Nicholas Ballou
@nicholasballou.bsky.social
Sci-fi writer. Creator of Nexus of Worlds. On Substack and Ream, where The Escape posts every Friday.
Pinned
The Escape is now live on Ream. The first two chapters are up and free!
#writing #serial
reamstories.com/page/mkyh5g9...
#writing #serial
reamstories.com/page/mkyh5g9...
Ream
A membership platform built by authors for authors.
reamstories.com
January 29, 2026 at 1:55 AM
The Escape is now live on Ream. The first two chapters are up and free!
#writing #serial
reamstories.com/page/mkyh5g9...
#writing #serial
reamstories.com/page/mkyh5g9...
The Escape begins in the New Covenant Colony, a closed society where the Bible is law and the enemy is the alien horde. Beginning with a carefully selected group of humans, New Covenant was meant to be a safe haven for humanity.
Or was it?
#writing
nicholasballou.substack.com/p/introducti...
Or was it?
#writing
nicholasballou.substack.com/p/introducti...
Introduction: The Escape
Premise and Table of Contents
nicholasballou.substack.com
January 27, 2026 at 7:46 PM
The Escape begins in the New Covenant Colony, a closed society where the Bible is law and the enemy is the alien horde. Beginning with a carefully selected group of humans, New Covenant was meant to be a safe haven for humanity.
Or was it?
#writing
nicholasballou.substack.com/p/introducti...
Or was it?
#writing
nicholasballou.substack.com/p/introducti...
Chapter 5 is live.
James has endured a lot in his life in New Covenant. He's planned his escape for years.
Now is the moment to act.
#writing
open.substack.com/pub/nicholas...
James has endured a lot in his life in New Covenant. He's planned his escape for years.
Now is the moment to act.
#writing
open.substack.com/pub/nicholas...
The Escape: Chapter Five: The Threat
Marcus Moore makes a demand.
open.substack.com
January 26, 2026 at 10:36 PM
Chapter 5 is live.
James has endured a lot in his life in New Covenant. He's planned his escape for years.
Now is the moment to act.
#writing
open.substack.com/pub/nicholas...
James has endured a lot in his life in New Covenant. He's planned his escape for years.
Now is the moment to act.
#writing
open.substack.com/pub/nicholas...
In writing the New Covenant setting in my book, I had to make several changes over the years as "extreme right" continued to evolve to somehow be even more extreme. It still has to be fiction, you know.
So, if you see anything that feels a little too realistic...
#writing
So, if you see anything that feels a little too realistic...
#writing
January 19, 2026 at 5:25 PM
In writing the New Covenant setting in my book, I had to make several changes over the years as "extreme right" continued to evolve to somehow be even more extreme. It still has to be fiction, you know.
So, if you see anything that feels a little too realistic...
#writing
So, if you see anything that feels a little too realistic...
#writing
How did New Covenant begin? What decisions led to the world where James Moore exists in a state of constant fear? Who was Adam Moore? What happens when so many people believe in extremist white Christian supremacy?
Find out in The Founding.
nicholasballou.substack.com/p/the-founding
Find out in The Founding.
nicholasballou.substack.com/p/the-founding
The Founding
New Covenant's beginnings.
nicholasballou.substack.com
January 18, 2026 at 5:46 PM
How did New Covenant begin? What decisions led to the world where James Moore exists in a state of constant fear? Who was Adam Moore? What happens when so many people believe in extremist white Christian supremacy?
Find out in The Founding.
nicholasballou.substack.com/p/the-founding
Find out in The Founding.
nicholasballou.substack.com/p/the-founding
Chapter four is up! James continues everyday life even as his world is crumbling.
Doctrine says he needs to have more children. Ethics say he can't produce another soldier for the regime.
nicholasballou.substack.com/p/the-escape...
Doctrine says he needs to have more children. Ethics say he can't produce another soldier for the regime.
nicholasballou.substack.com/p/the-escape...
The Escape: Chapter Four: The Induction
James does what he needs to do
nicholasballou.substack.com
January 18, 2026 at 5:22 PM
Chapter four is up! James continues everyday life even as his world is crumbling.
Doctrine says he needs to have more children. Ethics say he can't produce another soldier for the regime.
nicholasballou.substack.com/p/the-escape...
Doctrine says he needs to have more children. Ethics say he can't produce another soldier for the regime.
nicholasballou.substack.com/p/the-escape...
Reposted by Nicholas Ballou
I made a compilation video of ICE slipping on ice and set it to the Benny Hill theme song. Enjoy.
SMITE! ICE Agents Are Slipping On Ice
You're welcome.
www.thegodpodcast.com
January 12, 2026 at 7:09 PM
I made a compilation video of ICE slipping on ice and set it to the Benny Hill theme song. Enjoy.
