Nested somewhere in the discussion was this idea around PROJECT X! I wanted to see how both S.E. and Simon would approach starting a serial today, having the knowledge and the tools they now have at their disposal, especially as OG’s who’ve been using Substack for many years now. There is much that can be learned by listening to the VOD above, but I wanted to condense PROJECT X for those of us who appreciate the written word just as much as the audio and visual.

Let’s Serialize Project X

This is not a real serial but the process is one that can be used if you’re just starting out or looking to make the serial you already have shine that much brighter!

THE WRITING & SOFTWARE

Every great serial has to start somewhere. Find the software you like best, get to learn all you need to know about it, and then get started writing!

I do not recommend using Substack as the one and only place where you do your writing!

What does the serial fiction writing community use? Google Docs, Scrivener, and Word.

Whichever you choose will be the right one.

START WITH A BUFFER

This may not work for you but having a buffer of chapters/episodes before you start sharing your serial to your subscribers can really be helpful. Whether it’s four or ten chapters is up to you. But whatever buffer you choose, make sure you keep it. This is not a time for rest and relaxation. The idea is that you keep on writing chapters as you’re releasing them! I realize it’s easier said than done, but give it a try!

THE SUBSTACK SET-UP

There are some tools and features unique to Substack that you could (and should) be taking advantage of when preparing to put out your serial!

Sections - creating a Section (can be found in your Dashboard Settings) is a peace of mind layer while you write, especially for your readers. Sometime you can’t be bothered to edit a dedicated Page with the latest chapter. Having a Section means you don’t have to. Just assign your chapter to that Section and that’s it. Of course, you should make sure to link to your dedicated Section so future and current readers can easily see the list of all your chapters.

Tags - this likely isn’t what you think it is. This is not meant to be hashtags and they are definitely not searchable either. The real gem of Tags is simply giving you another way to collect and group Posts if you maybe don’t want to use Sections or simply want another layer of grouping within Sections. I have two examples for you:

1. Say you have an over-arching series that will have several books contained within. A great way to combine Sections and Tags is to create a Section that is the Series name and then a Tag that is the name of each book. So that you can easily link to the Series with the Section Link and the books contained within that Section can also be linked separately. And for easy navigation you can link to your Tag in your Menu bar so that whatever book you are working on currently can be front and center and easy to find.

2. One way I’ve chosen to utilize Tags is to have a “Free-to-Read” area within my Substack where newcomers can easily find the fiction I’ve chosen to keep free as a sampling of my work. Instead of having to try and find the Free amongst the Paid, I’ve tried to make that as easy as possible by labeling all my free fiction and then linking to it in the Menu of my Substack for even easier navigation.

VOD CORRECTION - I mentioned a wish list I’d love is if Substack would let us keep seeing the Menu bar throughout instead of just on our Home page. Turns out we can see our Menu bar everywhere already, except when we click into a Post. In that instance our only option is to return Home or to the Section for that Post.

Read Aloud - one great feature that some are choosing to utilize is reading our work aloud and recording it. Why not? Of course, this feature is not for everyone, but if you can and are able to provide an accompanying audio version of each chapter alongside your written word, that has the potential of introducing your work to a whole new audience who love listening to stories be read to them.

Go Live! - we didn’t touch on this at all during the VOD, but another feature you can take advantage of is the ability, no matter where you are, to just pull out your phone and read your work Live to an audience who can get notified to join at the drop of a hat. Of course, making an announcement beforehand is preferable and you can use your phone or even your computer if you want!

ORGANIZATION IS IMPORTANT

And we’re not just talking about organization in your writing program of choice. This is about organization once you’ve started sharing chapters.

For Project X, Sections and Tags will be utilized to keep together the book in order of release. But a dedicated Page might also need to be created within Substack where information about Project X can be shared and updated regularly. Things like the synopsis. Maybe character information. World information. A central place where I can send newcomers to find out all they need to know about Project X, including a link to the Section that will include all of the chapters released already or that will be released. A manual listing of the chapters with a short synopsis of each can also be included on this Page.

The key is to make finding, learning about, and then ultimately reading the serial as easy as possible for current readers and new readers alike.

A WISH LIST

There are some things that serial writers would love to see come to Substack that would make continuing (and starting) to write a serial here that much easier and better. Will these features come “just for us” likely not. But if Substack feels these features would benefit everyone then…you never know…

Navigation - How many of us are having to remember to include a link to the previous and next chapter somewhere within our chapter emails? Yeah, it’s a hassle. Especially, if you’re like so many of us, who share so much more than just our serial chapters. You can’t rely on their Previous link because it will take the reader to the last email you sent and that may not necessarily be the previous chapter. A way to maybe even keep Previous and Next to within the Section would be an improvement because then we could rely on the buttons that Substack provide at the bottom of a Post.

Subscriptions - I’m calling this request subscriptions because I’m not really sure how else to describe it. But it would be nice if I could subscribe to a person’s serial or even just to their Section so when I click on that Section in my Subscription area either on the mobile app or on the website it will take me to wherever I left off within the chapters of that Section. Sort of like reading an ebook. When you close out and go back it takes you to where you left off. How nice would that be if Sections were grouped and utilized even more?

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND

It can seem overwhelming when faced with so many options and features and tools. But at the end of the day, remember that it’s about the work and less about the flashy things you use to share that work.

Consistency above all else is key to not only growing an audience but keeping the one you’ve got! If you can only put out a chapter every two weeks, then keep that consistency throughout. If you can only manage 1,000 words per chapter, then keep that consistency throughout. Don’t listen to anyone who tells you what word count is too much or too little. Don’t worry about email providers who will or won’t cut off your email if it’s too long.

One rule of thumb I use whenever I send out any email is to put a note at the very top that explains the email may be cut off and I will provide a clickable link of the post they are reading. Also remember, if they click the title within the email it will take them to the web version of that post as well! It’s difficult to gauge properly when an email will be cut off because, as an example, I always get a warning that the Top in Fiction Weekly emails will be cut off and they are usually under 500 words. Why? Because of the number of links I put in those emails. It’s not just the word count that can cut off an email, it’s the size as well when it comes to links and images. Ignore that warning. JUST WRITE DAMN IT!

Lastly, PROJECT X (or your project) is meant to be fun. This shouldn’t be a chore or a job that you grow to resent over time. Keep it fun. Write it however you want. Share it however you want. That is what you have control over and that is what you should focus on. The readers will come in time. You have no control over them so don’t stress so much over them.

Here at Top in Fiction we look forward to your serials, seeing what you come up with, and how you use the tools (or don’t use the tools) at your disposal!

