Storyletter XPress Publishing is a community-funded small press breaking away from traditional publishing norms. I hope to effect change in the industry by creating a new way to crowdfund original works, all through non-traditional means. My mission is to produce high-quality books by independent and emerging writers, and deliver them to an interested audience.

I personally ship hardcovers and paperbacks directly to you. I commission human artists for our cover art and internal illustrations. Future deluxe editions won’t be available anywhere else and will be in limited quantities. Subscribers are the first to know, and members are the only ones with access.

My product

The XPress Book Box is a specially designed mailer box featuring the latest SXP release, which I send to the preferred shipping address that you provide once you get your Welcome email.

I aim to publish multiple books a year and produce exclusive, limited edition print runs of 150 or fewer. With your paid subscription, I can pay writers and artists, and ship our books directly to you (I say “our” because I consider anthologies a group effort).

• The monthly membership provides access to our ebooks, private Discord, and a 10% Gift Shop (beta) discount. Mentioned in the Acknowledgements section of our books.

• Annual members get all of our boxes for one subscription price.1 As well as the monthly perks.

• The XPress Founders tier offsets costs for international members, additional merchandise, and publishing limited edition print runs. Founding members also get an exclusive behind-the-scenes breakdown of how the books get made. As well as the annual and monthly perks.

• Free subscribers get updates when new anthology submission windows open and close, and receive periodic alpha and beta reader opportunities to assist with improving our publications.

With your support, this will become the standard for how publishers interact with their audience, customers, and, most importantly, readers. Let’s usher in the new age of publishing together!

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Release schedule for the next 12 months:

• (Out Now) The Weight of the World: A Collection of Short Fiction and Poetry by Winston Malone (2023) - Signed paperback included in boxes while supplies last.

• (Out Now) Take Me There: A Speculative Anthology of Travel (2024) - Currently shipping signed/numbered hardcovers. I’ll include the paperback edition once the Take a Breath book is released. The box includes an exclusive bookmark, pen, and postcard.

• Take a Breath: A Collection of Claustrophobic Horror (2025) - Projected Summer 2025 release, signed/numbered edition hardcovers.

• The Kefi by Thomas Bubb (2025) - Projected Summer/Fall 2025 release in a limited edition print run of 150, signed by the author.

• Lunar Award Winners Anthology (Title TBD) (2026) - Projected early 2026 release with more details to come.

• Unannounced 3rd Anthology (2026) - More information coming soon.

This schedule excludes unannounced partnerships, book deals, or surprise releases (who knows what’s in store!).2 Every paid subscription helps fund upcoming projects.

With one annual subscription, you get even more bang for your buck. If you want independent books shipped to your doorstep, I’d love to mail you a box. It’s only going to get bigger and better from here. Huge thanks to all my current subscribers!

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My dream

My dream is to change how we view, publish, and engage with indie books. Traditional publishing can seem daunting and unapproachable, but Storyletter XPress Publishing bridges the gap between readers, writers, and publishers with a community built for all.

With enough support, I can increase payouts to our writers, improve the quality of our books, and partner with even more authors and publishers to ship their books as well. Who knows, maybe I’ll be able to establish a bookstore that specializes in stocking independent literature and artwork. Thanks for your time and consideration. You make this possible. ~ WM

I narrowed it down to 17 entries. The decision-making process was challenging, as the quality was high across the board. I’ve offered a feedback option in my rejection letters, and the authors requesting it will receive it soon.

Thank you for sharing your terrifying stories with me. I can’t wait to finalize this book and get it into readers’ hands this summer. Separately, I’m working with my local Barnes & Noble to set up a signing booth—more info to come on that front.

Please celebrate the following authors who will be featured in the Take a Breath (TaB) anthology. Congratulations on your upcoming publication!

Featured authors

• Edward Ahern

• Warren Benedetto

• Rose Biggin

• Clark Boyd

• Matthew Christian

• Sam Crain

• Elana Gomel

• Rachel Henderson

• Juliette Jarabek

• Ilan Jones

• Hamish Kavanagh

• C.R. Langille

• Angus McIntyre

• Thomas North

• Leigh Parrish

• Pip Pinkerton

• Nidheesh Samant

Authors: If your name is misspelled, or you wish to have it altered, please let me know in the comments or by email.

Leave a comment

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Like last year, I’ll send the featured authors a complimentary copy of their published hardcover book in a special box. Whether you have or haven’t been published, holding a physical copy of your work is always an exciting experience, and I want to share that with as many authors as possible.

This book box will also be available to yearly and founding members. Those who sign up before TaB releases in the summer will get last year’s box featuring our first anthology, Take Me There (TMT), shipped to them as well. TMT was recently shortlisted as 1 of 16 indie books highlighted in the first Reedsy Editors’ Choice Awards.

I aim to eventually ship quarterly or monthly book boxes featuring a wide range of indie books (not just from my press). The shipping and material costs are high, so I will lose money until at least 50 XPress members have come aboard (we’re at 32). However, the physical products bring the most value to my writers and readers, which makes it worth it to me.

For current free and monthly paid subscribers, please let me know what I can do to earn your upgrade to yearly. Substack’s strict payment options make it awkward for me, so I’m trying to maintain the month-to-month value, even though publishing fiction doesn’t always work that way.

I greatly appreciate all my subscribers' support. Without your comments, I wouldn’t be able to maintain this. Thank you to all who believe in me enough to keep this experimental project on track! ~ WM

Lunar Awards

Lunar Awards Season 10 | Round One Starts Now! | Fantasy

Welcome to the Lunar Awards…

Read more

a year ago · 43 likes · 44 comments · Winston Malone and Daniel W. Davison

Stay tuned for our next open call in the Fall of 2025.

We will purchase notable works capturing this theme from talented, independent authors and publish the collection as a book in hardcover, paperback, and digital eBook.

In our previous iteration, 24 authors (mostly from Substack) came together to contribute to “Take Me There: A Speculative Anthology of Travel.” The published hardcover book—along with other goodies—was shipped to annual paid subscribers and contributing authors in our XPress Book Box. The ebook is delivered in our Welcome email for both monthly and annual members.

The XPress Book Box will be available to a maximum of 100 annual subscribers due to supplies, time, and shipping reasons. Secure your spot today!

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This year, we’re delving into the deepest and darkest locations with a focus on stories that evoke a sense of confinement, lack of breath/oxygen, and the desperate need for escape. “Take a Breath” will have you turning the pages faster and faster, not only from the desire to discover how each story ends but because you’ll be holding your breath. We hope this theme will summon the terrific horror writing community on Substack and beyond.

We’re accepting submissions until the end of 2024 (December 31). Must be subscribed (free or paid) to be eligible. SXP is eager to work with writers of all levels, and we can’t wait to read your incredible stories!

Paid subscribers will help fund this book. Any costs not covered by subscriptions will be funded by Winston directly. He’d love to pay authors a higher rate than his current $.01 cents per word. If we reach 50 paid subs, he’ll be able to double payouts! With your support, indies can get the compensation they deserve.

Continue reading for more details, or submit below.

Submit Your Story

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Publishing Overview

We will accept short fiction heavily featuring the theme as presented above. Once accepted, your work will be published as long as it meets the guidelines. We pay .01 cents per word for short fiction up to 10,000 words (or $100) and a flat rate of $10 for works under 1000 words. No poetry at this time. Payment is received upon or near publication. No royalties will be paid.

Payment is conducted via PayPal, Venmo, Wise, or Zelle in USD.

At the time of submission, writers must sign the SXP Contract, allowing us to share your work online, market it, and use it in the upcoming anthology (digitally and physically). All rights to the story remain with the author, and we do not own the rights to your work (other than what is in the contract). However, we request a 6-month exclusivity period from the book’s publication date.

XPress memberships keep the payment model for indie writers possible. Upgraded readers gain access to paid-only posts, Original Fiction, private Discord, and digital copies of all of our books as they become available. Writers can access the year-round submission portal and receive interview priority status, among other benefits.

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What We’re Looking For

As a family-friendly publisher, we only consider submissions that follow our clean content guidelines. This includes no excessive profanity, overtly sexual content, or graphic violence for the sake of violence. Submissions containing such content will not be considered unless the writer agrees to a clean revision process. For references, please check out what we’ve previously published on Substack or read the FAQ section below for exact guidelines.

Submissions should be aimed at ages 13+. (Think PG-13 film rating)

Fiction must be completed before submission.

Volume Two - Theme and Specifics

The theme for the 2025 anthology is claustrophobic horror.

• Here are some examples of what we’re looking for:

  • Deep Ocean Mishaps- Stories of characters trapped at the bottom of the ocean, facing dwindling oxygen supplies or mechanical failures.

  • Buried Alive - Tales of individuals waking up to find themselves buried in coffins or trapped in underground caverns.

  • Space - Astronauts on missions gone wrong.

  • Elevators - Characters stuck in elevators or small spaces with psychological or supernatural elements.

  • Cave-ins - Explorers who get lost or stuck in deep cave systems.

  • Psychological Confinement - Stories where the confinement might not be physical but mental.

  • Medical Horror - Patients experiencing locked-in syndrome or under anesthesia awareness where they feel everything but can't move or breathe on their own.

  • Sleep Paralysis - People stuck in a waking nightmare where they cannot move.

  • Abandoned Facilities - Individuals exploring or trapped in abandoned places like asylums, bunkers, or mines, where the air is stale and escape routes are unclear or blocked.

  • Supernatural or Ghost Stories - Spirits or entities that trap people in time loops, haunted rooms, or force them to relive terrifying moments.

  • Escape Rooms Turned Deadly - What starts as a game becomes a real-life horror when participants realize they're actually trapped.

  • Sci-Fi Dystopias - Societies where air is a commodity and stories focus on those who cannot afford to "buy breath" or are confined to polluted zones.

  • Body Horror - Tales where the horror comes from within, perhaps a condition or creature affecting one's ability to breathe, like an alien organism or a psychological condition manifesting physically.

  • Other - The above list isn’t exhaustive. It’s meant to inspire ideas, so you’re free to create any scenario that fits the theme.

Once the stories have been selected, we will close the submission window and proceed with editing and revising. The book is expected to be published by June 2025.

This is the perfect opportunity if you’re seeking print publication and want to get paid for your work. We honor independent authors by producing high-quality books worthy of bookstores and bookshelves. Thank you for considering SXP as your potential publisher. We look forward to reading your stories!

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Guidelines and FAQs

How do I submit my story?

Please read the complete submission guidelines and the frequently asked questions before submitting your story. You can begin the process once you’ve read the guidelines and believe your story fits the anthology well. You must also be a free or paid subscriber to Storyletter XPress Publishing.

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Why do writers join as paying subscribers?

Joining as an XPress member is helpful for both Storyletter XPress Publishing and you as a reader/writer. It benefits us (the publisher) because it lets us know you’re serious about your work and want to support independent writers. It also pays for overhead costs such as editorial time, marketing, writer payouts, artwork commissions, website fees, etc.

Money from paying members is returned to the community one way or another.

What do you mean by family-friendly?

We have somewhat strict content guidelines. We understand that some stories require specific content to accomplish the story’s purposes, but Storyletter XPress Publishing LLC does not currently publish those stories.

For guidelines, see below:

• Swearing: Light swearing is acceptable. This applies to swearing in English and other natural languages, but not swear words in fantasy or alien tongues. 

• Violence: While we enjoy action, violence should not be glorified. Deaths may occur, but there should be minimal blood and gore. Physical torture is unacceptable. If descriptions of death are unavoidable, please consider taking an artistic approach.

• Sexual content: No sex scenes. Absolutely no rape. No descriptions of nudity. Innuendo and crude humor may be tolerated depending on the subject matter.

• Controversial topics: Storyletter XPress Publishing LLC does not publish stories that delve into controversial political or religious issues, such as gun control, abortion, or real-life political parties/candidates. This doesn’t mean you can’t use allegory or metaphor, but it should be nuanced and subtly implied.

Additional rules may apply to your story not listed here. 

If you are uncertain about your content, you can email storyletter@protonmail.com with a description or example of the content. Do not send pitches, as they will not be considered.

Can I submit previously published or self-published manuscripts?

Yes. All previous e-book publications must be discontinued from sale on any digital retailer. Previous print publications must be out of print and removed from on-demand printing. The author must have all the rights. Please include information about the previous publication and sales of the story/series in our submission form. Our submission guidelines still apply to previously published titles. Do not send print-ready PDFs. If accepted, we will edit, design, and publish previously published titles through our normal publishing process.

Should I submit my book to you? It’s about…

Storyletter XPress Publishing LLC ONLY reviews submissions sent through our form and the accompanying synopsis and manuscript delivery instructions. We do not review emailed queries, sample chapters, or partial manuscripts. We are happy to answer questions about our submission process or preferred genres over email. Still, we will not review author bios, outlines, queries, pitches, or other submission materials that have not been sent through our form.

