thatwriterjess

TORMENT: A GOTHIC ANTHOLOGY AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT BAY SHUFORD BAY. SHUFORD IS.AN AUTHOR LIVING IN NORTH. CAROLINA. THEIR PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED WORK CAN BE FOUND IN SNAKE HAIR - OCCULT STUDIES VOL 3 • AND BLACK INK OCEAN PRESS VOL 1.

WHERE THE STARS HAVE NO REACH BAY SHUFORD A SCIENTIST AND HER BODYGUARD TRAVERSE PLANET OF PERPETUAL DUSK TO FIND A MISSING RESEARCH TEAM, BUT UNCOVER SOMETHING FAR: MORE DANGEROUS AND UNSETTLING

WHERE THE STARS HAVE NO REACH "THERE WERE MOUNTAINS ON THE HORIZON, WHERE LARGE SWATHS OF LAVENDER CLOUDS CONGREGATED AND EVERY NOW AND THEN A FLASH OF LIGHTNING WOULD ILLUMINATE THE DARK FACE OF THE STONE. IT WAS ALSO HERE THAT THE SLIVER OF THE SUN SAT LOW AND LAZILY JUST ON THE EDGE OF THE HIGHEST CREST OF THE FAR FLUNG MOUNTAIN, NEVER TRULY RISING OR SETTING AND KEEPING THE WORLD IN A PERPETUAL STATE IN -BETWEEN NIGHT AND DAY"

Reaching our final few authors with @bshuford-writes.bsky.social and a unique piece of gothic dread and horror set in space!

TORMENT: A GOTHIC ANTHOLOGY is only nine days away!

COMING MARCH 10.
ADD IT ON GOODREADS !

TORMENT: A GOTHIC ANTHOLOGY AUTHOR SPOTLIGAT TABITHA O'CONNELL TABITHA O'CONNELL IS THE AUTHOR OF QUEER FANTASY ROMANCE NOVELLAS STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY AND DIRT-STAINED HANDS, THORN-PIERCED SKIN EIR SHORT FICTION HAS PREVIOUSLY APPEARED IN UNSPEAKABLE: A QUEER GOTHIC ANTHOLOGY • AND TRANSCENDENCE: AN ANTHOLOGY, OF CHANGE

NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD TABITHA O'CONNELL RAISED IN A SMALL RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY, BETHANY LIVES IN TERROR OF HER FATE: A LIFE OF SUBSERVIENCE TO A HUSBAND HER PARENTS CHOOSE, BEARING CHILDREN UNTIL SHE CÁN'T ANYMORE-OR UNTIL IT KILLS HER ABIGAIL KNOWS THAT GOD CREATÉD WOMEN TO BLEED... BUT MAYBE SHE CAN USE THAT TO HER ADVANTAGE, AND SAVE BOTH BETHANY AND HERSELF

NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD "SHE DIDN'T NEED TO HEAR FROM GOD HIMSELF TO KNOW HER ROLEN HER PARENTS WATCHED AND PASTOR REUBEN WATCHED AND EVERY OTHER PERSON IN THE VILLAGE WATCHED AND THEIR EYES FORMED A PRISON; SO SMALL SHE COULD BARELY MOVE. SHE WAS A SHEEP FATTENED FOR SLAUGHTER, CONFINED SO. THAT SHE WOULDN'T STRAY, SO THẬT NO MARAUDING WOLVES WOULD DEVOUR HER BEFORE THE VILLAGE COULD SHE WOULD BE USED, CONSUMED FOR THEIR BENEFIT-AND SHE WOULD BEAR IT ALL WITH A SMILE."

Next on the roster of just incredibly talent folk I have the honor of knowing we have @tabithawrites.itch.io ! Eir story is a special kind of horror that’ll make you squirm with rage. 😭🩸

We’re getting dangerously close to release day! Have you added TORMENT to your TBR yet?

#indiebooks

TORMENT: A GOTHIC ANTHOLOGY AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT TYLER ISAAC TYLER ISAAC IS A WRITER, ARTIST, TEACHER, AND TTRPG ENTHUSIAST FROM TEXAS. THEY HAVE A MASTERS DEGREE IN GERMAN FROM TEXAS. TECH UNIVERSITY. JUST LIKE OLD TIMES IS THEIR DEBUT SHORT-STORY.

