The Pitch is a monthly discussion thread of the best science fiction and fantasy on Substack, as recommended by the authors themselves. Here’s how it works:
Are you an author? Head to the comments and add a link and a 1-2 sentence summary pitch for a speculative fiction short story, serial chapter or anthology post from your Substack. This is your chance to creatively promote your work and talent.
Are you a reader? Add likes and comments on the authors’ Substacks. Feel free to come back here and do the same.
Spread the word and restack the thread in a Note. Share outside of Substack on Reddit, Hacker News, X, Instagram, Facebook and in any other relevant forum interested in science fiction and fantasy. This exposes everyone’s stories to a wider audience of readers. The best link to use for sharing is as follows:
Famfrit's Jewel grants the Blessing of Life on the village of Kol, granting long life and swift healing to Dagnar and his fellows, but the sorcerer Marazoth has learned of it and wishes to corrupt the god's gift for his ambitions of total power...
The year was 4500 of the Common Era and the Federation reigned supreme; pleasure rather than brutality marked Federation rule ... Will our heroine find what she was looking for or is she doomed to a life in service of the Federation?
Ch. 1 of my SF novel EYE CANDY. A roller-coaster ride in Los Angeles 2047, when robots are as ubiquitous as smart phones. An ensemble of fascinating characters help us explore what it means to be human.
i really liked this Ryan. not enough humour in sci fi, usually, so this got me smiling, thanks!. i told myself id try doing a funny but the thing went grim on me before i could stop it. not too late to turn it round in later chapters... maybe.
Here is my latest fantasy short story; which has received gracious comparisons to the likes of Michael Moorcock, Andzrej Sapkowski, David Gemmell, and even Robert E. Howard.
Reinhardt the Black Wolf is a name feared all throughout the land of Trinitaria, yet when the legendary assassin is hired to undertake a daring rescue mission, he finds more trouble than he bargained for.
A short story that introduces Edison City's newest superhero as he jumps from a plane without a chute, the one, the only, possibly the last, the Pinball!
This time I’m sharing a link to my dark fantasy novela “The Heiress of the Lake”. It is book 2 of a trilogy, but can be read as a stand-alone.
A Heiress of a Damned kingdom on the run to escape her father’s dark plans. A dangerous swampland ahead with an assassin following her every step. A friendship put to the test, and a love born from hate. Will the Heiress take the Throne she hates alongside her best friend she’s force to marry?
A father shows his son the value of hard work by selling his newly published novel door to door in his home town. His suitcase full of books, left in the middle of the street is all that's left of him.
Two pitches ago, I pitched my ongoing serial, The Southern Calt.
Well, now I'm back again to say that it is finished in all ten parts and it's gotten pretty positive feedback so with that in mind I recommend checking out this sci-fi fantasy world where our protagonist finds himself in the middle of a war where all he needs to do is try and survive...
Space 2074 is the new Wild West. Mine machines are glitching, an FBI Agent is looking to avenge the death of his former partner, and Sheriff Kate Devana must wrangle a fugitive con artist who bilked retirees for billions. Bodies are piling up. Again. On the moon, Kate Devana is the law.
While this is the 3rd novel in the series, each is designed to be read independently. For accessibility, there is a voiceover for each chapter.
A weary traveler walks away from a city engulfed in flames. Bandits in the hills track his progress from high above. The result? A perilous meeting among dangerous men.
“Ash and Death on a Dangerous Road” is one of my recent stories, and one from which more stories are sure to grow.
Battles Beneath the Stars is a serial that follows the competitors in a tournament set in a fantasy world and their conflicting reasons for fighting, ranging from settling grudges to political ambitions. The story is told in the style of a fighting game where each fighter can be the main character.
Gerald Gray was an average guy working an average job. He died with one item left undone on his to-do list. Find out what happened next in my short story, "Gerald Gray's To-Do List."
