What is Pink Horror?

The Definition of Pink Horror:

It’s a new term for an old concept. Pink horror is all about uplifting women, femmes, and non-binary writers. It focuses on the real issues these communities face and contains characters, plots, and values with these individuals in mind. Also, there’s plenty of toppling the patriarchy!

Recently, an individuals reached out and asked if all pink horror includes non-binary individuals. I hadn’t even considered otherwise; to me, pink horror doesn’t exist without all non-binary writers; however, after further researched, I noticed some definitions excluding this group of authors.

While the idea of pink horror may be rooted in women and femmes, feminism is not. Intersectional feminism is broad, inclusive in all respects, and effects everyone (even those who deny the need for feminists). I consider pink horror feminist writing, so it makes sense to me that the inclusivity would be extended.

Also, pink horror doesn’t have to be just focused on the seriousness or tragedy of this community. It can be silly, funny, upbeat, and really, anything you can dream up, as long as it holds to the overall tenants of the pink horror definition, which really, is still evolving, so unleash your inner pink feminist and get creative!

Who are the Pink Horror Audiences?

Literally, anyone and everyone. While it’s certainly written for a certain audience, I highly encourage cis-hetero-white men to read and absorb the stories. These are the men at the top of the patriarchy, and it’s always important for this group to check themselves, their actions, and the actions of other men. A great way to understand the point-of-view outside the patriarchy is through storytelling. So, if you’re the leaders of the patriarchy, please pick up some pink horror and give it a read with an open mind!

Can Cis-Hetero-Men Write Pink Horror?

In general, I don’t like censoring what an author can and can’t write. I find the mindset of “this isn’t for you” exclusionary (even if it’s true). My idea of toppling the patriarchy means working with all communities, even those who have permanent seats at the proverbial table. That doesn’t mean everyone agrees with my opinion, and I completely understand that. Reading about a personal topic by someone who hasn’t lived it can be extremely frustrating to say the very least. So, back to the original question. I’d say every cis-hetero-man will have to decide that for himself; however, if his book takes the place of an equally qualified story written by a member of a marginalized community, the man should be prepared for backlash. While writing pink horror as a man and publishing it for free on a blog with no intention of progressing towards publication where they profit is one topic, being published and becoming a best seller and profiting while a marginalized writer is tossed into the slush pile is a different topic.

In a perfect world, in my mind, there would be room for all of us at the table. We have a long way to go for that.

How Are My Books Pink Horror?

Dissociate Identity Disorder: Mental Health Awareness Month

It’s Mental Health Awareness month which means we’re going to be diving in to how the horror genre handles this sensitive topic. We’re going to talk about specific mental health concerns, movies and books that get it right (and wrong), and share personal stories to help spread awareness and break the stigma!

Today, we dive into dissociative identity disorder, a commonly used plot device within the horror community. Often, it feels like writers are quick to add mental illness as a character plot point without doing proper research and presenting the mental illness with accuracy and respect. In my opinion, these are some books that do it right. Note: I realize Fight Club isn’t a horror book, but I believe it handles the topic well.

3 Body Problem: Not A Problem for Viewers

I’m about halfway through the new Netflix show 3 Body Problem, so let’s chat about this big budget adaptation.

First, you may be like me and have started the series completely unaware that this is adapted from a book series written by Liu Cixin. The first book, The Three-Body Problem, seems to follow closely to the Netflix show as ties into China’s Cultural Revolution where an alien signal is first received. Not having read the books (yet), I can’t say if the show follows the rest of the series, but as a stand alone from the literature from which it’s based, Netflix seems to have a hit on their hands.

The show vacillates from China’s Cultural Revolution to present day London where scientists are experiencing high suicide rates. Slowly, the series pieces together an intriguing puzzle linking the two and weaving mystery into a wonderfully tense plot.

So what is the 3 Body Problem?

I won’t give too much away since this is certainly a show worth watching but know that the 3 body problem sits at the heart of the alien contact. While you may think you understand the intention of this integral story element, there is a clever pivot which shifts the focus of the characters’ overall intentions.

Who is in the cast?

The characters come to life with a dynamic and talented group of actors. Here’s the core five:

3 Body Problem Cast

Eiza González (I Care A Lot, Godzilla vs. Kong, Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw) plays Auggie Salazar, a brilliant nanotech expert on the verge of revolutionizing the industry.

John Bradley (Game of Thrones, North Shore) plays the lovable (if not stereotypical) silly sidekick and comedic relief who quit his posh college life and to start a snack business empire.

Jess Hong (Inked, The Brokenwood Mysteries) plays a genius theoretical physicist who finds herself entangled in a complex web

Jovan Adepo (Babylon, Watchmen (series)) plays the scientist who isn’t as serious as the rest but a loyal friend

Alex Sharp (How to Talk to Girls at Parties) plays the lovable, if not a bit sad, physics teacher who receives life changing news

From what I can tell from reading about this series online, the book has very different characters, but again, I’ve yet to read it.

What I can say is that halfway into the series, I’m completely hooked. There’s tons of twists and curious moments, intrigue and mystery, and plenty of tension. To watch, go to Netflix!

Three Quick Queer Horror Book Recommendations

It’s time to diversify those bookshelves! If you’re new to Queer horror and looking for some recommendations, here are five incredible queer horror books written by openly queer authors. Check them out:

Blood and Flowers by Mars Adler

Two warring vampire families must set aside their differences to solve the disturbing mystery of a cursed house.