JUST LIKE OLD TIMES TYLER ISAAC ETHAN AND JASPER ARE TWO COLLEGE FRIENDS AND AMATEUR URBAN EXPLORERS. WHEN, THEY RETURN TO ONE OF THEIR REGULAR HAUNTS, THE ABANDONED BUILDING ISNT ALL THAT IT SEEMS, AND THEY AREN'T AS ALONE AS THEY HAD BELIEVED

JUST LIKE OLD TIMES TYLER ISAAC ETHAN AND JASPER ARE TWO COLLEGE FRIENDS AND AMATEUR URBAN EXPLORERS. WHEN, THEY RETURN TO ONE OF THEIR REGULAR HAUNTS, THE ABANDONED BUILDING ISNT ALL THAT IT SEEMS, AND THEY AREN'T AS ALONE AS THEY HAD BELIEVED

Today’s author spotlight features first time anthology contributor @dasstanzy.bsky.social with JUST LIKE OLD TIMES, a fast-paced and paranoia-inducing short!

TORMENT: A GOTHIC ANTHOLOGY coming MARCH 10, 2026
ADD IT ON GOODREADS!

#gothicfantasy #indiebook #anthology #bookstagram

TORMENT: A GOTHIC ANTHOLOGY CURATOR AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT JUNIPER LAKE FITZGERALD JUNIPER-LAKE FITZGERALD IS AN AUTHOR OF QUEER DARK FANTASY & GOTHIC TALES SHE HAS AUTHORED THE EPIC DARK FANTASY SERIES THE FIFTH YANAI, AND THE GOTHIC URBAN FANTASY THE MODERN MYTHOS ANOMALY, HER-WORK IS FEATURED IN MULTIPLE ANTHOLOGIES AND SHE IS THE NARRATIVE DESIGNER OF THE DARK FANTASY VIDEO GAME SHADOW RITE

OMEN JUNIPER LAKE FITZGERALD A BATTLE-WEARY SOLDIERS HALF-LIFE OF SURVIVAL IS CHANGED BY THE SUDDEN APPEARANCE OF A MYSTERIOUS SUPERNATURAL BEING. PART REAPER, PART ANGEL, THE CREATURE OFFERS THE DYING A CHOICE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH. YET, WHEN FACED WITH THE DECISION THAT SEEMS SO OBVIOUS, THE SOLDIER CANNOT CHOOSE. A LONESOME SOUL CATCHER CURIOUS ABOUT LIFE, AND A SOLDIER LIVING IN LIMBO, UNCERTAIN ABOUT DEATH, FIND STRANGE SOLACE IN ONE ANOTHERS COMPANY AND DISCOVER THAT, MAYBE, NOW IS ALL THERE EVER IS.

OMEN OH. IT IS MUCH LARGER THAN IT APPEARED WHEN CROUCHED ON THE EARTH. IT STANDS LIKE A MAN, IT LOOKS LIKE A MAN BUT. IT CANT BE ONE IT CAN'T. THE SOLDIER WISHES TO RUN AND FINDS HIS FEET ARE ROOTED ACHING AND SOGGY AND SUDDENLY USELESS.

TORMENT: A GOTHIC ANTHOLOGY COMES TO YOU FROM A CREATIVE COLLABORATION OF AUTHORS SHARING GOTHIC STORIES RANGING ACROSS THE GENRE FROM THE HORRIFIC TO THE ROMANTIC. TORMENT A GOTHIC ANTHOLOGY

Oh hey, it’s me!
In addition to curating TORMENT, I’ve contributed my own story.

A blend of visceral horror and buried hope, OMEN is inspired by the relentless resilience of the human spirit.

TORMENT: A Gothic Anthology Coming March 10, 2026

TORMENT: A GOTHIC ANTHOLOGY AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT BAILEY ELIZABETH BAILEY ELIZABETH STARTED PENNING HER FIRST NOVEL WHEN SHE WAS TWELVE AND NEVER LOOKED BACK NOW. SHE'S THE AUTHOR OF AN EVER-GROWING LIST OF WEIRD. GENRE-BENDING HORROR AND ROMANCE BOOKS SHE ÁLSO RECENTLY OPENED AN INDEPENDENT. BOOKSTORE CALLED PLOT TWIST CAFE IN HER RURAL COLLEGE TOWN.

