The Arcanist: Fantasy Publishing is funding their 2026 Fantasy Magazines.
Two issues of Mordschlag Sword and Sorcery Magazine(Issue #0 and Issue #1)
Four issues of The Literary Fantasy Magazine(Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter 2026)
Each Issue of Mordschlag Sword and Sorcery Magazine is approximately 100 to 150 pages, containing between 32,000 and 38,000 words of original fiction, critical nonfiction, and supplemental game material for Shadowdark RPG.
Mordschlag Sword and Sorcery Magazine, first two issues.
Each Issue of The Literary Fantasy Magazineis approximately 80 to 140 pages, containing between 19,000 to 24,000 words of original fiction and poetry.
Each magazine is modeled after classic pulp fiction magazines of the 20th century. As traditionally printed paperbacks, they are pocketable and ruggedly durable, designed to accompany you on any adventure through cityscape or wilderness.
Both TLFM and Mordschlag paperbacks are sized at 5.25" x 7.5".
We also offer our magazines in accessible and EPUB and PDF formats for those who prefer digital experiences.
TLFM Spring 2026 issue compared to 1987 issues of Alfred Hitchcock and Ellery Queen Mystery Magazines.
Mordschlag Sword and Sorcery Magazine publishes modern Sword & Sorcery fiction within the tradition of Pulp Fiction, Heroic Fantasy, Cosmic Horror, and Weird Fiction. It is our love letter to our favorite genre and is designed to resemble classic Dungeons and Dragons modules.
WHAT IS SWORD & SORCERY? Sword & Sorcery is a fast-paced subgenre of Fantasy featuring characters of action. In general, settings are historic or historically-inspired, magic is dark and dangerous, and monsters are horrific and terrifying.
WHAT'S IN EACH ISSUE?
4 to 6 short stories
1 critical nonfiction article
At least 2 original monsters for Shadowdark RPG, inspired by the fiction
2 page Shadowdark RPG adventure utilizing the new monsters
Full spread illustration, and a half-page illustration for every story
Classic OSR design that evokes an age passed
Three spreads from Mordschlag Issue #0 and a Michael A. Stackpole's story in Issue #1 (right)
The Literary Fantasy Magazine publishes Literary Fantasy fiction and poetry within the tradition of High Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Weird Fiction, Dark Fantasy, Grimdark, and Myth. The publication acts as a showcase for new and professional writers alike and publishes a variety of narrative styles and subgenres.
WHAT IS LITERARY FANTASY? Literary Fantasy has many forms. In general, Literary Fantasy takes formal and structural cues from Up-Market Fiction, Literary Fiction, and Classic Literature. We prioritize Fantasy that has character-driven narrative, thoughtful interiority, artful prose, strong themes, and/or relatable characters. We also look for tales with Mythic narrative structure.
WHAT'S INSIDE EACH ISSUE?
4 to 8 short stories
2 to 6 poems
2 full page illustrations
The Dragon and Deep Kingdom by S.M. Reine in TLFM Autumn 2026
If you followed our prelaunch page or back within with first 48-hours, we'll include in your paperback rewards a free bookmark with artwork from "The Dragon of Ost'safir" illustrated by Anastasia Patton.
Missed the deadline? No problem, you add a bookmark to your rewards.
Between both magazines, we have curated a collection of writing from over 40 writers around the globe; newcomers and bestsellers alike!
WRITERS FEATURED IN MORDSCHLAG
Michael A. Stackpole, Bryn Hammond, Lee Patton, Cullen Groves, Mario Carić, H.R. Laurence. G.W. LeCroy, D.L. Foshee, Phillip Royce Johnson, Jacob Gillam, James D. Mills
WRITERS FEATURED IN THE LITERARY FANTASY MAGAZINE
James Callan, M. Frost, Andrew Moore, Michael Goe, Menke HB, Ben Allee, L.D. Whitney, D.J. Tyrer, S.M. Reine, Charles Richard Livesay, Eilo Somner, Phillip Royce Johnson, Ryan Owen, Nino Bonura, Mike Wheet, Matias Travieso-Diaz, Glenn Dungan, Ian William Walker, Richie Billing, Emil Čolić, Gregory R. Hyde, Víctor A. Piña G., Leyla Guirand, Baldwin E. Hart, Alex Hinshaw, Morgan Z. Sowell, Reed Miller, Blaize M. Kaye, Gull Ditta, Kane Williams, M.D. Smith IV, Melanie Flores, Matthew Spence, Jan Karlsson, James D. Mills
ARTISTS
We've licensed and commissioned several illustrations to beautifully furnish the covers and interiors of our magazines.