Brainwryms by Alison Rumfitt

Shocking, grotesque, and downright filthy, Brainwyrms confronts the creeping reality of political terrorism while exploring the depths of love, pain, and identity.

When a transphobic woman bombs Frankie’s workplace, she blows up Frankie’s life with it. As the media descends like vultures, Frankie tries to cope with the carnage: binge-drinking, sleeping with strangers, pushing away her friends. Then, she meets Vanya. Mysterious, beautiful, terrifying Vanya.

The two hit it off immediately, but as their relationship intensifies, so too does Frankie’s feeling that Vanya is hiding something from her. When Vanya’s secrets threaten to tear them apart, Frankie starts digging, and unearths a sinister, depraved conspiracy, the roots of which go deeper than she ever imagined.

Cuckoo by Gretchen Felker-Martin

From Gretchen Felker-Martin, the acclaimed author of Manhunt, comes a vicious new novel about a group of teens who must stay true to themselves while in a conversion camp from hell.

Something evil is buried deep in the desert.
It wants your body.
It wears your skin.

In the summer of 1995, seven queer kids abandoned by their parents at a remote conversion camp came face to face with it. They survived—but at Camp Resolution, everybody leaves a different person.

Sixteen years later, only the scarred and broken survivors of that terrible summer can put an end to the horror before it's too late.

The fate of the world depends on it.

BOOK REVIEW: We’re Not Ourselves Today : 13 Tales of Pulp Horror by Lydia Prime & Jill Girardi

REVIEW: We’re Not Ourselves Today 13 Tales of Pulp Horror

Lydia Prime & Jill Girardi

Prime and Girardi craft thirteen spine-tingling short stories certain to terrify and disturb. From garbage demons and werewolves to curses and delicious revenge, each tale weaves memorable monsters with high tension and horrific stakes. Some readers may gravitate a tad more toward Girardi’s haunting writing style while others may lean into Prime’s stomach-churning scenes, but overall, Prime and Girardi shine equally, sharing the spotlight with expert prose that invokes nightmares long after the final page.

Each story features a monster – whether human or otherwise. Familiar creatures such as werewolves are featured in multiple stories but with clever and refreshing twists to keep readers salivating. Other times, original monsters are born from the wickedly twisted imaginations of Prime and Girardi. Creativity oozes from the pages as does a decent about of blood and guts; however, inserted into the terror are occasion moments of absurdist levity such as in the opening story “The Letter” by Prime, who takes a gruesome premise of an expectant mother receiving a mysterious letter and pivots in a campy unexpected way. The creature in “The Roiling” by Jill Girardi also has a campy vibe undertone and would make an incredible onscreen villain, if ever adapted for television. In this piece, Frog People have taken over and Sherman Tan, a rather cowardly human protagonist, must figure out how to survive the new landscape.

The overall anthology feels like stepping into a wickedly intense 80s fright night marathon. Some of the content may be shocking for readers (child death, domestic abuse) as neither Prime nor Girardi hold back, but for those open to extreme horror with splashes of gore and tons of uniquely crafted monsters, this is a must read! Perfect for horror fans looking for creature features, women written horror, and nightmare fuel!

Interview with Literary Speculative-Fiction Author Emily J. Weisenberger

Interview with Literary Speculative-Fiction Author Emily J. Weisenberger

Pronouns: she/her

Welcome Emily! For readers just discovering your work, could you please give a little introduction of yourself?

I’m an early-career writer of literary speculative fiction. I have a few short stories for adults out in the world, and I’m currently working on a novel for children. My style is a little wacky, a lot of heart.

Your website (https://www.emilyjweisenberger.com/) describes you as a “writer of social justice-forward stories for children and adults.” That sounds amazing! What inspired you to take this approach in your writing?

I have to give the credit to my education in applied anthropology! As Ruth Benedict, a founder of modern anthropology, is quoted as saying, “The purpose of anthropology is to make the world safe for human differences.”  To me, that’s what justice is all about.

While I was in school, I wrote my MA thesis on racial justice activism in Tampa, Florida. I felt amazed seeing how people stood up to injustice, and I was emotionally invested in (read: pissed) about the oppression everyone faced.

Author Emily J. Weisenberger

I started writing about what I observed, because at least that way, some reader might learn something that could make the world just a little bit safer for human differences. First, I stuck with nonfiction and published some “creative fieldnotes” in the journal Practicing Anthropology. (That piece was about a Black family who organized a group of activists into the Andrew Joseph Foundation after their son was killed as a result of racial profiling and police negligence.) I learned that writing about something I so deeply cared about was beautiful, cathartic, and a type of activism.

Until then, I hadn’t written much fiction, but I loved reading fiction so much I decided to give it a whirl. I found fiction was such a powerful tool because it let me ask “what if we did this a little bit differently?”

Congratulations on your short story “Viable” being included in The Vanishing Point: Best Of 2021-2023 Anthology! Could you please tell readers the premise of this story and what inspired it?

Thanks! “Viable” is about a young woman in a techno-advanced near-future who is trying to get a legal abortion, and I am so grateful The Vanishing Point is publishing it again.

