✒ Editor’s Note
Welcome back, Talestack Readers!
[New around here? Check out our FAQ page!]
May is a month of showers and flowers… 🌼
(Not to borrow my own words, but I just posted the following message on Notes and I feel like it’s a message we could all use here at Talestack, too. Please indulge me.)
Every day, on his daily walk, our dog Finn slows down and looks over his shoulder in the same spot—a nondescript section of a quiet rural driveway.
He does it because at least a half-dozen times in the six years we’ve walked with him there, our sweet neighbor has driven by and said hello and given him a treat, and it’s always in or around that spot.
Behaviorally, dogs are (usually) what’s known as optimistic gamblers. If there’s a chance something great will happen, they will expect it, and put themselves in a position to catch it. Even if that means weathering repeated disappointments in the process. Surely if a good thing happened once, it can happen again.
And maybe we should strive for this to be said of us: that creatives, writers, artists are optimistic gamblers.
Maybe we take note of our triumphs—no matter how many or how few—and let them have more psychological and emotional weight than our defeats.
Maybe we slow down.
Maybe we look over our shoulders in the right places.
Maybe we expect good opportunities, even if they only come around every so often. Even if the disappointments outweigh the victories.
After all: if it happened once, it can happen again. ❤
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!
New Projects:
Benjamin Bagenski has just embarked upon a new horror serial called A Death Worse Than Fate. Benjamin calls it an “Occult Penny Dreadful” and poses: “What if Sherlock met Watson in an unearthed casket, while he was robbing graves for medical study?”
H. A. Titus has launched a new sword-and-sorcery-inspired, limited-run serial, Serpent King’s Castle. Synopsis: “Wulf Almsson, city guardsman, serves the king, even as the people he loves incite rebellion. All Wulf can do is try to protect them and the folk who suffer under the oppressive thumb of the tyrant…until the day that he discovers that the king is no man, but a serpent cloaked in flesh. Quick, unkillable, and insatiably hungry. And the serpent knows that Wulf has found him out. Blackmailed by his manipulative captain, Wulf has no choice but to go along with schemes to overthrow the serpent king. If he wants to save the city that he loves, he must be prepared to make sacrifices…even if it means giving up part of himself.” Jump into Chapter One here!
Coming in June: Mikai Baltazar will be launching Luminescent, a light novel inspired by the tropes and style of anime/manga. Synopsis: “Luminescent primarily follows the story of two characters with the rare power of luminescence—something that allows them to exorcise monsters called ‘chaotics,’ which spawn from people’s negative emotions. The story takes place at their university, which holds an annual chaotic-hunting competition. The first character is Mindie—a rambunctious first-year student eager to achieve her dream of being the best luminescent the world has ever seen. Her cockiness often lands her in hot water, but she can get serious too. She’s particularly protective of her best friend Pike. The second character is Pike—Mindie’s best friend who dreams of becoming a novelist. He is also luminescent but would rather stay out of the spotlight while playing the role of Mindie’s support. He suffers from low self-esteem and has trouble asserting himself. Their imperfect perspectives shape the narrative into a mix of action and simple, everyday moments, along with clashing ideals regarding the nature of chaotics and how they should be dealt with.” Subscribe to stay tuned for the debut!
Awards:
Psst, sci-fi writers! Listen up! The Lunar Awards is going to open for Science Fiction submissions in a few days—but only until the end of the month!—so subscribe to the newsletter, start brainstorming your best short story ideas, and keep an eye out for the announcement post!
📚 The Bookshelf
(Titles listed in order of release date.)
From the brilliant minds of Bridget Riley and EJ Trask comes a collaborative murder mystery tale, Diary of a Murder! Blurb: “Can two amateur detectives solve a cold case that everyone else has given up on? Drew and Jane are writers, but when they find the diary of a murdered woman, they're suddenly inside the story.” It is available exclusively as a digital zine here.
🫱🏻🫲🏾 Connection Corner
Jenn Zuko is promoting her recently-published adventure book, Crowns of Gold, ahead of an in-person signing event coming this summer! Blurb: “In Crowns of Gold, Jenn Zuko merges the romance of classic adventure with the grit of survival and self-discovery. A master of stage combat and the fight as story, Zuko channels her deep knowledge of writing, literature, and the performing arts into the tale of Gemmanalia Jonquil, a runaway slave who rises into a swashbuckling pirate queen.” Check out the signing event’s Eventbrite page to join the fun!
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!
It's always lovely to be introduced to new projects on Substack. I'm grateful to Talestack News for supporting the indie community!
I like your Substack note.
'My half's on the bottom' (it's a Laurel & Hardy joke).