Kaidankai: Ghost and Supernatural Stories

A haunting melody becomes the thread between love, loss, and the mysterious forces that blur the line between life and death.C.S. Fuqua's books include Fatherhood ~ Poems of Parenthood, Walking After Midnight ~ Collected Stories, Big Daddy's Fast-Past Gadget, Native American Flute ~ A Comprehensive Guide, and White Trash & Southern ~ Collected Poems. His work has appeared in publications such as Year's Best Horror Stories XIX, XX and XXI, Pudding, The Horror Show, Pearl, Chiron Review, Christian Science Monitor, The Old Farmer's Almanac, The Writer, and Honolulu Magazine.Photo by Raghavendra V. Konkathi on UnsplashYou can read "Rise Up" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.Website: kaidankaistories.comPlease feel free to contact me through the website contact form.Other stories by C. S. Fuqua featured on the podcast:ObonContritionPhoto by Hashem Al-Hebshi on UnsplashFollow us on: InstagramFacebookBlueskySubstack

A nurse confronts the emotional and spiritual toll of his work in end of life care.Tony Del Degan is an author and screenwriter from Calgary, Canada. When he was a young boy, he was introduced to the world of fiction through films like Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy, and was immediately captured by the desire to create imaginative worlds and stories of his own. Since elementary school, when he started creating books for the class library out of folded printer paper, his dream has never dimmed.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tonydeldegan/Twitter: https://x.com/tonydeldeganTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tonydeldegan_authorPhoto by Raghavendra V. Konkathi on UnsplashYou can read "Do Not Stand By My Grave, I Am Not There" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.Website: kaidankaistories.comPlease feel free to contact me through the website contact form.Follow us on: InstagramFacebookBlueskySubstack

A podcast team explores a chilling urban legend in Santiago, uncovering haunting tales, personal fears, and deeper truths about belief, memory, and the unknown.Sam Williamson is an aspiring writer and a medical student from Santiago, Chile. Her story "Light," earned third place in the Miroptics Contest. Her pieces have appeared in magazines such as Amazine, with forthcoming work in ionosphere. When not writing, she immerses herself in learning about various poisons, urban myths, and true crime cases.You can read "The Blonde of Kennedy" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.Website: kaidankaistories.comPlease feel free to contact me through the website contact form.Sound Effects by Freesound community on Pixabay.Follow us on: InstagramFacebookBlueskySubstack

When Laura returns once more to the place where her uncle disappeared, she expects only silence. Instead, she finds a voice calling her name, a face she thought was long gone, and a reality that begins to unravel.Grove Koger is the author of Not, a chapbook of poetry; and When the Going Was Good: A Guide to the 99 Best Narratives of Travel, Exploration, and Adventure. He's Assistant Editor of Deus Loci: The Lawrence Durrell Journal, and blogs about travel and related subjects at https://worldenoughblog.wordpress.com/author/gkoger/.You can read "Nighthawks" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.Website: kaidankaistories.comPlease feel free to contact me through the website contact form.Follow us on: InstagramFacebookBlueskySubstack

A tired traveler, stopping for a drink in a quiet country pub, discovers that sometimes loneliness — and the ghosts of the past — demand more than just conversation.Robert Kibble lives west of London with a wife and two cats, and a cornucopia of half-finished writing projects.  A few have been published over the years, which – it has to be admitted – is very pleasing.  If only a less creative day job wouldn't keep getting in the way, he's sure it would be more.  You can find him at www.philosophicalleopard.com where you'll find more short stories, links to his novels, and musings on why zeppelins don't ply the skies.Photo by Michael Starkie on UnsplashYou can read "Closing Time" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.Website: kaidankaistories.comPlease feel free to contact me through the website contact form.Follow us on: InstagramFacebookBlueskySubstack

A city boy, lured by a strange girl and the promise of magical fruit, discovers that some rural secrets are far more dangerous — and far more ancient — than he could ever imagine.Arpad Nagy is a 51yr old, Hungarian Canadian, working husband and father, with a storyteller's soul and a romantic's heart, who, began his writing journey in 2021 after sustaining serious work injuries. After surviving a year as soulless content writer, he quickly refocused to fiction and nonfiction writing, finding success as a fiction ghostwriter, creative consultant, and developmental editor. His fiction writing, nonfiction essays, and memoirs have achieved a measure of success, most recently shortlisted for the Northwind Writing Award in fiction and nonfiction, as well as being accepted as a feature author for Dragon Soul Press Winter Anthology.  His work is published regularly at Medium.com.Photo by Art Lasovsky on UnsplashYou can read "The Mango Tree" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.Other work by Arpad Nagy featured on the Kaidankai:The Ghosts of Black Rock RiverThrough the Shadow GlassJosephine's CandleWebsite: kaidankaistories.comPlease feel free to contact me through the website contact form.Follow us on: InstagramFacebookBlueskySubstack

