“Sillyverse” is my blog for posting stories and making cultural observations. The ongoing story, a comic misadventure, Magician’s Apprentice, just began on March 20, 2020.
Why develop such a blog? Well, back in 2012 I wrote a story in daily installments, “The Troubles of the Farnsworths,” on Facebook, partly because I was going stir-crazy, partly for the amusement of some friends. The story did well enough that I decided to write a sequel. The sequel was going to be too long for Facebook. And I wanted to tell it in weekly installments. So I started a blog for the story that became The Dragon Lady of Stockbridge. And that story line has kept going in odd ways, most recently in Summer of the Netherfield Witch.
As the name of the blog implies, some of these stories share a common conceptual universe. My girlfriend named this the “Sillyverse” a while ago. I liked the humor and meaning of the name, so I’m sticking with it for now. Nightfeather: Ghosts, and Prophecies and Penalties, The Dragon Lady of Stockbridge, Summer of the Netherfield Witch, and As the Wyrm Tyrns are all part of the Sillyverse. Some of my posts, such as the ones on “Using magic in fiction,” “Magic in Dragon Lady,” “Dragon Lady chapter 9 and the Secret Service,” “A forgotten chapter in the history of the Sillyverse,” “Abigail Lane: a biography,” and “Abigail Lane begins her investigation of the Office, 1934” explain in increasing detail the rules and history of the Sillyverse.
If this sounds like a lot of historical background for a fictional universe, blame my training as a historian. That’s also the reason why in past I’ve often post historical articles, especially ones relating to the fiction I’m posting at the same time. I’m also posting historical articles unrelated to my fiction over at sister blog Sillyhistory.
There’s other material on the blog as well. The most recent completed serial is To Ride the Lightning Bolt, a story about a young American woman who’s a disappointed demigoddess facing an unwanted marriage. I just wrapped it up earlier in 2018.” On Huckman Causeway“, “Dead Cellphone“, “Death and Professor Appleton“, and “The Day After Halloween” are just horror stories I wrote for various Halloweens since this blog began. They have no connection to the other stories here, nor to the Sillyverse. At least I don’t think they have. And Magician’s Misfortune is a Sillyverse story that’s sort of a sequel to Nightfeather: Ghosts, but I’m thinking of writing it out of continuity, because I have a better sequel in mind.
Just as I’ve attempted horror stories for Halloween, I’ve tried my hand at ghost stories for Christmas. I’ve already mentioned Nightfeather: Ghosts, which was 2013’s lengthy story. The much shorter “When the ghost came in from the cold” was my 2014 story; unlike its predecessor, it is not part of the Sillyverse.
Finally, I’ve taken two stabs at the vampire genre. “My First Paranormal Romance” is a fragment of a story meant to satirize the vampire romance genre. And Martha’s Children is a longer and more serious exploration of what life was like as a vampire in the Chicago of 1969.
Who am I? My name’s Brian Bixby. I grew up in New England and still live here. You don’t really need to know more about me to enjoy the stories I’ll be posting, so I’ll shut up for now. If you need to reach me, posting comments on my posts and pages is fine. I’m also available by e-mail at the gmail.com account Sillyverse.
N.B. This blog is slowly being revamped while I reconsider its purpose. So some stories are going offline, at least temporarily.
Sillyverse 
Brian, this is SO COOL! I’ve been thinking about starting a fiction project — on top of everything else! — and putting it up on the web as a serial. You’ve inspired me to start.
Thanks for the compliment. I’m honored. Let me know when you go live with the project!
Brian, despite I’m following your blog, and usually your postings show up on my Reader, I have only today discovered your post on Criticism, and that by visiting your site. I would have added my comment earlier, elsewise. I’m posting this here because it’s not really part of the stream.
Brian, I have a Very Inspiring Blogger Award for you if you wish to have it!! Your stories have both transported me from my own little world, made me laugh, and made me just plain anxious for Friday each week for the next installment. Of course, Nightfeather is different since I can get near instant gratification with daily installments. Your writing and your friendship have encouraged me no end. Thanks!
Judy, I thank you, for the tribute as much as the award.
Now, I have to add that I chuckling about this for a reason YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT . . . yet. I’m just glad the timing worked out the way it did. I couldn’t have done it better if I had known about this. And I will say nothing more, until you figure out what I’m talking about. You will, guaranteed! 🙂