Category Archives: Fiction

My Schedule for StokerCon 2023

So we’re just over a week away from this year’s StokerCon, and needless to say, I’m so excited for it! (I initially wrote “so stoked” but I mean, that’s a bit too much, yes? All right, fine, I’m totally stoked for it!) As always, I adore StokerCon and get downright giddy for the convention. This year, I’m cheerfully busy with both the in person and the virtual convention, so if you want to catch me somewhere during the con, then you’re in luck!

And here goes with all the places I’ll be next week at StokerCon!

You Can’t Get There From Here: Tales of Weird Pittsburgh on Thursday, June 15th at 4pm
With moderator Douglas Gwilym at the helm, I’ll be hanging out with panelists Frank Oreto, Nelson Pyles, Michelle Renee Lane, and Stephanie M. Wytovich as we ponder Pittsburgh’s place in the horror genre. I know I’ve already said this all over social media, but I’m so happy that StokerCon is in Pittsburgh this year, and as a member of HWA Pittsburgh, it’s so exciting to get to share our love for the city with everyone!

“We Belong to Each Other”: Reclaiming Representations of Bisexuality in 1970s and 1980s Vampire Cinema on Friday, June 16th at 1pm
I’m over the moon to be presenting at the Ann Radcliffe Academic Conference this year! As you can no doubt discern from the title, my talk is all about bisexual vampires of the 70s and 80s, including Daughters of Darkness, The Hunger, The Lost Boys, and more. I’m part of the block called “The Vampire’s Time Has Come: Symbols, Stories, and Sexuality,” alongside Naomi Borwein and Alex Aleco, and I’m so eager to hear their talks. Tremendous thanks to RJ Joseph and Bridget Keown for putting together this incredible conference. It’s truly such an honor to be presenting at it!

The Cannibal Panel on Friday, June 16th at 4pm
Moderated by the fabulous Sara Tantlinger, I’ll be joining panelists Rebecca Rowland, Owl Goingback, Wrath James White, and EV Knight as we discuss—what else?—horror tales about devouring human flesh. My recent story, “The Hungry Wives of Bleak Street,” is all about cannibalism, and appropriately appears in American Cannibal, edited by the amazing and aforementioned Rebecca Rowland, so it will be fun to talk about that story and anthology as well as hear all about the diverse work coming from other horror writers.

Mass Author Signing on Friday, June 16th at 5pm
I’ll be joining an expansive group of authors as part of the mass author signing! White Whale Bookstore will be on hand selling copies of the Stoker nominated works, so if you want to pick up Reluctant Immortals, then that’s a thing you should be able to do! Also, if you have copies of my books already, please feel free to bring them as I’d of course be happy to sign them!

You Just Live Here: Inhabiting the Modern Haunted House on Saturday, June 17th at 10am
I’ll be hanging out with panelists Aaron Dries, Johnny Compton, Craig Davidson, EV Knight, Sarah Read, and moderator Andrew F. Sullivan while we talk all about haunted houses. This one is particularly exciting for me since my next novel features not only one haunted house but a whole haunted neighborhood, so this is definitely timely for me and my own writing. And I can honestly listen to writers discuss haunted houses all daylong, which means I have no doubt this is going to be a great time.

The Invisible Other: Bisexuality and the Horror Genre on Saturday, June 17th at 12pm
Last but in no way least, I’m moderating this super cool discussion alongside panelists J.A.W. McCarthy, K.P. Kulski, Eric Raglin, and Angela Sylvaine. From what I can tell, this is the first ever panel at a genre writing convention to focus on bisexuality and horror, so I’m beyond thrilled for us to make a small bit of queer horror history as I talk with the ultra talented panelists about all things bi+ and creepy!

Virtual Author Reading (On Demand)
And then there’s the content for virtual StokerCon! This year, I’m doing a virtual author reading! I was the reading coordinator for StokerCon 2023, and since we didn’t have enough spots in person for everyone, I decided to take my role as coordinator seriously and not to take up the space of another writer, especially since I know how important author readings are, in particular for newer writers. And as it turns out, my schedule is packed with programming, so while I will of course miss out on the camaraderie of an in-person reading, everything definitely worked out this year. For my virtual video, I read an excerpt from Reluctant Immortals, my little psychedelic gothic baby (which, by the way, is currently on sale over at Amazon), so check it out if you’re part of the online convention.