A writer stumbles upon dark secrets from the past that awaken a sinister force within him.James Rumpel is a retired high school math teacher who has greatly enjoyed spending some of his free time turning a few of the odd ideas circling his brain into stories. He lives in Wisconsin with his wonderful wife, Mary.Photo by Art Lasovsky on UnsplashYou can read "Jack's Muse" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.Other work by James RumpelSite 23LuckyThe Blue MurdersWebsite: kaidankaistories.comPlease feel free to contact me through the website contact form.Follow us on: InstagramFacebookBlueskySubstack

A cursed prince must attend a royal ball to choose a bride. He flees, only to find magic in the forest.Allister Nelson is a poet and author whose work has appeared in Apex Magazine, The Showbear Family Circus, Eternal Haunted Summer, SENTIDOS: Revistas Amazonicas, Black Sheep: Unique Tales of Terror and Wonder, The Greyhound Journal, FunDead Publications' Gothic Anthology, POWER Magazine, Renewable Energy World, and many other venues. allisternelson.comPhoto by Rob Griffin on UnsplashYou can read "The Devil I Know" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.Website: kaidankaistories.comPlease feel free to contact me through the website contact form.Follow us on: InstagramFacebookBlueskySubstack

What happens when the desperation to survive peels away the last shreds of identity? Jennifer Weigel is a multi-disciplinary mixed media conceptual artist.  Weigel utilizes a wide range of media to convey her ideas, including assemblage, drawing, fibers, installation, jewelry, painting, performance, photography, sculpture, video and writing.  Much of her work touches on themes of beauty, identity (especially gender identity), memory & forgetting, and institutional critique.  She lives in Kansas, USA with her husband and is an avid art collector who enjoys playing board and role-playing games, junk store thrifting, and mail art. Her spirit animal is the deer. Her favorite foods are unagi don or broiled calamari steak and frosting with or without cake.You can read more of Weigel's writing on her website here.  https://jenniferweigelwords.wordpress.com/Photo by Louis Hansel on UnsplashYou can read "Ravenous" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.Website: kaidankaistories.comPlease feel free to contact me through the website contact form.Follow us on: InstagramFacebookBlueskySubstack

A man enters a magical realm for love, but homesickness draws him back—under strict rules. Will he follow the rules? A what happens if he doesn't?Michael Barrington lives near San Francisco and writes mainly historical novels: Let the Peacock Sing, The Ethiopian Affair, Becoming Anya, The Baron of Bengal Street, No Room for Heroes. Passage to Murder is a thriller set in San Francisco. Magic at Stonehenge is a short story collection. Take a Priest Like You is a memoir. He has published more than 60 short stories and also blogs on his website: www.mbwriter.net.Photo by Louis Hansel on UnsplashYou can read "The Storyteller: The Shannike" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.Website: kaidankaistories.comPlease feel free to contact me through the website contact form.Follow us on: InstagramFacebookBlueskySubstack

A tale that shows even time-worn entities like genies in lamps can be modernized.William Quincy Belle is just a guy. Nobody famous; nobody rich; just some guy who likes to periodically add his two cents worth with the hope, accounting for inflation, that $0.02 is not over-evaluating his contribution. He claims that at the heart of the writing process is some sort of (psychotic) urge to put it down on paper and likes to recite the following which so far he hasn't been able to attribute to anyone: "A writer is an egomaniac with low self-esteem." You will find Mr. Belle's unbridled stream of consciousness here (https://www.amazon.com/stores/William-Quincy-Belle/author/B01M1IQ69G).  https://WilliamQuincyBelle.comPhoto by Louis Hansel on UnsplashYou can read "The Genie" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.Other stories by William Quincy Belle featured on the Kaidankai are:The Fourteen-Fourteen CurseWebsite: kaidankaistories.comPlease feel free to contact me through the website contact form.Follow us on: InstagramFacebookBlueskySubstack

Last Breath is glimpse into the mind of a man on the threshold of death.  Who is with him and what does he think about in the waning hours of his life? Memories blur with reality. The past and present entwine. And as the clock winds down, he must decide—does he linger, or does he finally let go?L.N. Hunter shares an untidy home with two cats and a soulmate, and besides a comic fantasy novel, 'The Feather and the Lamp,' has been published in 'Best of British Science Fiction 2022' and 'Trickster's Treats 3,' among other magazines and anthologies. "Last Breath" appeared in Short Circuit #14, Short Édition's quarterly review.You can read "Last Breath" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.Other stories by LN Hunter featured on the Kaidankai are:Skin DeepObserver EffectPoster ChildrenThe Monster in the DungeonWebsite: kaidankaistories.comPlease feel free to contact me through the website contact form.Follow us on: InstagramFacebookBlueskySubstack

