New Game -- What Sprouts in the Dark

by Dan Stout in


I took part in Adventure Jam 2023 — hundreds of small teams worked for two weeks to produce the best possible adventure game they could.

I was in a team of two — myself and the artist ILikeThePixies — and we produced an illustrated text game about a cat on a spaceship facing down an invasive fungus. It’s called What Sprouts in the Dark, and it’s completely free to play in your browser.

Check it out here!

I'm Dan Stout, a joyfully collaborative storyteller who loves rocket ships, dinosaurs, and monsters that skulk through shadows.

Holy Crap we got a Cover!!

by Dan Stout in


I couldn’t be happier to share this incredible cover with the world. I mean, c’mon: just look at it. It’s got FACE MANDIBLES!!

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Carter's a homicide cop in Titanshade, an oil boomtown where 8-tracks are state of the art, disco rules the radio, and all the best sorcerers wear designer labels. It's also a metropolis teetering on the edge of disaster.

Chris McGrath’s art is jaw-droppingly gorgeous, and the team at DAW Books did an amazing job of capturing the grit and decay that permeates the city of Titanshade.

The cover will be popping up soon in places like Goodreads and Amazon, (where it's already available for pre-order).  And of course it will be available in bookstores, libraries, or whatever your favorite story-swapping location might be.

Every day brings us closer to the March 12th, 2019 launch, and I’m continually stunned by how much fun (and work) each step of the process is. Whether you’re new to Titanshade or have been following along since the beginning: Thank you so much for reading, commenting, and sharing in the story!

If you want to make sure you get all book-ish updates as they happen, be sure to click on that Mailing List link.

I'm Dan Stout, a joyfully collaborative storyteller who loves rocket ships, dinosaurs, and monsters that skulk through shadows.

Once Upon the Longest Night Cover Reveal

by Dan Stout in


I'm blown away by the cover of ONCE UPON THE LONGEST NIGHT, and I'm very proud to be included along with so many fantastic authors.

Equally amazing was that the cover reveal happened on the USA Today’s Happy Ever After . Check it out, and you can even get a chance for a free copy!

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I'm Dan Stout, a joyfully collaborative storyteller who loves rocket ships, dinosaurs, and monsters that skulk through shadows.

"Sin Titulo" in the June issue of Intergalactic Medicine Show

by Dan Stout in


My story "Sin Titulo" is in the latest issue of Orson Scott Card's Intergalactic Medicine Show

It's about summer, friendship, teenage crushes, and a devil in a ten-gallon hat. 

I like this story quite a bit, and I'm glad to share it with a wider audience. And I'm even happier that this gorgeous illustration by Nick Greenwood is accompanying it. 

Hop over to IGMS to read a preview, and subscribe to read the full story and a year's worth of episodes!

Illustration: Nick Greenwood

Illustration: Nick Greenwood

(If you'd like updates whenever a new story goes live, click here to join my mailing list.)

I'm Dan Stout, a joyfully collaborative storyteller who loves rocket ships, dinosaurs, and monsters that skulk through shadows.

"Fettuccine and Shrimp..." audio is live at Toasted Cake

by Dan Stout in


This is one I'm especially excited about!

The amazing Tina Connolly has done a reading of my short story, "Fettuccine and Shrimp in Bayou Cream Sauce" over at the Toasted Cake podcast

Tina is a fantastic reader, and I think she perfectly hit the story's notes of humor and melancholy. 

It's free to listen or download. Or better yet, subscribe to the podcast! Tina's story selections are top-notch, and Toasted Cake is a terrific source for quality audio fiction.

 

I'm Dan Stout, a joyfully collaborative storyteller who loves rocket ships, dinosaurs, and monsters that skulk through shadows.

Riding the Dragon up at Stonecoast Review

by Dan Stout in


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My story "Riding the Dragon" appears in the Winter 2017 issue of The Stonecoast Review. It's a story about addiction, loneliness, and self-determination. So... Merry Christmas?

The story is free to read here: Riding the Dragon.

The hard copy is available at The Stonecoast Review or on Amazon.

I'm Dan Stout, a joyfully collaborative storyteller who loves rocket ships, dinosaurs, and monsters that skulk through shadows.

Alpha-7 DE11 Audio Adaptation up at Centropic Oracle

by Dan Stout in


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My short story, "The Curious Case of Alpha-7 DE11" has been adapted for audio by the good folks at Centropic Oracle. 

I particularly enjoyed this audio production, and the attention to detail in the performance and sound design. 

You can listen for free here, and The Centropic Oracle is a great source for all kinds of fun audio from many more authors. Check them out, and tell them I sent you!

I'm Dan Stout, a joyfully collaborative storyteller who loves rocket ships, dinosaurs, and monsters that skulk through shadows.

Titanshade coming from DAW Books

by Dan Stout in


I couldn't be happier to announce that my novel Titanshade has been accepted for publication by DAW Books. 

Titanshade is a noir fantasy thriller.  It infuses classic detective tales with sorcery and strange creatures, all set in a world where 8-Tracks are state of the art, and disco rules the radio.

DAW is a terrific home for this book, and for the sequel that's currently under construction. They're an established company who've managed to maintain a family feel, and it's a joy watching this book become a reality. I'm immensely grateful to Sheila Gilbert at DAW and to my agent, Nat Sobel at Sobel Weber Associates for believing in this project. 

Check back for updates on release dates, cover art, and more.

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I'm Dan Stout, a joyfully collaborative storyteller who loves rocket ships, dinosaurs, and monsters that skulk through shadows.

Agents & Spies and "The Hula-Hoop Heart"

by Dan Stout in


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The Hula-Hoop Heart will be reprinted in a hard cover anthology entitled Agents & Spies, forthcoming from Flame Tree Press.

I've worked with Flame Tree before, and I'm delighted that this story will get another day in the sun, along with a collection of classic tales and modern authors.

The Gothic Fantasy line is a series of beautifully designed, hard cover volumes that mix a genre's foundational stories with newer voices. I'm always happy to add another of these editions to my shelf, and can't wait to get my hands on this volume when it releases in October..

 

I'm Dan Stout, a joyfully collaborative storyteller who loves rocket ships, dinosaurs, and monsters that skulk through shadows.

"Autumn's Daughter" in Andromeda Spaceways

by Dan Stout in


My story "Autumn's Daughter" is in the latest issue of Andromeda Spaceways. It's about parenthood, and how the fear of that staggering responsibility battles with the desire to protect and provide for your children.
It's also got creepy clowns and a lot of running around and screaming in the woods. Because those things are part of parenthood as well.

Read More
I'm Dan Stout, a joyfully collaborative storyteller who loves rocket ships, dinosaurs, and monsters that skulk through shadows.