EMERGE BAILEY ELIZABETH EDITH, A CENTURIES-OLD VAMPIRE HAUNTED BY THE GHOSTS OF THOSE SHE HAS KILLED, LEAVES HER DECAYING MANOR TO FEED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SIXTEEN YEARS. WHAT BEGINS AS A STANDARD NIGHT OF HUNTING TURNS INTO A QUESTION OF LOVE OR LOSS AFTER SHE MEETS CHARMING AND BEAUTIFUL LIL WHEN LIL AGREES TO DRIVE EDITH HOME, THE VAMPIRE MUST DECIDE WHETHER TO FEED ON LIL AND TRAP HER SPIRIT FOR HOLLOW ETERNITY, OR LET HER NEW CRUSH LIVE ON IN VIBRANT LIFE.

EMERGE IF ANYONE TALKED TO EDITH DIRECTLY, THEY WOULD NOTICE THE WAY HER SKIN RESEMBLED A FLOWER PETAL HELD UP TO THE LIGHT. HOW HER EYES WERE A SHADE PAST NATURAL. HOW HER CANINES WERE SHAPED INTO FINE, PEARLY POINTS. BUT BY THAT TIME, SHE WOULD HAVE THEM UNDER HER SPELL

🧛🏻‍♀️ Up next in TORMENT’s vampire stories is EMERGE by @bailswrites.bsky.social ! A unique take on the act and outcome of feeding off of humans, EMERGE explores the unintended consequences of hunger and desire.

Want an ARC? There’s still time to sign up! - SIGN UP FORM IN BIO 🦇🦇

@thatwriterjess.bsky.social & I are currently collaborating on a Black Week sale specifically for indie authors. It includes editing bundles, design packages, and mixed bundles as well.
We have both % sales and flat rates.

All info can be found here:

www.instagram.com/thelanguages...

OUT NOW

Meet Nikolai, Viktor and all their friends in the Children of Lorcan book! Prior reading of Usurper is essential!

#books #indieauthors #fantasy #darkfantasy #achilleanromance #childrenoflorcan #lorcanverse

A graphic for an anthology call for a futuristic queer horror anthology. Short stories of 2,500-8,500 words Queer characters and/or themes Futuristic settings combined with horror elements Preferred subgenres: techno-horror, cosmic horror, biomechanical horror Submissions open until: 20 January 2026 Curated by Ezra Wren & Jake Vanguard

@thatwriterjess.bsky.social and I are curating our first joint anthology - FUTURISTIC QUEER HORROR!

Check our website for more info. We're looking forward to your submission!

Rainbow Wren | thatwriterjess | Substack Stay up-to-date with the latest news on all things Ezra Wren. Ezra Wren is a non-binary bi+ author writing queer fiction that features lots of smooching and sweetness and a healthy measure of darkne...

Rainbow Wren Subscribe to get all the latest news about my queer fiction projects under the pen name Ezra Wren!

thatwriterjessison.substack.com?r=55yq98&utm...

IT'S THE DAY!

The Kickstarter for Remnants of Relics is officially live!
Grab the Early Bird rewards and support the anthology early. Early support helps the project to become more visible on Kickstarter as well ❤️

Tinyurl.com/remnantsofrelics

Informational graphic for Remnants of Relics: an Anthology of Loss & Gain, curated by Jake Vanguard. The cover is in center, featuring Filippo Balbi’s Testa Anatomica's art with the contributing authors around it. The authors are: A.E. Bratchford, Harper Kinsley, S. Jean, Frederick A. Zaberisk, Obinna Tony-Francis Ochem, Kay Claire, Nico Silver, Annalisa Ely, Jaydell, Franklyn S. Newton, Talli L. Morgan, Ezra Wren, Atlas Laika, & Minerrale. The background behind the cover is paper texture. Around the cover is informational text. On the left side it reads: releasing SEPT 10th ARCS AVAILABLE NOW! On the right side, it reads: Kickstarter LIVE JULY 27th Over 16 Queer Stories & Poems Along the bottom is a URL for more information. It is: https://remnantsofrelics.carrd.co/

A trope map for a story in Remnants of Relics. It is Immortality in the Marrow by S. Jean. In the center features an illustration by the author of a young man opening his shirt to reveal a rib cage lined in bright blue. There is text above and to the sides of the image detailing more information. The top text reads: "An immortal soul has lived countless lifetimes searching for his other half. When he finally finds it, it's in a skeleton on display in a smoky university classroom." To the sides are tropes/themes associated with the story. Those are: dark academia vibes, magic seeped into bones, memory is fickle, reincarnation (but at what cost), searching for your other half, and bittersweet.