Do you accept translations of books in other languages?

As long as the author or translator can work with our editors in English, we are happy to consider translated titles. To be considered, the manuscript must read naturally to native speakers or be able to read naturally with minor editing. The author’s and character’s voices must still be strong despite being translated. We will put all manuscripts through our normal editing processes, even if they are already published in another language. This includes any necessary plot edits. 

Do you accept submissions from authors outside the United States?

We accept submissions from anywhere worldwide but only publish stories in English.

Will you translate my book into English?

Storyletter XPress Publishing LLC does not currently translate stories. We only accept stories that have already been translated into English.

When should I submit?

Submissions are considered on a first-come, first-serve basis. Storyletter XPress Publishing LLC reserves the right to close submissions at any time.

Can I include artwork in my submission?

No, submissions should be text only. At this time, Storyletter XPress Publishing LLC is not accepting picture book submissions or color illustrations. Do not include cover art.

Do you make exceptions to your word count requirements?

Submissions below 50 or over 10,000 words will not be eligible.

Can I submit multiple titles for your consideration?

Yes, but try to limit your submissions to the stories that best fit the theme to give our editors time to review each submission.

Need Help?

Have questions not answered here? Email your question to storyletter@protonmail.com.

Submission queries sent through email will not be considered. Do not send outlines, summaries, or query letters. 

For more info, head on over to the About page.

We published Take Me There: A Speculative Anthology of Travel two months ago in hardcover and ebook. Since then, we’ve sold 31 print books and 6 ebooks across multiple platforms, totaling $909 in sales. This doesn’t include the current annual paid subscribers who received their digital and print versions via the XPress Book Box.

I’m so proud of this book. It’s the culmination of several years of trial and error, and I aim to improve with each iteration. As a comparison, my first print book, The Weight of the World, was released to 21 print sales (in the first 2 months). That makes this our best launch ever and has set the bar even higher for next year.

The hardcover price is a bit high, but it’s set for a potential profit margin of between $0.82 - $1.00 on wholesale national and international market sales. Therefore, your support is greatest when purchasing directly from SXP or online retailers like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop, and others. Although, I still intend to get into physical retail bookstores by next year. So, the life of this book isn’t over, and I will share updates as we reach specific milestones.

To everyone who purchased a hardcover book or upgraded to an annual subscription, thank you from the bottom of my heart. It’s an honor to bring these authors’ stories to you in physical and digital formats. Speaking of formats…

The Paperback Edition

Today, we are releasing a brand-new version of Take Me There!

If the hardcover price is too high and you don’t like reading on your phone or tablet, this is the best way to get the book. It’s more affordable, and the flexible gloss cover makes the book pop on any shelf. I’ve even made some slight formatting changes that some will prefer over the hardcover version.

If you’d like to get a paperback copy, they’re available online wherever books are sold. Your support would mean the world to us. Here are a few options:

Amazon

B&N

Bookshop.org

Take Me There: A Speculative Anthology of Travel

Embark on a journey across the realms of genre with "Take Me There: A Speculative Anthology of Travel," a specially curated anthology of 24 stories from emerging, visionary indie authors from around the world. Each tale is a gateway into the human experience, a portal leading readers into new and undiscovered territory. From interplanetary space travel to the deep recesses of the mind, this collection takes readers on adventures spanning time and space and everything in between.

Featuring stories by

Brian Reindel, Brylle Gaviola, Christopher Deliso, Clarice Sanchez Meneses, C.R. Langille, Daniel W. Davison, Devon Field, Galia Ignatius, H. A. Titus, Iris Shaw, J.M. Elliott, Jack Massa, James Castor, Joe Gold, LB Waltz, M.S. Arthadian, Melissa Rose Rogers, Olivia St. Lewis, Pamela Urfer, Randall Hayes, Shaina Read, Shannon Aaron Stephens, Victor D. Sandiego, Winston Malone

I submitted our first anthology, “Take Me There: A Speculative Anthology of Travel,” for review at Reedsy Discovery to see if a reviewer would pick it up and what the verdict might be. Well, a reviewer did pick it up, and it was received quite well—a five-star review, in fact!

In his review, Kennedy Odindo says the following:

A good short story should transport the reader into different worlds, allowing them to immerse themselves in the narrative and then bring them back safely. When compiled by various talented authors, short stories create an anthropological tapestry that is as captivating as captured in Take Me There, a speculative collection of travel wonderfully edited by Winston Malone. These stories encapsulate diverse themes, such as a human android capable of dreaming, the return of a presumed dead friend, a stalker from another world, the mysterious disappearance of an island, the merging of minds and many others. […]

For readers of speculative science fiction, especially those obsessed with answers to the What Ifs, this anthology delivers.

If you’re unfamiliar with Reedsy Discovery, it’s a useful way for writers and publishers to get more eyes on their published work. It costs $50 to enter your book into the reviewer pool, and if it does get reviewed, it can be considered for their weekly announcement email that goes out to thousands of readers.

This is how Hallie, Community Manager at Discovery, explained the process:

Take Me There: A Speculative Anthology of Travel just launched on Discovery! To make the most of your launch, and move higher up in Discovery’s popular books feed, be sure to invite friends to upvote your book! The most upvoted books of the week will be considered for our newsletter.

Therefore, there’s a good chance we could land on that list for their newsletter since it’s a five-star reviewed book, and there are a lot of you following this newsletter who like supporting our work. As an anecdotal point to back how crucial this newsletter spot is, I bought a featured book last week, which I likely wouldn’t have seen otherwise.

So, what do you say? Would you be willing to take a few minutes to upvote Take Me There on Reedsy to help us secure a place in the marketing newsletter?

Upvote on Reedsy!

I’m also running an AMA in this post's comments and on the Reedsy review for those who want to learn more about it. Thank you!

Leave a comment

Buy Your Copy Today!

Learn more from the authors in our anthology in this week’s interview series!

Two Visions of the Mountain of the Saints by Chris Deliso

Two Visions of the Mountain of the Saints is an example of dream fiction; yet while it simply provides a faithful reproduction of the author's dream—ostensibly, of an actual place on earth (the monastic community of Mt. Athos in Greece), several details emerge in the vision to make this impossible, ranging from the style of architecture to the people encountered, to the improbable 'leap of faith' that finally delivers the narrator to the only named and 'real' Athonite destination, yet one to which he has never been. The added element of lucid dreaming is encountered when the narrator, at different points, reveals the need to not concentrate too hard, lest the dream be dissolved. The final result is not so much a story with any definite meaning as a sort of mental travel to a place of physical travel, while in a dream state, leaving the question of meaning (if any) up to the reader's experience.

Faran: The Launch by Galia Ignatius

Faran: The Launch is a captivating fusion of dystopian science fiction and gritty realism, plunging the reader into a clandestine world where society's discarded souls are given a second chance. As the story unfolds, a young woman and her companion are forcibly taken from their bleak existence and thrust into a high-tech rehabilitation facility. The narrative masterfully explores their journey from addiction to a semblance of recovery, only to reveal a sinister plan. This tale, rich with tension and moral dilemmas, calls back to the harrowing realities of addiction while presenting an original, thought-provoking adventure that questions the very essence of survival and humanity.

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If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

Galia: I used to want to travel to outer space, explore the cosmos, and never return. But now, after traveling the planet extensively for work and pleasure, I find that I understand and appreciate the meaning of the French saying, “Fleuris là où tu es plantée.” Bloom where you are planted.

Chris: I've always wanted to visit Brazil, for some unknown reason. I really love the combination of its diversity and great spirit and music; I would prefer swimming in the Atlantic, though, over giant insects and Amazonian perils. Though the whole idea seems impossible. Perhaps the aspect of impossibility in itself is also a strong factor in the perception of attraction; we always strive for the unattainable, after all, and dream of seeing places that are distant and somehow beyond our reach... but that is an ancient part of the human condition.

Would you travel to the setting of your story? Why or why not?

Chris: If we look at it 'literally,' and say the dream represents Mt. Athos—well, I have been there several times in the past 24 years on pilgrimage, visiting the monasteries. However, due to the above-mentioned impossible aspects of the story/dream, it is clear that the narrated location does not exist. I am somewhere between Neoplatonism and Berkelan Idealism in view, and perhaps there is some afterlife or other world in which one can access all these dreamt destinations as tangible places. But for now, I will settle for simply recounting them in my writing.

Galia: I have already been to the setting of my story, the setting at the beginning and at the end. However, I would definitely like to visit the launch site to see what's really going on there. :-) 

If you had 24 hours to live in any fictional world/universe, which one would it be?

Galia: Kurt Vonnegut's “Galápagos.” I read it a long time ago, but I still think about it a lot. It's about a small group of disparate people who are shipwrecked on a fictional island in the Galápagos—surviving a global catastrophe. They proceed to adapt, breed, and evolve in isolation on this island. Vonnegut's story has it all—the supernatural, science, evolutionary concepts, life, and death. I would definitely like to take a peek for a day.

Chris: Two proposals. First, I've been doing some research into the 19th-century Irish author of ghost and Gothic horror stories/novels, Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, and for a better understanding of his singular genius, I'd like a tour of the Dublin and Irish countryside of his day and before, as seen in works like The House by the Churchyard and his shorter stories. Especially as I've been to Ireland in the late 20th century, I might have something to compare it with—was it really as haunting and as great fodder for such stories as Le Fanu produced, or do we need to give him more credit for his incredible imagination?

The second location would be Paris in the 1920s, as described in Hemingway's memoir, A Moveable Feast. I know that this is not necessarily the most fictional universe out there, but I'd rather suspect that Hem managed to enhance the city's already great reputation with his writing style, which uses description of the smallest physical details and states of mood to create magnificent ranges of meaning that often take years to fully sink in.

If you only had eight words to describe your story, what would they be?

Chris: Ethereal, impossible, delicate, symbolic, loving, healing, faith, dream.

Galia: Despair, Hope, Fear, Bravery, Future, Past, Eternity, Family.

Describe your writing style and what readers can expect from you in the future.

Galia: Depending on the story, my style can change—my tone changes. What I have to watch out for is leaking too much emotion. :-)

Chris: The present dream-narrative is told in a fairly straightforward, albeit slightly literary way to mirror the 'airiness' of the theme/topic. This is the first style of my dream fiction; other stories (some of which I've published on Substack and elsewhere) do not do a 'straight narration' of a dream, but rather incorporate the dream or an image from one as part of a more complex plot. Therefore, the writing style can be fluid and adapted to all sorts of goals, depending on the narrator's voice, tonality, and the goals of the story.

For the future, my major current project for which I must find a publisher is my first Detective Grigoris novel, revised and completed on 8 June. This 259,000-word novel is the 'origin story' of a young Greek detective and takes place around the turn-of-the-millennium in and around Greece. It is a great action/adventure/international intrigue story set against historic and fictional events of our time, and includes strong elements of history, travelogue, philosophy, and the Byzantine Orthodox heritage, as well as contemporary events known more widely. So it is going to be a good read for both expert audiences and those just curious but who may not know of the region. It mixes high drama and action with comic gold. I think it came out alright.

How has travel informed or influenced your writing?

Chris: I've been traveling my whole life, studied abroad, and have lived in Europe for most of the last 27 years. My first travel article in a US newspaper, in the summer of 2001, was about Greece. Fast-forward many publications later, including a travelogue, and I contributed to researching and writing over 20 guidebooks for Lonely Planet between 2007-2014. I have constantly published travel articles in media around the world, and even when (as with journalism or history) the direct topic is not travel, the fact of living abroad and interacting with people from different cultures and outlooks has kept me constantly aware of the real values of difference that we usually hear of as a sort of euphemism. Finally, this international exposure has introduced me to many people, places and situations that could not be imagined unless they existed. This makes the job of the fiction writer exponentially easier.

Galia: As they say, travel is the best teacher, the best education. It opens your eyes to new ideas and perspectives, but also confirms that we all have much more in common with each other than we have differences. I love learning the superstitions, lore, and beliefs of other cultures. There is usually a common theme.

Describe your all-time favorite vacation or holiday trip. Tell us what made it so special.

Galia: Two trips stand out. One trip to Stockholm because of the luxury hotel on the water and the isolation of it—guests had to take a boat to get to the main city. The weather at the time was cold and cloudy, which I love. I often think that it would be the perfect place to write the great novel, if there was such a thing. 

The other trip was to the desert in Algeria. It was definitely devoid of luxury—very rustic. We sat on old rugs placed on the sandy dunes waiting for the stars to come out, while the local guide made us tea over a fire. It was just incredible seeing so many stars without any light pollution. And so many shooting stars. The local guide noticed my awe and asked, “You have this in America?” At first, I thought to myself, “Of course we have this in America—we all live under the same sky.” But I checked myself and softly affirmed to him that we had shooting stars in America—just very difficult to see them. I later thought to myself, “Do we really live under the same sky? After all, every perspective and sighting must be unique to the viewer.” I think about that experience a lot.

