Shenandoah Fantastic

Featured at the 2026 Virginia Festival of the Book. Shenandoah Fantastic: Mystic Whispers from the Valley’s Vales invites you to experience the mysterious, the supernatural, and the humorous. Ride a ghost train to Mount Jackson. Visit the trolls that live beneath Luray Caverns. Experience a bird revolution in Singers Glen. And meet time travelers at the Shakespeare Center. Whether you’re a long-time resident or a curious traveler, this anthology promises to captivate and thrill, offering a glimpse into the Valley where the ordinary meets the extraordinary. The line up: James Blakey — “The Battle of Route 42” Julie Cline — “The Train to Mount Jackson” Julian Close — “Talk to the Hand” James Cole — “The Iron Gate” Lori D’Angelo — "The Body in the Lake" Will J Fawley — “The Kite Mechanic” K.G. Gardner — “Trail Angel” Ginger Grouse — “Free Birds of Singers Glen” Ember Rensel Heishman — “Wishing Home” Kurt Johnson — “Fore Ever on Ingleside” Genevieve Lyons — “Real Mischief” Charlie Newman-Johnson — “Birdwatching” Kent M. Peterson — “Past is Prologue” Bethany W Pope — “Not-A-Deer” E.G. Reger — “The Hunt for Monty Glassman” Stephen A. Roddewig — “The Long Sought I. batatas” Rodman — “The Long Walk” Catherine Simpson — “Dam Negotiations” Jake Solyst — “Fixer Upper” Carol Steele — “Old Yeller Ain’t No Dog” Griff Thomas — “The Whitetail Whathcamacallit” Fendy S. Tulodo — “Catfishes, Casseroles, and the Demonic Fiddle of Staunton” Matthew Turner — “Marigolds in the Mesozoic” Caitlin Woodford — “The Fractal”