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andrewintheclouds.bsky.social
Andrew Hiller
@andrewintheclouds.bsky.social
470 followers 330 following 3.3K posts
Create. Investigate. Celebrate.
Writer, Producer, & friend of Muppets

Pitter Patty Finds Another Day, 2022 Escape Pod Flash Fiction Contest Winner,2019 BFF Author of the Year, #ViableParadise 23
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andrewintheclouds.bsky.social
Thanks to all the crew @trollbreathmag.bsky.social for sharing my essay on the origins of the name Hornytown. I'm not sure I even realized as I was creating my DC suburb of Hell all the reasons I chose the name or that was in part a clapback against prejudice.

I'll post the link when it's available
The cover of Trollbreath Issue 6 includes a bookstore on Owl Street and a mysterious hooded figure walking a dog.
November 29, 2025 at 2:08 PM
andrewintheclouds.bsky.social
Just because I need to release steam (by telling a bad joke) Here is an underrated post--

(ducks)
A fence post
November 26, 2025 at 3:43 AM
andrewintheclouds.bsky.social
My big toe caught a rainbow
A big toe with a natural rainbow over it
October 16, 2025 at 12:48 PM
andrewintheclouds.bsky.social
Perhaps the funniest thing that @hooliocesar.bsky.social and I discovered in Iceland. While we were wandering through their flea market, we found a vendor of international license plates. Right on top, we found one from our home state of Maryland.
The Kolaportid Flea Market in downtown Reykjavik held some surprising treasures including this Maryland license plate from 1980.
October 3, 2025 at 7:07 PM
andrewintheclouds.bsky.social
My first thought on waking in the States the morning after I returned form Iceland was "It's cold."

Was it warmer in Iceland than Maryland? Anyway, more photos.
A waterfall in thingvellir national park. A cascade of water blasts down a volcanic black rock cliff. To the right rainbow colored moss grows. A side view of Hallgrimskirkja: a cathedral (are Evangelical Lutheran Churches called cathedrals?) in reykjavik We found so much street art in reykjavik. Alleys, buildings, and more wore adroned by beautiful murals. This one is a mostly monochromatic image of a grasping rand reaching into an abstract swirl. Kerið Crater (a mammoth crater that takes thirty minutes to walk around. It is filled with gorgeous blue water.)
October 2, 2025 at 12:26 PM
andrewintheclouds.bsky.social
At the Reykjavík Public Library as soon as you enter you will find shopping carts. I love this so much!!!
Shopping carts at the library
September 29, 2025 at 2:58 PM
andrewintheclouds.bsky.social
@hooliocesar.bsky.social is perhaps the greatest vacation navigator at all time. We covered more than 20,000 steps and didn’t get lost once.
Nightlife was hoping at the Old Bookstore og Menningar. Three floors were filled as the band played music ranging from Dylan to Radiohead Me and Julio standing next to the sun vobager(a silver modern sculpture of a Viking ship A statue of Lief Erickson The Bifrost or Rainbow Road.
September 28, 2025 at 10:15 PM
andrewintheclouds.bsky.social
#iceland is amazing. Weather’s been great, too. Today @hooliocesar.bsky.social and I toured the capital. Since it was Sunday I had to do my best #MissionImposdible routine to enter.
September 28, 2025 at 9:57 PM
andrewintheclouds.bsky.social
First discovery drawing of the trip. As a doodler and a writer I guess I’m pantsed
Adlibbed sketch featuring weird leopard-like alien, prop in knit ski caps, wheeled baskets and a bug thingy
September 26, 2025 at 7:44 PM
andrewintheclouds.bsky.social
Pity the child who has ambition
Knows what he wants to do
Knows that he'll never fit the system
Others expect him to
Pity the child who knew his parents
Saw their faults
Saw their love die before his eyes
Pity the child that wise
He never asked "Did I cause your distress?"
Just in case they said-Yes
Cover of the British company recording of the musical Chess. The lyrics above are from the second verse of Pity the Child by Tim Rice.
September 23, 2025 at 12:41 PM
andrewintheclouds.bsky.social
The rally is giving me hope. The reviews by Hugo winning literary critics like @princejvstin.com fuel my belief.