I wrote the story in 2021 after Texas instituted the ban on abortions after 6 weeks of pregnancy. At the time, I found that ban to be almost laughably absurd because it was blatantly inhumane. But I also saw that more states were following suit and the U.S. Supreme Court was becoming overwhelmingly conservative. I was (still am) scared and angry about the abortion ban, and I was anticipating that state governments and the Supreme Court would chip away at reproductive rights until it was officially legal yet almost impossible to get an abortion. I honestly did not expect them to repeal Roe v. Wade, as at the time, I didn’t think politicians would explicitly do something so unpopular.

So, “Viable” was born. It was my best guess for how the future of abortions would look: legal on the surface but inaccessible and even criminalized by layers of bureaucracy. I won’t spoil the story, but I still get chills reading the last scene.

Your short story “The Prairie’s Song” is scheduled to be featured on the podcast Tales to Terrify! Without giving away any spoilers, what can readers/listeners look forward to?

“The Prairie’s Song” is a historical-fiction and horror short story about an isolated colonial-settler in the American west. You can expect eerie vibes, devilish jackrabbits, and the haunting, whistling song of prairie grass. Or is the sound just in his head?

With several popular writing conventions coming up, many authors are getting prepared to meet agents and editors for the first time. Have you ever been to a writing convention or conference? What tips would you give nervous writers?

I’ve been to one! I went to the virtual Jewish Book Council’s writers conference. I learned so much from the panels, but the biggest win was meeting people. I would recommend finding conferences that include lots of opportunities to meet people. During an open group meeting, I ended up connecting with a local author, who I got to meet in person later.

I also paid extra ($20/meeting) to meet independently with a handful of agents and editors. They gave me feedback about my novel-in-progress, and a couple asked me to send it to them when the novel is finished. Connecting one-on-one also gave me better insight into the real work of editors and agents and a foundation from which to reach out to them later. If you’re planning to meet one-on-one with agents and editors, I would recommend preparing an elevator pitch and a list of questions/topics that are relevant to their specific role. Even better, run these by your writer friends/critique group to go into the meetings super prepared.

If you could pick the brain of any author, alive or dead, who would you chat with and why?

I would love to chat with Anna-Marie McLemore. Or maybe I would sit there silently in awe, with a completely blank mind. I find their work to be so beautifully written and heart-rending and, I think, perfect for teens (and adults!) who are asking questions about how to be part of this world. I will forever be grateful for their YA novel Mirror Season.

What are you currently working on?

My main project right now is a middle grade fantasy novel called “Hazel’s Hungry Family.”  The protagonist is a Jewish girl who faces competing responsibilities between her family (Grandpa is running for mayor of their small town) and new magical friends who are falling mysteriously sick from pollution (hm, who might be the one causing the pollution??).

The novel is about environmental activism and standing up for what’s right, even if that means defying your family. It’s a mix of lightheartedness—there’s a sweet dog, an overly dramatic monster, a new friend who loves to practice swordfighting—and more serious themes, like learning how to build community and deal with antisemitism.

Where do you hope to be in ten years, in terms of your writing career?

My goal is to be agented and to be able to dedicate most of my working hours to writing novels for children and adults. I also want to continue playing around with weird and wacky short stories, and maybe a little poetry here and there.

Is there anything else you wish to share that I didn’t bring up?

Fun Fact: Some of America’s favorite authors were also anthropologists. Anthropologists Zora Neale Hurston wrote fiction on African American experiences, and Kurt Vonnegut wrote anti-war fiction.

Where can readers learn more about you? (social media, website, etc.)

Website: emilyjweisenberger.com

Twitter: @EJweisenberger

Thanks so much!

Interview with Sci-Fi Author Lyle Stiles

Interview with Sci-Fi Author Lyle Stiles

Welcome Lyle! For readers just discovering your work, could you please give a little introduction of yourself? 

Hi, I'm Lyle Stiles, a Brooklyn-born science communicator and author. My writing journey started around 2018 when I wrote a poem ( titled "Tourists") which was published a year later. Since then, I've moved to sci-fi short stories, of which I am currently the author of three.

Author Lyle Stiles

Generally, the focus of my pieces is on larger societal or cultural issues, with a pinch of science thrown in for flavor.

I'm also an exercise- and board game-enthusiast who resides in Maryland.

Your website (https://lylestiles.com/) mentions you are a “recovering neuroscience researcher.” Could you tell readers a bit about your science background and how that influences your writing?

 I got my neuroscience Ph.D. studying the brains of mice and the memory-boosting effects of aerobic exercise. The overall goal was to better understand how this memory enhancement works in people. 

Because it's such a relatable topic that could be useful to many others, I spoke about my work in plain language during several science communication events with the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science. To reach an even wider audience, I participated in and won a NASA- and National Geographic-led science communication competition (FameLab) where researchers have 3 minutes to talk about their work to panel of judges and the public (like American Idol but for scientists). These experiences made me want to discuss other research topics in ways that would help remove the jargon-filled veil of science so more people could see it as I do–a beautiful way to understand the world.

As a result, I usually try to drop an interesting research fact or scientific development into my stories. For example, my first published story was based on recent work where scientists created xenobots–tiny programmable "lifeforms" created from frog stem cells. Although they are made up of living things (stem cells) and can walk, heal, and work together in groups, are they themselves alive? It's still a matter of debate, so I wrote a time travel story (The Xenobot Paradox) to highlight this advancement and explore philosophical quandries about "life" and agency if this technology became more advanced.

