FFM 2026 #1: The Mists of Writers’ Valley

 July 1 2026

The Mists of Writers’ Valley

LadyRainStarDrago AKA Teresa Amehana Garcia

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The mist rolls in over the hills. It would be so serene if you didn’t know what it brings.

The lookout sits in her tower, securing her corner of the compound. Whether the other three still retained their sanity Hera could never be sure. It’s not like they met in the mess hall. No, they had all long ago taken to having their meals in their towers and coordinating among themselves who would be on watch when.

They were all that was left. All that still stood between their charges and what had taken the others.

Her eyes narrowed at a movement within the mist pouring into their arm of the valley. Behind her, she knew, another mist was rising from the creek. A flash of green, and her eyes focused on it.

A tendril? A tail? A head on a long neck?

Red spots glowed, and the siren song of vintage typewriters being worked at speed filled her ears.

Ah, of course. Today, they came.

Hydra. Their compound’s muse. Their nurse. Their God.

Her fingers itched and she gazed into the visions flitting over her mind’s eye, scrying the mists just as ancient fortune tellers and Druidic bards once had long ago, far across the sea. Her hand drifted toward the silent alarm. It was time to release them.

The writers emerged from their cages, starved for sustenance and inspiration. It was time. Time to feed. Time to dream. Time to write. Only through the protective veil of the written word could the wisdom and folly Hydra sang and projected be safely allowed to come before those normies still used to traditional vanilla stories who hid in the labyrinth below.

Hera smiled. Things eldritch soothed her. She was going to hand on to this gig as long as she could, shepherding those writers seeking to dabble toes in waters outside their more comfortable genres. Other things stirred in the mists too. Zombies were not the way they used to be written of… Hydra would likely feed well on those who chose not to brave the new world and cling to the old way of things.

Writers’ Valley was a weird place, but she’d never felt more at home.

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Also posting to my Deviant Art.

I'm so excited. One of my submitted prompt suggestions was actually chosen as one of the day's suggestions.

https://flashficmonth.wordpress.com/2026/06/30/ffm-links-1-july-2026/

 

Linktree: www.linktr.ee/Amehana

First Posted at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/Amehana/posts/ffm-2026-1-mists-162652710  

Pre-orders for Fun Short Story Fundamentals by Teresa Garcia

Plant a garden of stories while working your way through this short guide on short fiction types. Common and not so well known varieties are gathered in a bouquet to help you flesh out your writing portfolio. Also included is a short list of suggestions on where to submit to and prompts to help you seed your garden. Teresa Garcia, a lover of short fiction and author of both long and short forms, compiled this list to aid with writing workshops she intends to teach. She has also written and included examples of the various short story type to help show what can be done within each. Some are from her previous portfolio built up during previous Flash Fiction Months and others were written specifically for this book.

Here is a list of where else to find my short story writing guide, should you know anyone who would prefer to buy there. Print is also coming, I am just waiting for Amazon to populate that page, though they will at least link the e and print editions. I expect print to distribute to Amazon and B&N.

Shop on Kofi: https://ko-fi.com/amehana/shop 

Shop on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/amehana/shop? 

Shop on Gumroad: https://thgstardragon.gumroad.com/l/ovyad 

Preorders (most locations): https://books2read.com/u/bMkXWB 

Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H4DVJ8K1?th=1&psc=1&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.IdEjUbzlwCMp8lPGJBjGVEdHH-7VOv1rz8Gk5NNTxModSit7B4tKwZ7NPXYtCyiOaoEQLQ4KJacf_L0CUHTDKfDfsy3GPEbNWe2JDnLwnbAk-ZRnvvtIWVDEOeGF8hGWeGnZ0NmnKU6wET9mDv3d9ZE1SYR8a9jzygMZGKamMhPfQ_xVLsJ47UR6qDv18IrgLu14HCmh2sLXcyqU-wCL78cf7xnwUntNdzIWqfdDI64.mo_g58b7gePQC15Zv-icYpx6_vY6xCgRCTdCvhu5bXQ&dib_tag=AUTHOR

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fun-short-story-fundamentals-teresa-garcia/1150339677?ean=2940196883132

Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/id6777609126

As always, direct from publisher orders can be placed via email.

