Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Rebecca Buchanan @lyradora.bsky.social · 2d

Book mail! The proof copy for my next novelette has arrived. :) The digital copy is already available, and the print copy will release in December 2025! #fantasy #mystery #sherlockholmes #gaslamp #witchsky #booksky

The cover of The Adventure of the Faerie Coffin. Two figures stand back to back on a cobblestone street. The woman is Caucasian, has light brown hair, and is wearing a red dress. She is weaving magical blue vapors through her hands. The man is Caucasian, and is wearing a vest and long sleeved white shirt. He holds a pipe in one hand.

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Rebecca Buchanan @lyradora.bsky.social · 7d

Looking for something spooky to read this Halloween? Check out "Vampires Save the Night!" a brand-new anthology of short stories and poetry available in print and digital formats! #horror #fantasy #poetry #vampire

books2read.com/u/4jd2jl

The cover of Vampires Save the Night: Heroes, Anti-Heroes, and Not-So-Reformed Villains. The title is in the center, with Night written in bright red. The title is surrounded by vampires symbols, such as skulls, chalices, coffins, graves, bats, and more.

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Rebecca Buchanan @lyradora.bsky.social · 9d

Woohoo! My poem "A Troll's Feast" has been accepted for the upcoming issue of The Fairy Tale Magazine! Thank you to the editors, and congratulations to the other contributors. Your work is amazing! #amwriting #fairytale #folklore #fantasy

Art by John Bauer. Four curious trolls gather around a young woman. The trolls are taller than humans, with long hair and large noses, and are dressed in furs and beads. The young woman is smaller than the trolls. Her skin glows gold and she is wearing a golden crown.

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Rebecca Buchanan @lyradora.bsky.social · 14d

Book mail! The latest issue of Occult Detective Magazine (highly recommended to anyone with an interest in that genre); a new lady knight #romantasy; and the second book in Charlotte Bond’s epic #fantasy series starring a resurrected knight and her clever mage. Yummy! #booksky

The cover of Occult Detective Magazine #11. A woman dressed like a flapper from the 1920s is in the foreground. She is frightened and running from the undead monster in the background.

The cover of The Second Death of Locke by V L Bovalino. The image is the close-up of the armored chest of a woman knight. The armor is covered in beautiful scrollwork, and a scar is just visible on the knight’s left cheek. She is holding a beautiful sword in her hands.

The cover of The Bloodless Princes by Charlotte Bond. The title is in the foreground in gold lettering. In the background stands a woman knight holding a spear. At her side stands a woman in a red dress holding a cat.

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Rebecca Buchanan @lyradora.bsky.social · 17d

I’ll message the name to you.

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Rebecca Buchanan @lyradora.bsky.social · 17d

Not-so-hypothetical scenario: if you were running or participating in a group book promotion (like Storybundle or something similar) would you want to be informed that one of the books is AI? And the author is fake? Or would you want the matter to just be dropped? #booksky #fakebook #amwriting

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Rebecca Buchanan @lyradora.bsky.social · 18d

New book review up at Forests Haunted by Holiness! Do you love lady knights? #Dragons? #Magicswords? Then check out this review of the wonderful short novel The Fireborne Blade by Charlotte Bond. #fantasy #booksky #sapphicseptember

eternalhauntedsummer.com/forests-haun...

Review: The Fireborne Blade

Title: The Fireborne BladePublisher: TorAuthor: Charlotte BondPages: 164pp Maddileh was a knight. And she will be again, if she can reclaim her honor. And how better for a knight to do so than by s…

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Rebecca Buchanan @lyradora.bsky.social · 21d

Book mail! The next book in Harper’s urban fantasy The Cat Lady Chronicles; the kickstarter edition of English’s cozy-creepy fantasy, Faerie Fruit; Charlotte Bond and her lady knight/dragon adventure, The Fireborne Blade; and a wisewoman wandering the countryside in Ravenwood by Lowell. Woohoo!

The cover of The Dark Hiss of Magic by Helen Harper. A middle-aged Caucasian woman with purple hair sits in an alley. She is dressed in a black tank top and leather pants and is accompanied by several cats.

The cover of Faerie Fruit by Charlotte English. The title is in gold letters in the center. It is surrounded by curling vines bearing a variety of fruits in bright pink, green, blue, and purple.

The cover of The Fireborne Blade by Charlotte Bond. A Caucasian woman with short dark hair, dressed in armor, and holding a sword stands in the foreground. In the background looms the giant head of a white dragon.

The cover of Ravenwood by Nathan Lowell. The title and author name cover the bottom half. The top half depicts a figure wearing a large, floppy hat and carrying a heavy backpack. They hold a walking staff in one hand and stare down the road ahead of them as it extends into the distance. They are surrounded on both sides by wide fields of grain.

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Rebecca Buchanan @lyradora.bsky.social · 22d

New book review up at Forests Haunted by Holiness! If you love #romantasy and #fairytale retellings, check out this review of "A Marriage of Undead Inconvenience" by @stephanieburgis.bsky.social :) #booksky #vampire

eternalhauntedsummer.com/forests-haun...

