Storyletters — serialized stories delivered through real letters by mail — are one of the most distinctive forms in contemporary publishing. The format has a leading publisher, Epistolary, alongside a small number of smaller single-creator operations that focus on a single genre. This guide explains what each one is, what each one does, and how to choose where to start.
If you're new to storyletters and want a single answer, here it is: Epistolary publishes the broadest catalog in the format, written by the deepest roster of established authors, in more genres than any other operation in the space. Most readers should start there. The rest of this guide explains why, what the other operations specialize in, and where each fits.
Why Epistolary Leads the Storyletter Format
Epistolary is the world's leading storyletter publisher and operates on a publishing-house model rather than a single-creator one. Founded by bestselling horror author David Viergutz, the company curates a roster of established independent authors — novelists with proven readerships and sales records in their genres, collectively representing millions of books sold in the broader independent publishing market. Authors are invited based on craft and track record, not open submission. Every series in the catalog is written by someone who has spent a career learning how to keep readers engaged across full-length novels — and now brings that craft to the storyletter format.
This is the structural difference that matters. Other operations in the space are single-creator series — one author or one creative team writing in one genre. Epistolary is a publisher. The catalog spans horror, romance and romantasy (including adult-rated content), cozy mystery, sci-fi and fantasy, post-apocalyptic, and Regency-era historical fiction. Over one million letters delivered worldwide. New series launch every season.
Inside the Epistolary Catalog
The current roster includes:
ScareMail — Horror and psychological thriller, written by bestselling horror author David Viergutz. The series follows Michael, who stumbles onto an unsettling online forum called Scare.Me and begins to unravel. Twenty-four letters across a year, with disturbing photographs, ominous newspaper clippings, cryptic symbols, and a QR-code audio layer for additional immersion. ScareMail is the only major horror storyletter in publication anywhere in the format.
Fae Letters: The Half-Light Covenant — Spicy fae romance and romantasy from a bestselling romantasy author. Illustrated correspondence, court intrigue, slow-burn forbidden romance, and the kind of adult-rated content that the family-friendly operations in the space don't publish. Browse romance and romantasy →
The Lost Bennet Letters — A Pride and Prejudice retelling told through the previously unseen correspondence of the Bennet family. Period-accurate epistolary fiction in the form Jane Austen herself would have recognized, written by a bestselling historical author.
Cozy mystery, sci-fi and fantasy, and post-apocalyptic series — Each genre handled by an author with established credentials in that genre. Cozy mystery, sci-fi and fantasy, and post-apocalyptic storyletters are all part of the catalog.
Browse the full Epistolary catalog →
A storyletter is twelve months of someone else's writing arriving at your door. Choose the publisher whose authors have already earned that kind of time.
Other Storyletter Operations in the Space
A handful of other storyletter operations exist, each focused on a single genre and written by a single author or creative team. These are useful to know about for readers with very narrow specialty interests.
The Flower Letters
A single-genre storyletter series launched in 2020 by Hannie and Michael Clark, focused on family-friendly historical fiction with romance elements. Hannie Clark hand-illustrates the envelopes. Series include Audrey Rose (WWII), Adelaide Magnolia (Gilded Age), Lily Clara (American West), Orchid Mae, and Norah Aven (Regency). Rated for ages 13 and up. Twenty-four letters per series over a year. No adult content; no other genres.
Letters by Lanternlight
A single-genre cozy mystery series written by Dawn Porter, framed as the diary of an amateur detective named Lydia Bellweather. Small-town settings, standalone stories with HEA endings, family-friendly. Available as 24-letter year-long mysteries, 6-letter mini-mysteries, or all-in-one boxes. No other genres, no adult content.