... I would have added a bit more about short stories for games, but I have a bad habit of short stories becoming sagas when bringing ideas into shared writing spaces like... TTRPG settings. Or linking challenges. Ask Obs on DH if you don't believe me about seasonal quests becoming linked story arcs. 

Alexander Saunders: Signal Boost: The King Of All That Is Magic with Page Turner Books

 

In addition to his most recent book with us, "The Other Workers of Santa Claus" Alexander Saunders has another newly released book "The King of All That Is Magic" with his other publisher Page Turner Books Inc..

 

I very much believe in also promoting my authors' books that they have with other publishers, not just the ones that are released through my company. Please go get a copy from one of these links, and don't forget to pick up your copy of the books that he has at my own company while you're completing your collection of his works.

 

Also you can follow Alexander himself directly here: https://www.facebook.com/magicalways

 

Page Turner Books Inc.

https://ptbooksinc.com/product/king-of-all-that-is-magic/

 

Amazon

https://a.co/d/hYMtlHm

 

Barnes & Noble

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-king-of-all-that-is-magic-alexander-saunders/1148697045?ean=9781967289561

 

Bookshop

https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-king-of-all-that-is-magic/72643a58f8eecbee?ean=9781967289578&next=t

 

Books-A-Million

https://www.booksamillion.com/p/King-All-That-Magic/Alexander-Saunders/9781967289561

 

Or at many other#bookstores online 

 

 #readers #reading #EnemiesToLovers #fantasy #fiction #fictionalcharacters #fictionalplaces #booksbooksbooks #magic #magicalcreaturesauthors

Pre-Orders Open for "The Other Workers of Santa Claus" by Alexander Saunders

 

Santa has had many helpers over his long years, and many friends. Elves and reindeer are not the only denizens of the North Pole. Join Santa, Mrs. Claus, and some of their newest workers, Roger, Becky, and Macy, along with his old friends. Old enemies, old loves, and more clash to create a prickly situation that only Santa's Other Workers and some unexpected volunteers hold the keys to help diffuse. This time it isn't Santa or Rudolph saving Christmas, but three very special young people and some unlikely friends. Join Alexander Saunders by the fireside with a cup of hot cocoa and hear his tale.

This tale is perfect to read aloud with the family during the holidays. The author writes his stories intending for them to be read that way, in the hopes of inspiring the reader. Magic, adventure, wonder, and hope are themes he enjoys working with. 

Here are the links for pre-ordering your copy (or copies) of Alexander Saunders' latest release, "The Other Workers of Santa Claus" through THG StarDragon Publishing. The book releases November 1st in both print and e-book starting at these retailers/distributors and is expected to be pushed from them to other distributors connected in the networks through those originating points. Pre-orders are open NOW to be preparing for the Winter Holiday Season. Amazon so far is the only one that does not have the link for the print edition live yet, and according to their mail the print page will go visible on release day. This notice will be updated with that link after that page goes live.

Amazon

Print | Kindle

 

Smashwords (owned by Draft 2 Digital)

All Digital Formats

 

Barnes & Noble

Print | Ebook

 

Apple iStore

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9798224246359 

 

An audio format will follow at some point, but is yet to be recorded. 

Obituary: Crim Mip, A Dreamweaver of the Dreaming Twilight.

 I wanted to give the SL Newser time to publish Crim's official Obituary but with how things are going I need to upload it before I am further carried away with preparations for his private and his public memorial service. The SL Newser, run by our friend Bixyl Shuftan, has at least already published preliminary reports.