Something Old, Something New: The Power of Horror Retellings at Virtual StokerCon (On Demand)
This panel, which explores what makes a good horror retelling, features authors Craig Laurance Gidney, Gaby Triana, Jessica McHugh, Alyssa Palombo, Addie Tsai, and Eden Royce. I’m the moderator of this panel, as we discuss our favorite horror tales and why we chose those particular stories to reinvent in our own work. It was a fabulous time conversing with this group of authors, so please give it a watch if you’re hanging around the virtual con!

Monstrous Metaphors: Horror Movies and Cultural Commentary at Virtual StokerCon (On Demand)
With S.A. Bradley as the moderator of this panel that’s all about the politics and cultural significance of horror, I joined panelists Stephanie M. Wytovich, Marc L. Abbott, and Britannic Zane for a lively discussion about the intersections of horror with race, gender, sexuality, and more. We recorded this one last month, and it was an absolute blast. Such a fun conversation with such fun people!

And finally, on Saturday evening, we’ll be attending the Stokers! Yes, I’ve already said it so many times already, but I’m so elated and surprised that Reluctant Immortals is nominated for Superior Achievement in a Novel. For a book that’s all about forgotten women, it’s such a lovely and amazing experience for it to be recognized. I can’t wait to spend the evening celebrating with all the other nominees! It’s such a terrific ballot, and it will be so wonderful to hang out with everyone at the ceremony!

So that’s my schedule for the convention! If you see me at any of the panels or just hanging out around the hotel, please say hi! I’m fairly friendly and would love to meet more of my internet writing friends in person!

Happy reading, and happy StokerCon!

Summer Fiction: Submission Roundup for June 2023

Welcome back for this month’s Submission Roundup! This summer is already shaping up to be filled with plenty of awesome submission calls, so if you’ve got a story searching for a home, then hopefully one of these markets will be a perfect fit!

As always, a disclaimer first: I’m not a representative for any of these markets. I’m merely spreading the word! Please direct your questions to their respective editors. And with that, onward with this month’s Submission Roundup!

Submission Roundup

Cast of Wonders
Payment: .08/word for original fiction
Length: up to 5,000 words
Deadline: Open from June 1st to June 14th, 2023
What They Want: Cast of Wonders is seeking speculative fiction aimed at a young adult audience (ages 12 to 17). The theme is Banned Books Week, and they’re seeking fiction that show how stories can be a guiding light and help us understand the world around us and dismantle our misconceptions.
Find the details here.

Eye to the Telescope
Payment: .04/word (minimum $4, maximum $25)
Length: up to three poems
Deadline: June 15th, 2023
What They Want: Open to speculative poetry on the theme of trauma
Find the details here.

Alone on the Borderland
Payment: Percentage of Kickstarter
Length: 5,000 to 10,000 words
Deadline: June 30th, 2023
What They Want: Editor John Linwood Grant is seeking weird and strange fiction set anywhere during the broad Edwardian era.
Find the details here.

Dracula Beyond Stoker
Payment: .05/word
Length: 1,500 to 5,000 words
Deadline: June 30th, 2023
What They Want: The editor is seeking fiction that reimagines and expands upon the world of Dracula. For the upcoming issue, the theme is Lucy Westenra (hooray!).
Find the details here.

Electric Spec
Payment: $20/flat
Length: 250 to 7,000 words
Deadline: July 15th, 2023
What They Want: Open to a wide range of speculative fiction.
Find the details here.

It Was All a Dream, Volume 2
Payment: .05/word
Length: 1,500 to 3,000 words
Deadline: Open July 1st to July 15th for all authors; open July 1st to July 22nd for marginalized authors
What They Want: Open to short, weird horror fiction that reworks an old trope.
Find the details here.

Happy submitting!