(Note: If you're interested in seeing the xenobots in action, you can find a video of them at my website)

When did you first develop a love for the sci-fi genre?

 To be honest, I was always kind of sci-fi adjacent. As a child, I gravitated to books, movies, and franchises like Star Wars.

However, as a teen growing up in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn in the 00's many of the deeper human issues felt absent or seemed like they lacked depth.

When chapters of history books are filled with people like you being disenfranchised, when alll your immediate family members have personal anecdotes in dealing with prejudice, and when you start experiencing your own similar issues, some sci-fi narratives (like those about people treating aliens differently or vice versa) feel like they barely scratch the surface.

I didn't end up loving sci-fi until later, close to the end of my Ph.D. training, when I discovered N.K. Jemisin and Octavia Butler. Their works showed me the great depths of the human condition that you could infuse into original sci-fi concepts. Their works provided a lot of inspiration for my eearliest attempts at writing sci-fi stories (many of which I hope will never see the light of day).

Congrats on the publication of your short story “The Pox Party” featured in Black Sci-Fi Short Stories (Gothic Fantasy) published by Flame Tree Press! Can you tell us the premise of “The Pox Party” and what inspired it?

 In a dystopian future where certain neighborhoods experience climate-related apocalypses (or "pox"es), a teenage girl from one of these low-income areas steals an expensive holo-watch from a rich poverty-vouyèr searching for a theme for their upcoming party. As the teen journeys to a prosperous, pox-free neighborhood to return the watch, she struggles with thoughts of keeping it knowing the item probably means more to her–now that it holds precious recordings of her recently deceased mother.

"The Pox Party" was inspired by the growing disparities in not only housing and income, but also access to technologies that make life easier. I wanted to explore how morality (or at least acceptable behavior) might change or shift in hyper-disparate conditions.

Your dark sci-fi short story “Mephisto and Me” was published in Assemble Artifacts (Summer 2022 Issue no. 2) and they purchased the tv/film rights. Could you please tell readers about this story? Who would you like to play the characters if this gets picked up for tv/film?

 After a police officer murders his father, Jerod, a high school junior deals with trauma, resentment, and the sudden appearance of Mephisto--a demon-possesed robot who promises "justice". But what Jerod decides to do (or not do) about the bot could either end his life or everyone else's, as Mephisto's ultimate goal is Armageddon.

If "Mephisto and Me" gets made into a movie, I'd like John Boyega (Finn from Star Wars) or Shameik Moore (voice of Miles Morales in Into the Spiderverse) to play Jerod. For Mephisto, I think Adam Driver (Kylo Ren from Star Wars) would serve as a great voice acting talent for the maniacal bot.

Let’s say you can pick any author, alive or dead, to team up with and co-write a novel. Who are you picking and why?

 Hands down, Octavia Butler.

I would've loved to have co-written (or even just assist in the process of creating) a novel with her before she passed away.

She had this impressive skill of "doing more with less" when it came to using words to paint a vibrant picture of futuristic sci-fi or dystopian settings.

More importantly, she managed to instill depth into her works by accessibly reflecting the trying situations and impossible choices her characters have to make being at the intersection of multiple identities (e.g., Dana in "Kindred" being black, modern, and a woman during  the era of slavery and Anyanwu in "Wild Seed" being black, immortal, and a powerful woman –throughout time–in a never ending coercive/abusive  relationship).

Working with her would've greatly improved my ability to vividly showcase the joys and struggles of my own characters through concise storytelling.

What are you currently working on?

 My work in progress (WIP) is a departure from my usual sci-fi short stories (which generally focus on cultural and societal issues). The WIP is a middle grade fantasy novel (called "Terraseeker Academy") that is a project of pure escapism. It features a diverse group of kids who go to a specialized school to learn how to become explorers within the very strange world they live in.

I decided to write it because I felt like I could use a break from the world's heavier heavier issues. Sometimes it's just as rewarding to read a light-hearted book and have a laugh. I hope this fun adventure novel will one day make its way to store shelves where it can engage children and others in the same ways I used to get excited about Animorphs or Goosebumps (neither of which are light-hearted, but both series brought me tons of joy).

Where do you hope to be in ten years, in terms of your writing career?

 At that point, I hope to be a published author with several more short stories and at least one series under my belt. I'd love it if at least one of those pieces had a sizeable fan base, but if not, I would still be happy with the act of making publishable quality work. 

In addition, a personal goal of mine is to publish in different genres. Currently, I have my eyes on romance and horror, so in ten years it would be nice to have some written pieces within those categories.

Where can readers learn more about you? (social media, website, ect)

Readers can learn more about me at my website Lylestiles.com or follow me on X (formerly twitter) @thewritestiles. 

As I am currently recovering from a fairly severe bout of long covid that affected me for much of last year, some info may be outdated. Luckily, I've been regaining much of my health in the last few weeks, so expect to see more activity in the coming months.

Thanks for the great interview, Nico!

Need a Last Min. Gift? Try These Books!

Last Minute Books to Buy for The Book Lover in Your Life!

It’s almost time for the holidays, and if you haven’t had a chance to pick up a book for the book lover in your life, here are some incredible selections that you can still get in time for gift giving!

Aseptic and Faintly Sadistic Anthology

Description:

Are you sure something’s wrong? Or are you just hysterical?

