April 2026 Edition
“The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,
But in ourselves, that we are underlings.”
~ William Shakespeare
(Cassius to Brutus in Act I, Scene II of Julius Caesar)
Hail Mary
What do you look for when you stare out into space? I often look to the heavens for guidance. And though I feel God, fate, the stars, or whatever you might call it, offers answers, it is up to us not only to listen but also to respond. And that’s where we often fail. Because so often we hear the answer, the call, and deep down we know what to do. But we’re afraid. Self-doubt tells us we’re not capable. And so, we blame the stars, or life, or our circumstances. Not to say that things aren’t sometimes out of our control. But we always have control over our ability to listen and respond to whatever life may tell us.
In Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, when Cassius tells Brutus, “The fault is not in our stars, but in ourselves,” he is speaking of Caesar and the power he holds over the people. Throughout history, we often find ourselves under the rule of those more powerful than us, people we gave that power. Some things are out of our control, but we have to take some responsibility for our own fate. The stars do sometimes align, and as a Christian, I believe God answers prayers. But we have to respond—we have to act—we have to do the work and be the people we want to be.
I recently read Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir and saw the film directed by Phil Lord & Christopher Miller with my folks (So much fun!!!). It’s a long shot mission about going out to find an answer for our survival in the stars. And like most space stories, it’s really about finding out what we’re capable of. And that’s what we need to do to better understand ourselves is to leave home, get out of our comfort zone. We need to go out elsewhere to find ourselves only to realize we had the answers within all along.
I’m struggling as a writer at the moment. Don’t get me wrong, I’m having the time of my life doing what I love. But I’ve taken a risk, putting most of my energy and resources into writing. My success might ride on the stars, chance, or God’s will, but at least I’m here doing the work for myself—taking the long shot—because I can’t rely on fate to do the work for me.
So, let me ask again, “What are you looking for when you stare out into space, and are you willing to take the long shot—and go for it?”
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Greetings from the Writing Desk
Welcome to Inner Worlds in Ink—April Edition, 2026.
I want to take a minute to recognize my loyal readers and say “HI!” to new subscribers. Every time I get a new subscriber, I exclaim, “Yay, a new subscriber!” And then I think about this person reading my newsletter, and fear and anxiety set in, and I think, “Eek… a new subscriber.” But seriously, to both returning and new readers, I’m glad you’re here.
I’m still tinkering with Foster Poems before it goes back to my editor for a final proof. Foster Poems is a book of lost words meant to nurture shared feelings—love, longing, growth, loss, and the healing that follows. An adoption of letters, lyrics, and lines, this collection serves as a poetic lexicon for the human psyche, encapsulating the intricacies of emotion. Page by page, unfiltered truths reveal themselves—both overtly and subtly—giving voice to the barrage of thoughts and feelings we often struggle to name.
My other poetry collection, Color Sketches, is coming along and is just about ready for the illustration process. Like my last book Shuhari, I will collaborate with Eva Pola, who is this brilliant artist I want to gush about. I love working with Eva; we have such a great partnership. She elevates my work and inspires me with her brilliance. I’m also collaborating with Michael Martin, an intuitive editor who helps me understand my own writing better in order to build on it. I’m so happy to work with them both again.
Unfortunately, I am still dealing with complications from a previous surgery I mentioned, which has slowed me down. Certain side effects are lingering longer than they should be. The most frustrating issue is that I haven’t been able to enjoy a proper meal since early January. I have ongoing dysphagia, and while I can eat most things now, I still have to eat slowly and chew thoroughly. But I can eat, I am alive and functional, so I have little to complain about.
As I am behind schedule, I may wait to finish the illustration process for Color Sketches and release Foster Poems along with it as a double feature. I want to work on sharing more details about upcoming projects, including excerpts and samples. I will do my best to implement such a section in my next edition.
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REVIEWS & REVERIES
Book Review…
Taylor Jenkins Reid’s ATMOSPHERE (2025)
A read I very much enjoyed last year, Atmosphere is a 1980s story that follows two pioneering women entering a NASA space shuttle program. Joan Goodwin’s focus is the mission until she finds love where she never thought to look. Balancing the trials of space and society, Joan must choose her battles carefully in fighting for what is most important to her.
Atmosphere is much more about leaps and bounds in life and love than space exploration. It’s a story about going outside of ourselves for the sake of love and finding out who we are through our relationship with others. It takes you on a journey into the depths of space as well as ourselves and makes you question your own life choices.
