Backstage at the Calamity, Vol. I No. X: A New Odds 'n' Endings Story in the Works, and the Groundskeeper, Part X

Dearly beloved, it is with great excitement I share a new Odds 'n' Endings story is in the works! If all goes well, it may see the light of publishing as early as April. Calypso is in preorder, and the latest installment of the Groundskeeper has arrived. Read on for details ...

Author

M A D A L E X
February 28th, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 12 minutes

Table of Contents

Announcements

Calypso

An ill-colored and darkly glittering background appearing like waves crashing into each other, though in tones of yellow orange and green. The title "Calypso" is displayed in all caps toward the top, superimposed over the Mad Alex emblem which is somewhat blended into the background. Toward the bottom, text reads "Mad Alex presents A Tale From the Odds n Endings Boutique." This text is displayed as a minor headline on a circus playbill, though superimposed over the background.

Calypso is the reimagining of Immortality, the first story ever written in the Odds ‘n’ Endings universe, and the third to be published in it. Come and brave the journey with the narrator as they realize too late the cost for an otherwise interesting purchase. The story drops on the 13th of March, but you can preorder it now:

Showdown at Sunrise

Calypso’s release date is March 13, 2025. When Calypso is released, the price for Showdown at Sunrise will, well, rise. You can currently purchase a digital copy for 1.99 USD. On March 13, the price will rise to 2.99 USD. I know, it’s only a buck; no big deal, right? Still, if you would like to grab a copy of the story and save yourself a dollar, do so before March 13.

What the F*CK did I Work On This Week?

One very peculiar thing happened this week: I stumbled upon a stash of very old stories and writing projects begun many many years ago. Of note is a book and short story serial I designed around the Greek pantheon, centering on the enigmatic ferryman of the Underworld. Perhaps this will see the light of publishing.

Perhaps. We shall see. You will be updated post-haste once a decision is made with regard to these old projects.

In other news, there is a brand new story in the works in the Odds ‘n’ Endings universe! I don’t want to say too much about it at the moment, but I will not be able to keep my mouth shut once the main draft is complete and ready to move into editing. You will hear more about this soon enough. In addition, Unholy Requiem and Rise of the Warlock Queen are coming together—but, like, together, as in with each other. Two different worlds, those. But they are each coming closer to completion.

And of course, more progress with the Groundskeeper and A Vampire’s Vengeance happened, per usual. Which brings us to …

The Groundskeeper, Part X

Background depicts a row of personal mausoleums, slightly desaturated. The title, "The Groundskeeper," is displayed across the image in the center in Requiem font.

First time tuning in? Start here.

In our last adventure with our protagonist, they had managed to dig out the grave and unearth the coffin of the wayward zombie, only to find their way out of the grave was impeded by the green mist spoken of in their onboarding checklist. You can revisit this part of the tale here, if you desire a refresher. How will they face such an enigmatic challenge? Read on to find out …

Mist is just mist, right? The only thing odd about this mist is that it's green. That, and the accompanying deluge of noise. Come to think of it, I did hear this deluge coming out of the employee hall earlier, so maybe it's not attached to the mist? This does bring up other concerns though: if the screams, cries, howls, and other disturbing sounds are not prompted by the mist, then where do they originate from?

Given the presence of the mist, and the closeness of the cacophony when I poke my head into it, it certainly sounds like whatever is causing all of that noise is coming from something, or many somethings, within the mist. Of course, I can't see anything in the mist--it is damn near opaque, making it so much more eerie than normal mist. But the moonlight cuts through easily enough, as I can see around me inside the grave just fine. I find this odd, but already I must be acclimating to this entire experience because I don't bother to question the physics of the whole moonlight situation.

I watch tendrils of green mist float down from above and swirl around me before dissipating. I watch as I consider my next course of action. Do I dare brave the green mist in an effort to finish dealing with the zombie locked in the employee hall? Or do I wait until the mist passes? It appears to me that if the mist can sneak up so quickly, it should leave as quickly. But I admit, this is a big assumption; the mist could issue forth as a massive, flowing green cloud and I am looking at the very tip of it. Or the green mist has arrived and is momentarily settling, which I think may be more likely the case. But it doesn't matter what I think, does it? I don't know, and the not knowing is hampering my executive function. Again, I wonder, do I climb out and make a run for the employee hall? If I wait, will the green mist simply float on by or dissipate in a reasonable amount of time? What if the green mist is settled over the entire graveyard? Or, what if, by some bizarre magical property, the green mist attaches itself to me and moves with me once I've climbed out and entered it?