1 hour 45 minutes left for the crowd funder. $823 to go.
Excerpts from Paul Weimer's Nerds of a Feather review of Hornytown Chutzpah. To read the entire review please go to http://www.nerds-feather.com/2025/09/book-review-hornytown-chutzpah-by.html
September 23, 2025 at 1:17 AM
andrewintheclouds.bsky.social
Red. Red. Red. Red. Red. Red. Orange. Pick up the blue. Pick up the blue.

Stop it. This is no time to sing Sunday in the Park with George. There are only five hours left to the crowdfunder.

There are authors standing with you! Keep it together, Drew!
(3/3)

www.kickstarter.com/projects/att...
Praise for Hornytown Chutzpah poster Meg Ellison: Wonderfully fun! Hornytown Chutzpah swaps out Virgil for a mouthy private dick. A visceral underworldly tale, and an unforgettable voice. Joyce Chng: A detective goes to Hell. Literally. What a wild romp! I really enjoyed Hiller's novella, right down to the very potent chicken soup. For people who love noir, detective stories, and the occasional Pit stop, this is for you. P.H. Low: With verve, razor-sharp wit, and plenty of heart, Hornytown Chutzpah peels back the layers of hell (well, its DC-adjacent outpost) to expose the messy foibles of humanity. Timely, compulsively readable, and just plain fun. Effie Seiberg: This book is super fun. Take one part noir, one part Red Hots candy, and one part Bubbe's chicken soup, you get the the delightfully meshugana romp that is Hornytown Chutzpah. Jennifer Hudak: This glossary is fantastic. I love it!
September 22, 2025 at 10:00 PM
andrewintheclouds.bsky.social
Someone dab my forehead. Hand me a scissor. Read me multi-Hugo winning lit critic @princejvstin.com's review.

5 hours left to fund the novella.

Breathe. Keep your hands steady.

(2/3)

www.kickstarter.com/projects/att...
Excerpts from Paul Weimer's Nerds of a Feather review of Hornytown Chutzpah. To read the entire review please go to http://www.nerds-feather.com/2025/09/book-review-hornytown-chutzpah-by.html
September 22, 2025 at 10:00 PM
andrewintheclouds.bsky.social
5 hours to go. Sweat on the forehead. Is it the red wire or the blue? Read the manual. No wait. Read the novella, the reviews, the author responses.

Things are in order. Just keep working. We got this. We can do it. Help if you can. the clock is ticking.
(1/3)

www.kickstarter.com/projects/att...
Excerpts from Daniel Haeusser's review of Hornytown Chutzpah published on the Skiffy and Fanty Show website. You can read the entire review at https://skiffyandfanty.com/blog/review-hornytown-chutzpah-hiller/ It's pretty great.
September 22, 2025 at 10:00 PM
andrewintheclouds.bsky.social
From Les Mis to Man of La Mancha to Avenue Q

Time is growing short to fund our novella for monsters. Please help.

Eight hours left!

www.kickstarter.com/projects/att...
Lyrics from Avenue Q's School for Monsters [Christmas Eve:] How much do we get? [Princeton:] Boy, it's not very much at all, is it? [Brian:] Never say never, Princeton, there's still One more person we have to hit up! [Trekkie Monster:] No! No! No! Go away. Me busy [Christmas Eve But it for good cause [Trekkie Monster:] What in it for me? Go away! [Princeton:] I guess Kate'll never get her school for Monsters
September 22, 2025 at 6:18 PM
andrewintheclouds.bsky.social
Friends privately checking in on me maybe means I've done something right in life.

I'm doing okay. Stressed. Excited. Hopeful.

