banner
LightNews
csmadsen.bsky.social
C.S. Madsen
@csmadsen.bsky.social
94 followers 160 following 350 posts
I'm the author of the Mythicals universe, as well as a parent of two wonderful little kids. I drive a BRZ and love every second of it. Still trying to figure life out. https://linktr.ee/CSMadsen
linktr.ee
Posts Media Videos Starter Packs
Pinned
csmadsen.bsky.social
C.S. Madsen @csmadsen.bsky.social · 12d
Begging Your Pardon, Mister Wolfe ( #BYPMW ) is now querying. I saw others setting up these neat slide decks for potentially curious literary agents, and thought I'd do the same. Thoughts and feedback welcomed!
🐺
#AmQuerying #UrbanFantasy #Supernatural #Thriller #Mythicals #Universe #Flagship #Entry
A hardcover mockup of a book, with text above it stating: Begging Your Pardon, Mister Wolfe By C.S. Madsen An Urban Fantasy/Supernatural Thriller, with Mystery, Romance, and Mild Horror Themes (Approximately 90,000 Words) *All artistic assets featured were commissioned from Karianne Hutchinson, and are owned by me. A simple slide listing comps in three categories: TV/Movies: Supernatural The Crow Lost Girl Preacher Books: The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher American Gods by Neil Gaiman Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo Sandman Slim by Richard Kadrey Video Games: Cyberpunk 2077 Thief: The Dark Project Control Vampire The Masquerade - Bloodlines An infographic showing the following: Okay… What Can I Expect? (Tropes and Concepts) A World Shaded with Gray Morality The world is never just black and white. Secret organizations, ambiguous powers, and ancient conspiracies fuel the narrative threatening to consume Erik’s life. Found Family A distant, mysterious brother with startling resources, a haunted seer, and many more unique characters come together to make a stand for Erik’s sake. Reluctant, Everyman Hero Erik never asked for power or influence. He only wanted to keep his head down and move past his personal tragedies. Fate had something else in mind. Spirit/Host Bond Lykaios. A semi-feral, bloodlusting, mischievous woman’s spirit, battle-scarred and keen to exact revenge on Erik’s behalf. …And it doesn’t stop there. A stylized icon of a snarling wolf with its left eye replaced by a series of three jagged scratch marks, followed by a block of text: The Wolfe series is the flagship of the Mythicals Universe, a shared world where every story is a different front in a single, ancient conflict. It explores an existence defined by a cosmic schism, where every unique character—primal spirits, dragon lords, and vampires contrasted by the very human operatives sometimes caught in the mix—must each choose their path through the infinite shades of gray present in humanity—and divinity. BOOK ONE: Begging Your Pardon, Mister Wolfe—Currently Querying!
5
csmadsen.bsky.social
C.S. Madsen @csmadsen.bsky.social · 3h
Follow-up information: I went to her website and used the contact form to ask her directly if I was speaking with her. I was not.
csmadsen.bsky.social
C.S. Madsen @csmadsen.bsky.social · 6h
To my friends, I just confirmed that this account is a fake:

bsky.app/profile/rsgr...

Note the URL. Note that they didn't even put the "A" at the end of "Andrea." They tried to convince me to reach out to "their agent," whose email is at gmail. Several of y'all follow "her." It's a fake account.
bsky.app
1 2
csmadsen.bsky.social
C.S. Madsen @csmadsen.bsky.social · 11h
Oh man, this was so fun to read! :D
1
csmadsen.bsky.social
C.S. Madsen @csmadsen.bsky.social · 11h
(NOTE TO FBI AGENTS: THIS IS ABOUT WRITING FICTION. THANKS.)

Sacrifice someone in a dramatic fashion.

Blow up a home.

Sever a limb.

Gouge out an eye.

Infect someone with a mysterious disease.

Bestow temporary but incredible power on an MC.

(🔥Just trying to spark something for you!🔥)
1 1
Reposted by C.S. Madsen
hacarlson.bsky.social
H.A.Carlson @hacarlson.bsky.social · 6d
Does anyone else feel like this when writing? I'm trying to fix/expand a magic system and still make it fit the story I've already crafted. #fortheplot #magicsystem
a man in a blue shirt and tie is pointing at a bulletin board with a lot of papers on it .
ALT: a man in a blue shirt and tie is pointing at a bulletin board with a lot of papers on it .
media.tenor.com
1 1 2
csmadsen.bsky.social
C.S. Madsen @csmadsen.bsky.social · 11h
When I wrote my Wendigo character, she was bland. Not at all scary. Not even particularly intimidating. Nothing super interesting about her.