What is your favorite aspect of your story? What inspired you to write it?

Chris: I can't answer the first question, as this story is simply the literal transmission of a dream I had. I do think it is at least noteworthy, however, that the only text element in the story/dream was a monastery name, in the original Greek letters. That was 'as it should be,' so I guess I must thank my subconscious for getting it right. As for inspiration, since 2021, one of my writing projects (aside from my detective novel) has been compiling this book of dreams as they happen, when I can remember them, and if they seem notable at all and not too fragmentary. I have about 30 so far and hope to publish them all as a collection someday.

Galia: I think about how absolutely brave all of us are/were to come to this Earth—to be totally helpless and dependent on the care of our fellow humans for many years. I think about each person's bravery, and I think about the absolute trust we place in others at the time of our arrival on this planet. No one's life is insignificant, and all of us are worth caring for. This human experiment is just amazing.

What would you tell your readers before being launched in an exploratory spacecraft?

Galia: Take care of each other and auf Wiedersehen.

Purchase Take Me There Now

About the Authors

Galia Ignatius has been a professional writer and ghostwriter for businesses and academia since 2005. She also writes fiction for herself and has recently ventured into sharing that writing with the public.

Christopher Deliso is an American professional writer and Oxford-trained Byzantinist, with over 25 years’ experience of research and freelance writing from Europe, publishing everything from poems and stories to journalism, analysis, over 20 travel guides for Lonely Planet, and several books on history, travel and current events. He very much hopes that his recently-completed literary detective novel, set in Greece and its near-abroad at the turn of the 21st century, will be just the first in a multi-part series. You can read Chris’ writing on his Substack at christopherdeliso.substack.com and on his official website, christopherdeliso.com.

The Traveller's Literary Supplicant

Travel and History; unique Fiction, Reviews and Literary Studies

By Chris Deliso

Thanks for going on this journey with us. We hope you enjoyed this sneak peek into a couple of the stories in our brand-new anthology. Feel free to participate by answering some of the questions in the comments below!

Leave a comment

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Buy now!

Take Me There: A Speculative Anthology of Travel

Embark on a journey across the realms of genre with "Take Me There: A Speculative Anthology of Travel," a specially curated anthology of 24 stories from emerging, visionary indie authors from around the world. Each tale is a gateway into the human experience, a portal leading readers into new and undiscovered territory. From interplanetary space travel to the deep recesses of the mind, this collection takes readers on adventures spanning time and space and everything in between.

Featuring stories by

Brian Reindel, Brylle Gaviola, Christopher Deliso, Clarice Sanchez Meneses, C.R. Langille, Daniel W. Davison, Devon Field, Galia Ignatius, H. A. Titus, Iris Shaw, J.M. Elliott, Jack Massa, James Castor, Joe Gold, LB Waltz, M.S. Arthadian, Melissa Rose Rogers, Olivia St. Lewis, Pamela Urfer, Randall Hayes, Shaina Read, Shannon Aaron Stephens, Victor D. Sandiego, Winston Malone

Learn more from the authors in our anthology in this week’s interview series!

Edith by Pamela Urfer

Edith is a Magical Realism story about a young woman who cannot be contained by any physical means. The townsfolk both adore and resent her, her antics something beyond their collective control. Pamela’s story is an adventure that borders on fairy tale and is about finding one’s place in the world.

The Book of Thomas by Iris Shaw

The Book of Thomas is a unique blend of Science Fiction and Fantasy that transports the reader into the wondrous Library of Time. Thomas gets lost in the unending Library and must travel to parts unknown to find his way home. Iris weaves a tale that calls back to great historical classics while introducing a wholly original and inspiring adventure.

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If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

Pamela: I have a thing about islands. I loved Ursula LeGuin’s Earthsea books because they were all about islands. I’ve visited quite a lot of them – Martha's Vineyard, Catalina, Moloka’i, Skye, Harris and Lewis, Shetland and Orkney. I feel a certain magic there as if something is contained on an island that can’t easily escape.

Iris: I’ve always wanted to go to Italy, for the art museums and the architecture. I used to spend hours leafing through Renaissance art history books at the library, squinting at black-and-white reproductions of paintings and frescoes – I’d love to see them in real life.

Would you travel to the setting of your story? Why or why not?

Pamela: I have. Edith’s town is everywhere, nowhere. I know it well because it is my town, too. And probably yours.

Iris: I would go to the Library of Time any day (actually, if I could go there, I might never come home). The idea of a nearly endless library, with all the books that have ever been written or dreamt about, is paradise to me. I’d definitely, happily, get lost.

If you had 24 hours to live in any fictional world/universe, which one would it be?

Pamela: That would be Narnia, especially The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. (Islands again!) At the end of the world, Reepicheep, the valiant mouse, gets off and goes on further in his coracle to beyond the end of the world. That scene always makes me cry.

Iris: A difficult question! Ultimately I’d visit the House, from Piranesi. It’s such a fascinating place, endless halls full of statues and the sea. I’d appreciate the solitude – and 24 hours would be short enough to ensure you wouldn’t lose your memory or go insane (always a positive).

If you only had eight words to describe your story, what would they be?

Pamela: Funny, ironic, releasing, satisfying, seeking, mysterious.

Iris: Book, Strange, Lost, Home, Vast, Changing, Wander, Read.

Describe your writing style and what readers can expect from you in the future.

Pamela: I’m not sure how I would describe that. Speculative, for sure. A “what if...” sort of approach.

Iris: Writing style? Verbose, a bit rambling, lots of commas, and semicolons; I love a good semicolon. My default is always more, longer words - I think I might have swallowed a thesaurus accidentally at birth. As to what readers can expect, I’ll be writing more about the Library of Time in the future; that’s a world I’m excited to return to. I’m also currently working on a murder mystery serial.

How has travel informed or influenced your writing?

Pamela: Broadened my horizons, as they say it will. It’s always interesting to see how other cultures deal with similar problems, such as immigration or overcrowding. Some countries are losing population, and so they are giving away houses, while others need workers yet turn away applicants.

Describe your all-time favorite vacation or holiday trip. Tell us what made it so special.

Pamela: Camping with Dad.

Iris: I went to Prince Edward Island on a summer holiday, years ago now. You can drive across the island in half an hour, and it’s beautiful in August; the grass is still green, and the roads are red because of the iron oxide in the soil. Even the asphalt has a red tinge. We stayed on the north shore, a short drive away from the beach. The days were perfect, never too hot, so we spent hours playing badminton or lying in hammocks. It’s a wonderful place, and I hope to go again someday.

What is your favorite aspect of your story? What inspired you to write it?

Iris: My favourite aspect of my story will always be the Library of Time itself. I loved coming up with all the different rooms and collections, trying to imagine what a library would be like if it contained all the books ever written. This particular story, though, was inspired by a drawing I did of a person standing in a vast gallery full of books. I’m not much good at drawing, but the idea in the picture sparked something. The person I’d drawn looked small, lost, and unhappy, and I wondered why?

Pamela: My husband's grandmother is my hero. She was an unstoppable traveler, even though her doctor told her to "slow down" in her old age. Sure enough, she had a heart attack in a taxi, hurrying to catch a train. What a way to go!

What would you tell your readers before being launched in an exploratory spacecraft?

Iris: Don't set anything too large on fire while I'm gone.

About the Authors

Pamela Urfer — CA, USA

Pamela Urfer is an accomplished novelist and playwright with years of theatre directing and college teaching behind her. She is a graduate of UC Berkeley (BA: Comparative Literature) and UC Santa Cruz (MA – Literature.) Retired now, she keeps her hand in by writing short stories and posting on substack. Her publication, xianbrainstretch.substack.com, is a weekly digest of the writings of important Christian thinkers.

xianbrainstretch

A digest of the writings of prominent Christian thinkers for busy people

By Pamela Urfer

Iris Shaw— CAN

Iris Shaw is a writer and regular purveyor of bad gardening advice. She dabbles in fiction and poetry at Long Oddities.

Long Oddities

Poetry, fiction, and other strange marvels of the mind

By Iris Shaw

Thanks for going on this journey with us. We hope you enjoyed this sneak peek into a couple of the stories in our upcoming anthology. Feel free to participate by answering some of the questions in the comments below!

Leave a comment

Subscribe now

Take Me There: A Speculative Anthology of Travel

Embark on a journey across the realms of genre with "Take Me There: A Speculative Anthology of Travel," a specially curated anthology of 24 stories from emerging, visionary indie authors from around the world. Each tale is a gateway into the human experience, a portal leading readers into new and undiscovered territory. From interplanetary space travel to the deep recesses of the mind, this collection takes readers on adventures spanning time and space and everything in between.

Featuring stories by

Brian Reindel, Brylle Gaviola, Christopher Deliso, Clarice Sanchez Meneses, C.R. Langille, Daniel W. Davison, Devon Field, Galia Ignatius, H. A. Titus, Iris Shaw, J.M. Elliott, Jack Massa, James Castor, Joe Gold, LB Waltz, M.S. Arthadian, Melissa Rose Rogers, Olivia St. Lewis, Pamela Urfer, Randall Hayes, Shaina Read, Shannon Aaron Stephens, Victor D. Sandiego, Winston Malone

Learn more from the authors in our anthology in this week’s interview series!

The Guardian by Clarice Sanchez Meneses

The Guardian is a Contemporary Portal Fantasy overflowing with emotion that tugs at the heartstrings. The story features a young child named Delilah and a mysterious being who visits her in the hospital. Clarice is exceptionally adept at portraying a harsh reality juxtaposed with one of unimaginable beauty, using both grace and love to transport us into the touching moments found within this tale of mortality, fate, and acceptance.

A Marriage of TruMinds by Jack Massa

A Marriage of TruMinds is a Utopian Sci-Fi that features humans that can upload their brains and live forever via “whole mind emulation.” Jon Ebsen, the chief engineer of Dendritecs Corp, has a new concept that just might shake up those satisfaction indexes and, quite possibly, preserve his terminally ill wife. As it becomes a race against the clock, the question is: will it even work? Jack presents us with a story that wonderfully melds concept and character, and is, at its heart, about never giving up on the ones we love most.

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If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

Clarice: I’d go to Vienna for many reasons—because it’s supposed to have heavenly food (always an important consideration!), because I’ve always been fond of the Billy Joel song, and because one of my dearest friends lives in Austria and I’d really love to visit her.

Jack: I would have to say Ireland. Half of my ancestors came from there, and it appeals to my mystical side. Also, I hear the pubs and music are awesome.

Would you travel to the setting of your story? Why or why not?

Jack: Absolutely! To be able to gaze at the Earth and the Moon from space? That would be fantastically beautiful. To be able to move between Earth-like gravity and zero-g at will? That would be so much fun!

Clarice: Maybe! My titular guardian has to weigh giving their carefully-chosen visitors a glimpse of their incredible world against the consequences of getting caught letting them in. I’d listen to their advice.

If you had 24 hours to live in any fictional world/universe, which one would it be? (Explain your answer)

Clarice: I’d go to Vangavaye-ve, an archipelago from the fantasy realm of Victoria Goddard’s The Hands of the Emperor. The author said it was heavily inspired by Papua New Guinea with Polynesian and Micronesian elements. When I read it, it was the first time a fantasy land felt similar to home (which, for me, is the Philippines). I’d want to run around the islands with my favorite characters and ask them their perspectives on how a people can honor their traditions and cultural identity while presenting their gifts to the world at large. Also, their most effective tips on rooting out corruption in their government, which I’ve always found super impressive.

If you only had eight words to describe your story, what would they be?

Clarice: Child, nurse, doorway, light, enchanting, compassion, memories, bittersweet.

Jack: Space habitats, brain uploading, market research, true love.

Describe your writing style and what readers can expect from you in the future.

Clarice: I aim for my writing style to be clear, vivid, and intricate. Most of the time, I like exploring interesting truths through magical realism and fantasy.

As for what readers can expect from me in the future—the zine Pandan Weekly has recently accepted my Cinderella retelling, The Prince, for publication! (The premise: once upon an alternate, magical version of the Philippines, the young ruler Dominic prepares to find a princess to marry in an effort to ensure his beloved kingdom never gets colonized again. Falling in love with a mysterious woman at a ball complicates things.) It’ll be out in July 2024!

I’m also planning to post writing updates on my Substack Sparrow Songs, so interested readers can follow me there.

Jack: I have written three fantasy series (one epic/sword & sorcery, one young-adult paranormal, and one historical set in the ancient world). Now I am really drawn to science fiction: hopepunk, AIs, post-humanism, space opera. I think humanity still has plenty of stories left to live.

