Welcome to the brand-new version of The Ghost In My Machine!
Four years ago — almost exactly four years ago, in fact — I started TGIMM as a hobby. I had already been making a living as a writer for several years by that point; the site was more or less intended to be a way for me to keep writing fun for myself, as well to give me a reasonable excuse for all the time I spent reading and thinking about weird, spooky stuff. As the years have gone on, however, I’ve been delighted to discover that there are so many other folks out there who are just as fascinated with stories of the strange and unusual as I am — by which I mean you, Gentle Readers. It quickly became the case that the site was no longer just a fun exercise in odd storytelling for me, but a place for spooks of all kinds to gather and revel in odd storytelling together.
Over the past several months, I’ve been working on expanding the site, rearranging bits of my work life such that I can give it more time and resources. In that time, I’ve increased the number of posts published per week, expanded the scope of what I cover, devoted more time to long-form analysis and research-based features, and more. It’s not my full-time job yet (I do still have to pay the bills), but my hope is that one day it will be. If you’re interested in getting behind-the-scenes access, bonus content, a newsletter, and more, as well as helping to make a bigger, better TGIMM a reality, please consider becoming a Patreon patron or donating via PayPal; if those campaigns take off enough, I’ll be able to devote even more time and resources to TGIMM, as well as keep the site as ad-free as possible. (Also, many thanks to those of you who are already supporters; your contributions currently fund the site’s hosting. Hoorah for reaching a goal!)
Which brings us to today: The day on which we unveil the brand-new Ghost In My Machine! If you’re already Patreon supporter, you’ve been seeing little hints here and there over the past couple of weeks of what we’ve been cooking up; this shiny new site, designed by the wonderful House of Grays, is the result. We’ve also moved to a new domain, so update your bookmarks; we’re now officially located at theghostinmymachine.com. (The old WordPress domain will continue to redirect to the new one for at least some time, too, for whatever that’s worth. New content, however, will always be posted here, at theghostinmymachine.com.)
The content featured here on this strange little corner of the internet will continue to be the same kinds of odd, unusual, and spooky stories you already know and love; it just looks prettier and more unique now. The new interface should also improve user accessibility, making it easier to navigate as you wend your way through content both new and old.
But where are my manners? Come — let me show you around our new home.
Navigation:
In the nav bar all the way at the top of the page, you’ll find the three categories under which the site’s content falls, as well as general information about TGIMM, how you can support the site, and how to get in touch with me. Some details:
- Although TGIMM previously had many more site categories — I used to divide things up by Tales, Places, Encyclopaedia, Games, News, Fiction, and Admin — it’s become apparent that, while the Encyclopaedia and Games remain their own beasts, pretty much everything else falls under one umbrella (nine times out of 10, posts used to end up filed under Tales). So, all content posted here will now be filed under three categories: Stories, Encyclopaedia, and (of course) Games. (I know the Games are many of your favorites, Gentle Readers.) The Most Dangerous Games FAQ can also be found under the Games heading; just hover over Games and select “FAQ,” or go directly to this link.
- The About and Contact pages should be pretty self-explanatory, although for what it’s worth, the About page also includes all our social media information; if you want to follow TGIMM on Facebook or Twitter, you’ll find the relevant links and handles there.
- The Support page details ways you can help support TGIMM: On Patreon, and via PayPal donation. If you’re a Patreon supporter who donates $3 or more per month, this is also where you’ll find your name in lights as part of the $3 reward.
- Oh, and hey, guess what? We’re currently working on putting together a TGIMM Shop. It’s not live yet (I’ll be sure to announce when it is), but sometime in the hopefully near future, you’ll be able to purchase TGIMM swag, if that’s your jam. Stay tuned!
The Meat Of The Matter:
With the new design, recent content is (hopefully) easier to see: The most recently published post will always be in the big box at the top of the page, and the four boxes beneath will be the next four most recent posts. Clicking on “Load More Posts” will take you through TGIMM’s entire archive in reverse chronological order.
The Sidebar:
From the top down, you’ll see the site’s “search” function, a section called Top Stories, and additional links to the About and Support pages, as well as to TGIMM’s social media pages. Most of those sections should be self-explanatory; meanwhile, in the Top Stories section, you’ll find three curated older posts — ones that I think are worth taking a second look at. This will rotate on a regular basis.
Oh, and do take a look at the illustrations in the sidebar, as well as elsewhere on the page. No, closer. Closer still. Seriously, get really close. There’s a lot of wonderful detail there — like the raven’s “branch,” for example. There’s a reason I called this site The Ghost In My Machine, you know.
From The Vaults:
The Vaults — the area of the site where I highlight select links to other pieces about creepy stuff I’ve written for various other outlets over the course of my career — is now located near the bottom of the page. Clicking “View All” will bring you to the full list. If you’re looking for old Creepy Things That Seem Real But Aren’t or Scare Yourself Silly columns, you’ll find those here.
Letters From Beyond:
Sign up to receive posts by email and you’ll never miss a story. You can also do this by entering your email in the initial pop-up — the one with the spooky Victorian lady (look closely at her hand. It’s… not a human one) — or in the field at the bottom of the page. If you’d previously followed the old WordPress site via email and you want to keep doing that, you’ll need to sign up again here. That’ll ensure that you keep getting new posts sent to you via email whenever they’re published.
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So, there you have it! I hope you find our new home to your satisfaction; do make yourself comfortable. Just, y’know, watch out for the ghoul in the library and the creature under the stairs. They won’t bite, but they’re fond of making noise at odd moments and startling you when you least expect it.
What else would you expect from a Ghost in a Machine?
[Photo via MichaelGaida/Pixabay]