Man, this was a freaking great addition to the series. Ink’s abilities expand into fun new territory. His ability to become Captain America at will, to take wounds from others that he shares with his twin sister (hopefully not against her will!), and a smoking hot grandma.
My skin did start to crawl right after she shows she’s pantiless, says he needs to “give us a kiss,” and is then revealed to be his grandmother!!! Dude 🤦 what a bizarre family.
David, I think what impressed me most here is how much character you manage to reveal while everything is moving.
Cass is funny and cocky, but then the healing scene with Angelique suddenly shows us the cost underneath the swagger. And Angelique may have taken a brick to the head, but somehow she still manages to come out of the scene feeling like the dangerous one. 😂
Their banter makes their relationship feel lived-in rather than explained, which I really enjoyed.
And then, after all that menace and seduction at the end, you hit us with:
“Why exactly are you here, Grandmother?”
That got me. 😂
Terrific ending, David. You definitely know how to make a reader turn the page.
Thank you Jay! Trying to get Flash #4 out today and get the website for INK up as well. I'm having a blast with these characters. And I hope you'll enjoy how Angelique reacts when she comes through the door in a second and see Grandmother...
David, I can tell you’re having a blast with them—and that energy is coming through on the page. 😄
Now you’ve made me even more curious about Angelique walking through that door and finding Grandmother there. I have a feeling “calm family reunion” is not the direction we’re headed.
Good luck getting Flash #4 and the INK site out today. I’ll be looking forward to seeing what trouble they create next. 📚🔥
David, thanks for asking! 😊 My main fiction project is Tahoma’s Shadow, a historical novel set in a Pacific Northwest logging community in 1892.
At the center are two brothers, Jack and Sam Mercer, who come to Timberline carrying their own history and gradually become part of a community fighting to survive pressures from outside—and divisions within. There’s logging, sabotage, a railroad trestle, romance, danger, and plenty of period history, but underneath all of it, I think the story is really about brotherhood, community, and what it costs to stand together.
I’ve also built Timberline: Lessons by the Campfire around that world, where I use the campfire as a gathering place for stories about history, writing, resilience, kindness, leadership, and the things people carry forward.
The first novel is finished, and I’m already working on the next part of the Timberline world. 🌲🔥📚
And judging from what I’ve read of INK so far, I have a feeling you and I could have some very interesting conversations about characters who insist on getting themselves into trouble. 😂
David, thank you — I’m glad the Timberline branding works for you! 🌲🔥
I’m not serializing the entire novel here. Tahoma’s Shadow is the finished historical novel set in Timberline, and I want to preserve the experience of reading that as a complete book.
What I’m doing on Substack is opening up the larger Timberline world around it — original stories and scenes, historical pieces, character moments, behind-the-scenes looks at the writing and research, and the Lessons by the Campfire conversations about community, resilience, leadership, kindness, and the things we carry forward.
So readers can spend time in Timberline and get to know its people without me handing them the whole novel chapter by chapter.
In a way, the novel is the story — but Timberline is becoming the place. 😊🌲
And now that I’m watching what you’re doing with INK, I’m especially interested in how you’re approaching serialization. You may end up teaching me a thing or two. 😄
This grandmother has no chill. Makes me wonder how she is in a fight. I am not disappointed, but it makes me wonder about the early life Cass had as a boy, having this lady as a grandmother.
I have a comment by Logan Raith right beneath right now and I have the same question "WHAT is happening?" I was ready for a religious zealots as thi was somehwat hinter in Chapter I and conversations happening later, I was ready for him to try and save other lifes at the cost of his. Nymphomaniac, grandmother... I was not prepared for this. But great job on everything in this chapter.
I really enjoyed this. Cass has such a damn good voice. He's funny as hell, but the humor works fantastically. That freaking tax attorney/voodoo line about killed me, lol.
The way you handle the tattoos and the art? HOLY SMOKES, epic writing craft. You give readers pieces of how all of this works while Cass is ACTUALLY doing things with it, instead of stopping to info dump like a newbie... hehe. The brick coming back later? Chef's kiss. I love when things that could've been just a tinsy detail all of a sudden ring a bell. This matters... payoff.
And Angelique (I think I spelled her name right) is a freaking blast. "I'm every bit the man you are and twice the woman." Damn right. Loved that attitude. Their back-and-forth... probably my fav part of this.
Then that ending!!! Of course we finally get to Granny, and you stop THERE. So rude, lol.
Well, this is naughty. 😊 I would love to pick a favorite line but there's too many. I'm picking up "Ink Mage" and "Death Gate" vibes but the execution is really fresh. 👌👌👌
WHAT is happening?!
Man, this was a freaking great addition to the series. Ink’s abilities expand into fun new territory. His ability to become Captain America at will, to take wounds from others that he shares with his twin sister (hopefully not against her will!), and a smoking hot grandma.
My skin did start to crawl right after she shows she’s pantiless, says he needs to “give us a kiss,” and is then revealed to be his grandmother!!! Dude 🤦 what a bizarre family.
Oh, the “I use Grok” line is hilarious 🤣
Great stuff, man.
Thanks man, I'm glad it's working for you. And wait until you see what happens when Angelique charges into Ink's flat...
David, I think what impressed me most here is how much character you manage to reveal while everything is moving.
