Blackbird Publishing

Story Spotlight: “Aye, Plank” by Robert Jeschonek - Blackbird Publishing In Robert Jeschonek’s “Aye, Plank,” the most feared instrument of pirate justice becomes the narrator of its own strange, mythic story—a tale of

As the pirate ship Defiler prowls the seas in 1750, one crewman awakens something ancient and forgotten in the wood beneath his feet.

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Interview: “Echoes of a Forgotten Day” by Meyari McFarland - Blackbird Publishing In Meyari McFarland's “Echoes of a Forgotten Day,” Marie sets out alone on a storm-battered hike along the Oregon coast, determined to honor a promise made to

An interview with Meyari McFarland, author of "Echoes of a Forgotten Day." 🌊👻

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Story Spotlight: “Final Walkthrough” by Lou J. Berger - Blackbird Publishing This is Southern Gothic at its most intimate—not a crumbling mansion full of strangers, but a family farmhouse where every warped board and rusted hinge

In Lou J. Berger’s “Final Walkthrough,” inheritance isn’t just a legal matter—it’s a haunting, and the dead have terms of their own.

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Interview: “The Wind Witch of Weird Water Harbour” by Steve Vernon - Blackbird Publishing In “The Wind Witch of Weird Water Harbour,” Steve Vernon spins a salt-soaked fable of pride, punishment, and the price of a bargain struck with

When the sea goes still and the sails hang limp, only one woman in Weird Water Harbour can sell you a wind—and she’ll take more than your coin in return.

An interview with Steve Vernon, author of "The Wind Witch of Weird Water Harbour." 🌬️

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Story Spotlight: “Above Us, Hell” by Alicia Cay - Blackbird Publishing In Alicia Cay’s “Above Us, Hell,” a down-on-his-luck treasure hunter and his grandfather chase a salvage score in the Caribbean—and surface something from the

Treasure hunter Owen Moore and his grandfather find a World War II submarine risen from the Cayman Trench—only to unleash the restless spirits trapped inside.

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Interview: “The Ocean is My Wife” by DeAnna Knippling - Blackbird Publishing When Harwood is pulled beneath the waves by the cursed ship Merry Mermaid, he must face not only the monstrous Milady who rules the abyss, but the truth of

In *The Ocean is My Wife*, DeAnna Knippling conjures an immortal sea-epic of gods, ghosts, and sailors bound to the deep—a ballad of love, rebellion, and the eternal pull of the tide.

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Story Spotlight: “By Still Waters” by P. D. Cacek - Blackbird Publishing In P. D. Cacek’s “By Still Waters,” a son drives his aging father to a funeral—and straight into the dark heart of a secret that's been drowning them both for

Some hauntings aren't curses. They’re consequences.

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Interview: “The Wreck of the USS Hollander” by James Pyles - Blackbird Publishing In “The Wreck of the USS Hollander,” a deep-ocean recovery crew descends on a sunken Cold War submarine—and wakes something that's been waiting in the dark.

The wreck of the USS Hollander lies three miles beneath the Atlantic. When a recovery crew finds it, they also find someone onboard is sending an SOS...even though the submarine sunk over 40 years before.

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Story Spotlight: “The Code” by Annie Reed - Blackbird Publishing In Annie Reed's “The Code,” a ghostly enforcer bound to the ocean's will haunts a dying seaside bar, waiting for a man who broke the oldest law of the sea.

The sea is vast and unforgiving, and those who sail it need to trust each other. Break that trust, and the ocean itself becomes your judge.

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Interview: “Drip, Drip, Drip” by Jeff Wood - Blackbird Publishing In “Drip, Drip, Drip,” nine-year-old Tommy wakes to find his little brother standing alone in the dark kitchen, staring into the sink. Something is talking to

Nine-year-old Tommy knows the voice isn't coming from inside his head. It's coming from the kitchen sink—from something ancient and hungry hiding in the garbage disposal, something that's been waiting for a long, long time.

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Story Spotlight: “The Wind Witch of Weird Water Harbour” by Steve Vernon - Blackbird Publishing In Steve Vernon’s “The Wind Witch of Weird Water Harbour,” a desperate sea captain makes a deal with a witch who sells the wind by the knot. But some debts

When the sea goes still and the sails hang limp, only one woman in Weird Water Harbour can sell you the wind—and she’ll take more than your coin in return.

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Interview: “A Dismal Death” by Debbie Mumford - Blackbird Publishing In "A Dismal Death," Debbie Mumford blends wit, warmth, and ghostly mystery as a seer, her stubborn ancestor, and a dashing sheriff uncover murder and magic

In "A Dismal Death," Debbie Mumford blends wit, warmth, and ghostly mystery as a seer, her stubborn ancestor, and a dashing sheriff uncover murder and magic in a town where the dead won't rest.

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Haunted Waters–15 Tales from the Depths - Blackbird Publishing Step into Haunted Places — an anthology of spectral stories shaped by memory, magic, and the haunting spaces we never truly leave behind.

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A soft, twilight slice of the anthology cover: tall trees drift into shadow, and red leaves carpet the forest floor like scattered pages. The tone is reflective and warm—echoing the quiet reverence and literary spirit of “To Everything There is a Season” by P. D. Cacek.

P. D. Cacek explores the haunting bond between writer and story in “To Everything There is a Season.” In our interview, she shares how fiction becomes legacy—and why letting go is its own kind of magic.

Read the interview: blackbirdpublishing.com/interview-to...

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A pale, frozen-toned slice of the anthology cover: mist coils over a stark forest and the red leaves seem to hover like scattered warnings. The chill in the composition evokes the frozen tension and spectral quiet of “Haunting Chloe” by James Pyles.

A ghost on the ice. A girl who won’t be fooled.

James Pyles’ “Haunting Chloe” is a quiet, eerie winter tale about grief, boundaries, and a haunting that wants more than friendship.

⛸️ Read the spotlight: blackbirdpublishing.com/story-spotli...

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A stark segment from the anthology cover: shadows stretch between narrow trees, and fog drifts low across a forest floor streaked with crimson leaves. The scene radiates isolation and tension—echoing the haunted tech, recursion, and emotional unease of “When You Can Walk Away But You Can’t Leave” by DeAnna Knippling.

DeAnna Knippling’s “When You Can Walk Away But You Can’t Leave” turns a haunted escape room into a site of personal reckoning.

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#blackbirdpublishing #storyspotlight #hauntedplaces #ghoststory #speculativefiction #techhorror #amreading

A bold crop of the anthology cover: pale mist clings to dark, upright trees, while red leaves slash across the forest floor. The scene pulses with quiet intensity—evoking the haunting, defiant energy of “Zero Proof” by Erik Kort.

In “Zero Proof”, Erik Kort crafts a furious, tender ghost story rooted in queer community and chosen family. In this interview, they share how haunting becomes healing.

✨ Read the interview: blackbirdpublishing.com/interview-ze...

#blackbirdpublishing #hauntedplaces #ghoststory #amreading

A stark, cold slice of the anthology cover: skeletal trees stretch into mist, and the red leaves lie dusted with pale frost. The tension is brittle and somber—evoking the wintry dread and haunted grief of “Blue Bride” by Alicia Cay.

Alicia Cay’s “Blue Bride” is a gothic ghost story of vengeance, grief, and the chilling truths we uncover when it's almost too late.

❄️ Read the spotlight: blackbirdpublishing.com/story-spotli...

#blackbirdpublishing #storyspotlight #ghoststory #hauntedplaces #gothichorror #amreading

A soft-edged crop from the anthology cover: mist clings to the edges of a quiet forest. The image feels nostalgic and low-lit, mirroring the warmth and gentle eeriness of “That Lake House Summer” by Deb Logan.

Deb Logan’s “That Lake House Summer” is a warm, gently spooky coming-of-age ghost story about creativity, connection, and one life-changing summer.

🌊 Read the spotlight: blackbirdpublishing.com/story-spotli...

#blackbirdpublishing #storyspotlight #ghoststory #hauntedplaces #speculativefiction

A quiet, misted portion of the anthology cover: dusky light filters through bare branches while red leaves lie like petals on the forest floor. The scene is wistful and softly magical—reflecting the lyrical grief and quiet awe of “They Stole My Love Last Night” by Alexandra J. Brandt.

In our interview with Alexandra J. Brandt, she shares the folklore, grief, and heart that shaped her lyrical ghost story “They Stole My Love Last Night” from Haunted Places.

🌿 Read the interview: blackbirdpublishing.com/interview-th...

#blackbirdpublishing #ghoststory #folklore #hauntedplaces

A cool-toned section of the anthology cover: mist coils over forest shadows, and red leaves scatter like embers across the path. The composition feels serene and liminal—evoking the quiet magic and wilderness healing of “River of Renewal” by Kari Kilgore.