How has travel informed or influenced your writing?

Clarice: One of the best parts of travel is that it can give you a sense of a bigger world out there. There are so many ways to be, and every person and people and culture is shaped by their individual and collective stories. The understanding that we’re affected by the stories we keep - willingly or not, consciously or not - usually finds its way into what I write.

Describe your all-time favorite vacation or holiday trip. Tell us what made it so special.

Jack: Certainly the week my wife and I spent in Paris. It was the only time I’ve made it to Europe. We are both visual art lovers, and we spent most of our time in the Louvre and other art museums. Also, the food was great!

Clarice: Thirteen years ago, my family and I took a road trip around Germany and Denmark. It was the first time I’d ever been to Europe, and it was so different from the tropical Philippines or the golden cities of the United Arab Emirates, where we lived back then. I felt like I stepped into a fairytale. My parents decided to go all-out for it, too—while we mostly stayed with our sweet and welcoming relatives, we also stayed one night in Sleeping Beauty Castle Sababurg and explored the surrounding forest, as well as Hotel Legoland, which was a children’s colorful dream come to life. Looking back, it means a lot to me that my parents took those steps to give us an adventure of a lifetime. I’d want to impart that much wonder and joy to my own kids one day.

What is your favorite aspect of your story? What inspired you to write it?

Jack: Way back in the 1980s, I first encountered futurists theorizing about humans attaining a kind of immortality by uploading their minds to computers. It took 40 years for my mind to convert that idea into fiction.

Clarice: My first draft of The Guardian was inspired by The Inklings Challenge—a yearly writing event that encourages science fiction and fantasy writers to create stories through the lens of the Christian worldview (inspired by the original Inklings, an informal literature club J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis were part of). The stories that the challenge produced are breathtaking, and I’d definitely recommend readers to check out the archives.

My favorite part of my story? Without giving too much away—the kindness of the titular character.

What would you tell your readers before being launched in an exploratory spacecraft?

Clarice: If my writing leaves you with anything, I hope it’s the sense of how dearly loved you are. Take care!

Jack: Be kind to each other. And don’t wait up!

About the Authors

Jack Massa — FL, USA

Jack Massa has published Fantasy, Science Fiction, and Poetry. His interests range from space habitats, neuroscience, and AI to mysticism and occult history. You can find his writings online at triskelionbooks.com and speclectic.substack.com.

Speclectic

Stories, Essays, Visions

By Jack Massa

Clarice Sanchez Meneses — Manila, PHL

Clarice Sanchez Meneses’s first full-fledged story was of a sparkling magical girl with terrifying titan-like power, which she daydreamed about in grade school French class. Since then, she’s gotten a minor in Spanish, a bachelor’s in communications, and a computer folder full of coming-of-age magical realism stories. Writing, for her, means reaching for the truth, delighting in beauty, and finding ways to share God's love and creativity with others. Previously, she's been published in Ateneo Writerskill’s zine Wither, and is set to be published in Pandan Weekly in July 2024. She posts her writing updates in her Substack, Sparrow Songs.

Sparrow Songs

Essays about tiny adventures and things that give delight

By Clarice

Thanks for going on this journey with us. We hope you enjoyed this sneak peek into a couple of the stories in our upcoming anthology. Feel free to participate by answering some of the questions in the comments below!

Leave a comment

Subscribe now

Take Me There: A Speculative Anthology of Travel

Embark on a journey across the realms of genre with "Take Me There: A Speculative Anthology of Travel," a specially curated anthology of 24 stories from emerging, visionary indie authors from around the world. Each tale is a gateway into the human experience, a portal leading readers into new and undiscovered territory. From interplanetary space travel to the deep recesses of the mind, this collection takes readers on adventures spanning time and space and everything in between.

Featuring stories by

Brian Reindel, Brylle Gaviola, Christopher Deliso, Clarice Sanchez Meneses, C.R. Langille, Daniel W. Davison, Devon Field, Galia Ignatius, H. A. Titus, Iris Shaw, J.M. Elliott, Jack Massa, James Castor, Joe Gold, LB Waltz, M.S. Arthadian, Melissa Rose Rogers, Olivia St. Lewis, Pamela Urfer, Randall Hayes, Shaina Read, Shannon Aaron Stephens, Victor D. Sandiego, Winston Malone

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Now, let’s learn more about the stories and authors featured in this book!

The Fuller by J.M. Elliott

The Fuller is a historical fiction story with a compelling mystery. Aristeas is of noble birth but unhappy with life on the island of Proconnessus, while Linus is content to hold his unattractive but necessary occupation as the town’s fuller. When Aristeas dies suddenly in front of Linus, strange things begin to manifest about the workshop. But is Aristeas truly gone? J.M. Elliott’s extensive knowledge of ancient history and the source from which this tale is derived only adds a masterful component to her storytelling, breathing life onto each page.

The Canyon by Victor D. Sandiego

The Canyon is a literary travel story about a man struggling to survive in the harsh wilderness far beyond the reaches of civilization. What he experiences is almost transcendent at times, with a dash of brutal reality mixed in for good measure. Victor is economical with his word choice, which lends significant weight to his punchy prose as he takes us on a journey along the precipice of life and death.

If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

J.M. Elliott: I’d go to Mongolia. I'd love to ride across the last remaining open steppes. These landscapes are disappearing fast under farmland, but they played a crucial role in the domestication of horses and shaping our world. Experiencing it firsthand would be incredible.

Victor D. Sandiego: Morocco, because I’ve never been in Africa, and I enjoy new places. I would first visit Spain, and then take a ferry across the Strait of Gibraltar.

Would you travel to the setting of your story? Why or why not?

Victor D. Sandiego: I already have. I am the protagonist in the story. The events in the story are ones I experienced. Although they didn’t all occur in the same canyon as the story, they did occur in the same wilderness.

J.M. Elliott: I'd definitely travel to the setting in "The Fuller." It's based on a real historical time and place, and the story's journey is mysterious. Plus, who wouldn't want to experience a strange adventure like the protagonist?

You get 24 hours to live in any fictional world/universe. Which one is it?

J.M. Elliott: I’d live in Tolkien's. Specifically, I'd choose to spend my day in Lothlorien. I was fortunate to have a nature preserve behind my house growing up, where I'd lose myself for hours in the woods. The sense of sanctuary and timelessness in Lothlorien is something I've always dreamed of experiencing, even for just a day. For me, it was Tolkien who restored the spirit of ancient European myths, legends, and folklore, which remain present and relevant today largely thanks to his stories.

If you only had eight words to describe your story, what would they be?

J.M. Elliott: Friendship, Exploration, Loss, Grief, Dreams, Mystery, Transformation, Reconciliation.

Victor D. Sandiego: Redemption, Renewal, Challenge, Acceptance

Describe your writing style and what readers can expect from you in the future.

Victor D. Sandiego: My voice varies quite a bit, because I hear a lot of voices, influenced as I am from many things, including music from around the world. My work, hopefully, causes people to think about how we are connected. I use parable and metaphor, coupled with concrete images. My stories are unconventional, with an emphasis on the human condition, and how we share so many things. I tend to walk among the real and unreal, and along the edges of desperation and hope. There’s not always a plot, sometimes just a movement from one stage of understanding to another.

J.M. Elliott: My writing style leans toward naturalistic historical fiction, but this story delves into speculative elements. I enjoyed this change of pace, and I hope to continue exploring speculative stories alongside my usual historical fiction.

How has travel informed or influenced your writing?

J.M. Elliott: Travel heavily influences my writing. Like travel, my writing is driven by curiosity and exploration. The places I visit—ancient ruins and historical sites—often inspire my writing, shaping the worlds and stories I create.

Victor D. Sandiego: It’s given me different perspectives on life in general, both in how people are similar, and how they are different. Plus, exposure to other language exposes new ways of thinking.

Describe your all-time favorite vacation or holiday trip. Tell us what made it so special.

Victor D. Sandiego: I went to Cuba to study rhythms. I learned a lot with respect to the music, but my favorite part was the time I had outside of our music classes to walk Havana, and meet people. Every day, I walked all over the city. I always went alone, and had many beautiful encounters with everyday people.

J.M. Elliott: My favorite vacation was a self-drive tour around ancient megaliths and ruins in Scotland. I'm not a fan of guided tours, so I made my own itinerary. Exploring stone circles at sunrise, crawling through neolithic tombs, climbing castles, and wandering historic battlefields made it an archaeology nerd's dream trip.

What is your favorite aspect of your story? What inspired you to write it?

J.M. Elliott: The mystery at the heart of my story has always intrigued me. It's based on ancient historical sources, but there's speculation about its true nature and possible links to shamanic practices. There are all kinds of journeys. . . . I’ve always wondered what ancient people might have believed about the events described.

Victor D. Sandiego: Hard to say. As with quite a few of my stories, the protagonist is unnamed, but at the end realizes that perhaps he has now earned one. Maybe. This is a story of a journey to re-enter the world, after some years of being outside of it. And I suppose my favorite aspect overall is the pilgrimage, and the idea that we can grow from the joys and challenges that such a pilgrimage provides.

What would you tell your readers before being launched in an exploratory spacecraft?

Victor D. Sandiego: Goodbye. Thanks for believing in me, friends. I won’t be back because my ticket is one-way. But I’ve tried to live my life with my feet on the ground, and my head in the clouds. It has kept me anchored, and at the same time, idealistic, and tall enough to see a great distance with many possibilities. It’s a wonderful balance. Don’t forget to appreciate the wide variety of both pleasure and pain that surround us. Now the Captain is calling. Time to get on the ship and sail. This ought to be fun.

J.M. Elliott: Thank you for your support! I'm grateful to be part of the anthology alongside so many talented writers. I hope you enjoy the stories as much as I enjoyed writing mine.

About the Authors

J.M. Elliott - NY, USA

J. M. Elliott has always found solace in the past. She lives on a farm in the Hudson Valley, far removed from the hustle of modern life. When she's not lost in the pages of historical fiction, you might spot her astride a horse, unearthing the mysteries of archaeological sites, or trekking into the wilderness where phone signals cannot reach. Discover more, including her debut novel, Of Wind and Wolves, at www.jmelliott.org.

The Problematic Pen

Uncomfortable truths | Uncompromising fiction | The Steppe Saga: Historical novels set among the Scythian nomads of the ancient Ukrainian Steppe

By J. M. Elliott

Victor D. Sandiego - Central Mexico

Victor D Sandiego lives in the high desert of central Mexico where he writes, studies, and plays drums. His work appears in various journals. He is the founder of Subprimal Poetry Art and Dog Throat Journal, an online publication of short fiction and prose poetry. https://victordavid.com

Dynamic Creed (Fiction)

One of a kind evocative creative fiction for those who enjoy thoughtful, edgy stories that provoke reflection upon our shared human condition.

By Victor D. Sandiego

Thanks for going on this journey with us. We hope you enjoyed this sneak peek into a couple of the stories in our upcoming anthology. Feel free to participate by answering some of the questions in the comments below!

Leave a comment

Subscribe now

Take Me There: A Speculative Anthology of Travel

Embark on a journey across the realms of genre with "Take Me There: A Speculative Anthology of Travel," a specially curated anthology of 24 stories from emerging, visionary indie authors from around the world. Each tale is a gateway into the human experience, a portal leading readers into new and undiscovered territory. From interplanetary space travel to the deep recesses of the mind, this collection takes readers on adventures spanning time and space and everything in between.

Featuring stories by

Brian Reindel, Brylle Gaviola, Christopher Deliso, Clarice Sanchez Meneses, C.R. Langille, Daniel W. Davison, Devon Field, Galia Ignatius, H. A. Titus, Iris Shaw, J.M. Elliott, Jack Massa, James Castor, Joe Gold, LB Waltz, M.S. Arthadian, Melissa Rose Rogers, Olivia St. Lewis, Pamela Urfer, Randall Hayes, Shaina Read, Shannon Aaron Stephens, Victor D. Sandiego, Winston Malone

Learn more from the authors in our anthology in this week’s interview series!

Distant Shores by Brian Reindel

A Sci-Fi story set on a distant, harsh planet. Thomas Cordoza has been reconstituted in a new, specialized body and toils away under corporate management. He dreams of a past life, yet he’s not allowed to dream. If corporate finds out, his contract will be terminated, he will be terminated. Brian Reindel takes us on an unforgettable, emotionally-charged journey about the power of dreaming of a better future and how our memories help form who we are in the present.

The Lonely Passage by Devon Field

A Sci-Fi story taking place on a mysterious ship traveling to an undisclosed location. Our protagonist glimpses pieces of a past life that drive him on, while something else in his mind forces him to travel about the ship day in and day out. He doesn’t know what compels him onward, but it may have something to do with the other passengers, something on the cusp of awareness he can’t quite explain. Devon Field has us explore a thought-provoking sci-fi mystery, with a surprising conclusion that will leave a long-lasting impression.