Fuck, I don't know!

What I do know, however, is that there is a goddamned zombie locked in the employee hall and I can't just leave it there all night with this grave dug out and expect to deal with it in the morning when the sun burns through the mist—if the mist sticks around long enough. Nope, I have to deal with that thing ASAP, and that means climbing out of the grave and running headlong through the mist. It's just noisy green mist. I can do this. The cacophony I heard after my ordeal in the employee hall was momentary, and then it just disappeared. Maybe the same thing will happen here.

I begin to once again climb out of the grave, and once again the cacophony rises around me as my head slips through and into the wall of mist. I pause and listen for a moment. The screams and howls are many, coming from every direction and all at once. The mist might just be noisy, and if I can stomach listening to this as I trek it back to the employee hall, I'll probably be fine. I harden my resolve and start to climb out of the grave a little farther when I hear a snarl, and the sound of jaws snapping, right next to my ear. I scream like a little bitch, momentarily adding to the cacophony, and fall back into the grave, landing on my back over the exposed chipboard coffin.

Not my finest moment, though I do take a moment to celebrate the fact that I did not land over the broken bits of board, landing instead on the flat portion, with my legs thrown up along the sides of the dug out grave. This reprieve lasts only a few seconds before I am an engulfed in goosebumps and shivers. Whatever that thing was, it was ready to take off my head. I lay there expecting it to jump out of the mist and into the grave and eat me alive. Minutes pass before I decide nothing of the sort will happen, but I am badly shaken. How the fuck am I supposed to do this?

To be continued …

What’s Published and Where You Can Find It

These are the top stories currently in circulation.

Background is an image of a faded number eight, repeated in large print. There is a silhouette of a figure laid over the background, though it is unclear what the figure looks like or which way they're facing. The text "Final Encounter" is in the upper left with the Mad Alex emblem sitting just below it. At the bottom is the author's name, "Mad Alex."

Final Encounter Cover

Final Encounter

A parent searches frantically for their daughter who has disappeared in their house.

The Artist’s Spell

A visit to a popular artist’s exhibit takes an interesting turn.

Background is cream-colored paint layered over blue paint on a canvas. The text "The Artist's Spell" is stacked in the center with the Mad Alex emblem sitting just above the word "Artist's." At the bottom is the author's name, "Mad Alex."

The Artist’s Spell cover

Odds ‘n’ Endings Stories

These stories share a single connective thread through them all: the Odds ‘n’ Endings Boutique. The Proprietor—a timeless individual of many faces, few scruples, and a whole lot of character—deals in artifacts, each containing peculiar traits. These are the stories of the Boutique’s patrons.

Background depicts a giant tree with gnarled roots spread across the foreground of the bottom of the image, the trunk and branches extending up and out across the rest of the cover. The background is dimmed, with a column of light superimposed upon it. In the upper left, the word "Vegas" is set over the word "Rift" which is set over the Mad Alex emblem. The author's name, "Mad Alex," is displayed in the lower right.

Vegas Rift

A woman searches for her long lost husband. This is currently the most popular Mad Alex short story.

A merchant finds himself in a bind when he manages to survive a duel. A chance encounter in an odd shoppe may just be the luck he needs. The question is, will this luck hold out?

A western with a little bit of magic and a whole lotta gumption.

The silhouette of a cowboy on a horse is superimposed over a background depicting an old farmhouse in a desert brush landscape. The author's name, "Mad Alex," is display over the title, "Showdown at Sunrise," at the top center of the design. At the bottom, the words "A Tale From the Odds n Endings Boutique" are placed over the Mad Alex emblem.

Postscript

Another week of writing, and more stories are coming to light. I sincerely hope you are enjoying the Groundskeeper. If this story tickles your fancy, I would greatly appreciate your support by way of purchasing another—or, perhaps, many other—stories. There are few available, but they are all linked to from this newsletter. Please reach out with any questions, concerns, or comments you may have regarding any of the content I have made available to you! Also, if you are on the butterfly app, come follow me! You can find me on Bluesky here.

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