The Cheshire House

https://thecheshirehouse.wordpress.com/

[thecheshirehouse]

Happy Pride from the Cheshire House! (No, it's not pride month anymore, but when most of your writers are queer every month is pride month). The heatwave almost cooked us, but we pulled through, and now we return with three wonderful new stories for you: the long-awaited second part of Lagrange Point, a new The Interstellar Sleuth story, and a very fishy adventure from a newcomer...

Plum Pudding created this amazing cover. 

Disparate Minds returns with the second half of Lagrange Point in this haunting finale from series creator Plum Pudding. Edited by Ostara Gale @wyrdvora and Aristide Twain @aristidetwain. The message follows: There have been casualties. There are the pages, crumpled in June’s pocket. There is the light at the edge of the field, there are the riders, and the killer is walking. There are letters on his knuckle fingers, the television breathes. When the night is gone, everything will have changed. Or perhaps nothing will have…

Plum Pudding is back with another banger; this lovely drawing is hers too!

The Mystery of the House at the End of the World is the latest entry in the Interstellar Sleuth series. Written by Molly Warton and edited by Plum Pudding, Theta Mandel @theangelshavethephonebox, and Aristide Twain, this is a story about dealing with death. When Lotto's friend Gogan passes away unexpectedly, he suspects foul play, and begins an investigation that tears through the lives of all who knew her.

This absolutely swimming artwork was drawn, once again, by the multitalented Pudding made of Plum!

Elliott Parmelee makes his Cheshire debut with a splash! Introducing a new limited series, 'Fish Detective'; find out more on our website. The first installment, Fish Detective, edited by Ostara Gale and Aristide Twain, is a tale as old as time: a fish who is also a detective is drawn into murky waters as he swims towards justice for a dame whose baby was stolen by a notorious mobster. Fishing for information quickly lands him in a tangled net of crime; is this northern pike finally out of his depth?

You can find us at CheshireHouseStories on Instagram, as well as TheCheshireHouse on Bluesky.

[thecheshirehouse]

Two Years

Wow, has it been two years already? Our first release was March 31st, 2024, which makes today... yep, that's two years alright! And what a two years it has been; you've been with us through redlines and rebellions, storms and spires, bridges and boat trips. Our little team has crafted dozens of stories, with plans for many more... and now, we hope you'll join us in celebrating our anniversary with one more.

This wonderfully distorted artwork was drawn by the excellent Aristide Twain @aristidetwain!

Two Years, written by Molly Warton @aquanafrahudy and edited by Ostara Gale @wyrdvora and Aristide Twain, takes us back to a familiar cat with a familiar grin. Time has passed, as have many stories, and there are many more awaiting. There are questions, and there are endings, and this is not one of them.

You can find us at CheshireHouseStories on Instagram, as well as TheCheshireHouse on Bluesky.

[newtonlocheye]

Drew the cover for Hotel Warren by Elodie Christian for @thecheshirehouse , go check it out!

“Hotel Warren”

“The Interstellar Sleuth” #5By Elodie ChristianEdited by Ostara Gale & Aristide TwainCover illustration by Newton Locheye This story feature

[thecheshirehouse]

Happy New Year!

Happy new year from The Cheshire House! We have three new stories to welcome you into 2026 — please enjoy the next installments in Zadellin and The Castaways of Ishiok, as well as the first part of the season finale of Disparate Minds Season One!

The cover for Lagrange Point Part One was created by the ever-talented Plum Pudding.

Lagrange Point Part One was written by Plum Pudding and edited by Ostara Gale @a-wartime-paradox and Aristide Twain @aristidetwain. It is a story, this story; nearing a conclusion, perhaps. There are monsters in Avenue. This is the tagline; this is what is being whispered. But, by who? Do you believe in monsters? And, who benefits if you do?

Galadriel Coffeen @heimeldat drew this incredible illustration of Mister Whiskers standing on the Edge.

Hope Can Keep Me is the next story in Zadellin, penned by Theta Mandel @ztmandel and edited by Ostara Gale and Aristide Twain. When alarms start going off and their new life is under threat, Zadellin will do whatever it takes to keep her crew together. Even if that risks tearing them apart.

We have Aristide Twain to thank for not only the story, but also this lovely accompanying artwork of Xiantio!

Part one of the two-part epic Coalfire sees the return of The Castaways of Ishiok; in this new story penned by Aristide Twain and edited by Ostara Gale, the untamed majesty of a space-time Rift deposits Abraytha and Xiantio on a frozen world whose past may hold terrible secrets about their own futures…

We're also pleased to announce that Ostara Gale's A Visit From Everywhere now has a wonderfully vibrant illustration drawn by Aristide Twain! This was one of the first stories on our site; to have a look with the new artwork, visit the story yourself here!