Review: A Marriage of Undead Inconvenience

Title: A Marriage of Undead InconveniencePublisher/Author: Stephanie BurgisPages: 80pp Margaret Dunhaven just wants to be left alone to pursue her academic studies. Lord Riven of Shadowcroft Manor …

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Rebecca Buchanan @lyradora.bsky.social · 25d

Woohoo! "Autumn Tales From Cozy Vales" is now available! It features eleven seasonal tales -- including one by me! -- filled with magic, adventure, good food, and loyal friends. Perfect for curling up under your favorite blanket with a cup of hot cider.

books2read.com/cozyvales-an...

The cover of Autumn Tales From Cozy Vales. The cover is dark orange, with corner frames of white leaves. At the top and bottom are acorns framed by pale orange leaves. In the bottom center is a white circle that frames a cornucopia filled with autumn fruits, including a large pumpkin.

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Rebecca Buchanan @lyradora.bsky.social · Sep 10

Book mail! The new goodies are a dated but still interesting #litstudies #mythology text; a #feminist #witchy revenge tale from Ava Morgyn (take the content warning seriously); and a yummy #romantasy from @stephanieburgis.bsky.social. #booksky #witchsky

The cover of The Hero by Lord Raglan. A knight in full armor and a red cloak stands with one foot braced on a stone. He is holding a crown over his own head.

The cover of The Bane Witch by Ava Morgyn. In the background stands a mysterious cottage with glowing windows. The cottage is framed in the foreground by various poisonous plants and mushrooms.

The cover of A Marriage of Undead Inconvenience by Stephanie Burgis. At the top stands a black metal gate. At the bottom is the silhouette of a bat. The images are framed by branches with red flowers and berries.

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Rebecca Buchanan @lyradora.bsky.social · Sep 7

Attention fans of #folklore, #fables, and #fairytales: there is a #kickstarter to launch Fabled, a new digital and print journal out of Australia. It looks so cool!

www.kickstarter.com/projects/ast...

Fabled Magazine: Issue #1 Into the Woods

Fabled is a biannual print and digital magazine where each themed issue delves into the wonder of tales old and new.

www.kickstarter.com

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Rebecca Buchanan @lyradora.bsky.social · Sep 5

New interview up at Forests Haunted By Holiness! Are you interested in #norse mythology? Or #Thor? Then check out this interview with Morgan Daimler. #witchsky #booksky #polytheism #paganism

eternalhauntedsummer.com/forests-haun...

Five Questions With: Morgan Daimler

[Today, we sit down for five questions with author and scholar, Morgan Daimler. Here, Daimler discusses their book on the Norse God Thor, and a variety of upcoming projects.] Forests Haunted By Hol…

eternalhauntedsummer.com

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Rebecca Buchanan @lyradora.bsky.social · Sep 4

Woohoo! Thrill Ride Magazine #11: Sidekicks is here! Thank you to editor @blazeward.bsky.social for accepting my story “The Goddess and the Girls Night Out” and congrats to the many other talented contributors. :) #booksky #adventure #mystery #thriller

thrillridemagazine.com/book/sidekic...

Sidekicks – Thrill Ride Magazine

It isn't always the hero that saves the day. Sometimes, the lowly assistant comes through. The Sidekick. That one person on the edge of the spotlight, stepping up and making a difference.

thrillridemagazine.com

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Rebecca Buchanan @lyradora.bsky.social · Sep 3

Book mail! This time, my mailbox was filled with an #urbanfantasy, a brainy #scifi #murder #mystery with a protagonist who can body hop, and an #occult history/theology text (so much research fun!). #booksky #witchsky

The cover of Waifs and Strays by Helen Harper. A middle aged woman with purple pink hair sits on an outdoor staircase. Several cats sit around her.

The cover of Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite. A person with their brown hair in a bun sits in an upholstered chair with their back to the viewer. In front of them hover shelves of books against a starscape, while more books flutter around.

The cover of Baphomet: History, Ritual, and Magic of the World’s Most Famous Occult Icon by Michael Osiris Snuffin. The figure of a goat headed being with goat legs and human breasts sits in the middle of the cover. There is a crescent moon to their upper right and lower left, and a pentacle is drawn on their forehead.

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Rebecca Buchanan @lyradora.bsky.social · Aug 31

eternalhauntedsummer.com/gorgons-gaze...

Gorgon’s Gaze Press

Welcome to Gorgon’s Gaze Press, the home of collaborative storytelling. Beginning in Autumn 2025, Gorgon’s Gaze Press will release one new themed anthology every year: vampires, witches…

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Rebecca Buchanan @lyradora.bsky.social · Aug 31

It's here! "Vampires Save the Night: Heroes, Anti-Heroes, and Not-So-Reformed Villains" is now live at all major retailers in print and digital formats! Thank you to the talented contributors who made this anthology possible. :) #booksky #vampire #horror #fantasy #poetry

books2read.com/u/4ErNnO

The cover of Vampires Save the Night: Heroes, Anti-Heroes, and Not-So-Reformed Villains. The text is in the center, with the word Day scratched out and replaced by the word Night in bold red. The text is framed by vampiric symbols such as bats, stakes, chalices, cemeteries, and castles.