Are you missing crunching leaves, crisp days, and ghost-touched nights? My serialized novel, Dark as Dawn, Bright as Night, has all your autumn-in-July vibes. But what's it about, you ask? The pitch: Death is only the beginning for Mae as she faces an ancient goddess of light and a self-made demon of the dark in a battle to save her father and her soul. Check out the Table of Contents and FAQs:
It's about a bunch of drunks who mock their King and his Regent, only to then be involved in a larger scuffle with consequences direr than any of them were honestly prepared for.
In a future where the Indian subcontinent reigns as the global power, Raman, a high-ranking officer in The Center's program to dissolve family bonds and manage an aging population, faces a moral crossroads when he falls in love with Maya during his assignment. As he grapples with doubts about Maya's true nature and loyalty to The Center, Raman must navigate a precarious balance between duty and love, questioning the very foundations of the society he serves. Will he unravel the truth, or risk losing everything he holds dear?
A lowly being is secreted away on a distant planet with nothing but the experimental symbiont inside it for company. It must adapt to the alien within and learn to blend into the alien population all around it to survive, whilst all the while, powerful, competing forces hunt it down.
Short stories and serials in a world where gods, wizards and creatures of myth compete with each other, and the lives they ruin in their pursuit of power and influence. Explore the absurdity of living in a world where magic is a constant presence, giving great power to imperfect people. The current focus is on a war that is unfolding between the ancient Aes Sidhe, and the humans of the kingdom of Rundell - and how this war affects their everyday lives.
I have finally started the serialisation for which I originally set up this Substack. The one in which Katrina wakes up from her utopia to find herself in this dystopian parallel world, then, as you do, heads off to the nearest British embassy (in Paris). She is about to embark on an endless series of misadventures, some of which are of her own foolish making. Others, she will grow into, and yet more will be thrust upon her.
From THE HUNT: Having survived their surreal therapy with Eric, and armed with new leads on the Colosseum’s whereabouts, Val & Her Pack put their realigned minds to the test when faced with a vicious gang war in “Nero’s Bastards!”
A short story in which Cleone, a homicidal water spirit with an authority problem, defies orders not to meddle with Undine, a teenage girl hiking with her father, Hank, the CEO of a fracking company.
Peter bets on outcomes of events and seeks patterns in things around him but blames it on Quantum Physics. So, when he stumbles on a series of weird coincidences, it leads him to a mundane yet fantastic setting. What or who he finds there will change his outlook on life, love, and Physics, as we know it.
A Piece Of A God is the first book in The Pantheon Chronicles series.
With a cosmic alignment approaching, a fractious Pantheon must put aside its differences to preserve its dominion over the mortal races. Meanwhile in the ancient and impenetrable city of Caran, an attempt on the life of their captain sees a grizzled company flee to the hills as deserters, seeking vengeance and an end to the self-serving rule of the nobility.
Don’t you just hate it when you have been drinking and then get mistaken for a god. We have all been there…
My first attempt at a sci-fi/comedy when a 100 word short evolved! Influences are smeared all over it so if you like Pratchett, Adams and the tv show Red Dwarf, just maybe you will like this too.
"Who Will Save Her?" is a professionally edited, tightly-ended, near future sci-fi ongoing serial mystery novel with otherworldly themes told through a unique POV. As a young woman struggles to find freedom from the pain of her past, can she avoid becoming the perpetrator herself? https://whowillsaveher.substack.com
This is Chapter 20 of “A Grail for Eidothea”, the first book in The Môrdreigiau Chronicles. It’s a favourite (I mean I do have a few favourite chapters) because of the ship scene and the tea room scene. This is set during the Regency period only there are sea dragons and Arthurian quests happening and the book finishes in mid-July, so if this intrigues be sure to have the index for your summer reading. https://open.substack.com/pub/projectstarfish/p/20-theres-intimacy-and-then-theres?r=1mk6at&utm_medium=ios
https://reddoscarwrites.substack.com/p/famfrits-jewel-chapter-1
Famfrit's Jewel grants the Blessing of Life on the village of Kol, granting long life and swift healing to Dagnar and his fellows, but the sorcerer Marazoth has learned of it and wishes to corrupt the god's gift for his ambitions of total power...
