#BYPMW
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csmadsen.bsky.social
#Baku can taste Wolfe's approach. #BeggingYourPardonMisterWolfe is pending Amazon's review. It will be available in #Paperback, #Hardcover, and #Kindle. The featured art was done by the talented and amazing #AliciaShort, one of my Alpha readers and arguably my biggest fan. ♥

#BYPMW #CSMadsen
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A completely hairless man of Asian lineage dabs his grinning mouth with a gold-checkered handkerchief held in his right hand, his teeth inlaid with gold and diamonds. A gold chain dangles from his right wrist. A golden nametag pinned to his blue business suit reads "貘 - B.Aku." He sports mirrored shades reflecting two images, almost exactly the same, just from slightly different angles. The imagery is that of a young man chained to a table with leather manacles.
September 30, 2026 at 5:41 PM
csmadsen.bsky.social
Anna senses a #BookRelease on the horizon. #BeggingYourPardonMisterWolfe is coming out October first!

#BYPMW #FirstRelease #MythicalsUniverse
Art by the delightfully talented #AliciaShort
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A woman wearing fairy wings and a cat-ear headband, staring upward and touching her hands to her temples, her hair drifting as though she's touched a large Tesla ball. It appears likely that she is experiencing some kind of vision.
September 16, 2026 at 7:31 PM
csmadsen.bsky.social
I have achieved a dream I didn't know I had. A milestone I wasn't aware of.

I've received my first piece of fan art from the wildly talented #AliciaShort.

This was completely unexpected, unasked-for, and unbelievable. I am humbled. I am vibrating. This is incredible.

#BYPMW #FanArt
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A book-cover style image, depicting a wolf howling in the background, a nude woman centered in the frame with scarring all over her body, her right arm covering her chest, her left arm raised. To the left, various firearm ammunition is depicted above a handprint in stone, while to the right, there is an infinity symbol pendant on a leather braid. Bottom center, a hopeful-looking young man is staring into the distance.
April 21, 2026 at 9:56 PM
csmadsen.bsky.social
Having fixed issues that came to light last year while querying agents, I'm once again on a final polish pass for Begging Your Pardon, Mister Wolfe. While I'll likely still take a run at trying for trad publishing for Tumbled Emeralds, BYPMW is set for indie release in the first week of October.

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April 13, 2026 at 8:35 PM
csmadsen.bsky.social
I've surfaced! Spent the first quarter of this year doing developmental editing for a friend. I'm more than 90% of the way through that. April will bring my last run of edits before an Autumn indie release for Begging Your Pardon, Mister Wolfe. Still aiming for trad for Tumbled Emeralds.

#BYPMW
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March 24, 2026 at 6:56 PM
csmadsen.bsky.social
Today's #WIPSnips is #retrograde.

...

...

...

Welp.

See you tomorrow.

#HeavyCrowns #TumbledEmeralds #BYPMW #OftDTftW #Mythicals #Universe #WhyAmIHashtaggingWhenIDidNotDoThePrompt #Help #SocialMediaHasMeInItsNet #MyGodWhyDoTheyLetUsKeepGoingWithThese

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November 18, 2025 at 3:48 PM
csmadsen.bsky.social
Today's #WIPSnips is #burger.

In a rare moment of pure levity, Anna Florakis gets to try a hamburger from Burger Royalty, something she always hoped to do if she ever got to visit America. Erik feels privileged to witness her wholesome reaction.

#UrbanFantasy #Supernatural #Thriller #BYPMW

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Word processor screenshot with two instances of the word "burger" highlighted. The text is as follows: “I am the burger queen!” she cackled, achieving a victorious, sloppy bite. Chewing thoughtfully for a few moments, she gulped her mouthful down and grinned at us. “So this is what American food is like! It tastes a lot better than I was led to believe. Really, it’s delicious. I read about this Burger Royalty place when I was a child, and I always swore to myself I’d try it out if I ever went to America. I simply had to have one of these tiaras.” She used her finger to tick an invisible box in front of her, making a sound like a cash register as she did so. It was hard holding back my mirth from watching her enjoy her experiences with such a genuine, innocent air. I didn’t want her to think I was laughing at her. There was just a wholesome, delightful feeling seeing her so happy, and that sort of emotion was decidedly rare in this strange new world.
November 11, 2025 at 3:36 PM
csmadsen.bsky.social
Today's #WIPSnips? #Trail. I chose a long snippet, because #Silenus doesn't deserve to have the stage pulled out from under him. He joins a scene where Erik's reality truly steps from the shadows, unveiling itself as something... different.