Thank you , , , , , and many others for tuning into my live video with and ! Join me for my next live video in the app.

Get more from Erica Drayton in the Substack app

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Do you feel that in the air, a change in the wind, the weather warming ever so slightly. The ground is thawing. The birds are sing—oh—oh dear—I think that one might actually be choking…oh well, needs must…

Where was I?

Ah, yes, a new batch of stories have just SPRUNG forth on this Spring Fever sort of day! Don’t worry, what we’re dishing isn’t too catching. And while we can’t promise some residual side effects won’t linger, the selection below will be quite memorable and always leave you wanting more!

One Special Spring written by

Hate Springs Eternal written by

Friend, Do What You Came To Do written by

Blossom written by

The Bloom written by

Springtime Wolf written by

SWARM written by

Parasitize written by

Harumi of Arashiyama written by

The Ice Garden written by

Snowdrops written by

Mandragora written by

Old Beltane written by

Daughter of the poison and the frost written by

Rebirth written by

The Wine-Dark Tennessee written by

Sugarhouse written by

Chosen written by

In Bloom, Once Again written by and

Artificial Winter written by

Lord of the Forest written by

Does the Camera See Color When it Captures A Flower? written by

The Black Water Bride written by

The Sound of Madness written by

Frost’s End written by

:dun dun:

Hold your applause. This isn’t a ribbon-cutting ceremony quite yet. The room is ready—but were you to take a peek behind the curtain, you would see the following:

A large room containing glass cases of all shapes and sizes.

Unfortunately, all of these cases are :gasp: EMPTY! And this museum simply cannot survive on air and dreams alone. No! And that’s where you, dear writer, come in.

Surely, in the deep recesses of your mind, you have a story worth telling. One that involves some artifact equally worth memorializing in a lovely case. We’ll even provide a nice placard to go along with it.

Our desire is to furnish this room with as many killers, victims, and objects of infamy as possible—each case telling its own self-contained tale of murder, mystery, and motive. What ends up in your case is entirely up to you: a blood-stained glove, a peculiar heirloom, an innocuous object with a terrible history. The artifact is the anchor; the story is the crime that earned it a place behind glass.

Just make sure your story is rich with detail and intrigue. It helps our tour guide to have everything they need at their fingertips when we open for guided tours. Each piece should feel like something a visitor would linger over, leaning in close, reading the placard twice.

So what should readers expect when The Murder Room opens its doors? A curated collection of short fiction centered on murder and the objects that define it. Atmospheric, unsettling, sometimes tragic, sometimes darkly clever—but always intimate. These are not police reports. These are exhibits.

And what about submissions? If you’re interested in contributing an artifact to the collection, submission details are included below. Read them carefully, polish your placard, and send us something worthy of display. Not every piece will make it into the room, but those that do will stand shoulder to shoulder with other unforgettable relics of fictional violence.

Will your story earn its place in our hallowed halls, standing toe to toe with other such notable exhibits? There’s only one way to find out.

(THIS IS A CROSS-POST OPPORTUNITY. IF YOURS IS SELECTED IT WILL BE CROSS-POSTED ON TOP IN FICTION.)

We look forward to seeing what you bring to the glass.

SUBMIT YOUR ARTIFACT HERE

[Guidelines can be found by clicking the form above]

Ask any questions you may have in the comments below!

Leave a comment

As the frost finally begins to thaw, sleeping creatures begin to stir, and new life waits to make its way into the sun, now seems like the perfect time to give spring its spooky due.

We want you to roll up your sleeves, dig your hands into the moist, loamy soil of fertile imagination and see what kind of frightening spring tales you can unleash on Substack.

The need-to-know details:

Project Name: Spring Fever!

The Theme: Horror in bloom. Buds bursting, new life waiting to shiver up from the soil. People cooped up too long inside, dazzled by the sun. The smell of rain, but make it foreboding. The feel of new beginnings, but make it twisted and tangled. Beltane fires, ancient rites. Let your horror-filled fever dreams run wild!

Length: Less than 4,000 words.

Due date: Monday, March 16, 2026, 11:59pm EST. Submit via the Google form here.

Publish date: The first day of spring. Friday, March 20, 2026, 9am EST.

Substack Live: We’ll be asking a few authors to join us for a reading of an excerpt of their stories during a Substack Live event on March 20 to celebrate. Note: If you’re interested in this, submit your story sooner rather than later so we have time to read it before the event.

Join our Discord! Want to discuss story ideas, source beta readers, or just chat with your fellow Substackers? Check out the Spring Fever! Discord group: https://discord.gg/Sp9cK4vW

Questions: Send a DM

Now get to work! Hit us with your lush laments, your vernal viscera, your dew-dappled devilishness. We can’t wait to see what you come up with.

I need your help. I completely forgot to put this on my To-Do list this year! Something I was supposed to open in October, but I’m not discouraged. I believe if we all pull together we can do this!

Now, if you were around last year when we did our very first Annual Recap (of 2024) I had this wild idea of giving everyone who was ever featured on Top in Fiction the opportunity to select ONE story they’d written in the calendar year that was their “best” of the year. At the time, the reason I did this was because TiF started in July 2024, meaning there was six months worth of stories written that we didn’t capture. I honestly thought it would be a one and done situation which is why I forgot to do another similar thing this year. But the more I thought about it this holiday season, the more I was kicking myself for NOT doing it. Of course this should be an annual part of Top in Fiction. It’s too good an opportunity for every writer to be seen (and read) not to do it.

So, before I outline how this will be a bit different from last year, here is the GOOGLE FORM to fill out with instructions on what I’m looking for. But act fast because, unfortunately, you only have 9 days from today to get me your best/favorite story from 2025:

TiF Recap 2025 Submission Form

WHAT’S CHANGED

Due to time constraints here is what I can’t do, and therefore, you shouldn’t expect, this year:

• A PDF that includes the 52 Weekly Issues + 12 Monthly Recap Issues.

WHAT YOU’LL GET

My intention is to take every single submission and create a multi-page PDF with each one, including clickable links! But I’ll only include the stories of those who fill out the submission form.

There were HUNDREDS of people who were featured in a TiF Weekly/Monthly Recap in 2025. The only requirement to be in this PDF is that you’ve been featured in 2025. So, if that’s you, if you’ve been included in a Weekly or Monthly issue, then share with me your favorite/best fiction story written in 2025! Quick!

Oh, and the favor I need you to do for me, besides filling out this form with your story, is to SHARE THIS POST wherever/whenever you can!