A woman sneaks along mansion grounds, seeking entry to the house to get revenge on the evil old man living there. But her memory is wrapped in darkness. Is she doing the right thing?Lee Clark Zumpe, an entertainment columnist with Tampa Bay Newspapers, earned his bachelor's in English at the University of South Florida. He began writing poetry and fiction in the early 1990s. His work has regularly appeared in a variety of literary journals and genre magazines over the last two decades. Publication credits include World War Cthulhu and The Children of Gla'aki from Dark Regions Press; Through a Mythos Darkly from PS Publishing; Children of Lovecraft Country and Shadows of an Inner Darkness from Golden Goblin Press; and Corridors and The Pickman Papers from Innsmouth Gold. Lee lives on the west coast of Florida with his wife and daughter. Lee's inclination toward horror manifested itself early in his childhood when he began flipping through the pages of Forrest J. Ackerman's Famous Monsters of Filmland and reading Gold Key Comic classics like Boris Karloff Tales of Mystery and Grimm's Ghost Stories. In his teenage years, he discovered Edgar Allan Poe, H.P. Lovecraft, Ambrose Bierce, Richard Matheson and other masters of the genre. Lee's work often focuses on character interaction set against a pervading sense of cosmic dread and high strangeness.You can read "In The Window" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.Website: kaidankaistories.comPlease feel free to contact me through the website contact form.Follow us on: InstagramFacebookBlueskySubstack

One day, out of nowhere and for an unknown reason, something—or someone—appears over the right shoulder of one man, shadowing his every step and literally breathing down his neck. Desperate for answers, he turns to his psychic ex-girlfriend, who offers him only a cryptic warning: The ghost is here for a reason. And soon, you'll have to make a choice. What choice? And what price will he have to pay?Laura Shell has been published in Maudlin House, Citron Review, and many others. Her anthology of paranormal stories titled The Canine Collection was released this year. If she isn't writing, reading, or submitting short fiction, she's slinging snarky jabs at her husband of 35 years. You can find out more about her at https://laurashellhorror.wordpress.com.You can read "A Haunting" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.Website: kaidankaistories.comPlease feel free to contact me through the website contact form.Follow us on: InstagramFacebookBlueskySubstack

Instead of moving on after death, a few ghosts decide to remain at Tellurian Industries to keep an eye on things. When they discover an employee stealing from the company, the spectral staff must figure out how to make his crime known—with all the limitations that come with being dead.For most of her adult life, Kelly Zimmer labored in the stifling corporate atmosphere of commercial real estate, finding escape in mysteries, thrillers, and horror novels. She took a break from her number-intensive work life through biking, hiking, kayaking, and writing. She is inspired by the natural side of Florida, which she explores with her husband and dog, Lydia.You can read "The Department of Spectral Affairs" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.Website: kaidankaistories.comPlease feel free to contact me through the website contact form.Photo by John Schnobrich on UnsplashFollow us on: InstagramFacebookBlueskySubstack

At a reading of her latest story, a an anxious author of horror stories may have to face the fears of her past.Mave Goren is an author, radio host and musician from the hinterlands of Brooklyn. A lifelong writer of the weird and fantastical, her work has appeared in Ode to Dionysus and the queer indie award horror anthology Trans Rites. She is a prospective MFA student in St Joseph's University in Brooklyn. You can find her on Instagram as yon_wizardmeistressYou can read "My Haunted Childhood" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.Website: kaidankaistories.comContact me through the website contact form.Follow us on: InstagramFacebookBlueskySubstack

Two men step into the unknown to call a demon for a favor. One follows the prescribed ritual. The other? Well, he's a little distracted, so he gets what he asked for maybe he got more than he bargained for.Nenad Pavlovic was born in 1983. in a mid-sized city in Eastern Europe. He majored in English language and literature and eventually moved to the north of Norway, where he still resides, working as a teacher and scribbling away every Friday night with a pint of ale at his side. His short fiction (mostly fantasy, sci-fi and horror, with a few exception) was featured in many magazines and short story collections published throughout the Balkans, and a few of them even managed to get published abroad (Jersey Devil Press, Piker Press, Schlock!, Lovecraftiana, Kaidankai, Dark Horses, Underside Stories...). His first novel, Hokus Lokvud, won the Mali Nemo Best Novel Award in 2013, and his latest novel, Salvation on Peril Island, published under a pen-name Nash Knight, is currently available on Amazon. ​You can read "Mr. Silver, Mr. Quicksilver" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.Website: kaidankaistories.comContact me through the website contact form.Follow us on: InstagramFacebookBluesky

Reapers: silent collectors and unseen guides of the dead. Their past is forgotten, their future uncertain, but they know one thing, ghosts can't be trusted. Then one reaper meets a ghost who might unravel everything.MN Wiggins is an internationally published author, surgeon, voice actor, and humorist from the American South. His recently released novel, Physician's Guide to Homicide, completes the Arkansas Traveler trilogy, featuring Wiggins's most well-known character, Dr. Melvin Napier. Dr. Wiggins's short stories have been featured in The Hooghly Review, Black Petals, Medicine and Meaning, and read on the podcasts Creepy and Frightening Tales. He has forthcoming stories in The Horror Zine, Symphonies of Imagination, Close to the Bone, Flunk magazine, AcademFic, Thirteen, and The Night's End podcast. Dr. Wiggins's complete works may be found at www.MNWiggins.com You can read "Coins For the Reaper" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.Website: kaidankaistories.comContact me through the website contact form.Follow us on: InstagramFacebook