"The Iniquity of the Federation".
The year was 4500 of the Common Era and the Federation reigned supreme; pleasure rather than brutality marked Federation rule ... Will our heroine find what she was looking for or is she doomed to a life in service of the Federation?
https://germanicus.substack.com/p/the-iniquity-of-the-federation-part
Short story "Rose Across the Sky": A beautiful sculpture in space might be wonderful . . . but the working stiffs building it have their own opinions.
https://gallagherstories.substack.com/p/rose-across-the-sky
Just read this and really enjoyed it!
WHY DID THE ROBOT CROSS THE ROAD?
Ch. 1 of my SF novel EYE CANDY. A roller-coaster ride in Los Angeles 2047, when robots are as ubiquitous as smart phones. An ensemble of fascinating characters help us explore what it means to be human.
https://open.substack.com/pub/authorryanschneider/p/chapter-1-why-did-the-robot-cross?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=2n06tl
i really liked this Ryan. not enough humour in sci fi, usually, so this got me smiling, thanks!. i told myself id try doing a funny but the thing went grim on me before i could stop it. not too late to turn it round in later chapters... maybe.
Thanks, Nick. I wrestle with this chapter sometimes, wondering if it works. I'm so glad to hear that it worked for you.
Here is my latest fantasy short story; which has received gracious comparisons to the likes of Michael Moorcock, Andzrej Sapkowski, David Gemmell, and even Robert E. Howard.
Reinhardt the Black Wolf is a name feared all throughout the land of Trinitaria, yet when the legendary assassin is hired to undertake a daring rescue mission, he finds more trouble than he bargained for.
https://joshtatter.substack.com/p/dagger-in-the-dark
"Impact":
A short story that introduces Edison City's newest superhero as he jumps from a plane without a chute, the one, the only, possibly the last, the Pinball!
https://indianamichael.substack.com/p/impact
This time I’m sharing a link to my dark fantasy novela “The Heiress of the Lake”. It is book 2 of a trilogy, but can be read as a stand-alone.
A Heiress of a Damned kingdom on the run to escape her father’s dark plans. A dangerous swampland ahead with an assassin following her every step. A friendship put to the test, and a love born from hate. Will the Heiress take the Throne she hates alongside her best friend she’s force to marry?
https://open.substack.com/pub/kathrineelaine/p/the-heiress-of-the-lake-index-page?r=2rhgsy&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
"Of a Time,"
A father shows his son the value of hard work by selling his newly published novel door to door in his home town. His suitcase full of books, left in the middle of the street is all that's left of him.
https://open.substack.com/pub/hamishkavanagh/p/of-a-time-short-story?r=yo86p&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Two pitches ago, I pitched my ongoing serial, The Southern Calt.
Well, now I'm back again to say that it is finished in all ten parts and it's gotten pretty positive feedback so with that in mind I recommend checking out this sci-fi fantasy world where our protagonist finds himself in the middle of a war where all he needs to do is try and survive...
https://llford.substack.com/p/the-southern-calt-pt-1?r=1v5vok (here's part 1)
This serial was a blast to read, I highly recommend it!
Good morning all! Happy July!😁
I am excited to serialize a new novel in the new Kate Devana series on substack!
Chapter 1: https://wyattwerne.substack.com/p/devana-files-chapter-1?r=3bcm0e
Space 2074 is the new Wild West. Mine machines are glitching, an FBI Agent is looking to avenge the death of his former partner, and Sheriff Kate Devana must wrangle a fugitive con artist who bilked retirees for billions. Bodies are piling up. Again. On the moon, Kate Devana is the law.
While this is the 3rd novel in the series, each is designed to be read independently. For accessibility, there is a voiceover for each chapter.
