Talestack News - ISSUE 32
[September 2nd - September 16th]
✒ Editor’s Note
Welcome back, Talestack Readers!
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It’s always a good season for stories!
Here we are, halfway through September, and here at Talestack HQ the weather is starting to reflect the seasonal changes: just a little bit colder, just a little bit wetter, just a little bit darker. But no matter where you are in the world, you can always use something good to read and new ways to be inspired…and there’s always something to explore in the virtual pages of Talestack News!
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 NewsTALESTACK NEWS is a FREE-TO-READ publication!
Please support us by liking, commenting, sharing, and restacking. Any monetary support is appreciated, but not necessary.
📣 Announcements!
New Projects:
- has just launched a new four-part, darkly mysterious serial called Karma of Kulgera. Synopsis: “Hundreds of people died by drying in the lush green hills of Kulgera. DSP Prithvi Singh was called to investigate the matter. Join him as he navigates through waters deeper than he originally thought.”
- just launched The Ghost Diaries, a new comedy-horror serial. The first episode debuted on Friday the 13th and new episodes will be published every Friday up through Halloween day. Synopsis: “A ghost’s afterlife is turned upside down when an obnoxious family moves into his haunted house. Their presence quickly brings his worst nightmare to life — dwelling with people who refused to be scared of ghosts. He grows increasingly desperate to drive this family out of his home before they drive him insane.”
- has just launched The Hanahaki Club, a serialized speculative romance. Synopsis: “Hassie, Remi, Emery, Merryn and Taran have one thing in common—they’re all reluctant members of an unpopular club: The Hanahaki Club—a weekly support group for losers in love. Each member has the same rare genetic flaw that means their unrequited love is killing them—literally, slowly and beautifully—as hanahaki flowers fill up their lungs. With all five of them under the age of twenty-one, they’re much too young to die over something so common and embarrassing; so, somehow, together, they must figure out how to go from losers in love to survivors. The options are simple, really. Find love. Fight it. Forget it. Or fail… and fall to it.” Jump into the first episode here!
Milestones & Wins:
- would like to highlight a recent Southern Gothic short story called Bishop Hatto’s Knucklebones, “about an elderly WWII vet from a prominent German-speaking community in Texas.” Excerpt: “It weren’t raining; but a bucketful of thunder bellowed in the distance and brought with it all the portentousness of Great-Granny Gertrude’s witchin’ sessions, when she’d pull out those tawny knucklebones that were said to belong to wicked Bishop Hatto of Mainz, who got chewed up by rats in a tower smack dab in the middle of the Rhine when he withheld his stores of wheat from his starvin’ flock. And the wheat bendin’ in the wind reminded Rolf of the tale.”
- would like to highlight a recent poem he published in honor of World Suicide Prevention Day, called From Silence to the Abyss. From Rolando: “Every year, I make it a point to acknowledge this important date. But this time, I’ve decided to do something different—to express my understanding and sensitivity around this matter through poetry. I believe in the power of words to spark empathy, reflection, and, above all, hope.”
📚 The Bookshelf
(Titles listed in order of release date.)
Hanna Delaney’s science fiction novel inspired by The Tempest, called Oceanus, is currently available for purchase through Amazon! Release Date: 9/6/24
- ’s new horror novel, The Crimson Reaper—the latest book in his Deer Falls horror series—is now available for purchase at various booksellers! Release Date: 9/10/24
📝 Submissions Bulletin
It’s that time again! The Lunar Awards, Substack’s hub for recognizing the best of speculative fiction—hosted by Brian Reindel 👾⚔️—has just started Season Eight: Beep Boop Boop Bop Edition! Check out the post for submission details and this season’s prizes.
On a related note, the Lunar Awards-hosted Prompt Quest is a fun way for speculative fiction writers to be inspired and join in with a fun community movement! The third edition just got underway, so take a look at the prompts, the rules, and the opportunities to get your stories seen!
Samak Press (an indie press launched by
) is publishing a new horror anthology, Feral Lands, in 2025. Submissions to the anthology are open through October 31st!They are looking for original previously-unpublished horror stories ranging from 1,500 words to 7,500 words.
Pay for accepted stories is $20; authors are paid upon publication of the anthology.
A complete set of submission guidelines can be found on the Samak Press website.
🫱🏻🫲🏾 Connection Corner
- would like invite all to a new project: The Books We ❤ Club! Troy calls this “the book club you don't actually need to read the book, leave the house, or even change out of your jammies to enjoy - featuring writers singing the praises of books that reach into our hearts.” Check out the inaugural post by of The Matterhorn called Why I Love James Joyce's Dubliners. Interested in writing a guest post? Send Troy a DM!
- was honored to be this week’s Ambassador for ’s Top in Fiction newsletter, selecting pieces of all lengths and genres to highlight from the past week! From S.E.: “As an editor for my dayjob I do an awful lot of reading, so I don’t always get an excuse to sit down and enjoy all of the amazing stuff on Substack. This was a breath of fresh air!” Every week, TiF aggregates the best of Substack fiction through community meetups and recommendations. Subscribe to get involved and share your own tales with the community!
Got something you want us to publish? Have any questions, comments, or feedback? Send it all to:
talestack.editor@gmail.com
Thank you so much for including The Hanahaki Club here and for creating such a wonderful resource. I'm looking forward to reading the works listed here... they all look amazing! 💛
Such a packed newsletter this week! Looking forward to catching up with everyone. Thanks for the book mention. I really appreciate it ❤️⬅️ (pretend this arrow is pointing at the bottom of my heart 🤣)