New this week
The latest additions to The Library's collection
As always, if you have a complete or in-progress work you’d like added to The Library or an indie-published book to include in the Buy Indie section, follow this guide, and we’ll help spread the word.
And thanks again to everyone for helping us support indie authors!
In the stacks
Short Fiction Collections
Revenir | Renley Chu and Tiffany Chu | Literary, Fantasy (S) (I) ($)→(F)
Paid members get immediate access to new stories, which are then released to everyone else after two weeks.
In this anthology, the boundaries of fantasy and reality blur as the depths of the human experience are explored through a unique lens. From the poignant tale of a grieving widower's dance with memory to the haunting story of an immortal winter spirit's fleeting brush with love, these haunting and lyrical stories challenge expectations and illuminate the profound truths of the human condition. Each tale is a journey unto itself, inviting readers to confront the shadows within their own psyches and to emerge transformed, testifying to the enduring power of storytelling and the ways in which the fantastical can mirror reality.
Speculative
Tales & Treasure | Rob Mortell | Fantasy (N) (C) (F)
In Emre, bards are revered; their stories have answers; their stories have influence; their stories have power. When the subject of his story dies unexpectedly, the disgraced bard Vatis finds himself alone in the wilderness. Undeterred and desperate, he searches for something or someone to be the new subject of his revitalizing tale. His luck changes in a tavern when an enigmatic man named Vidmar begins asking strange questions. After a heated confrontation, they agree to travel together. Vidmar details his tragic past as an army scout but keeps his true quest a secret from the bard. He needs to find a legendary crown for his merciless, power-hungry employer. As their unlikely friendship develops, each man clings to their deepest secret. Their search for answers leads to confrontations with bandits, thieves, wolves, and more until Vidmar’s secret quest is revealed, and Vatis’s lust for his story becomes insatiable. With Vatis’s knowledge, they uncover new clues to the crown’s location, bringing Vidmar closer than he’s ever been.
CRYBABY | Mark Watson | Horror | (N) (I) (F)
Crybaby by Mark Watson is a heart-pounding thriller that grips you from the first page and doesn't let go until long after you've closed the book. The author's skillful storytelling paints vivid images of the elephant's imposing presence, turning it into a symbol of both majesty and menace. The tension is palpable as Crybaby's interactions with humans oscillate between moments of eerie calm and sudden violence. The author creates a claustrophobic atmosphere as the characters navigate the dense jungle and crumbling colonial ruins, mirroring the tension of being stranded at sea in Jaws. Each encounter with Crybaby is a nerve-wracking experience, and the sense of impending doom is ever-present. Reading Crybaby is akin to watching "Jaws" for the first time—it's an adrenaline rush that leaves you breathless. Crybaby will do for elephant rides what Jaws did for swimming in the sea. It is a gripping, terrifying read that will linger in your mind long after the final page. The novel's ability to transform an otherwise gentle creature into a source of dread is reminiscent of the fear elicited by "Jaws." For those seeking a thrilling, edge-of-your-seat experience, Crybaby is an absolute must-read.
Thriller & Mystery
Haggard House | Elisabeth Rhoads | Historical (N) (I) (F)
Haggard House is a psychological thriller set in the mid-19th century. Imagine The Picture of Dorian Gray meets Tara Westover’s Educated.
Are you publishing a book, comic, or story/poetry collection on Substack that you’d like to add to The Library? Send it our way!
Buy Indie
Wind Down the Chimney and Other Eerie Tales | A.C. Cargill | Horror (S)
Presenting ten tales with elements of mystery, horror, whimsy, fantasy, touches of romance, and some technology run amuck. From the story of a young newlywed couple targeted by a ghost in their chimney, a club of six where one member goes beyond just discussing how to commit a simple murder in a complicated way, a pair of virtual reality goggles that give the wearer a rather deadly experience, a privately owned library where you aren’t just fined when a book is overdue, to a mystery man who leads a young woman into a dangerous situation, each story stretches reality beyond the norm. And a few of these tales will leave you with that shivering feeling that the story isn’t quite over.
The Stardust Alliance and More | A.C. Cargill | Science Fiction (S)
Presenting six stories involving science and its interaction with the human psyche. Included are elements of mystery, horror, whimsy, fantasy, touches of romance, and some technology run amuck. From the story of a group of elder humans hoping to ride to the stars, an AI system taking its programming too literally, and a young woman who can really take charge, to a story that will have you watching the night sky in case an ovoid spaceship appears, each story stretches reality beyond the norm and shows how our qualities as humans have to take charge. And a few of these stories will leave you with that shivering feeling that the story isn’t quite over.
Take Me There: A Speculative Anthology of Travel | Multiple Authors | Science Fiction, Fantasy, Literary (S)
Embark on a journey across the realms of genre with "Take Me There," 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.
Can readers buy your indie book from your author's website or favorite online bookseller? Provide us a link and some details about your book, and we’ll help get the word out!
From the Stacks
Featuring a different, randomly-selected book every week.
A Broken Woman’s True Desire | Joseph Wiess | Fantasy (NA) (C) (F)
Balgair Moeldr is a Mercenary who stops in a small village as he's returning from a contracted job. He encounters a woman who requests to be bonded. This leads to an adventure where they discover that an ancient god walks the world.
Thanks for adding my story to the collection