Share

Today’s the day when 24 deliciously delightful and devilishly good gifts drop into your laps! I’m talking about our very first (and hopefully our annual?) Top in Fiction Secret Santa Plot ← → Swap! Say that 10x’s fast!

The premise was clear: Each participant was tasked with devising a plot behind “What is Inside the Box?” Cryptic, isn’t it? Well, that was the point. But, to add a bit of holiday magic and mischief in the mix, I decided to UP the ante by the swapping the plots amongst the daring souls who decided to take up this challenge.

The swapping was done with the best of care and now it’s time to reveal all to you! Below you’ll discover 24 such stories. But remember, each story is a gift to the person who came up with the plot. To try and keep things less confusing, here is what I’ve done:

[Writer Name] wrote [Story Title] for [Writer Name]
Original Plot [Genre / Word Count]

I will only “at” mention the first writer name and not the second so that each person is only pinged ONCE.

THE PRESENTS

wrote The Midwinter Box for Katharine Kapodistria
Albert deals with a lot of boxes in his line of work. He places the ashes in the urn, and the urn in the box, and the deceased’s family collect it. Until this Midwinter night, he’d never had a box returned, and certainly not one so heavy—and vocal. [Fantasy / 1,973 words]

wrote Daughter of Dirt for Annieguile Bentulan
On an island where dragons are thought extinct, a curious girl discovers her family’s most guarded secret, one still breathing beneath their castle. On solstice night, foreign hunters return seeking forgotten power, and a gift box is placed in her hands. What lies within may burn the world anew. [Fantasy / 2,633 words]

wrote The Decirber for CB Mason
At the White Elephant Gift Exchange, you spin the wine bottle, and it stops, pointing at the largest box. You unwrap the outer layer to find progressively smaller boxes. The smallest of the Nesting-Russian-Doll-like present ends with a surprise, something you never expected would be returned. [Psychological Horror / 2,881 words]

wrote The Mirror for Nick Buchheit
The box contains all human history, knowledge, and culture—copied, pasted, stolen. When it opens, no one knows how it works; it just does. A cold, haunted mirror looking back, it imitates us so perfectly you start to believe it’s realer than reality. [YA Sci-Fi / 1,508 words]

wrote Bad Gazelle for Evelyn K. Brunswick
It’s not a head in the box, it’s a tail. This can be revealed anytime during the narrative (doesn’t have to be the twist at the end), and it doesn’t have to be horror or a real tail - could be part of a costume - you decide! [Comedy / 1,818 words]

wrote The Wolves of Time for Anne McClard
Maria finds a silver box on her doorstep on Christmas Morning, and inside: a jewel encrusted snowflake pin sparkles against black velvet. When she touches it, her world freezes—breath mid-breath, bells mid-ring, candles mid-flicker. To restart time, Mara must find the person who gave this gift and understand why. [Fantasy / 3,000 words]

wrote Winter’s Bloom for Rosie B
Inside the box is a handheld garden trowel, a small packet of unlabeled seeds and a handwritten note stating, “Use by December.” [Magical Realism / 2,990 words]

wrote Glitch for Hylia
Twelve Days of Oops! An anonymous admirer leaves a small package or letter each day leading up to the winter holiday. Each is a hint or details a secret, leading up to the final gift— a large box containing either an object or representation of your narrators greatest failure. [Fantasy / 5,500 words]

wrote Timeless for DJ Stapleton
A museum archivist finds a box containing a vinyl record, a cassette, and a cd. None have a label. [Horror / 1,510 words]

wrote Healer’s Gift for Erica Drayton
When a snow storm traps Kat in her newly purchased house, she decides to organize the attic, only to discover a wrapped present with her name on it, dated 1900! 100 years before she was born! Inside, is a photo album of a family, a life, she doesn’t remember. [Supernatural Horror / 2,948 words]

wrote Thumpety, Thump, Thump for Garen Marie
Lloyd lives alone so the present at the foot of his bed Christmas morning is startling. Inside there’s a corncob pipe, a few rocks, and a carrot. Inspired, Lloyd builds a snowman, but the end result is nothing special until Frosty gets a gleam in his eye. [Horror / 1,436 words]

wrote Opening for Keith Long
Inside the box: a door knob with a note claiming that when placed, it can open any surface and lead to anywhere and anytime. [Strange Romance / 2,725 words]

wrote Scooter Finds a Kid for Judith Ashcraft
You open the box, and inside is a child. The child desperately needs someone to do something for them, and you’re the only one who can. Who is this child, and what do you have to do for them? [Literary Fiction / 1,079 words]

wrote If Wishes Were Horses for Natalie Phillips
The grandmother of a large and fractious family arranges for the delivery of her final Christmas gifts beyond the grave. They are not all welcome or pleasant to receive. [Horror / 3,000 words]

wrote What’s Inside the Box? for Brooke Solomon
The previous owners of your new house have removed everything by the time you move in, except for a banker’s box in the center of the living room. It is not addressed to you, but to “the true owner.” [Horror / 2,147 words]

wrote Cashmere for Leeron Heywood
You thrift a charming antique ornament as a gift for someone in your house, but on the night of Christmas Eve it escapes its package and brings all your decorations to life! Are they friendly, mischievous, malicious…? [Magical Realism / 1,770 words]

wrote A Foxy Christmas for Julie Gabrielli
Amanda and Loris have been drifting apart. When their doorbell camera records a scruffy man leaving a box on their doorstep, Amanda panics. She must destroy the box, but she’s delayed at work. When Loris returns home first, Amanda’s past catches up to her—and it’s the best thing ever. [Romance / 2,957 words]

wrote What Water Wants for Asteria Geisterblum
The box contains a weathered ship. Touching it transports you aboard. A maze of stairs and rooms stretches inside the ship, containing books dropped into bodies of water or lost to floods. To escape, rediscover a beloved childhood book you forgot and currently do not remember at all. [Cli-Fi / 2,380 words]

wrote Tinboy for Jeannine Lawall
Your mother has left you a music box in her will, with a warning to not open it to play the Christmas carol until you’re ready. You know others have opened the music box in the past, and the music has driven them mad. Do you think you are ready? [Fantasy / 5,254 words]

wrote A Tale of Two Spirits for Clarissa
Coming of age ceremony where you bond with a spirit, but rich people can pay to choose a matching spirit while the poor generally end up with one that works against them. [Fantasy / 1,105 words]

wrote Your Heart Matters More Than Your Ears for A.M. Bowman
It’s the week before Christmas break. Your crush gives you a small origami box. You’ve been friends since childhood. Last week you told them you love them. You open the box to find that the paper of the box is a letter; it holds an origami heart. The letter says… [Fantasy / 3,353 words]

wrote Morning Routine for S.L. Stallings
A plain black drone drops a festive box outside Harold’s front door, addressed to him, but there’s no return address. He can hear a faint static when he picks it up, and when he brings the box inside, every device in the room powers on. All screens display: Open It. [Literary Fiction / 1,304 words]

wrote Tinsel for Emily S. Hurricane
Beneath the sparkling lid lies a living, breathing creature with more eyes than a human, more legs than a spider, and though no tongue it can speak a single word: “Tinsel.” [Fantasy / 963 words]

wrote Ghost of a Feather for Rebecca Watson (ReBe)
Every year, the town’s oldest resident hides a box under the giant pine in the square. Whoever finds it keeps what’s inside. No one ever says what they found — but they always smile different afterward. [Fiction / 980 words]

