The first volume of Tales from the Year Between is set in Achten Tan, a post-apocalyptic fantasy city where elves ride massive ants and gnomes farm algae in cursed, subterranean caves. Having weathered generations of warfare against the giant, intelligent rats known as the Craven, the people of Achten Tan hoped that the sudden peace this last winter would presage a year of prosperity. (Spoiler -- it didn't).
A dark elf wizard, long thought dead, will return to direct the sand-worms in some obscure search. Mad prophets will arrive with severed heads; gladiators will bleed and die in the desert sand; and sleepers, unable to wake, will mutter in an ominous, unknown tongue.
Welcome to Achten Tan!
Achten Tan: Land of Dust and Bones is available n a variety of digital formats and paperback. Right now you can buy it in Kindle or paperback ad Amazon or an eBook through Smashwords. You can also order the paperback at Barnes & Noble or wherever slightly off-kilter books are sold!
Chris started The Year Between because he was bored and it seemed like a good idea at the time. He is also the founding president of Skullgate Media. You can see things he writes at cvandyke.com and follow him at @aboutrunning
Darby isn't sure how she ended up on the giant ant to Achten Tan, but has enjoyed the ride. You can usually find her hiding from her kids, writing YA and MG books. Find out more at darbycupid.com or find her on Twitter @darbycupid.
Gregory is a disabled writer from Dallas, Texas. In 15 years he has written everything from poetry to novels. He enjoys writing supernatural/fantasy with the help of his cat Luna. His website is: https://gkcoley.wixsite.com/gregorycoleywriting
A fantasy author hailing from Northwestern Ontario, Ian joined The Year Between project for the opportunity to express some of the rogue ideas rattling around in his mind between his solo projects. You can find him on Twitter @RoyalsNRogues
Benjamin is a software developer, improviser, and writer currently living in Austin, TX. His stories have appeared in Tina Connolly’s Toasted Cake, Crossed Genres, Pornokitsch, Podcastle, Pseudopod, and Diabolical Plots.
He tweets as @inCatastrophe
Illustrator, academic, & author, they live in the middle of no-man's-land big sky country. They have a passion for slipstream, romance, LGBTQ novels & the odd short story. Straddling the line between grunge and sappy prose, their world can be found online at the Kavordian Library
Gabrielle is the writer and narrator of the podcast Stories in the Dark. She has previously published a collection of stories from the podcast titled "Stores in the Dark: The Horror" as well as "Empire of Sky," a YA Fantasy. Read more at GabrielleAwe.com
Chris Durston lives in England’s West Country, where he subsists on cider and ‘taters. He doesn’t know what’s going on, ever, but is OK with it. His first novel, Each Little Universe, was released in April 2020 and isn’t half bad, he hopes. Find his stuff on chrisdurston.com or on Twitter @overthinkery1
S.L.Parker, world builder, wonderer & as a result, writer. Plays well with words & others. Prior publications in poetic & academic veins. WIP exploring creation of civilization & what if step-sisters of the divided ruling family were Fear and True Love. Tweets via @isparkit
A third-generation soldier, Kelly Washington's writing has appeared in Pulp House Fiction Magazine, Kaleidotrope, Heart’s Kiss, and various Fiction River Anthologies. You can find her on the web at Kellywashington.com She tweets as @kellywashwrites
Sarah Remy/Alex Hall is a nonbinary, animal-loving, proud gamer Geek. Their work can be found in a variety of cool places, including HarperVoyager, EDGE and NineStar Press. Find them online at SarahRemy.com or on twitter at @sarahremywrites
Jesse is an indie author who prefers to explore the dark and weird in his stories. With one dark fantasy book and more on the horizon, this anthology seemed like the perfect opportunity to try out shorter fiction in a collaborative way. Check out his work at: jessenolanbailey.com
Erin Rae Hoffer writes about post-fossil fuel futures in the hope that positive imaginings might slap humanity hard enough to change things. You can find her website here and her tweets at @erhoffer
Sarah wrote fanfiction for years and is now working on her first Contemporary Romance novel. Originally from Southern California, Sarah currently lives in Anchorage, Alaska with her husband, son and two cats. She Tweets @sarahhouckbooks
Kyle is an all-around nerd and lover of nerdy things. When not writing, Kyle meditates, hikes, cooks, paints, and spends time with his dogs. He enjoys turning traditional fantasy tropes on their heads. You can find Kyle on Twitter at @KDBAuthor and online at Wordpress.