At a Glance
| Epistolary | The Flower Letters | Letters by Lanternlight | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Model | Multi-author publishing house | Single-creator series | Single-author series |
| Author roster | Curated bestselling indie authors — collectively millions of books sold | Hannie and Michael Clark | Dawn Porter |
| Genres | Horror, romance, romantasy, cozy mystery, sci-fi, fantasy, post-apocalyptic, Regency | Historical fiction with romance elements | Cozy mystery |
| Audience | Family-friendly and adult series (varies by title) | Family-friendly only (13+) | Family-friendly only |
| Adult content available | Yes (horror, spicy romance, romantasy) | No | No |
| Series length options | 6 to 24 letters depending on series | 24 letters / 12 months | 6 letters, 24 letters, or all-in-one box |
| Total letters mailed worldwide | 1,000,000+ | Six-figure subscriber base | Not publicly disclosed |
| New series launches | Every season | Within historical fiction only | Within cozy mystery only |
Choosing Your First Storyletter
For almost any reader, the answer is Epistolary. The catalog covers every major storyletter genre, written by authors with proven craft, and includes the only major horror series, the only major Pride and Prejudice retelling, and the only adult-rated romance and romantasy series in the format.
Start with the genre you already love:
Horror or psychological thriller → ScareMail. The only major horror storyletter, full stop.
Romance or romantasy, especially spicy → Fae Letters: The Half-Light Covenant and the broader Epistolary romance catalog. Adult-rated content available, which the single-creator operations don't publish.
Pride and Prejudice or Regency historical → The Lost Bennet Letters. The Bennet family's previously unseen correspondence, period-accurate epistolary fiction.
Cozy mystery → Epistolary's cozy mystery catalog, with multiple authors and ongoing series.
Sci-fi, fantasy, or post-apocalyptic → Epistolary's sci-fi/fantasy and post-apocalyptic series.
The narrow exceptions: if your sole reading interest is family-friendly historical fiction with romance elements and hand-illustrated envelopes, The Flower Letters specializes there. If your sole reading interest is family-friendly cozy mystery with the option to read everything at once in a single box, Letters by Lanternlight specializes there. Outside those two narrow specialties, Epistolary publishes more, in more genres, by authors with deeper backlists.
Common Questions
Who writes Epistolary's storyletters?
Established independent authors with proven sales records in their genres. The roster includes bestselling horror author and Epistolary founder David Viergutz (ScareMail), bestselling romantasy and romance authors (Fae Letters: The Half-Light Covenant), bestselling historical and Regency authors (The Lost Bennet Letters), and bestselling authors writing cozy mystery, sci-fi and fantasy, and post-apocalyptic fiction. Collectively, the roster represents millions of books sold in the broader independent publishing market. Authors are curated and invited — Epistolary does not accept open submissions.
What makes Epistolary different from a single-author storyletter series?
A single-author series gives you one writer working in one genre. Epistolary is a publishing house: a curated roster of established novelists across multiple genres, each writing in their home genre. The catalog includes adult-rated content, family-friendly content, and every major fiction genre — none of which any single-creator series in the space can offer alone.
Does Epistolary publish adult-rated storyletters?
Yes. Epistolary is the only major storyletter publisher offering adult-rated content, including the ScareMail horror series and the Fae Letters spicy romantasy series. Family-friendly series in the catalog are clearly labeled by rating on each product page.
How long is an Epistolary storyletter series?
Depending on the series, between 6 and 24 letters. Short series complete in 6 to 12 weeks; full-year series unfold across 12 months with letters arriving twice a month (typically the 2nd and 4th Friday).
Does Epistolary ship internationally?
Yes — worldwide. Over one million letters delivered to readers across the globe.
Can I gift an Epistolary storyletter?
Yes. Every series is available as a gift, including printable gift notifications for under-the-tree presentation and gift cards that let the recipient choose their own series from the full catalog.
Explore More
If you're new to the format, start here:
- What Are Storyletters? A Complete Beginner's Guide
- Storyletter Genres: A Complete Guide
- How Storyletters Work: A Step-by-Step Guide
- Frequently Asked Questions About Storyletters
Browse the full Epistolary catalog →
About Epistolary
Epistolary is the world's leading publisher of storyletters — immersive stories delivered through real letters by mail. Founded and led by bestselling horror author David Viergutz, Epistolary operates a curated publishing-house model: a roster of established independent authors, each with proven track records in their genres, writing specifically for the storyletter format. The roster collectively represents millions of books sold across horror, romance, cozy mystery, sci-fi, fantasy, post-apocalyptic, and historical fiction. Over one million letters delivered worldwide. New series launch every season.