Enjoy reading these stories? Why not share it everywhere. And don’t forget to let the writers know how much you enjoyed their story by leaving them a comment on their story too!

Share

If you’re not already, I suggest at least Following the account here on Substack as this is where I’ll be dropping the list of Voices EARLY (scroll to the bottom for when the full schedule of Voices will drop) as well as reminders for when this amazing event is drawing near.

NOTE: There’s still time to participate! Whether it’s helping to promote this event to your subscribers, assisting me behind the scenes, or in front of the camera joining the other 43 Voices and reading one of your stories. DM me and let’s chat!

THURSDAY, JANUARY 15TH

2025 Annual Report [10am EST] - I’ll share all the numbers you could imagine about how 2025 went. From how many featured stories we shared in 52 weeks, to our open rate, genre breakdown, and more!

FRIDAY, JANUARY 16TH

Opening Ceremony / Keynote [10:30am EST] - The moment we’ve all been waiting for. I’m going to kick off the festivities with some housekeeping. Explaining how the 3-day event will go. How to watch all the readers. And read today’s Voices in time-slot order.

TiF Voices Day 1 [11am - 9pm EST] - 19 Readers. 19 Stories.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 17TH

Brief Introduction [10:30am EST]

TiF Voices Day 2 [11am - 9pm EST] - 16 Readers. 16 Stories.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 18TH

Brief Introduction [11:00am EST]

TiF Voices Day 3 [11:30am - 4pm EST] - 8 Readers. 8 Stories.

MONDAY, JANUARY 19TH

State of the Union 2026 [10am EST] - With a brand new year comes new possibilities. I’ll give you a behind the scenes look at the blue prints for Top in Fiction and TiF Press for the entire 2026 calendar year!

The FULL SCHEDULE of Voices is coming! Look for the list to drop on Monday, January 5th, 2026.

If you’re planning on attending, let us know by either leaving a Comment OR Like this post and Share it to everyone you know.

Leave a comment

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NOTES OF THANKS

(in no particular order)

To of Automatic Writer

“Thanks for giving me a lot more confidence as a writer, and going out of your way to encourage me early on. Not only is your horror something to strive toward, your character and interaction with the fiction community is too.”

From of Loser’s Fiction

To of The Shieldbreaker

“Tom, you’re a badass advocate for this community, you’ve produced some of the best writing on my bookshelf, and you’re a great friend! Thanks for everything you do, are, and for listening to me babble when I have crazy ideas. 😂💗”

From of The Eye of the Storm

To of Alex’s Substack

Alex, I have a whole crowd of writers I’m grateful for, but you are the one who genuinely kept me on Substack when I was ready to vanish (again). You quietly explained Substack to me – without ever actually explaining Substack to me.

While I was still wandering around like a confused Sim, you just quietly modelled exactly how this ecosystem works. You showed up for other writers. You read widely. You left actual thoughtful comments instead of “great post!” drive-bys. You boosted people you genuinely believed in, with zero performative anything. You treated this place like a creative village, not a broadcast tower.

And the best part?

You did all of this while also being a bloody good writer yourself.

You weren’t just cheering from the sidelines — you were in the arena, putting out work with heart, craft, and that unmistakable Alex-voice that had two FicStack curators fighting over you.

Watching you was the first time I realised:

Oh. This is how Substack is meant to feel.

A bunch of passionate weirdos building each other up instead of shouting into the void.

Because of your presence — steady, funny, encouraging in the most unpretentious way — I stopped feeling like I was trespassing. You made the whole thing feel smaller, friendlier, and actually worth sticking around for.

So, thank you.

For being the blueprint.

For showing up.

For making this strange little corner of the internet feel like a community I wanted to stay in.

Ngā mihi nui,

From of Sass&Sage

To of The Writer’s Journey

“To Bradley, I cannot truly explain how thankful I am for you as an individual, a writer and author, a community builder, and a Substack user. You have been one of many sources of constant inspiration to me on substack, with my writing, building my confidence, and pushing me to be a better writer and person. For that I will forever be thankful to you.”

From of Ink and Entropy

To of Drek Death and Doom

“Your zeal for high quality story telling is infectious and inspiring. You’ve got high standards for your own writing and those you champion, which makes it that much more meaningful.”

From of Loser’s Fiction

For Disposal by

Disposal was the first story I read of Andy’s, or at least the first I remember. It hit me like a ton of bricks. I couldn’t stop reading it, and I’ve thought about it continually since. It’s the perfect blend of satire, horror, and fragmented storytelling that just builds to a conclusion that sums up our lives, society, and the absurd nature of our current reality. It’s brilliant.

It’s a story that cracked open my brain and forced me to look at my writing in a new light. It inspired me to push myself and the stories I want to tell. So, thank you, Andy, for writing and sharing your work. Never stop.

You’ve had many, many good stories that I’ve enjoyed and been enthralled by, but Disposal keeps living in my brain rent-free.

Andy Futuro

Disposal

5 Stars: The Experience of A Lifetime…

Read more

a year ago · 164 likes · 139 comments · Andy Futuro

From of NICK AFTER NORMAL

To of The Happy Place

“Erica, I couldn’t let this chance go by without telling you how much I love 100 word stories and all you do for the fiction writers on Substack. I’m such a fan of TiF and have loved finding new writers here all because of how well you’ve organized their work and made it so much easier to find them.

100 word stories are sometimes all I can read on certain days, and they’re just the right amount of disappearing from this world for a brief moment, experiencing and discovering something horrid, humorous or hopeful — and I love that it’s akin to spinning a roulette wheel every time! You’re such a gifted writer and I’m so fortunate I found you here, we all are!”

