✒ Editor’s Note
Welcome back, Talestack Readers!
[New around here? Check out our FAQ page!]
And With That, Everything Gets Moving…
I dunno about how April is going for all of you, but as soon as spring hit in earnest, everything around here at Talestack HQ went a little crazy. 😅
The weeds in our yard are supercharged by the warmer weather, mocking us with the confidence of an invading force as they inch closer and closer to the house. The seedlings in the greenhouse can’t wait to get planted out, to start digging deeper into real soil. The calendar starts to fill up with things we want to do and things we have to do and things that simply should get done.
Everything in this season feels alive and lively…and more than a little stressful. It’s easy to fall behind, or at least to feel that way.
But despite it all, there’s always room for a good story in even the most stressful day, season, or year. Stories force us to slow down and soak in. They sweep us off our feet and they hand us the tools to face our anxieties with both ferocity and grace. There’s nothing quite like their subtle magic to soothe the busy mind.
I’m pleased as always to bring you this issue and its stories, as well as its opportunities for you to share yours! Take a look and see if your new favorite read is hiding here below.
Happy reading, happy writing!
S.E. Reid Editor of Talestack News
TALESTACK 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!
Finished Projects:
Rachael Varca recently completed her dark fantasy western, The Spaniard. Blurb: “A story of revenge, the tale follows a drifting gaucho after having his life and love destroyed by dark forces. In the heat of the desert, he meets a mysterious woman he’s seen only in dreams, who accompanies him on his quest to discover if his young son might still be alive.” Jump into Episode One here!
S.E. Reid is about to conclude her dystopic magical realism serial, Smoke-Mouth, with a long-awaited epilogue before the end of April. Synopsis: “Jenny-Dog is just fine on her own. Jenny-Dog needs no one and no one needs her. Until a fool young stranger shows up, says she’s walking all the way to the crippled mountain—to Lawetlat’la, to Smoke-Mouth—and asks if Jenny wants to come along. Jenny doesn’t fancy their chances. After all, it’s over a hundred miles on a dangerous road through a once-modern region laid bare by quakes and crisis. There are many-eyed angels hovering in the summer sky, and hungry thieves lurking in the woods with violence in their hearts. But the mountain is calling. And when Smoke-Mouth calls, the dreamers reply.” Jump into Episode One here!
New Projects:
Sara Dietz recently embarked on a new legal thriller serial called What I Have Failed To Do. Synopsis: “Burned-out attorney Augustus Butler, or Gus for short, has decided that justice really must be blind, because how else could gesticulates wildly all this be happening. Therefore, he tells himself, the most logical course of action is to coast through his meaningless job as a partner at a criminal law firm until he saves up enough money to retire early and travel the world. It’s not like he ever wanted to practice law in the first place, and whatever’s left of his family won’t miss him if he disappears somewhere in eastern Europe. And then one day, a case crosses Gus’ desk that his partner at the firm calls, and I quote, ‘so open-and-shut that it might even convince even an old miser like you that there’s hope left to be had in this hopeless world’. Gus thinks it sounds too good to be true, and he’d be lying if he said he took the case in good faith. But for a brief moment, he begins to believe that maybe, just maybe, the bad guys don’t always win.” Jump into Chapter One here!
D.S. Brandt, Author Goblin has just launched a three-part speculative mystery series called La Bella Morte. Blurb: “‘La Bella Morte.’ The Beautiful Death. A blend of sci-fi, fantasy, and horror all wrapped up in mystery, this short form serial will follow the strange exploits of Thomas Edwards during his time working under the enigmatic and eccentric Dr. Victor Simmons. Their goal? To learn the ‘facts of life,’ as Dr. Simmons says. But what does he mean by this statement, and what secrets is he hiding in the quiet isolation of rural Japan?” Check out Part One here!
Rachael Varca will debut her political fantasy of manners, Heart of Stone, on May 4th. Synopsis: “Set in a cliffside fortress built within an intricate network of tunnels and caves, a bitter academic is given the role of tutoring the king’s son, a position his now-deceased father held. Convinced another man is guilty of the crime, he hatches a plan to secure a chance to bring the ‘killer’ to ‘justice’. As the real murderer plots something more deceptive and explosive, a sharp-tongued maid and the painfully idealistic king’s son find themselves caught between opposing forces manipulating them for their own ends.” Publishing twice-per-week, subscribe to stay updated about this genre-bending serial novel.
📚 The Bookshelf
(Titles listed in order of release date.)
Ricardo José Romeu’s literary novella, In The Wake of Dreams, is now available for purchase as an ebook anywhere you get your digital downloads. You can also purchase it directly from him through Ko-fi. Release Date: 4/17/26
📝 Submissions Bulletin
Do you write complex female characters in your fiction? Would you like to learn more about how to do so? Words She Keeps has developed a rubric called FINALLY, which helps fiction writers determine whether they’ve written believable and complex female characters. They are also looking for fiction that elevates the courage and power of women. Check out the rubric and submission details here.
The team at Macabre Monday—the beloved horror community on Substack built for readers and writers who love the genre—is actively seeking fresh horror fiction! From MM: “Every week we share community spotlights, featured stories, and a chat thread where horror writers and fans share what they’re working on and what they can’t stop thinking about. Every month we share a feature-length issue with essays, criticism, personal horror, and art. Each issue has a theme, and we want YOU to be featured! We feature emerging voices alongside seasoned writers. We run writing contests. We spotlight artists. We are genuinely, enthusiastically here for your weird stuff.” They are seeking:
Opinion pieces. A horror take you’ll die on. One essay per issue. 300-500ish words.
Featured Short Fiction. Horror. Under 1,500 words.
Horror Artists. Illustrators, painters, photographers. If your work lives between unsettling and gorgeous, we want to feature you. All mediums.
True Stories. Something spooky that happened to you. You’re not sure how to explain it. You’ve told it once and watched the room go quiet. That’s the one we’re looking for. Under 500ish words.
Reviews. Film, book, game, podcast—any horror media assessed with a strong point of view. Not plot summaries. Conviction.
Got something that fits? Reach out to macabremondayteam@gmail.com
Got something you want us to publish? Have any questions, comments, or feedback? Send it all to:
talestack.editor@gmail.com
✨Talebones runs on YOUR support! ✨
My Tip-Jar! - Enjoying this resource? Show your appreciation with a one-time tip!
Work With Me! - Looking for an editor, beta reader, proofreader, or copywriter? Look no further! Check out my NEW Work With Me site for rates and services.
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 for your very own! Mugs, tees, hats, sweatshirts, and more, updated seasonally!
Late again! I just finished my twelve-episode "Royal Visit" fantasy-adventure novelette just last Friday. I have no idea what I'm going to do next! This has been a hectic month!
Macabre Monday looks like it might be the best way to deal with what used to be all the Tag days? I keep thinking I should do something like this for Thorny Thursday… but am lacking the bandwidth for it.