Spring Update + Giveaway! đˇ
Talebones Tuesday
Greetings, Talebones Readers!
This weekly(ish) digest is the way I communicate with my readers to let them know whatâs been going on around the Talebones landscape, along with any housekeeping to be aware of.
SoâŚwhere the heck did April go?! đ
Spring is definitely springing around here, and between getting my butt outside into the veggie garden and taking care of daily writerly tasks, itâs tough to find space to breathe. But April had a lot of good forward momentum too, even if it was mostly behind the scenes, so I wanted to post a little round-up here today to bring us all together again before we go skipping off into the wild meadows of May!
This missive is pretty simple, with a handful of FYIs and a sneaky little giveaway, so make sure you read through to the end.
If youâre ready, letâs jump in!
⨠First, A Quick Word From Our Sponsor⌠â¨
Work With Me! - Looking for an editor, beta reader, proofreader, or copywriter? Look no further! Check out my NEW AND IMPROVED Work With Me site for rates and services! Donât see something that works for you? Reach out via email or DMâIâm happy to discuss. Letâs make your projects sing!
Shop My Books! - Explore my self-published works, both ebook and paperback, available from various retailers!
Visit the Gift Shop! - Grab a piece of Talebones swag or a Ferris Island souvenir for your very own! Mugs, tees, hats, sweatshirts, and more, updated seasonally!
And now, back to Talebones TuesdayâŚ
Round-Up!
In case you missed itâŚ
SPRING SHORT FICTION SO FAR:
What Passes Down - an uncanny tale about a mysterious old family photo, a reluctant storyteller, and an impossible romanceâŚ
Elma - in this short speculative piece, a mild-mannered gallery worker is summoned to visit his former mentor, an aging artist, and she makes one simple request of himâŚ
2x2 Livestream with Eric Falden - Two authors, two questions! In this recent interview I had a blast chatting with Eric about all kinds of fun stuff, including folklore and fantasy, how our writerly âterroirâ affects our work, where fiction and the search for meaning intersect, and so much more!
Last summerâs supernatural/dystopian serial Smoke-Mouth is officially concluded! This story will remain FREE to read until the start of Summer Season 2026 when it will head behind the paywall. If youâve been meaning to read it through from beginning to end, nowâs the time!
Explore the Table of Contents
Get started here - Episode One: The Fool
Read the final episode here - Epilogue: Union
New around here? Most of our speculative fiction takes place on a haunted island in Washington State called Ferris Island. Check out the landing page to see which stories are currently available to read here online, along with other info and resources!
We also have stories of various genres set elsewhere, listed here.
TALESTACK NEWS is a twice-monthly bulletin of Substack fiction news where I collate as many announcements, projects, submissions opportunities, community endeavors, and generally cool things as I can gather. Check out the most recent issue here! (And if youâre a writer on the platform, read the submission guidelines and email your news to talestack.editor@gmail.com by May 3rd to be included in the next issue!)
NEW Freelance Offering - Consult With Me!
As a freelance editor, I am constantly looking for ways to diversify what I offer to my clients. For some folks, a simple back-and-forth of emails works great. But in the past I have also enjoyed jumping on the occasional consultation video call with clients who specifically requested it, because they prefer a face-to-face setting for asking more granular questions and getting more detailed answers.
Iâve never made this particular offering public or officialâŚuntil now!
I am now offering one-on-one consultation sessions for writers who are stuck on a story problem, have questions about self-publishing, storytelling, or building an indie author presence on Substack, or need someone to break down their project into actionable steps and help hold them accountable to those steps.
The session package includes:
Pre-session review of materials (a relevant section of your manuscript, an audit of your Substack or author website, etc)
One goal-based, solution-oriented, hour-long video call
One follow-up email with action points, next steps, and a 30-day check-in date
As this is a new offering and Iâm still working out the logistics, I only have FOUR slots open for May.
If youâre curious about this offering and want to know more, including how to book your slot for this coming month, check out my freelance site under âRatesââ
CLICK HERE!
Follow along with my Revision Diary!
Back at the end of March, I launched my introductory Revision Diary postâwhich is free for all to readâas I begin revisions on my upcoming speculative novel, Freelance & Fishmaids, to be self-published this fall.
The Diary will be a monthly(ish), personal glimpse into my process as I turn a long-running serial into a coherent, publishable work.
This week, the next Revision Diary post will go out to paid subs only.
To that endâŚ
â If you would like to win a SIX-MONTH free comp to Talebones so you can follow along with the Revision Diaryâas well as access the full archive of past fiction and other perksâcomment below this post with one of two things:
a flower/plant emoji of any style in the comment, or
mention your favorite spring flower in the comment
(Only one comment per person will be considered an entry.)
I will select THREE winners to be announced next Tuesday, May 5th! Good luck! đˇ
Review Highlight: The Orchard Hounds! đđş
If youâve read any of my books, I would be so honored if you would pause now to leave a rating or review.
But this month, I would be especially grateful for reviews of The Orchard Hounds!
This collection of thirteen speculative short stories set in the fictional landscape of Ferris Island, Washington contains tales of mystery, magic, and the macabre woven with vivid settings, cosmic justice, and ghostly redemption.
Have you read The Orchard Hounds? I would love an honest review!
For self-published authors, thereâs no multi-million-dollar engine running promotion, marketing, and other advertisingâŚthereâs just me! So ratings and reviews go a LONG way in raising indie books in algorithms, triggering retailers to suggest them to customers, and helping new readers find self-published books that theyâll love!
And you donât have to write a long review, either. A simple star-rating or a âLoved it!â both work just as well!
You can review my books on:
Storygraph:
Or you can visit the books on their individual My Books pages to review them on the sites of specific retailers, like B&N, Kobo, or Fable!
Thank you SO MUCH for taking the time to leave a review!
It really, really means the most. âĽ
Talebones Runs On Your Support!
Talebones is kept afloat by a beautiful and diverse tapestry of support, from my freelance day job as a writer and editor to purchases of books and merch AND the bountiful generosity of my paid subscribers!
You can become a Talebones Paid Subscriber for $5/month or $50/year (or go above and beyond as a Founding Member) to gain access to ALL online Talebones fiction past and present, exclusive resources, discounts to merch/products and freelance/consulting services, and more!
Learn more about each tierâs perks here.
Thank you for reading!
I know I havenât been as obviously active around Substack as usual this year, but I promise Iâm still around: lurking, reading, making trouble on Notes, refueling my creative brain, and constantly iterating how I would like to show up in this space.
I really feel that Iâm entering into a new phase hereâa good phase, but also a quieter, calmer, deeper one. More roots, less leaves.
It may not be as flashy as some of my past seasons have been, but I welcome the change. It feels right for where I am these days. âĽ
I canât tell you enough how much I appreciate you all for jumping aboard the Talebones train and continuing to stick with me as this wild writerly life unfolds!
Here to more fiction fun in the sunshine months!
Your grateful storyteller,
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