From of Only Murders in the Inbox

To

“I first discovered Miguel S. in October, 2024, through a recommendation by Katrine Elaine (thank you, Kathrine!), back when he was hosting daily micro-fiction prompts. Miguel got me started in one of my lifelong ambitions, writing and sharing stories, something I’d daydreamed about since childhood, but was always too afraid to actually attempt. I may never become very good at it, but I’ve discovered that it is something that I love doing. He has attracted many subscribers, who support and encourage each other in their literary journeys. I have met most of my Substack friends through the Fiction Dealer. Miguel has proven that, despite claims to the contrary, communities of writers do indeed flourish on Substack. Real life complications and big writing projects (like his recently published book!) have reduced his prompt postings to once in a blue moon, but whenever he does post a prompt, his loyal Microdosing Cartel comes through with dozens of wonderful little stories. The sheer diversity of tales that can bloom out of a single word never ceases to amaze me! Thank you, Miguel, for teaching me the joy and fun of writing!”

From of Life in the Slow Lane

SEVEN SHORT NOTES OF THANKS:

All From of Naptime Novelist

To of The Palace of Night

“Your writing is so skilled and beautiful, and you’re such a generous reader of so many Substack writers! Thank you for all you do!”

To of Gibberish

“You’re a cornerstone of Substack for so many people! Thank you for your stories, your hilarious restacks, and for making Notes a fun place to be!”

To of The Forgotten Library

“I’ve loved every story of yours that I have read, and they stick in my head long after they’re finished. Thank you for the love that you pour into your stories!”

To

“You brighten up and bring humor to every conversation you’re a part of, whether on Notes or in the hilarious comments sections of people’s stories. Thank you for being such a generous part of fiction on Substack!”

To of Talebones

“Thank you, Sally, for your wonderful stories, for your levelheadedness when things get crazy on Notes, and for lifting up fiction on Substack!”

To of Michael’s Musings

“Your wholesome stories make my day, and on top of it you are such a gracious reader!”

To of The Story Scrapbook

“Your wild ride stories and the time and attention you give to other people’s fiction are such a gift to the fiction corner of Substack! Thank you!”

Do you want to thank someone today? Leave them a thank you in the comments. Don’t forget to “@” mention them so they know.

Leave a comment

Our amazing judges worked tirelessly to read every single entry: / / [Read their additional comments below the list of stories.]

You should all feel proud of yourselves for entering this contest and I urge you to consider submitting your story to the contest.

You’re about to see a list of 34 stories. Take your time going through each, and read them with the light on.

And the winner is…

(Will receive 1 free entry into this year’s Killer Shorts Contest for their story)

Wake. Look. Dread. by

The Runner Up is…

(Will receive a 50% discount into this year’s Killer Shorts Contest for their story)

Texas Tea by

The Honorable Mentions…

The Knack Witch’s Child by

Where It Belongs by

Planefoot by

All the Stories!

Quinceañera of the Damned by

The Thing That Remembers by

Loot Table by

Little Man & the Moonlight Darlings by

My Little Verity by

Curtained Off by

I received a cassette tape in the mail labeled “To Mom.” My first child doesn’t arrive for another month. by

Malocchio by

Manifestation by

The Third Lamppost From The Left by

The Pen by

Broken Crystal by

The Orange Drum by

Wounded Vanity by

Cucumbers by

Maw of Eternity by

Dies Irae by

Friends by

Ideomancy by

Claws by

The Book by

Empty by

The Original Knogler Witch by

Pareidolia by

Oracle by

The Weave by

The Inanimate Rapture by

A Nice Mug by

The Sinister Slumber of Forever by

WHAT’S NEXT?

The wheels are already in motion for the Inanimate Objects Anthology. Tentative release date of October 27, 2027. In the meantime, personal invitations will be sent to select writers to be featured in this Anthology. There will be more information on this next Summer.

Want to enter our next contest and get an opportunity to be included in future Anthologies? We have 3 chances coming in 2026. Subscribe to stay informed. Follow on Substack Notes for daily updates. And whatever you do, tell your friends to prepare for more stories and storytelling opportunities!

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COMMENTARY from SHANE BZDOK

There were over three dozen submissions for this contest. Thirty-five to be exact, ranging in length from 433 words to 3,990. But what they all had in common, of course, was an object—an inanimate object.

With projects like this, I am as fascinated with the whole as I am with any singular story. Sizing up the entire collection, the differences and the similarities, are striking. The stories spanned a broad spectrum of interpretation on the theme across different subjects and genres. Some writers took the word “inanimate” quite literally and featured an object that had no life of its own, truly inanimate, treated as a static prop in the dynamic narrative unfolding around it. Others took some license on the meaning, and in my mind, brought a considerable amount of life and energy to the objects. Evelyn K. Brunswick presented a very interesting take, using the concept of inanimate (vs living) as an overarching theme in her story.

How much life an inanimate object appears to have or not to have is what brings me to the winning story, “Wake. Look. Dread.” by Nick Buchheit.

But first, let me address the elephant in the room. Are you sitting down? Good, because Second Person. Yeah, that. Now, based on what I’ve heard around these parts, this particular POV sends shivers and shockwaves down most spines. But folks, let me tell you, when it’s done right? Well, in a great story like Nick’s, it folds you into the experience, becoming as invisible and necessary as the air we breathe. Well, maybe invisible isn’t quite the right word. In truth, it was hard not to notice at first, only because it is so incredibly rare to read. But it worked. In fact, it was great, and if anything, made the story stand out that much more for me. Bold decision, Nick!

The main reason this story made it to the top for me was its concept of influence. How these inanimate objects, not capable of intent or nefarious motives of their own, were able to gain complete control and manipulate their wearer to the degree of near-demonic possession. These passive objects become a means to the character’s end, providing direct lines and a constant IV drip to our generation’s new god, the Algorithm. At times in the story, these dark talismans are placed out of the character’s reach, maybe to remind us that with physical distance, they lose their power, reverting back to lifeless husks of plastic and metal. Only when united with the objects do we witness the character’s tortured servitude and self-destructive behaviors.

While the topic of doom scrolling may be nothing new, the underlying concept of this story as it relates to the prompt, and how enjoyable it was to read made this a winner in my book. Congratulations, Nick!

COMMENTARY from KEITH LONG

There have been more than a few trance-like moments where I’ve come out of a doom scroll and wondered what I was doing and why. Nick takes this reality and adjusts it a tick to the left, creating a creeping fear to hit the reader where they live. The slow unwinding of the main character’s sanity, the attempts to combat it, the seemingly deliberate roadblocks life throws in the way – it’s all very real and that’s what makes this story unsettling.