Aseptic and Faintly Sadistic is rage-made-art, an unsettling meditation that also serves as a charitable platform to support abortion rights in the United States. Inside are twenty-six haunting speculative tales that explore the social, political, and personal dimensions of hysteria.

Women who are convicted of sexual transgressions are forced to become living seed mounds.

A lonely young man makes his perfect girl out of caulk and endeavors to teach her about the wonders of the world.

The poor barter for health insurance by serving as living batteries for the elite.

In this anthology of feminist dark fiction, presented by CHM, author and editor Jolie Toomajan has curated a collection of nightmares from both award-winning and emerging writers, including Hailey Piper, Christi Nogle, Joe Koch, Kelsea Yu, Laura Cranehill, and more.

Proceeds will benefit the Chicago Abortion Fund

Pre-Approved for Hauntings: And Other Stories by Patrick Barb

Description:

In this new collection, Patrick Barb explores themes of family found and lost, media consumption and the dangers of runaway nostalgia, the supernatural in our lives, and the impact of violence in both the long- and short-term.

A young couple is reunited with their lost son whose favorite fuzzy bear suit connects him to the ghost of a vengeful mama bear while he's alone in the forest.

• A jaded screenwriter can’t escape the haunted screenplay that’s ruined his career.

• A man returns to his small hometown, where the people are gone and the trees have taken over.

• A Slasher and Final Girl brother-sister duo match wits and blades against a sentient, dimension-hopping apocalypse at a never-ending summer camp.

From rural backwoods to Park Slope brownstones, Barb's characters face impossible, awful situations, testing their inner strength and understanding of reality. Covering quiet horror, weird fiction, supernatural horror, slasher horror, topical dark fiction, and more, these stories spotlight supposedly familiar terrors and fears in new and unexpected ways.

Open House by Nico Bell

Realtor Caleb Birch is on the precipice of earning everything he’s ever dreamed: a partner position at his prestigious realty firm, financial stability that would make his mother proud, and a respectable professional reputation amongst Los Angeles’s wealthy and elite. All he has to do is nail his open house and secure a contract.

Enter a mysterious woman with an air of familiarity claiming to be the perfect buyer. Her ruse dissolves revealing nefarious intentions and a twisted game that Caleb must win to survive the night. But she isn’t the only threat lurking behind closed doors. There are skeletons in the closet, and they’re coming out to play.

College Macabre: An Exhibition of Art Horror

Description:

Your work will betray your secrets. Obsessions, hidden desires, and desperate wishes all woven into the fabric of what we make. A sculpture crafted with longing, a painting of a dream just barely articulated, the craving that cannot speak its name buried in a short film’s score. Old want only spoken aloud through someone else’s voice. Need etched on someone else’s lips for all the world to see. A false self created for the audience to claim as its own, still hiding what it knows.

Through these eighteen stories, dread is the medium of choice, winding its way through each unsettling and terrifying tale about human creation, the artistic follies and triumphs we imbue with so much meaning. You will find artists and audiences alike grappling with confrontations beyond their comprehension, works that require more than careful consideration—sometimes a little bit of blood is necessary. Art is alive if you are. Inside these pages you will be asked to open yourself up like a wound and expose your mind to the darker side of our oeuvre.

Confirmed Sightings: A Triple Cryptid Creature Feature

Horror fans and cryptid lovers unite! Grab your popcorn and candy, settle into your seat, and make sure to silence your phone for this triple creature feature!

A Piasa for Christmas by Bridget D. Brave | Kaycee has returned to her hometown and finally found her soulmate in the most unexpected package: a transdimensional, all-powerful creature once trapped in a temporal prison. Can true love prevail between this headstrong aspiring influencer and an ancient immortal god?

eyeofmoth.exe by P.L. McMillan | When the crew of the CRS Piasa encounter a space station drowning in madness caused by a creature from Pre-Calamity Earth, they become desperate to get back to their ship and warn the Company in a race against the clock.

Once Upon a Time in Turu by Ryan Marie Ketterer | When a jackalope from the good part of town ends up dead, Policefoot Orli is tasked with solving the bizarre murder before the already tense town of Turu erupts in cryptid fury. But it won't be as easy as it looks when all the usual suspects are very unusual themselves.

In Memory of Exoskeletons by Rebecca Cuthbert

“Cuthbert's chapbook celebrates the domestic, seemingly delicate spheres of women's lives. From house witches to cryptids to body horror, this collection probes the edges of the speculative poetry genre. Supple and lyrical, these poems are cunning, intelligent, and tender.”
-Holly Lyn Walrath, author, The Smallest of Bones

Epiphany by JV Gaghs

When pregnant Estela learns that her wife Eva has hanged herself from an oak tree, she can't believe she would have done so voluntarily.

Eva, a journalist obsessed with the crimes of the so-called Garden of Horrors, was about to release a podcast about the convicted killer, Coral, who always maintained it wasn't her who slaughtered her family and her missing new born, but an evil forest spirit.

As Estela dives deep into the recordings, emails, and letters from Eva's investigation, in Coral's retelling of the murders, she will be forced to face a simple question that could cost her life as well as her unborn baby's:

"Do you believe in magic?"

Dust and Deliverance by Benjamin DeHaan

Description:

Paulo, a father, high school counselor and recent widower, searches for his lost daughter Adriana who has become bound to the cocaine drug cartel. Adriana, daughter of Paulo, runs away from higher education and seeks fortunes and a life of paradise. Sam, gaming addict and divorced Denver Police officer, blames his failed marriage on his wife’s misunderstanding. Harold, protector of Adriana and ex-opera singer of Mexico City, yearns for nothing more than to get his singing voice back.