Taylor Jenkins Reid is a fascinating storyteller, writing with a brisk pace and maintaining a 1980s vibe throughout. The book has time jumps that never feel distracting, especially as they are just within a few years. The small gap tightens the narrative and keeps the story moving forward. And the hardest hits are not the daring space challenges our characters endure, but the roadblocks they face in navigating romance. The climactic finale is a long shot that will put you in the pilot seat of a space shuttle and leave you with a lump in your throat, gasping for air. READ IT!
Recent Reveries…
I mentioned reading and watching Project Hail Mary which was a blast. I also recently saw Ready or Not 2, a fun film that builds on its predecessor in fascinating ways. It’s fantastical, over-the-top, and sometimes a bit too silly. But it’s also lots of fun and well thought out with a satisfying finale.
I've been listening to Muppet music. I don't want to live on the moon by Ernie from sesame street is my current jam and as it rings so true because, “Yes, I'd like to visit the moon, but I don't think I'd like to live there.”
Recommendations…
On the topic of good sci-fi I’ll suggest reading Arthur C. Clarke’s Rendezvous with Rama. It’s one of my all-time favorite books
The 1997 movie sci-fi movie Contact directed by Robert Zemeckis. Another great space film about faith and science. It’s had a resurgence in recent years. Check it out.
If you are willing to venture, there is a 1972 sci fi movie called SOLARIS by Soviet filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky. You don't really see space in the film but you feel it through the claustrophobic atmosphere of emotions on a space station. It's a movie about people and the vast space inside us. A cinematic marvel, it isn't immediately accessible, but if you are willing to give it a chance, I think you be pleasantly surprised.
I’ll leave you with a classic favorite album to listen to in David Bowie’s, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
Random Fact about Joshua…
I’m a big Star Trek geek or Trekkie which I’ve mentioned here before. And while I love so many characters, my favorite Star Trek character is Data from Next Generation. His story never gets old. Watching him aspire to be human is so heartbreaking and warming at the same time. An android that reminds me what it is to be human makes me appreciate being human more. Refusing to accept the mechanical limitations set upon him by the stars, Data is a character that puts his fate in his own hands as he strives to be more.
There is an episode where Data fails and the self-doubt sets in, and he refuses to do his job because he has realized he is fallible. What’s more human than that? But of course Patrick Stewart as Captain Jean-Luc Picard reminds him, “It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not a weakness; that is life.”
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In Response
A couple of people have asked me about my thoughts on AI. It’s frustrating topic for artists. We struggle for authenticity in a crowded field as it is and AI only drowns us out further.
When I write, I turn off grammar tools because I find them distracting. But once I really get into fine tuning a draft, I use various AI writing tools, such as ProWritingAid, that help with basic grammar. I don’t use AI tools to create anything and I refer to a human editor for story development. Having someone to discuss the work with keeps my organic voice throughout the process. However, I am not against AI. It is becoming a regular part of our culture, and it can be useful. Successful authors are using it openly and secretly, I'm sure. I don’t mind authors using AI tools to work out ideas. But an author should be careful to keep AI out of their storytelling so as not to lose their voice.
The question is, “Where's the line?” At what point is something assisting us and at what point is something doing the work for us? I am only able to write books because I have access to lots of great tools I did not have access to 10 or 20 years ago. Self-published authors can make professional books that are equal and even surpass traditionally published books now because we have the tools. But we still need to do the work and not rely on AI or “The Stars” to do it for us. Now if we’re talking housework, I’m sure we’d all love AI to just take over the world in that regard.
Country singer Whitney Rose has a song I love called Analog that sums up how I feel about new technologies… “Now I'm not down on it just because it's new. But in gaining a little we've lost something too.”
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I started a newsletter because it’s a common suggestion for authors to have newsletters. It was just strategy. But I didn’t expect to actually enjoy writing these. It’s become so much fun and I hope you enjoy them too. If you have any suggestions—or things you want to see in this newsletter—feel free to let me know. Please send me any questions you might have that I can answer publicly in future newsletters.
What’s holding you back from going out among the stars, stepping out of your comfort zone to find what you are looking for? Take some time to think about it, write down your thoughts, or maybe talk to someone else about it. Talk to me. I’d love to hear stories about a time you took a long shot.
Thanks so much for reading! 😊
May Shadow Reveal Light,
Joshua Thaddeus
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There is nothing out there
that will fix this mess.
Nothing out there
to take away my stress.
What is with me—in me
is where me focus should rest.
And I know the stars
on my soul—they may never bless.
Yet, I await them,
nonetheless.
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Invite others to explore inner worlds at joshuathaddeus.com
Joshua Thaddeus, PO Box 1011, Harvey, LA 70059, USA