Love this premise and description.
A weary traveler walks away from a city engulfed in flames. Bandits in the hills track his progress from high above. The result? A perilous meeting among dangerous men.
“Ash and Death on a Dangerous Road” is one of my recent stories, and one from which more stories are sure to grow.
https://open.substack.com/pub/ericfalden/p/ash-and-death-on-a-dangerous-road?r=3ecd72&utm_medium=ios
This is such a great story!
Thanks!! I appreciate the rec!
Battles Beneath the Stars is a serial that follows the competitors in a tournament set in a fantasy world and their conflicting reasons for fighting, ranging from settling grudges to political ambitions. The story is told in the style of a fighting game where each fighter can be the main character.
https://warthogreport.substack.com/p/introduction-and-prologue
Gerald Gray was an average guy working an average job. He died with one item left undone on his to-do list. Find out what happened next in my short story, "Gerald Gray's To-Do List."
https://billadler.substack.com/p/gerald-grays-to-do-list
Nice! did you work backwards from the cataclysm or start with the impossibly banal fake mannequin hair order?
I knew the world was going to end, but I didn't know how I would make the connection between the to-do list and cataclysm until I wrote.
I'm glad you enjoyed Gerald Gray's To-Do List.
https://josephwiess.substack.com/p/chapter-one-part-one
An old Druid leads a mercenary army that saves a Ciad-Ghin village from slavers.
No good deed unpunished, as his goddess works behind his back to change his life.
But is it really punishment, or is it just what he needs?
(Chapters 1,2,and 3 are posted, this is from the novella (Voyage of the Dawn Breaker)
"Deep Calls to Deep"
In this short sci-fi story, the residents of New Deep have to deal with unexpected visitors to their planet.
https://coraclevoyager.substack.com/p/deep-calls-to-deep
i already read this one SDG and really liked the ideas you had.
Are you missing crunching leaves, crisp days, and ghost-touched nights? My serialized novel, Dark as Dawn, Bright as Night, has all your autumn-in-July vibes. But what's it about, you ask? The pitch: Death is only the beginning for Mae as she faces an ancient goddess of light and a self-made demon of the dark in a battle to save her father and her soul. Check out the Table of Contents and FAQs:
https://garenglazier.substack.com/p/dark-as-dawn-bright-as-night-faqs
The Most Miserable Boy in all the Land
It's about a bunch of drunks who mock their King and his Regent, only to then be involved in a larger scuffle with consequences direr than any of them were honestly prepared for.
Short-Story
https://canadianculturecorner.substack.com/p/tales-of-wallanta-8-the-most-miserable
"Maya"
In a future where the Indian subcontinent reigns as the global power, Raman, a high-ranking officer in The Center's program to dissolve family bonds and manage an aging population, faces a moral crossroads when he falls in love with Maya during his assignment. As he grapples with doubts about Maya's true nature and loyalty to The Center, Raman must navigate a precarious balance between duty and love, questioning the very foundations of the society he serves. Will he unravel the truth, or risk losing everything he holds dear?
https://arrivalsanddepartures.substack.com/p/maya-the-beginning
I cant say any more about how much I like this :-)
Thank you so much Nick! Your vote of confidence has been huge.
"You're never alone."
A lowly being is secreted away on a distant planet with nothing but the experimental symbiont inside it for company. It must adapt to the alien within and learn to blend into the alien population all around it to survive, whilst all the while, powerful, competing forces hunt it down.
https://open.substack.com/pub/nickwinney/p/youre-never-alonechapter-1?r=2fhpll&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
Thank you again for hosting this, Brian!
I'd like to share my speculative mystery serial Down in the Holler, which just concluded on June 29th!