World Dracula Day and Spring Writing Updates

Welcome back, and happy World Dracula Day! In honor of this auspicious holiday, today seems like the perfect chance to talk a little bit about Reluctant Immortals and what I’ve been up to lately. It’s been a busy year so far in my writing world, which is always nice, since it tends to keep the existential dread at bay.

So let’s dive into some updates about my little vampire baby!

Reluctant Immortals is a finalist at both the Lambda Literary Awards and the Bram Stoker Awards!

First and foremost, if you follow me on social media, you’ve already seen me screaming from the rooftops about this, but just in case you didn’t hear: Reluctant Immortals is nominated for Superior Achievement in a Novel at the Bram Stoker Awards as well as being a finalist for Bisexual Fiction at the Lambda Literary Awards!

*screams joyfully from the rooftops once again*

There have been a lot of wonderful things to happen with the book, so it’s beyond thrilling and humbling to end the promotion cycle for my Dracula-Jane Eyre retelling by attending not one but two awards ceremonies next month where Reluctant Immortals is a finalist. Honestly, even just typing that sentence is surreal.

Being a finalist for the Lambda Literary Awards holds a very unique place in my heart. Most readers and reviewers didn’t mention the sapphic story line in Reluctant Immortals; I think that was in part because it’s not revealed until about the quarter mark of the book, and nobody wanted to give away spoilers. But it always made me a little sad it wasn’t discussed more because exploring the relationship between Jane Eyre and Bertha Antoinetta Mason was always one of the most exciting things about writing Reluctant Immortals. So needless to say, having the book recognized in the Bisexual Fiction category at an award ceremony that’s been called “the queer book Oscars” is an absolutely huge honor. Especially this year, with all the ongoing attacks on LGBTQ+ books, I’m proud to be a queer author representing queer horror fiction. So yeah, I’m very, very excited about this.

And of course, it should go without saying that being nominated for a Stoker holds a very special place for me as well. I still can’t believe I’ve been nominated this year, let alone ever won a Stoker in the past, so that remains a wonderfully mystifying part of my existence and career. The ballot for this year’s Stokers is out of this world, and I’m so eager to not only see everyone at the convention and award ceremony next month, but to get to share the excitement with all my fellow nominees. I know people say it’s an honor to be nominated, but here’s the thing: it really, really, REALLY is.

My personal writing archive is now live and open for research at the University of Pittsburgh

Another huge update: my personal writing archive at the University of Pittsburgh’s Horror Studies Collection has officially been processed and has its own page online. I’ve talked about this several times in the past, but it wasn’t open to research until recently. *squeals with delight* Again, I know I’ve said it before, but having my work archived at a university was a big dream of mine from the time I was a kid, and I remain stunned that this is real. But like I said, it’s got its own page and everything, so I guess it is indeed true. *pinches myself to make sure*

In related cool news, there will be a private event at the Horror Studies Collection the week of StokerCon for all registered attendees, so if you’ll be in the Pittsburgh area on the Wednesday before the con, definitely come and hang out with us. You should have gotten an official StokerCon email about the event, so check your inbox! Speaking of which…

StokerCon Pittsburgh is coming soon!

In just a few weeks, a swarm of horror authors will be descending on Station Square in Pittsburgh for StokerCon 2023! Hooray! I’ve already recorded two virtual panels and my author reading for the online portion of the convention, and I’ll be doing even more programming in person, including multiple panels that are still in the process of being announced.

I’m also beyond thrilled to be presenting at the Ann Radcliffe Academic Conference, which will be taking place all day on Friday, June 16th at the convention. My presentation, “We Belong to Each Other: Reclaiming Representations of Bisexuality in 1970s and 1980s Vampire Cinema” will be part of an incredible block of vampire-themed academic talks, which will also include Naomi Borwein and Alex Aleco.

Early next month, I’ll be doing a post on my full StokerCon schedule, so stay tuned for anyone who is interested!

I have new short stories in American Cannibal and Forbidden Magic anthologies as well as Cosmic Horror Monthly!