San Isabel National Park, Colorado, a place where four broken people collide and are set free.

This is a story of the heart’s deliverance.

Hunger and Other Dark Tales by Benjamin DeHaan

Collected together in one volume for the first time, five chilling horror stories by Benjamin DeHaan

Cats of the Pacific Northwest by J. W. Donley

Description:

David, an unsure young man, is trying to figure out how to be a "man" in the modern age. Well, at least what his girlfriend, Emma, expects of him.

When she suggests a backpacking trip out on the Olympic Penninsula, he jumps at the opportunity to demonstrate his worth. But, once they get out into the wilderness, they are quickly lost. Now they are out of food and beginning to starve, when a strange couple of cats cross their path.

The Darkness Beyond the Stars: An Anthology of Space Horror edited by P.L. McMillan

Description:

Beyond this rock we call home, horror awaits. Meteors slash through the sky, illuminating terrors beyond our wildest imagination. In the furthest reaches of the coldest cosmic expanse, there are things waiting, whose very existence our minds are not equipped to comprehend.

Can you survive the final frontier? 

Featuring 14 stories from some of the best up-and-coming talents in the genre, The Darkness Beyond The Stars is an anthology of space-themed horror that seeks to twist humanity’s greatest aspirations into our greatest fears
Dead Letters: Episodes of Epistolary edited by Jacob Steven Mohr

Evil lurks within the pages of Dead Letters: Episodes of Epistolary Horror...

A video game walkthrough harbors sinister secrets. A grieving sister’s letters blur the line between alive and dead (and alive again). A chain of frightening emails is the only evidence that a young woman ever walked the earth. And a series of journals pursue a dwindling wagon train marching into Hell—or someplace worse.

Haunting podcast transcripts. Blood-soaked police reports. Bewildering court findings. Brace yourself for an anthology that resurrects the chilling power of epistolary fiction—where ordinary documents transform into vessels of absolute terror.

Spanning 21 original tales blending the classic gothic horror of Stoker’s Dracula with the contemporary dread of Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke by Eric LaRocca, Dead Letters contains both short sharp shocks and prolonged sojourns into the macabre—and promises to haunt your sleepless nights.

Featuring thrilling contributions from Gemma Files, Ai Jiang, Gordon B. White, J.A.W. McCarthy, and Red Lagoe, and curated with precision by Jacob Steven Mohr (The Unwelcome and Nightfall and Other Dangers) Dead Letters: Episodes of Epistolary Horror solidifies its place among the pantheon of must-read horror anthologies.

The Best of Our Past, the Worst of Our Future by Christi Nogle

The Best of Our Past, the Worst of Our Future collects Christi Nogle’s finest psychological and supernatural horror stories. Their rural and small-town characters confront difficult pasts and look toward promising but often terrifying futures. The pieces range in genre from psychological horror through science fiction and ghost stories, but they all share fundamental qualities: feminist themes, an emphasis on voice, a focus on characters’ psychologies and a sense of the gothic in contemporary life. Stories here may recall Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper,” Shirley Jackson’s “The Renegade,” or Kelly Link’s “Stone Animals.”

Wilted Pages: An Anthology of Dark Academia edited by Ai Jiang and Christi Nogle

Wilted Pages is a new Dark Academia anthology filled with gloomy buildings, hidden histories, secret societies, lurking shadows, futuristic boarding schools, corrupt systems, gothic aesthetics, occult learning and forbidden texts… And that's only your first semester.

Merciless Waters by Rae Knowles

Aboard the ship Scylla, there is no future or past. Jaq, her fickle lover Lily, and their all-female crew exist in an endless present. It's better this way. At least it keeps Lily by Jaq's side, where she belongs. But the meddling gods care little for Jaq's longing, and despite her protective rituals, their punishment arrives all the same: A man, adrift on the open ocean. Delivered to snatch Lily from Jaq's arms forever. Jaq knows what to do. She's lost Lily before. Her lover will return-when this interloper, this distraction, is snuffed out. But Jaq's murderous schemes may not be enough. The intruder's presence infects her crew with a plague her spells cannot cure: memory. And as the women recall how they came to Scylla, their minds bend one by one towards revenge.

The Disappearance of Tom Nero by TJ Price

The Disappearance of Tom Nero concerns a young man's investigation into the impossible disappearance of a friend. As he learns more about the circumstances and searches for answers, the re-emergence of a metatextual horror from legend puts not only him, but his new lover, in jeopardy.

The story explores themes of contagious and invasive thoughts, disappearances, as well as the relationship between reality and the written word. It is uniquely structured, with a variety of clues hidden in the text for the savvy reader—but beware, for the horror might not only affect the characters in the story...it may also affect the reader themselves.

Ahh! That’s What I Call Horror: An Anthology of 90’s Horror edited by Chelsea Pumpkins

With fourteen horror stories set during the decade of flannel shirts and neon dolphin Trapper Keepers, Ahh! That's What I Call Horror features a PHAT (pretty horrific and terrifying) collection of totally rad horror and weird fiction authors exploring the darker side of what many consider a time of relative peace and prosperity. With Communism falling and Clear Channel rising, the horror of the 1990s requires peeling back layers of safe, sanitized media to reveal the nightmares waiting beneath. When it comes to '90s horror, this is one anthology guaranteed to be all that and a bag of haunted chips.

