❄️Two Nerds in a Trench Coat❄️
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holfelderwatson.bsky.social
❄️Two Nerds in a Trench Coat❄️
@holfelderwatson.bsky.social
950 followers 570 following 3.5K posts
Hey there! We are two nerds in a trench coat, coauthoring queer action/adventure and magical realism fiction with diverse representation.

Come on in, ask us anything, and stick around for the stories!
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holfelderwatson.bsky.social
Back in time for #Shield&Scalpel, back when Sanal was "Dr. MacTavish" to Liam. (Also, this is the only appearance of "select" in the whole manuscript. Huh.)

#WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity
Dr. MacTavish laughs. “If I’m around, you can expect tea.” They smile at him, and it’s a warm smile. “I couldn’t sleep either.” They pause for a moment, as if they’re going to say more. Then they shake their head and turn to the cupboard behind them. Dr. MacTavish grabs a wooden box with various types of tea in it. “Tea, first. Then we’ll talk.” They pause. “Unless you’d prefer coffee? I can always raid Rajan’s coffee stash.” Liam jumps at the suddenness of the tea box being handed to him, but he grabs it anyhow. He glances up at Dr. MacTavish. “Uh, no, tea is fine. I like chai, though I probably should choose something without caffeine.” He smiles shyly and selects a tea bag while Dr. MacTavish grabs a mug. “Sugar or honey?” they ask. “Um, honey?” Liam replies.
February 9, 2026 at 12:10 PM
holfelderwatson.bsky.social
No new pictures. Where are you at mentally?

Pulled this from UnSplash for a ref photo for Liam and my guys, this is where I'm at, both particularly RIGHT now and in general. This face.
An individual with short, dark hair and dark eyes glares at the camera while frowning.
February 2, 2026 at 1:05 PM
holfelderwatson.bsky.social
Uh-oh, Sanal. Your heart is showing!

(Yes, Sanal is aroace. that does not stop them from feeling affection, loyalty, and *love*, it just doesn't fit the amatonormative narrative)

#Shield&Scalpel #WriteSky #SundaySnips
Dr. MacTavish nods. “Yes.” They smirk. “No donuts this time?” Liam laughs. “I should have brought some, I wasn’t even thinking!” “I’m just teasing you.” They pause. “It was nice, that day.” Liam ducks his head, avoiding eye contact with Dr. MacTavish. “I wanted you – all of you – to know how much I appreciate your work.” There’s silence for a moment, and Liam glances up at Dr. MacTavish. He finds them watching him, something odd in their eyes. Something too close to affection for Liam’s liking. They catch him watching him and startle. “Well, yes, autopsy. Jane Doe. Right. This way?” Dr. MacTavish motions to the doorway. “You know the drill.”
February 1, 2026 at 3:53 PM
holfelderwatson.bsky.social
From #Shield&Scalpel, a little interlude of Sanal & Liam discussing his tomatoes and gardening.

#WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity
“How many plants do you have?” “Six. Mostly heirloom, but I do have one brown berry. Rajan suggested it.” “Oh, I love a good brown berry. They are so much fun!” Dr. MacTavish nods. “I love to snack on those in the late summer. How are your plants doing?” “Actually, pretty well.” Liam smiles shyly at Dr. MacTavish. He loves his tomatoes, the good memories they bring, and the feeling of connection to the mountains he came from. “I got lucky and have a sunny corner studio apartment.” “Oh, that’s great! Do you have any flowers?”
January 30, 2026 at 2:30 PM
holfelderwatson.bsky.social
Heyhey! I just filmed the segments for my first video! Ive decided to go with YouTube as a host. I ramble too much 🤪 Ill be spending a good amount of time editing now. Pray for me.

#WriteSky
The author, a green haired agender individual with purple lipstick on makes a silly face at the camera
January 29, 2026 at 5:46 PM
holfelderwatson.bsky.social
Hey! Im trying out Upscrolled. Join me!
Profile from Upscrolled app for HolfelderWrites.
January 26, 2026 at 10:55 PM
holfelderwatson.bsky.social
Updated moodboard for #Cursed. I wanted to work on Book Stuff, but words weren't coming. So, have some pretty pictures.