Having grown up but never matured, Debbie channels her inner teen into YA SFF. She lives & writes in Meitar, Israel, balancing a day job as a public speaker with writing VSS on twitter. Follow her on @debbieiancu or at her author website
CD Storiz loves to escape by reading and writing Science Fiction and Fantasy. Her previously published novelette, Relevant, can be found at Kyanite Press. As @LeChatGris3, she tweets samples of her writing and rants about her cat.
Allison is a stay-at-home mom who lives in MN. She may look sweet and innocent, but her characters know better. She is querying her first adult fantasy novel, which you can find out more about at her website: authorallisonmoore.com. Her Twittter is @MooreWriting89.
Rosalind is a primary teacher, artist, and master of procrastination. When not writing fantasy, she can be found knitting, playing board games with her partner, or hibernating with a book and her grumpy Turkish Angora cat. @ortyallin
Weaver of tales, drinker of ales and dancer of rock... in any order. Betwixt my lips and fingers rests a million stories waiting to be told.
Author of the Starlab Chronicles and Molly Banjo series, released 2020. Tweets as @StarlabChronic1
www.starlabchronicles.co.uk
Imelda Taylor was an English Tutor before becoming a full-time mother. She's fond of creating things that shape her daughter's imagination. She lives in Letchworth Garden City in Hertfordshire England. Follow her on Twitter @lostsheep2 & Instagram @lostsheep.is
Produces and plays on The Chimera, an actual play RPG podcast, where his roles have included a loud-mouth vampire, a living financial instrument,, and a hippopotamus bartender. Writes in fit and starts. Passable tweeting at @MrReciprocity and @chimerapod.
Garris, Son of Key Lore is a sincere satire ( sintire.com) of Elvira Canaveral creator of GameOfDepth.com, Pincombo.com. Go to WordCrimes.com for work or dial HAHACOMICS for Rep Ryan Richards r@sintire.com
Idaho-born and raised, Roger moved to NYC to write plays and fall in love and apparently teach English to Brooklyn high school students. Sonneteer, novelist, screenwriter, playwright. Blessed with a wife who celebrates nerdom and a teen daughter who hasn't gone to the dark side.
Born in British Columbia Canada, Darius grew up in a town caught between a village and a city nestled within acres of mountain and backwoods. He started his writing journey writing fan-fiction for the Duke Nukem games, and has been enamored with writing since. @OSTBear
Diana C Gagliardi talks to kids about books at a middle school & has written for various East Coast LARPS. While accused of being fictional, she lives outside of Philly PA with four feline companions, three guitars, & a ukulele. She & her child enjoy singing in harmony & quoting Monty Python.
Jonathan is a singer & writer from Northern Ireland who loves cats, whiskey and traveling; in the absence of the latter is hitting the other two pretty hard. When he’s not running or watching Star Trek, he’s can be found in coastal cafes, writing odd tweet-sized stories under the name @diminufiction.
The second volume of Tales from the Year Between is set on the far side of our galaxy in some far-flung future. For generations, the United Planetary Alliance has been fighting a losing war against the invading armies of the Swarm.
In a desperate bid to turn the tide, the UPA plans a daring mission to steal one of the Swarm's battleships. The squad of Marines and civilian imbeds hope to capture the dreaded Warp Cannon and turn it on the Swarm. But the Ship has other plans...
Join a motley crew of 25 humans and aliens as they explore the farthest reaches of the galaxy. They'll be pitted against inhospitable landscapes, space sharks, and a dire shortage of Vesuvian coffee.
As everything around them changes, the one constant is the Ship. But is it the super-weapon they hoped it would be? Is it another threat... or actually an ally?
Chris is back as a contributor because, in his words "I started it, dammit. I get to be in it!" He is also the Editor-in-Chief of TFYB and founding president of Skullgate Media. You can see things he writes at cvandyke.com and follow him at @aboutrunning (Vol. 1 alum, Editor-In-Chief, Skullgate Staff, etc.)
Laila Amado spends her days teaching, writing, never quite catching up on her own research agenda, and trying to get a teenage kid through a global pandemic. In her free time, she can be found staring at the Mediterranean Sea. Occasionally, the sea stares back. She is on Twitter @onbonbon7
Emily is an SFF writer hailing from the cold, wind-swept prairies of Manitoba, Canada, where she lives with one husband, two kids, and two cats. You can find her latest writing endeavors, cosplays, and other nerdy things on Twitter and Instagram, as well as her rarely-updated website.
