Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Joan Marie Verba

Michael A. Stackpole 🇺🇦 @michaelastackpole.bsky.social · 16h

The Chain Story Project has just released its latest offering: Two Stories this week, by gryphonrose.bsky.social and bobgreenberger.bsky.social

Please enjoy, like and repost. It really helps. Thank you.

www.chainstorycore.com/blog/free-fiction-round-nine

Free Fiction, Round Nine — The Chain Story

For our ninth offering of free fiction, we invite you to enjoy two stories. The first is Aaron Rosenberg’s epic The Cursed Cuff , and the second is Robert Greenberger’s captivating Of Nightmares &am...

www.chainstorycore.com

5 6

Joan Marie Verba @joanmarieverba.bsky.social · 1d

Including my short story, "Fragment of a Sorcerous Crown" (this and all the others are free to read!).

Michael A. Stackpole 🇺🇦 @michaelastackpole.bsky.social · 1d

If you want an easy, one stop page to check out all the fiction in the Chain Story so far, we got you.

(Please repost this so others can enjoy, too. Thank you.)
www.chainstorycore.com/blog/thus-fa...

Thus Far in our Story… — The Chain Story

Just to make it easy for you so you don’t have to dig through a ton of old posts, below we have a gallery of the Chain Story Project’s offerings so far. Just click on the images to head off to the web...

www.chainstorycore.com

4 3

Reposted by Joan Marie Verba

Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) @mndot.mn.gov · 2d

Protect yourself and everyone on the road—seat belts save lives.

Electronic sign on highway above traffic. The sign reads, "Not all heroes wear capes. They wear seat belts.”

2 2

Joan Marie Verba @joanmarieverba.bsky.social · 13d

For the month of October, a reminder of my young adult novel, Defying the Ghosts: a Haunted House Story.

defyingtheghosts.com

Image of teen facing a haunted house. Text: Desperate and alone, she will dare to claim this haunted house when all others have failed.

1

Joan Marie Verba @joanmarieverba.bsky.social · 14d

Latest free short story in the Chain Story Project:

www.chainstorycore.com/blog/free-fi...

Free fiction, Round Eight — The Chain Story

For our eighth offering of free fiction, we invite you to enjoy Bryan Young’s thrilling story, The Monastery Plot.

www.chainstorycore.com

1

Joan Marie Verba @joanmarieverba.bsky.social · 18d

On Astronomy Day, a reminder that my nonfiction book, Voyager: Exploring the Outer Planets, is available in ebook, paperback, and audiobook forms.

joanmarieverba.com/voyager/

Cover for Voyager: Exploring the Outer Planets. Images of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune

1

Joan Marie Verba @joanmarieverba.bsky.social · 19d

List 3 things you can talk about for 3 hours with no prep:

1. STAR TREK
2. Self-Publishing/Independent Publishing
3. Food Allergies

2

Reposted by Joan Marie Verba

Michael A. Stackpole 🇺🇦 @michaelastackpole.bsky.social · 21d

The Chain Story Project has just released a new story #freefiction. Get it now and join the fun!

If you Like, Repost and Repeat, you'll be helping the project a ton. Thank you so very much and Please enjoy!

www.chainstorycore.com/blog/free-fiction-introducing-dancillius-hrekt-monster-fighter

Free fiction, introducing Dancillius Hrekt, Monster Fighter — The Chain Story

For our seventh offering of free fiction, we invite you to enjoy Michael A. Stackpole’s exciting story, On Memories, an Epistle of Dancillius Hrekt, Monster Fighter.

www.chainstorycore.com

17 31

Reposted by Joan Marie Verba

Ben Canham @bencanham.bsky.social · 22d

I’m autistic. Not because of Tylenol.
Not because of vaccines.
Not because of some headline.
I’m autistic because that’s how
my brain works. Stop treating us
like a problem. Start listening to us.

380 3.5K 17K

Reposted by Joan Marie Verba

jsruff.bsky.social @jsruff.bsky.social · 24d

Book 2 of the Post Host Cozy Fantasy series is now available on Amazon. You can find it at: www.amazon.com/dp/B0FRN8TZDX

Cover for Book 2 of the Post Host series shows the two main characters of the book offering pastries to a minotaur dressed in farm overalls.

1 3 3

Reposted by Joan Marie Verba

Michael A. Stackpole 🇺🇦 @michaelastackpole.bsky.social · Sep 10

The Chain Story Project is back with its sixth round of free fiction, this week's story being The Village of Morvoss by Thomas Grayfson.

Please download, enjoy, like and share (especially share, that helps so much).

www.chainstorycore.com/blog/free-fi...

Free Fiction, Round Six — The Chain Story

For out sixth offering of free fantasy fiction, we invite you to enjoy Thomas Grayfson’s haunting tale, The Village of Morvoss.

www.chainstorycore.com

12 15

Reposted by Joan Marie Verba

C.L. Cannon, USA Today Bestselling Author @clcannonauthor.bsky.social · Sep 5

👀 Looking for some bookish deals?📚 Our Fantasy & Sci-fi book fair has over 100 free & discounted books, plus KU finds! There's also a HUGE giveaway at the bottom!
🚀 View the fair here: clcannon.net/bookfair ⚔️
Win a Kindle Fire, one Owlcrate box, & a $10 Starbucks gift card! 📚

#booksky #readers

1 30 21

Joan Marie Verba @joanmarieverba.bsky.social · Sep 8

Apparently, this is a surprise for fans for Star Trek day. (I watched the first episode and found it engaging.)

trekmovie.com/2025/09/08/s...