AMA about the board! :)

#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #moodboard
Moodboard for Cursed by ALC Holfelder & SB Watson The moodboard is divided into six sections. Top left section: Phoenix Morris (coal fae, sorcerer's guard cadet) has a picture of a young black man with a hand over his face, a picture of a hand with fire, and a picture of fire. Top middle: a picture of two hands reaching out to touch with a spark in the middle Top Right: Tristan (Skilled, Erased). A picture of a hand with a ball of purple light. A picture of a young man, pale with freckles and red hair. Middle left: Tine [tee-neh] Morris (Sorcerer's Guard). A picture of a young black woman with long microbraids. A picture of flames. Middle right: Tara Gilmore (Child of the Prophecy). A picture of a young woman with a sword. A sword set on a page of words. Bottom Left: The Sanctuary. A picture of a mansion and a picture of a yellow bridge in Pittsburgh. Bottom middle: an excerpt from a dictionary of the word "protection". Bottom right: Alabaster Cravia (river fae). A picture of a river bank with grass and fallen logs. A picture of a woman in dark robes next to a riverbank.
January 26, 2026 at 3:12 PM
holfelderwatson.bsky.social
The number of "glances" that occur in my stories is *embarrassing*.

Here's the first occurrence in #Cursed, from the prologue. Yes, it's more than one line, I've given up on keeping to one line. 🤪

#QueerWriters #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #lgbtqwriters
Tara is about to give up on finding the book when a shudder comes over her. Something is wrong. She glances up at the clock. It’s almost midnight. What on earth – An unearthly purple glow fills the room, at the same time as a strong wind whips her hair around.
January 26, 2026 at 1:27 PM
holfelderwatson.bsky.social
Liam vs Henry, an ever present struggle.

#Shield&Scalpel #WIPSnips #WriteSky
“Whatever,” Liam finally answers. He turns back to his notes. “What’s with the attitude, Turner?” Henry raises an eyebrow at Liam. Liam glances up at Henry. He’s not quite sure what to say. He’s pissed that Henry doesn’t care enough about this case to commit more time to it, but he knows that saying that won’t get him anywhere. “Cat got your tongue? I swear, Turner, you pout at everything.” “I could use your eyes on this, Henry.” Liam motions to the notes. “That’s all.” Henry shakes his head. “I have work to do. So do you. Do the job you were hired to do, okay?” He turns around and strides down the hall away from Liam. Liam shakes his head and turns back to the notes in front of him. He’s got to compare them to see if there’s anything that sticks out to him. Liam scrubs a hand over his face. It’s going to be a long night.
January 26, 2026 at 1:08 PM
holfelderwatson.bsky.social
From #Cursed, a touch of what I worked on today. Some interaction between Tristan and Nix.

#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #Snippet
Phoenix is a bit out of breath by the time he makes it up the stairs and into his room. He’s exhausted, his head is pounding, and he just wants to sleep. But he’ll be damned if he goes to bed before he finds out what the hell that whole sparking magic thing is. He didn’t want to mention it in front of Tine and Monica. He’s pretty sure Tristan wouldn’t have given them a straight answer anyhow. He’s hoping that one on one, he can get the kid to crack. Still, Nix is tired and he needs to get out of his torn and bloody clothes. He quickly grabs some old flannel pants and two t-shirts from his drawer. He hands one set to Tristan. “Not quite what you’re used to, but it’ll have to do,” Nix says with just a touch of snark. Silk pajamas, seriously. Tristan takes the pajamas from Nix. “Thank you,” he says softly. “I don’t want to get anything dirty.” He gives Nix a tiny smile. “There’s a bathroom across the hall, or you can change here. Doesn’t matter to me.” Nix steps to the side and unbuttons his shirt. He glares at the blood and dirt on it once he wrestles it off. “Ugh. I liked this one.” There’s no saving it. He tosses it towards the trash can in the corner of the room. He misses and rolls his eyes. “Well, shit.”
January 26, 2026 at 1:15 AM
holfelderwatson.bsky.social
From #Cursed, a little bit between Tristan, Nix, and Tine [Tee-neh] (Nix's aunt). Nix nearly got himself killed trying to rescue Tristan from a werewolf, and Tristan is in his feels about it. Nix has little patience at the moment, and I don't blame him.