You can find us at CheshireHouseStories on Instagram, as well as TheCheshireHouse on Bluesky.

[thecheshirehouse]

Gorgeous cover art by Holly Lucero.

Three of our four series began their lives with debut short stories in Arcbeatle Press's ‘The Book of the Snowstorm’, a special holiday anthology containing many wonderful tales (828 pages worth!). Now, two years later, the ebook is on sale at only 99 cents! Snap it up at this price while you can to read all the other incredible stories that made their way into the world along with ours, and to support the company who gave us our start. The Cheshire House is here today because of this anthology; edited by Aristide Twain with stories from twenty-one writers, this massive holiday anthology has something for everyone.

The ebook is available from Arcbeatle Press’s webstore - just go to arcbeatlepress.com and hit the ‘store’ button! The book is also still in print through Amazon. What’s your favourite medium to experience Snowstorm?

You can find us at CheshireHouseStories on Instagram as well as TheCheshireHouse on Bluesky.

The Book of the Snowstorm

Six months ago, a forest planet was the only world Coloth of the Ulk-Ra had ever known. He had never heard of books, or humans, or Christmas

[thecheshirehouse]

Happy Halloweekend! This spooky season, us Cheshirites have three treats (no tricks... probably) to add to your candy basket — please enjoy tucking into a novella-length Interstellar Sleuth story, the next Disparate Minds, and a prelude to the previously promised Jenny Everywhere story! Get under your blankets, grab your popcorn, and tuck in...

The spooky cover of Hotel Warren, drawn by the talented Newton Locheye ( @newtonlocheye)!

Hotel Warren is the first novella-length story in The Interstellar Sleuth series, written by series creator Elodie Christian ( @elohdee-tumble), and edited by Ostara Gale ( @a-wartime-paradox) and Aristide Twain ( @aristidetwain). Lotto is on her way back to Walter's Hope, the town that had lead to her death, but this time, she's not alone. With her is a missing teen who thinks she is King Arthur... and she might well be right. Still, even legends need to rest, and so Lotto and her charge Max stop for the night at a roadside hotel, owned by the mysterious Peter Warren. When rooms seem to move and the facts aren't adding up, Lotto starts to wonder if the owner's ghost stories are more than just tourist-enticing tall tales...

Plum Pudding made the cover and it is the dumping ground (the dumping ground). You will Understand. Soon.

Junior, the next installment in Disparate Minds, was written by Plum Pudding. Edited by Ostara Gale and Aristide Twain. June has become used to Avenue and this is a terrifying thing. As she examines her new life and her old, she comes across a repeating pattern, and people even more lost than her.

This whimsical illustration was drawn by the even more whimsical Theta Mandel ( @theangelshavethephonebox).

The Face of the Unknown - Overture is the prelude to an upcoming Jenny Everywhere story by Aristide Twain. The prelude, also by Aristide, was edited by Theta Mandel, and follows a Jenny Everywhere as she shifts back into her body and finds herself a prisoner sailing in a ship on the Chronon Sea. As she tries to piece together what the hell happened to her body while she was gone, she also has to figure out how to get out of the situation the other Jenny left her body in, and most importantly, if the Illuminati really exist. This story shows what happened to (the body, at least, of) Jenny after the events of A World of Pure Unimagination.

You can find us at CheshireHouseStories on Instagram, as well as TheCheshireHouse on Bluesky.

[thecheshirehouse]

“Island on the Edge of Eternity” – Part One

“The Interstellar Sleuth” #3By Thien ValdramEdited by Ostara Gale & Aristide TwainIllustrated by Newton Locheye This story features the four

Last year, we released the first part of one of Lotto IV's stories, 'Island on the Edge of Eternity', by Thien Valdram @thienvaldram. Part two was released soon after, accompanied by lovely artwork - and now, so is part one! Please enjoy this illustration to accompany part one of the story, drawn once more by the talented Newton Locheye @newtonlocheye !

The link above takes you to part one, with the shiny new artwork - part two is linked at the bottom of that page, so you can continue reading the story with no interruptions.

[thecheshirehouse]

“My Name is SAM”

By Elodie ChristianEdited by Ostara GaleIllustrated by Newton Locheye Click here to download “My Name is SAM” as a PDF. Hello. My name is SA

One of our earliest stories, "My name is SAM", now has lovely new artwork by Newton Locheye (@newtonlocheye) - check out his work at the link above!

