When everything that you thought you knew is a lie
A journey through hell—and the way back.
I’ll have my regular weekly column up within the next 24 hours. Right now I’m writing to announce something that I’m very excited about, made possible by Substack. I’m going to publish here on Howlin’ my first long piece.
The last eighteen months of my life have been, shall we say, interesting. I have walked the deepest paths of despair. There were many days during this period when life didn’t make much sense anymore (no, offing myself wasn’t in the mix, but a lot of Edgar Winter’s Why am I dying to live if I’m just living to die was). I still don’t believe in heaven, but I’m sure that hell exists because I was there (for the record, it’s everything it’s cracked up to be). I made it back, but it wasn’t easy. During this journey, I discovered that almost everything that I thought I knew about my life for the past two decades has been a lie. It shook me to my core. If you look up “gaslighted” in the dictionary, it’s me waving at you in the picture.
Fortunately, the story has a very happy ending.
Hard times beget resilient people. So I am going to do what all writers do when they are handed a bag of lemons—make lemonade. I think that this story of deceit, epic betrayal, and ultimately, healing—part cautionary tale, part reaching out to others who’ve experienced the same, and part, frankly, setting a record straight—will be a page turner. The working title is Everything you know is wrong. Revenge novel? Semi-autobiographical? Autobiographical? You may read it and discern for yourself (in this regard, think On the Road, by Jack Kerouac).
Most people who publish on Substack paywall their long form works. That will not be the case here. I’m going to bet on myself. I think that this will be an interesting enough story that many readers will upgrade to paid after reading it.
In time for the holidays. Cheers all!
-Martin
Associated Press and Idaho Press Club-winning columnist Martin Hackworth of Pocatello is a physicist, writer, and retired Idaho State University faculty member who now spends his time with family, riding bicycles and motorcycles, and arranging and playing music. Follow him on Twitter @MartinHackworth, on Facebook at facebook.com/martin.hackworth, and on Substack at martinhackworthsubstack.com.
I can't wait to check it out!
Your Substack has brought me back in touch with the "real world" after several years of avoiding any mainstream media especially political other than your Idaho Journal writings.
I was completely hopeless of ever finding the voice of the middle out there in the "real world"
Reading your stuff got me to looking around on the Substack app. I have gained a tiny bit of optimism that the entire population of the USA may not be as divided as the "mainstream media" wants us to believe.
Thank you Martin!
Very intriguing. Looking forward to checking it out.