Tessera

Chapter 22 of The Escape just posted! I can't wait to hear your thoughts. All proceeds from Nexus of Worlds goes to BabyPurrPurr's chemo - The Escape has 10 free chapters - Revolution is currently free - Most of the Bonus Content is free #scifi #writing #serial www.nicholasballou.com/contents/

Table of Contents

Find your next read in the Nexus of Worlds

nicholasballou.com

Getting pet insurance is probably the best thing I’ve done in the last year. I highly recommend you look into it if you have pets, regardless of their age or health.

Star Trek: Voyager is my emotional support show, and since I am boycotting CBS/Paramount, I can’t watch it despite needing the emotional support. So, I am reading some of my ST:V books. So many coworkers are teasing me 😂

Nexus of Worlds: The Escape 🏛️ Cult vibes ☣️ Dystopia colony 🔥 Escape at gunpoint 👨‍👩‍👦 Parents who prioritize their son 👽 Aliens 🧬 Engineered bloodlines 🙏 Theology crisis 🩸Violent secrets 🪐 First contact 🌐 Post scarcity society Read it here: NicholasBallou.com/contents #booksky #scifi #serial

Colorful space scene with the words “Nexus of Worlds: The Escape”

Things are really heating up for The Escape. 20 chapters posted, and the next one posts this Friday: James takes a trip unlike he ever could have imagined. #writing #wip #serial #scifi

The Escape

Premise
In Earth Year 2514, James Moore is doing his best to live his life exactly as his colony expects. Anything less could be death for him, his wife, and even his son. But James knows things others in the colony don’t, things the colony founders wanted forgotten. Now James has a choice: stay and live with his secret knowledge or flee for a chance at a better life.
If he’s wrong about life outside, the colony militia won’t have to kill him… the aliens will.

1. The Intervention (Free)
2. The Cleansing (Free)
3. The Plan (Free)
4. The Induction (Free)
5. The Threat (Free)
6. The Bible (Free for limited time)
7. The Moment (Free for limited time)
8. The Shot (Free for limited time)
9. The Trees (Free for limited time)
10. The Claws (Free for a limited time)
11. The Death (Paid)
12. The Ship (Paid)
13. The Arrival (Paid)
14. The Brother (Paid)
15. The Translation (Paid)
16. The Questions (Paid)
17. The Tests (Paid)
18. The Results (Paid)
19. The Decision ( Paid)
20. The Meeting (Standard and Full Access)
21. The Integrity (Coming Soon!)

All proceeds from Nexus of Worlds for the next four months will go directly to BabyPurrPurr’s chemo treatments. Please consider subscribing, or leaving a small tip. Plus, you get to read some pretty awesome stories! Can’t afford a sub or tip? Please share the story. NicholasBallou.com/contents

Me, smiling and sitting in a desk chair with a beautiful calico cat sitting on the back. I was 21 and she was 1.

Me, sitting in a desk chair with a beautiful calico cat sitting on the back. I was 33 and she was 13.

Nicholas Ballou@nicholasballou.com · 3mo ago

Here’s a free seven day trial of the Full Access membership. New chapters of The Escape and Bonus Content post weekly. Revolution posts biweekly. That’s a lot of content you can read while supporting a cute cat. www.nicholasballou.com/babypurrpurr...

Did you know the first 10 chapters of The Escape (plus some Bonus Content!) is on Royal Road? Give it a read, drop a quick rating, then stick around for the thousands of other great stories there. #RoyalRoad #serial #WIP www.royalroad.com/fiction/1564...

The Intervention - Nexus of Worlds: The Escape

Earth Year 2514 “Die, alien! Bang!” I fell to the ground, grabbing my gut with dramatic death sounds. My five-year-old son’s laughter filled the cavernous space as he fully entered the living room, cl...

royalroad.com

Chapter 20 is up! 🎉 James meets an ally in his exploration of the galaxy, and discovers a whole new side of Christianity. #scifi #writing #serial www.nicholasballou.com/the-escape-c...

The Escape: Chapter Twenty: Miles

James meets a new friend

nicholasballou.com

As my cat has gotten older and has some arthritis, I bring treats directly to her instead of having her come to the treats. We call it Uber Treats.

