Thanks for reading STRANGE LIGHTS - stories that begin where reality ends! Subscribe for free to receive new posts. It costs not a penny, and you can choose how often they land in your email inbox.

Sain thee, seelie wights.

I’ve been posting epigraphs from my books as “notes” on Substack/Instagram/Facebook/Pinterest, and I’m delighted - and surprised - by the warm reactions to them. (*Epigraph = a few lines of verse, a snippet of prose, or even a proverb, whose job is to set a mood before the chapter begins.)

So, here’s another one. It’s from the opening of Chapter 4 of “The Ill-Made Mute”, titled “THE FOREST: Tree and Trickery.”

Pale rings of smoke come floating through the trees,

Clear voices thread like silver on the breeze,

And as I look towards the west I grieve,

For in my heart, I’m crying out to leave.

~ Made by Llewell, songmaker of Auralonde

Many of the verses in the Bitterbynde Trilogy were inspired by the lyrics of popular songs. Do you recognise the classic song that inspired this epigraph?

Meanwhile, continuing with your latest byte-sized genre news and the November Freebie Avalanche . . . 😱😱😱 (Scroll down past the news for the freebies!)

Sci-fi / Fantasy / Romantasy NewsSci-fi / Fantasy / Romantasy News

Here’s your weekly roundup of fresh news in the sci‑fi / fantasy / romance space (including indie and smaller announcements).

Just a heads-up: I’m here to report the latest news, not to endorse every project. Some sound promising, while others . . . you be the judge!

Books & PublishingFantasy

A roundup list of new fantasy books for November 2025 was published last week by Reactor. (Reactor) While the list itself is not a new release announcement, it provides a useful guide for readers to keep tabs on upcoming titles from indie and small‑press fantasy.

Romance

A curated list of new romance releases for the week of 16 Nov–22 Nov appeared on Romance.io. (romance.io) Titles include “Brimstone” by Callie Hart, “Mountain Grump” by S.J. Tilly, “All Wrapped Up in You” by Rosie Danan, among others.

Audio & RadioSci‑Fi

A new indie audio drama: Terra Alpha announces Episode 0 “Countdown” will premiere Saturday 15 November, a prologue for their series set in a sci‑fi universe (ARC Project / Shadows Over Sol). (Reddit)

The premiere livestream of Terra Alpha offers a live‑chat community event and marks a fandom gathering moment for audio drama fans

Free eBooks for Readers Who Love Romantasy & Quirky, Funny Sci-fi.

As you know, I love helping other authors find new readers, so I often share eBook giveaways. These collections are meant to include only clean reads—no gore, violence, or smut. While I can’t personally check every title, most authors do play by the rules. I can’t 100% guarantee that all the books are literary masterpieces, but they are all free or almost free! So why not take a look? You might just stumble on your next favourite indie author!

Get a fresh delivery of free unlimited, gorgeous romantasy (and funny sci-fi) eBooks once a fortnight, without having to think about it.

Send my fortnightly free ebooks

. . . or click on each banner to see the collection!

Follow vs SUBSCRIBE — What’s the Difference?

FOLLOW: If you follow me on Substack, my posts will appear in your Substack feed or app, ready for you to dip in when you want to read something high-class. ‘Follow’ is a second-rate option, though. Subscribing is much better. :)

SUBSCRIBE (for free): If you SUBSCRIBE, my posts come straight to your inbox. And you can choose how often — instantly, weekly digest, or not at all by email. Subscribing means you won’t miss something you’d enjoy.

BEST OF BOTH: If your inbox is SACRED SPACE, you can subscribe and then turn off email delivery in your Substack settings. That way, you’re reading only when you choose. WIN!

HELP OTHERS: Substack counts subscribers when recommending writers to new readers. So WHEN YOU SUBSCRIBE, it also helps my work reach the deserving few who’ve not yet read my stuff. Help them join us in our realm of Sci-fi, Fantasy & Romance delights.

End of message.

This is Charlie Delta Tango, switching to silent running.