COMMENTARY from S.E. REID

First, I want to thank EVERYONE who sent in their tales to this competition. I don’t always have the time to read as much fiction on Substack for fun as I would like to, so this was a fantastic excuse to dig through a veritable treasure-trove of styles and genres and find some real gems. It was a seriously tough competition, and you should all be really proud of the work you did!

The winning story took me by surprise. I confess: I’m not the world’s biggest fan of second-person POV, so the story had a bit of a hill to climb to win me over from the get-go. But very quickly I realized that the unusual POV wasn’t just a style choice; it was purposeful, and a masterful decision on the part of the writer. It was meant to give us the same dread-inducing feeling that those health-fad blog-posts give us when they look us directly in the eye and say, “You’re failing. Fix it.” Believe me, I know that feeling all-too-well.

The story’s unrelenting rhythm, snappy pacing, and intriguing mystery kept me hooked and guessing all the way to the end. It’s horror, but the subtle and relatable kind. It’s what rising anxiety feels like, the shame that comes from knowing you have a problem and not being able to repair it. Is our tech truly a tool for our own self-improvement, or merely another way for us to harm ourselves? The answers aren’t so clear-cut.

Brilliantly rendered, deeply eerie, and darkly funny. A deserving winner, and congratulations to Nick for such a fantastic entry!

Finally, BIG THANKS to Erica and the TiF crew for letting me be a part of this judging team! It was a genuine delight. Happy Hallowe’en, everyone! :)

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Lately, a bad actor has surfaced in our midst. I won’t name or link to them—they don’t deserve the attention—but I do want to remind everyone of this:

No one has power over your work but you.
When someone invades our space with cruelty or ignorance, hiding behind fake names and fake pictures, that’s cowardice—plain and simple. You have every right to block, report, or speak up. Silence the noise, yes, but don’t mistake that silence for strength. Sometimes, saying something—kindly, firmly—is how we protect each other.

Don’t play along.
Mocking someone’s appearance, name, or work isn’t harmless fun—it’s complicity. If you laugh or join in, you’re fueling the fire. And trust me, that fire burns everyone. Don’t feed it. Feed the stories instead.

Platforms won’t fix this for us.
Bad actors exist everywhere online, and no moderation team can erase them all. What we can do is make our own corner of the internet better. Decide who belongs in your circle. Protect the space we’re building.

So let me say this clearly:

TOP IN FICTION IS A SAFE SPACE.

Here, it’s all about stories and the people who tell them. Writers and readers alike are welcome. You can count on that.

THE WRITING DOESN’T STOP UNLESS YOU LET IT.

Don’t let a bully become a plot twist in your journey. Keep writing, publishing, sharing. The ones who tear others down do so because they can’t do what you do.

FIND YOUR PEOPLE.

Follow those who inspire you. Subscribe to the storytellers who lift others up. For every bad actor, there are hundreds of good ones doing the real work—writing, supporting, building community. Growth brings growing pains; this is one. It’ll pass.

THERE’S SO MUCH TO LOOK FORWARD TO.

While this drama unfolded, the work continued:

• INANIMATE OBJECTS - Contest results arrive Halloween Day, October 31.

• THE MIDNIGHT VAULT II - Season two of this Twilight Zone–inspired project by & is coming soon—don’t miss it.

• BRUCE! - Who is Bruce? I must admit I’ve been asking myself that question. So many know the answer, or do they? I send you over to the very incapable hands of who can tell you how to find him and perhaps answer the burning question: Who is Bruce?

• A TiF Day of Thanks (November) - A new event celebrating those who’ve changed us through their stories. Details coming soon—and I think it’ll be our best yet.

Be good to each other. And do what bad actors never could, even if they tried: keep writing stories.

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We’re thrilled to announce the launch of our newest writing contest:

Inanimate Objects — a macabre celebration of the eerie power of everyday things when they take center stage in horror.

Do you have a chilling story lurking in your imagination about a cursed doll, a haunted mirror, a bloodstained locket, or even an ordinary object with an extraordinary, horrifying history? This is your chance to bring that nightmare to life — and have it recognized on a bigger stage.

Here’s the best part:

The winner of Inanimate Objects will receive a free entry into Season 7 of the prestigious Killer Shorts Horror Short Screenplay & Prose Contest! (Be aware, after our contest has ended, the winning story will need to follow the Killer Shorts submission guidelines that can be read here.)

How to Enter Inanimate Objects

• Submit a short horror story where an inanimate object plays a central or pivotal role in the horror.

• Maximum word count: 4,000 words.

• No Copyright or IP characters.

• All genres of horror are welcome — psychological, supernatural, gothic, slasher, cosmic, experimental… as long as an object is essential to the story.

• All participants will publish their stories publicly at the same time: Halloween Day (October 31) at 9:00 AM EST.

• The winner will be announced that same day during a special Live Stream event.

• Entry deadline to register: Wednesday, October 15th

Why You Should Enter

• Exclusive Prize: A free submission to Killer Shorts Season 7 (a $35 value) for our favorite story.

  • Killer Shorts has become one of the premiere destinations for horror storytellers worldwide, and this year’s competition is bigger than ever. In fact, Season 7 features an incredible new judge — the legendary Tananarive Due, celebrated author, screenwriter, and champion of Black horror and speculative fiction. Having your work read by Tananarive Due and the Killer Shorts judging panel is a huge opportunity to launch your horror writing career.

• Creative Challenge: Hone your craft by exploring how an ordinary object can become the seed of terror.

• Community Spotlight: Join other horror creators in a coordinated public release and live celebration on Halloween.

• Bragging Rights: Earn the title of Inanimate Objects Champion and showcase your work to our horror-loving community.

• Anthology Opportunity: This is open to everyone who either enters the contest or participates in the event. (select stories will be invited)

If you’ve ever dreamed of seeing your work recognized by some of the best in the horror industry, this is your moment. The objects on your desk, the toys on your shelf, the relics in your attic — they might just be your ticket to horror stardom.

🖤 Register and submit your entry: CLICK HERE
🗓 Stories go live: Halloween Day, 9:00 AM EST
📢 Winner announced: Halloween Day during Live Stream

Bring your nightmares to life. Make the ordinary unforgettable. Enter Inanimate Objects… if you dare.

SUBMISSION BUTTON

Stay spooky! 🎃

We talked about their process. Their reasons for serializing. How they serialize. The choices they made. And their plans for future work.

This discussion is truly meant for the writer out there who is serializing, thinking about serializing, or not sure if doing it now is the right time. I hope this discussion helps a bit.