What is your favorite aspect of your story? What inspired you to write it?

Brian Reindel: Conflict in modern science fiction is often missing the hopeful counterbalance we need as a society. I want to change that. Even stories I’m reading now from Ray Bradbury, written forty years ago, rarely end with the reader feeling good or riding a high. While a few scenes from my story are tragic and sad, what I wrote will leave the reader satisfied, rooting for the protagonist, with an eye on a more positive future. I can’t remember what ultimately inspired this story. There’s some nugget of truth inside my cranium that needed examination under a fictional lens.

Devon Field: I can’t remember what first inspired the larger idea, but my favourite aspects of the story are the details, the little phrases, or images. I was really pleased with how they turned out.

If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

Devon Field: Torn between a few possibilities here—there’s a particular spot for sunsets on Gabriola Island, for example, or a particular bakery in Copenhagen—but I’ll say Tokyo. Spent some time there a number of years ago and would love to get to know it better.

Brian Reindel: Japan. A coworker recently returned from a trip and shared his photos, and our Substack friend in fiction, Bill Adler, will occasionally post photos from his travels. I think Bill does it just to make me jealous. The ancient Japanese aesthetic is peaceful, and modern visuals in city signs, package design, manga, anime, toys and games are so blissful.

Would you travel to the setting of your story? Why or why not?

Brian Reindel: What do you mean, I already traveled there!?! Okay, seriously, if it existed in reality, would I travel there? That would be a solid “no.” I don’t want to give too much away, but the planet on which my protagonist works is not a friendly environment. It’s in the early stages of terraforming, for reasons I’ll leave unknown, but that means it’s a dangerous place to live. Paradise is elsewhere. I want to share more… I guess everyone will have to wait until it’s released.

Devon Field: Only if I could leave when I wanted to. It's not necessarily somewhere I’d want to be stuck.

You get 24 hours to live in any fictional world/universe. Which one is it?

Devon Field: Think it has to be Hayao Miyazaki’s: beauty, magic, wonder, incredibly appealing food… living in animation!

Brian Reindel: Wow, that’s a tough and fun question. It would be a tossup between Star Wars and Bladerunner, but ultimately, I think Bladerunner would win because Star Wars has too many choices of where to travel. Although, zipping through Endor on my speeder, and sitting down for a meal with Ewoks sounds amazing. The book “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” and the subsequent movie paints a picture that borders on dystopian, but there is also a sense of vast opportunity in Bladerunner. I enjoy when there is a mixture of architecture that merges Art Deco and techno futurism, an attempt to pacify a populace with visions of simpler times. For that matter, I could also live in Rapture from the BioShock franchise.

If you only had eight words to describe your story, what would they be?

Devon Field: Desolate, beauty, memory, loss, longing, meaning, distance, space.

Brian Reindel: Planet, Android, Dream, Paradise, Love, Loss, Catastrophe, Hope.

Describe your writing style and what readers can expect from you in the future.

Brian Reindel: It is character-driven, plain, and simple. I dig deep into people’s emotions, logic, and purpose. I want to know what they’ll do when thrown into a difficult situation, a nearly inescapable struggle. There’s science in my science fiction short story, and it’s a deep space narrative, but it’s not a space opera. You’re going to get to know the protagonist intimately. It’s also written in first-person present tense. That provides the reader with a sense of immediacy that I love. I’m continuing to write fantasy and science fiction short stories in the future. I’ll publish my second short story collection this year, attempting to get it into libraries and bookstores as opposed to an Amazon exclusive.

Devon Field: I always struggle to describe my own writing, but as for the second part, I’m currently working on a near-future novel that is very loosely inspired by medieval travel narratives and the letter of Prester John, so hopefully you’ll be able to read that at some point!

How has travel informed or influenced your writing?

Brian Reindel: Travel has not, but environments -- the final destination -- are my most significant inspiration. I’m alive when I’m transported to fictional places, and I can drink them in and bask in the ambience. Most of that has come from movies, but books are capable of the same. If you’re able to describe an inviting place for me to exist in or even one that I can realize instantly inside my head, then that’s very powerful. Universal Studios and Disney are built off the whole premise of escapism, and a major component is dropping visitors inside worlds with contrasting aesthetics, avoiding modern appearances. That gets my imagination running wild.

Devon Field: I’ve been researching medieval travel for my podcast for a number of years now, and even though I mostly write fiction that has absolutely nothing to with medieval history, I find that the framework of travel—of wandering, exploring, or the quest into the unknown—often slips in there!

Describe your all-time favorite vacation or holiday trip. Tell us what made it so special.

Brian Reindel: That would be my honeymoon and five-year anniversary trips to Universal Studios and Hollywood Studios with my wife. Our favorite ride was definitely The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. Being there with my new bride obviously added to the excitement, but it was a carefree time in our life, the world an open book of possibilities. Vacations now with the kids are still fun, but they’re also a reminder we’re not so young anymore.

What would you tell your readers before being launched in an exploratory spacecraft?

Brian Reindel: Hold on to your butts.

Devon Field: I don’t mean to be mean about this, but it’s an incredible mess down there.

About the Authors

Brian Reindel - MI, USA

Brian Reindel graduated with a journalism degree more years ago than he cares to admit. He taught himself to code during the dot-com boom and abandoned dreams of reporting on crime in the seedy underbelly of Detroit. Brian is back to the writing life, crafting fantasy and science fiction short stories through his newsletter “Future Thief.” He self-published his first book through Amazon in 2023, a collection of short stories titled “The Stars Will Fall,” which is available on Kindle and in paperback. Brian is married to his wife of 20 years and has two teenage children.

Future Thief

Fantasy and science fiction short stories. Liminal Spaces is where I share personal observations about life's transitional states.

By Brian Reindel 👾⚔️

Devon Field - BC, CAN

Devon Field lives in Vancouver, BC, where he writes and podcasts. His fiction has appeared in Write Ahead/The Future Looms, The Sprawl Mag, and Twilight Histories, and his non-fiction in Medieval Magazine and The Public Domain Review, with an article forthcoming in Atlas Obscura. He hosts the history podcast Human Circus: Journeys in the Medieval World and writes about Philip K Dick, and sci-fi more generally, at Other Android Dreams.

Other Android Dreams

A chronological dive into the novels of Philip K Dick, and occasional other sci-fi matters.

By Devon Field

Thanks for going on this journey with us. We hope you enjoyed this sneak peek into a couple of the stories in our upcoming anthology. Feel free to participate by answering some of the questions in the comments below!

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Take Me There: A Speculative Anthology of Travel

Embark on a journey across the realms of genre with "Take Me There: A Speculative Anthology of Travel," a specially curated anthology of 24 stories from emerging, visionary indie authors from around the world. Each tale is a gateway into the human experience, a portal leading readers into new and undiscovered territory. From interplanetary space travel to the deep recesses of the mind, this collection takes readers on adventures spanning time and space and everything in between.

Featuring stories by

Brian Reindel, Brylle Gaviola, Christopher Deliso, Clarice Sanchez Meneses, C.R. Langille, Daniel W. Davison, Devon Field, Galia Ignatius, H. A. Titus, Iris Shaw, J.M. Elliott, Jack Massa, James Castor, Joe Gold, LB Waltz, M.S. Arthadian, Melissa Rose Rogers, Olivia St. Lewis, Pamela Urfer, Randall Hayes, Shaina Read, Shannon Aaron Stephens, Victor D. Sandiego, Winston Malone

In case you missed our previous introductions:

Now, let’s learn more about the stories and authors featured in this book!

The Devouring Ocean by H. A. Titus is a Fantasy Horror story featuring magical spells, naval explorers, and a long-lost library. Written as a fantasy version of a ‘found footage’ horror film, we piece together the horrific fate of a group of scholars and sailors who discover a lost island and its unfortunate history. H. A. Titus simultaneously paints a world of vibrant beauty and visceral pain with this tale of ineluctable retribution.

The Oath by C.R. Langille is a Dark Fantasy Horror story featuring necromancers, dark powers, and haunting voices from beyond the grave. The story follows a powerful necromancer named Tarl Tel-ath, who strives to bring back his late wife, Greta. The problem: Tarl promised her he would do no such thing. C.R. Langille masterfully reveals that sometimes the best intentions in life lead us into the darkest parts of death.

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If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

H. A. Titus: I would love to visit Zhangjiajie in the Hunan province of China. If you've seen pictures of tall, pillar-like mountains, that's Zhangjiajie. (They also inspired a lot of the terrain in the Avatar movies.) It's just such a unique, beautiful part of the world.

C.R. Langille: I would go to Japan. I've always wanted to go there since I was little. My grandmother is from there, and growing up, I always had a fascination with the country.

Would you travel to the setting of your story? Why or why not?

C.R. Langille: Absolutely not. The world my story is set in is a very dangerous place. Not sure how long I'd last there, lol.

H. A. Titus: Absolutely not! Despite much of my work tending towards the horror end of fantasy, I'm actually a wimp. I do not think I'd do well.

You get 24 hours to live in any fictional world/universe. Which one is it?

H. A. Titus: There are plenty, but one of my first picks would have to be Scadriel, the setting of Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn books. I think it would be very cool to experience a world covered in mists, and if I could experience mistling powers, even better! I'm always drawn to worlds that have interesting or unique magic systems.

C.R. Langille: I'd go to Middle Earth or somewhere similar. It would be super fascinating to see all the grand structures, fauna, and ruins of a place like that.

If you only had eight words to describe your story, what would they be?

C.R. Langille: Necromancy, Demons, Fantasy, Cave, Magic, Oath, Love, Greed

H. A. Titus: Magic, Eerie, Unknown, Found-footage, Academic, Ocean, Archeology, Exploration

Describe your writing style and what readers can expect from you in the future.

C.R. Langille: I like to think of my writing as cinematic. I grew up watching a lot of movies, so when I write, I always keep that in mind. I just (well, not just, about six months ago or more) finished up a novel that I'm shopping around. It's basically Alone meets Cabin in the Woods and is about a group of survival experts who think they are competing on a reality TV show for money when, in fact, they are just a tribute to an ancient creature that awakens every so often and is always hungry. Now I'm working on adapting a short story of mine into a novel. It's an homage to the old 80s/90s sci-fi horror. Think, “rural town getting invaded by aliens.”

H. A. Titus: I always have a certain vibe or mood I want readers to feel. And since I (almost always) write fantasy, I try to heavily lean into the 'awe and wonder' aspect of the genre, especially when it comes to fantastical creatures and magic.
For the future? I plan to keep bringing serials and short stories to Substack. There's one serial I'm planning to launch in late summer that I'm especially excited about—it's called Knights of the Faerie Queens and revolves around two loyal fey knights who set out from their kingdoms in order to slay a monster.

How has travel informed or influenced your writing?

H. A. Titus: My husband loves traveling, but I'm definitely a bit more of a homebody. However, I always end up being inspired when we travel, whether it’s because of the scenery, the local legends, or just the fact that I'm somewhere outside of my normal routine. And because I grew up on epic fantasy like The Lord of the Rings, sometimes I can't resist a good travel montage in my work—traveling gives me ideas for the scenery to describe for those.

C.R. Langille: Coming from a military background, I have done a lot of travel, and not only has it helped inform my worldview, but it has definitely helped my writing. If you don't get out, travel, and experience other cultures, you'll never really know what else is out there. People are amazing, and seeing what they build, hold dear, and value and how it can be similar to my own values or different is an amazing thing. I try to capture that when I'm writing, even if it is a fantasy or alien culture.

Describe your all-time favorite vacation or holiday trip. Tell us what made it so special.

C.R. Langille: Nearly 20 years ago, my wife and I went on a cruise that hit several spots in Mexico. It was pretty amazing. It was my first (and so far only) time on a cruise, and it was one of our first big vacations together. I distinctly remember seeing the ruins at Tulum. In one of the ports, I wanted to take my wife to an authentic Mexican restaurant. I think we had to walk more than a mile to finally get away from all the touristy places.

H. A. Titus: My husband and I recently took our kids to Orlando. We went to Disney World, visited a manatee sanctuary, and toured the Kennedy Space Center—all of which sounds like a typical American vacation. What made it special was how nostalgic it was for my husband. His family often went to visit grandparents who lived in Florida when he was a kid, so he enjoyed being able to show us a lot of the stuff they all did together.

What is your favorite aspect of your story? What inspired you to write it?

H. A. Titus: I've always been intrigued by the idea of found-footage movies and TV shows and wanted to try incorporating the same feel into a story. As to what inspired me...I spent ten years living on the shores of Lake Superior, which is absolutely gorgeous and also extremely terrifying because of the depth, the freezing cold water, and the high winds in the fall. Add that to a life-long fear of deep water, and a summer spent fascinated by ocean mythology, and one of the things that eventually came out of that was The Devouring Ocean.

