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Shenandoah Fantastic: Mystic Whispers from the Valley’s Vales
Not yet published
Expected 3 Feb 26Visit a Valley you may not know.
Shenandoah Mystic Whispers from the Valley’s Vales invites you to experience the mysterious, the supernatural, and the humorous.
Ride a ghost train to Mount Jackson.
Visit the trolls that live beneath Luray Caverns.
Experience a bird revolution in Singers Glen.
And meet time travelers at the Shakespeare Center.
Whether you’re a long-time resident or a curious traveler, this anthology promises to captivate and thrill, offering a glimpse into the Valley where the ordinary meets the extraordinary.
The line
James Blakey — “The Battle of Route 42”
Julie Cline — “The Train to Mount Jackson”
Julian Close — “Talk to the Hand”
James Cole — “The Iron Gate”
Lori D ’ Angelo — "The Body in the Lake"
Will J Fawley — “The Kite Mechanic”
K.G. Gardner — “Trail Angel”
Ginger Grouse — “Free Birds of Singers Glen”
Ember Rensel Heishman — “Wishing Home”
Kurt Johnson — “Fore Ever on Ingleside”
Genevieve Lyons — “Real Mischief”
Charlie Newman-Johnson — “Birdwatching”
Kent M. Peterson — “Past is Prologue”
Bethany W Pope — “Not-A-Deer”
E.G. Reger — “The Hunt for Monty Glassman”
Stephen A. Roddewig — “The Long Sought I. batatas”
Rodman — “The Long Walk”
Catherine Simpson — “Dam Negotiations”
Jake Solyst — “Fixer Upper”
Carol Steele — “Old Yeller Ain’t No Dog”
Griff Thomas — “The Whitetail Whathcamacallit”
Fendy S. Tulodo — “Catfishes, Casseroles, and the Demonic Fiddle of Staunton”
Matthew Turner — “Marigolds in the Mesozoic”
Caitlin Woodford — “The Fractal”
Shenandoah Mystic Whispers from the Valley’s Vales invites you to experience the mysterious, the supernatural, and the humorous.
Ride a ghost train to Mount Jackson.
Visit the trolls that live beneath Luray Caverns.
Experience a bird revolution in Singers Glen.
And meet time travelers at the Shakespeare Center.
Whether you’re a long-time resident or a curious traveler, this anthology promises to captivate and thrill, offering a glimpse into the Valley where the ordinary meets the extraordinary.
The line
James Blakey — “The Battle of Route 42”
Julie Cline — “The Train to Mount Jackson”
Julian Close — “Talk to the Hand”
James Cole — “The Iron Gate”
Lori D ’ Angelo — "The Body in the Lake"
Will J Fawley — “The Kite Mechanic”
K.G. Gardner — “Trail Angel”
Ginger Grouse — “Free Birds of Singers Glen”
Ember Rensel Heishman — “Wishing Home”
Kurt Johnson — “Fore Ever on Ingleside”
Genevieve Lyons — “Real Mischief”
Charlie Newman-Johnson — “Birdwatching”
Kent M. Peterson — “Past is Prologue”
Bethany W Pope — “Not-A-Deer”
E.G. Reger — “The Hunt for Monty Glassman”
Stephen A. Roddewig — “The Long Sought I. batatas”
Rodman — “The Long Walk”
Catherine Simpson — “Dam Negotiations”
Jake Solyst — “Fixer Upper”
Carol Steele — “Old Yeller Ain’t No Dog”
Griff Thomas — “The Whitetail Whathcamacallit”
Fendy S. Tulodo — “Catfishes, Casseroles, and the Demonic Fiddle of Staunton”
Matthew Turner — “Marigolds in the Mesozoic”
Caitlin Woodford — “The Fractal”
328 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication February 3, 2026
1 person is currently reading
2 people want to read
About the author
James Blakey
22 books15 followersJames Blakey is a three-time finalist for the Short Mystery Fiction Society's Derringer Award, winning in 2019 for his story "The Bicycle Thief." He leads critique groups in Harrisonburg, Charlottesville, and Shenandoah County. His paranormal thriller SUPERSTITION will be published by City Owl Press in September 2024. When James isn’t writing, he's on the hiking trail—he’s climbed forty of the fifty US state high points—or bike-camping his way up and down the East Coast. He lives in Broadway, Virginia.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 19, 2025
Note: I received advance review copy of Shenandoah Fantastic: Mystic Whispers from the Valley's Vales.
