Read Project Threshold

Hi all.
I know I keep promising updates on the new layout, and I’ve got one for you. We’re pretty much done with it. So, I am (tentatively) taking the 19th and the 20th of March off to implement it and fix the slew of bugs that will likely pop up when I do.

If all goes well, I’ve also got a checklist of a few useful pages that I’m hoping to create and go live on that time off. An added bonus: The day that we’re transitioning to the new layout, we’ll likely have all ads off and will rebuild the ad network layout from scratch to better match it and not be all over everywhere as it is now. (You’ll all be able to see what the site could be if we ever got some real sponsorship from larger publishers or companies that could keep the lights on without ads everywhere! Oh, if only…)

Fingers crossed it all goes well!

And now, I will return you to your regularly scheduled newsletter!

Read InhuMANities today!

“Dark, visceral, poetic and devastatingly honest, Robertsons writing lives at the intersection of unabashed hunger, desire, beauty and repulsion. These tales strike at the heart of the queer, gothic soul. They are beautifully painful and darkly necessary. A must read for all those who love unflinching art.”
-Suzan Palumbo Author of Countess and Skin Thief.

This week, I’m sharing articles from General, Business, and Craft. Firstly, Helping Writers Become Authors explores embodied writing and how writers can get out of their head. Embodied writing enables us to feel the story more and allow us to access the deeper intentions of the story. This is usually from lived and sensory experience before the story is then edited with writing craft and technique. In business, Writers in the Storm has Founder and CEO of Author Marketing Experts, Inc., Penny C. Sansevieri guest writes about Amazon reviews and how authors can keep them without getting banned. Book reviews are like gold dust for authors, they help other readers decide whether it's worth purchasing, but with the rising number of AI-generated and spam reviews who haven’t even read the book, how can authors keep genuine reviews safe and obtain as many as possible without alerting a possible ban? Lastly, in craft, Fiction University looks at the necessary ingredients for a successful story plot. This is a great article to recap on plot structure and refresh anyone’s ideas for plot ideas.  

General:

Helping Writers Become Authors: “Embodied Writing: How to Get Out of Your Head and Into Your Story”

Business:

Writers in the Storm: “How to Get and Keep Amazon Reviews Without Getting Banned”

Craft:

Fiction University: “Goals, Conflicts, & Stakes: Why Plots Need All Three”

From Horror Tree:

Authors Guild Expands Human Authored Certification to All U.S. Authors

Book Review: Conan: The Tower of the Elephant By Robert E. Howard Illustrated by Valentin Sécher

Book Review: Lovecraft’s Brood Edited by Ellen Datlow

Book Review: Pig Wife by Abbey Luck

This week’s free fiction is united under the theme of death, from bridge jumpers to restless spirits. Firstly, “Jumper on the Troll Bridge” is a fantasy flash story that deals with the tough subject of suicide while involving a troll. This comes as part of Flash Point SF’s first ever Issue, alongside past drabble contest winners. Next, “What We Mean When We Talk About the Hole in the Bathroom” is a dark short story about a marriage breaking down due to miscommunication, duty, family, and culture. The hole in the bathroom can be seen as a metaphor for this marriage breakdown or even another threat to it. Lastly, “Nameless” is a horror short story about a woman named Margaret who wanders a graveyard, enjoying each grave’s history. This has a wonderful plot twist that you may not see coming. Also, it involves what I presented at my workshop at the Ghost Story Festival, so of course I loved it. Enjoy reading!

“Jumper on the Troll Bridge” by Shannon Cross at Flash Point SF.

“What We Mean When We Talk About the Hole in the Bathroom" by Angela Liu at Uncanny Magazine.

“Nameless” by Aliya Whiteley at The Dark Magazine.

On a school trip, a young teenager follows his classmates into a castle that is considered to be the most haunted in the country. The boy doesn’t believe in ghosts. He is the prankster, the class clown, the popular one, and the most good looking in the class.

Snickering, he invites a couple of his friends to sneak off. They wander from room to room, barely looking at the historical artifacts. They find a locked door, and hoping to impress his crush, the boy slams against it. The old door creaks open, and a gust of wind rushes from the room. They enter the dusty bedroom.

Upon the bed is a Victorian drum, and the class clown races over to bang on, beating a quick drumroll. Someone giggles, and the door shuts behind them.

What happens next is up to you…Let your imagination run wild!

If you post any writing content during the week and think it would be a good fit for us to feature, do reach out and let us know at [email protected]

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