A teen hanging out at the school football field challenges the unseen. What happens next? Well… let's just say it gives new meaning to the term ‘end zone.'Daniel Gene Barlekamp is the author of fiction and poetry for young readers and adults. His middle-grade ghost story “The Curse of the Cat Man” appears in the anthology The Haunted States of America (Godwin Books/Macmillan, 2024), and his poetry has been translated into Mandarin by Poetry Hall. Originally from New Jersey, Daniel now lives with his wife and son in Massachusetts, where he works in immigration law by day and attends law school by night. Find his full bio in the episode description and at the Kaidankai website. Find him at dgbarlekamp.com and on Twitter @dgbarlekamp.You can read "Deadeye" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.Website: kaidankaistories.comContact me through the website contact form.Photo by Lucas Andrade on UnsplashFollow us on: InstagramFacebook

Today's story is about hidden islands, cursed treasure, and the age-old price of greed. But, is it just another sailor's yarn spun for coins, or does a dark truth lurk in its shadows?Liam A Spinage is a former philosophy student, former archaeology educator, and former police clerk who spends most of his spare time on the beach gazing up at the sky and across the sea while his imagination runs riot. Occasionally, this imagination has been known to spill out onto paper. You can find his full bio in the episode description. https://liamaspinage.com/  https://www.facebook.com/liamaspinage  https://www.instagram.com/liam_a_spinage/  https://www.amazon.co.uk/~/e/B083VVHV41You can read "Tell No Tales" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.Here's a nice summary of Howard Pyle's impact on our modern image of pirates. Website: kaidankaistories.comContact me through the website contact form.Image by Howard Pyle titled Who Shall Be Captain?Follow us on: InstagramFacebook

A group of treasure hunters toast their success as they head towards China with plundered Egyptian relics. Will they reach their destination and the promise of riches beyond imagination or will a mysterious stranger thwart their success?Tim Law is a writer of fantasy, horror, and oftentimes both. He loves to discover how a story will unfold, especially his own which he never ever plots. He is aloving husband, father of three, and fur-father of four. Family is everything to him. He resides in a small town in Southern Australia where he gets to be in charge of the local library. Tim jumps from idea to idea, never knowing what will enthrall him next. You can find his stories, poetry, and art in various anthologies, and online.You can read "A Train Trip From Cairo" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.Other stories on the Kaidankai podcast by Tim Law:A True FriendPossessionGrandpa's BoyWebsite: kaidankaistories.comContact me through the website contact form.Follow us on: InstagramFacebook

A couple driving through an intense storm sees a man on the road. What begins as a decision to help a stranger ends up changing their lives.Arpad Nagy is a proud Hungarian Canadian. After sustaining work injuries and being relegated to desk work, he dove into writing and has been doing so full-time since 2021. HIs passion is fiction writing, and his niche is romantic fiction, although I branch out into as many genres as I can. I also write personal essays, memoirs, pop culture, and anecdotal stories about being a father, husband, and former careers as a  chef, oil man, and civil construction. I am an editor for four publications, three for nonfiction and one for short fiction at Medium, where I have nearly 400 published pieces. You can read "The Ghosts of Blackrock River" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.Other stories on the Kaidankai podcast by Arpad Nagy:Through the Shadow GlassJosephine's CandleWebsite: kaidankaistories.comContact me through the website contact form.Follow us on: InstagramFacebook

A homeless girl haunts the catacombs to escape the brutal cold. But the catacombs hold more than forgotten bones and lost souls. When she encounters a mortician and his assistant, she's enlisted to help them prepare the bodies…before it's too late.Katy England has been writing for longer than she likes to admit. A journalist and communications expert by day, modder and fiction writer by night. She spends much of her time in the great expanse of the Maine woods with her husband, triplets, and select fish. Her greatest accomplishments, to date, is that her children like her stories and that the crows come to her yard when she calls them.You can read "Rest for the Wicked" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.Other stories on the Kaidankai podcast by Katy England:"The Long Night"Dream Without MercyWebsite: kaidankaistories.comContact me through the website contact form.Follow us on: InstagramFacebook

As a precurser to A Christmas Carol, this story has similar themes, but it is a bit darker than Dickens' more famous story and is funnier. Perfect to really get into the Christmas Spirit. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!Website: kaidankaistories.comContact me through the website contact form.Follow us on: InstagramFacebook