She's a core character in-universe, so I ripped out two chapters and rewrote four to five thousand words' worth of work. It was worth it. Yours will be, too.
csmadsen.bsky.social
C.S. Madsen @csmadsen.bsky.social · 12h
I'm terribly afraid to ask, but...

Which recent events?

😬
csmadsen.bsky.social
C.S. Madsen @csmadsen.bsky.social · 15h
Thank you for the kind response! My manuscript has kind of been like the experience of progressively learning what love is. "Is this love? It's gotta be love." "Wait. No. That wasn't love. This is." My manuscript: "It's totally finished." "...This time, for real." "Oh my... how did I not see that?"
1 1
csmadsen.bsky.social
C.S. Madsen @csmadsen.bsky.social · 17h
I foresee a sharp increase in the quality of mental and emotional wellness in households across the nation... that do not house individuals with allergies to cats.

Alas, for the rest of them...
1
csmadsen.bsky.social
C.S. Madsen @csmadsen.bsky.social · 18h
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

🐺
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.
2 17
csmadsen.bsky.social
C.S. Madsen @csmadsen.bsky.social · 18h
I'm 100% ready for this change in world leadership. Despite cats being one of nature's most effective killing machines, I feel the world's levels of violence would drop significantly. I'm ready for President Patches, Fearless Leader Fluffy, and Prime Minister Mittens.
1 1
csmadsen.bsky.social
C.S. Madsen @csmadsen.bsky.social · 18h
I cannot help myself: when there is a cute meow, I must hit like, and often comment.

It's like a compulsion spell was cast on me.

By a cat.
1 1 1
csmadsen.bsky.social
C.S. Madsen @csmadsen.bsky.social · 1d
Exactly! "Gran, I love you so much! Here's your signed copy of my bestselling romance novel.

...

...Don't open it."
1 1
csmadsen.bsky.social
C.S. Madsen @csmadsen.bsky.social · 1d
Nooooo! It's not what they want! They just don't believe they deserve you! Come baaaaaack!

(I enjoyed this snip. Thanks for sharing!)
1 1
csmadsen.bsky.social
C.S. Madsen @csmadsen.bsky.social · 1d
Hey, you write #romance... grandma's gotta understand the warning label that comes with!

It's my opinion that, as authors, we can't be ashamed of our stories! If that's what he wondered, I strongly believe that he should wonder it. They call the store shelves 'herbs and spices,' after all! 😜🤣
1 1
csmadsen.bsky.social
C.S. Madsen @csmadsen.bsky.social · 1d
I giggled at the vegetable-producing state part, but I also felt panicked reading the scene. Well-written!
1 2
csmadsen.bsky.social
C.S. Madsen @csmadsen.bsky.social · 1d
MMMM.

Oregano.

This is a delightful snippet, friend!
1 1
csmadsen.bsky.social
C.S. Madsen @csmadsen.bsky.social · 1d
Not so hidden anymore! *titters*

I love the "dearie" in this! It really paints a picture of the character for me.
1 1
csmadsen.bsky.social
C.S. Madsen @csmadsen.bsky.social · 1d
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

🐺
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.
1 2 21
csmadsen.bsky.social
C.S. Madsen @csmadsen.bsky.social · 2d
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.
3 19
csmadsen.bsky.social
C.S. Madsen @csmadsen.bsky.social · 3d
#WIPSnips of the day is #welcome. My #UrbanFantasy universe of #Mythicals has a governing body all supernatural entities are beholden to: The #Keepers. Erik sets out to meet them for the first time, with the flirtatious #seer Anna acting as his guide.

