A big thank you to The Gray and White Bookshop for stocking CITIES ON FIRE. Let's talk about it, and crippling imposter syndrome! chwilkins.substack.com/p/small-wins...

Another look at Madison Myers, and a diversion into the realm of ~special~ detectives across media. All that, and I'm debuting some new art from @jorellrivera.bsky.social . Also a quick update on what to expect for the next 2 months! HOUSEKEEPING!! open.substack.com/pub/chwilkin...

Oh, no-- I got distracted! That means I started editing an entirely different book than I should have been (oh nuts). Let's talk briefly about Richard Faraday, Ghost Detective; then maybe some plans for the future? Who knows. chwilkins.substack.com/p/revising-r...

Talking about the astonishing art of @danielwarrenart.bsky.social-- and it's relevant, I promise!-- as well as how to frame-- as in, for a crime-- your morally righteous protagonist for murder. Gosh, I love writing stories. #comics #batman chwilkins.substack.com/p/revising-c...

Chatting about fan fiction and how it helped get the Aleph series started. Suicide Squad, Copra, Checkmate, Aleph, it's all fun and games, and I hope you enjoy the ride. Also-- CITIES ON FIRE is REVISED and READY for NEW READERS, so check it out! chwilkins.substack.com/p/revising-c...

A quick chat about the newly revised CITIES ON FIRE, available now at the dreaded newsletter. Subscribe now! chwilkins.substack.com/p/cities-on-...

High stakes and global crises abound as CITIES ON FIRE returns-- newly revised-- with brand new appendices at the back with bios and juicy details about all the characters you're meeting throughout. This is the definitive edition, ready for all you new readers to catch-up! amzn.eu/d/b0mp8hu

Let's get in the weeds of the technical side of getting a book ready for print as an independent, self-published author, without an editor or designer to support you. #selfpublishing #superheroes #novel #creativewriting Art by Nathan Kilburn (@nawjk on IG) chwilkins.substack.com/p/revising-c...

We're back, but we're keeping it brief. #writing #horror #prose #nineinchnails Link: chwilkins.substack.com/p/september-...

Galactus and Solaris the Tyrant Sun! As suggested by @chwilkins.bsky.social #galactus #fantasticfour #solaris #dccomics #marvel #marvelvsdc #art #comics #illustration #fanart

General Zod vs. Super Skrull! As suggested by @chwilkins.bsky.social ! #generalzod #zod #superman #terencestamp #fantasticfour #superskrull #art #illustration #dccomics #marvel #marvelvsdc

Okay, Steve- Here's my comic writer version: YOUR COMIC SCRIPT CRITIQUE @stevelieberart.bsky.social

Check it out, babes.

Featuring art by my stellar collaborator @jorellrivera.bsky.social, let's take a look behind the scenes of what went into writing THE DEPTHS. I LOVE WRITING, I WISH IT WAS EASIER. chwilkins.substack.com/p/back-matte...

In June, I shared THE DEPTHS. Tonight at 8pm GMT, a behind-the-scenes post featuring some astounding original art, as well as insights into the story itself, is going live. Check out the story before my next post spoils everything... chwilkins.substack.com/p/aleph-shor...

We're back with another free story, this time with the final Halcyon tale for a while. Bear with me. It's a rough one. chwilkins.substack.com/p/aleph-shor...

your inability to hold hate in your heart for more than one person at a time is a skill issue and you should work on it instead of being proud like this

Oops, sorry for the delay, but here we go! I wanted to split Hannah's tropes in two, because she's a much different person after she's framed and sent to prison. A decade later... who is she? Let's find out. #writer #writing #reading #books #booklover #superheroes #supervillains #tropes #character

Kishana is the coolest. She gets shit done and she wins the fucking day. I can't wait for you to see more of her. #writer #writing #author #wip #booktok #bookstagram #reading #book #books #inspiration #superheroes #supervillains #comics #tropes