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 Crim Mip, known in the real world as Karl Meyer, was a person whose ripples extended to many ponds. From the Memphis Furmeet, the MLP community (Trotsdale, Nisa, Ibex Empire, etc), the spiritual and Pagan community (Arashiryuu Yashiro, Practicing Magic for a time, and others), the SL boating and aeronautics communities… and others I probably don’t know of as he was very active.


I first met him in Nisa while exploring, seeking my home in the Second Life’s MLP community. There I met many others in a heavily mythologically influenced sim. The Nisean sim grouping, with Crim Mip as one of the several co-owners, grew to a landmass of Nisa, Thessalia, Exmoor, The Ibex Empire (aka Ibexia), Los Qwhilla, Qwhildrasil, and many other locations of the rp world. For a time this landmass resided north of – and joined to – Trotsdale. Later, Trotsdale eventually moved to join Neighberry’s landmass, before Nisa finally became Dreaming Twilight and moved instead to reside in a plot in Ontario due to funding.


Crim is/was the second of the strongest pillars of the Dreaming Twilight. Now another of the trees of the sacred grove has lost its leaves, reminding us of how tightly Life and Death are interwoven.


Crim leaves behind a loving girlfriend, Karla Voilpa (KariaKae Karu), the remaining members of the Dreaming Twilight and Arashiryuu Yashiro groups, his real life friends and relatives… and countless members of the many communities he was part of. He was a chosen brother of myself and Oscelot Halaan. He joins his former partner Lacy Musketeer.


He will be missed. He is loved. He is gone… Yet he now blows in the wind, creeps in the vines, falls from the sky in raindrops, dances in the tides of the sea, and warms us in our hearths.


Our thoughts are with all his loved ones. The Dreaming Twilight will continue. The memories will be maintained.


Please contact Amehana Arashi (Amehana Ishtari), Oscelot Halaan, and KariaKae Karu for more info.


You can also join the Dreaming Twilight [ secondlife:///app/group/c20ee681-8a58-6d0b-4f84-03c7aeece461/about ] and Arashiryuu Yashiro [ secondlife:///app/group/b6fef2dc-b13f-6da5-3561-7b3bc92efd07/about ] groups to be notified of any upcoming planned events and sporadic gatherings.


There will be an in-world memorial at the Dreaming Twilight plot

Date: To Be Announced

Time: To Be Announced

Pool of Life Url: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Ontario/179/158/56 With the graves of our other departed 

The Other Workers of Santa Claus

The Other Workers of Santa Claus

By Alexander Saunders

 

Coming to the catalog in the Winter Holiday Season of 2025.
Look for it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, and Gumroad, and many more. Watch for preorders to open up! Don't forget to ask your local library and book store to carry it once pre-orders have opened. Direct orders through email can also be placed for invoicing.
Ebook, Print, audiobook editions pending.

Santa has had many helpers over his long years, and many friends. Elves and reindeer are not the only denizens of the North Pole. Join Santa, Mrs. Claus, and some of their newest workers, Roger, Becky, and Macy, along with his old friends. Old enemies, old loves, and more clash to create a prickly situation that only Santa's Other Workers and some unexpected volunteers hold the keys to help diffuse. This time it isn't Santa or Rudolph saving Christmas, but three very special young people and some unlikely friends. Join Alexander Saunders by the fireside with a cup of hot cocoa and hear his tale.

Humble Bundle submission made and Spotify news

Knock on wood and keep your fingers crossed for Alexander Saunders. I just finished sending off a query about getting Treasure of the Ancient Wizards into one of Humble Bundle's upcoming bundles.

Did you know some of our audiobooks are on Spotify? For now it is some of Teresa Garcia and Elizabeth Buckley's books. Once others are available you'll be able to look there in addition to Amazon, Gumroad, and the publishing website's direct sales. I can also be asked to run up physical cd copies.

So far things are still on track to have his book "The Other Workers of Santa Claus" ready for the 2025 holiday season. I'll post an update when preorders will be able to open.