A fish fairy swims through four worlds, enchanted threads weave whimsy, and two men face their eerie fears. Storyfeather Gazette.

Published 3 months ago • 2 min read

February 2026 Issue 2

In this issue: Short stories and podcast episodes from the second half of February, and a thought on the power of story.

Circle format, a three-quarters view of Nila's smiling face from a photo with an oil paint filter applied.

PEAKS AND PITFALLS OF STORY ⛰️

Our perceptions are influenced by stories, especially ones we encounter again and again. And even the ones that we know are rumor, superstition, and fiction might affect how we behave in the world. For better or worse. Our perceptions will likely shift over the course of our lives. Our perspectives, too. Our preferences.

Is there such a thing as a story that is "just a story"?

✒️ 🪶 🎙

Greetings! I'm Nila. Every week, I release a new short story and a new podcast episode spanning the genres of science fiction, fantasy, mystery, mythology, fairy tale, fable, and horror.

Whether you're in the mood to read or listen, I've got stories to tell you.

Fairy Tale February 🧚‍♀️

✒️ For this month's theme, fairies cause and solve dilemmas.

🎙 The podcast episodes are about misunderstanding enchanted dangers in the world.

Titles and taglines below. Enjoy!

Short Stories

Year 13. This year's theme is WildCards. Cards pulled from games. Maybe characters who are wild cards? I'll figure it out as I go.

Each link below leads directly to the story post.

SYLONDINE

A fish fairy learns there are worlds beyond Water, and she seeks to learn how to swim in all of them, from Air to Earth to Fire. 🐠

Genre: Fairy Tale

THREE WILY WHIMSICAL WAVERING WEAVINGS

Enchanted threads are woven into a tapestry, a handkerchief, and six scarves that all reveal truths. 🧣

Genre: Fairy Tale

Find more Year 13 stories at the button below.

Podcast Episodes

Digital drawing. At right, a man in medieval style clothing stands amid patches of grass and looks shocked. His brows are raised and he holds his right hand over his mouth as he gazes at the figure to the left, a man with a gray complexion bowing as he catches an apple with his left hand. The bowing man is surrounded by a wispy glowing cloak, and the colors of his clothing appear to be bleeding into the cloak. At his right foot is a platter of food. A stone sits on or in his left foot. Part of a stream is visible behind the man at right. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along the inner edge of the long vest worn by the man at right. The rectangular image is made square with top and bottom borders that display blurred sections of the main image.

The Wheel of Fiction turns and decides each story's theme. Thirteen spokes, with eight occupied by the themes of prior seasons. There's a Wild Card, and a "Turn Again" spoke. And three mystery spokes.

The text links below go to the Explore page on Storyfeather, where you can listen to the episode and find more info about the story

Pressing on the Spotify embed image leads to the episode's Spotify page.

KAIROS AND THE PHANTOM

The terrifying night phantoms that haunt a once-forbidden wood are never seen by day, until one morning, when an ordinary man encounters a phantom trapped in the sunlight. 🧟‍♂️

Genre: Fantasy, Mythology

Kairos and the Phantom

Feb 20 · Storyfeather

34:27

THROUGH A SKY GRAY

In a realm cursed to lie under a gray veil, one man accepts a job patrolling a neighborhood to watch for unauthorized breaches. ☁️

Genre: Fantasy

Through a Sky Gray

Feb 27 · Storyfeather

38:11

Find more episodes at the button below.

🧵

The crowd gasped. Some rose from their seats. Many murmured. Faces turned away.

The tapestry was meant to show a lavish wedding, and thereafter, scenes of the children taking up their fathers’ trades, of having many children of their own, of enjoying prosperity and influence.

Instead, the threads were splashed in red and gray, in blood and blades, graves for the young, scenes of mourning mothers, and ruined fathers, of bright hopes shriveling on sickly gray vines.

—From "Three Wily Whimsical Wavering Weavings"

Attention Fiction Writers ✒️

I have another newsletter, and it's for fictioneers. Every month, I pick a topic or theme to cover about fiction-writing. I send out a short weekly email to introduce the topic, cover a technique, talk troubleshooting, then use one of my stories to demonstrate some aspect of the topic. If you're a Gazette subscriber, you can get the fiction-writing newsletter by simply pressing the title here: Fictioneer's Field Guide.

Parting words🪶

Coming up in March, podcast episodes about mortals defying decadent gods and short stories about the relentless march of technology.

Happy reading and listening! 📚
—Nila

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