In “River of Renewal”, Kari Kilgore delivers a quiet, lyrical ghost story of healing in the cold mountain wilderness. Soft hauntings, sacred silence, and a ghost horse that changes everything.

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A narrow, fog-draped view of the anthology cover: tree branches tangle above and red leaves peek through frost. The scene is cold, restrained, and mournful—mirroring the gothic grief and spectral justice of Alicia Cay’s “Blue Bride.”

Alicia Cay’s “Blue Bride” is a gothic ghost story of grief, revenge, and the secrets families try to bury.

👻❄️ Read the interview: blackbirdpublishing.com/interview-bl...

A delicate section of the anthology cover: soft mist curls through slender trees. The image feels intimate and contemplative—mirroring the gentle, uncanny warmth of “Scents Drifting on a Breeze” by Meyari McFarland.

Meyari McFarland’s “Scents Drifting on a Breeze” is a warm, slyly funny sapphic ghost story about love, legacy, and a haunted funerary vase with matchmaking tendencies.

🌸 Read the spotlight + excerpt: blackbirdpublishing.com/story-spotli...

#blackbirdpublishing #ghoststory #hauntedplaces

DeAnna Knippling’s story “When You Can Walk Away But You Can’t Leave” is part workplace horror, part tech-haunt, and all confrontation.

🧠👻 Read the interview: blackbirdpublishing.com/interview-st...

#blackbirdpublishing #authorinterview #hauntedplaces #speculativefiction #ghoststory #amreading

Some ghosts don’t linger out of sorrow—they stay for love.

“Dance Hall Days” by Jamie Ferguson is a nostalgic, heartwarming ghost story of friendship, music, and one last mission from the other side.

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#blackbirdpublishing #hauntedplaces

A deep blue forest fading into fog. This image feels nostalgic and gently uncanny—perfectly evoking the atmosphere of “That Lake House Summer” by Deb Logan.

A family vacation. A lake house. A ghost in the cupboard.

Deb Logan’s “That Lake House Summer” is a reflective, gently spooky coming-of-age tale about love, family, and what lingers in places we thought we knew.

Read the interview with Deb: blackbirdpublishing.com/interview-th...

Story Spotlight: “Whispers of the Whistle Stop” by Charles Eugene Anderson - Blackbird Publishing In “Whispers of the Whistle Stop,” Charles Eugene Anderson puts us aboard a ghost-haunted train on a presidential campaign trail—where lost souls and

In “Whispers of the Whistle Stop” by Charles Eugene Anderson, a presidential hopeful must reckon with the past aboard the Liberty Express.

Read the spotlight on the blog: blackbirdpublishing.com/story-spotli...

#blackbirdpublishing #storyspotlight #ghoststory #hauntedplaces #speculativefiction

Interview: “The Only Thing Left” by Shannon Lawrence - Blackbird Publishing Restoring an old house seemed like a fresh start—but the house’s past, and its restless ghosts, have other plans.

Haunted houses don’t scare Sydney. Not anymore.

In “The Only Thing Left”, Shannon Lawrence explores fury, loss, and the kind of haunting that has nothing to do with ghosts—and everything to do with what we refuse to surrender.

Check out Shannon's interview: blackbirdpublishing.com/interview-th...

Story Spotlight: “They Stole My Love Last Night” by Alexandra J. Brandt - Blackbird Publishing In “They Stole My Love Last Night,” Alexandra J. Brandt brings us to the wind-lashed coast of the Isle of Skye, where a granddaughter joins her Granmarie on a

Alexandra J. Brandt’s “They Stole My Love Last Night” is a lyrical, bittersweet tale set on the misty Isle of Skye. With fairy music and hidden gardens, this story lingers like a song half-remembered.

🎻 Read the spotlight: blackbirdpublishing.com/story-spotli...

A fog-shrouded forest bathed in blue light. Bare, twisting branches loom overhead while the ground is scattered with vivid red leaves. The atmosphere is hushed, otherworldly, and slightly ominous—perfectly evoking the haunted themes of “Haunting Chloe” by James Pyles.

A frozen lake. A lonely girl. A ghost boy who won't let go. In James Pyles' "Haunting Chloe", a winter vacation turns sinister when the ice refuses to stay still—and neither does the past.

Read the interview: blackbirdpublishing.com/interview-st...

#blackbirdpublishing #ghoststory #hauntedplaces