Dear Stupid Newsletter Service
Sep 17, 2025 8:19 pm
Hey Ho, Tenebrous Cult!
No, you're not seeing double—or maybe you are, but that's something entirely unrelated and you might wanna check in with your optometrist.
Anyhoo: if we've done everything correctly, you're receiving this in your inbox twice: once as our final missive via Substack, and again as we transition to our new host SendFox. Assuming we've got all the kinks worked out, this will be our home base for the foreseeable future, so please check your spam box and adjust everything accordingly (ALEX PLEASE MAKE ME SOUND TECH-CORRECT AND LESS STUPID. FOR ONCE. - M)
(NOPE YOU'RE FINE YEET - A)
DEAR STUPID PENPAL PREORDERS OPEN
Our final title of 2025 is out in November, and it's a genre-bending, emotionally rich tale that mines an incredible amount of warmth out of the freezing cold depths of outer space.
DEAR STUPID PENPAL is an astounding debut novel from author Rascal Hartley, who combines elements of Cosmic Horror, deep-space sci-fi thriller and a budding romance that spans literally thousands of years, with the confidence of someone who's been writing for decades.
And it's up for preorder now!
About DEAR STUPID PENPAL:
Atticus “Finch” Davani does not want to be an astronaut. He hates space, he hates the ship, and he strongly dislikes his fellow crew members. He makes that painfully clear in his letters to Aku, his corporate-assigned penpal back on Earth.
Soon, Aku becomes much more than a penpal. But when the crew engage hyperdrive, Aku’s punctual letters start coming at random intervals, and Finch and his shipmates realize that time, for them, is moving all wrong.
As everyone else’s penpals rapidly die of old age, Finch turns, heartbroken, to Aku; who, more than a century later, is still there.
DEAR STUPID PENPAL is an entirely epistolary exploration of cosmic dread, the passing of time, and the lifelines we cling to against the vast endlessness of space.
Cover art by Carly A-F.
Interior illustrations by Matt Blairstone.
"A joyously weird tale of unexpected genre mashups, overwhelming odds, quotable lines, and queer romance that even the most jaded cynic can't help but get swept up in."
- Íde Hennessey, "Sequoia Point", Split Scream: Off the Map
I've talked occasionally about how we determine whether a book is right for Tenebrous. While Alex and I each have specific tasks that we're ideally suited for, at the end of the day there's only two of us flying this upside-down umbrella, so a lot of hat-swapping and co-steering happens. But almost always, Alex is first reader on all manuscripts, and hits me with her recommendations and shortlists of what she thinks might be the best fit for us. Very rarely, the reverse happens.
In the case of DEAR STUPID PENPAL, I very distinctly remember that it was late evening—my evening, her morning—and we both finished it at roughly the same time.
And we had to take turns picking our jaws up off the floor. We couldn't believe how confident this book was, for starters; how lively and buoyant its prose is, an absolute triumph of existential terror, heartbreak, and perhaps most Weirdly, optimism. Its narrative conceit—the book is 100% written in back-and-forth missives between its central characters—is executed flawlessly; in fact, it couldn't work any other way.
DEAR STUPID PENPAL is a centuries-spanning science fiction epic, an unfussy, tender, and hilarious, queer romance, and a—yeah, I'll go ahead and use Lovecraftian, because it's still effective shorthand for that certain abstract existentially horrifying feeling—Lovecraftian Cosmic Horror of the finest degree, all rolled into one. And again, it's a debut, from a young writer that you're going to be hearing from for a long time. Welcome to the Tenebrous Cult, Rascal; we're grateful that we got to you first!
Alex and I remain absolutely convinced that the greatest stories are coming from the unexplored corners of the world, and that star power means nothing; except, of course, when it comes from the stars, light years away. DEAR STUPID PENPAL is the proof. Give this one your full attention, Cult, it's got a bit of a different flavor, but it's never a bad idea to broaden your palette! Out November 11; preorder it now.