Gabrielle is the writer of the podcasts Finding Satan and Stories in the Dark, which she also narrates. She has published a collection of stories from the podcast titled "Stores in the Dark: The Horror" as well as "Empire of Sky," a YA Fantasy. Read more at GabrielleAwe.com (Vol. 1 alum)
B.K. Bass is the author of over a dozen books of science fiction, fantasy, and horror inspired by pulp fiction magazines and classic speculative fiction. He is also an avid worldbuilder, a blender of genres, and a student of history. More about B.K. can be found on his website.
Jayme is a multi-genre author hailing from the sunny state of Florida. As a semi-retired zookeeper and full-time Mom, Jayme spends the little bit of free time she has telling stories. Her debut adventure novel, Untouched, will hit the shelves in early 2021. You can follow her on twitter @ZookeeperBean.
Born in British Columbia Canada, Darius grew up in a town caught between a village and a city nestled within acres of mountain and backwoods. He started his writing journey writing fan-fiction for the Duke Nukem games, and has been enamored with writing since. @OSTBear (Vol. 1 alum)
Jonathan is a singer & writer from Northern Ireland who loves cats, whiskey and traveling; in the absence of the latter is hitting the other two pretty hard. When he’s not running or watching Star Trek, he’s can be found in coastal cafes, writing odd tweet-sized stories under the name @diminufiction (Vol. 1 alum)
Steven Bayer is a drama teacher by day and a daydreamer in his spare time. He is thrilled to debut with Skullgate and hopes to share more of the wild and fantastical thoughts swirling in his mind in the years to come. You can follow him on Twitter as @sylphenwood.
A sincere satirist ( sintire.com), Elvira Canaveral is the creator of GameOfDepth.com as well as Pincombo.com. Go to WordCrimes.com for work or dial HAHACOMICS for Rep Ryan Richards r@sintire.com (Vol. 1 alum)
Zackery Cuevas worked in scholarly publishing and children’s publishing before switching gears to write about gaming and tech. When he is not talking about, praising, or complaining about video games, he can be found performing around New York City.
Aaron Hockett is a New York City based architect, illustrator, amateur cartographer, and aspiring cartoonist. His previous work includes the maps for Volume 1 of Tales from the Year Between.. Aaron's comic work can be found on Instagram at @hockett.aaron (Vol. 1 alum)
Erin Rae Hoffer writes about envirofuturism and post-fossil fuel worlds in the hope that positive imaginings might slap humanity hard enough to change things. She tweets as @erhoffer and posts on her lxnishimoto website (Vol. 1 alum)
A.R.K. Horton writes blogs about myths, fairytales, and folktales. She is also a fantasy author currently working on The Telverin Trilogy. When she isn't writing, she's building websites and managing a family of five in her Florida home. You can find her blog and links to her books at arkhorton.com.
Currently querying a couple of YA SFF novels, participating in three different anthologies, writing vss on Twitter & buying way too much stuff on Aliexpress. For my day job I give lectures on humor and serve as a personal chauffeur for my two teenagers. Resides in Meitar, Israel. Follow @debbieiancu or her author website (Vol. 1 alum, Skullgate Staff)
Daniel James is an aspiring writer originally from London, looking to publish stories in the fantasy and science fiction genres. He is a recovering activist and a vocal defender of LGBTQ rights, fellow disabled people and social welfare. You can find him on Twitter (@danjameswrites) and via WordPress
Allison is a stay-at-home mom who lives in MN. She may look sweet and innocent, but her characters know better. She is querying her first adult fantasy novel, which you can find out more about at her website: authorallisonmoore.com. Her Twittter is @MooreWriting89 (Vol. 1 alum)
Jeremy Nelson is a recent transplant to Edinburgh whose afterimages linger in Hong Kong and Portland, Oregon. His preoccupations include accordions, photography, and outdated methods of putting words to paper. His website is coming soon, but you can find him on Twitter now as @jpaknelson
S.L.Parker, world builder, wonderer & as a result, writer. Plays well with words & others. Prior publications in poetic & academic veins. WIP exploring creation of civilization & what if step-sisters of the divided ruling family were Fear and True Love. Tweets via @isparkit (Vol. 1 alum, Guest Editor)