Surprise: ‘Star Trek: Scouts’ Animated Nick Jr. Series Debuts On YouTube – Watch First Episode

This is the first first preschool-focused entry for Star Trek franchise.

trekmovie.com

Reposted by Joan Marie Verba

Michael A. Stackpole 🇺🇦 @michaelastackpole.bsky.social · Aug 27

The Chain Story Project has just released its fifth round of free fiction.

Please download, enjoy, like and especially share. (Sharing means the world to the Chain Story Project. Thank you.)

www.chainstorycore.com/blog/free-fiction-round-five

Free Fiction, Round Five — The Chain Story

For the fifth story in the Chain Story Project, we’re pleased to welcome Joan Marie Verba and her story, Fragments of a Sorcerous Crown .

www.chainstorycore.com

17 20

Joan Marie Verba @joanmarieverba.bsky.social · Aug 28

My short story in the Chain Story Project was released today. I joined several authors in offering short stories for free (for at least a three-month period). To find my short story as well as the short stories of the other authors, to to:

www.chainstorycore.com/blog/free-fi...

Cover of the Fragment of a Sorcerous Crown short story, showing a library of sorcery

1 1 1

Reposted by Joan Marie Verba

Fiona Katauskas @fionakatauskas.bsky.social · Aug 17

ICYMI- Horses Changing Courses- yesterday's cartoon for @australia.theguardian.com

Scene is two people and four horsemen of the apocalypse in coloured robes instead of the dark ones. Instead of the normal "death, famine, pestilence" etc, they have banners saying "Hope", "Justice", "Empathy" and "Just basically not being a dick"
Horseman 1 is saying to the two people "THe whole apocalypse thing got too depressing so we've reinvented ourselves as the Four Horsemen of Working Together to Get Us All Out of the Mess We're in"

15 320 880

Reposted by Joan Marie Verba

Michael A. Stackpole 🇺🇦 @michaelastackpole.bsky.social · Aug 13

The Chain Story Project has just announced a new story! This one is by S. E. Lindberg and it is a mind-bender.

Please like and share and enjoy. (Sharing is caring! Thank you.)

www.chainstorycore.com/blog/free-fiction-round-four

Free Fiction Round Four — The Chain Story

For our fourth round of offering free fiction in the grand weird fiction tradition of Clark Ashton Smith and Robert E. Howard, The Chain Story Project presents Grave’s Brood , by S. E. Lindberg

www.chainstorycore.com

15 23

Joan Marie Verba @joanmarieverba.bsky.social · Aug 9

Please do reread all the Thunderbirds books!

1

Joan Marie Verba @joanmarieverba.bsky.social · Aug 9

Today is National Book Lovers Day.

1 3

Reposted by Joan Marie Verba

Michael A. Stackpole 🇺🇦 @michaelastackpole.bsky.social · Jul 28

The Chain Story Project has just posted the third of its free fiction offerings: Shard of Song by Rigel Ailur.

(Please visit, like, and share. Sharing helps so very much. Thank you.) #freefiction #chainstoryproject

www.chainstorycore.com

The Chain Story

www.chainstorycore.com

13 24

Joan Marie Verba @joanmarieverba.bsky.social · Jul 26

My self-published short stories can be found at:
ko-fi.com/joanmariever...
#SelfPublishedAuthorsAppreciationWeek #SPAAW

Covers for short stories: Planetary Sentinels, Revenge Denied, Secret Tech

1 3

Joan Marie Verba @joanmarieverba.bsky.social · Jul 25

My cozy fantasy. Twelve: A Retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses. twelvefairytale.com #SPAAW #SelfPublishedAuthorsAppreciationWeek

Cover of Twelve: A Retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses

2 5

Joan Marie Verba @joanmarieverba.bsky.social · Jul 25

My epic fantasy novel, Sword of Queens. #SPAAW #SelfPublishedAuthorsAppreciationWeek More information at: ftlpublications.com/fantasy.html...

Cover of Sword of Queens with an image of a queen and a full moon

3 6

Joan Marie Verba @joanmarieverba.bsky.social · Jul 21

For #SelfPublishedAuthorsAppreciationWeek, the covers of my Chronicles of the Library of Sorcery fantasy trilogy. #SPAAW More information at libraryofsorcery.com

Covers for the novels Secrets of the Sorcerers, Clash of the Sorcerers, and Shadows of the Sorcerers

3 6

Reposted by Joan Marie Verba

Bryan Young @swankmotron.com · Jul 16

Check this out! I have a free sword and sorcery story out today as part of @michaelastackpole.bsky.social's Chain Story project! You're going to want to check it out! www.chainstorycore.com/blog/free-fi...

Free Fiction Round Two — The Chain Story

In this second round of free fiction, the Chain Story Project offers Forest of the Fallen Colossus by Bryan Young.

www.chainstorycore.com

3 17 47