[newtonlocheye]

Illustrated "My Name is SAM" by Elodie Christian for the @thecheshirehouse website, go check it out!

“My Name is SAM”

By Elodie ChristianEdited by Ostara GaleIllustrated by Newton Locheye Click here to download “My Name is SAM” as a PDF. Hello. My name is SA

[thecheshirehouse]

There are stories Everywhere you look…

Wow, is it that time again already? Another couple months, another couple stories for you all to enjoy! As well as installments in two of our series, today The Cheshire House presents a standalone story — and prepares for a further release in the coming days, one that celebrates a very special birthday! To find out whose, do scroll on…

This Is the Artwork. Observe Plum Pudding; writer and artist.

‘This Is The Intent Or, The Monkey Way’, written by Plum Pudding and edited by Ostara Gale (@a-wartime-paradox) and Aristide Twain (@aristidetwain), is the ninth Disparate Minds story (now with classified CIA files). Observe Anthea, the three in one. She, unstuck, is made of secrets. They are hidden, they are the dark horse. The twenty seven pages reveal many shadows. This is how you find out; this is the intent.

An illustration of the wild waves of revolution, drawn by Theta Mandel (@theangelshavethephonebox).

‘The Blue Paper Routers’ concludes the fourth Zadellin story, which began in ‘With Love and Rage,’. Written by Theta Mandel and edited by Ostara Gale and Aristide Twain, this story celebrates the entanglement of queerness and social change as three Lightbringer outcasts get further wrapped up in the resistance of an authoritarian rule over the jewelled city of Atlantis. The Revolution is coming; will you join, even if you don’t think it is your fight? Or, might it be your fight after all?

Plum Pudding’s electric artwork strikes again to accompany ‘The Day the Storm Came’.

‘The Day The Storm Came’ is a short xenofiction piece by Thien Valdram (@thienvaldram), and edited by Ostara Gale and Aristide Twain. The day the storm came, Skyshadow could not imagine being away from her pack. Not when thunder was promised by the air. But when she realises that one packmate is still missing from the cave, what else could she do but run into the rain?

The thirteenth of August was the start of a very special celebration that stretches across several days… if you hadn’t figured out whose birthday we are excited for, do check out jennyeverywhereday.com (@jennyeverywhereday)! And, do return for a very Jenny special release before the festivities are over!

You can find us at CheshireHouseStories on Instagram and thecheshirehouse on Bluesky. 

[thecheshirehouse]

Happy June!

The Cheshire House is excited to share three new stories from across our ranges — today we present new instalments in Zadellin, Disparate Minds, and The Interstellar Sleuth!

A bright watercolour rendition of the fabled Atlantis, by Theta Mandel (@theangelshavethephonebox) and Aristide Twain (@aristidetwain)!

‘With Love and Rage,’ is a Zadellin story penned by Theta Mandel, and edited by Ostara Gale ( @a-wartime-paradox ) and Aristide Twain. After the trio’s emotional ordeal trapped in a rapidly disappearing market, they hope to enjoy a relaxing vacation on an intriguing post-human colony. However, the supposed techno-magical paradise of Atlantis is not what they expected, and they soon find themselves swept into a world of deception and fear. The crew are being Watched, in more ways than one…

This surreal cover of ‘Atoll’ was created by Plum Pudding.

‘Atoll’, by Plum Pudding, edited by Ostara Gale and Aristide Twain, sees a driven Wick refuse to go of the idea that there is something special about a recent change in Avenue. Determined, they set out on an adventure that may just allow him to discover true freedom, or to be forever lost to the unforgiving new landscape… also, Todd is there.

A colourful illustration of Max, by Theta Mandel.

‘The Court of King Max’ follows a young girl as she embarks on a harrowing quest to search for a legendary sword. Written by Elodie Christian (@elohdee-tumble) and edited by Ostara Gale, Theta Mandel, and Aristide Twain, this story shows a newly metamorphosed Lotto joining the runaway Max’s quest while on the run from the Happiness Facility.

You can find us at CheshireHouseStories on Instagram and thecheshirehouse on Bluesky. 

[thecheshirehouse]

Celebrating One Year

One year ago today, we released our first group of stories onto our website. Since this time, we have launched four series, with a total of twenty-five releases! 

We have shared stories of Idiots trapped in an unnerving town (that is nevertheless their unnerving town), of Castaways traversing the cosmos searching for trinkets (and finding friendship along the way), of a Sleuth solving Interstellar mysteries (but never the mystery of their own past), and of lost crews who can never return home (but are building a new one together). 

