✒ Editor’s Note
Welcome back, Talestack Readers!
Happy November to all!
Now that the start of spooky season is behind us, it’s often tempting to jump straight into the trappings of the holidays. But November has its own magical, mysterious savors and flavors, if we slow down and enjoy. One way to savor the season is to take time to sit down and read—so let the NEWS lead the way!
This issue has plenty of new and completed projects for your reading pleasure, so dive on in!
As always, please hype each other up in the comments. Go visit, explore, give virtual high-fives, and let your colleagues know that you’re with them.
Have a fantastic week, and happy writing!
S.E. Reid Editor of Talestack News
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📣 Announcements!
Finished Projects:
The Chronicler is finishing her very first Substack series, Shades of Night Anthology, this November. This is the prequel to a completed novel that she will likely be publishing next year. “An old man comes to a little town called Springcombe and shares tales of things past, things to come, and things that may never be. After an apocalyptic crisis ended modern civilisation, our world and its people have been plunged into a new medieval era ravaged by beasts set free from the human imagination. We are closer to the end of the world than the beginning. The rules of physics have weakened and bent; magic rules here. In a series of tales, this new world is detailed by the Chronicler.”
New Projects:
Gina Hogan Edwards has started serializing a coming-of-age historical novel set in 1968, titled Dancing at The Orange Peel, as part of her Kent Creek Chronicles. “When nine-year-old Libby and her widowed mother Gwen befriend their town’s first prominent Black businessman, they're forced to come to terms with the reactions of their family and community... and themselves. As Libby struggles to understand her place in this world, Gwen grasps for what little remains of her own identity, her hopes, and her dreams.”
Vince Wetzel has recently launched a five-part serial (one chapter a month) called The Intern. This serial is a prequel of sorts that leads up to the April 2nd release of his next novel, Lose Yourself, and each part will debut on the first Friday of every month. The Intern follows Javier “as he navigates his dream job with his childhood team throughout the baseball season. Along the way you'll meet characters from Lose Yourself.” Vince has also detailed the journey to bring Lose Yourself to print for those who enjoy learning more!
Michael P. Marpaung is starting a NaNoWriMo project…with a twist! He’ll be putting together the short stories that he’s posted, adding some stories that are currently WIP or being rewritten, and then combining them into a single narrative. There will be weekly posts every Thursday detailing his progress. Read the first one here.
Jonathan Foster has just started a new project called The Crow, featuring ongoing poetic writing, poetry, fiction, and essays. It’s still in its infancy for now, but Jonathan says to look for short fiction, coming soon!
Robin George started publishing his satirical fantasy short fiction (think Terry Pratchett or Douglas Adams) this fall, under Tales of the Godswood. The library is ever-expanding, and Robin has also requested feedback and critique. About the collection, from Robin: “A collection of short stories that are set in the chaotic multiverse of the Godswood, based on every mythological tradition that I can find the time to read about. My work-in-progress, ‘When Gods Dream’ is taking me longer than I'd initially imagined, so in the meantime, I'm publishing short stories that explore this world and some of its insane characters.”
Awards:
Season Four of the Lunar Awards has just announced its First Chapter winners! Congratulations to Cameron Scott and honorable mentions Macey and H. A. Titus! (See Short Story winners here, as previously announced in our Halloween Issue.)
Milestones & Wins:
Robert Weaver is finishing up his latest novel, an illustrated Gothic supernatural mystery, with an expected early 2024 release. His most ambitious project to date! To explore some of his previous books in this Occult Britain anthology (stand-alone books, similar themes, different genres, all set in Britain, all using one of the classical elements in its centrifugal theme), click here or here.
Fiction community member Patricia J.L. 👻🧶🖊️ has started a new creative nonfiction project called On Guard Duty, about strange and humorous incidents she experiences as a crossing guard. Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction, they say!
📚 The Bookshelf
(Titles listed in order of release date.)
Adrienne Morris’s historical coming-of-age novel, By The Shores of Solon Pond, is now available for purchase on Amazon! Release Date: 10/2/23
📝 Submissions Bulletin
Winston Malone is running an open call for short story and poetry submissions for an anthology featuring indie writers, tentatively called The Storyletter Anthology: Volume One. The submission period will run through the end of the year, or until Winston receives the 30 stories needed for the book. It's completely free to submit, and selected stories will be purchased at .01 cents per word. Click here for more information.
Got something you want us to publish? Have any questions, comments, or feedback? Send it all to:
talestack.editor@gmail.com
Magical November has begun! Thanks for including me as a starter. I look forward to engaging with all the other stories and writers featured this time.
Such a bounty of writing offered up for taking, so little time!