Guess what day it is! You're right, the 27th! And that means the kickstarter for Remnants of Relics is live!!

www.kickstarter.com/projects/jak...

Support over 16 queer stories & poems about loss & gain today and become a backer! 💙📚

Purple and pink poster graphic for #PrideBookFair. White text reads: Pride Book Fair Promo Week, June 23 through June 30. Keep an eye out for sales, giveaways, bundles, and more! Check the PBF Carrd for lists of promoted books. Be sure to pick up one or more of our PBF Itchio Bundles this week!

We're wrapping up #PrideBookFair with our long-awaited Promo Week! 🌈📚

Keep an eye out for sales, giveaways, bundles, and more! Check the PBF Carrd for a sampling of promoted books, including our new Itchio Bundles!

👉 pridebookfair.carrd.co#promos

So glad to meet you and share this world with you!

The Lorcanverse returns with Nikolai Petrov

📚Character-driven
🏳️‍🌈 Achillean Romance 
🫶 Friend grp 
👨‍🏫 Mentors 
🏫🤫Academy setting & secret society 
💕Cinnamon RollxBlack Cat
🗺 New culture 
🙏 Ancient gods
🫶 Diverse rep 
👑 Political intrigue 
🖤 Dark fantasy

Goodreads 🔗 in bi0

#fantasy #childrenoflorcan

If you like characters you love to love and love to hate, reads that make you want to throw your book at the wall (or even across a kingdom), books you’ll never forget, check out Usurper. According to this reader, it'll leave you eager for more.

#Darkfantasy #vampires

linktr.ee/thatwriterjess

Graphic reads: June 2024 Event Schedule for Pride Book Fair.

Graphic features event schedule for Pride Book Fair. Week 1: Spirit Week (June 1st through June 8th): Share your aesthetics, moodboards, teasers, excerpts, covers, blurbs, etc., or share your favorite queer books! Week 2: Prompt Week (June 9th through June 15th): Respond to daily questions and prompts—as many or as few as you'd like. Engage with other participants! Week 3: Wishlist Week (June 16th through June 22nd): Share your wishlists of queer books, especially books you've heard about during the fair! Or, make recommendations! Let's help authors find their readers! Week 4: Promo Week (June 23rd through June 30th): Keep your eye out for sales and giveaways! Snag some books off your wishlist and share your spoils!

Hello friends! It's a bit early, but I wanted to share the event schedule for Pride Book Fair so y'all can start thinking about it!

Since we can't pin posts yet, I'll try to find a more accessible (& permanent) way to share PBF info here on bsky. For now, please share this around if you can!

🌈📚🌈🚀💫

One month! Ebook is lowered to 99c!

Get your copy now!

linktr.ee/thatwriterjess

I will celebrate my first birthday as a published author with a big promotion on Usurper!

The ebook will cost 99c on itch, ko-fi and my site: 4-20 April.

If you get a paperback from my site you'll have the option to get the ebook free.

Offers: linktr.ee/thatwriterjess

Comment your questions!

Thank you!!

Hello, world.

I'm a published author today.

#Books #Indieauthor #Releaseday #Author #Writer #Fantasy

If you like

❤️🤍Todoroki angst
💙Arcane char dynamics
🦌Farseer Trilogy type char dev
🌪️Twists & turns
🛡️0 plot armour
🖋️ Immersive prose w interiority
🔧Grumpy mentor w 🫶 of gold
☀️Sunshine bestie
🫂Found fam
⛓️‍💥Poisoned sibling bond
🤧Crying

You’ll love Usurper

🔗 where 🔗s live. Pr30rd3r now!

An image of the cover of “FIRST ROSE” by Jake Vanguard, with text that says “Cover Reveal” on top and “Coming May 25th, 2025” at the bottom. The cover shows a man in a black toga with long black hair holding a red rose. The background of the cover includes archways and greenery.

