Stygian Lepus Magazine: Spring 2026, Issue #33 – new story by Lawrence Dagstine

I have a new story in Issue #33 (April/Early Spring) of Stygian Lepus Magazine. This would be my third credit with them, third time gracing the journal’s pages these last few years. They are a monthly primarily focused on speculative fiction that is “beyond dark.” Even somewhat cosmic. This time around I have a tale which is one part religious horror, the other part medical horror. Think Robin Cook meets Ira Levin meets T.M. Wright (I used to know him 20+ years ago on a place called Shocklines). What happens when a doctor takes up residency in a rural hospital mysteriously funded by the local church? Who are these cardinals coming in the middle of the night with garbage bags, donning gold crosses? Why are there hundreds of pregnant women lined up outside the hospital’s emergency room all hours of the day? What’s going on in this medical facility? And what exactly is being born in the basement, which requires a special keycard to access? Check out my story in the latest issue of Stygian Lepus: “The Jesus Engine.”

Stygian Lepus Magazine – Issue #33

Available for Amazon Kindle (300+ page ebook) – and a MASSIVE paperback!

STYGIAN LEPUS ON AMAZON – Sample Now, Click Below

STYGIAN LEPUS MAGAZINE HOMEPAGE

(subscriptions, submissions, where to buy, etc)

CLICK LINK, BE REDIRECTED: https://www.stygianlepus.com/

Edited to Add: I’m pleased to announce that, as of this website post, the print version of Stygian Lepus No. #33 has cracked the TOP 100 spot (in preorders, for April 8th 2026). At Number 29 in Psychological Horror. It’s a biggie. I do recommend checking it out.

Other New Entries: “Magazines”

Red Polka Books: “Sibling Syndrome Anthology…” – BOOKS WORTH READING!

I have a story in an anthology from a press I published with a few years back, called Red Polka Books. The name of the anthology is Sibling Syndrome. It’s different. The theme here are stories about brothers and sisters who care about each other, or have some kind of connection that goes beyond the norm. Hence, the title. And no, my story is not one of incest but one of speculative fiction. Imagine a sister and brother, who would go to the ends of the earth for each other, who would have each other’s back through thick and thin, could one day perceive the same imagery. My story is one about “identity distortion” and, eventually, “identity collapse.” It also has a Stranger Things vibe to it. Read my tale, “Mirror Child.” In the latest anthology from Red Polka Books. Pics and links will be below, so be sure to scroll all the way down.

Red Polka Books presents…

Sibling Syndrome Anthology – Edited by Rasiika Sen

Featuring new Dagstine story: “Mirror Child”

WHERE TO ORDER THE BOOK – (click links, be redirected):


Buy the illustrated paperback: 

https://www.lulu.com/shop/rasiika-sen/sibling-syndrome/paperback/product-e7n8zjj.html

Buy the minimal epub: https://www.lulu.com/shop/rasiika-sen/sibling-syndrome/ebook/product-zmekgz6.html

RED POLKA BOOKS ON SOCIAL MEDIA – (click links, be redirected):

Follow Red Polka on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redpolkabooks

Follow Red Polka on Instagram: https://instagram.com/redpolkabooks

Other New Entries: “Books & Anthos”

Wicked Shadow Press: “Small Town Shadows” – Horror in Small Towns!

Hello. I am back in a three-volume anthology series, from the wonderful book producers of spine-tingling terror themselves, Wicked Shadow Press. This time with a reprint from 2006 (yes, twenty years ago!). And it’s a zombie story. A kid’s zombie story. Something I am known the past two decades for writing. The name of the anthology is, ‘Small Town Shadows.’ The theme this time is horror set in small locales, densely populated cities, or areas. There are two other books in this series, entitled: ‘Small Town Secrets’ and ‘Small Town Silhouettes.’ A lot of authors contributed to these. I’m in Shadows, remember that. Book covers and clickable links will be below, as always. Just scroll down. A lot of times these books are illustrated throughout. So sit back, relax, and read my tale: “Thursday’s Children.” The theme is something that, twenty years ago, for the time period, nobody had ever touched upon too much in mainstream literature.

Wicked Shadow Press presents…

SMALL TOWN SHADOWS Horror Anthology

Edited by Parth Sarathi Chakraborty & Rasiika Sen

Featuring old school Dagstine reprint: “Thursday’s Children”

WHERE TO ORDER SMALL TOWN SHADOWS:

Paperback Purchase Link (click, be redirected):

https://www.lulu.com/shop/rasiika-sen-and-parth-sarathi-chakraborty/small-town-shadows/paperback/product-e7nrp2k.html

Wicked Shadow Press Socials – (click links, be redirected):

Follow Wicked Shadow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wickedshadowpress

Follow Wicked Shadow on Instagram: https://instagram.com/wickedshadowpress

Wicked Shadow Press New Website/Homepage – (click, be redirected):

https://wickedshadowpress.induswords.in/

I must confess, it’s weird seeing one of your very first zombie stories from twenty years ago fully illustrated. A lot of love went into the making of this book. It looks really good. I have PDFs on hand if anybody wants a review copy. All the authors’ tales are illustrated.