In other news, it’s been a really exciting year for short story writing here in my little corner of the word. I’m literally finishing up a new story now, and I’ve been fortunate to see three new tales released in the last few months. My flesh-eating 1950s melodrama, “The Hungry Wives of Bleak Street,” made its debut in American Cannibal edited by Rebecca Rowland. “Hear, Hearth, Heartbeat,” a witchy tale of strange friendship that survives the decades, was featured in the Forbidden Magic issue of The Cellar Door. And finally, my Three Mile Island cosmic horror story, “Melting Point,” was in the latest issue of Cosmic Horror Monthly. I’m deeply proud of all three of these stories, so please pick up a copy of one (or all of them!) if you’re so inclined.

Looking down the road, I have recent acceptances for Novus Monstrum and The First Five Minutes of the Apocalypse, as well as upcoming stories out in Shakespeare Unleashed, No Trouble at All, and Never Wake along with several others that haven’t been publicly announced yet, so there will be plenty more short fiction from me coming soon.

So those are all my major updates for the moment. Otherwise, I’m just hanging out here on the old abandoned horse farm, working on new fiction. Edits on my next book have been sent over to my publisher, so I will hopefully have some news to share about my fourth novel very soon. (And seriously, FOURTH NOVEL?! How did that even happen?)

Happy reading, and happy spring!

Away Into Spring: Submission Roundup for May 2023

Welcome back for this month’s Submission Roundup! Lots of great opportunities in May, so if you’ve got a story seeking a home, perhaps one of these markets will be the perfect fit!

As always, a disclaimer first: I’m not a representative for any of these markets; I’m merely spreading the word. Please direct your questions to their respective editors.

And with that, onward with this month’s Submission Roundup!

Submission Roundup

Playlist of the Damned
Payment: .05/word; $1/line for poetry
Length: 500 to 5,000 words for fiction; 50 lines or less for poetry
Deadline: May 31st, 2023
What They Want: Open to horror fiction and poetry that explores the intersection of music and the macabre.
Find the details here.

Bury Your Gays: An Anthology of Tragic Queer Horror
Payment: .07/word
Length: 1,000 to 6,000 words (2,000 to 4,000 words ideal)
Deadline: May 31st, 2023
What They Want: Editor Sofia Ajram is seeking stories that focus on queer tragic horror written by queer authors.
Find the details here.

Escape Pod
Payment: .08/word for original fiction; $100/flat for reprints
Length: 1,500 to 18,000 words
Deadline: June 1st, 2023
What They Want: Open to science fiction short stories.
Find the details here.

Experimental Files: A Tribute to the Work of Gemma Files
Payment: $50/flat
Length: 3,000 to 6,000 words
Deadline: June 1st, 2023
What They Want: The editors are seeking stories inspired by the work of acclaimed weird fiction author, Gemma Files.
Find the details here.

Electric Spec
Payment: $20/flat
Length: 250 to 7,000 words
Deadline: July 15th, 2023
What They Want: Open to a wide range of speculative fiction.
Find the details here.

Happy submitting!

A Fool for Fiction: Submission Roundup for April 2023

Welcome back for April’s Submission Roundup! As always, there are lots of great opportunities, so if you’ve got a story seeking a home, then maybe one of these markets will be perfect for it!

First, a disclaimer: I’m not a representative for any of these markets; I’m merely spreading the word. Please send any questions to their respective editors. And with that, onward with this month’s Submission Roundup!

Submission Roundup

FlowerSong Press
Payment: Not specified
Length: 75,000 to 150,000 words
Deadline: April 15th, 2023
What They Want: FlowerSong Press is seeking historical, fantasy, horror, and science fiction novels from Latinx authors.
Find the details here.

Electric Spec
Payment: $20/flat
Length: 250 to 7,000 words
Deadline: July 15th, 2023
What They Want: Open to a wide range of speculative fiction.
Find the details here.

Happy submitting!

Lucky, Spooky Fiction: Submission Roundup for March 2023

Welcome back for this month’s Submission Roundup! As always, there are plenty of amazing opportunities out there, so if you’ve got a story looking for a home, then hopefully one of these markets will be the perfect fit!

First, our customary disclaimer: I’m not a representative for any of these markets; I’m merely spreading the word. Please direct your questions to their respective editors. And with that, onward with March’s Submission Roundup!