#UrbanFantasy #Supernatural #Thriller #BYPMW #OftDTftW

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A screenshot of a word processor, with "trail" highlighted in pastel green as part of the word "trailed." The text reads as follows: Baku trailed off as a heavyset, florid-faced man that I didn’t recognize from among the guests staggered into the bathroom, visibly sweating. His sweat stunk strongly of some kind of sweet alcohol to me, though I imagined the potency wasn’t noticeable to my newly minted informant. Our interrupting visitor had a shock of white hair that didn’t quite cover the top of his head, but was drawn into a long ponytail that seemed to make up for the forward coverage his heavily receded hairline had failed to produce. Mopping at his face with an oversized silk handkerchief, the man withdrew a full-sized bottle of wine from within his jacket, which he swigged heartily, pausing mid-swig to notice us for the first time since his arrival. He stared at us blankly, then cast his gaze down to slowly consider the label with a pronounced squint. Seemingly satisfied by what he read, he unsteadily held it out toward me. “Here ya go, kid. Ya got a lot on your plate, and this is the good stuff.” I hadn’t even formed the words to refuse when his face drew into something akin to a child’s pout, and he pulled the bottle away. “Suit yerself.” He mumbled, taking another swig. He eyed Baku suspiciously, halfheartedly offering the vintage, only to once again withdraw the offer before his intended recipient could respond. “Who woulda thunk the two most stressed out people here would be so against relaxing a liddle…” a hiccup snuck its way past his lips, which he promptly drowned with more wine. He rolled his gaze toward me for a moment. “Go on kid…” he slurred, a tendril of plum-colored drool venturing from the corner of his mouth. “Yer brother’s got lots to say to ya an’ not a whole parcel o’ time to tell it to ya.”
November 5, 2025 at 4:23 PM
csmadsen.bsky.social
Today's #WIPSnips is #steel. This allows me to post the very beginning of my first book, Begging Your Pardon, Mister #Wolfe!

Erik's world begins to shift, starting with an encounter with #Baku, an uninvited spirit greedily consuming his nightmares.

#BYPMW #UrbanFantasy #Supernatural #Thriller
A screenshot of a word processor, with the word "steel" highlighted in pastel green. The text reads as follows: “I am sated.” The oddly hairless, middle-aged Asian man sitting before me inhaled with deep satisfaction, rocking back in his stainless steel chair with a discordant, grinding scrape. Balanced precariously on the chair's back legs for a moment, he straightened the tie that completed his perfectly tailored, yet otherwise entirely nondescript, blue business suit. He then belched with such a powerful reverberation that his black, mirrored sunglasses rattled on his face, emphasizing his lack of eyebrows. Appearing not a day older than forty, he wore a small, golden name tag that read “貘 - B.Aku.” Producing an intricately patterned, gold-colored handkerchief from an inner pocket, he dabbed it at his mouth with the gentle precision of an action performed countless times before. He certainly seemed ‘sated,’ but by what? There were no signs of food or utensils. The air was sterile, devoid of even the faintest aroma of a meal.
November 4, 2025 at 3:48 PM
csmadsen.bsky.social
Today's #WIPSnips is #nice.

Erik & Jonathan fly to Greece to find Anna, the medium & seer chosen by the #Keepers to guide the reincarnation of #Wolfe through the rules of the hidden #Mythical society. Jonathan just learned of the Drekavac's presence.

#UrbanFantasy #Supernatural #Thriller #BYPMW

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A screenshot of a word processor. The word "nice" is highlighted in pastel green. The text reads as follows: The rest of the flight went by without any other interesting events. Our landing in Iceland felt like almost casually touching down directly into a scene in a painting. The environment was beautiful and vivid. The air rushing in from outside when the pilot descended the gangway was invigorating, the refreshing humidity a welcome contrast to the oppressive, dry heat of my home desert. I could feel Lykaios’ interest in the area stir up within me. It seemed possible that she’d never had the pleasure of setting foot on this particular island, but it turned out that neither of us would yet have that honor. Jonathan extended one hand to stall me as I stood up to disembark. “We’re only waiting here while they add just enough fuel for us to get to the mainland, then we’re off again. Some new developments have occurred at the apartment complex, so we don’t have any time to dawdle. I promise you that I’ll make it up to you with a nice vacation later.”
November 3, 2025 at 4:24 PM
csmadsen.bsky.social
Today's #WIPSnips is #monster. In thousands of pages of #UrbanFantasy, there's only ONE place where I wrote it. Interesting. 🤔📚

Here, #Wolfe faces rare uncertainty. An unpredictable (possibly insane) vampiric ally has given him the reins of a runaway moral train.