Cass is funny and cocky, but then the healing scene with Angelique suddenly shows us the cost underneath the swagger. And Angelique may have taken a brick to the head, but somehow she still manages to come out of the scene feeling like the dangerous one. 😂
Their banter makes their relationship feel lived-in rather than explained, which I really enjoyed.
And then, after all that menace and seduction at the end, you hit us with:
“Why exactly are you here, Grandmother?”
That got me. 😂
Terrific ending, David. You definitely know how to make a reader turn the page.
Thank you Jay! Trying to get Flash #4 out today and get the website for INK up as well. I'm having a blast with these characters. And I hope you'll enjoy how Angelique reacts when she comes through the door in a second and see Grandmother...
David, I can tell you’re having a blast with them—and that energy is coming through on the page. 😄
Now you’ve made me even more curious about Angelique walking through that door and finding Grandmother there. I have a feeling “calm family reunion” is not the direction we’re headed.
Good luck getting Flash #4 and the INK site out today. I’ll be looking forward to seeing what trouble they create next. 📚🔥
Tell me about your work!
David, thanks for asking! 😊 My main fiction project is Tahoma’s Shadow, a historical novel set in a Pacific Northwest logging community in 1892.
At the center are two brothers, Jack and Sam Mercer, who come to Timberline carrying their own history and gradually become part of a community fighting to survive pressures from outside—and divisions within. There’s logging, sabotage, a railroad trestle, romance, danger, and plenty of period history, but underneath all of it, I think the story is really about brotherhood, community, and what it costs to stand together.
I’ve also built Timberline: Lessons by the Campfire around that world, where I use the campfire as a gathering place for stories about history, writing, resilience, kindness, leadership, and the things people carry forward.
The first novel is finished, and I’m already working on the next part of the Timberline world. 🌲🔥📚
And judging from what I’ve read of INK so far, I have a feeling you and I could have some very interesting conversations about characters who insist on getting themselves into trouble. 😂
Are you publishing Timberline (great branding!) as a serial here?
David, thank you — I’m glad the Timberline branding works for you! 🌲🔥
I’m not serializing the entire novel here. Tahoma’s Shadow is the finished historical novel set in Timberline, and I want to preserve the experience of reading that as a complete book.
What I’m doing on Substack is opening up the larger Timberline world around it — original stories and scenes, historical pieces, character moments, behind-the-scenes looks at the writing and research, and the Lessons by the Campfire conversations about community, resilience, leadership, kindness, and the things we carry forward.
So readers can spend time in Timberline and get to know its people without me handing them the whole novel chapter by chapter.
In a way, the novel is the story — but Timberline is becoming the place. 😊🌲
And now that I’m watching what you’re doing with INK, I’m especially interested in how you’re approaching serialization. You may end up teaching me a thing or two. 😄
Gramma???? Ah, family. Nice twist!
She’s great x40 or so, but still.
This grandmother has no chill. Makes me wonder how she is in a fight. I am not disappointed, but it makes me wonder about the early life Cass had as a boy, having this lady as a grandmother.
You get to see how she is in a fight in Ch 4…
And Cass had a VERY interesting childhood if trauma and manipulation is interesting.
oh poor Cass I can relate
Fuck meow.
hehe. I now say that whenever I bang my knee into something around the house. :P
As you should. I may have to steal it and start using it in my real life. With no explanation, of course...
Steal it! -- we'll have the Fuck Meow! t-shirts in the Write Club Merch store soon. :)
eeewwwwwwwwwww! Yuck!!!!
I have a comment by Logan Raith right beneath right now and I have the same question "WHAT is happening?" I was ready for a religious zealots as thi was somehwat hinter in Chapter I and conversations happening later, I was ready for him to try and save other lifes at the cost of his. Nymphomaniac, grandmother... I was not prepared for this. But great job on everything in this chapter.
Thanks Kostia. Mathild is my attempt at a bad guy (gal?) no one has ever seen before. And Chapter 4 should make the grandma thing less icky. :)
I really enjoyed this. Cass has such a damn good voice. He's funny as hell, but the humor works fantastically. That freaking tax attorney/voodoo line about killed me, lol.
The way you handle the tattoos and the art? HOLY SMOKES, epic writing craft. You give readers pieces of how all of this works while Cass is ACTUALLY doing things with it, instead of stopping to info dump like a newbie... hehe. The brick coming back later? Chef's kiss. I love when things that could've been just a tinsy detail all of a sudden ring a bell. This matters... payoff.
And Angelique (I think I spelled her name right) is a freaking blast. "I'm every bit the man you are and twice the woman." Damn right. Loved that attitude. Their back-and-forth... probably my fav part of this.
Then that ending!!! Of course we finally get to Granny, and you stop THERE. So rude, lol.
I had so much fun with this.
Angelique is about to meet Granny, tonight! :)
Thanks for another wonderful review Eris.
as a man of culture, i approve nsfw stuff, thumbs up
I am sort of excited to see how Angelique reacts when she shows up. :)
Crap a brick?
Well, this is naughty. 😊 I would love to pick a favorite line but there's too many. I'm picking up "Ink Mage" and "Death Gate" vibes but the execution is really fresh. 👌👌👌
Thank you Ian. I just wonder what Angelique is going to do when she shows up…