A woman is coping with grief, or rather not coping so well with it. But some strong lessons come from an unlikely source.Caroline Taylor is an award-winning novelist and short-story writer who grew up in the mountain west and traveled widely, including a brief stint in the Foreign Service. A former editor of Humanities magazine, she is the author of nine mysteries, one short-story collection, and a nonfiction book. All of them are available on her website at www.carolinestories.com. Two of her novels won the Firebird Book award, and a third was a finalist for the Freddie Award. She is a member of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime. Visit her at https://facebook.com./CarolineTaylorAuthor/.You can read "Benches" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.Website: kaidankaistories.comContact me through the website contact form.Follow us on: InstagramFacebook

The island nunnery is a safe space. But is it safe for everyone? And who pays the price for that safety?Nathan Perrin is an Anabaptist pastor in Chicagoland. He holds an MA in Quaker Studies, and is a doctoral student studying Christian Community Development at Northern Seminary. His doctorate work centers on creating a writing program for nonprofits and churches to use to help under-resourced communities process trauma. He is the author of the forthcoming novella Memories of Green Rivers, which will be released by Running Wild Press in 2025. His work has been published in the Dillydoun Review, Bangalore Review, Collateral Journal, Esoterica Magazine, etc. He is also a screenwriter for an unannounced indie comedy series. For more information, visit www.nathanperrinwriter.comYou can read "The Nunnery" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.Website: kaidankaistories.comContact me through the website contact form.Follow us on: InstagramFacebook

When a woman begins to vanish in society's eyes, what can she do to be appreciated?Raluca Balasa holds an MFA in Creative Writing: Fiction from the University of Nevada, Reno. Her short work has appeared in venues such as Andromeda Spaceways Magazine, Aurealis, and Grimdark Magazine, as well as on Apex Magazine's blog. Raluca works as an English professor in the Toronto area. Her debut science fiction novel, Blood State, was released in 2020 from Renaissance Press. She can be found at https://ralucabalasa.wixsite.com/website Twitter: @rabalasaYou can read "Vanishing Act" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.Website: kaidankaistories.comContact me through the website contact form.Follow us on: InstagramFacebookAwesome photo by Alexander Grey on Unsplash! Thank you Alexander, thank you Unsplash!

What would life be like if your loved one really did come back as a ghost to be with you? One man finds out.Chad Gayle's speculative fiction has appeared in and at StarShipSofa, Andromeda Spaceways Magazine, and Inner Worlds. In addition to teaching English in Texas and North Carolina, Chad has worked as a computer programmer, a graphic designer, and a freelance photographer. Proud father to two humans and three felines, he's also an avid roller skater who can be found on fair weather days skating gleefully through the streets of New York, the city he calls home.Learn more about Chad's publications and photography at https://chadgayle.com/.You can read "A Certain Kind of Love" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.Website: kaidankaistories.comContact me through the website contact form.Follow us on: InstagramFacebookAwesome photo by Alexander Grey on Unsplash! Thank you Alexander, thank you Unsplash!

A firefighter who falls head over heels in love with his baby daughter. Some would call it obsession. But in times of crisis, who will be the hero? JB Polk is Polish by birth, a citizen of the world by choice. Since 2020, more than 100 of her stories, flash fiction and non-fiction, have been accepted for publication. In 1996, her story short-listed for the Irish Independent/Hennessy Awards, Ireland, and she recently won the  International Human Rights  Arts Movement literary contest. You can read "Sweet Magnolia" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.Other stories by Tim Law on the Kaidankai Podcast:PossessionThe Darkness Beyond the Farm Back GateMy Friend ShaneWebsite: kaidankaistories.comFollow us on: InstagramFacebook

A sweet little boy takes after his grandfather. How is anything but sweet.Tim Law has loved to write from a very young age, but has only recently discovered the joy of being published. He is happily married to a wonderful girl, a proud father of three humans, and a reluctant father figure to four cats. He writes fantasy, science fiction, general, detective, humour, and a lot of weird stuff that doesn't seem to fit anywhere. He encourages everyone to give writing a go. Some of his stranger stories can be found here on the Kaidankai, but if you want to read more try his blog.You can read "Grandpa's Boy" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.Other stories by Tim Law on the Kaidankai Podcast:PossessionThe Darkness Beyond the Farm Back GateMy Friend ShaneWebsite: kaidankaistories.comFollow us on: Twitter/XInstagramFacebook

How far will one woman go to get more followers on social media?Harold Hoss is a film producer best known for "The Unheard" and "Creep Box." When he isn't reading, writing, or watching horror movies he enjoys hiking with his dog Margot. Twitter: https://twitter.com/HorrorHoss Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hblakehoss/ Website with link to a short film on Alter: https://haroldhosshorror.wordpress.com/You can read "Follow Me" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.Website: kaidankaistories.comFollow us on: Twitter/XInstagramFacebook

Today's story is a perfect example of how ghost stories reveal our humanity. There's obsession and revenge, love and generosity, fear and forgiveness.Linda Gould is the host of the Kaidankai podcast. She lived in Japan for 26 years and was inspired by the culture, people, and folklore to write ghost stories with Japan as a backdrop.You can read "It's Your Turn" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.Website: kaidankaistories.comFollow us on: Twitter/XInstagramFacebook

