Acquisition: Debut novella by Santiago Sánchez-Cordero

Lanternfish Press is pleased to announce the acquisition of Santiago Sánchez-Cordero’s debut novella, Nightjar, for publication in November 2026.

As the climate breaks down across the globe and inexplicable comets appear in the sky, artist Lyra Darkwood chats by hologram every night with her genius older sister, Arda. It’s comforting. Arda is a world-renowned scientist. She’d know if anything were really wrong. Wouldn’t she?

But as time passes, the hologram starts to feel uncanny. Lyra finally comes to a horrifying realization: she’s been talking to a deepfake for seven years.

The ensuing search for the real Arda will take Lyra across oceans and continents and even to the virtual-reality depths of outer space, where she will encounter firsthand the terrible truth that sent her sister into hiding–and embark on a desperate mission to tell humanity of the coming danger.

Santiago Sánchez-Cordero is a writer from Mexico City. Nightjar is his literary debut. He frequently publishes poetry, as well as essays on art and progressive politics, at his newsletter, The Thistle, available to read at thistleblog.com. He lives in Vancouver, Canada, relying on the unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam Indian Band), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation). He is currently working on a fantasy/horror novel.

Sign up for our monthly newsletter to get updates on preorders, release dates, and more.