#Supernatural #Thriller #BYPMW

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A screenshot of a word processor. The word "monster" is highlighted in pastel green. The text reads as follows: The strands of the web had to be the ensorcelled, blood-linked prisoners. Was this crazy vampire actually implying that burning or blowing up this group of innocent people would work against the Fratelli? That it would overtax the blood magic and rebound on the casters? Was Vlad pushing me to become the kind of monster who’d sacrifice strangers to win a war? Did he think that if I hesitated, my own loved ones would already be lost? Within the recesses of my spirit, Lykaios remained silently watchful. It was as though she, too, felt underequipped to make a decision like this. If this was some kind of test weighed against my humanity, I didn’t know how to pass. There was nothing to guarantee that he’d respect what I considered the sanctity of human life. Was he putting them on the butcher-block to resolve this conflict with a victory, regardless of the cost? He made it sound like it wouldn’t kill the prisoners, but he hadn’t expressly said as much. The idea was insane. They were human beings. With hopes. With loved ones. With futures.
October 31, 2025 at 3:01 PM
csmadsen.bsky.social
Today's #WIPSnips is #spell.

Erik's hard-won vacation time is disrupted when he finds out demonic hit squads are coming for his loved ones. Meanwhile, unrelated, equally murderous and vengeful sirens are out for HIS blood. Rough vacation. 😮‍💨
#UrbanFantasy #Supernatural #Thriller #BYPMW #OftDTftW

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A screenshot of a word processor, the word "spell" highlighted in pastel green. The text reads as follows: “She may not be the last one,” he said, his voice still trembling a bit. “There could still be more, even several more Sirens aboard the ship. This is bad. We need to find Anna and the rest of your friends, then figure out an exfil of some kind. Siren enchantments have some time and range limitations, though they also have some very big, exploitable loopholes. The constraints of their power also vary a bit depending on the Siren’s age and prowess. We can only hope they’re young, inexperienced, or ideally both.” My brother literally wanting to abandon ship signalled that things were beyond bad. I couldn’t see any way around trying to escape, either. If there were more of them aboard, we were in very real danger. There was no way to know who could be under their spell, nor who might be a Siren among the other passengers. The only thing I’d seen that seemed certain was that Sirens were only women.
October 30, 2025 at 3:32 PM
csmadsen.bsky.social
Today's #WIPSnips word is #Costume.

From my #UrbanFantasy, Begging Your Pardon, Mister Wolfe. Erik grapples with his abruptly altered reality. Sarcastic thoughts about superhero costumes are interrupted by the police showing up with questions he shouldn't answer.

#BYPMW #Supernatural #Thriller

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A screenshot of a word processor with the word "costume" highlighted in green pastel. The text reads as follows: My sarcastic musings on what kind of superhero costume to wear were interrupted when I rounded the corner and saw the police officers at the door. One of the two was positioned a bit further forward, a woman whose cheery face belied the fact that she would look perfectly at home in a full Viking war ensemble. Her blonde hair lay in a simple braid over one shoulder, and she had insignia for Nevada’s Clark County Sheriff's Department in several places on her uniform. Despite the cheerful expression, her set of pale blue eyes was brimming with sympathy. She looked me over, almost as though she was deciding if it would be okay to give me a hug. Her nametag read ‘C. Shepherd’ in raised golden lettering.
October 28, 2025 at 3:44 PM
csmadsen.bsky.social
#WIPSnips is #blood-curdling.

The vibes it evokes are definitely present in this scene, as #Wolfe is flown into Greece to save his as-yet unmet mentor, Anna Florakis. The seer is trapped in an apartment complex with the #Drekavac, a child's ghost.

#UrbanFantasy #Supernatural #Thriller #BYPMW

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A word processor screenshot. Text reads as follows: Somewhere deep within the apartments, an eerie, otherworldly wail rang out. Everybody around me immediately froze, the complete lack of any other sound allowing traffic noises from blocks away to suddenly be the most audible thing in the area. Jonathan signaled me with a rapid, scooping hand motion like he was trying to pull standing water closer to his chest. I scurried over to him. Before I could say anything, he nodded. “That was the Drekavac,” he said, shuddering. “It’s in there. There are already some casualties. As far as we can tell, the Hounds inside have been killed. Probably the kidnapper, too. We don’t know how many civilians have died, but there are bound to be some. The surviving Hounds reported that when it wails, the lights nearby flicker and die. It could be drawing power from them somehow.
October 27, 2025 at 7:15 PM
csmadsen.bsky.social
Today's #WIPSnips is #total.

