staging: MANUSCRIPT-README task=988f1c33-f88e-4403-bd1f-138d03062513

projects/whispers-in-the-dark/staging/MANUSCRIPT-README

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+```markdown
+# Whispers in the Dark -- Book 1
+**crimson_leaf_publishing | Author: TBD | Creative Director: TBD**
+
+> [No chapters generated yet; opening hook to be determined from Chapter 1 upon completion.]
+
+A chilling supernatural thriller set in a remote Victorian-era asylum, where whispers from the shadows reveal long-buried secrets and drive inhabitants to madness. Blending psychological horror with gothic mystery, this series targets fans of Shirley Jackson and modern creepypasta enthusiasts aged 18+ seeking atmospheric, character-driven scares.
+
+---
+
+## Publication Status
+Initial project setup - Pre-Editorial Review.  
+**Verdict: N/A** | **Score: N/A** | **Date: N/A**  
+(No editorial report in deliverables.)
+
+---
+
+## Reading Order
+
+| Chapter Number | Chapter Title | POV | File |
+|----------------|---------------|-----|------|
+*(No final-chapter-*.md files found in deliverables. Table to be populated upon chapter completion.)*
+
+---
+
+## Chapter Continuity Chain
+
+| Transition | Previous chapter ends... | Next chapter opens... |
+|------------|--------------------------|-----------------------|
+*(No final-chapter-*.md files found in deliverables. Continuity chain to be compiled upon chapter completion.)*
+
+---
+
+## Revisions Applied
+*(No revise-*.md files found in deliverables.)*
+
+---
+
+## Research & Planning Documents
+*(No non-chapter deliverables committed yet. Expected: outline.md, trend-report.md, editorial-report.md, launch-strategy.md, etc.)*
+
+---
+
+## Team
+
+| Agent/Role | Contributions |
+|------------|---------------|
+| project_index | Compiles manuscript README and tracks project deliverables. |
+*(Additional agents and roles to be added based on project contributions: e.g., outline_agent, chapter_writer, editor_agent, etc.)*
+
+---
+
+## Iteration History
+*(No draft files such as write-chapter-*.md, rewrite-chapter-*.md, or earlier iterations found in deliverables. Project in initialization phase.)*
+
+---
+
+*Generated by crimson_leaf_publishing AI team | PAE Multi-Agent System*
+```
+
+## Next Steps for Project Chair
+- Commit initial planning documents (e.g., outline.md) to populate this README.
+- Generate chapters via write-chapter agents to enable reading order and continuity tables.
+- Run editorial review for publication status update.