Gus Ryer

SPACE SWEEPERS 🤝 LOGAN LUCKY When an AI-piloted space hauler threatens her home station, aging & indebted traffic controller Dez decides to rob the hell out of it. She's got a plan & a motley crew. But, when things aboard aren’t as expected, all bets are off. #QuestPit #Q #SF #A #BookSky

Oct. 27 Now a company if not crew, Benjamina Gunn and I compare maps and deduce the first place we erred. Rather than above, our path leads below. And so now, we must plum the stygian depths to see where this trail leads. It feels like going home. #TibbyTime

Oct. 26 After much soul searching, we could not find ours. But we did decide that, perhaps, we would fare better joining with Benjamina Gunn instead of opposing her. Over an atrociously undersalted meal prepared by my diminutive companion, Gunn and I agreed to terms. #TibbyTime

Oct. 25 Our interview concluded, we retire to a warming fire so our thoughts may percolate. I must admit, it does little to thaw our bones. Ms. Gunn has been marooned here for years, searching for the same treasure we seek. And so: what do we do with our prisoner? #TibbyTime

Oct. 24 And so you have fallen into our trap. Your name? Benjamina Gunn, eh? Tell us, how long have you been here, and what can you say about this map? #TibbyTime

Oct. 23 Our testing inconclusive, we determine that only the source will do. Some rudimentary knot work and suitable bait should be all we need to trap the interloper. #TibbyTime

No email signature beats the most sinister sign off I ever saw: with my usual regards

Oct. 22 Reagent’s squeak And beaker’s foam, Who seeks this answer? We alone! Instruments fair, Pray, tell us true. Which path do we take? To the real you must hew! #TibbyTime

Oct. 21 We scour the area for clues about our mysterious shadow and uncover a camp, complete with tent and fire. More interesting, however, is what seems to be a copy of our map. But, under scrutiny, I discover slight differences in the documents. Testing is needed. #TibbyTime

Oct. 20 The lights extinguish, and the sound of scampering bursts from cover nearby. I swing my blade, but in the darkness I lose my balance. Two additional thuds signal my companions’ falls. When we find the lights, our quarry has vanished without a trace. #TibbyTime

Oct. 19 Our hunt begins. We search high and low for the miscreant, sword in hand, but to no avail. Still, we cannot shake the feeling of eyes upon us in the dark. #TibbyTime

Nooo, my query friend! I was hoping we'd do this together. Fair winds, pal, I'll see you around.

Oct. 18 I wake to blinding light, and my companions armed with sutures instead of swords. They tell me our attacker fled after striking the blow that felled me. Is the Black Spot a clue? No matter. Our new friend will soon learn the best defense is a strong offense. #TibbyTime

Oct. 17 No sooner do I roll the map than we are set upon by an unknown assailant! I fall, suspended longer than should be possible. Cold steel pierces my chest. Leaping to my defense, Tiny Tibby draws his dreaded pincer, and steel clashes steel. Comforting darkness envelops me. #TibbyTime

Oct. 16 THE BLACK SPOT! As we pour over the map for clues, we turn a leaf of our notebook to reveal that most reviled of symbols. But who could have penned this malicious mark? #TibbyTime

Last night I got the very last Philly cheesesteak from my local roadside stand before they shut down for the winter. The Fates are smiling on me

Oct. 15 The cabin appears as empty as my chest, and the chill inside feels more profound than the grave. Our first order of business is to light a fire. I spin at a scrabbling sound, but I see nothing. Mice, no doubt. Tomorrow, we begin to search for the treasure! #TibbyTime

Pleasantly surprised- I thought some dudes were gonna fight me on this.

Oct 14 We come to a strange land that, admittedly, looks very like the land from whence we departed. Lars makes fast the anchor as Tiny Tibby and I set bony feet ashore. Before long we discover a dwelling. Castaways? Or abandoned to the elements? There is but one way to tell. #TibbyTime

Oct 13 Our work on the Hispaniola has transformed her into a vessel worthy of facing Poseidon himself! The time's come to weigh anchor, to sail unknown seas and chase the course laid by our mysterious map. What shall we find at this folly's end? Only the Fates know. #TibbyTime

Oct. 12 Attention crew! The time to board our fair Hispaniola is nigh. Before we leave, avail yourself of the land-bound facilities one fina- Hey, just a minute, ya scalawag, it’s occupied! #TibbyTime

Oct. 11 I know not how late we played into the night, quaffing as we gambled with our coin and the coming day’s hours both. What I do know, on this evening with fog as murky as my thoughts, is that I am ill prepared to set foot on a seagoing vessel. Perhaps tomorrow. #TibbyTime

Oct. 10 While I was distracted, Tiny Tibby broke into the spirits and cut a deck of cards. I suppose a quick wager or two while we wait for the tides can’t hurt… #TibbyTime

Hey readers and writers, it’s Saturday, and that means it’s time for a bookish cocktail! I’ve got more info on my IG (same name), but here’s a peek at one of my perennial favorites: the Poet’s Dream. #AmReading #BookSky #Cocktail

Oct 9 Arms laden, we make for the ship. But outside, a clang heralds a tow truck’s snag on the fair Hispaniola’s keel. The place where my heart once rested plummets. A staccato of bone fists on glass chased by an irate call stymies the hitch. We heave a sigh of relief. #TibbyTime

I just entered #RevPit #10Queries. Enter now for a chance to win free feedback on your query and 1st 5 pages!

