Holy moly, had no idea how many of y'all are still on here. Hope you're doing well. I'm mostly on the other platforms and haven't used this place since Jan 2025. But anyway, check out our new Indigenous Horror anthology at NWAN2.com. Take care!

Never Whistle at Shoes!

Our streak may come to an end next week, but for now, NWAN has officially made it to its 68th consecutive week on the Indie Bestsellers List. Love to the contributors, booksellers, and readers. We’ve enjoyed seeing this anthology be hyped around the world! NeverWhistleAtNight.com

“Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology” has reached its 67th consecutive week on the Indie Bestsellers List. We continue to be astonished, proud, grateful, and hopeful. This is just one book. Booksellers are introducing the 26 Indigenous contributors to new readers every week, and its bestselling status shows there’s a perpetual hunger for Indigenous works. Let’s keep it going. Hohóu. NeverWhistleAtNight.com

My favorite find at the Pechanga powwow yesterday. A beautiful buffalo carved from jade.

66 WEEKS. That’s how long Never Whistle at Night has been a national bestseller. Going into 2025, we wish you all a happy new year chock full of good reads and good times with loved ones. Thank you NWAN contributors, and indie booksellers and readers. You all keep this anthology fueled for the long haul across this continent. Where it stops, no one knows. NeverWhistleAtNight.com

Three years ago today we got married between a forest and a beach in Hawaii. Everything about it was stellar. Joyful to celebrate our third anniversary. 🖤

Late to post due to family time yesterday, but here we are: 65 weeks in a row. The gift that keeps on giving. As always, a major thank-you to the anthology’s contributors, the indie booksellers, and all the amazing readers out there. Merry Christmas! NeverWhistleAtNight.com #NeverWhistleAtNight

Thrilled to share that I’ll be Editor-in-Chief for an upcoming charity anthology showcasing the voices of Native women and Two-Spirit writers. Proceeds will support an MMIP organization (to be announced). More details later.

NWAN⁶⁴

Your favorite Indigenous dark fiction anthology has now been a national bestseller for 63 consecutive weeks! Indie booksellers continue to match readers with Never Whistle at Night, and we couldn’t achieve this without the writers and booksellers. Y’all are amazing. If you didn’t know, Ted and I are currently reading submissions for the sequel which will be published Fall 2026. There is tough competition for open call spots because up and coming NDN writers out there are so dang talented. Can’t wait to share them with you. NeverWhistleAtNight.com

The popcorn bucket for Robert Eggers’s NOSFERATU is so cool. I need one.

The moon looks weird tonight. Am I alone?

Got a baby hawk tattoo on my hand for my daughter

NWAN, Part I has now been a bestseller for 62 weeks straight. Proud of and grateful for everyone involved.

The open call for NEVER WHISTLE AT NIGHT, PART II is officially closed! We’ve read so many fantastic submissions already; the competition is fierce. On that note, I’d like to reshare my response to this question for future readers to consider: What’s the difference between ‘dark fiction’ and ‘horror fiction’? There are differing opinions, but here is my answer tailored to our anthology series… Dark fiction and horror, though often overlapping in their exploration of the macabre, are distinct in their narrative focus, thematic intent, and emotional impact. Dark fiction is a literary genre that delves into the more somber and morally ambiguous aspects of the human condition. It frequently examines themes of tragedy, existential despair, and the complexities of evil, creating a pervasive atmosphere of gloom and introspection. The primary objective of dark fiction is not to evoke fear, but rather to provoke deep reflection and emotional resonance. It invites readers to engage with the darker elements of human nature and society, often leaving them with a sense of unease or melancholy. This genre can encompass a variety of forms, including psychological dramas, thrillers, and even elements of literary fiction, where the horror is more a byproduct of the exploration of character and theme rather than the driving force of the narrative. In contrast, horror is a genre specifically designed to elicit fear, terror, or revulsion. The narrative structure of horror is typically centered around suspense, shock, and the portrayal of the grotesque or supernatural. The atmosphere in horror fiction is tense and foreboding, with the primary intent being to disturb or frighten the audience. Unlike dark fiction, which may utilize elements of horror to explore deeper themes, horror fiction prioritizes the fear factor, often using graphic depictions of violence, monstrous beings, or otherworldly threats to achieve its effect. The ultimate purpose of horror is to confront the reader with their deepest fears, creating an experience that is visceral and unsettling. Thus, while dark fiction seeks to engage the reader’s intellect and emotions in contemplating the darker aspects of existence, horror is more concerned with producing an immediate and intense emotional response through the evocation of fear. While we loved and enjoyed the stories in Never Whistle at Night (2023), those contributions were primarily rooted in dark fiction. However, with the sequel on the horizon, the focus has shifted slightly, and we are now curating a collection that leans more distinctly into the horror genre. As the open call for emerging Indigenous writers goes live, we are specifically seeking contributions that align with the tenets of horror fiction rather than dark fiction. Hohóu. Shane Hawk August 31, 2024

Y’all have 1 day and 16 hours to submit up to 3 horror stories for NEVER WHISTLE AT NIGHT, PART II: BACK FOR BLOOD. 3-5k words. $1,500 for accepted stories. Exclusive to writers Indigenous to North American tribes and nations. Publishing Fall 2026. IndigenousHorror.com