But it’s also, I hope, for the voracious reader who is looking for a serial to read. We didn’t really touch on specifics about each of their serials intentionally. Because if you’re not already, you should subscribe to Bridget and read her Judith Temple mystery series, or Hanna’s Muldoon mystery (with a little horror), and the ever expansive world of Ferris Island by S.E.! Each of them are different and unique and truly worth taking the time to get to know more about.

Give a listen to this hour long discussion.

NOTE: Apologies to those who were present and watching/listening that you were unable to participate in chat as it was locked to paid subscribers. Not sure how this happened as Top in Fiction does not now nor will it ever have that feature turned on. However, the comments section is turned on here! So please feel free to share your thoughts there.

Leave a comment

We interrupt your regularly scheduled subscription to acknowledge this isn’t just any Friday. Here at TiF we want to spend some time providing 26 stories in celebration of Friday the 13th! Enjoy

Special thanks to the two judges, and , who read all 22 contest entries with me to select the one we liked the best. But make no mistake, you won’t regret reading them all as you enjoy the only Friday the 13th happening this year.

CONTEST WINNER

Fae Eyes by

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Eye See More?!!! by

Perfect Vision by

Borrowed Sight by

Portrait Unfinished by

CONTEST PARTICIPANTS

The space where something should be by

See You Again by

Little Eyes Everywhere by

The Eyes of the World by

In the Eyes of the Beholder: by

Ivan Sees You by

The Eyes of God by

Once They See You by

The Boring Bees by

Reflections by

Blindsight by

They Came in the Night! by

In His Sights by

A Routine Procedure by

Eye See You by

SYMMETRY BREAKING by

A Photograph Of You by

EVENT PARTICIPANTS

Pentimento by

The Black Dot in the Sky Follows by

Moxi by

I CAN SEE YOU by Stephen Mark Ricketts

We interrupt your regularly scheduled weekly programming to bring you 29 Small & Scary or Big & Beastly stories! And they say size doesn’t matter! Well, here, that all depends on what scares you the most. Whatever you do, don’t turn out the lights…

SPECIAL NOTE: The VOD for our conversation can be viewed below.

SMALL & SCARY STORIES

Wicked Things by

Day as Black as Night by

The Revenant Throne by

Extend-O by

The Bark Bites Back by

Skinner Box by

Holdfast by

Bag-o-Bones by

Coco: A Portrait of Violence by

The Build by

Skin Deep by

One Black Eye by

The Second Sister by

Silver Bullet by

Ni-bo by

Should a Door be Opened... Close it by

Fly Away Home by

The Model Maker by

Scary Little Man by

abriter l'essaim by

Between Us by

needful thing by

A Little Thing by

BIG & BEASTLY STORIES

Vaquera by

Welcome to the Jungle by

Straw, Bone, and Flesh by

Appetite by

The Blob King by

Sansom came to prominence with the Shardlake series, his historical mystery series set in the reign of Henry VIII in the 16th century. The series' main character is the hunchbacked lawyer Matthew Shardlake, who is assisted in his adventures by Mark Poer, then Jack Barak and also Nicholas Overton. Shardlake works on commission initially from Thomas Cromwell in Dissolution and Dark Fire, then Archbishop Thomas Cranmer in Sovereign and Revelation, Queen Catherine Parr in Heartstone and Lamentation and finally Princess Elizabeth in Tombland. Dark Fire won the 2005 Crime Writers' Association Historical Dagger.

LISTED IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER

The Murder of King Peada by

The River is the Key by

Leaving London by

The Gachiyaku mystery by

The Hand That Holds The Knife by

Marcus the Speculator by

The Key by

Harald Skidmark Carves a Runestone by

The War Without Love by

In the Shadow of the Oak by

If there are any typos or broken links, please let me know in the comments and I will fix them. Thank you!

LISTED IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER

The moth effect by of Mind Flexing

We are Stardust by of Alicia’s Substack

This Will Happen Again by of Annie Hendrix

You Won’t Remember by of Catch & Release

Red Bloom by of Future Thief

The Story-Seeker and Her Rooted Friend by

Fall of the Jellarks by of Comical Foods

Human Island by of Story Voyager

Silverback by of Memoirs of a Mad Scientist

GOB CHÀRNAIRC by of Dan Reat

Bad Kids Don’t Light Good Fires by of Hurtle Club

Archive of Stone by of While I Was Drawing

The After-Life by

Homeobox by of ReidItWrite

The Cheyenne Girl by of small blog

then now someday by of Homecoming

Life with birds in the fifty-second world by of Wild and Wonderful

The Last Dreamer* by of Martha’s Musings as an Earthling

Earth Day Thoughts by of “Only connect…”

Renovated Home for Sale in the Carolina Mountains. Includes Fish. by of This Nick Writes

Homo Myceliensis by of The Why & the Why Not

I dreamt of better worlds by of Wolf

Bright shards of sea-worn credit cards by of Wilderment

The Future(s) of Justice (Part 1): Sofia108 by of Talkingcat88

Surface Tension by of Shoni’s Journey

Topside by of Defaulting to Grace

Follow on the Water by of FROM THE INTERSTICES

The Stone Dreams by of The Wild and the Quiet

Books of the Future by of Story Ecology

If there are any typos or broken links, please let me know in the comments and I will fix them. Thank you!

*PAID SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

It was my pleasure and honor to have on the man we all know and love as a master interviewer, . I hope I lived up to his amazing question asking and interviewing abilities!

We chatting about our mutual love and respect for Rod Serling and The Twilight Zone and how that pertains to the story he wrote last November, The Last Cup! Read it while it’s still available and make sure you do watch the VOD because for the first time ever John does his first Live reading when he reads his opening lines in the same way Rod himself would do for a real Twilight Zone episode:

Written Ward: Fiction & Field Notes

The Last Cup

The Twilight Zone redefined storytelling, drawing audiences into the unimaginable. Now, 66 years later, top writers, artists, and musicians are stepping into its eerie glow with a fresh twist. Ready to see where they’ll take you…

Read more

a year ago · 180 likes · 114 comments · John Ward

John, one thing I forgot to say while we were Live is, whether you have or haven’t considered it, I would love it if you read your short stories and included the audio your words because I think your voice lends itself well to for audio. Ear candy as I like to think of it…

I got to ask John 6 key questions I’ve been wondering and wanting to ask not just him but all of the contributors to The Substack Zone. And to have John be so willing to come on and do a Live with me to answer these questions was quite a treat for me.