C.R. Langille: I initially wrote my story for an anthology that a few of my Graduate Alumni were going to put together. Obviously, it never panned out, but I thought it would be cool to write about a culture where necromancy and life after death were ingrained in their very existence. What would that look like? What would happen if your significant other didn't want to come back after they died? My story is about love on the surface, but really it is about selfishness and greed.

What would you tell your readers before being launched in an exploratory spacecraft?

H. A. Titus: I hope you enjoy the Take Me There anthology! And if you come check out my other short stories or serials, please drop me a note and let me know which ones were your favorites!

C.R. Langille: Kindness is cheap. People won't remember everything you did or accomplished, but they will remember how you made them feel. Be kind, rewind.

About the Authors

C.R. Langille – USA

C.R. Langille spent many a Saturday afternoon watching monster movies with her mom. It wasn't long before she started crafting nightmares to share with her readers. She is a retired, disabled veteran with a deep love for weird and creepy tales. This prompted her to form Timber Ghost Press in January of 2021. She is an affiliate member of the Horror Writers Association, the DEI Chair for the League of Utah Writers, and she received her MFA: Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University in 2014. Follow her here: https://link.heropost.io/crlangille

H. A. Titus – MO, USA

H. A. Titus can usually be found with her nose in a book or spinning storyworlds in her head. She loves mythology, Dungeons & Dragons, and a good cup of tea. She lives in the Midwest with her weather-mage husband and two super-villain sons (don’t mind the robotic dinosaurs, they’re friendly) who enjoy dragging her into real-life adventures. Some claim she is half-fae, but that’s just an unfounded rumor. She shares short stories and serialized fiction at hatitus.substack.com.

Thanks for reading. We hope you enjoyed this sneak peek into the stories in our upcoming anthology. Feel free to join us in the comments below!

Leave a comment

Subscribe now

Take Me There: A Speculative Anthology of Travel

Embark on a journey across the realms of genre with "Take Me There: A Speculative Anthology of Travel," a specially curated anthology of 24 stories from emerging, visionary indie authors from around the world. Each tale is a gateway into the human experience, a portal leading readers into new and undiscovered territory. From interplanetary space travel to the deep recesses of the mind, this collection takes readers on adventures spanning time and space and everything in between.

Featuring stories by

Brian Reindel, Brylle Gaviola, Christopher Deliso, Clarice Sanchez Meneses, C.R. Langille, Daniel W. Davison, Devon Field, Galia Ignatius, H. A. Titus, Iris Shaw, J.M. Elliott, Jack Massa, James Castor, Joe Gold, LB Waltz, M.S. Arthadian, Melissa Rose Rogers, Olivia St. Lewis, Pamela Urfer, Randall Hayes, Shaina Read, Shannon Aaron Stephens, Victor D. Sandiego, Winston Malone

Take Me There: A Speculative Anthology of Travel is a collection of short stories featuring characters on the move. Whether transcending to a higher plane of existence, exploring dangerous forests, or terraforming hostile planets, this collection has it all.

Now, let’s learn more about the stories and authors featured in this book!

Joe Gold’s Cubed is a portal fantasy set in Hungary. Ruby is training for an upcoming puzzle competition when she’s unexpectedly transported into a new realm, one where failure to follow the rules means certain death. Faced with this new, deadly game, Ruby will have to adapt against all odds if she wishes to survive. A mix of action and suspense, Cubed will have your eyes rip-roaring across the page until the grand finale.

LB Waltz’s Hyperbolic is a paranormal horror story set in an urban diner. The paralyzing prose grips you head-on, and you’re faced with a mysterious being sitting across from you. You want to escape from the booth, but you can’t. Time warps until every moment, every detail, becomes a horrifying glimpse into the choices that led you here. After reading this tale of hyper-focused terror, you’ll never look at diners the same again.

If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

Joe Gold: Texas and Tokyo. Most of the entertainment I consume is from America and Japan, so I'd like to go to get a feel for the cultures at least once.

Would you travel to the setting of your story? Why or why not?

Joe Gold: Hungary? Yes. Very pretty architecture.

LB Waltz: Yes. Because I’m hungry, I haven’t been to a diner in forever, and if people are up to shenanigans in some dark corner of the restaurant, well. That’s none of my business. I’m just here for pancakes.

You get 24 hours to live in any fictional world/universe. Which one is it?

Joe Gold: The Shire from The Lord of the Rings would make for a good holiday. Nice countryside, nice Hobbits, and nice food. Very cozy.

Describe your writing style and what readers can expect from you in the future.

LB Waltz: My influences tend to be very gothic, and that is reflected in my writing. Which is to say, my prose leans towards “purple.” As for what readers can expect from me in the future, I’m afraid I’m not allowed to answer that, right now. But, you know. Keep an eye out.

Describe your all-time favorite vacation or holiday trip. Tell us what made it so special.

Joe Gold: Whenever I get to see my extended family in France. I'm an only child, so talking with my half-siblings is always cool.

If you only had eight words to describe your story, what would they be?

LB Waltz: Mirror, time, relative, food, future, betrayal, inevitability, crossroads.

Joe Gold: Puzzle, Competition, Sport, Cube, Emotions, Intelligence, Death, Hungary.

What is your favorite aspect of your story? What inspired you to write it?

Joe Gold: I like how strange it is. The Cube film series inspired it.

LB Waltz: Honestly, the various descriptions of the diner are my favorite aspects of the story. Atmosphere is where it’s at, baby. That said, a diner wasn’t what inspired “Hyperbolic.” Rather, it was born from an amalgamation of disparate elements, including but not limited to: having seen pictures of an infinity mirror, my general fear of immortality, and the idea of loopholes in a Faustian Contract.

What would you tell your readers before being launched in an exploratory spacecraft?

LB Waltz: They’re yeeting me into space against my will, send help.

Joe Gold: If you shoot for the stars, you'll at least hit the moon.

About the Authors

Hello, I'm Joe Gold, a writer of web novels and short stories. I'm the author of the web novel Slashers, an action comedy about 100 horror movie slashers fighting in a death game across 1980s Texas. You can follow me here: Twitter | Scribble Hub | Royal Road | Honey Feed

LB Waltz has been publishing creative works for over 20 years under various pseudonyms. They enjoy taking walks, biblically accurate depictions of angels, and reading about botanical folklore. Follow LB Waltz here: Twitter

Thanks for going on this journey with us. We hope you enjoyed this sneak peek into a couple of the stories in our upcoming anthology. Feel free to participate by answering some of the questions in the comments below!

Leave a comment

Subscribe now

Take Me There: A Speculative Anthology of Travel

Embark on a journey across the realms of genre with "Take Me There: A Speculative Anthology of Travel," a specially curated anthology of 24 stories from emerging, visionary indie authors from around the world. Each tale is a gateway into the human experience, a portal leading readers into new and undiscovered territory. From interplanetary space travel to the deep recesses of the mind, this collection takes readers on adventures spanning time and space and everything in between.

Featuring stories by

Brian Reindel, Brylle Gaviola, Christopher Deliso, Clarice Sanchez Meneses, C.R. Langille, Daniel W. Davison, Devon Field, Galia Ignatius, H. A. Titus, Iris Shaw, J.M. Elliott, Jack Massa, James Castor, Joe Gold, LB Waltz, M.S. Arthadian, Melissa Rose Rogers, Olivia St. Lewis, Pamela Urfer, Randall Hayes, Shaina Read, Shannon Aaron Stephens, Victor D. Sandiego, Winston Malone

Storyletter XPress Publishing’s first anthology, “Take Me There: A Speculative Anthology of Travel,” is now moving to the next stage of the publication process. After many months of preparation and open calls, the stories have been chosen, and the book is happening!

I want to thank every writer who took the time to submit their stories for consideration. It was competitive, not only because there were limited slots but because the stories themselves were so varied and uniquely compelling. I had a lot of fun reading your work.

Alas, 24 stories by 24 authors were chosen to be featured in this travel-themed collection. You can find the official author roster below (the promotional image is not indicative of the final cover design by the artist):

Please let me know if your name or pen name is not represented how you’d like on the final book, and I’ll try to make the adjustments. The sooner, the better, since the artist must know this change before finalizing the cover. Thanks!

The next phase

I’ll review each story and provide structural and copyediting suggestions for consideration. This will likely take the entire month of March to complete, but I’m giving myself plenty of room so that authors can respond and make corrections as needed.

If you’re curious about when this book will be published, I haven’t set a hard date yet. I’m expecting Summer 2024, but it all depends on the speed of the editing process. I’m shooting for the end of May or early June timeframe.

The cover

I’ve hired UK-based artist Eoin Ryan to design the cover. His work is both timelessly classic and yet abstractly beautiful. I immediately knew I wanted to work with him when I saw his art style. His art has been seen on covers of Penguin Classics such as The Restored Fennigans Wake, as well as the Vintage Classic reprint of Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale.

I’m very excited to reveal the final cover once it’s completed. I’ve seen the initial drafts and am pleased with Eoin’s work.

The campaign

The book is technically already funded by our Substack paid subscribers and will be printed regardless of additional patronage. However, I’ve tweaked the Founder’s tier to include a special perk that will allow additional support for this project and all future projects.

• First Class: You will receive a signed (numbered) edition of the Take Me There hardcover, a signed paperback copy, and an exclusive Take Me There bookmark. Your name will also be included in the book on the member page as a shoutout for supporting independent authors.

  • You will receive this perk automatically if you’re an author featured in this anthology.

• XPress: Annual subscribers will receive a signed paperback copy of Take Me There and a Storyletter bookmark. Your name will also be included in the book on the member page as a shoutout for supporting independent authors.

  • If you’re a monthly subscriber, you will receive the ebook upon release, with access to any previously published ebooks by SXP in your Welcome email.

• Free: There will be posts announcing the release date for the anthology in bookstores and online. Purchasing the book directly this way is always appreciated, regardless of your subscription plan.

Funds go to the authors, the cover artist, and upfront publication and shipping costs. Thank you so much for your support! ~ WM

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TLDR;

• Deadline extension to February 15th (or until the threshold is reached)

• A theme has been clarified

• A cover concept and working title has been created

• I’ve decided to be the editor of this project

If you’re a part of this book or are interested in submitting your work, please read the information below.

Overview

Storyletter XPress Publishing is hosting its first anthology submission window for speculative short stories, flash fiction, and poetry. The goal is to purchase notable works from talented authors and publish the collection as a physical book and a digital eBook.

We accept submissions until February 15th or until we reach our submission cap.

Submissions are open to all subscribers at this time. Must be at least a free subscriber to be eligible. SXP is eager to work with writers of all levels, and we can’t wait to read your incredible stories!

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Cover and Theme

The theme is “travel and transformation.”

For Take Me There (working title), I’m looking for stories that feature characters that go where we wouldn’t expect, narratives that explore reality through a new lens, and ideas that move us to different ways of thinking.

More specifically, stories and poetry that take us to dark, distant, or mysterious places. This includes all the nuanced elements of speculative fiction, giving the reader an even more varied reading experience.

I figured that for this anthology to work, narrowing down the theme would help me choose more applicable stories and satisfy reader expectations when picking up the book.

Let me know what you think of the direction of the pending cover design and the title. I’m always open to feedback.

As for being the editor, I’ve decided that to save roughly $1500+, I will try my hand at being the structural editor and copyeditor for this book. If, at any point, there needs to be a second pair of eyes on a particular story, I’ll send the submission in question to a second editor and pay for just that story. Hopefully, this will work out as planned, but again, let me know your thoughts in the comments, and I’ll adjust as needed.

Leave a comment

Open Submission Form

Publishing Overview

As a family-friendly publisher, we only consider submissions that follow our clean content guidelines. This includes no excessive profanity, overtly sexual content, or graphic violence for the sake of violence. Submissions containing such content will not be considered unless the writer agrees to a clean revision process. For references, please check out what we’ve previously published on Substack or read the FAQ section below for exact guidelines.

Submissions should be aimed at ages 13+.

Fiction must be completed before submission.

We accept speculative short fiction and poetry. Once accepted, your work will be published to our audience as long as it meets the guidelines. We pay .01 cents per word for short fiction up to 6500 words (or $65) and a flat rate of $10 for works under 1000 words, including poetry. Payment is received upon publication. No royalties are paid at this time.

Payment is conducted via PayPal, Venmo, or Zelle in USD.

During submission, writers must sign the SXP Contract, allowing us to share your work online, market it, and use it in the upcoming anthology (digitally and physically). All rights to the story remain with the author, and we do not own the rights to your work (other than what is in the contract). However, we request a 6-month exclusivity period from the book’s publication.