#Snippetshare #WriteSky
Tristan looks like he’s about to put up a fight again, and Phoenix is not in the mood for more of his grovelling. “Look, I’ve got bunk beds up there. I usually sleep on the top, so you can take the bottom.” He shoves the blanket off his lap. “I should have something you can wear other than muddy pajamas, too.” Tristan glances down at himself, then back up at Phoenix. “Why would you help me? You don’t even know me, and I almost got you killed.” “I’m the one who stepped in,” Phoenix replies. “So I kinda almost got myself killed.” Tine nods. “And I made an oath on earth and under moon to take care of the people of this city, particularly the Skilled and Ancient.” She smiles. “You stumbled into my house, and I won’t see you chased by a Cravia all over the city.” She reaches out and rests a hand on Tristan’s arm. “We’ll figure this out and get you back where you belong, alright?”
January 24, 2026 at 4:15 PM
holfelderwatson.bsky.social
It's time that I start plugging #Shield&Scalpel again as I'm hoping to gain some traction in the indie publishing world.

S&S follows Liam Turner, a transman, as he pursues a serial murderer in Pittsburgh, PA, w/ the help of the agender pathologist Dr. Sanal MacTavish.

#WriteSky #WritingCommunity
A Moodboard for the book Shield & Scalpel by ALC Holfelder and SB Watson. The moodboard consists of a black background with several polaroid-style pictures in two lines across the background. The top images (L to R): surgeon's gloved hands with surgical instruments; a set of scalpels; a color picture of a South Asian woman with long brown hair and a white lab coat; the word "asexual" spelled with scrabble tiles Bottom Images: a detective's shield and evidence files; a trans man with medium dark brown hair; several tomatoes on the vine; a trans flag with the shadow of a plant in front of it.
January 24, 2026 at 12:47 AM
holfelderwatson.bsky.social
From #Shield&Scalpel, some chatting between Sanal & Liam after he's been drugged. OFC Henry will be a jackass about the whole situation...

#WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity
“Henry,” Liam says. “He’s never going to let me live this down.” “He’s going to give you grief for getting drugged?” Dr. MacTavish raises an eyebrow. “‘Detectives have to be ready for anything,’” Liam grumbles, imitating Henry. “He’s going to say I got distracted by a ‘pretty face’ and that I don’t know what’s good for me.” “She hit you before you even realized she was dangerous, from what you’re telling me.” “Won’t matter to Henry.” Liam closes his eyes. “Fuck.” “Is he on your case about shit like this often?” Dr. MacTavish asks. Liam shrugs. “By often do you mean daily?” He peers over at them. “I swear he hates me for some reason.” “Damn. I’m sorry. ” Dr. MacTavish hesitates. “Does he...know about you being trans?” “No!” Liam shakes his head violently, then winces. God, his head hurts. “No, he doesn’t, at least, not that I know of.” He shrugs. “I would expect him to ask for a transfer if he knew, honestly.” “That bad?” Dr. MacTavish asks. “Seriously?” “I’ve heard what he says about others. I really don’t need him to find out.”
January 23, 2026 at 3:00 PM
holfelderwatson.bsky.social
From #WOTV, have a snippet of some of the prologue-y bits.