Today's story is a perfect example of how ghost stories reveal our humanity. There's obsession and revenge, love and generosity, fear and forgiveness.Denise Longrie's work has appeared in Spank the Carp, Bright Flash Literary Review, and Danse Macabre. She has self-published a nonfiction guide to pre-1900 speculative fiction. She is (…still) working by the flickering light of a Jacob's ladder on a sequel treating twentieth-century pulp science fiction. In a previous life, she worked as a pharmacy technician. You can read "The Ironworker" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.Website: kaidankaistories.comFollow us on: Twitter/XInstagramFacebook

A woman journeys through a forest. Is it a dream? What is she looking for? And why is it all so familiar? Linda Sparks has been published in multiple anthologies and podcasts including  Kaidankai, Ravens Quoth Press, Lothlorien, Spillwords, Sweetycat Press, (she was awarded the Emerald Prize for her poem "Dancing Girl"), and she loves writing dark, Poe poetry and short stories. She has 28 published books as she writes Horror, Fantasy, Science Fiction and mystery. She served as Editor for Valkyrie Magazine as well. She lives with her family in Florida.You can read "The House in the Woods" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.Website: kaidankaistories.comOther stories by Linda Sparks on The KaidankaiCemetery SquadThe Mark of the CatSilenceThe Death DrumsJessiFollow us on: Twitter/XInstagramFacebookPhoto by James Fitzgerald on Unsplash

A homemade Ouija board has more than a few quixotic messages for a group of teens.L.N. Hunter's comic fantasy novel, ‘The Feather and the Lamp,' sits alongside works in anthologies such as ‘The Monsters Next Door' and ‘Best of British Science Fiction 2022' as well as Short Édition's ‘Short Circuit' and the ‘Horrifying Tales of Wonder' podcast. There have also been papers in the IEEE ‘Transactions on Neural Networks,' which are probably somewhat less relevant and definitely less fun. When not writing, L.N. unwinds in a disorganised home in rural Cambridgeshire, UK, along with two cats and a soulmate. Links: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/L.N.Hunter.writer Amazon: https://amazon.com/author/l.n.hunter Linktree (publications list): https://linktr.ee/l.n.hunterYou can read "The Monster in the Dungeon" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.Website: kaidankaistories.comOther stories by L. N. Hunter on The KaidankaiPoster ChildrenObserver EffectSkin DeepFollow us on: Twitter/XInstagramFacebookPhoto by James Fitzgerald on Unsplash

Amado guides us through a woman's inner turmoil, offers glimpses into a troubled marriage, and coils us into a reality in which we have no control. Laila Amado is a migrating writer of speculative and literary fiction. She writes in her second language.  She has recently exchanged her fourth country of residence for the fifth, and can now be found staring at the North Sea, instead of the Mediterranean. The sea, occasionally, stares back. Her speculative stories have appeared in Daily Science Fiction, Tales to Terrify, Three Lobed Burning Eye, as well as in various anthologies. Website: https://amadolaila.com/ Social media handles: Twitter/X @onbonbon7; Instagram @laila_amado; Bluesky @amadolaila.bsky.socialYou can read "The Screechers" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.Website: kaidankaistories.comFollow us on: Twitter/XInstagramFacebookVideo of U2's The Hands That Built America:https://youtu.be/qFmh0c61I4Y?si=X4ZyeRDFcrGDr1HH

Deja vu is a memory that we don't remember. But in today's story, the character does recognize the discrepency. Is he crazy? Is he suffering a medical emergency?William Quincy Belle is just a guy. Nobody famous; nobody rich; just some guy who likes to periodically add his two cents worth with the hope, accounting for inflation, that $0.02 is not over-evaluating his contribution. He claims that at the heart of the writing process is some sort of (psychotic) urge to put it down on paper and likes to recite the following which so far he hasn't been able to attribute to anyone: "A writer is an egomaniac with low self-esteem." You will find Mr. Belle's unbridled stream of consciousness here (https://www.amazon.com/stores/William-Quincy-Belle/author/B01M1IQ69G).You can read "The Fourteen Fourteen Curse" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.Website: kaidankaistories.comFollow us on: Twitter/XInstagramFacebookPhoto of New York City Ironworkers, photographer unknownVideo of U2's The Hands That Built America:https://youtu.be/qFmh0c61I4Y?si=X4ZyeRDFcrGDr1HH

Art speaks to us. Sometimes, what it says can be scary.Jon Krampner's short stories and flash fiction have appeared, or are about to appear, in Across the Margin, Eunoia Review, Eclipse, Page & Spine and Collective Unrest. He was selected as a finalist in the Summer 2018 Owl Canyon Press Hackathon. He lives in Los Angeles and is sarcastic in three languages.You can read "The Girl in the Watercolor" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.Website: kaidankaistories.comFollow us on: Twitter/XInstagramFacebookPhoto by Photo by Gabriel Brandt on Unsplash