Sarah Remy/Alex Hall is a nonbinary, animal-loving, proud gamer Geek. Their work can be found in a variety of cool places, including HarperVoyager, EDGE and NineStar Press. Find them online at SarahRemy.com or on twitter at @sarahremywrites (Vol. 1 alum, Guest Editor)
A. A. Rubin surfs the cosmos on waves of dark energy. His work has appeared recently in anthologies from Flying Ketchup Press and Kyanite Publishing, and in journals such as Cowboy Jamboree and Bards Annual. Follow him as @TheSurrealAari on Twitter, Facebook , and Instagram, or through his website
CD Storiz loves to escape by reading and writing Science Fiction and Fantasy. Her previously published novelette, Relevant, can be found at Kyanite Press. As @LeChatGris3, she tweets samples of her writing and rants about her cat. (Vol. 1 alum, Skullgate Staff)
A third-generation soldier, Kelly Washington's writing has appeared in Pulp House Fiction Magazine, Kaleidotrope, Heart’s Kiss, and various Fiction River Anthologies. You can find her on the web at Kellywashington.com She tweets as @kellywashwrites ((Vol. 1 alum, Guest Editor)
Phebe Yawson loves to write poetry and short stories. Author of She Cried Wolf, Phebe, spends her days homeschooling her 3.5 children and cooking for her husband. Well, anyone who's hungry. Her nights are for her pen. Writings available at phebeyawson.com
While not a contributor this time, D acted as the Game Master for Volume 2's world building game. She herded many cats and is now Den Mother to over two dozen sci-fi authors. She & her (actual) child enjoy singing in harmony & quoting Monty Python in and around Philadelphia. (Vol. 1 alum, Skullgate Staff, GM)
Like Diana, Chris "Terry" Durston in holding down the Skullgate fort this time out doing editing and stuff. Unlike D, he lives in England, where he subsists on cider and ‘taters. His first novel, Each Little Universe, was released in April 2020. chrisdurston.com or on Twitter @overthinkery1 (Vol. 1 alum, Skullgate Staff)
From traditional "Pirates of the Caribbean" to Elven buccaneers, from steam-punk airships to astroid-hopping smugglers, this Volume of Tales From the Year Between will be crammed full of every sort of pirate themed adventure imaginable! So whether you like your pirates with a "yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum!" or "prepare for light speed!" we've got you covered!
This time we've switched up our world-building game, and are using a home-brew hack of Caro Asercion's "I'm Sorry, Did You Say Srteet Magic?" as the engine to create our collaborative setting. Go check it out!
Alexis Ames is a science fiction writer currently living in Colorado, and her work has previously appeared in publications such as Pseudopod, Kyanite Press, and Luna Station Quarterly. Find links to her other stories on her website, and connect with her on Twitter.
Dani Atkinson is a short fiction fantasy writer from Alberta, Canada who occasionally has more in common with an anxious cat hiding under the sofa than she does with a human being. Find out more at her frequently neglected author blog.
Caroline Barnard-Smith writes fantasy and horror fiction from her house beside the sea in Devon, England, where she lives with one husband, three daughters, and a small ginger cat called Frodo. She enjoys creating worlds and drinking all the rum.Twitter: @cazzysmith
Ian Barr is a fantasy author living in Winnipeg. An alumnus of TFYB Vol. 1, he's excited to continue growing this weird, wonderful series. In addition to TFYB, Ian's recently released debut novel Synthetic Magic: The Bloodless Affairs Vol. 1 is available now. Twitter: @ibarrwrites (Vol. 1 Alum)
B.K. Bass is the author of over a dozen books of science fiction, fantasy, and horror inspired by pulp fiction magazines and classic speculative fiction. He is also an avid worldbuilder, a blender of genres, and a student of history. More about B.K. can be found on his website. (Vol. 2 Alum, guest editor)
Jayme is author hailing from Florida. A semi-retired zookeeper and full-time Mom, her debut adventure novel, Untouched is out now ! You can follow her on twitter @ZookeeperBean or find out more about her and her work at JaymeBeanAuthor.com. Find links to buy her book at Linktree. (Vol. 2 Alum, guest editor)
Author, librarian, and occasionally delightful individual, A.E. Bross is a multi-genre scribbler, most known for the Sands of Theia fantasy book series. She is passionate about the accessibility of writing, elevating marginalized voices, and romantic tropes. Twitter: @AddyBrossWrites Instagram: @AddyBross_Writes Website: addyelsewhere.com.