XPress memberships keep the payment model for indie writers possible. The more paid subscribers we have, the more we can pay our writers. Readers are encouraged to subscribe to gain access to paid-only posts, private Discord, and digital copies of all of our books as they become available. Writers can access the year-round submission portal and receive interview priority status, among other benefits.

This is the perfect opportunity if you’re seeking print publication and want to get paid for your work. We aim to honor independent authors by producing high-quality books worthy of bookstores and bookshelves. Thank you for considering us. We look forward to reading your stories!

Subscribe now

Open Submission Form

Guidelines and FAQs

How do I submit my story?

Please read the complete submission guidelines and the frequently asked questions before submitting your story. You can begin the process once you’ve read the guidelines and believe your story fits the anthology well.

Subscribe now

Open Submission Form

Why do writers join as paying subscribers?

Joining as an XPress member is helpful for both Storyletter XPress Publishing and you as a reader/writer. It benefits us (the publisher) because it lets us know you’re serious about your work and want to support independent writers. It also pays for overhead costs such as editorial time, marketing, writer payouts, artwork commissions, website fees, etc. All the money from paying members will be returned to the community in some way.

What do you mean by family-friendly?

We have somewhat strict content guidelines. We understand that some stories require specific content to accomplish the story’s purposes, but Storyletter XPress Publishing LLC does not publish those stories.

For guidelines, see below:

• Swearing: Light swearing is acceptable. This includes swearing in English and other natural languages, but not swear words in fantasy or alien tongues. 

• Violence: While we enjoy action, violence should not be glorified. Deaths may occur, but there should be minimal blood and gore. Physical torture is unacceptable. If descriptions of death are unavoidable, please consider taking an artistic approach.

• Sexual content: No sex scenes. Absolutely no rape. No descriptions of nudity. Innuendo and crude humor may be tolerated depending on the subject matter. 

• Controversial topics: Storyletter XPress Publishing LLC does not publish stories that delve into controversial political or religious issues, such as gun control, abortion, or real-life political parties/candidates. This doesn’t mean you can’t use allegory or metaphor, but it should be nuanced and subtly implied.

Additional rules that are not listed here may apply to your story. 

If you are uncertain about your content, you can email storyletter@protonmail.com with a description or example of the content. Do not send pitches, as they will not be considered.

Can I submit previously published or self-published manuscripts?

Yes. All previous e-book publications must be discontinued from sale on any digital retailer. Previous print publications must be out of print and removed from on-demand printing. The author must have all the rights. Please include information about the previous publication and sales of the story/series in our submission form. Our submission file format guidelines still apply to previously published titles. Do not send print-ready PDFs. If accepted, we will edit, design, and publish previously published titles through our normal publishing process.

Should I submit my book to you? It’s about…

Storyletter XPress Publishing LLC ONLY reviews submissions sent through our form and the accompanying synopsis and manuscript delivery instructions. We do not review emailed queries, sample chapters, or partial manuscripts. We are happy to answer questions about our submission process or preferred genres over email. Still, we will not review author bios, outlines, queries, pitches, or other submission materials that have not been sent through our form.

Do you accept translations of books in other languages?

As long as the author or translator can work with our editors in English, we are happy to consider translated titles. To be considered, the manuscript must read naturally to native speakers or be able to read naturally with minor editing. The author’s and character’s voices must still be strong despite being translated. We will put all manuscripts through our normal editing processes, even if they are already published in another language. This includes any necessary plot edits. 

Do you accept submissions from authors outside the United States?

We accept submissions from anywhere worldwide but only publish stories in English.

Will you translate my book into English?

Storyletter XPress Publishing LLC does not currently translate stories. We only accept stories that have already been translated into good English.

When should I submit?

Submissions are considered on a first-come, first-serve basis. Storyletter XPress Publishing LLC reserves the right to close submissions at any time.

Can I include artwork in my submission?

No, submissions should be text only. At this time, Storyletter XPress Publishing LLC is not accepting picture book submissions or color illustrations. Do not include cover art. If you have a cover design or illustration that pairs with your submission, let us know in the submission form.

Do you make exceptions to your word count requirements?

Submissions below 50 or over 10k words will not be eligible for short fiction/poetry entry.

Can I submit multiple titles for your consideration?

Yes, but try to limit one entry per submission category (poetry, short story, etc.) to give our editors time to review each submission.

Need Help?

Have questions not answered here? Email your question to storyletter@protonmail.com.

Submission queries sent through email will not be considered. Do not send outlines, summaries, or query letters. 

For more info, head on over to the About page. In the meantime, tell your friends!

Storyletter XPress Publishing is opening its first free submission window for short stories, flash fiction, and poetry. The mission is to purchase notable works from talented, independent authors and publish the collection as a physical book and a digital eBook.

We are accepting submissions from now until the end of 2023 (December 31) or until we reach our submission cap. The paid submission form will remain open in addition to this new public form, with a weighted preference toward paying subscribers since that will be how the book is funded. With limited slots for the anthology, this new submission window will be much more competitive.

Submissions are open to all subscribers at this time. Must be subscribed to be eligible. SXP is eager to work with writers of all levels, and we can’t wait to read your incredible stories!

Continue reading for more details, or submit below.

Subscribe now

Open Submission Form

Publishing Overview

If you’re unfamiliar with Storyletter XPress Publishing, let me explain:

We accept speculative short fiction and poetry. Once accepted, your work will be published to our audience as long as it meets the guidelines. We pay .01 cents per word for short fiction up to 6500 words (or $65) and a flat rate of $10 for works under 1000 words, including poetry. Payment is received upon publication. No royalties are paid at this time.

Payment is conducted via PayPal, Venmo, or Zelle in USD.

During submission, writers must sign the SXP Contract, allowing us to share your work online, market it, and use it in the upcoming anthology (digitally and physically). All rights to the story remain with the author, and we do not own the rights to your work (other than what is in the contract). However, we request a 6-month exclusivity period from the book’s publication.

XPress memberships keep the payment model for indie writers possible. The more paid subscribers we have, the more we can pay our writers. Readers are encouraged to subscribe to gain access to paid-only posts, private Discord, and digital copies of all of our books as they become available. Writers can access the year-round submission portal and receive interview priority status, among other benefits.

Subscribe now

What We’re Looking For

As a family-friendly publisher, we only consider submissions that follow our clean content guidelines. This includes no excessive profanity, overtly sexual content, or graphic violence for the sake of violence. Submissions containing such content will not be considered unless the writer agrees to a clean revision process. For references, please check out what we’ve previously published on Substack or read the FAQ section below for exact guidelines.

Submissions should be aimed at ages 13+.

Fiction must be completed before submission.

Volume One - Theme and Specifics

There is no specific theme for our inaugural anthology. However, to accommodate last year’s S6 Contest (themed as ‘Summer Retreat’), we will be more susceptible to accepting stories featuring the following:

• Travel (local or abroad)

• Transformation/Transcendence

• Vacation/Holiday

• Escape

• Exploration

• Unexpected Outcomes

Once the remaining stories have been selected, we will close the submission windows and proceed with the editing and revising. The book is expected to be published by June 2024.

This is the perfect opportunity if you’re seeking print publication and want to get paid for your work. We aim to honor independent authors by producing high-quality books worthy of bookstores and bookshelves. Thank you for considering us worthy of your time and efforts. We look forward to reading your stories!

Open Submission Form

Guidelines and FAQs

How do I submit my story?

Please read the complete submission guidelines and the frequently asked questions before submitting your story. You can begin the process once you’ve read the guidelines and believe your story fits the anthology well.

Subscribe now

Open Submission Form

Why do writers join as paying subscribers?

Joining as an XPress member is helpful for both Storyletter XPress Publishing and you as a reader/writer. It benefits us (the publisher) because it lets us know you’re serious about your work and want to support independent writers. It also pays for overhead costs such as editorial time, marketing, writer payouts, artwork commissions, website fees, etc. All the money from paying members will be returned to the community somehow.

What do you mean by family-friendly?

We have somewhat strict content guidelines. We understand that some stories require specific content to accomplish the story’s purposes, but Storyletter XPress Publishing LLC does not publish those stories.

For guidelines, see below:

• Swearing: Light swearing is acceptable. This includes swearing in English and other natural languages, but not swear words in fantasy or alien tongues. 

• Violence: While we enjoy action, violence should not be glorified. Deaths may occur, but there should be minimal blood and gore. Physical torture is unacceptable. If descriptions of death are unavoidable, please consider taking an artistic approach.

• Sexual content: No sex scenes. Absolutely no rape. No descriptions of nudity. Innuendo and crude humor may be tolerated depending on the subject matter. 

• Controversial topics: Storyletter XPress Publishing LLC does not publish stories that delve into controversial political or religious issues, such as gun control, abortion, or real-life political parties/candidates. This doesn’t mean you can’t use allegory or metaphor, but it should be nuanced and subtly implied.

Additional rules may apply to your story not listed here. 

If you are uncertain about your content, you can email storyletter@protonmail.com with a description or example of the content. Do not send pitches, as they will not be considered.

Can I submit previously published or self-published manuscripts?

Yes. All previous e-book publications must be discontinued from sale on any digital retailer. Previous print publications must be out of print and removed from on-demand printing. The author must have all the rights. Please include information about the previous publication and sales of the story/series in our submission form. Our submission file format guidelines still apply to previously published titles. Do not send print-ready PDFs. If accepted, we will edit, design, and publish previously published titles through our normal publishing process.

Should I submit my book to you? It’s about…

Storyletter XPress Publishing LLC ONLY reviews submissions sent through our form and the accompanying synopsis and manuscript delivery instructions. We do not review emailed queries, sample chapters, or partial manuscripts. We are happy to answer questions about our submission process or preferred genres over email. Still, we will not review author bios, outlines, queries, pitches, or other submission materials that have not been sent through our form.

Do you accept translations of books in other languages?

As long as the author or translator can work with our editors in English, we are happy to consider translated titles. To be considered, the manuscript must read naturally to native speakers or be able to read naturally with minor editing. The author’s and character’s voices must still be strong despite being translated. We will put all manuscripts through our normal editing processes, even if they are already published in another language. This includes any necessary plot edits. 

Do you accept submissions from authors outside the United States?

We accept submissions from anywhere worldwide but only publish stories in English.

Will you translate my book into English?

Storyletter XPress Publishing LLC does not currently translate stories. We only accept stories that have already been translated into good English.

When should I submit?

Submissions are considered on a first-come, first-serve basis. Storyletter XPress Publishing LLC reserves the right to close submissions at any time.

Can I include artwork in my submission?

No, submissions should be text only. At this time, Storyletter XPress Publishing LLC is not accepting picture book submissions or color illustrations. Do not include cover art. If you have a cover design or illustration that pairs with your submission, let us know in the submission form.

Do you make exceptions to your word count requirements?

Submissions below 50 or over 10k words will not be eligible for short fiction/poetry entry.

Can I submit multiple titles for your consideration?

Yes, but try to limit one entry per submission category (poetry, short story, etc.) to give our editors time to review each submission.

Need Help?

Have questions not answered here? Email your question to storyletter@protonmail.com.

Submission queries sent through email will not be considered. Do not send outlines, summaries, or query letters. 

For more info, head on over to the About page. In the meantime, tell your friends!

Opening the Window

Storyletter XPress Publishing is opening its first submission window for short stories, flash fiction, and poetry. The mission is to purchase notable works from talented, independent authors and publish the collection as a physical book and a digital eBook.

We will be accepting submissions from now (August 2) until October 11, 2023. The paid submission form will be closed then, and a public form will be opened from October 15 - November 1, 2023. With limited slots for the anthology, the public submission window will be much more competitive.

Submissions are only open to paying subscribers at this time. Whether it’s a one-month subscription or annual, you are eligible to submit. SXP is eager to work with writers of all levels, and we can’t wait to read your incredible stories!

Continue reading for more details.

Subscribe now

Publishing Overview

If you’re unfamiliar with the approach for Storyletter XPress Publishing, let me explain:

We accept speculative short fiction and poetry. Once accepted, your work will be published to our audience as long as it meets the guidelines and is of publishable quality (meaning it’s been edited by you or someone else). We pay .01 cents per word for short fiction up to 6500 words (or $65) and a flat rate of $10 for works under 1000 words, including poetry.

During submission, writers must sign the SXP Contract, allowing us to share your work online, market it, and use it in an upcoming anthology (digitally and physically). All rights to the story remain with the author, and we do not own the rights to your work (other than what is in the contract). However, we request a 6-month exclusivity period from the conclusion of the final submission window to publish your work before publication elsewhere. Earnings by anthology book sales or subscriptions are not shared at this time.