Two lonely girls encounter a voice in a closet. What does it want? And should they give in to its demands to be let out.Brittany Hague (she/her) has worked as a graphic artist, an independent interactive fiction maker, and short story writer. She lives in Seattle with her husband, two children, and familiars. Her short stories have appeared in the Night of the Geminids and Monster (Hidden Fortress Press) anthologies, Last Girls Club, and Black Sheep Magazine. brittanyhague@me.comYou can read "The Talking Thing" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.Website: kaidankaistories.comFollow us on: Twitter/XInstagramFacebook

A group of kids meet a bug-eyed ghost, but what does it want and why does it keep showing up? Can a reluctant ghost hunter discover what's bothering the ghost and help it on its way?Rick Kennett lives in Melbourne, Australia. After working as a motorcycle courier for 42 years -- possibly a world record – he is now retired, spending his time listening to podcasts and being addicted to YouTube. Though once a whippet owner Kennett now contents himself to talk to next door's white tom who sometimes condescends to talk to him. "Alley Ghost" is one in the Ernie Pine series concerning a ghost hunter who hates being a ghost hunter. He first appeared in the 20th Fontana Book of Great Ghost Stories and has made appearances in magazines, anthologies, podcasts and two novels.You can read "Alley Ghost" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.Website: kaidankaistories.comFollow us on: Twitter/XInstagramFacebook

The Kaidankai is based on the Japanese version of campfire stories. I narrate a story weekly, but this month offers authors the chance to narrate their own stories. Like sitting around the campfire, you never know what you're going to hear.Each Wednesday, I'll still present the weekly podcast, so be sure to subscribe or follow the podcast on your favorite podcast platform because every story is worth listening to. "Steam" is written by Hana Carolina, an Edinburgh-based creative and academic writer. Born in Poland, she moved to Scotland and studied literature, film and television for many years. Since then, she has been working as a tutor, interpreter, and researcher, and publishing academically while writing dark stories about horrible people. Her work has been published in Every Day Fiction, Crow & Cross Keys, Five on the Fifth, the Chamber Magazine, BRUISER, The Horror Tree, Black Sheep Magazine, and others. You can find her on X/Twitter @HanaCarolinaSCO and BlueSky @hanacarolina.bsky.social.Website: kaidankaistories.com Follow us on:  Twitter/X Instagram Facebook

When the people are away, a few unusual characters can come out to play. Who they are and what they do is the subject of today's story.L.N. Hunter's comic fantasy novel, ‘The Feather and the Lamp,' sits alongside works in anthologies such as ‘The Monsters Next Door' and ‘Best of British Science Fiction 2022' as well as Short Édition's ‘Short Circuit' and the ‘Horrifying Tales of Wonder' podcast. There have also been papers in the IEEE ‘Transactions on Neural Networks,' which are probably somewhat less relevant and definitely less fun. When not writing, L.N. unwinds in a disorganised home in rural Cambridgeshire, UK, along with two cats and a soulmate.Links: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/L.N.Hunter.writer Amazon: https://amazon.com/author/l.n.hunter Linktree (publications list): https://linktr.ee/l.n.hunterYou can read "Poster Children" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com and find LN's other story featured on the Kaidankai here.Website: kaidankaistories.comFollow us on: Twitter/XInstagramFacebook

The Kaidankai is based on the Japanese version of campfire stories. I narrate a story weekly, but this month offers authors the chance to narrate their own stories. Like sitting around the campfire, you never know what you're going to hear.Each Wednesday, I'll still present the weekly podcast, so be sure to subscribe or follow the podcast on your favorite podcast platform because every story is worth listening to. "How Enchanted Paintings Drove Burglars Crazy" is written by Anne Hansell. Deaf since birth, Anne Hansell is a third-generation Japanese-American and a distant relative to a famous samurai. Hansell is a regular contributor to the Kaidankai. She lives in Southern California with her husband, a New England gentleman. Website: kaidankaistories.com Follow us on:  Twitter/X Instagram Facebook

The Kaidankai is based on the Japanese version of campfire stories. I narrate a story weekly, but this month offers authors the chance to narrate their own stories. Like sitting around the campfire, you never know what you're going to hear.Each Wednesday, I'll still present the weekly podcast, so be sure to subscribe or follow the podcast on your favorite podcast platform because every story is worth listening to. "Eli & Judith" is written and narrated by Jeff Short, who lives near Philadelphia with his family. When he is not being harassed by his two cats Odin and Ragnar he writes historical fiction featuring ghosts, vampires and assorted criminals. Website: kaidankaistories.com Follow us on:  Twitter/X Instagram Facebook

The Kaidankai is based on the Japanese version of campfire stories. I narrate a story weekly, but this month offers authors the chance to narrate their own stories. Like sitting around the campfire, you never know what you're going to hear.Each Wednesday, I'll still present the weekly podcast, so be sure to subscribe or follow the podcast on your favorite podcast platform because every story is worth listening to. "There's Something in the Woods" is written and narrated by Bruce Markuson, who lives with his wife and two children in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Markuson is working on a book series, and he often finds himself obsessed with his stories. He prefers to write the ending first, then work backward. Website: kaidankaistories.com Follow us on:  Twitter/X Instagram Facebook