Artists featured in these magazines: Kim Holm, Diego Castro, Anastasia Patton, Gary McCluskey, Jeff Koch, Jack Holliday, Wouter Florusse, Claudio Casini, Carlos Castilho, and more!
Anastasia Patton (left) Gary McCluskey (middle) Diego Castro (right)
For this crowdfund, we are partnering with Old Moon Publishing on their campaign to fund Jonathan Olfert's upcoming Stone and Sorcery novella, Seers in a Broken Season.
Backers who back both this campaign in addition to Old Moon's will receive a double feature flip-zine featuring two new short stories by Jonathan Olfert and The Arcanist's James D. Mills.
Digital backers will receive the zine in PDF and EPUB format.
Paper backers will receive both a physical copy and eBook with their Arcanist's Fantasy Magazines rewards.
Jonathan Olfert's "Seers in a Broken Season" from Old Moon Publishing, painted by Brian LeBlanc
In addition to magazines, The Arcanist: Fantasy Publishing publishes Fantasy novels and poetry chapbooks by authors who have previously contributed writing to our magazines.
To celebrate our 2026 magazines, we are offering every book we've ever published as individual add-ons and curated collection reward tiers at reduced prices.
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
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.
THE EDITORS
Lee Patton is a Sword & Sorcery author and Managing Fiction Editor for The Arcanist. He is responsible for curating final submissions to be included in The Literary Fantasy Magazine and Mordschlag Sword and Sorcery Magazine, as well as developmental and line editing for our novels and the serial fiction featured on our free webzine Arcanist Online.
Menke HB is a writer, poet and Poetry Editor for The Arcanist. She assists submitting poets with refining their poems before printing in The Literary Fantasy Magazine and worked closely with M. Frost on the new poetry collection, The March.
Jackelyn A. Bickford is a writer and Associate Editor for The Arcanist. She handles developmental, line editing, and proofreading for The Literary Fantasy Magazine and is working with Andrew Moore on his Steam and Stars books and novellas.
Liam Pisano is a writer and Associate Editor for The Arcanist. He handles developmental, line editing, and proofreading for The Literary Fantasy Magazine as well as proofreading for Mordschlag Sword and Sorcery Magazine.
THE OUTREACH
Eden Louisa is an expert of the human mind and acts as Director of Marketing for The Arcanist. She supports our authors, connects with our readers and assists James' climb of the ever-growing mountain of publishing tasks.
VOLUNTEER STAFF
We'd also like to shout out our incredible volunteer staff who have assisted in submission evaluation and/or editorial projects: Rich Rardin, Alexander J. Wood, Liem Namiot, Katelyn Osborne, Charles Richard Livesay, Emma Foster, Rilen Bell, and C.R. Aramais.
You will not be charged for shipping until about two months after the campaign ends.
ESTIMATED SHIPPING RATES
US Shipping: $10
International Shipping: up to $45
Every book is professionally packed and shipped from our warehouse partner in Chicago, Illinois. BackerKit will calculate shipping costs based on total order weight after we send Backer surveys to collect current shipping addresses.
VAT and Other Taxes
We are not responsible for any VAT, duty, or customs charges any packages may incur.
When will my rewards ship?
We will send a survey after the magazines and books are printed and delivered to our shipping partner. The goal is to ship rewards by October 2026, but this is not guaranteed.
The only true risk is delay. We have successful experience fulfilling two prior crowdfunding campaigns and we sell books directly to readers every day. The magazines are fully populated with their final tables of contents; we are about 90% finished with editorial, and awaiting the final touches before sending an order out to the printer.
We plan to traditionally print these magazines. For our novels, we have a long-standing relationship with Bookvault, a high-end print-on-demand printer.
We have partnered with Sara McHenry, an expert crowdfunding/fulfillment partner to ensure that these magazines are delivered to you in a timely manner and in pristine condition. All rewards will be packed and sent from a warehouse in Chicago, Illinois.
Old Moon Publishing