Other New Entries: “Books & Anthos”

Egyptian Anthologies: “Flash of the Dead Egypt” – Wicked Shadow Press!

I have a themed flash fiction piece in the latest horror anthology from Wicked Shadow Press. This time it’s geographical. Flash about horrors set in and around Egypt, and only Egypt. It could be a short about Mummies, the Pyramids of Giza, Undiscovered Tombs, the Pharaohs, Ancient Gods or Curses, and the like. My story is about two tourists (a couple), who find themselves caught in a storm that terrorizes Cairo once every hundred years. A sandstorm like no other. And with it, come mysterious flying monkeys. Hungry monkeys! The name of my tale is: “Sandstorm of the Han-Saba.” Lot of authors here. Available in the United States and India. I’ll leave clickable links below, so be sure and scroll down. Oh yeah, and there’s a color and B&W version.

Wicked Shadow Press presents…

Flash of the Dead Egypt – Egyptian Horror Flash Anthology

Edited by Parth Sarathi Chakraborty

Featuring Dagstine short: “Sandstorm of the Han-Saba”

LINKS BELOW FOR ORDERING THE BOOK – (click, be redirected):

Illustrated FULL COLOUR edition:

https://www.lulu.com/shop/parth-sarathi-chakraborty/flash-of-the-dead-egypt-full-colour-edition/paperback/product-95wy4ez.html

Standard illustrated BLACK & WHITE edition: 

https://www.lulu.com/shop/parth-sarathi-chakraborty/flash-of-the-dead-egypt-standard-edition/paperback/product-95wyvnv.html

Minimal ePub version: 

https://www.lulu.com/shop/parth-sarathi-chakraborty/flash-of-the-dead-egypt/ebook/product-kv7nvqq.html

WICKED SHADOW PRESS SOCIALS – (click, be redirected):

Like WSP on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wickedshadowpress

Follow WSP on Instagram: https://instagram.com/wickedshadowpress

Other New Entries: “Books & Anthos”

Wicked Shadow Press: “Dark Vigil Annihilate” – Anthology of Vigilante Fiction

I have a reprint (from 2008, polished) in the latest multi-volume anthology series from Wicked Shadow Press, entitled: Dark Vigil Annihilate. This is a big series (five, six hefty tomes total). I see that a lot of authors submitted to these, and each book focuses around dark vigilante fiction. Horror, speculative whodunits, and crime meets Charles Bronson (ala Death Wish), people bringing their own justice, and scary serial killers in-between. I’m in the volume Annihilate, so remember that. Not only that, there are two variant covers available, like you see in comic books. The first cover below, with the “masked woman” is the primary cover. The other with the “full-bleed” Akira effect (reds) is the variant edition. My story is called: ‘The Old Boy’s Club.’ It’s a classic tale about a 1920s-era Gentleman’s Society of paranormal purveyors and supernatural enthusiasts. But in order to get in to this society of ghost fans you will need to first become an initiate, and then use “female bait” to hunt down a restless spirit. That’s how you get in to this society. But what happens when that restless spirit is none other than Jack the Ripper himself? I’ll leave all links, covers, variants, stuff like that below. Scroll to the bottom, be redirected to any ordering pages, and enjoy my updated story: “The Old Boy’s Club”

Wicked Shadow Press presents…

DARK VIGIL: ANNIHILATE – two variant covers available

Edited by Rasiika Sen & Parth Sarathi Chakraborty

Featuring 2008 Dagstine reprint: “The Old Boy’s Club”

DARK VIGIL VARIANT COVER AVAILABLE BELOW (primary is above):

WHERE TO ORDER EITHER EDITION – (click links, be redirected):

DARK VIGIL: ANNIHILATE

Primary cover: https://www.lulu.com/shop/rasiika-sen-and-parth-sarathi-chakraborty/dark-vigil-annihilate/paperback/product-7kwpk74.html

Variant cover: https://www.lulu.com/shop/rasiika-sen-and-parth-sarathi-chakraborty/dark-vigil-annihilate/paperback/product-456pnv5.html

Wicked Shadow Press on Social Media – (click links, be redirected):

WSP on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wickedshadowpress

WSP on Instagram: https://instagram.com/wickedshadowpress

Other New Entries: “Books & Anthos”

Official Substack Newsletter updated: I’ve added to the Substack Newsletter for Feb-Mar 2026, “Carving a Niche for Yourself.” On creating a side hustle, creating a stream of income from your writing, creating a routine that works over time, building publishing clips and passive income. How I do it the past 30 years. It’s very informative. Consider subscribing. In the future I plan to post paying anthology calls there.

https://lawrencedagstinewrites.substack.com/p/lawrence-dagstine-carving-a-niche