I typically love short story compilations but this book just did not hit for me.
There are a handful of good stories in here and even two that I would consider great stories. However, the vast majority of this stories in Shenandoah Fantastic all lack some element that prevents them from being considered good by my own standards. Then a disappointing number of stories have extremely similar endings, which stinks cause it is the same ending as my favorite story in the book.
The great thing about short story compilations is that everyone will have their own opinions about what stories in them are the best. That means that many folks will pick this up and find stories they like that I hated, but it also means that there will be folks who hate what I loved. So no matter how you slice it, Shenandoah Fantastic is going to be an incredibly mixed bag for most readers.
While there are a couple stories in here that I wish I could recommend on there own, being part of this compilation I just cannot. I can at best give the book three stars because there wear those GREAT stories in here, just wish there had been more good ones.
If you are wanting to check out Shenandoah Fantastic then do it because parts of this compilation are really good. Otherwise, there is just to much muck here for me to recommend it.
I typically love short story compilations but this book just did not hit for me.
There are a handful of good stories in here and even two that I would consider great stories. However, the vast majority of this stories in Shenandoah Fantastic all lack some element that prevents them from being considered good by my own standards. Then a disappointing number of stories have extremely similar endings, which stinks cause it is the same ending as my favorite story in the book.
The great thing about short story compilations is that everyone will have their own opinions about what stories in them are the best. That means that many folks will pick this up and find stories they like that I hated, but it also means that there will be folks who hate what I loved. So no matter how you slice it, Shenandoah Fantastic is going to be an incredibly mixed bag for most readers.
While there are a couple stories in here that I wish I could recommend on there own, being part of this compilation I just cannot. I can at best give the book three stars because there wear those GREAT stories in here, just wish there had been more good ones.
If you are wanting to check out Shenandoah Fantastic then do it because parts of this compilation are really good. Otherwise, there is just to much muck here for me to recommend it.
December 18, 2025
A thoughtful but uneven fantasy anthology
Shenandoah Fantastic is a locally rooted fantasy anthology with a strong sense of place and some genuinely imaginative ideas. At its best, the stories are atmospheric, quietly strange, and grounded in the Shenandoah Valley in a way that feels authentic rather than gimmicky.
Quality varies, though. Some pieces are polished and engaging, while others feel underdeveloped or more like concepts than finished stories. Pacing and tone shift a lot from one entry to the next, and a few technical and editorial issues break immersion, even allowing for this being an early edition.
This isn’t fast, plot-driven fantasy. It leans toward mood, folklore, and experimentation. Readers who enjoy literary or regional speculative fiction will find a lot to appreciate, but those looking for consistency or page-turning action may struggle.
Worth reading for its originality and setting, but not without flaws.
Shenandoah Fantastic is a locally rooted fantasy anthology with a strong sense of place and some genuinely imaginative ideas. At its best, the stories are atmospheric, quietly strange, and grounded in the Shenandoah Valley in a way that feels authentic rather than gimmicky.
Quality varies, though. Some pieces are polished and engaging, while others feel underdeveloped or more like concepts than finished stories. Pacing and tone shift a lot from one entry to the next, and a few technical and editorial issues break immersion, even allowing for this being an early edition.
This isn’t fast, plot-driven fantasy. It leans toward mood, folklore, and experimentation. Readers who enjoy literary or regional speculative fiction will find a lot to appreciate, but those looking for consistency or page-turning action may struggle.
Worth reading for its originality and setting, but not without flaws.
October 29, 2025
I really enjoyed this as a collection of tales from the Shenandoah Valley, I enjoyed the 24 stories and how each were different and worked in this setting. I enjoyed going on the journey of these stories and left me wanting more in this universe. I enjoyed the different types of horror and other genres and was glad it had that element that I wanted from an anthology.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews