Eliwood S. Gheist
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eliwoodsgheist.com
Eliwood S. Gheist
@eliwoodsgheist.com
1.2K followers 610 following 6K posts
https://eliwoodsgheist.com/

Writer, 30-something, queer, nerd. We write alone, but we're writing together.

🚫genAI🚫

Current projects:
Bludeye Beach, paranormal fantasy
Eyes Shine Silver in Moonlight, werewolf romantasy
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eliwoodsgheist.com
When prepping to draft this month, I made a point to do some planning via freewriting. I get frustrated writing a draft by hand, but for brainstorming, it's really helpful to slow myself down! (Plus, more visits to my beloved local coffee shop ❤️ )
How do ya'll like to brainstorm?
#writing #writesky
Photo of a journal, an iced coffee, a pen holder, and a cookie on a coffee shop table
November 10, 2025 at 3:03 PM
eliwoodsgheist.com
Happy #WIPSnips 10 - Local!

Local just so happens to be one of the key words in Bludeye Beach 😇
“That poor man,” Edie said, her heart thudding painfully. “Yeah, that happens a lot,” Viola said. “People from out of town die here all the time.” “Vi,” Milo said in a soft warning.  “Wait, seriously?” Edie asked. “Do people really die here a lot?” “People who aren’t local don’t know how to be safe around here,” Milo said slowly. “We try to help them,” Viola added. “But no one ever listens.” “The Sheriff seems invested,” Edie said. “Sheriff Siegel never does anything,” Milo muttered.
November 10, 2025 at 1:01 PM
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Happy #WIPSnips 9 - Picture!

From BLUDEYE BEACH. Teen Edie is learning more about her new friends 💔
“Does Manny have an older sister?” Edie asked, pointing at a shot of the two standing waist-deep in the ocean. Manny couldn’t have been more than ten years old, but he had the same uneven smile as he proudly held out a starfish. The girl standing next to him was 14 or 15, but she had the exact same crooked smile as she displayed an even bigger starfish.  Milo didn’t answer right away. When Edie glanced over at him, he was staring at the picture as well, a strained look on his face. “...Yeah. He did.”
November 9, 2025 at 9:10 PM
eliwoodsgheist.com
Happy #Lovember!

There are a lot of little moments that show the development of romantic & platonic love, but this is one of the Big Ones from Bludeye Beach; not a triumph of good over evil, not even really a major solution. Just the willingness to go through it together. #writingcommunity
Edie shook her head. “No, I’m just being really silly.” Her voice was a little louder than she intended. Briefly, she worried that Janie Booker might hear her. “Besides, if you’re scared, you just need to do it scared.” “If you’re scared, I’ll do it with you,” Milo said. He said it as though it were the most natural thing in the world. When Edie looked at him, he was holding out his hand, and watching her with a sincerity she didn’t think she’d ever seen on anyone’s face. If it had been anyone else, at any other time, she would have thought they were making fun of her; but not Milo. Not when she took his hand, and he carefully walked with her across the bridge. He didn’t let go until Edie was breathing more calmly, and she was able to let go of him first.
November 9, 2025 at 3:38 AM
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Happy #WIPSnips 8 - Little!
From RETURN TO BLUDEYE BEACH. Edie's voice teacher Will Zangari is trying to help her with stage fright ❤️
“The karaoke night got canceled. I promise, I’m belting in the shower. To my shampoo bottle. And the conditioner, even.” “I’m sure you’re curdling your facial scrub. It does not matter how well you do in the bathroom, sweetie. Reschedule karaoke night or carol in the town square, I don’t care.” He lifted his sunglasses to gently dab his head with his scarf. “All right. From the top. Breath control. Actually,” he paused, his fingers hovering above the keyboard. “What if we make a little game out of this?” “They yelled at us the last time we played the volume game,” Edie warned. “So?” Will quirked an eyebrow. “How about it? Maybe this time you’ll have a chance. Ready?” “No.” “Perfect. Let’s go.”
November 8, 2025 at 7:11 PM
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"If you reveal a photo of an ex boyfriend in the first act, the ex boyfriend must appear in a later act of the book." -the lesser known writing principle, Chekhov's Ex

Hard at the November writing challenge today 😄 how's everyone doing on their WIPs??
A laptop on a coffee table with a water bottle open to a note document for Below Bludeye Beach
November 8, 2025 at 6:10 PM
eliwoodsgheist.com
Happy #WIPSnips 7 - Movement!