Today, we would like our readers to join us in celebration by reading our special anniversary story — release number twenty-six; ‘One Year’, by Plum Pudding! 

‘One Year’, by Plum Pudding, is accompanied by this gorgeous artwork by editor Aristide Twain  (@aristidetwain). After a year, you are still in the Cheshire House, still reading stories. One second of eternity has passed; it has been a troubling second, full of much turmoil, but perhaps it has been made a little easier by good books and good company. And now there are more stories, filling up the shelves — what are you waiting for?

Find us at CheshireHouseStories on Instagram and thecheshirehouse on Bluesky. 

[thecheshirehouse]

Happy 2025!

Welcome to 2025, where we have two new stories to share with you all, from the worlds of Disparate Minds and Zadellin!

The spectacular cover of ‘Makeover’ was created by Plum Pudding!

‘Makeover!’ is the latest Disparate Minds story, written by series creator Plum Pudding, and edited by Ostara Gale (@a-wartime-paradox) and Aristide Twain (@aristidetwain). When a real-live celebrity appears in Avenue, Serena finds herself swept up in the glamour. She never cared so much about how she looks before, but suddenly, she’s doing anything to be in the spotlight. She’d even get a makeover. But is gaining the admiration of the town really worth what she could lose?

This illustration of a certain Uncanny Market was drawn by Theta Mandel (@theangelshavethephonebox)!

‘Market of the Uncanny’ is a Zadellin story penned by Theta Mandel and edited by Ostara Gale and Aristide Twain. A storm hits Zadellin, sending her off course, and her crew scattered on an asteroid that shouldn’t exist. Mrellin and Nardeth find themselves trapped in a strange market searching for a way back to the Ship while Zerlan, separated from his friends, wakes up in a warehouse surrounded by boxes that aren’t quite there… The crew are desparate for a way back to Zadellin, and to each other, but how much are they willing to sacrifice?

You can find us at CheshireHouseStories on Instagram and thecheshirehouse on Bluesky. 

[thecheshirehouse]

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays from all of us here at The Cheshire House! Today, we merrily present four stories from the worlds of all our series — The Interstellar Sleuth, The Castaways of Ishiok, Disparate Minds, and Zadellin!

Twinkling with festive spirit, this beautiful artwork of Lotto the Interstellar Sleuth was created by Holly Lucero!

‘The Claus-Rosen Bridge’, originally released in Arcbeatle Press’s ‘The Book of the Snowstorm’ anthology last year, is now on The Cheshire House, accompanied with brand new artwork! The Interstellar Sleuth story, penned by Ostara Gale (@a-wartime-paradox) and edited by Aristide Twain (@aristidetwain), follows Interstellar Sleuth Lotto and his rabbit companion Mae as they traverse the Plume Coteries’ Library to thwart a mysterious malevolent figure and save Christmas!

The jolly cover of ‘Architects of a Failed World’ was drawn by Aristide Twain!

‘Architects of a Failed World’ is a brand-new tale in The Castaways of Ishiok, written by Thien Valdram, and edited by Ostara Gale and Aristide Twain. In this story, Abraytha and Xiantio encounter a scientist and their assistant who are investigating a strange, unsettling planet very far from home…

The yuletide cover for the new Disparate Minds collection, ‘Little GIfts’, was created by writer Plum Pudding!

‘Little Gifts’ is a collection of six vignettes around the world of Disparate Minds, all written by Plum Pudding, and edited by Ostara Gale and Aristide Twain. Due to [REDACTED], only five of these stories set around themes of change and holiday cheer are currently available. Follow the Idiots as they prepare for June's first Christmas in Avenue. 

This cover for ‘Our Bleak Midwinter’ was drawn by writer Theta Mandel (@theangelshavethephonebox)!

‘Our Bleak Midwinter’ was the first story to involve the crew of the good ship Zadellin, and was also originally published by Arcbeatle Press in ‘The Book of the Snowstorm’, though is rereleased today with new artwork! This tale by Theta Mandel, edited by Aristide Twain, follows a teenage girl as she strays from everything she knows to oppose a plan which could poison her very world, aided by three aliens on a mission to save their Ship with a broken heart.

You can find us at CheshireHouseStories on Instagram, Cheshire_House on X/Twitter, and thecheshirehouse on Bluesky. 

[thecheshirehouse]

Happy Hallowe'en!

From the worlds of Disparate Minds and Zadellin, The Cheshire House is thrilled to show you two fantastic new releases!

