SXP's April Publishing Update
Where I cover news about Take a Breath, The Kefi, Storyletter Originals, and the Take Me There author event
“Take a Breath: A Collection of Claustrophobic Horror”
I’ve edited 15 of 19 stories in the upcoming anthology. The last four are longer, clocking in between 3600 and 8000 words. This year’s tax season was a doozy, causing me to lose a week’s worth of editing and writing (sigh). Other than that, we’re on schedule to finalize everything in June for a July publication date.
If you’re unfamiliar with the project, I held an open call for writers to submit their most claustrophobic short stories to a horror anthology last year. I selected 18 scary stories that best fit the theme, and will include one of mine as well.
Here is the official synopsis on the back cover:
Dive into the deep end with eighteen tales of claustrophobic horror, where each page turn is an attempt to surface for air. From sinking ships, underwater creatures, and cave exploration gone wrong to the isolation of space travel, these stories explore confinement in all its restricting dread. Discover where the boundaries of reality begin to collapse, trapping protagonists in nightmares both physical and psychological. With contributions from independent authors around the world, this collection promises to make every narrowing inch feel like a mile in the darkest corners of speculative fiction.
Featuring stories by:
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, Winston Malone, Angus McIntyre, Thomas North, Leigh Parrish, Pip Pinkerton, Nidheesh Samant
The artist, Eoin Ryan, finished and formatted the cover this week. It is striking! I’ve never seen a cover like this before. The overall design is similar to the first anthology, Take Me There, because I envisioned the “Take” series as a trilogy. Because I didn’t want to reveal the art immediately, all you get is this teaser.
All annual paid subscribers get this hardcover book shipped to them in an exclusive book box. Your subscription makes this possible. Thank you!
“The Kefi” by Thomas Bubb
I coordinated with artist Stephen Stone in March to bring The Kefi to life. I’m impressed with Steve’s work, and the complete hardcover wrap and story map look fantastic. He’s working on five internal illustrations, a bookmark, and the chapter heading emblem.
Alpha readers are providing excellent feedback for the middle-grade fantasy novel by Thomas Bubb. As Tom’s editor, I’m assisting with the big picture stuff first and then coming in for the finer grammatical points. Tom’s a great writer, and I’m confident this next iteration of the manuscript will be even stronger than before.
The Kefi will launch as a limited edition hardcover for annual paid subscribers. There will only be 150 copies signed and numbered by the author. The collector’s edition will feature sprayed edges, a specially designed dust jacket, and embossed lettering. Upgrade today to secure your copy!
“Storyletter Originals” Shuts Down
Shutting down the fiction section was difficult, but I can no longer take one-off submissions to publish stories here on the Storyletter XPress Publishing website. As much as I’d like to continue the service, my availability prevents me from giving you the time your work deserves. It’s possible that in the future, if funding and time permit, I’ll be able to reopen the doors to publishing short stories online. But with so much fantastic free fiction already available, it doesn’t seem likely. Thank you to the authors who submitted their work. It was an honor to publish it in this format.
Our anthology open calls will continue as normal. Stay tuned for the next project announcement. If you’d like to read more fiction, join us over at the Lunar Awards, where we host contests to highlight indie authors and offer prizes and publication opportunities.
“Take Me There” Author Event at Page 1 Books
Page 1 Books, an independent bookstore in Albuquerque, NM, informed me that they will stock copies of Take Me There. They added my name to their local author/publisher page and listed the book on their digital store. Inside the physical location, they situate the local authors’ books on the front shelf so customers see them first.
I’ve scheduled the author event/book signing at the store on June 7th from 12-5. If you’re local to ABQ and can make it, come on by to chat. I’d love to meet you. There’s no pressure to buy a book; I enjoy connecting with like-minded people. Plus, the rare and collectible section alone is worth the visit.