Here's the Table of Contents:
https://open.substack.com/pub/bridgetriley/p/down-in-the-holler-table-of-contents?r=9e3cr&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
"Tales of the Godswood"
Short stories and serials in a world where gods, wizards and creatures of myth compete with each other, and the lives they ruin in their pursuit of power and influence. Explore the absurdity of living in a world where magic is a constant presence, giving great power to imperfect people. The current focus is on a war that is unfolding between the ancient Aes Sidhe, and the humans of the kingdom of Rundell - and how this war affects their everyday lives.
https://robingeorge.substack.com/p/the-godswood-chronicle?r=idpp7
The universe's mightiest puppy versus....her owner?:
https://davidperlmutter.substack.com/p/who-will-the-next-fool-be
I have finally started the serialisation for which I originally set up this Substack. The one in which Katrina wakes up from her utopia to find herself in this dystopian parallel world, then, as you do, heads off to the nearest British embassy (in Paris). She is about to embark on an endless series of misadventures, some of which are of her own foolish making. Others, she will grow into, and yet more will be thrust upon her.
My intro is here: https://inadifferentplace.substack.com/p/what-to-do-about-katrina-evies-intro?r=2s9hod
And the series starts here: https://inadifferentplace.substack.com/p/what-to-do-about-katrina-episode?r=2s9hod
From THE HUNT: Having survived their surreal therapy with Eric, and armed with new leads on the Colosseum’s whereabouts, Val & Her Pack put their realigned minds to the test when faced with a vicious gang war in “Nero’s Bastards!”
https://365infantry.substack.com/p/ix-neros-bastards
A short story in which Cleone, a homicidal water spirit with an authority problem, defies orders not to meddle with Undine, a teenage girl hiking with her father, Hank, the CEO of a fracking company.
https://open.substack.com/pub/juliegabrielli/p/thirst-part-1?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
"Entanglement" - a short story in 5 parts.
Pitch:
Peter bets on outcomes of events and seeks patterns in things around him but blames it on Quantum Physics. So, when he stumbles on a series of weird coincidences, it leads him to a mundane yet fantastic setting. What or who he finds there will change his outlook on life, love, and Physics, as we know it.
Link to Part 1:
https://open.substack.com/pub/kanwarpsplaha/p/entanglement-part-1-coherence?r=3rx31z&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
Aliens destroy a human colony but then sue for peace. The lies are just getting started in Chapter -1 of The Gravity Keyper. https://sciencefictionwriting.substack.com/p/the-gravity-keeper
A Piece Of A God is the first book in The Pantheon Chronicles series.
With a cosmic alignment approaching, a fractious Pantheon must put aside its differences to preserve its dominion over the mortal races. Meanwhile in the ancient and impenetrable city of Caran, an attempt on the life of their captain sees a grizzled company flee to the hills as deserters, seeking vengeance and an end to the self-serving rule of the nobility.
https://ajstevens.substack.com/p/a-piece-of-a-god-intro
Don’t you just hate it when you have been drinking and then get mistaken for a god. We have all been there…
My first attempt at a sci-fi/comedy when a 100 word short evolved! Influences are smeared all over it so if you like Pratchett, Adams and the tv show Red Dwarf, just maybe you will like this too.
https://iheartheirvoices.substack.com/p/kevism-or-how-i-became-a-god-by-accident
"Who Will Save Her?" is a professionally edited, tightly-ended, near future sci-fi ongoing serial mystery novel with otherworldly themes told through a unique POV. As a young woman struggles to find freedom from the pain of her past, can she avoid becoming the perpetrator herself? https://whowillsaveher.substack.com
This is Chapter 20 of “A Grail for Eidothea”, the first book in The Môrdreigiau Chronicles. It’s a favourite (I mean I do have a few favourite chapters) because of the ship scene and the tea room scene. This is set during the Regency period only there are sea dragons and Arthurian quests happening and the book finishes in mid-July, so if this intrigues be sure to have the index for your summer reading. https://open.substack.com/pub/projectstarfish/p/20-theres-intimacy-and-then-theres?r=1mk6at&utm_medium=ios