The October 2026 “Shadows” issue of Story Impact Magazine explores dark fiction, creativity, moral complexity, resilience, and the hidden life of writers.
The October issue confronts the promise of light and dark—in our stories and in ourselves.
OAKLAND, CA, UNITED STATES, September 29, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — We enter dark stories willingly. We follow damaged characters into dangerous places. We wonder what makes someone cross the line. And somewhere along the way, fiction turns the light back on us.
The October 2026 “Shadows” issue of Story Impact Magazine begins there.
Founded and edited by award-winning crime novelist, podcast host, and book coach Lisa Towles, Story Impact Magazine is a quarterly digital literary publication built around three ideas: books, meaning, and purpose. Its 72-page October issue explores darkness not as an endpoint but as a lens — on character, creativity, resilience, and the complicated inner life behind the stories we tell.
Award-winning author and literary editor Claire Ortalda calls the issue “beautifully luminescent, shining an incandescent light on the dark—the inner promptings and outer realities of the creative life.”
“Bouncing off July’s Leisure issue, October’s ‘Shadows’ theme is about the promise of light and dark…and everything in between,” Towles said.
The issue opens with “Why We Love Dark Fiction,” examining our fascination with danger, moral ambiguity, and fictional descent. From there, three signature sections emerge from the shadows.
The Hidden Room turns inward. Jesse Ratner, Francesca Maria, Joe Clifford, James L’Etoile, and Michael Shea explore trauma, memory, fear, identity, and the private terrain writers carry onto the page.
The Moriarty Problem, a nod to Towles’ lifelong addiction to Sherlock Holmes, enters the territory of villains and moral complexity. Jonathan J. Brown, SJ Rozan, Yves Fey, and Karen E. Osborne consider what makes an antagonist unforgettable and examine one of dark fiction’s most unsettling questions: What turned them?
The Dark Mile looks at writers themselves. Jude Berman, Ana Manwaring, and H. Max Hiller explore rejection, uncertainty, burnout, resilience, and the less visible realities of sustaining a creative life.
Story Impact Magazine also looks at how stories find their way into the world. In Industry Insights, Barri Evins, Nikki Davenport, and Ed DeJesus bring practical perspectives on positioning books for film and television, building reader trust, and organizing book tours.
The issue expands the conversation through featured interviews with Vivien Kyle and Ron Schultz, and original poetry from Vivien Kyle, Rebecca Elegant, and Lee Towles.
Between the Stacks is a new recurring column showcasing librarians and the critical role they play in literacy and community building. The inaugural feature is a conversation with Rosemary Van Lare of Alameda Free Library, bringing a librarian’s perspective on how books find their readers.
The magazine is part of the broader Story Impact multimedia platform, encompassing an author interview podcast, professional book coaching, and workshops. The October 2026 “Shadows” issue is free to read online at storyimpactconsulting.com/magazine.
About Story Impact Magazine
Story Impact Magazine is a quarterly digital literary magazine devoted to Books · Meaning · Purpose. Through essays, interviews, poetry, publishing insight, book discovery, and voices from across the literary community, it explores not only the stories we tell, but why they matter.
About Lisa Towles
Lisa Towles is an award-winning crime novelist, podcast host, book coach, and founder of the Story Impact multimedia platform. She is the author of 16 books and the recipient of more than 40 literary awards. Her work is grounded in one belief: Stories hold the world together.
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LISA TOWLES
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lisamarietowles@gmail.com
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Lisa Towles
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