Teenagers being teenagers, amiright?
Milo only seemed to shift his weight, but then Grant was flying over Milo’s hip, away from Edie. Milo shepherded her back with his arm, keeping her behind him. Grant had landed hard on his knees and now scrambled up again, his face turning a purplish red. “What the hell, Vance?” Grant demanded, and took another swing. Edie was reminded of wrestling in the water on Beach Day as Milo shifted again. With a blur of movement that Edie couldn’t track, Milo had shunted Grant’s arm to the side, then hit him hard enough in the ribs for Grant to exhale in a sharp groan. He hit the ground once more, Milo only moving to keep Edie behind him.
November 7, 2025 at 5:57 PM
eliwoodsgheist.com
The signs were all there
A small black and white dog is lying upside down and looking at the camera with his teefies exposed
November 7, 2025 at 2:57 PM
eliwoodsgheist.com
Happy #Bookvember 6!

I was a fiend for picture books, surprising no one, but I'll give a special shout out to Jan Brett. Her artwork was absolutely gorgeous, but she also used to do these very intricate page borders that often told a story within the story. Honestly, she's a treasure
Cover for the book The Mitten by Jan Brett
November 6, 2025 at 11:39 AM
eliwoodsgheist.com
#CurrentReads It's no surprise to me, but I'm really enjoying "What Feasts at Night", the sequel to "What Moves the Dead". Pretty much everything T. Kingfisher puts out as a banger, and both books have really lovely audiobook narration ❤️ we're past spooky season but I always love a spooky book 😂
A screenshot of an audiobook app showing that it's playing "What Feasts at Night" by T. Kingfisher.
November 5, 2025 at 2:15 PM
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Happy #WIPSnips 5 - Trail!

In EYES SHINE SILVER IN MOONLIGHT, all my trails turn real NSFW real quick 😂 this is the least explicit one, putting more of a romance into this werewolf romantasy. (And then they get real NSFW again real quick after this.)
“I deserve to be with the Werewolf I want to be with,” Luke interrupted. “And I’ve never wanted to be with anyone the way I want to be with you.” He trailed his fingers down Isabelle's cheek. “I’m going to protect you. And I’m not going to let anyone tell me my heart is wrong. I love you. And I’m not ready to let go yet. Please, Isabelle. If any part of you feels the same way-” “Of course it does.” She couldn’t see him any more, not past the tears swimming in her eyes. “Luke, of course I’m in love with you. There was never any question that-” He pulled her to him, his lips finding hers, a soft, lingering kiss blooming heat into her chest. “Then let me be yours,” he whispered in the dark, his lips next to her ear. “Let me offer everything that I am to you.”
November 5, 2025 at 1:55 PM
eliwoodsgheist.com
Happy #WIPSnips 4 - Steel!

From BLUDEYE BEACH. What in the Resident Evil --
The windows were covered with plywood, leaving a single red light bulb as the only illumination in the room. Sickly shadows hovered over steel counters and a narrow table. A row of computer screens stood along the left counter, filing cabinets underneath. On the right counter sat a tool box, and unfamiliar medical instruments hung on the wall. Compared with the rest of the fairly shabby apartment, everything in here looked new and updated.
November 4, 2025 at 1:54 PM
eliwoodsgheist.com
Uh. Sure. I wasn't about to use that 😂
Despite Garnet's best efforts, my November writing is going strong 💪 how are we all doing? If you're trying to hit a writing goal this month, how happy are you with it right now?
#writesky #writing #mondaymotivator
A tabby cat is sitting on a black journal on a beat up desk
November 3, 2025 at 2:02 PM
eliwoodsgheist.com
Happy #WIPSnips 3 - Nice!

From my werewolf romantasy, EYES SHINE SILVER IN MOONLIGHT. Werewolf politics and classism is tricky 😂
“Are you all right?” Luke asked.  “I’m fine.” The words were quick, automatic. Isabelle took a step back. “I’ll see you around, Luke.” “Wait.” He moved closer to her. Isabelle flinched. This was too much. He was about to be nice to her. They’d had a moment together, but that didn’t mean he had to go and start being nice to her. “You look -” “Like a half shifted child,” Isabelle cut in. She shook her head slightly, her shifted ears still picking up the retreating footsteps of Mary Anne and Henry Porter. “Like someone who could never be a Warrior. I get it. That must have been embarrassing for you, to admit to your dad that we’re working together.”
November 3, 2025 at 12:39 PM
eliwoodsgheist.com
Going strong on the November monthly writing challenge...that is to say, I love having an excuse to visit my belovéd local coffee shop 😍😍
Photo of a laptop next to coffee, a muffin, a water bottle, and a breakfast sandwich
November 2, 2025 at 1:58 PM
eliwoodsgheist.com
Happy #Bookvember 2!