Buying the Anti-Planner by @danidonovan.com has been the best thing I've ever done for my ADHD. I just got the super neat playing cards and they're so awesome I don't want to mess them up by using them!
www.anti-planner.com/product-page...
www.anti-planner.com/product-page...
The Anti-Planner: How to Get Sh*t Done When You Don’t Feel Like It | Dani Donovan / Anti-Planner
Do you know what you need to do, but struggle to get yourself to do it? Get bored easily? Abandon every planner you’ve ever tried? Beat yourself up a lot? Yeah. Me too. The Anti-Planner is NOT a plann...
www.anti-planner.com
January 3, 2026 at 5:42 PM
Buying the Anti-Planner by @danidonovan.com has been the best thing I've ever done for my ADHD. I just got the super neat playing cards and they're so awesome I don't want to mess them up by using them!
www.anti-planner.com/product-page...
www.anti-planner.com/product-page...
Chapter Two is up, free to all readers.
This chapter explores expectations for citizens of the colony. Some may sound familiar to you. That's alarming.
open.substack.com/pub/nicholas...
This chapter explores expectations for citizens of the colony. Some may sound familiar to you. That's alarming.
open.substack.com/pub/nicholas...
The Escape: Chapter Two: Soul Cleansing
A conversation James would rather not hear, and a church spectacle he'd rather not see.
open.substack.com
January 2, 2026 at 8:09 PM
Chapter Two is up, free to all readers.
This chapter explores expectations for citizens of the colony. Some may sound familiar to you. That's alarming.
open.substack.com/pub/nicholas...
This chapter explores expectations for citizens of the colony. Some may sound familiar to you. That's alarming.
open.substack.com/pub/nicholas...
Libraries: fiction should be organized by genre, not author.
I will die on this hill.
I will die on this hill.
December 29, 2025 at 8:35 PM
Libraries: fiction should be organized by genre, not author.
I will die on this hill.
I will die on this hill.
Are you interested in the story of a family attempting to escape an oppressive theocracy? Where people in impossible circumstance work together to unlearn years of hateful indoctrination?
The Escape follows James and family as they discover the world.
nicholasballou.substack.com/p/the-escape...
The Escape follows James and family as they discover the world.
nicholasballou.substack.com/p/the-escape...
The Escape: Chapter One: Surveillance
James Moore lives a very normal life.
nicholasballou.substack.com
December 29, 2025 at 1:58 AM
Are you interested in the story of a family attempting to escape an oppressive theocracy? Where people in impossible circumstance work together to unlearn years of hateful indoctrination?
The Escape follows James and family as they discover the world.
nicholasballou.substack.com/p/the-escape...
The Escape follows James and family as they discover the world.
nicholasballou.substack.com/p/the-escape...
Fun fact: I considered "Web of Worlds" as the title for my universe. But, you see, "WoW" seems to be taken already. So we get "NoW."
December 29, 2025 at 1:23 AM
Fun fact: I considered "Web of Worlds" as the title for my universe. But, you see, "WoW" seems to be taken already. So we get "NoW."
Chapter One is up and free to all. Let me know what you think.
nicholasballou.substack.com/p/the-escape...
nicholasballou.substack.com/p/the-escape...
The Escape: Chapter One: Surveillance
James Moore lives a very normal life.
nicholasballou.substack.com
December 26, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Chapter One is up and free to all. Let me know what you think.
nicholasballou.substack.com/p/the-escape...
nicholasballou.substack.com/p/the-escape...
First chapter posts today! Here's the link to the table of contents.
open.substack.com/pub/nicholas...
open.substack.com/pub/nicholas...
Introduction: The Escape
Premise and Table of Contents
open.substack.com
December 26, 2025 at 3:35 PM
First chapter posts today! Here's the link to the table of contents.
open.substack.com/pub/nicholas...
open.substack.com/pub/nicholas...
It’s tomorrow!
Subscribe before 1/9/26 for 50% off for 12 months.
Subscribe before 1/9/26 for 50% off for 12 months.
December 26, 2025 at 12:19 AM
It’s tomorrow!
Subscribe before 1/9/26 for 50% off for 12 months.
Subscribe before 1/9/26 for 50% off for 12 months.
December 22, 2025 at 1:49 AM
New Substack for my writing is up. Nexus of Worlds is a series that will begin with one book and continue as the universe expands.
open.substack.com/pub/nicholas...
open.substack.com/pub/nicholas...
Welcome!
Nexus of Worlds begins with The Escape, the story of a man’s attempt to leave a restrictive colony to enter the wider galaxy in Earth Year 2514.
open.substack.com
December 20, 2025 at 7:23 PM
New Substack for my writing is up. Nexus of Worlds is a series that will begin with one book and continue as the universe expands.
open.substack.com/pub/nicholas...
open.substack.com/pub/nicholas...