What is a dream and what is reality? And whose reality is real?Katy England has been writing for longer than she likes to admit. A journalist and communications expert by day, modder and fiction writer by night. She spends much of her time in the great expanse of the Maine woods with her husband, triplets, and select fish. Her greatest accomplishments, to date, is that her children like her stories and that the crows come to her yard when she calls them.You can read "Dream Without Mercy" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com and hear Katy's other story featured on the Kaidankai here.Website: kaidankaistories.comFollow us on: Twitter/XInstagramFacebook

The Kaidankai is based on the Japanese version of campfire stories. I narrate a story weekly, but this month offers authors the chance to narrate their own stories. Like sitting around the campfire, you never know what you're going to hear. Each Wednesday, I'll still present the weekly podcast, so be sure to subscribe or follow the podcast on your favorite podcast platform because every story is worth listening to. "Annie's Road" is written by Daniel Gene Barlekamp is the author of fiction and poetry for young readers and adults. His middle-grade ghost story “The Curse of the Cat Man” appears in the anthology The Haunted States of America (Godwin Books/Macmillan, 2024), and his poetry has been translated into Mandarin by Poetry Hall. Originally from New Jersey, Daniel now lives with his wife and son in Massachusetts, where he works in immigration law by day and attends law school by night. Find him at dgbarlekamp.com and on Twitter @dgbarlekamp.Website: kaidankaistories.comFollow us on: Twitter/XInstagramFacebook

The Kaidankai is based on the Japanese version of campfire stories. I narrate a story weekly, but this month offers authors the chance to narrate their own stories. Like sitting around the campfire, you never know what you're going to hear. Each Wednesday, I'll still present the weekly podcast, so be sure to subscribe or follow the podcast on your favorite podcast platform because every story is worth listening to. "Portrait of a Girl With a White Kitten" is written by Sarah Das Gupta, a retired teacher from near Cambridge, UK., who also taught in India and Tanzania. She started writing after spending time in hospital, following an accident. Her work has been published in magazines from 12 different countries, including the US, UK, Australia, Canada, India, Germany, Croatia, and Romania.Website: kaidankaistories.comFollow us on: Twitter/XInstagramFacebook

The Kaidankai is based on the Japanese version of campfire stories. I narrate a story weekly, but this month offers authors the chance to narrate their own stories. Like sitting around the campfire, you never know what you're going to hear. Each Wednesday, I'll still present the weekly podcast, so be sure to subscribe or follow the podcast on your favorite podcast platform because every story is worth listening to. "Harvest Moon" is written by Patty Panni who lives and writes in Memphis, Tennessee. She enjoys writing fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. She is currently editing her first full-length manuscript, set in the gritty world of human trafficking and is hard at work on her next, about a young woman dealing with the aftermath of her estranged mother's death. Patty is a member of a fun international writing community called Deadlines For Writers. Her kids have fur – Audrey, a twenty-pound rescue pup with the worst storm phobia in the history of the world, and Hobbes, an orange tabby as chill as the cartoon cat he's named for. She has had short stories published in Spillwords and 101 Words.Website: kaidankaistories.comFollow us on: Twitter/XInstagramFacebook

A Japanese woman's life is in turmoil. Can a return to her family home offer any guidance?C.S. Fuqua's books include Fatherhood ~ Poems of Parenthood, Walking After Midnight ~ Collected Stories, Big Daddy's Fast-Past Gadget, Native American Flute ~ A Comprehensive Guide, and White Trash & Southern ~ Collected Poems. His work has appeared in publications such as Year's Best Horror Stories XIX, XX and XXI, Pudding, The Horror Show, Pearl, Chiron Review, Christian Science Monitor, The Old Farmer's Almanac, The Writer, and Honolulu Magazine.You can read "Obon" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.Website: kaidankaistories.comFollow us on: Twitter/XInstagramFacebookPhoto of incense by David Brooke Martin on Unsplash.

The Kaidankai is based on the Japanese version of campfire stories. I narrate a story weekly, but this month offers authors the chance to narrate their own stories. Like sitting around the campfire, you never know what you're going to hear. Each Wednesday, I'll still present the weekly podcast, so be sure to subscribe or follow the podcast on your favorite podcast platform because every story is worth listening to. "Burial Mound" is written by Larry Pike, whose fiction and poetry have appeared in a variety of literary journals and anthologies. Finishing Line Press published his poetry collection Even in the Slums of Providence in 2021. He is also a playwright; his play Beating the Varsity, originally produced in 2000, was published in World Premieres from Horse Cave Theatre (MotesBooks, 2009). He lives with his wife, Carol, in Glasgow, Kentucky.Website: kaidankaistories.comFollow us on: Twitter/XInstagramFacebook