***
Annex of the Obscure: A TENEBROUS TEACHING MOMENT
We've sat on our hands and zipped our lips regarding the multi-volume non-fiction project we've been cooking up with Mo "CLAIRVIOLENCE is out in one month preorder now!" Moshaty for over a year now. Well the wait is over.
But first, pop over to our pals at DREAD CENTRAL, who broke the news yesterday.
...Back with us? Okay good. Then let us officially welcome you into the ANNEX:
ANNEX OF THE OBSCURE is the natural evolution of Mo's tireless drive and multi-faceted approach to the horror genre. It draws from her careers in film, prose, education and lecturing, offering an enlightened study of the history of horror through the lenses of multiple cultures, full of humor and personality and never feeling stuffy.
We'll be sharing a lot more about this ambitious project as we get closer to its release. This is a learning experience for all of us, from editing to layouts and formatting to how the hell to market these suckers. One thought I've been mulling over is that the ANNEX might serve as a great, unconventional resource for shaking loose new ideas in speculative fiction writing; only one possible use for the wealth of material that Mo is mining. But as always, the audience will determine the best use for the material. We can't wait to see where it all goes.
VOLUME ONE: THE AFTERLIFE is due to arrive in Fall of 2026.
IN THE MEANTIME, CLAIRVIOLENCE: TALES OF TAROT AND TORMENT IS ONE MONTH AWAY
You can see why Mo is one of the most vital voices in Horror with this eclectic collection of occult terrors, due out October 21st!
About CLAIRVIOLENCE:
The Tarot holds mystery, prediction, and unsettling omens for those who practice, divine, or are sensitive to it.
A turn of the cards weaves CLAIRVIOLENCE through space and time to delve into the stories of those shaken by life-shattering choices that threaten to tear their souls apart:
A warring couple is forced to reconcile during the end of the world.
A young man is drawn into the surreal prison-scape of an elderly woman.
A dead woman’s curse travels miles and decades to bring her killer to justice.
CLAIRVIOLENCE: TALES OF TAROT AND TORMENT unearths one novelette and ten short stories—each one exclusive to this volume—beneath the exterior of an otherwise charmed and quiet existence.
Cover art by Bri Crozier.
Interior art by Mo Moshaty, with Matt Blairstone.
"Mo Moshaty has dealt a killer hand with CLAIRVIOLENCE."
- Clay McLeod Chapman, Wake Up and Open Your Eyes
“The Horror take on Tarot I didn’t know I needed.”
- Melody Cooper, OMNI, African Ghost Short Stories
"Unsettling and thought-provoking. Moshaty's characters rise from the page."
- Tim McGregor, Lure and Eynhallow
"Mo knows what horror lovers want. Incredible tales from an incredible talent. These stories pop.”
- Mark Matthews, To Those Willing To Drown
***
H.P. LOVECRAFT FILM FESTIVAL IS THIS WEEKEND IN PORTLAND, OR!
Due to the HPLFF having to make a last-minute weekend change due to venue conflicts, Alex won't be here in person this year; but she'll absolutely be here in spirit (and she's hitting the states in just a couple weeks for VoidCon in Gettysburg!) But I'll be holding down our usual spot in the lobby:
Since I won't have my partner in crime to keep me company, I hope you'll come say hi. The draw, as always, is an absolutely killer slate of Weird Horror films, as well as author readings, special presentations and more. And it's the HPLFF's 30th anniversary, to boot! Running from September 19-21, getcher tickets here.
***
That feels like enough news for one week. Next time out we'll share the cover art to next year's SPLIT SCREAM: CURSED PLACES and tell you a little more about its contents; we'll see what else shakes loose as well.
We'd love to hear your thoughts on the newsletter changeover as well! Or anything at all that's on your mind, really; tell us we're pretty, drag us over the coals, whatevs. Holler here.
Hail New Weird Horror.
Hail Indie Publishing.
Hail Stupid Penpals and Obscure Annexes.
Matt + Alex + Rascal + Mo