10 hours left on the fundraiser. Just under a thousand to go.

www.kickstarter.com/projects/att...
Praise for Hornytown Chutzpah poster Meg Ellison: Wonderfully fun! Hornytown Chutzpah swaps out Virgil for a mouthy private dick. A visceral underworldly tale, and an unforgettable voice. Joyce Chng: A detective goes to Hell. Literally. What a wild romp! I really enjoyed Hiller's novella, right down to the very potent chicken soup. For people who love noir, detective stories, and the occasional Pit stop, this is for you. P.H. Low: With verve, razor-sharp wit, and plenty of heart, Hornytown Chutzpah peels back the layers of hell (well, its DC-adjacent outpost) to expose the messy foibles of humanity. Timely, compulsively readable, and just plain fun. Effie Seiberg: This book is super fun. Take one part noir, one part Red Hots candy, and one part Bubbe's chicken soup, you get the the delightfully meshugana romp that is Hornytown Chutzpah. Jennifer Hudak: This glossary is fantastic. I love it!
September 22, 2025 at 4:44 PM
andrewintheclouds.bsky.social
Moving from Les Mis to Man of La Mancha, my favorite line of Impossible Dream has lways been always...

To be able to march into hell for a heavenly cause.

All art is an impossible dream that takes creators, editors, readers to fulfill the quest.

12 hours left

www.kickstarter.com/projects/att...
Excerpts from Paul Weimer's Nerds of a Feather review of Hornytown Chutzpah. To read the entire review please go to http://www.nerds-feather.com/2025/09/book-review-hornytown-chutzpah-by.html
September 22, 2025 at 2:03 PM
andrewintheclouds.bsky.social
Hornytown Chutzpah started w/2 conceits:

1) What if a demon was framed for murder but it was impossible for demons to kill.

2) If the Devil vacationed in Washington D.C. & discovered humans were better at torturning humans than his own minions who'd be the worst of the lot?

#satire #fantasy #noir
Praise for Hornytown Chutzpah poster Meg Ellison: Wonderfully fun! Hornytown Chutzpah swaps out Virgil for a mouthy private dick. A visceral underworldly tale, and an unforgettable voice. Joyce Chng: A detective goes to Hell. Literally. What a wild romp! I really enjoyed Hiller's novella, right down to the very potent chicken soup. For people who love noir, detective stories, and the occasional Pit stop, this is for you. P.H. Low: With verve, razor-sharp wit, and plenty of heart, Hornytown Chutzpah peels back the layers of hell (well, its DC-adjacent outpost) to expose the messy foibles of humanity. Timely, compulsively readable, and just plain fun. Effie Seiberg: This book is super fun. Take one part noir, one part Red Hots candy, and one part Bubbe's chicken soup, you get the the delightfully meshugana romp that is Hornytown Chutzpah. Jennifer Hudak: This glossary is fantastic. I love it!
September 22, 2025 at 10:33 AM
andrewintheclouds.bsky.social
Humbleness aside. The reviews've been pretty great. I'm so appreciative of the warm response from amazing Hugo-winning critics like @princejvstin.com who've not just wrote a review and left, but cheered on this noir throughout even when his name wasn't mentioned.
www.kickstarter.com/projects/att...
Excerpts from Paul Weimer's Nerds of a Feather review of Hornytown Chutzpah. More humbled and appreciative than Paul will ever know!!! To read the entire review please go to http://www.nerds-feather.com/2025/09/book-review-hornytown-chutzpah-by.html
September 22, 2025 at 10:07 AM
andrewintheclouds.bsky.social
Hornytown Chutzpah is much closer to musical comedy than melodrama. That said,

"One day more (for the fundraiser)"
Let's show them what "Little People Can Do!"
Don't let me be "On My Own!"