XPress memberships help keep the payment model for indie writers possible. Readers are encouraged to subscribe to gain access to paid-only posts, private Discord, and digital copies of all of our books as they become available. Writers can access the submission portal, interview priority status, and other benefits.

Subscribe now

What We’re Looking For

As a family-friendly publisher, we only consider submissions that follow our clean content guidelines. This includes no excessive profanity, overtly sexual content, or graphic violence for the sake of violence. Submissions containing such content will not be considered unless the writer agrees to a clean revision process. For references, please check out what we’ve previously published on Substack, or read the FAQ section below for exact guidelines.

Submissions should be aimed at ages 13+.

Fiction must be completed before submission.

Volume One - Theme and Specifics

There is no specific theme for our inaugural anthology. However, to accommodate last year’s S6 Contest (themed as ‘Summer Retreat’), we will be more susceptible to accepting stories featuring the following:

• Travel (local or abroad)

• Transformation/Transcendence

• Vacation/Holiday

• Escape

• Exploration

• Unexpected Outcomes

We have accepted 10 original short fiction pieces so far, leaving 20 openings to be filled. Once 20 additional stories have been selected, we will close the submission windows and proceed with the editing and revising. The book is expected to be published in mid-2024.

This is the perfect opportunity if you’re seeking print publication and want to get paid for your work. We aim to honor independent authors by producing high-quality books worthy of bookstores and bookshelves. Thank you for considering us worthy of your time and efforts. We look forward to reading your stories!

Guidelines and FAQs

How do I submit my story?

Please read the complete submission guidelines and the frequently asked questions before submitting your story. You can begin the process once you’ve read the guidelines and believe your story fits the anthology well.

After becoming a paid subscriber, you’ll receive a Welcome email containing the submission form. You’ll then follow the instructions presented on the form.

If you’re not a paid subscriber, consider remaining a free subscriber to receive updates on when the public submission form will be available.

Subscribe now

Why do writers join as paying subscribers?

Joining as an XPress member is helpful for both Storyletter XPress Publishing and you as a reader/writer. It benefits us (the publisher) because it lets us know you’re serious about your work and want to support independent writers. It also pays for overhead costs such as editorial time, marketing, writer payouts, artwork commissions, website fees, etc. All the money from paying members will be returned to the community somehow.

What do you mean by family-friendly?

We have somewhat strict content guidelines. We understand that some stories require specific content to accomplish the story’s purposes, but Storyletter XPress Publishing LLC does not publish those stories.

For guidelines, see below:

• Swearing: Light swearing is acceptable. This includes swearing in English and other natural languages, but not swear words in fantasy or alien tongues. 

• Violence: While we enjoy action, violence should not be glorified. Deaths may occur, but there should be minimal blood and gore. Physical torture is unacceptable. If descriptions of death are unavoidable, please consider taking an artistic approach.

• Sexual content: No sex scenes. Absolutely no rape. No descriptions of nudity. Innuendo and crude humor may be tolerated depending on the subject matter. 

• Controversial topics: Storyletter XPress Publishing LLC does not publish stories that delve into controversial political or religious issues, such as gun control, abortion, or real-life political parties/candidates. This doesn’t mean you can’t use allegory or metaphor, but it should be nuanced and subtly implied.

Additional rules may apply to your story not listed here. 

If you are uncertain about your content, you can email storyletter@protonmail.com with a description or example of the content. Do not send pitches, as they will not be considered.

Can I submit previously published or self-published manuscripts?

Yes. All previous e-book publications must be discontinued from sale on any digital retailer. Previous print publications must be out of print and removed from on-demand printing. The author must have all the rights. Please include information about the previous publication and sales of the story/series in our submission form. Our submission file format guidelines still apply to previously published titles. Do not send print-ready PDFs. If accepted, we will edit, design, and publish previously published titles through our normal publishing process.

Should I submit my book to you? It’s about…

Storyletter XPress Publishing LLC ONLY reviews submissions sent through our form and the accompanying synopsis and manuscript delivery instructions. We do not review emailed queries, sample chapters, or partial manuscripts. We are happy to answer questions about our submission process or preferred genres over email. Still, we will not review author bios, outlines, queries, pitches, or other submission materials that have not been sent through our form.

Do you accept translations of books in other languages?

As long as the author or translator can work with our editors in English, we are happy to consider translated titles. To be considered, the manuscript must read naturally to native speakers or be able to read naturally with minor editing. The author’s and character’s voices must still be strong despite being translated. We will put all manuscripts through our normal editing processes, even if they are already published in another language. This includes any necessary plot edits. 

Do you accept submissions from authors outside the United States?

We accept submissions from anywhere worldwide but only publish stories in English.

Will you translate my book into English?

Storyletter XPress Publishing LLC does not currently translate stories. We only accept stories that have already been translated into good English.

When should I submit?

Submissions are considered on a first-come, first-serve basis. Storyletter XPress Publishing LLC reserves the right to close submissions at any time.

Can I include artwork in my submission?

No, submissions should be text only. At this time, Storyletter XPress Publishing LLC is not accepting picture book submissions or color illustrations. Do not include cover art. If you have a cover design or illustration that pairs with your submission, let us know in the submission form.

Do you make exceptions to your word count requirements?

Submissions below 50 or over 10k words will not be eligible for short fiction/poetry entry. Suppose your story is intended for serial format. In that case, submissions over 10k words may be considered if qualifying information is appropriately filled out within the submission form section regarding novelettes and novellas.

Can I submit multiple titles for your consideration?

Yes, but try to limit one entry per submission category (poetry, short story, novella, etc.) to give our editors time to review each submission.

Need Help?

Have questions not answered here? Use our contact form to ask for more information, or email your question to storyletter@protonmail.com.

Submission queries sent through the contact form will not be considered. Do not send outlines, summaries, or query letters. 

For more info, head on over to the About page. In the meantime, tell your friends!

“The Day I Burned” by Shaina Read

Click the link above to read the winning story

Congratulations, Shaina!

Readers have chosen your story as the winner of the Exploring the Unknown writing prompt. I’ll contact you via email to send you a $25 gift card to the Storyletter Gift Shop.

Here are the amazing things people had to say about Shaina’s story:

Sandra

I really connected to this story and felt the power it holds. I can float and fly in some of my dreams and that’s what pulled me into this space. Also, knowing she was leaving her dad the same trinket he had given her for comfort and it is now back with him for comfort knowing she is ok.

Elly

I’m voting for The Day I Burned because it has incredible visuals and intensity while looking at death through a less traditionally religious lens.

Beverley Williams

I enjoyed reading all the stories so thanks for pulling them together and good job everyone. But a few days later, it is The Day I Burned that stuck with me. The umbilical cord having a role in death, as in birth, closing the cycle of life. And flying along tethered behind the ambulance - it reminded me of the flying dreams I had as a kid, where I wanted to soar, but wasn't really in control and couldn't get more than a few feet off the ground. Lovely view of death, the biggest unknown of all.

Randall Hayes

I vote for "The Day I Burned" by Shaina Reed because of that last description of the astral body bursting into flame. I'd never seen that before.

I also liked the skull.

Chris Deliso

I have chosen The Day I Burned by Shaina Read; I was intrigued by its narrative voice and blend of the physical and metaphysical in approaching a topic that has been 'done to death' (har har), perhaps in a new way. Not that I am an expert on the literature of the great beyond but that's my vote.

Dan Blakely

My vote is also for The Day I Burned. I liked how she was still tethered to life and part of me wanted the doctor to do something to save her but then the story closed out a different way. Nicely done.

Leigh Parrish

My vote is also for The Day I Burned. The ending was beautiful and bittersweet.

David Caligaris

I’m voting for The Day I Burned by Shaina Read. Why? I really felt shivers as she took the reader thru the final resolution of hers and by implication how our own separation fm life may linger.  Admittedly during transportation to the hospital, I was thinking about how the corded connection wud make the adjustment if the ambulance passed under an overpass, but never mind, we got to the hospital!  

The fact that the painted skull, a gift fm her dad, was given to him by the thoughtful first responder was closure in a heart-warming way.

Great work, Shaina!

Subscribe to Shaina’s Substack, Kindling, for more stories like this one. Thank you for supporting independent writers and creators. Your participation is what makes this all worth it. Stay tuned for more events like this one coming soon. ~ WM

Kindling

A newsletter for people with boring lives and active imaginations. Exploring banned books, dark fiction, and sharing original short stories.

By Shaina Read

Comment Winners

Two voters were randomly chosen to receive a 3-month paid membership to Storyletter XPress Publishing. The winners are:

Thank you so much for participating! You’ll receive your reward shortly.

Here are the 9 original stories:

• Boldly Going by Elly

• Street Scene Before the Miracle by Chris Deliso

• The Derelict by Leigh Parrish

• Legion AI by Adrian P Conway

• The Day I Burned by Shaina Read

• An Unknown by H.W. Taylor

• The Canyon by Victor D. Sandiego

• Beneath a Darkened Reef by John Coon

• Raising Rocabarra by Dan Blakely

Leave a comment

Voting parameters

Votes will be accepted in the form of comments on this post. Readers must clearly state the name of the story and/or author, along with a brief statement about why they are voting for that story. This attempts to prove that voters have at least read the story they are voting for. For example, “I’m voting for ___ because I enjoyed how they implemented ___.”

Entrants won’t be able to vote for themselves directly; however, if the entrant votes for another story, they will, in turn, receive one complimentary vote on their own story. This is to encourage good sportsmanship while allowing for—in the case of no external voters—the winner to be chosen by their peers.

Only one vote comment per reader. To discourage external subscriber count advantages, you must be subscribed to Storyletter XPress Publishing for the vote to count. Winston’s vote will break any final ties.

Feel free to comment on this post with words of encouragement or constructive thoughts to improve this space for writers and readers. It won’t count against your one-vote comment.

Leave a comment

Winning prizes

The winning prize for this prompt is a $25 gift card to the Storyletter Gift Shop.

Bonus: Two votes will be chosen randomly to receive a 3-month paid subscription to Storyletter XPress Publishing. Additional comments do not increase your chances of winning, nor does the length of the comment.

Double bonus: If there are 20 votes total for this event, I’ll double the cash prize to $50.

Two months flew by like that *single finger snap*, and the latest prompt from Storyletter XPress Publishing comes to an end tonight.

What an amazing turnout! I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of entries and the differing styles presented therein. You may be familiar with several of these stories already as I’ve been cross-posting them to the SXP audience every Saturday.

From March 15 - May 17th, we hosted a writing prompt called “Exploring the Unknown”. The idea was to write a poem or flash fiction piece exploring any sort of journey into the unknown whether it be a physical or psychological one, Earth-side or off-world.

The result?

9 original pieces of short fiction

The entries for this prompt were incredible all around. I’m consistently impressed by the talent here on Substack. We had elements of horror, sci-fi, fantasy, contemporary, and even a mixture of each. Here is the complete list:

• The Day I Burned by Shaina Read

• An Unknown by H.W. Taylor

• The Canyon by Victor D. Sandiego

• Legion AI by Adrian P Conway

• Beneath a Darkened Reef by John Coon

• Street Scene Before the Miracle by Chris Deliso

• Raising Rocabarra by Dan Blakely

• The Derelict by Leigh Parrish

• Boldly Going by Elly

Voting parameters

Since Raising Rocabarra (5/20) and The Derelict (5/27) haven’t been cross-posted yet, voting will extend to May 31st.

Votes will be accepted in the form of comments on this post. Readers must clearly state the name of the story and/or author, along with a brief statement about why they are voting for that story. This is an attempt to prove that voters have at least read the story they are voting for. For example, “I’m voting for ___ because I really enjoyed the way they implemented ___.”

Entrants won’t be able to vote for themselves directly, however, if an entrant votes for another story, they will in turn receive one complimentary vote on their own story. This is to encourage good sportsmanship, while allowing for—in the case of no external voters—the winner to be chosen by their peers.

Only one vote comment per reader. Must be subscribed to Storyletter XPress Publishing for the vote to count in order to discourage external subscriber count advantages. Any final ties will be broken by Winston’s vote.

Feel free to comment on this post with words of encouragement, or constructive thoughts for making this space better for writers and readers. It won’t count against your one vote comment.

Leave a comment

Subscribe now

Winning prizes

The entrant prize for this prompt is a $25 gift card to the Storyletter Gift Shop.

Bonus: Two vote comments will be chosen at random to receive a 3-month paid subscription to Storyletter XPress Publishing. Additional comments do not increase your chances of winning, nor does the length of the comment.

Double bonus: If there are over 20 votes total for this event, I’ll double the cash prize to $50.

When is the next prompt?

Our next prompt will begin June 21st to kick off the Summer season. The prompt theme will be announced in its respective post on that day. For more insight into what that might look like, check out our previous prompts, “Exploring the Unknown” and “Flip a Common Trope.”

Good luck and happy reading!