An arrow chart graphic for “FIRST ROSE” by Jake Vanguard. Surrounding an image of the book cover, text reads: Greek & Roman inspired village, Friends to lovers, High Heat, Satyr Myths, Family Bonds, Deities, Disability & Augmentations, Polyam Relationships, Trans FMC, Dual POV, Insta Love

A graphic containing the blurb of FIRST ROSE, including the release date of May 25th, 2025. The blurb reads: Five years after the cataclysmic events in Tadena, Helio is living her best life—until her sister, Zalika, gets attacked and her niece, Nyssa, is kidnapped. And to make matters worse, Zalika has transferred her responsibility as the deity of technology to Helio. Desperate to find the culprit and her niece, Helio sets out on a journey with her best friend, Julyen, to enlist the help of two other deities, Zanoah and Caean. Not only is she worried about Nyssa, she's also having to deal with the new forces coursing through her, which she’s unable to fully grasp and control. Their journey brings them to Evergarden, the home of Ambroz, the deity of lust and Helio’s new mentor. But learning to control her powers from him isn’t the only connection they form. As the two fall for each other, Helio finds herself torn between her attraction to Ambroz, missing her peaceful life in Tadena, worries about Nyssa and Zalika, and her fear of facing her sister's attacker—who wants to vanquish every single deity and cleanse the world of them. Can she face the man she once loved? And what will happen when she does?

Look at this absolutely stunning cover!
I really couldn't be happier with how it turned out.
@replica004.bsky.social did such a wonderful job, capturing Ambroz and Evergarden perfectly.

FIRST ROSE is the 2nd book of the science fantasy trilogy Deity Chronicles, coming May 25th 2025.

An image of the cover of “FIRST ROSE” by Jake Vanguard, with a graphic of 5 stars on top and “OUT May 25th” at the bottom. The cover shows a man in a black toga with long black hair holding a red rose. The background of the cover includes archways and greenery. The graphic includes some leaves and rose outlines!

An arrow chart graphic for “FIRST ROSE” by Jake Vanguard. Surrounding an image of the book cover, text reads: Greek & Roman inspired village, Friends to lovers, High Heat, Satyr Myths, Family Bonds, Deities, Disability & Augmentations, Polyam Relationships, Trans FMC, Dual POV, Insta Love On top is a graphic with five stars and on the bottom is 'OUT MAY 25TH'. Some rose outlines and leave graphics around the edges

A graphic containing the blurb of FIRST ROSE, including the release date of May 25th, 2025. The blurb reads: Five years after the cataclysmic events in Tadena, Helio is living her best life—until her sister, Zalika, gets attacked and her niece, Nyssa, is kidnapped. And to make matters worse, Zalika has transferred her responsibility as the deity of technology to Helio. Desperate to find the culprit and her niece, Helio sets out on a journey with her best friend, Julyen, to enlist the help of two other deities, Zanoah and Caean. Not only is she worried about Nyssa, she's also having to deal with the new forces coursing through her, which she’s unable to fully grasp and control. Their journey brings them to Evergarden, the home of Ambroz, the deity of lust and Helio’s new mentor. But learning to control her powers from him isn’t the only connection they form. As the two fall for each other, Helio finds herself torn between her attraction to Ambroz, missing her peaceful life in Tadena, worries about Nyssa and Zalika, and her fear of facing her sister's attacker—who wants to vanquish every single deity and cleanse the world of them. Can she face the man she once loved? And what will happen when she does?

First Rose by Jake Vanguard @jakevanguard.bsky.social , Book 2 in the Deity Chronicles comes out May 25th! Cover Art by the very talented @replica004.bsky.social !

eARC applications still open!

Make sure to snag a copy of the first book First Snow to delve into this AMAZING world by May!

#Books

Comment of the year and we're only in January 😅

🤩🤩🤩

Usurper feels like...

Excited and nervous! Happy reading!

Have you checked this out yet?

Once you start reading Jake’s stuff and get to know his characters you’ll never look back!

The hands in the kissing frames. 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺

Part II:

If you like these specific things...

💓 Will-Tessa-BiJem
❤️‍🩹 S1 Vi/Jinx-Silco/Vander
💔 Fanfic feels
😤 Gruff mentor
💪 Strong smart women (can't fight)
🌈 Both Straight & Queer Rep
🙋Character driven books
🌀 Twists & Turns
...

you might enjoy Usurper. Head over to IG for details