Kishana is a joy whenever she appears on page, and her character really locked in when @archiepanjabi came to mind while writing her. I can't wait to get back to her adventures as I get back into Book 5. #writing #author #wip #reading #book #books #inspiration #superheroes #supervillains #comics

Figuring out the disposition of a psychic with CPTSD was a challenge, but Henry went through a lot, both in the planning and execution. I can't wait to fully explore his development, especially considering what's coming in Vol 5. #inspiration #superheroes #supervillains #comics #tropes

Henry Gardner, Aleph's most powerful telepath, was raised by a monster who psychically edited his personality to match, and has only recently managed to reclaim his identity. But what if there is no amount of good he can do to make up for the bad he did for so long?

The importance of a supporting cast is best exemplified in Superman. Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen are key, but think about Perry White and Cat Grant, each with their own idiosyncrasies. The HR-complaint-baiting pranks of Steve Lombard... I think about them a lot when writing my own characters.

I don't talk much about (or promote) HISTORY IS A HAUNTED HOUSE, but I just spotted this 5 star review! I love hearing what people think, it really encourages me. I'd love to hear what you think too (link in bio!) #reading #book #superheroes #supervillains #comics #review #5star #bookreview

I love writing Tomas and I found a great inspiration for his appearance in @matthiasschweighoefer, who dazzles in everything he appears in. Writing a martial artist who can anticipate your moves before you even think to make them is very Midnighter-coded, but that guy's a legend too, so why deny it?

Curveball-- meet Tomas Hochburg, security consultant, deadliest man alive, unabashed lover man, and Aleph's greatest drinker. He partakes in one of the best double acts in the series, one that really begins to ramp up as the story started in CITIES ON FIRE continues... amzn.eu/d/e9jpuEl #writer

In this week's newsletter, flashback to the arrival of Glaive Fitzroya to Earth, as he first meets The Meridian via the welcoming committee of Slipstream and Starlight... but not the ones you've met already... LINK IN BIO! #author #reading #superheroes #supervillains #comics #shortstory #freestory

Despite the Aleph series being close to The Boys in framework, in my work, superheroes are heroes, and the villains are villains. There may be blurred lines in some cases, but that's the exception, not the norm. Chris Stone is a good guy. But what happens when he's pushed to the absolute edge?

Chris Stone is the head of Aleph, and there was only one guy who captured that vibe when I was writing-- @ansonmount, whose performance as Captain Pike in @startrek #Discovery and #StrangeNewWorlds captivated me from the off 1/2 #writer #writing #author #reading #book #books #inspiration

You come across the weirdest things when checking and re-checking the Amazon listings for your debut novel... (Available to buy in all sorts of conditions here: amzn.eu/d/dXjkpoY) #writer #writing #booktok #bookstagram #writergram =#reading #book #books #booklover #bookworm #writersofinstagram

This is part one of two tropes profiles for Hannah, this one before her imprisonment (spoilers?!), and tomorrow's will be for after, so keep it here. I'm trying something different with colour, so I hope you don't mind the pink. Let's see how we go! Check out CITIES ON FIRE here: amzn.eu/d/i964eQb

Hannah Stone is who I consider to be the co-lead of the book-- or at least, I did before I started writing. She's a pivotal player, and I know what's coming with her, but she took a backseat to the main events of the early books. 1/2 #writer #writing #author #reading #bookworm #superheroes

I went into CITIES ON FIRE thinking Madison Myers was the main character, and then a dozen or so additional characters made their appearance and I began to worry. For no reason. Madison is the de facto lead and she's got a hell of a journey ahead of her... stick around and find out exactly what!

