A toy monkey murders, monsters waste away in a waiting room, and forces conspire to perpetuate a scientific hoax. Storyfeather Gazette.

Published about 2 months ago • 2 min read

March 2026 Issue 1

In this issue: Short stories and podcast episodes from the first half of March about all kinds of villainy.

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

MONKEYS, MONSTERS, AND TITANS 😈

Were we humans the villains all along? But even villains sometimes try to make amends.

Sometimes...

✒️ 🪶 🎙

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.

March of Technology 🤖

✒️ For this month's theme, the tech is only as destructive as the one who wields it.

🎙 The podcast episodes are about mortals dealing with the fallout that gods leave behind.

Titles and taglines below. Enjoy!

Short Stories

Digital drawing. Three monsters sitting on a bench, seen from waist up. From left to right, a zombie, pointing with right hand and leaning towards the shoulder of the central figure. A humanoid with a bulbous skull with curved impressions that resemble the shape of a brain, horns protruding from either side of the head, wearing shirt and tie, with a laptop open in front of him. He glances over to the right. An amorphous monster with a column of eyes at the top, three of which extend from stalks, a protrusion at bottom that resembles a hand, and an open mouth at the base of the eye column. Above the third monster’s head is a sign that reads “Hiring” in the shape of an arrow pointing right. Above the sign is a partial view of a fish scale structure. On the wall at upper left is a poster or board labeled “Dress to Distress” with two images depicting non-distinct shapes. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along top back of laptop. Copyright notice along left side reads, “Copyright © 2026 Nila L. Patel.”

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.

MODDED FOR MURDER

While investigators look into a murder committed through a toy modified to remove failsafe features, another toy malfunctions, and performs an astonishing feat. 🐒

Genre: Science Fiction, Mystery

ASTERION AND THE SPECTER

An eyeball monster in a crowded room, waiting to be called for a hiring interview, is the only one to notice a ghost lurking outside. 🧿

Genre: Horror, Science Fiction

THE HOAX OF THE MUMMIFIED TITAN

The newly discovered mummified remains of a giant are obviously a hoax, but ever since the story spun out of control, no one seems to believe the truth. 🥸

Genre: Science Fiction, Mystery

Find more Year 13 stories at the button below.

Podcast Episodes

Digital drawing. An empty masquerade mask facing forward with several asymmetrical elements. At center bridge of nose, a seashell motif. At left of image the top corner of the mask appears to be burning in a sparkling flame, and part of the mask appears to be vaporizing. At bottom is a small chainmail section from which there hangs a row of teardrop pieces dangling from thin strings. Within each eye hole is a star-filled sky motif. The right eye hole is framed with a tiled or scaled border. The left eye is surrounded by a vine motif. At right of image a feather and wing motif drops from the bottom of the mask. Along the side and extending up in a branching tree. A few leaves sprout from a few branches. Two flowers are set beside the tree and above the left eye. A dragonfly-like insect is perched at the base of the tree with two insect wings extending out and two feathers emerging from the bottom. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along bottom edge below right eyehole.

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.

NINE GODS IN MASQUERADE

The story is told of how nine little gods came to be honored at a feast where they dared not show their faces. 🎭

Genre: Mythology

Nine Gods in Masquerade

Mar 6 · Storyfeather

28:50

THE LAST NIGHT OF GRIEF

A philosopher, a mage, and a swordsman are sent on an impossible quest from which they know they will not return alive. ⚔️🦂

Genre: Mythology

The Last Night of Grief

Mar 13 · Storyfeather

38:25

Find more episodes at the button below.

👻

Across from them, on another bench, sat three goblins, who seemed to know each other, an ogre, whose constant scratching made Asterion grateful that he didn’t have hair on his body, and a two headed serpent wrapped into a neat pile of coils, atop which both heads were sleeping, and drooling a yellowy venom that was searing a divot into the carpet. The sound of heavy steady breathing, and the presence of a few shimmering bronze feathers near the cooler reservoir full of water, meant that someone in the room had large wings and the power of invisibility.

—From "Asterion and the Specter"

Attention Fiction Writers ✒️

I have another newsletter, one for fictioneers. Every month, I pick a topic or theme to cover. 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🪶

Next time, three kids rewrite the story of a cursed queen, and something about the ghost of Bigfoot.

Happy reading and listening! 📚
—Nila

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