You won't need a dial-up connection to reach the beyond in this time-warp to the '90s. With undead grunge rock icons, menacing action figures, family sitcoms gone very wrong, and more: these terror tales will return you to the end of the old millennium.

How will you get back?

Like, who says you will?

Howls from the Wreckage: An Anthology of Disaster Horror edited by Christopher O’Halloran

“Cuthbert's chapbook celebrates the domestic, seemingly delicate spheres of women's lives. From house witches to cryptids to body horror, this collection probes the edges of the speculative poetry genre. Supple and lyrical, these poems are cunning, intelligent, and tender.”
-Holly Lyn Walrath, author, The Smallest of Bones
Hungers as Old as This Land by Zachary Rosenberg

Description:

The settlement of Grey's Bluffs is a prosperous town. An independent community dwelling in the shadows of the mountains known only as The Hungers.

Esther Foxman and Siobhan O'Clery have grown up in Grey's Bluffs, thriving out on the western territories in the aftermath of the Civil War. Devoted to one another and their home, the two set out to complete a regular pact at the Hungers to ensure that Grey's Bluffs continues to prosper.

Cyril Redstone is a man who knows death well. Becoming a mercenary after the Civil War, Cyril leads the marauding Blackhawks from one slaughter to the next. Hired to destroy Grey's Bluffs, Cyril cares little for morality, nor that he owes its founder his life.

Esther and Siobhan are left to defend the only home they have ever known from the Blackhawks, their confrontation driving them deep into the mountains.

Where the darkest secrets of the Hungers await them.

The Long Shalom by Zachary Rosenberg

Alan Aldenberg is a down-on-his-luck detective. With dwindling fortunes and the worry his old friends in the Jewish mob will pay him a visit, the last thing he expects is a visit from his old flame.

But when the wrong Shalom brings Erika Nakamura back to his door, Alan learns that innocent people are missing all through New York. Agreeing to the job for the cash, Alan soon discovers a conspiracy reaching through the city's halls of power and not all of them are human. Joining forces with old friends, Alan faces a dark alliance of politicians, the mob, and abominable beings that transcend space and time.

With the fate of New York in the balance, Alan must be prepared for nightmares beyond human comprehension.

That may even make him face the long Shalom

Feeders by Caleb Stephens

Description:

It’s just an average night at the Ink Tank, the tattoo shop in Austin, Texas, where Brynn works as a tattoo artist. After a long shift, all she wants to do is head home, pop a few pills from the fresh bottle of Roxicodone in her jacket pocket, and slip into a nice buzz. Her plans crumble when she’s abducted by her convict father, Alan, and forced into the road trip from hell: a cross-country trek to the Rocky Mountains and the shelter he built years ago to protect his family from the monsters living in his head, the monsters he says will erupt from the earth at any minute—the feeders. With each mile he unravels further, thrusting Brynn back into the childhood nightmare she thought she’d escaped forever. Alan is paranoid, and he’s definitely dangerous—but is he crazy? In this novel, we find that truth is not always what it seems, and that some secrets are better left buried.

The Girls in the Cabin by Caleb Stephens

Description:

This camping trip is Chris’s last chance to repair his relationship with his daughters, Kayla and Emma. Nothing’s been the same since they lost their mom. But things go wrong as soon as they get to the mountains.

When they make camp, nine-year-old Emma runs off into the woods. By the time they find her, there’s a snowstorm rolling in. And Emma’s leg is badly broken. They need to find shelter, fast.

They think they’re safe when they come across an old farmstead. The woman inside welcomes them in from the howling blizzard and straps up Emma’s leg.

They settle down for the night, but when Chris wakes at dawn and looks over . . . Emma is gone.

And this family’s nightmare is only just beginning.

Frost Bite by Angela Sylvaine

Remember the '90s? Well...the town of Demise, North Dakota doesn't, and they're living in the year 1997. That's because an alien worm hitched a ride on a comet, crash-landed in the town's trailer park, and is now infecting animals with a memory-loss-inducing bite-and right before Christmas! Now it's up to nineteen-year-old Realene and her best friend Nate to stop the spread and defeat the worms before the entire town loses its mind. The only things standing in the way are their troubled pasts, a doomsday cult, and an army of infected prairie dogs.

Tales of Sley House Anthology

Our annual anthology, where the best genre fiction is brought together under one roof. Welcome to Sley House

Happy Reading!

Best of Horror 2023: Books and Movies

Best of Horror 2023: Books and Movies

This year celebrated so many incredible moments in horror! I read tons of thrilling books and watched plenty of spooky movies. Here are some of my favorites from 2023 (Please note this list is by no means complete. This is simply a list of some of my favorites, but there are TONS of incredible books published this past year!):

BOOKS:

HOW LOVELY TO BE A WOMAN by TIFFANY MICHELLE BROWN

Description:

A woman desperate to achieve the life she’s always dreamed of orders an AI baby online. Mounting workplace misogyny helps an introvert unlock her innate power. A woman obsessed with skincare goes to great lengths to rid her face of imperfections. A frat boy looking to score gets much more than he bargained for when a sexy coed turns the tables on him. Seeking relief from the pressures of everyday life, a woman checks into a hotel that caters to her dark predilections.