Who else "casts" the characters in their stories? I envisioned Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Madison Myers from the first page, and it informed the writing throughout the series! You can buy CITIES ON FIRE here: amzn.eu/d/akUl2Sl #writer #writing #author #wip #booktok #bookstagram #writergram

I've been thinking the elevator pitch for CITIES ON FIRE. How about... it's like if Mulder & Scully investigated Batman & Superman... turned up to 11. I love this book! I hope you do too! amzn.eu/d/88e1R0Y #writing

Self-promotion is hard! Anyone else struggling? Art by the spectacular @leeweeksart #writer #writing #author #wip #booktok #bookstagram #writergram #writingtips #reading #book #books #booklover #writersofinstagram #writersofig #writertok #booktrend #inspiration #superheroes #supervillains #comics

Paid book promoters keep dropping into my DMs :( Art in slides by @bryanhitchcomics, @jomeopena, @1moregaryfrank @pachecosab @patchzircher because evil robots deserve to look their best. #writer #writing #author #wip #booktok #bookstagram #writergram #writingtips #writingadvice #reading #book

In this short, let's spend some time with FBI Agents Madison Myers and Gen Santos as they meet up on the former's birthday. Nobody dies! I promise! Check it out here: chwilkins.substack.com/p/aleph-shor... #writing #author #booktok #bookstagram #reading #superheroes #supervillains #comics

Learn how Derek Cross became Starlight, as his origin is revealed in his dying moments. Spoilers? Check it out to find out: chwilkins.substack.com/p/aleph-shor... #writer #writing #author #wip #booktok #bookstagram #writergram #writingtips #writingadvice #reading #book #books #booklover #bookworm

What if Captain America was never frozen and lived through the decades, all the way to the present day? Check out THROUGH THE GOLDEN AGE AND BEYOND, available now at this link: chwilkins.substack.com/p/aleph-shor...

Halcyon and Double Down are 2 young heroes in love as we plot the course of their relationship through A SERIES OF SCENES ON DATE NIGHTS, available now via chwilkins.substack.com/p/aleph-shor... #writer #writing #author #wip #booktok #bookstagram #writergram #writingtips #writingadvice #reading

If you're a fan of Green Lantern, then do I have the story for you! NO CALM, ONLY STORMS is a mission statement for Starlight, who is about to enter one of the most frantic and harrowing periods of his career, starting right here! chwilkins.substack.com/p/aleph-shor...

Happy Birthday, Florence Nightingale! She's 205 years old! You know what isn't? CITIES ON FIRE, a superpowered thriller available to buy today at amzn.eu/d/aZaHgI3 #writer #writing #author #wip #booktok #bookstagram #writergram #writingtips #writingadvice #reading #poetry #poem #book #books

Can I talk to you about the first chapter of Cities On Fire? (Please and also thank you). You can find Cities On Fire here: amzn.eu/d/87G6eSr (or just send me a DM!)

Inspiration is good and all, but what about the real weird stuff that refused to shift out of my head once it slithered inside there? Let's talk about The Weird Shows That Ate My Brain And Made Me The Writer I Am Today. What shaped your creativity? Share in the comments!

Check out the penultimate chapter of this phase of Richard Faraday, Ghost Detective, as the conclusion to the current adventure promises nothing but problems for our heroes... chwilkins.substack.com/p/richard-fa...

Ooph, thank goodness for scheduling posts. Today is the day after my birthday, and I imagine it'll be early nights for all, but THAT SAID... time for another Richard Faraday chapter! I hope you enjoy this little adventure into the Library of All-Souls... chwilkins.substack.com/p/richard-fa...

It's my BIRTHDAY! Please consider treating yourself to a copy of CITIES ON FIRE or the sequel, HISTORY IS A HAUNTED HOUSE, as a special treat from me to you (to me). I hope you enjoy! You can find the books here: amzn.eu/d/fkIvmUN

Tomorrow is my birthday! Let's celebrate my reading Richard Faraday, Ghost Detective Part 2, Chapter 2 together, shall we? I mean, I won't be reading it, but that's because I wrote it, then edited it, then posted it, but you get the jist, right? chwilkins.substack.com/p/richard-fa...

It's my birthday week! I don't celebrate the whole week, obviously (obviously?) but I thought I'd share where we're at with the Richard Faraday serial, so you can catch up with a chapter a day! Let's! Get! Into It! chwilkins.substack.com/p/richard-fa...