Here, Erik is being hunted by agents of Enzo, the necromantic seer who foresaw his own demise as a result of the rebirth of #Wolfe. Jonathan is completely unconcerned, and Anna is quietly confident. Their calm helps anchor Erik.

#UrbanFantasy #Supernatural #BYPMW

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A screenshot of a word processor, with the word "total" highlighted within the word "totaled" in a pastel green color. The text reads as follows: “Wait.” she said, “They’re going to come by for another look once they outpace where we could’ve reasonably reached, to see if we deviated.” He nodded to her and settled back into his chair, humming tunelessly to himself. As predicted, only minutes later. Clouds of clay dust were reinvigorated by the powerfully thrumming rotors of the searching helicopter, adding another grimy layer to the already beleaguered windows. I imagined that the outsides of the vehicles were probably so filmed with the stuff that they would be effectively camouflaged even without the cover of the billowing debris and the overpass. I winced at the thought of the interior of the incredibly luxurious SUV, now certainly totaled by the red desert’s earthy mark.
October 24, 2025 at 3:49 PM
csmadsen.bsky.social
Today's #WIPSnips word is #gradient.

From my #novella WIP, "A Proper 'Goose Pilfers." The delightful, #nonbinary Aussie thief #Goose meticulously plans their next hair color decision. Priorities!

#AProperGoosePilfers #UrbanFantasy #Supernatural #Thriller #BYPMW #OftDTftW

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A screenshot of a word processor. The text reads as follows: Mongoose, a moniker they’d grown quite fond of, had finally made their decision. Five tones. A frosty bleach-blonde, fade to pink, then to violet, into purple, stopping at a sweep of raven black. They’d been standing in the hair dye aisle for ages—at least five minutes. Rolling a poker chip across the knuckles of their left hand contemplatively, fingering the nearly-empty pack of ciggies in their pocket with their right, Goose considered how they would obtain the chosen hues. If this were a big chain, they wouldn’t hesitate to pilfer the items and disappear, but this was a mom-and-pop shop in a tiny town. Nah. This time, they’d pay for the stuff. The cutie ol’ gran up front could use the techno-bro money; there was still plenty of dosh from that silly Silicon Valley black-tie crypto event, even after the impulse buy of the beautiful Aston Martin idling outside. Mongoose cocked their head and glanced out the front window at the magnificent machine. Probably should’ve turned it off.
October 23, 2025 at 3:17 PM
csmadsen.bsky.social
The #WIPSnips for the day is #charge.

Here, Erik and his brother meet with a contracted #Mythical, a #Hound. She's a tracker who has cornered #Wolfe's tormentor, Katerina. There's a complication, and this mama bear could die on her hill.

#UrbanFantasy #Supernatural #Thriller #BYPMW #OftDTftW

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A screenshot of a word processor separated by page number 279. The word "charge" is highlighted in pastel green. The text reads as follows: “I’m Abigail, we talked on the phone. This Katerina’s in there good. She caught one of my Hounds, too. Jaden. He’s just a kid, fifteen years old. I know you’re in charge, so I’m tellin’ you right now, you do anything to risk his life, I’ll shoot you myself.” I hadn’t even fully recognized the anger that erupted within me by the time I felt Anna’s hand on my chest, a gentle bridle that somehow immediately dispelled my furious response. The reaction was restrained by her touch, but my fury was still burning firmly in place. Abigail noticed and sneered at me. “Keep your wolf on a chain, or I’ll put him down, too.” At her declaration, Jonathan snorted, which caused her to blink rapidly in surprise. Her heart rate increased a bit, and fear pheromones filled the air, but she had a good poker face. Not as good as Jonathan’s. He turned to gesture sidelong at me. His eyes were as cold as ice.
October 22, 2025 at 3:58 PM
csmadsen.bsky.social
Today's #WIPSnips is #second.

In this scene, #Baku, the being who first heralded the changes in Erik's life and his future as #Wolfe, is about to offer an #accord. Erik cannot delay and consult with #Lykaios. It is his decision to make.