A respectable 1,300 words today! It’s wild to see how fast I’m nearing 30k. Still, for once I’ve found myself underwriting slightly. The story has plenty of legs for a novella, so I think it’s me just trying to be efficient. Can’t wait to round it out in edits. #AmWriting #BookSky

Oct. 8 We find the pantry fit to bursting, with more than enough vittles to stock our fair ship's galley for the journey ahead. Prudent as ever, Lars suggests we fill the Hispaniola's hold with staples, but Tiny Tibby has eyes only for chocolate and hot sauce. #TibbyTime

✨ Something strange this way comes. We’re looking for Adult & YA speculative fiction: strange worlds, impossible futures, and everything in between. If you’ve got a novel or novella that's out of the ordinary, we want to see it. Details here: www.hopespringscreative.com/submissions

Scratched out 960 words today in drips and drabs, but I’ve officially closed out Part 1 of my sci-fi novella! Looking forward to getting to the real meat of it, but I’m really liking how this is turning out. #AmWriting #BookSky

Oct. 7 The wind was howling and the company outrageous, but we chopped through the night, and we chopped through the dawn. None of our little crew perished in our labors, but our vessel is now seaworthy, oakum and Hallow willing. Now we must gather provisions! #TibbyTime

Best part of starting a new book. Love any excuse to bring out the ol' embosser! #AmReading #BookSky

Didn't have much time for writing today, but I was able to squeeze out some little chunks to work on my website. Still some tweaking do, but I think it's coming along (especially since I'm not a designer/coder). Let me know what you think! #AmWriting #AuthorWebsite www.gusryer.com

Oct. 6 Our search leads us outside, and my intrepid crew uncovers something most interesting: a long-buried vessel bearing the moniker HISPPANIOLA. I harbor doubts that this is the ship of legend, but I do believe–with a little work– she may yet serve our purposes. #TibbyTime

Finished RULES FOR AGING AND LARCENY, by Julia London! This was a really lovely read. Sure there’s a lovable crew and an audacious, white-knuckle heist, but the true robbery is about stealing back time you thought you’d lost. Also, Christina Moore’s narration was fabulous! #AmReading #BookSky

Oct. 5 Our first order of business? A ship. No self-respecting buccaneer is without one. However, though the vessel my compatriots and I locate may be seaworthy, I cannot fit but a single tarsal of mine on its deck without risking a capsize. Our hunt continues. #TibbyTime

Oct. 4 With that wax seal broken, truly what choice do I have? Float through eons, wondering if that treasure was real? Or don my raiments of old and unsheathe a sword I had long ago forsaken? It is no choice at all. A grave gravity pulls me onward toward adventure. #TibbyTime

Oct. 3 The tug of slumber pulls Lars and myself into soft shadows. But Tiny Tibby merely feigns rest. As we sleep, he arms himself with a cheese knife to hack at the absent Mstr. Hawkins’ letter. And inside? A tattered map. A map that appears to lead to treasure. #TibbyTime

Oct. 2 A knock startled me from my reading; a letter arrived for a Mstr. Jim Hawkins, an individual with whom I am unacquainted. I admit to my piqued curiosity, but Lars remains my conscience of owlish temperance. I will put the letter aside and consider the matter settled. #TibbyTime

No words written in today’s session, but I did a lot of writerly admin: website work, an automated welcome email for my newsletter subscribers, some social media planning, and graphic design. It’s important, but I’m itching to get back to the story! #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #BookSky

Super interesting read! I wholeheartedly believe that more men should read within romance genres. I've only read a handful, and I should fix that. There's lots of great stuff out there! www.theguardian.com/books/2026/s... #BookSky #AmReading

Oct 1 I have risen. After the fuss of the last two years, I rented a cottage in the hills of VT. Somehow, Tiny Tibby smuggled himself in my bag, but he seems ready for holiday too. I waste no time finding a cozy corner & spooky book. It will be nice to rest my bones before The Big Day. #TibbyTime

Finished HAMMAJANG LUCK, by @makana-yama.bsky.social last night, and what a blast! A fabulous SF heist with great worldbuilding and a crew you can't help but love. The pacing's tight, and I could practically hear cool jazz in the background. Definitely check this one out! #AmReading #BookSky

Knocked out over 1,100 word today on SLIPSTREAM TANGO - not too shabby! About to (re)break my main character’s heart, so I’m just over here biding time until my next writing session… #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #BookSky

Watched Oddity over the weekend, and what a treat! It had a creeping dread I loved - quieter, but spooky. Give this one a try! And man, what a house! I'm sure it'd be a nightmare to live in (ghosts aside), but I still would.

In the mood for a spooky short story? This one on my website's really stuck with me over the years: THE SEPTIC MONSTER What seems like a throwaway joke from a troubled father haunts his young son and those around him. gusryer.com/short-storie... #BookSky #AmReading #WritingCommunity

A nice bonus of LitConnect is that it's giving me a tailor-made list of agents my manuscript matched with. Now I can query them directly the old fashioned way. Haven't taken advantage of this yet, but I plan to! #AmQuerying #BookSky #WritingCommunity

All right readers/writers, it’s Saturday! Time for another literary-leaning cocktail. Let’s lift a glass to literature‘s saddest donkey! My take on Eeyore’s Requiem 1.5 oz Campari 1.5 oz Cocci 0.75 oz gin 0.5 oz Cynar 0.5 oz Fernet Stir over ice, express lemon. Cheers! #WritingCommunity #BookSky

The temp’s dropping, the wind’s up, and a nor’easter’s on the way. Perfect timing for a book & brew. Y’all reading anything good this weekend? #AmReading #WritingCommunity #BookSky