I would love to hear your thoughts on my story. The first 10 chapters are free! Plus, there's bonus content! Give it a quick read and let me know what you think. NicholasBallou.com/contents

Space scene with text that says

The Escape
James could have everything. Money. Power. Respect.

He chooses freedom

If he's wrong about life outside, it would mean death

My oldest, sweetest cat has been diagnosed with cancer. She is the light of my life and truly the reason I got through some very dark times. Please keep her in your thoughts. She has an oncology appointment next week so we will see what they say.

Beautiful calico cat curled up on an open book

🎉 DEAL 🎉 Get Full Access to Nexus of Worlds FREE forever. This is your chance to get early access to the narrative and all bonus content, all free. Two books currently posting! #writing #scifi ⬇️ Offer expires 12PM Eastern 5/9/26 ⬇️ www.nicholasballou.com/bluesky-deal

Nexus of Worlds

Serial Sci-Fi Posted Weekly

nicholasballou.com

Nexus of Worlds

Serial Sci-Fi Posted Weekly

nicholasballou.com

Found out via Reddit that a lot of people are not aware that it is perfectly legal in most US states to fire an employee for calling out sick. My employer fires if you have 9 call out occurrences in a rolling 12 months. They do not accept doctor’s notes to excuse absence. This is perfectly legal.

Chapter Eighteen of The Escape is up! Catch up today! The Moore family is learning new things in their new living situation, and the have a surprise encounter. #Booksky #writing #WIP NicholasBallou.com/contents

Who’s participating in May Day today?

Chapter Seventeen of The Escape is up! Dive right in to chapter one and get caught up. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the story. #Writing #WIP www.nicholasballou.com/chapter-one-...

Chapter Seventeen of The Escape is up! Dive right in to chapter one and get caught up. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the story. #Writing #WIP www.nicholasballou.com/chapter-one-...

This is not quite the breakdown in countries I would have expected for visitors to my site. Very glad to see I'm reaching people in such interesting places. I like to think my stories have a somewhat universal message. NicholasBallou.com/contents

Breakdown of countries by number of visitors:
United States
People's Republic of China
India
Spain
United Kingdom
Unknown

Chapter three of Revolution just posted! Christine is determined to do something to help the women of the colony, who live under an extreme authoritarian theocracy. #writing Get started here: www.nicholasballou.com/revolution-c...

Revolution: Chapter One: Papers

Christine Moore gets the shock of her life.

nicholasballou.com

A lot of productivity and habit books assume people have consistent, set work schedules. Very annoying for people who work retail jobs and such. Now I clock in for work at 6AM and all the books are like, "Want to win at life? Wake up at 5am." Honey, I wake up at 3:30AM and I am not winning.

Nicholas Ballou@nicholasballou.com · 4mo ago

Here's the Table of Contents for The Escape, Revolution, and all the bonus content out so far. I'd love to hear what you think of the story so far.

Nexus of Worlds is growing! Read the first 10 chapters of The Escape for FREE. James Moore decides to lead his family out of a fascist theocracy, hoping to find a better life out in the universe. And he's not quite sure aliens aren't monsters. #booksky #writing www.nicholasballou.com/contents/

Chapter fifteen is out! What does James find out about this strange new civilization, and how will he deal with it? First ten chapters are currently free #writing www.nicholasballou.com/the-escape-c...

The Escape: Chapter Fifteen: The Translation

James hears startling information

nicholasballou.com

Nicholas Ballou@nicholasballou.com · 4mo ago

I did not set out to write a book with a Christian main character, but it made sense due to the setting. So if you are interested in Christianity in sci-fi, The Escape is for you. Not interested in Christianity? It's not the main theme of the story, so The Escape is for you too! ✝️ 👽

Chapter 14 of The Escape is posted! The first 10 chapters are currently free, plus a bunch of bonus content, plus the beginnings of a second story, all updated regularly. So much free content. Give it a read 😊 #serial #WIP #fic #NexusOfWorlds www.nicholasballou.com/the-escape-c...

Seanie Bhoy ✅@seaniebhoy.bsky.social · 4mo ago

I reduced contact with family who voted for Trump in 2016. Suddenly they think perhaps he shouldn’t be president.

My friends/family thought I was unreasonable for cutting people out of my life for voting for him. I think it was the most rational think I have done in my life.