#UrbanFantasy #Supernatural #Thriller #BYPMW #OftDTftW

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A screenshot of a word processor, with the word "seconds" highlighted in green, except for the "s." The text reads as follows: Baku was intentionally showing me his weakness. The Wolfe in me was pleased at the display of submissiveness. It was a token of respect to me, which I decided I would guardedly accept… for the time. Water dripped from the faucet, counting the seconds to my response. Finally, I nodded slowly at him, then performed the formality of asking the question that we both knew had been on my lips from the moment he’d exited the stall. “Why are you here?” His smile, though still brilliantly shining, was devoid of the gems I’d familiarized myself with as it crept its way up his face, settling somewhere near his eyes. He executed a crisp, light bow toward me, inhaling deeply as he did so. When he stood straight once more, his eyes were still smiling, but with a hard glint that told tales of wisdom thousands of years older than the forty-something he appeared to be.
October 21, 2025 at 4:15 PM
csmadsen.bsky.social
Today's #WIPSnips is #dodge. There are some very intense action scenes Erik is forced to be an unwilling participant in,. This is a #snippet of one of those, where Erik has to face some hired muscle trashing the kitchens in the diner where he works.

#UrbanFantasy #Supernatural #Thriller #BYPMW

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A screenshot of a word processor. The word "dodge" is highlighted in pastel green. The text reads as follows: Although the knife didn’t perform the way it would’ve in the movies, it had the desired effect of drawing my target’s attention away from his victim to me. He laughed a deep belly laugh, advancing toward me with the confidence of a high school bully shaking a kindergartner down for lunch money. A thick Russian accent punctuated his taunting words. “You wandered into wrong kitchen, little devochka.” He rested the spine of the machete’s blade on his shoulder, rotating his body to aim the taser at me along his fully extended arm in a surprising simulacrum of competitive pistol shooting. “Now, we see if you piss yourself.” Time gladly accommodated my response by nearly halting. As the darts sprang slowly forward from the weapon, their leads starting to unravel, I crouched down low to dodge by them, tightening the fingers on my right hand together into a rigid, ninja-like knife shape. Jabbing the fingertips of my flattened hand in an upward strike to the nerve bundle in the man’s armpit, I was gratified to hear the beginning of his yelp of pain as he released the machete.
October 18, 2025 at 8:48 PM
csmadsen.bsky.social
Today's #WIPSnips is #loaf. My books don't feature a lot of loafing. Here, Erik is forced to face violent, sudden changes in his life. He begins to confront the realization that he should be dead, and wonders what it all means and where it's all going.
#UrbanFantasy #Supernatural #Thriller #BYPMW

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A screenshot of a word processor. The text reads as follows: I pulled over again. Reclining my driver’s seat as far back as it would go, I drew back the opaque portion of my moonroof to watch the stormwater washing across the glass in its furious dance while I tried to make sense of my situation. The rain’s pattering steps on the top of my vehicle were almost like a loving partner’s lead in the masquerade of my thoughts, taking control and guiding them through a mysterious pattern of steps.
October 17, 2025 at 3:26 PM
csmadsen.bsky.social
Our #WIPSnips word is #might.

The #Mythical spirit #Lykaios passively grants Erik a "gift": #ataraxia —profound calm, regardless of external circumstances. He faces a terrifying question: Does Lykaios simply enhance Erik?
Or is she taking him over?

#UrbanFantasy #Supernatural #Thriller #BYPMW

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A screenshot of a word processor with the word "might" highlighted in pastel green. The text reads as follows: Empathy and revulsion. Well, yes. I’d had plenty of that recently. With a creak, I shifted from a discomfort that was somehow only physical, despite the revelation. I felt a strange sense of calm, a detachment I’d never recognized before. My reactions to things had always been muted, but this was different. How much was Lykaios altering my perception? I wondered if she might affect me in ways I wouldn’t recognize. Losing my identity was not a concept I was enthusiastic about, and it was oddly less acceptable to me if I was unaware of it happening. The thought of the Erik I’d grown up to be disappearing within the jaws of Wolfe’s identity should have sent a chill down my spine, but the expected sensation never materialized. I realized that the old me would have been terrified of all of this, which drew a deep frown on my face.
October 16, 2025 at 3:55 PM
csmadsen.bsky.social
Today's #WIPSnips word is #care.

From my #UrbanFantasy, Begging Your Pardon, Mister Wolfe. Erik's brother, Jonathan, has an answer for most problems. Here, the answer involves a shadowy clan of operatives, using a budget that would make a tech billionaire flinch.