It ends at 11pm EST. Please spread the word and help if your heart urges
www.kickstarter.com/projects/att...
Excerpts from Daniel Haeusser's review of Hornytown Chutzpah published on the Skiffy and Fanty Show website. You can read the entire review at https://skiffyandfanty.com/blog/review-hornytown-chutzpah-hiller/ It's pretty great.
September 22, 2025 at 9:59 AM
andrewintheclouds.bsky.social
And little people know when little people fight
We may look easy pickings but we got some bite!
So never kick a dog because it's just a pup
You'd better run for cover when the pup grows up!
And we'll fight like twenty armies and we won't give up

One day more (to reach our crowdfunder goals)
Excerpts from The Skiffy and Fanty Show review of Hornytown Chutzpah by Andrew Hiller. To read the whole review please go to https://skiffyandfanty.com/blog/review-hornytown-chutzpah-hiller/
September 21, 2025 at 10:53 PM
andrewintheclouds.bsky.social
"They laugh at me, these fellows, just because I am small
They laugh at me because I'm not a hundred feet tall
I tell 'em there's a lot to learn down here on the ground
The world is big but lil' people turn it around"

One day more (to reach our crowdfunder goals)
www.kickstarter.com/projects/att...
Excerpts from Paul Weimer's Nerds of a Feather review of Hornytown Chutzpah. To read the entire review please go to http://www.nerds-feather.com/2025/09/book-review-hornytown-chutzpah-by.html
September 21, 2025 at 10:53 PM
andrewintheclouds.bsky.social
As Jean Valjean and the rest of the cast sang—

One Day More!

Help out the crowdfunder to show “what little people can do!”

www.kickstarter.com/projects/att...
Praise for Hornytown Chutzpah poster Meg Ellison: Wonderfully fun! Hornytown Chutzpah swaps out Virgil for a mouthy private dick. A visceral underworldly tale, and an unforgettable voice. Joyce Chng: A detective goes to Hell. Literally. What a wild romp! I really enjoyed Hiller's novella, right down to the very potent chicken soup. For people who love noir, detective stories, and the occasional Pit stop, this is for you. P.H. Low: With verve, razor-sharp wit, and plenty of heart, Hornytown Chutzpah peels back the layers of hell (well, its DC-adjacent outpost) to expose the messy foibles of humanity. Timely, compulsively readable, and just plain fun. Effie Seiberg: This book is super fun. Take one part noir, one part Red Hots candy, and one part Bubbe's chicken soup, you get the the delightfully meshugana romp that is Hornytown Chutzpah. Jennifer Hudak: This glossary is fantastic. I love it!
September 21, 2025 at 10:53 PM
andrewintheclouds.bsky.social
The walls of indifference stand thick but a peel of laugher can break through easier than a thousand hurled insults.

Not from the book, but something I believe.

34 hours left in the crowdfunder. Laugh with me. Punch up.
www.kickstarter.com/projects/att...
Excerpts from Paul Weimer's review of Hornytown Chutzpah. You can read the entire article here: http://www.nerds-feather.com/2025/09/book-review-hornytown-chutzpah-by.html
September 21, 2025 at 4:46 PM
andrewintheclouds.bsky.social
Two days left for the crowdfunder. Thanks to all the authors supported this book.
@megelison.bsky.social
@ph-low.com
@jolantru.bsky.social
@jomiles.bsky.social
@jenniferhudak.bsky.social
@effies.bsky.social

You're the best!
Click link to view or support!
www.kickstarter.com/projects/att...
Praise for Hornytown Chutzpah poster Meg Ellison: Wonderfully fun! Hornytown Chutzpah swaps out Virgil for a mouthy private dick. A visceral underworldly tale, and an unforgettable voice. Joyce Chng: A detective goes to Hell. Literally. What a wild romp! I really enjoyed Hiller's novella, right down to the very potent chicken soup. For people who love noir, detective stories, and the occasional Pit stop, this is for you. P.H. Low: With verve, razor-sharp wit, and plenty of heart, Hornytown Chutzpah peels back the layers of hell (well, its DC-adjacent outpost) to expose the messy foibles of humanity. Timely, compulsively readable, and just plain fun. Effie Seiberg: This book is super fun. Take one part noir, one part Red Hots candy, and one part Bubbe's chicken soup, you get the the delightfully meshugana romp that is Hornytown Chutzpah. Jennifer Hudak: This glossary is fantastic. I love it!
September 20, 2025 at 7:38 PM