A gardener stands against an old, starving god which haunts a grieving mountain village. An ancient playwright is put on trial by the ghosts of his past. Two new Weird Dark Fantasies by James D. Mills.
The Village in the Shins sits at the edge of the known world, overlooked by the tallest Guardians and protected by something older than memory. Its people are sincere, stubborn, and slowly starving. Except for Ithica, whose garden blooms through the hardest winters, whose hands coax life from frozen soil. Yet her prayers for a child of her own go unanswered year after year.
When strangers arrive from the south—a pallid scholar and his beautiful apprentice, both bearing a deadly secret—the village opens its doors as it always has. But something watches from the treeline. Children wander into the frigid woods and never return.
An ancient power feeds on the land. Overshadowed by the sorcerous presence of an old god, haunted by the ghosts of lost and frozen children, Ithica and the Shinfolk must free themselves from an insatiable hunger.
SOIL is the heart-wrenching introduction to Brumal Whispers, a story about what we grow, what we yearn for, and the terrible things we carry into the places we call home.
Cover spread for SOIL
PRAISE FOR SOIL
"With SOIL, Mills scratches at the frozen skin of a hardscrabble land, unleashing a tale that seeps forth like lifeblood from a cold wound. Worthy of the skalds of old."
—Coy Hall, author of Devilry in Godling Wood
"In the highland village of the Shins, every child is born into a family or onto an Old God’s dinner plate... expect the heartfelt drama of Larkrise to Candleford with ghost hunting, child sacrifices, werewolves, and witch trials." —S.E. Lindberg, author of Grave's Daughters. Read the full review at Blackgate Magazine "On a deeper level, SOIL hits home by speaking to strong feelings we all share—the desire to feel belonging, to pass on what we know to our children, to protect our loved ones, and to overcome the haunted evils of the past." —Erik Goodwyn, author of King of the Forgotten Darkness
Inspired by the life of Sophocles, the ancient Greek playwright behind Oedipus Tyrannus, A GHOST AT KOLONADE is a tale of betrayal, love, and lust displayed for all to witness upon the grand stage of Aether.
Synetocles is the greatest tragedian of his age. Accused of murder by the ghost of his greatest rival, he must unravel the memories of his life to prove his case before an audience of lost spirits, drowned by his own command.
Between the stage at Kolonade, dark sorcery and underhanded statecraft, Aether is a fickle, dangerous city where only the greatest survive.
James is offering his expertise and experience as a small press editor to writers.
Limited to 10 spots, he is looking to fill 2027's calendar with monthly fiction coaching sessions. Send 30 page manuscript, he will comment with feedback and call you for one-hour to talk it over.
"I highly recommend talking with him about your work, and really listening to what he has to say.” —D.L. Foshee, previous client.
In case you missed it this summer, we are offering discounted access to Mordschlag Sword and Sorcery Magazine 2026 ahead of public release in January 2027!
The first two issues of Mordschlag Sword and Sorcery Magazine bundle can be added as an add-on. They contain between 40,000 and 50,000 words of original fiction, critical nonfiction, and supplemental game material for Shadowdark RPG, and beautiful illustrations.
Mordschlag Issues #0 and #1
Interior designs for Mordschlag
The Literary Fantasy Magazine
The Literary Fantasy Magazine 2026 was our first forray into pocket-sized magazine. With four seasonally-themed issues, you'll have thoughtful works of fantasy from 30+ authors to pore over.
TLFM 2026
OUR FULL LIST OF BOOKS
As a small press, we've worked with excellent indie authors to share their work with the world. All the following books can be added to your pledge as add-ons for a reduced price.
If you've never heard of The Arcanist: Fantasy Publishing before, know that you are in good hands. Our leadership is comprised of experienced and credentialed professionals. Our editorial staff is mentored and trained in house, in addition to the expertise they bring from prior ventures.
THE PUBLISHER / AUTHOR
James D. Mills is a Dark Fantasy/Sword & Sorcery author and Editor-in-Chief of The Arcanist: Fantasy Publishing, LLC in Bloomington, Indiana.He handles the business end of the publications and much of the line editing on the magazines and our books. Mills has worked with dozens of authors to bring their dreams to life.
He is co-host and producer on Rogues in the House Podcast and Arcanist MFA Podcast.
His Sword & Sorcery short fiction has been featured by Michael A. Stackpole's Chain Story Project, and soon in Wyvern Magazine and Heroic Fantasy Quarterly.
THE EDITORS
Lee Patton is a Sword & Sorcery author and Managing Fiction Editor for The Arcanist, best known for his Izrak the Deathless Sword & Sorcery series. He was the primary editor on SOIL.
Eden Louisa is Director of Marketing for The Arcanist. She was the secondary editor on SOIL.
J.E. Gillam is a writer and a co-host of The Arcanist MFA Podcast. He performed the primary edit for A Ghost at Kolonade, with much of the back and forth being recorded on Arcanist MFA.
Jackelyn A. Bickford is a writer and Associate Editor for The Arcanist. She was the secondary editor on A Ghost at Kolonade.
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