Want to shape the future of media?
Well, sort of. You can help shape the future of this newsletter, at least.
We are in that strange pre-holiday space where you really should be more prepared than you are, but you’re not quite so far behind in your shopping that you’ll need to use express overnight shipping. Everybody’s still at work but nobody’s really working. So let’s take a moment to talk about next year!
As we head into 2026, I’m preparing Flashlight & A Biscuit for the new directions media is taking in the months and years to come. My goal with this newsletter has always been to explore the many strange and fascinating elements of the American South, and in 2026 I’d like to delve into the South in a more focused and thoughtful way.
So that’s where you come in! I’d like your input to help shape the direction of the newsletter going forward. I want to create something that we can all enjoy, appreciate and discuss. (This is a topic for a future Flashlight, but between AI, algorithms, bots and general social media jackassery, we’re rapidly losing the humanity of the Internet, even though most actual human beings seem to enjoy that humanity.) I’ll do my best to keep Flashlight as a place to hang out with real human voices.
I’ve created a 10-question survey, and you can spend as much or as little time as you like on the questions. In appreciation for your time, I’ll send you an IRON IN THE BLOOD bookmark or sticker for answering the Qs. Just send your mailing address to the email at the bottom of the survey. (The survey itself is totally anonymous.) Thank you for the time, my friend!
Click right here to take the survey.
And since I don’t want you leaving empty-handed, a couple to-go items for you. First, our Flashlight & A Biscuit Ultimate Christmas Playlist:
… and its companion, the Godawful Christmas Playlist:
Gross.
Hang on through the final full workweek of 2025, friends. I’ll be back in a few days with an interview with a landmark Southern filmmaker and more goodness. See you then!
—Jay
Land Cat, Georgia
This is a special quickie issue of Flashlight & A Biscuit. Check out all the past issues right here. Feel free to email me with your thoughts, tips and advice. If you’re new around here, jump right to our most-read stories, or check out some of our recent hits:
Home Turn, our new show for NASCAR Studios, is right here for you to watch:
Hey, my new book is out!
Crime and college football, a glorious pairing
Drinking beers at a serial killer’s last resort
My uncle knocked out Joe DiMaggio
Our first documentary, on the famous Rama Jama’s diner in Tuscaloosa, Alabama
What does “Flashlight & A Biscuit” mean, anyway?
Keep in touch with me via email or Substack message:
And load up a to-go box before you leave:
If you dig this newsletter, share it with your friends. Invite others to the party, everyone’s welcome.