#WriteSky #WritingCommunity
Aunt Kathy’s youngest, Bridget, has just turned twelve. Bridget sneaks episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer whenever she can and is always begging Emmaline to tell her about the Smoking Panther. Despite what Aunt Kathy has told Emmaline – “those are just lies to keep children off of the dam. All they do is distract you young folks from your schoolwork and chores” – Emmaline enjoys entertaining Bridget with the stories. She reminds Bridget that they’re “just stories, Bridget, don’t get carried away,” but Bridget is always enthralled anyway. The night after her birthday, Bridget begs and begs Emmaline to take her to the dam. She wants to explore at night, when the Smoking Panther is supposed to roam. Emmaline is eighteen now, finally has her license, and loves to be in the mountains on bright moonlit nights. Besides, if she doesn’t go with Bridget, the kid will likely try to go by herself, and that would be dangerous. It’s the responsible thing to do, really. Emmaline drags Claudia along, of course. The two of them still do everything together, even though Claudia is afraid of the dark, and of ghost stories, and (it seems to Emmaline) of most things generally. However, she’s willing to come along on the adventure, just to get out of the house and away from Brian, who has some of his obnoxious friends over. When they get there, Claudia hangs back by the car. She watches warily as Bridget races towards the dam, long, coltish legs darting around rocks and clumps of tall grass. Emmaline follows her halfway across the meadow, but freezes when the voices start.
January 21, 2026 at 8:58 PM
holfelderwatson.bsky.social
CURSED ~ Euwenn just wants to write poems infused with gentle magic, but when the magical mafia's plan to murder his sister goes horribly wrong, he must break the curse cast upon him or lose his family forever.

#BluePit📖 #YA #W #PN #M #LGBT #ND
Moodboard for the book Cursed by ALC Holfelder & SB Watson The moodboard is in shades of gray and black and brown. There is a picture of two stacked books, a book open with an old fashioned calligraphy pen on the page, a picture of a witch on a riverbank, a picture of a redhaired boy looking away from the camera. The next row has a picture of a young redhaired woman with a sword, a picture of the city of pittsburgh on a foggy day, a picture of a dark haired young man peering out from a coat, and a sketch of several crystals. The next row has a picture of a hand conjuring up a light gray mist, a sketch of a Victorian mansion, two hands touching each other with a spark between them, a picture of a dictionary entry for "protection", a picture of two hands conjuring a purple mist between them. Throughout the mood board are the following words: Poetry, Prophecy, Pittsburgh, The Sanctuary, Matched Magic, Love, Alabaster, Euwenn, Rowan,Tara.
January 14, 2026 at 12:09 AM
holfelderwatson.bsky.social
"reflex" from #Shield&Scalpel ft Liam and his informant, Amelia. She is Not Happy and neither is our antagonist, who is about to be identified. *evil grin*

#WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity
“I said don’t move!” Liam glances down the stairs. He’s panicking – he has no idea who is shouting at them, or if they are a cop. He can just barely make out a man standing beneath them in the street light. He’s dressed in plain clothes, and Liam can’t identify him. He knows one thing for certain, though. The man has a gun, and it’s pointed directly at them. “I’m a cop!” Liam shouts, hands held up. “Don’t shoot!” Amelia tries to dart behind Liam, but Liam reacts out of reflex. He slams his arm into the door, shutting it and keeping Amelia from escaping. “Wait a minute!” Liam hisses. He can’t let her run – if the man below them starts shooting, things could get ugly fast.
January 13, 2026 at 2:25 PM
holfelderwatson.bsky.social
From the first chapter of #CursedToDeath, ft Rowan freaking out.
#WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingPrompts #WritingCommunity
Rowan Morris is nineteen when he faces a werewolf for the first time. He is not prepared. He should have been. He roamed these streets for years when his Coal Fae mother abandoned him and his alcoholic father didn’t care enough to keep tabs on him. Since living with his aunt Mirabel, though, it feels like he’s lost some of his street smarts. She’s not a fan of him wandering the streets after dark, talking to rocks and climbing through old steel mills. He loves her, and is grateful for what she’s done for him, so he’s stopped most of his late night ramblings. Tonight was different. Something called him out tonight, something he can’t describe. Just a need to wander, a need that got stronger with every unexpected staircase that he climbed, every windy road he walked down. Whatever nonsense he was chasing is about to get him killed.
January 11, 2026 at 2:27 PM
holfelderwatson.bsky.social
From #Shield&Scalpel, a snippet at the beginning of an autopsy for Liam's latest murder victim.

#WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity
“Squeamish, Detective?” Dr. MacTavish asks, a friendly smile on her face. It’s clear she’s teasing him, but not judging him. Liam shakes his head. “No, I…it’s always strange for me to be here. I love the investigation, and what you can determine from a corpse. But…I hate that we are here in the first place.” Dr. MacTavish hums. “Honestly? I feel something similar whenever I’m prepping for an autopsy.” She studies Stephanie Holt’s face. “This is my job, and I love what I do. Piecing together the puzzle of death so that I can give justice and closure is important to me.” She steps up to the table, shaking her head. “But I wonder what they were like in life, what they did, who they loved.” She nods firmly. “And then I lock that away so I can do my job.” “I get that,” Liam says. “I do that at every scene.” Dr. MacTavish takes a deep breath. “Well, let’s get to it.”
January 9, 2026 at 4:27 PM
holfelderwatson.bsky.social
Hey #BluePitHype! I picked a cover mockup for #CursedToDeath, my rewrite. It's set in the city of Pittsburgh, hence one of the classic Pitt bridges. The sorcerer Alabaster is a driving force in the book, hence the witchy-woman ghost figure.

(NO AI, all images sourced from Unsplash.)
A mock-cover for the novel Cursed To Death by ALC Holfelder. The background is of a golden bridge in the city of Pittsburgh, with the tall Pittsburgh Steel Tower behind it. The tower fades up into the grey of the foggy morning. Faintly overlaying the image is that of a woman in a black robe. She looks to the sky with her hands outstretched to her sides. The words Cursed To Death in dark grey are above her. The words Unbreakable 1 are at the top of the page and in yellow at the bottom right is ALC Holfelder, the author's name.
January 9, 2026 at 4:22 PM
holfelderwatson.bsky.social
In #CursedToDeath, Rowan and Euwenn meet when Euwenn saves Rowan from a feral werewolf.

#QueerPrompts #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #amwriting
When he looks up, he sees wide, yellow eyes and a gaping mouth full of white teeth descending upon him. Rowan throws his arms up over his face, a last, desperate attempt to protect his face and throat. He prepares to die. And then there’s a yell. And a thud. The teeth never connect. The warm spray of his own blood never comes. The hot breath of death never fans over his face. As Rowan peeks out from under his arms, he sees a shock of red hair and a thin, tattered looking young man wrestling with the wolf. The stranger speaks in the language of magic, and the wolf leaps away from him, cowering in fear. The boy holds out a shaking hand to the wolf, and the thing actually bows to him. “He won’t hurt you now,” the boy says, his back still to Rowan. “He’s hungry. Hasn’t eaten in days. Didn’t expect to change.” The boy kneels in front of the wolf, reaching out and gently petting its nose. Rowan just stares. In all his days, in all the stories that Mirabel has told him, he’s never seen anyone gentle a feral werewolf. And this…this tattered kid just did.
January 8, 2026 at 5:52 PM
holfelderwatson.bsky.social
#WriterShareWednesday - here's the back cover blurb for my WIP #Shield&Scalpel! It's in beta stages right now, and we are hoping for publication sometime in 2026 (finger's crossed).

#WriteSky #WritingCommunity
Detective Liam Turner’s daily goals are the same: drink coffee, don’t pass out, find the killer, water tomatoes, remember to take his binder off, go to sleep. When he fails task two at the scene of a crime, the prickly Dr. Sanal MacTavish helps him out of the mud. They proceed to shove a mug of masala tea into his hands and bully him into taking care of himself. Over autopsies, murdered women, nonconsensual drugging and more tea, Liam finds himself falling for the aroace Dr. MacTavish. After making several reckless choices, Liam finds his killer – just in time for the killer to find Liam. This atypical queer romance features queer characters of color and themes of mental health and self-care. Join Liam as he learns what it means to heal from your past and look forward to the future.
January 7, 2026 at 11:50 PM
holfelderwatson.bsky.social
From #WOTV and introducing one of my favorite MCs of all time, Jeremya "Mya" Wonder, genderfluid sorcerer and jack-of-all-trades (and master of them, too). Emmaline describes Mya's gender as "changing like she [Emmaline] changes shoes". AMA about Mya!
#WriteSky #WritingCommunity
Emmaline shudders, wrapping her arms around her waist. “Emmi, it’s okay to be scared. You know that, right?” Mya frowns at Emmaline, worry in his eyes. “I don’t know what’s got you spooked, but you don’t have to be spooked all alone.” Emmaline bites her lip and sneaks a glance over at Mya. “The last time I talked about it, they all said I was crazy,” she whispers. Mya meets Emmaline’s eyes briefly. “You know me better than that, Em.” “Yeah.” Emmaline hugs herself tighter. “I just…haven’t talked about it in…a while. I don’t know if I want to…think about it again.” “You’re thinkin’ about it already, if all that at Mando’s is anything to go by,” Mya says. There’s no accusation in his tone, and for that Emmaline is grateful. “I know,” she says softly. Emmaline stares out the window again, caught somewhere between wanting to trust Mya and wanting to run again. Running is something she does well – she ran from Austin after Bridget’s death, she is running from this failed college attempt…when trouble comes calling, Emmaline runs. Somehow, though, as she watches hillsides covered in trees change to hillsides covered in houses, Emmaline knows that this time she won’t run. She doesn’t want to run from Mya and Armand. She doesn’t want to run from the job she’s starting to excel at.
January 7, 2026 at 6:24 PM
holfelderwatson.bsky.social
From #WOTV, some classic early 2000s low rise jeans.

#WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity
~2003~ By sixteen, Emmaline has put most of her obsession with magic and the supernatural behind her. She trusts Aunt Kathy, and she’s dropped the ten-year-old attitude. Aunt Kathy has never mistreated Emmaline and always has her best interests at heart. Emmaline believes that the Smoking Panther is nothing but a rumor, just like witches, banshees, and vampires. Sure, she still has fun pretending — especially with Bridget, Aunt Kathy’s youngest child. Bridget is obsessed with the supernatural, and Emmaline enjoys playing with her. Instead of spooks, Emmaline throws her efforts into getting good grades and making friends. It’s hard for a Black girl in a rural school in Appalachia to fit in, and Emmaline is determined to blend in with the crowd for her last few years at Austin High School. Emmaline tries her best to look like the other girls, relaxing her hair as often as Aunt Kathy will allow and wearing low rise jeans whenever Aunt Kathy isn’t looking. She spends her time studying as much as she can. She’s determined to get a scholarship — it’s her only chance at college, Aunt Kathy says. What Aunt Kathy says, Emmaline does.
January 6, 2026 at 12:46 PM
holfelderwatson.bsky.social
(Re)Introducing Unbreakable book 1: #CursedToDeath (prev. The Curse)

Here's the re-imagined cover for my magical realism debut novel set in Pittsburgh. I am flying through rewrites with the eventual plan to release CtD as a (free) serial! Keep your eyes out for more info!

#WriteSky #amediting
Book cover: background is a spooky forest in grayscale. Overlayed is a green-grayscale image of two hands pointing at each other. There is a spark where the fingers meet. The book is called Cursed to Death and is written by ALC Holfelder.
January 6, 2026 at 1:16 AM
holfelderwatson.bsky.social
From #Shield&Scalpel, we have "refresh" instead of "renew", and Liam being the romantic that he is. Silly man.

#SundaySnips #WritingCommunity #WriteSky
“Staph infections, Detective Turner. They can turn deadly pretty quickly if untreated.” Dr. MacTavish levels him with a firm stare. “I’d prefer not to add you to my list of preventable deaths, if you wouldn’t mind.” Liam blinks at her. This level of concern is not what he expected from the aloof Dr. MacTavish he’d heard about. “Hand, please, Detective Turner.” Dr. MacTavish reaches for his hand, and this time, Liam is too confused to argue. He lets her wrap her fingers around his wrist and pull his hand from his chest. She inches closer to him, inspecting the wound. He tries not to be bothered by her proximity, but up close, he can smell her citrus perfume – bergamot, maybe. It’s a clean and refreshing smell, something that wraps around him and seems to almost take the weight of the day from his shoulders. Liam shakes his head. He can’t be thinking like that, not about a woman he’s going to have to work with for the foreseeable future. Besides, from what he’s heard, Dr. MacTavish would not appreciate knowing that he likes her perfume.
January 4, 2026 at 4:17 PM