Thank you all for watching and engaging with our discussion and if you want to share your thoughts or even answer the questions yourself, please feel free to do so in the comments! We’d love to hear how you feel about The Twilight Zone or the story John has written to pay homage to this amazing evergreen television show.

Leave a comment

Join me for my next live video in the app.

Get more from Erica Drayton in the Substack app

Available for iOS and Android

Get the app

Here’s who joined us, complete with links to their stories so you can read along:

woke up at 5am to read his amazing story, featured on !

Read A Trite Tale here.

took us on a road trip with her amazing voice acting for her story!

Read The Cove here.

Now I turn to you, the reader and listener to ask you some very important questions:

1. How did you like this format of inviting fiction writers on to read their work?

2. Who would you love to see come on for a future TiF Sociable? Make sure to at mention them so they know! 😉

3. In an ideal world where I had oodles of time, would you be willing to come on by and listen on a monthly or bi-monthly (meaning twice a month) basis?

If you are a writer of fiction and want to read your work on a future TiF Sociable, please leave me a comment down below! I will be jotting down the names of all those who are interested and reaching out mid-April to plan another one of these! If you were a part of this first experiment and would like to give it another go, by all means, let me know!

Leave a comment

Get more from Erica Drayton in the Substack app

Available for iOS and Android

Get the app

Aside from the amazing storytelling from 4 amazing people, I came away from it giving each of them a moniker that helped define, for me, the type of experience I had while listening to them read their work:

was definitely all about setting the scene. The sights. The sounds. The SMELLS! His descriptive abilities in his story were astounding.

You can read Beheaded Recollection here while you listen to him read it to you.

brought her A-game with horror comedy at its finest and getting to hear how she reads her story was just so fascinating. The fast talking demon and the laid back shopkeeper…but I’ve said too much already!

You can read By the Skin of His Teeth here while you listen to her read it to you.

showed us all first hand what performance art at it’s best looks like! I was blown away by his word choice, delivery, and movement while he read his very imaginative piece for us.

You can read Ad Me here while you listen (and watch) him read it to you.

is no longer just an “L” avatar! He has a face, but more importantly, he has a voice that is just so haunting and amazing and you’ll want to rush right out and find and listen to everything he’s ever recorded after you hear him read his story!

And, with his permission, we are including his story in its entirety below:

MOTHER ← You can also read it here on his page.

I’ve always wanted a rose garden, a living vermillion blanket to cover my beds, to crawl under, be shielded by, protected with. I dream of lying in the earth and letting it grow over me, hide me, and in my dream the roots are not rough. I can picture the view up through the green stems and their swaying nubile buds, the sunlight coming through the thin membranes of leaves, illuminating dark veins against yellow-green hearts of plant life. I’ve always wanted a garden, but my thumbs are pink, fleshy colored — peach maybe. Moons of earth, crescents under my nails from clawing desperate grasping greedy handfuls of this thing we call Mother. I’ve always wanted a garden, but Mother doesn’t like the pinewood box I made for her. She’s always growing out of it. My, look how you’ve grown, you grow up so fast, you’re growing like a weed, little Mother. It’s time I trim you back, put you back in your box. You may outgrow it, you may even try to wither your way out of it, but you’re all mine now. No, your petty pyrrhic victories will only make me try harder. If you outgrow, I will cut you down, if you wither and dry, I will drown you back to life. You, dear Mother, may be the Queen of the chessboard, but I am the one playing the game. I will cultivate you, shape you, ply you into the pretty shapes I like. I will make a checkerboard of boxes and put you in whichever ones I see fit. If you’re good, if you bring me things good to eat and smell, I may even give you something to drink, if I remember. Don’t look so sad, Mother, don’t let your blooms droop and fall, I have plans for you. That natural beauty of yours is exquisite, we simply must display it behind this glass. That fruit of yours is delicious, I will ensure you grow enough for everyone to try it. You see, Mother, I am helping you — you should thank me. I have toiled and worked, soiled my hands and wiled away my days, all for you, all to make you more beautiful. I’ve always wanted a garden, and you do not need so much space. You fit just right in this clay pot, this pinewood box, this cozy bed. I’m as snug as a bug in an emerald rug. And the roots are not rough at all, really, they’re beginning to grow on me. Thank you, Mother, it’s beautiful, truly, just what I’ve always wanted.

Now I turn to you, the reader and listener to ask you some very important questions:

1. How did you like this format of inviting fiction writers on to read their work?

2. Who would you love to see come on for a future TiF Sociable? Make sure to at mention them so they know! 😉

3. In an ideal world where I had oodles of time, would you be willing to come on by and listen on a monthly or bi-monthly (meaning twice a month) basis?

If you are a writer of fiction and want to read your work on a future TiF Sociable, please leave me a comment down below! I will be jotting down the names of all those who are interested and reaching out mid-April to plan another one of these! If you were a part of this first experiment and would like to give it another go, by all means, let me know!

Leave a comment

Join me for my next live video in the app.

Get more from Erica Drayton in the Substack app

Available for iOS and Android

Get the app

Much thanks goes to for stepping in and filling this gap that I’m sure plenty of us in the fiction community didn’t realize we needed. We give so much of our work to others, why not do a little Secret Santa exchange and receive a story just for us this year?

So, sit back, relax, perhaps grab a cuppa and prepare to read some truly wondrous stories. There are 18 stories to choose from. We’re sure you’ll find something to enjoy.

Now, we realize it’s Christmas morn. Some of you may be celebrating with family and friends. Some of you may be wrapped in a blanket watching football, watching a sappy movie, killing baddies in a FPS, working or even burning the midnight oil writing that next best fiction story to share with us come 2025. But wherever you are in your busy or lazy day, we hope you’ll take some time to read and enjoy the stories we present here to you:

Listed in random order

Island of Solitude | From: / To:

Holiday Gift Guide | From: / To:

The Ballad of Delyth | From: / To:

Onomatophobia: A Fable of Healing | From: / To:

Scion | From: / To:

Love | From: / To:

Mr. Fantastic | From: / To:

With Love | From: / To:

The Fishwife | From: / To:

The Father's Gift | From: / To:

Makellan's Christmas (with Cindies) | From: / To:

A Claus Encounter | From: / To:

Glass Laugh | From: / To:

A Christmas Miracle | From: / To:

Tweezers | From: / To:

Thoughts of a Killer | From: / To:

Where There’s a Will | From: / To:

Amid the Winter Snow: The Slaying of the Bells | From: / To:

The Recommendations Post will be a few hours late today (12pm EST) in honor of Fiction Gift Exchange. But do these amazing writers a favor, especially if you enjoyed any of their stories, and consider sharing this post everywhere:

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