Douglas Lumsden
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douglaslumsden.bsky.social
Douglas Lumsden
@douglaslumsden.bsky.social
2.8K followers 1.5K following 1.4K posts
Self-Pub human author of a 7-book Noir Urban Fantasy series featuring hardboiled P.I. Alexander Southerland and a new series featuring were-cat Benedict Shade. Proud Left-Coast Boomer. He/Him. Old, but still running 🏃
douglaslumsdenauthor.com
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douglaslumsden.bsky.social
This Goodreads review of A Troll Walks into a Bar might be the most complimentary 3-Star review I’ve ever received 😁
amazon.com/dp/B081LVHHLF
Copy of a fairly lengthy review of A Troll Walks into a Bar that calls the story “fantastic” and the mystery “engaging” while cautioning against some objectification of women and graphic violence that nonetheless “fit right in this style of noir novel.”
October 21, 2025 at 5:39 PM
douglaslumsden.bsky.social
Rita and I dropped by our local No Kings Day demonstration. Biggest turnout I've ever seen for a demonstration in our sleepy little town!
That's me holding two signs: No Kings in America Ever, and No Kings No Dictators. That's my wife, Rita, holding the same two signs. We were on the fringes of the demonstration at that point. The center of the demonstration was pretty packed. I liked this sign, which reads: Does this ass make my country look small? I would say that nearly half of the people in attendance had a sign.
October 18, 2025 at 11:36 PM
douglaslumsden.bsky.social
I prompted Word Copilot to write a 100-word noir fiction. This is what it came up with. I'm thinking best-seller!
100-word noir fiction with lines like: "The city was a siren" "They both knew turst was a currency spent quickly in this city" and "As the rain fell harder, Cole vanished, leaving Molly and the truth behind"
October 16, 2025 at 4:25 PM
douglaslumsden.bsky.social
My latest drabble (100-word story) is up on my Under the Fedora blog. I call it "Traffic Jam" even though no cars are directly involved. Check it out if you have a spare 30 seconds:
douglaslumsden.substack.com/p/drabble-44...
Cars congested in a multi-lane roundabout.
October 13, 2025 at 3:18 PM
douglaslumsden.bsky.social
I did 90 pushups this morning! I've been doing 3 sets daily (one set before breakfast, lunch, and dinner) of 80 pushups every day of the week except Saturday (my no-exercise day). Up from 3 daily sets of 50 at the beginning of the year. I'm hoping to hit 100 by the start of 2026.
Me doing pushups on a yoga mat.
October 9, 2025 at 4:42 PM
douglaslumsden.bsky.social
Last night’s October supermoon rising and shining through the tree outside my bedroom window. It’s possible that I might be a little obsessed by the moon.
Full moon partially obscured by a tree.
October 7, 2025 at 1:58 PM
douglaslumsden.bsky.social
Check out this sale of a special anthology--It Takes a Village. This is a story collection for our times, and my short story, "Addie" is a part of it. I'm not only proud of the story, but proud to be included in such elite company!
amazon.com/Takes-Village
www.amazon.com/Takes-Villag...
On Special - Oct 3-11! Ebook $0.99! Splash promo for It Takes a Village. Blurbs include the following: Utopian and Dystopian Futures. Assorted Gods (old and new). A Criminal Trial. Shadowy Government Agencies. The meaning and merit of Care. Artificial Intelligence (of various flavors). Fantasy Social Justice. Tangible Benefits of Compassion. Colony Ships and Interstellar Travel.
October 4, 2025 at 12:21 AM
douglaslumsden.bsky.social
Do the books you read as a child shape you into the person you become, or do those books appeal to you because of who you already are? I don't know, but I wrote about 5 books I read as a child in my latest Under the Fedora blog. Check it out if you wanna: douglaslumsden.substack.com/p/my-childho...
Book cover of Strike Three! by Claire Bee showing a high school pitcher in mid wind-up as he's about to throw a pitch.
September 24, 2025 at 9:28 PM
douglaslumsden.bsky.social
I nearly forgot to publish my weekly drabble (100-word story) today! It's up now. Check out "Knock knock" if you've got a spare 30 seconds:
Distressed woman in bed with covers pulled up to her nose.
September 23, 2025 at 1:28 AM
douglaslumsden.bsky.social
Happy autumn! Fall is the best season.
Small ships in the bay on a foggy fall day.
September 22, 2025 at 3:39 PM
douglaslumsden.bsky.social
ATTENTION! Today is the LAST DAY to pick up the audiobook version of The Blood Moon Feeds on My Dreams at audible.com's big Autumn Harvest Sale! Huge discount!!! Features hardboiled P.I. Alexander Southerland on the verge of losing his heart and liver to the deadly spirit of the Blood Moon.
The audiobook cover of The Blood Moon Feeds on My Dreams, showing a surreal cartoon figure of a private detective sitting on a bed surrounded by four howler monkeys with a bright full moon in the background.
September 16, 2025 at 4:58 PM
douglaslumsden.bsky.social
A reminder that the audiobook version of The Blood Moon Feeds on My Dreams is still on sale at audible.com as part of their Autumn Harvest Sale. Hurry--sale ends tomorrow!
audible.com/ep/autumn-ha...
The audiobook cover of The Blood Moon Feeds on My Dreams, showing a surreal cartoon figure of a private detective sitting on a bed surrounded by four howler monkeys with a bright full moon in the background.
September 15, 2025 at 9:36 PM
douglaslumsden.bsky.social
The audiobook version of The Blood Moon Feasts on My Dreams is part of audible.com's Autumn Harvest Sale! Ends September 16. Shoutout to @duffypweber.bsky.social for his outstanding narration and production. If you're an Audible member, go check it out!
The audiobook cover of The Blood Moon Feeds on My Dreams, showing a surreal cartoon figure of a private detective sitting on a bed surrounded by four howler monkeys with a bright full moon in the background.
September 12, 2025 at 8:34 PM
douglaslumsden.bsky.social
Tonight’s full moon—the Corn Moon—shining brightly through the clouds over the California Central Coast. Beautiful!
The full moon shining through clouds. Blurred tree branches in foreground,
September 8, 2025 at 5:20 AM
douglaslumsden.bsky.social
The audiobook version of In Deep Coprolite, narrated by the inimitable @duffypweber.bsky.social, will be available in a matter of weeks! I've reviewed the first dozen or so chapters of Duffy's production, and they are fabulous! It's amazing what the Duffmeister can do with that golden voice.
The audiobook cover of In Deep Coprolite, featuring Benedict Shade in his signature black beanie, with a couple of black cats at his feet, standing over a river as a monstrous eye emerging from the center of a whirlpool stares up at him.
September 4, 2025 at 3:54 PM
douglaslumsden.bsky.social
I’m not just obsessed with full moons; I’m obsessed with crescent moons, too.
Crescent moon over barely visible trees on a dark night.
August 27, 2025 at 2:16 PM
douglaslumsden.bsky.social
The Sturgeon Moon, the last full moon or summer, behind tree branches and power lines. Yes, I’m moon obsessed.
Full moon partially obscured by a tree branch and power lines. Another shot of the bright full moon. I zoomed in a little more. A closer shot of the full moon with the craters clearly shown.
August 10, 2025 at 5:26 AM
douglaslumsden.bsky.social
Another great day on the California Central Coast: lunch with my wife Rita, my cousin Juliana, and Juliana’s friend Jenny in Carmel Valley.
Jenny, Me, and Rita in front of a field of flowers under a blue sky. Rita, Juliana, and Jenny. Rita in front of a row of flowers. Rows of flowers with a large hill in the background.
August 6, 2025 at 4:58 AM
douglaslumsden.bsky.social
I’ll take it!
Weather forecast chart for Monterey, California showing sunny conditions with highs in the upper 60s F and lows in the lower 50s F over the next 10 days. Air quality is 20.
August 5, 2025 at 5:39 PM
douglaslumsden.bsky.social
I just found out today that Liam Neeson and I were born one day apart. So I guess this is what 73 looks like.
Recent photo of Liam Neeson. Recent photo of me looking like I just woke up.
August 4, 2025 at 3:11 PM
douglaslumsden.bsky.social
Tonight’s Buck Moon broke through the clouds just long enough for me to get these cool pics (yes, I’m moon-obsessed).
Full moon shaded by dark clouds; tree branch barely visible in the darkness on the left foreground. Zoomed in a bit on the moon to get this picture. Shadows of the craters are visible. Moon surrounded by dark clouds. Zoomed in even closer. Craters more defined.
July 11, 2025 at 5:37 AM
douglaslumsden.bsky.social
Were-cat Benedict Shade pursues exotic and potentially lethal magical artifacts in a modern noir world ruled by dragons. Both books in the Shade the Collector series are on sale for HALF PRICE until the end of this month!
www.amazon.com/dp/B0DBRWMMC...
Cover of Claws of the Collector, featuring Benedict Shade in his signature black beanie walking down a city street in the rain with three black cats at his feet. Cover of In Deep Coprolite, featuring Benedict Shade peering into a river where a monstrous eye stares back at him from the midst of a whirlpool. A banner reads (Coming Soon).
July 10, 2025 at 3:17 PM
douglaslumsden.bsky.social
Thanks! You're always welcome to boost my books 😆

In Deep Coprolite (Shade the Collector #2) is available for preorder at HALF PRICE ($2.99) until its released on August 1. Noir urban fantasy featuring a were-cat in pursuit of exotic and potentially lethal magical items.
amazon.com/dp/B0FBH7YZB9
July 7, 2025 at 6:14 PM
douglaslumsden.bsky.social
In Deep Coprolite will be priced at $5.99 when it comes out on August 1. You can preorder it RIGHT NOW for just $2.99--that's HALF OFF! Claws of the Collector, the 1st book in this noir urban fantasy series, is also just $2.99 until August 1. Just sayin'!
www.amazon.com/dp/B0DBRWMMC...
My black cat, Prince, lying next to a copy of Claws of the Collector. Prince, lying on his side and looking back at you, head upside down, insists that he is the real star of this book. Image of the paperback version of In Deep Coprolite, featuring Benedict Shade in his signature black beanie, two black cats at his feet, standing on a riverbank and staring at a monstrous eye in the middle of a whirlpool.
June 30, 2025 at 3:35 PM
douglaslumsden.bsky.social
Were-cat Benedict Shade pursues exotic and potentially lethal magical artifacts in a modern noir world ruled by dragons. You can pick up Claws of the Collector and preorder In Deep Coprolite for HALF OFF the regular price! Sale ends August 1, so don't wait around.
www.amazon.com/dp/B0DBRWMMC...
Cover of Claws of the Collector, featuring Benedict Shade in his signature black beanie walking down a city street in the rain with three black cats at his feet. A banner reads: "Hey, Bennie.... We need to stop associating with people who need to be killed." Cover of In Deep Coprolite in foreground, a forest next to a river in the background. The cover features Benedict Shade, accompanied by two black cats, staring into a river. A monstrous eye is staring back at him from the midst of a whirlpool. A banner reads: "Coming soon!"
June 26, 2025 at 3:11 PM