Equal parts heartbreaking and grotesque, How Lovely To Be a Woman: Stories and Poems explores the everyday horrors of womanhood and delights in the monstrous ways women adapt, evolve, fight back, and survive.

WHAT I LOVED:

This book is a powerful and intense look at womanhood that soaks into your pores from the first page. Tiffany tackles a variety of beautifully haunting ideas that will resonate with a large audience. Fans of feminist horror and daring short story collections will enjoy this read! Buy it here!

MAEVE FLY by CJ LEEDE

Description:

By day, Maeve Fly works at the happiest place in the world as every child’s favorite ice princess.

By the neon night glow of the Sunset Strip, Maeve haunts the dive bars with a drink in one hand and a book in the other, imitating her misanthropic literary heroes.

But when Gideon Green - her best friend’s brother - moves to town, he awakens something dangerous within her, and the world she knows suddenly shifts beneath her feet.

Untethered, Maeve ditches her discontented act and tries on a new persona. A bolder, bloodier one, inspired by the page

At this point, only a lobotomy will be able to remove the grotesque images invoked by this book from my brain. This is a BRUTAL read, but extremely compelling! A dark and twisted tale that dives not only into the monstrosity of a killer, but a universal desire to find companionship and acceptance. It’s not for the faint of heart, but if you made it through KIN by Kealan Patrick Burke, you’ll be able to handle MAEVE FLY! Buy it here!

I WANT CANDY by AZZURRA NOX

Description:

A family of witches. A girl in love.

Hidden away in an old, dilapidated Victorian home, the Dresden witches have been making their prized candies for years. Their secret ingredient would make most people squeamish, but for Lollipop it's just another typical day at home. Lolli spends her days making candies and longing for her classmate Stella. As her infatuation for Stella deepens, Lollipop begins to question her loyalty to her family. Will she choose love or will she do anything it takes to preserve the Dresden legacy at any costs? Does she have what it takes to be the next head witch or will her powers never be strong enough?

Stella Morris has recently moved to Arcana, California after a tragic incident involving her mother. Stella is both beautiful and popular, but she harbors a darkness in her that threatens to make her whole world come undone.

This coming of age queer romance is drenched in blood and sugar.

Why I loved it:

This was a super fast read that pushed the horror boundaries! I kept thinking, there’s no way Azzurra is going to go there, and then, BAM! It’s a lot of story packed into a tiny word count complete with a gripping coming-of-age tale that fans of queer romance and witchcraft will enjoy! BUY IT HERE!

OUT THERE SCREAMING Edited by JORDAN PEELE

Description:

A cop begins seeing huge, blinking eyes where the headlights of cars should be that tell him who to pull over. Two freedom riders take a bus ride that leaves them stranded on a lonely road in Alabama where several unsettling somethings await them. A young girl dives into the depths of the Earth in search of the demon that killed her parents. These are just a few of the worlds of Out There Screaming, Jordan Peele’s anthology of all-new horror stories by Black writers. Featuring an introduction by Peele and an all-star roster of beloved writers and new voices, Out There Screaming is a master class in horror, and—like his spine-chilling films—its stories prey on everything we think we know about our world . . . and redefine what it means to be afraid.
 
Featuring stories by: Erin E. Adams, Violet Allen, Lesley Nneka Arimah, Maurice Broaddus, Chesya Burke, P. Djèlí Clark, Ezra Claytan Daniels, Tananarive Due, Nalo Hopkinson, N. K. Jemisin, Justin C. Key, L. D. Lewis, Nnedi Okorafor, Tochi Onyebuchi, Rebecca Roanhorse, Nicole D. Sconiers, Rion Amilcar Scott, Terence Taylor, and Cadwell Turnbull.

Why I Loved It:

Each story carves a place in your mind and takes up residency. It’s packed with unsettling moments, memorable characters, and powerful themes that hit hard. Everyone should check it out! But it here!

MOVIES

SLOTHERHOUSE

Description:

Senior Emily Young wants to be elected sorority president. She adopts a cute sloth, thinking it will help her win, but a string of fatalities implicates the sloth.

Why I Loved It:

Look, it’s a movie about a pissed off sloth hunting down sorority sisters. It knows what it is and everyone is in on the joke, which makes it SO much fun! Fans of VelociPastor will certainly get a kick out of this comedy horror!

ATTACHMENT

Description:

Maja, a Danish has-been actress, falls in love with Leah, a Jewish academic from London. Leah suffers a mysterious seizure, and Maja returns with her to London. There, she meets Leah's mother, Chana, a woman who could hold dark secrets.

When I looked this up, it said it came out in 2022, but maybe it got its US release in 2023? I don’t know for sure, but I watched it this year, and I loved it! It’s dark and harrowing but lovely in a haunting manner that will stick with you long after the credits roll. Fans of character driven horror that is more emotional in its approach to storytelling will enjoy this movie!

UNWELCOME

Description:

Married couple Maya and Jamie escape their urban nightmare to the tranquility of rural Ireland only to discover malevolent and murderous goblins lurking in the gnarled, ancient wood at the foot of their new garden.

This is another that said it was released in 2022, but I saw it this year. Maybe, again, it was released in the US in 2023? Either way, it’s 100% worth a watch! I certainly didn’t see where it was going until the thrilling climax and even then…wow!

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITES FROM 2023?