I borrowed this book from my library more times than I could count. It was a gorgeously illustrated book that was still approximately a young reader chapterbook with a delightful and witchy plot.
Cover for the book Catwitch by Una Woodruff and Lisa Tuttle. It features a tabby cat with a witch's hat.
November 2, 2025 at 11:59 AM
eliwoodsgheist.com
Omg - this sounded identical to a series I loved as a kid, only I remembered that the title was Dealing With Dragons...well, today I learned something very fun!!
Screenshot from The Internet Archive discussing Dragonsbane by Patricia C Wrede that includes a note that it was also published under the title "Dealing With Dragons"
November 2, 2025 at 11:56 AM
eliwoodsgheist.com
Happy Writing November to all who celebrate! ❤️ I'm going to be using this month to write the first draft of the 3rd book out of a planned 4 in the Bludeye Beach series. Flashback to the end of September when I got to work on the outline during a train foliage tour 😍 #writing #writesky
A pen holder, a bottle of water, a plastic cup of juice, and a black journal all sit on a tablecloth. A river going through a forest with bright autumnal colors and foliage
November 1, 2025 at 1:01 PM
eliwoodsgheist.com
Happy #WIPSnips 31 - Monster!

From BLUDEYE BEACH.
Monsters, you say? 🤔
Edie had to handle it like when she was a kid. She had to pull up the quilt and look under her bed and force herself to pull open the closet doors. She had to prove that there was nothing to be afraid of, or else the monsters would chase her for the rest of her life. A red eye surrounded by blackness
October 31, 2025 at 12:50 PM
eliwoodsgheist.com
Happy #WIPSnips 30 - Spell!

From BLUDEYE BEACH. Edie and Milo are having a very normal time of it ❤️
This thing – it had been going on longer than she’d known him. It was like when she was talking to Cat, or like ten years ago, with a wall that she just couldn’t quite breach, an untouchable part of him that she couldn’t fully make sense of. “You can text me. For help, or just to, you know. Say hey. Whatever,” Edie said, finally dropping the topic. Milo eased, the tension between them gone again.  There was a moment, both of them standing together, close enough to hear each other’s heartbeats. Edie wasn’t sure what she was waiting for, but she blinked, and the brief spell was broken. Milo simply turned, walking back down Olive Tree Lane.
October 30, 2025 at 3:29 PM
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Happy #PlotTober 30!
PosterPit has inspired some of my greatest efforts 😂
A movie poster style graphic which reads "Bludeye Beach: No one walks home alone at night." Below that is an outline of an eye with a girl standing in a green background, trees with a full moon, and an ocean cave. Below that reads "Coming soon to a creepy forest near you. Debut novel from local cryptid enthusiast Eliwood S. Gheist. Featuring second chance romance, found family, and an urge to check under your bed. Rated MR as a Must Read for fans of Nettle & Bone and Camp Damascus."
October 30, 2025 at 12:49 PM
eliwoodsgheist.com
I'm so sorry, I--
Church sign that reads: North Baptist Church A couple that sins together wins together
October 29, 2025 at 4:27 PM
eliwoodsgheist.com
Post something random or you’ll have an awful November

Oop can't risk it
Screenshot of a twitter account called i like food. It contains a picture of a bowl of batter with the text "cool for a few minutes." User josh replies "how i feel after making a good joke"
October 29, 2025 at 10:44 AM
eliwoodsgheist.com
Happy #WIPSnips 28 - Costume!

Against all odds, I had a costume 😂 a conversation with her father in the first BLUDEYE BEACH, when Edie's a bit...distracted by recent events 🫠
“Up for some piano practice?” Teddy asked her over breakfast. Edie just picked at her scrambled eggs while Teddy watched her over the rim of his tea mug. “Sure,” Edie mumbled. “I think you might be ready to tackle some Cats. The songs, not the felines.” “Uh huh.” “And maybe you could put on a cat costume to really get in the mindset.” “Okay.” Edie blinked, and looked up at him. “What?”
October 28, 2025 at 3:52 PM
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Happy #WIPSnips 27 - Blood-curdling > Scream!

This is definitely vibes for me since I didn't have any blood curdling, so here's a lil scream from BLUDEYE BEACH ❤️
Edie heard a kid shrieking. Maybe someone had tried going in the water, and got surprised by how cold it was. Kind of like how Edie had on her first night in Bludeye Beach, when she’d met Milo and everyone else.  The train of thought abruptly got cut off by someone else screaming. Not a startled-scream. Something deep, and guttural. Something born from horror. And then everyone was screaming. And the world turned upside down.
October 27, 2025 at 12:44 PM