Author. Filmmaker. Podcast host.
New York–based storyteller. Author of the novel American Blasphemer, maker of festival short films, and a host of The Milk Road Show.
About John
The storyteller
At ten years old, John Matthew Gillen was sent to a summer camp where campers were allowed one elective activity. John was the only camper who chose Storytelling. The camp director asked him to choose another class so they wouldn't have to offer Storytelling that year. John refused.
Since then, he has been fired for writing poetry at work, cussed out by the Chief Clerk of the United States Supreme Court for accusing him of Satan worship, and has spent over $10,000 on tickets to Bob Dylan concerts.
The work
His debut novel, American Blasphemer, was published in May 2020 and premiered at #1 in the world on Amazon's Kindle Store in American Literary Fiction. His short film American Ugly played a dozen film festivals around the country, and he was an executive producer of The Legacy Sessions, which won several awards on the festival circuit. His writing has appeared in The Laurel Review, Storgy Magazine, and The New Guard Literary Review.
Today John is a host of The Milk Road Show, Milk Road's crypto podcast, where he breaks down macro trends and market cycles. He also writes, records, and directs his own music videos.
His favorite authors include Jorge Luis Borges and Hank Bukowski, and he harbors a deep reverence for Martin Scorsese.
#1 on Kindle
American Blasphemer debuted at #1 in American Literary Fiction
Festival Selections
American Ugly and The Legacy Sessions on the festival circuit
The Milk Road Show
Host of Milk Road's crypto and macro podcast
Praise for American Blasphemer
“Deeply human and totally absurd…these small narratives, with their disarming non-linear story resolutions, and abrupt endings make American Blasphemer an unstoppable read…”
“A masterful labour of modern honesty, told through the lens of a lonesome soul trying to figure out this world and life…”
Get in touch
For press, bookings, podcast appearances, or collaborations, send John a note.
