Books

There’s a particular kind of science fiction that doesn’t try to predict the future so much as expose the present. It takes familiar systems, policing, bureaucracy, surveillance, propaganda, and moves them into a colder environment where excuses fall away. In space, you can’t pretend you didn’t see what happened. The air is finite. Doors lock. … Read moreWhen the Badge Becomes a Target: The Social Bite of Blacklist Gravity

In the fog-shrouded literary landscape where classic horror meets Victorian detective fiction, “Phantom of the Amazon Deep: A Patience Worth Mystery” emerges as a fascinating reimagining of one of cinema’s most enduring monsters. As the author of this tale, I wanted to share some insights into how this story came to be, the inspirations behind … Read moreFrom Classic Monster to Gothic Investigator: The Making of “Phantom of the Amazon Deep”

The latest Patience Worth book is now available on Amazon. A grave digger lies dead beside an open grave. Twelve coffins emptied of their occupants. A pattern only one mind can decipher. When Scotland Yard discovers London’s cemeteries have been methodically violated, Detective Frederick Blackwood turns to his niece, Patience Worth, a young woman whose … Read morePatience Worth: The Anatomy of Shadows is now available

As the author of the Patience Worth mystery series, I’ve often been asked about my creative process. How does one bring to life a character like Patience, a young Victorian woman who works at the Marylebone Public Library while secretly investigating both rational and irrational mysteries? Today, I’d like to share the method behind the … Read moreCrafting the Patience Worth Mystery Series

In the cold January light filtering through grimy fanlights of Marylebone Public Library, we find Patience Worth, our reluctant detective sorting through books “inscribed with the minor violence of daily use: dog-ears, thumb prints, the occasional rust-brown stain of tea or blood.” This atmospheric Victorian mystery follows Patience from her position behind “the barricade of … Read moreA new Patience Worth book is coming out in January!

I’m beyond thrilled and deeply honored to share that I’ve been named Best Local Author in the 2025 Best of the City Awards by Albuquerque The Magazine! This recognition means the world to me, especially because it comes from a community that has supported and inspired me every step of the way. To everyone who … Read moreBest Local Author in the 2025 Best of the City Awards by Albuquerque The Magazine

SOMETHING ANCIENT AWAITS IN THE SHADOWS… Journey into darkness with Patience, a woman who uncovers secrets others cannot see, as she investigates a series of mysterious disappearances linked to the enigmatic Blackthorne family. “The city will never forgive me, but perhaps it will remember.” When Lord Blackthorne returns to town, his effect on a room … Read more“THE HORROR OF BLACKTHORNE HALL” A Supernatural Gothic Mystery Audiobook

Out of curiosity, I asked AI about one of my books to see what it says. Here is what came up. Cody Polston’s The Aetherstorm Chronicles explores several intriguing themes within its narrative framework. Key themes include: 1. Science and Magic: The series often blends elements of science fiction and fantasy, exploring the interaction between … Read moreI asked AI what it knew about one of my books

In the heart of Victorian London an unsettling mystery unfurls along the grimy tracks of the Necropolis railway. When coffins are looted of their treasured jewels and grave goods, whispers of a sinister shadow loom over the city’s grieving families. Who dares disturb the sanctity of the dead? Enter Patience Worth: a brilliant and unorthodox … Read morePatience Worth: Nightmare of the Necropolis Line

The fog thickens over Victorian London as Patience Worth returns, drawn deeper into the shadows that lurk beyond rational explanation… The winter mist folds around her like a garment she left behind in childhood as Patience steps off the train at Bolam station, a place reduced to merely a signpost with a single syllable. Something … Read morePatience Worth, The Beast of Bolam Bog

On the misty edge of the Sussex Downs looms Blackthorne Hall—a brooding limestone mansion where three centuries of history hide ancient secrets. When Lord Reginald Percival Blackthorne returns to England after years abroad, London society is captivated by his charm, his wealth, and his mysterious past. Few question why this distinguished gentleman is only available … Read moreTHE HORROR OF BLACKTHORNE HALL

When I first conceived of Patience Worth, I envisioned a collection of interconnected short stories—Victorian mysteries with a supernatural twist. Little did I know how completely this remarkable character would capture my imagination and demand room to breathe. Patience came to me fully formed: born in February 1880 to a mathematics professor and a former … Read moreFrom Short Stories to Novels: The Evolution of Patience Worth

Fun event and book signing on October 29th! Did you know that Page One has a ghost? Stop on by and learn more about it.

Central New Mexico remains a vault of long-buried secrets and restless ghosts. Bloodcurdling tales from a haunted Civil War battlefield at Val Verde mingle with the whispers of unsettled spirits in Socorro. The notorious Luna mansion and the cursed rooms of Mountainair’s Shaffer Hotel gather in the otherworldly apparitions of a shadowy past. Cody Polston, … Read moreGhost Stories of Central New Mexico is now available

Central New Mexico remains a vault of long-buried secrets and restless ghosts. Bloodcurdling tales from a haunted Civil War battlefield at Val Verde mingle with the whispers of unsettled spirits in Socorro. The notorious Luna mansion and the cursed rooms of Mountainair’s Shaffer Hotel gather in the otherworldly apparitions of a shadowy past. Cody Polston, … Read moreGhost stories of Central New Mexico, book reveal

My first horror novel will be released on August 23rd, 2024, It is a Fictional Horror Anthology Based on Old Albuquerque’s Darkest Legends Enter a realm where nightmare and reality blur, inspired by the chilling oral traditions that have haunted Albuquerque’s Old Town. This fictional horror anthology will plunge you into an abyss of terror … Read moreShadows of the Ghost Light