#Supernatural #Thriller #BYPMW #OftDTftW

🐺
A word processor screenshot, separated by page number 179 at the word "energy." The word "welcome" is highlighted in pastel green. The text reads as follows: Jonathan had elected to remain behind at the hotel, stating that he had it on good authority that humans were not welcome, let alone safe, in the Court. Anna seemed delighted to take the lead in his absence. Her rather reserved behavior up to this point had been buried, and she was instead full of vibrant excitement as she pranced down the shopfront promenade. She took my hand, almost dragging me along the sidewalks. I stumbled after her, trying to keep up with her buoyant energy. “Their Court is kept in a pocket dimension, so there are doors that serve as entrances to it located all over the world, but the audience chamber itself is contained within a massive castle. It manages to be drafty and cold, even though they control everything there. There’s always at least one Keeper at the Court, but there are probably a few dozen or more of them in total. Try not to stare when you meet one. They’re huge lion-headed humanoids with the most robotic voice you’ve ever heard.” She pretended like her hands were cat claws and started swiping playfully at me while making beeping sounds. Appearing disappointed by my lack of reaction to her silliness, she continued with a slight frown.
1 15
csmadsen.bsky.social
C.S. Madsen @csmadsen.bsky.social · 4d
#WIPSnips of the day is #Prize. From my #UrbanFantasy, Begging Your Pardon, Mister Wolfe:
Puckish #Lykaios has some strange coping techniques for her fear of flying. Erik finds insight into her sudden change in behavior, but isn't sure how to act on it.

#Supernatural #Thriller #BYPMW #OftDTftW

🐺
A snippet of a word processor, with the word "prize" highlighted in pastel green. It is separated mid-flow by page number 270. The text reads as follows: She noticed, or perhaps knew, that I was shocked by her attire. “What?” The word was at once both accusatory and wounded. “You’re surprised that I chose to wear clothing?” Her shoulders arched in an almost dismissive shrug, despite an undertone of discomfort I couldn’t quite place. Ah. I thought. We’re flying again. My realization was cut off by a tone that expressed hurt while still managing to wear a prissy facade. “Sometimes, I exercise my freedom by confining myself. Don’t bother getting used to it.” It clicked into place, all at once. The clothes, the fancy hair, her tone. It all came together to tell me that this was her way of armoring herself against her fear. It didn’t make much sense to me, but I knew it the way I knew I’d be physically ill if I bit into a pineapple. There was just something instinctual, something that had collected the clues where I had not, that was practically screaming that this was the answer to a question I didn’t realize I had. Adroitly leaping over the desktop, she swung her legs around it like a world-class gymnast on a pommel horse. Placing a surprisingly soft fingertip on my nose, she suddenly toppled me backward with a powerful thrust of her finger. Standing over my sprawled form like a bored prizefighter longing for a challenge and finding me lacking, she sighed with a huff that could best be described as… theatrical.
3 12
csmadsen.bsky.social
C.S. Madsen @csmadsen.bsky.social · 5d
WHOA.

I'm getting serious #SilentHill and #ResidentEvil vibes from this. Way to make it wildly spooky without any other entities involved! I'm piqued. I'm interested. I'm ready for more.

#Hooked
2
csmadsen.bsky.social
C.S. Madsen @csmadsen.bsky.social · 5d
(TIL: finding gifs that express sparkling eyes with the "really?!?" vibe are actually super difficult to find, 'cause most of what you get is angsty "...really..." kind of vibe instead.)

Thank you for your continued interactions, Amanda. It really means more to me than you might know. :)
a cartoon of spongebob with the words you mean it really behind him
ALT: a cartoon of spongebob with the words you mean it really behind him
media.tenor.com
csmadsen.bsky.social
C.S. Madsen @csmadsen.bsky.social · 5d
#WIPSnips of the day? #Battery.

After a string of missed calls while he was working, his sister's phone is dead. Now Erik crosses two state lines in under an hour just to find her, hoping for a simple explanation... and fearing the alternatives.

#BYPMW #UrbanFantasy #Supernatural #Thriller
🐺
Text snippet from a word processor, with the word "battery" highlighted in pastel green. The text reads as follows: I considered what I might do when I got to my sister’s house. Daisy was always notoriously distant from the family, which made my attachment to her feel one-sided, at times. That was even compared to Jonathan, who, despite living literally halfway across the world, still visited more than she did. I couldn’t imagine my experience would be as simple as finding her at her house with a dead phone battery, but I really hoped that was the case. My mind was being particularly creative, and the alternatives it came up with weren’t anything good. Making my way into Mesquite, I wound through the thickly suburban side streets. As if by some miracle, I remembered the way with only one or two wrong turns, arriving at my sister’s house a short time later. Her car wasn’t in her driveway, but her empty garage was yawning open like a husk. Bicycles, a lawn mower, camping gear, and other fairly valuable items were in plain view from the street.
1 4 16