#BYPMW #Supernatural #Thriller

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A small screenshot of a word processor, with the word "care" highlighted in pastel green. The text reads as follows: “Wait,” he said. “You lost a limb there?” He immediately pulled out his cellular phone and dialed. “This is bad. We need to bury that, if it’s not too late. That’ll lead back to you. This is gonna be expensive, even for the Organization.” His attention returned to the microphone on his device. “There's biological evidence of Wolfe from the Nevada crime scene. Yes, I know the implications. I don’t care what it costs—put the Wraith Clan on it. They owe me, but pay them whatever they want. Just get it done.”
October 15, 2025 at 3:04 PM
csmadsen.bsky.social
Today's #WIPSnips word is #ultimate. In this scene, Erik is on his way to meet the #Keepers, and Anna is teaching him about them. Normally prim and proper, she seems to have unchained a wild and silly side that Erik finds he likes very much.
#UrbanFantasy #Supernatural #Thriller #BYPMW #OftDTftW

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A screenshot of a word processor. The word "ultimate" is highlighted in pastel green, and the text reads as follows: “Anyway, as I was saying… Keepers sound like they’d be very strict, and they are, but there aren’t a lot of rules for them to be strict about. They consider The Ones Who Came Before to be the ultimate authority, and, well… If they existed, those guys have been gone a very long time. Since The Ones Who Came Before aren’t around, the Keepers don’t really make new laws; they only enforce the rules that have been established for many millennia. Technology has added an interesting spin.” Punctuating her statement by pirouetting primly around a particularly bold oncoming bicyclist, she ended her dance move by goofily making an obscene gesture to his unwitting back. Anna seemed unhinged in ways that were surprisingly appealing to me. She noticed me staring at her and shot me a saucy wink before continuing her lesson as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.
October 14, 2025 at 3:00 PM
csmadsen.bsky.social
Today, the #WIPSnips word is #push. We meet Erik's next-door neighbor, a quiet ex-military man with a rose garden, who harbors more #secrets than a video game guide in the '90s. Erik needs to find out what the man might know about #Wolfe.

#UrbanFantasy #Supernatural #Thriller #BYPMW #OftDTftW

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A screenshot of a word processor, with the word "push" highlighted in pastel green. The text reads as follows: “The name’s Les.” His voice was like a muted roar, even when he spoke ‘softly’ in normal conversation. “You don’t gotta be afraid, kid. Come on over!” He grinned and gestured to a bench near one of his rose trellises. “I ain’t gonna sit down ‘cause of my joints, but you’re welcome to. Not like I got an exact number, but there’s not too many more times I’m gonna be able to sit down and get up again, so I try not to push it.” He let out a hearty chuckle, punctuating it with a quick, hacking cough. Apparently, my unconscious appraisal of his health had been accurate enough. I wondered if there were any other surprises Lykaios was going to throw my way. Taking the offered seat, I marveled at the magnificent range of scents that surrounded me. The smell of automobile oil and heat-softened road tar was muted by the fragrances of flowers and nutrient-rich earth. I found myself relaxing a bit as Les DeSanto busied himself trimming a particularly beautiful rosebush. The strange ingenuity of humanity once again crossed my mind as I looked at the lush semi-mediterranean garden thriving in the middle of a desert. It occurred to me that his water bill was probably astronomical, all in the course of maintaining this little slice of paradise.
October 13, 2025 at 3:11 PM
csmadsen.bsky.social
The #WIPSnips post for the day centers around #hope. Here, a violent battle was fought by a vanguard of the #Organization, while Jonathan, Anna, and Erik remained a relatively safe distance back. When asked how such battles are covered up...

#Supernatural #Thriller #BYPMW #OftDTftW
A screen capture of a word processor, with the word "hope" highlighted in pastel green. It reads as follows: Jonathan shrugged again. “It’s long been known to us that humanity as a whole would prefer to seize on a comfortable lie as their reality, rather than threaten their comfort with an inconvenient truth. It’s easy to deceive people. If they initially doubt, just release a few whispers about the government or the wealthy… or an insidious collusion of the two. Any potential problems are soon swept under the rug.” The appreciative disgust had returned to Anna’s face, mirroring the feeling that was marching through my gut at the realization of how true Jonathan’s statement was. The idea that people would so willingly look the other way to preserve their illusions, though kind of incredible, was also a bit chilling to me. The silence in the luxurious cabin stretched out in the face of his matter-of-fact explanation. Anna unconsciously began twirling her hair while I stared into space somewhere beyond the barren landscape rushing by her window, the motorcade leaving the carnage behind for what I could only hope would be the relative safety of my hometown.
October 12, 2025 at 4:03 PM