Rain Shadows: Dark Tales from Washington State by Tamara Kaye Sellman & Clay Vermulm
Rain Shadows: Dark Tales from Washington State is a collection of 12 short horror stories by Tamara Kaye Sellman & Clay Vermulm. Weighing in at 326 pages, it released on July 15, 2025 from BTRS Books.
First off, the cover is gorgeous! Right away I felt like I was in the Pacific Northwest with its moody atmosphere and cryptic secrets. It’s the kind of book that makes me want to grab a hot coffee, settle into a blanket, and get lost in the stories—which is exactly what I did.
This book started off as a podcast, believe it or not. The authors used podcast prompt-based topics for discussion on the Beneath the Rain Shadow podcast, then evolved those topics into this collection of PNW gothic short stories. One of the things I loved about each story was the graphic displayed at the beginning which shared a small pic of something important to the story followed by 3 prompts relating to: a Pacific Northwest quirk, a Washington location (complete with a star on the state map), and a trope. I adore the clever idea they had for creating this book!
Each author supplied six stories, adding up to a dark dozen tales that will leave you pondering if you should venture out to Washington, grab a pack, and explore a state known for cryptids and creepy myths and legends. Just be sure not to stray off the path, lest you become one of the mysteries.
The stories are varied and are in a few different formats, which kept them exciting. There is a ton of suspense brewing in these tales, as well as multiple layers that will keep readers interested and guessing. I also love some of the intentional word play, which offers up a bonus in my opinion. I like to be surprised by small, intricate details when I read short stories.
The stories are rife with beautiful language, isolated scenes for that extra spooky factor, and plenty of twists and turns to keep you sticking around for the next one. I actually haven’t listened to the podcast yet, but I plan to check it out now that I have consumed the book and see if I can leech a few more thrills and chills from that, too, since I love hearing authors read or discuss their work. It gives it an added layer of excitement for me. Plus, since both authors are from the Pacific Northwest, it makes the stories come alive even more. As I read, I felt like I was actually there thanks to their knowledge and the well-placed graphics at the start of each story.
I would recommend checking out Rain Shadows if you enjoy gothic and speculative fiction stories. You won’t be disappointed.
Tamara Kaye Sellman and Clay Vermulm will lead you down dark paths with unexpected turns and believable horrors in these richly layered stories. Clever and compelling, you just might allow yourself to wander off and get lost in the Rain Shadows.
—Robin Knabel
Check out more from Beneath the Rain Shadow Books:
Need more works from Tamara Kaye Sellman or Clay Vermulm?
Get to know BTRS Books:
BTRS launched in January 2024 as an experiment in writing, in tandem, a collection of horror stories in podcast “real time.” Its first episode introduced the co-hosts. Then, monthly throughout 2024, each co-host challenged the other to a series of writing prompts featuring horror tropes, Washington state locations, and Pacific Northwest “quirks.” The monthly episodes after that were spent in discussion of each writing challenge, followed by a companion critique of the draft written that month. The podcast’s mission:
1. To generate new work based on surprise “prompts”
2. To focus on the often-overlooked dark and gothic strangeness of Pacific Northwest literature
3. To give writers insight into critiquing first drafts of horror stories
4. To give readers insights into the writing process, from story idea to finished product
Season 1’s last episode dropped in Spring 2025; the co-hosts discussed the experience of writing a collection of regional horror based on surprise prompts in a year’s time. The podcast is on hiatus in 2025, but will begin in earnest—with new features, an improved format, and a new look and sound—in 2026.
***Taken from the BTRS Books website/media kit