J Calamy is a queer, disabled veteran and foreign service wonk who spends a good part of the year bouncing down dirt roads in the back of range rovers thousands of miles from home. She writes volcanic romantic thrillers through that lens. Coffee, cursing, and embassy scuttlebutt are her last remaining vices. Learn more at JCalamy.com.
S.D. Campbell is an Islander currently living in Calgary, Alberta. His first book, Tin-Can Canucks: A Century of Canadian Destroyers is a history of Royal Canadian Navy destroyers. Sean’s anthology Before the Crash collects his previously published short fiction. He lives with his teen-aged daughter and several guinea pig ghosts.
Gregory Coley is a self-published author with a dozen books under his belt. He currently lives in a small town near Dallas. Follow him on Twitter at @Ghreggori, or find him online at his WEBSITE (Vol. 1 Alum)
You can usually find Darby Cupid hiding from her kids in order to write YA and MG books. Find out more at darbycupid.com or find her on Twitter @darbycupid. (Vol. 1 Alum)
C.J. Henderson is a Scottish writer with a deep and abiding interest in the sea and its various denizens, both real and imaginary. She can be found online at @LadyKrakenWrite
A.R.K. Horton writes blogs about myths, fairytales, and folktales. She is also a fantasy author currently working on The Telverin Trilogy. When she isn't writing, she's building websites and managing a family of five. You can find her blog and links to her books at arkhorton.com. (Vol. 2 Alum, guest editor)
Jack Kaide is a writer, musician and teacher living in Hackney, London. His short stories have recently featured in Horrified Magazine and The secret Attic vol.6, and he is currently working on a first novel, ‘The Green Man’. You can find him on twitter @TheSomnambulis2.
Astrid Knight is a fantasy writer from Michigan with a fascination for stories and what they reveal about ourselves. When she isn't writing, she can be found playing D&D and impulse buying candles online. Her first novel, Perception Check will debut January 2022. She can be found on Twitter @AstridKWrites.
Hailing from the frozen north, deep in the boreal forest of Canada, Lisa always has a project on the go to stave off the chill. Whether it’s sci-fi, fantasy, horror or historical, you know she’s blasting music while she writes. Catch her on Instagram at @lisak.writes
Rob lives in Melbourne, Australia, and has been writing since the 90s. He's written horror and fantasy as well as a grimdark novella. His work has appeared and Candy Jar Books. in Dr. Who Magazine and You can find him on twitter @dreadsinister and co-hosting the 42 to Doomsday podcast.
Jeremy Nelson is a recent transplant to Edinburgh whose afterimages linger in Hong Kong and Portland, Oregon. His preoccupations include accordions, photography, and outdated methods of putting words to paper. You can find him on Twitter now as @jpaknelson (Vol. 2 Alum, guest editor)
Illustrator, academic, & author, they live in the middle of no-man's-land big sky country. They have a passion for slipstream, romance, LGBTQ novels & the odd short story. Straddling the line between grunge and sappy prose, their world can be found online at the Kavordian Library (Vol. 1 Alum)
J.C. Pillard lives at the foot of the Colorado mountains. She has a master’s degree in English literature and her recent publications include stories in Broadswords and Blasters and Fall Into Fantasy. When not writing, J.C. can be found prowling through her local bookstore. Find her at www.jcpillard.com.
Craig Rathbone is a writer from a little town in the north of England. With a writing background in games reviews and blogging, he's developed an insatiable taste for pirate themed tales!
Harry F. Rey is a Scottish author and lover of LGBTQ fiction. His works include the epic queer sci-fi series The Galactic Captains, royal romance novels The Line of Succession and gay rom-com All The Lovers. Find him at his website or talking about queer books on Twitter @Harry_F_Rey
Katherine is a multi-genre writer and self-confessed nerd from Yorkshire in the United Kingdom, spending most of her time dreaming up new characters or playing D&D. You can find more about her and her latest work at her website, and she is always happy to chat on Twitter @katheroony.
Imelda Taylor was an English Tutor before becoming a full-time mother. She's fond of creating things that shape her daughter's imagination. She lives in Letchworth Garden City in Hertfordshire England. Follow her on Twitter @lostsheep2 & Instagram @lostsheep.is (Vol. 1 Alum)
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