At the end of the world, what if there was supernatural breakthrough?

Do you listen to podcasts? I do! I love to listen to long form audio content when I’m prepping food, doing yard work, or driving alone in the car.

If you’re looking for new content for an upcoming drive or while you’re puttering around, I want to invite you to tune into my fiction series The 49. Every week I drop new content for the series. I’m writing it in real time, which is a thrill.

On Tuesdays I release new audio portions. If you need to rest your eyes from all that online reading, it’s a great way to enjoy the story—just listen in!

Today I’m sharing parts 1 to 8, uninterrupted for subscribers of Things I Wrote Down.

Since the start of 2025, I began to release new content each week. If you want to catch up and get oriented to the fictional world, here’s a quick overview and an explainer video to catch you up.

Overview of the world of The 49

It’s a fractured, post-apocalyptic world dramatically reshaped by a series of global catastrophes and the emergence of inexplicable phenomena. Society is now largely controlled by "Corridors"—walled, high-tech fiefdoms overseen by billionaire alliances—while the outside world remains largely lawless.

Here’s a helpful explainer video:

Key Themes and Plot Points

A key element of this new reality is rooted in the number 49. It refers to the last US President to be elected, the period days of a global communications blackout, and 49 separate, supernatural phenomena known as Phos.

The story focuses on two central characters:

1. Boyer, a woman who lives behind the walls of Corridor West, but also functions as an emissary between it and the Phos at Maskwacis.

2. Diez, an unlikely priest who performs last rites in a televised game show that serves as a public justice system.

For the full rundown, check out this post for a look at key characters, plot points and more.