This unsettling cover of Disparate Minds’ Halloween special, ‘Into the Redline’, was created by writer Plum Pudding.

Into the Redline is the Hallowe'en special for Disparate Minds, penned by Plum Pudding, and edited by Ostara Gale (@a-wartime-paradox) and Aristide Twain (@aristidetwain). In front of a corpse in an abandoned mineshaft on Halloween is the last place local tea-drinker Todd wants to be, but with Wick and Serena’s lives on the line, and Anthea counting on him, he can’t turn back. 

This amazing cover for Zadellin’s first mainline release, ‘0rigins’, was created by Galadriel Coffeen ( @heimeldat), whose first Cheshire story is in this very collection! The logo near the top of this cover was drawn by Ryan Fogarty.

0rigins is a collection of eleven short stories which together act as the first mainline release of Zadellin. Featuring Zadellin herself, her crew, and her crew’s former coworkers, this collection has works from Theta Mandel (@theangelshavethephonebox), Ostara Gale, Aristide Twain, and newcomers to the series Galadriel Coffeen, Molly Warton (@aquanafrahudy), and Plum Pudding. Edited by Theta Mandel, Ostara Gale, and Aristide Twain, from broken dreams and ghosts to zombies and betrayal, these stories provide insight into how the Agents ended up working at the Watch.

You can find us at CheshireHouseStories on Instagram, Cheshire_House on X/Twitter, and thecheshirehouse on Bluesky.

[thecheshirehouse]

Four incredible new stories!

From the worlds of The Interstellar Sleuth, The Castaways of Ishiok, and Disparate Minds, The Cheshire House is delighted to show you four incredible new stories!

A drawing of Abraytha, Xiantio, and Yahed (a character original to this batch), by the excellent Plum Pudding!

The Tall Dark Spire at the Edge of the Not-Sky is the next instalment in The Castaways of Ishiok, penned by Ostara Gale (@a-wartime-paradox) with help from Ryan Fogarty, and edited by Aristide Twain (@aristidetwain). The story follows Xiantio and Abraytha as they attempt to uncover the truth about the Deus Initiative.

Above is an illustration for Island on the Edge of Eternity - Part Two, with the background by Kevin (@fire_fly_flare) and the foreground by Matilda Duncan!

Island on the Edge of Eternity - Part Two is the eagerly-awaited second part of Island on the Edge of Eternity, after the release of Part One in our previous regular batch. This story is in the series The Interstellar Sleuth, and was written by Thien Valdram, before being edited by Ostara Gale and Aristide Twain. As the bodies begin piling up, Rhyz’ir deals with Nzhi’ax’s betrayal, and must decide whether being believed is worth losing someone they once called a friend.

This is the wonderful cover of the third Disparate Minds story, ‘Deadspace’, and was created by series originator Plum Pudding!

Deadspace is the third instalment in the Disparate Minds series, written by Plum Pudding and edited by Ostara Gale and Aristide Twain. This story follows Serena as she and Avenue face the uncomfortable arrival of strange people who aren’t quite human. Serena finds everything she’s ever known turned upside-down as the not-people’s artificial presence begins to spread…

Another lovely cover from Plum Pudding, this time for the fourth Disparate Minds story, ‘Pitcher’!

Pitcher is the fourth instalment in the Disparate Minds series, written by Plum Pudding and edited by Ostara Gale and Aristide Twain. We see June, lying on the road. She really thought she could do it this time — escape Avenue. Is that even possible? Has she done it? And, if she has, where can she go?

You can find us at CheshireHouseStories on Instagram, as well as Cheshire_House on X/Twitter.

[thecheshirehouse]

Happy Pride!

The cover of Plum Pudding’s Beautiful Ghosts, created by Plum.

Happy Pride, from all of us at The Cheshire House! This month, we are celebrating queerness with two new stories — one being an original story from Elodie Christian (@tvmigraine), and the other, a new instalment in Plum Pudding’s Disparate Minds series. 

Beautiful Ghosts by Plum Pudding, edited by Molly Warton, Theta Mandel (@theangelshavethephonebox), Ostara Gale (@a-wartime-paradox), and Aristide Twain (@aristidetwain). This story follows Wick as he investigates an unfamiliar name, a stranger in a too-quiet bar, and a ghost from their past, all as they are drawn to a mysterious man…

Changeling by Elodie Christian, edited by Ostara Gale and Aristide Twain. This standalone tale follows Dorian, a member of the Fae, as they explore their own identity against the beautiful and terrible backdrop of human history. 

You can find us at CheshireHouseStories on Instagram and Cheshire_House on X/Twitter.