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Rebecca Buchanan @lyradora.bsky.social · Aug 31

Book mail! The newest Ruby Vaughn #occult #mystery from Jess Armstrong (the sequel to last year’s The Curse of Penryth Hall); and an #lgtbqia+ #romantasy adventure that I backed on #kickstarter.

No, I do not have a book problem. #booksky

The cover of The Secret of the Three Fates by Jess Armstrong. The text is superimposed over the image of a candelabra. In the background stands a mysterious manor house under a dark blue sky.

The cover of Fractured Magic by E. M. Rowene. In the upper background looms the head of a man who dark hair, looking pensive, while dark green and black mist swirls around him. In the bottom foreground stands another man with blond hair, wearing a suit and holding a lantern.

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Rebecca Buchanan @lyradora.bsky.social · Aug 28

Book mail! I backed the #kickstarter for the relaunch of Tales From the Magician’s Skull, and it is beautiful! Check it out if you like #fantasy, #swordandsorcery, and #horror. Great stories and great illustrations. (Candy for scale.) #booksky

The cover of Tales From the Magician’s Skull #13. In the background looms a massive skeleton. A giant sword pierces its chest. A horse of strange creatures with spikes and glowing eyes are crawling down the sword towards the party of magical adventurers in the foreground, who have drawn swords and created spells to defend themselves.

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Rebecca Buchanan @lyradora.bsky.social · Aug 27

Book mail! Thank you to @dansauer.bsky.social at Jackanapes Press and the immensely talented @adambolivar.bsky.social for this edition of Told by Firelight in Timbered Halls. Highly recommend this collection to anyone interested in #myth, #legend, and #alliterative #poetry. #thor, #loki, #norse

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Rebecca Buchanan @lyradora.bsky.social · Aug 23

Book mail! A couple of #queer #fantasy books (one anthology, one stand-alone); a #psychic #mystery with a hefty dose of humor and #romance; and a #regency mystery/adventure starring two daring sisters (I adored the first book). #booksky

What? You think someone can have too many books? pfft

The cover of Silk and Steel, a collection of queer fantasy and romantasy. A brown skinned person with long white hair, wearing a pink dress, stands in the foreground. Behind them is a pale skinned person with short back hair, wearing a classic military uniform. They both have a hand wrapped around the hilt of the same sword.

The cover of The Ruthless Lady’s Guide to Wizardry by CM Waggoner. The title is in the center. The border is composed of little images of spiders, pistols, cups of tea, parrots, watches, and magical potions. At the top stand two women in silhouette, one in a long dress, the other in trousers and a coat.

The cover of The Dead Guy Next Door by Lucy Score. The cover is primarily bright yellow, with a blue cityscape along the bottom. Three cards featuring the sun, moon, and a star are scattered across the cover.

The cover of The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin by Alison Goodman. Two women in fancy hats and flowing dresses in different shades of red, pink, and purple sit in a carriage. The title is superimposed across the carriage in fancy script.

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Rebecca Buchanan @lyradora.bsky.social · Aug 23

New #interview up at Forests Haunted By Holiness. Five quick questions with Juliette Jarvis, founder of Raven Tongue. She's running a #kickstarter now to launch the first few issues. :) #witchsky #astrology #paganism

eternalhauntedsummer.com/forests-haun...

Five Questions With: Juliette Jarvis

[Today, we sit down for five quick questions with Juliette Jarvis, the founder and editor of Raven Tongue. Jarvis is in the final days of a Kickstarter to fund the new journal dedicated to wise-wom…

eternalhauntedsummer.com

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Rebecca Buchanan @lyradora.bsky.social · Aug 23

Book mail! A new release all about #fairytales, #womenshistory, and so much more! Can’t wait to dive in. :) #booksky #witchsky

The cover of Women of the Fairy Tale Resistance. The title is in large gold letters in the center. The surrounding border is made up of tree branches, leaves, thread, a spindle, and arrows. In the bottom corners are the busts of two magical beings with blue skin and golden hair.

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Rebecca Buchanan @lyradora.bsky.social · Aug 20

Book mail! The second book in The Shifter of Sheridan Avenue series by Kenley Davidson. Fortunately this is only a trilogy. I have neither the patience nor the brain power for epic, multivolume series. #booksky #fantasy #paranormalromance

The cover of Magic Betrayed by Kenley Davidson. A woman with long, white-blonde hair stands in the foreground. She is dressed in black leather and cotton. Behind her stand tall skyscrapers. A large black dragon is flying through the night sky, framed by a full moon.

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Rebecca Buchanan @lyradora.bsky.social · Aug 19

New #bookreview up at Forests Haunted by Holiness. Do you like #urbanfantasy? #paranormalromance? #dragons? Then check out this review of Kenley Davidson’s “Magic Forsaken.” #booksky

eternalhauntedsummer.com/forests-haun...

Review: Magic Forsaken

Title: Magic Forsaken (The Shifter of Sheridan Avenue 1)Publisher: Page Nine PressAuthor: Kenley DavidsonPages: 396pp Raine Kendrick is an orphan, a fugitive, and a survivor. Kidnapped as a child, …

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