a Thin Girl Inside You. Features author's Substack and name. Includes a picture of an old photo of a mother and two children at a birthday party.

C.M. Black@foucaultu· Jan 3

I got tired of not reading, so I set up a system this year: a book on writing, a novel, and an extra nonfiction book. I have too many unread books and have been struggling with reading fiction since grad school. Here are January's selections. #booksky

Three books on a gray textured background, left to right: The Seance in Apartment 10, The Elements of Style, and Forbidden Knowledge.

C.M. Black@foucaultu· Jan 3

This new year, I am making it my project to read a book on #writing each month. It seems sensible to begin with the classic Strunk & White, The Elements of Style. I've read snippets of this tiny tome before, but never the entirety. I happened to have the 4th edition. I will review on Substack.

A small silver book on a gray textured background. A copy of The Elements of Style, the cover consists of title, authors, and celebratory blurb.

C.M. Black@foucaultu· Nov 7

On the other hand, the company for whom I work, The Philosopher's Shirt, ranks #2 when you search for Maria von Herbert, which is also a niche subject. SEO has trust issues. I was able to pull up an article I wrote for SoT, but I had to input the whole title. Does that make sense?

A screenshot of a web browser searching Google for "Maria von Herbert."

C.M. Black@foucaultu· Nov 4

I am absurdly proud to receive the hard copy of the horror anthology in which I have a story. The Haunted Quill is out now and I am beaming. Spooky books must be shared. #booksky #writer #horror

A woman in a large hat holding a book and smiling brightly.

A woman in a large hat pointing to a page in an open book, in which her image is echoed.

C.M. Black@foucaultu· Oct 13

Goth Market was a great success, especially for a first time venture of that sort. I was able to offload some very nice items to some very nice people.

A picture of a table packed with assorted decorative items and jewelry, with four boxes of books on the ground, and a rack of clothing to the right.

A closeup picture of a table of items for sale, including various decorative items, such as teacups and Halloween decor, and other Halloween/goth-themed items. You can see a closeup of the four boxes of books beneath, and a folio of magazines to the left, along with a tub that has a Jack Skellington Squishmallow plush.

A closeup of a cluttered table, cluttered with Victorian-looking decor, a few prints, a silver dressing table mirror, and hand-crafted jewelry.

C.M. Black@foucaultu· Oct 5

Finally, if you are in the Atlanta area next week, come see me at the Goth Market. I will be selling books, handmade jewelry, home decor, and lots of curated plus sized clothing! (Writer's gotta eat...)

C.M. Black@foucaultu· Oct 5

A few days ago, a ghost story anthology I wrote a story for released. This is the first time any of my fiction has been published, ever. I am very proud of my story, "Hunger," which features Macon, GA, and a horror that is not what it seems. You can purchase here. #booksky books2read.com/u/3yR7NJ

An image that features a large quill hovering above an inkpot, with wisps of smoke coming from it in the foreground. The background consists of a dark library with two shelves and a brazier on a table, with the title: The Haunted Quill.

C.M. Black@foucaultu· Oct 5

In celebrating philosophy, The Philosopher's Shirt is doing a contest where everyone wins. Share a philosophy shelfie, and I will give you a discount code to use on whatever you like on the site! Here is mine.

A depiction of a colorful bookshelf decorated with ghost figurines and Pop Funkos. The bookcase is strung with colorful lights in the shapes of mummies, as for Halloween.

C.M. Black@foucaultu· Sep 9

In my newest Substack post, I do something I've not really done for over a decade. I rip out a piece of my soul. In this post, I discuss death, trauma, and life, as well as the often complicated relationship between mother and daughter. #writing open.substack.com/pub/cmblack/...

C.M. Black@foucaultu· Sep 7

I'd like to invite you to read my newest on Substack, in which I discuss Lady Gaga's "The Dead Dance" in the context of choreomania and the danse macabre. open.substack.com/pub/cmblack/...

A still from a silent film in which a man and woman hold each other, looking frightened, with the specter of a skeleton looming in the background.

Text: Dancing to Death: The musical (and historical) origins of Lady Gaga's "The Dead Dance" Available September 7th, 2025 cmblack.substack.com

C.M. Black@foucaultu· Sep 6

Discussing #Wednesday through the lens of asexuality. My new Substack is up! open.substack.com/pub/cmblack/...

C.M. Black@foucaultu· Sep 2

#Dragoncon2025 was nice, but I don't think I can do a con of that size again. Had two panic attacks on Sunday, and felt very embarrassed. Sobbing woman by elevator is not a great look. I was able to get ready for the Open Casket party, but by the time we got there, it was closed off. But I did slay.

C.M. Black@foucaultu· Aug 30

So it begins. Badges for #dragoncon2025 acquired. If you are here, feel free to approach me and claim your sticker from The Philosopher's Shirt! #philsky

C.M. Black@foucaultu· Aug 20

I am proud to share that I will be handing out 40 of these babies, courtesy of my employer, The Philosopher's Shirt, at DragonCon next Saturday. If you see me around, say hi and grab an awesome sticker! #philosophy #philsky PS: Even better if you want to talk about any of the books pictured. ;)