Submission Roundup

No Trouble at All
Payment: .05/word
Length: 2,000 to 4,500 words
Deadline: March 15th, 2023 (Extended deadline for marginalized authors: March 22nd, 2023
What They Want: This anthology from editors Alexis DuBon and Eric Raglin is seeking polite horror stories, specifically horror disguised through politeness and manners.
Find the details here.

Eye to the Telescope
Payment: .04/word (minimum $4; maximum $25)
Length: up to three poems
Deadline: March 15th, 2023
What They Want: Guest editor Avra Margariti is seeking speculative poetry inspired by fungi.
Find the details here.

Novus Monstrum
Payment: .03/word
Length: 1,000 to 5,000 words
Deadline: March 30th, 2023
What They Want: Open to speculative fiction stories that feature a never-before-seen monster.
Find the details here.

Mother Knows Best
Payment: .06/word
Length: 1,000 to 5,000 words
Deadline: March 31st, 2023
What They Want: A women-in-horror anthology from Black Spot Books, editor Lindy Ryan is seeking horror stories inspired by mothers and mother figures.
Find the details here.

Vastarien
Payment: .05/word for fiction and nonfiction; $50/flat for poetry and artwork
Length: 750 to 6,000 words for fiction; 2,000 to 7,500 for nonfiction; up to 50 lines for poetry
Deadline: March 31st, 2023
What They Want: For the month of March, Vastarien is open to non-white artists and authors as well as female, nonbinary, and gender fluid authors and artists. Vastarien is seeking nonfiction, literary horror fiction, and poetry that’s inspired by Thomas Ligotti and related themes.
Find the details here.

Campfire Stories
Payment: $40/flat
Length: 2,000 to 5,000 Words
Deadline: March 31st, 2023
What They Want: Open to speculative fiction that features the eerie vibe of stories told around a campfire.
Find the details here.

Happy submitting!

Moving Toward Spring: Submission Roundup for February 2023

Welcome back to the Submission Roundup! Lots of great writing opportunities this month, so be sure to send those stories of yours out into the world!

As always, a disclaimer: I’m not a representative for any of these markets. I’m simply spreading the word! Please direct any questions to their respective editors!

And with that, onward with this month’s Submission Roundup!

Submission Roundup

Ghoulish Tales
Payment: .10/word
Length: up to 5,000 words for short fiction; up to 3,000 words for short nonfiction
Deadline: February 15th, 2023
What They Want: Open to short fiction and short nonfiction that focuses on fun horror that celebrates all things spooky.
Find the details here.

Planet Scumm
Payment: .06/word
Length: up to 5,000 words
Deadline: February 21st, 2023
What They Want: Open to a wide variety of speculative fiction, weird fiction, and slipstream.
Find the details here.

The First Five Minutes of the Apocalypse
Payment: .03/word
Length: 1,500 to 4,000 words
Deadline: February 28th, 2023 (extended deadline for authors of marginalized communities: March 7th, 2023)
What They Want: Hungry Shadow Press is seeking short horror fiction that takes place at the beginning of an apocalypse.
Find the details here.

Happy submitting!

RELUCTANT IMMORTALS is on the Preliminary Bram Stoker Awards Ballot!

So last week ushered in an absolutely wonderful surprise: Reluctant Immortals is on the Preliminary Bram Stoker Awards ballot!

Now it’s very important to note this is not a nomination, as this is only the preliminary ballot; voting on the official nominees has just started, with the final ballot being announced in the coming weeks. But to make it this far is beyond thrilling and humbling.

Reluctant Immortals has been out for almost six months now, and it’s been a really wild and wonderful ride. Not only was the American version released from Saga Press, but the UK edition came out in November from Titan Books. The novel was named one of the best horror books of 2022 by Esquire, and it’s been highlighted as a top horror book at The Lineup, Flyleaf Books, and A.C. Wise’s annual reading roundup. It’s also been featured at Harper’s Bazaar, Goodreads, Book Riot, Rue Morgue, The Rumpus, and more. Not too shabby for a book about two gothic heroines who are forgotten within their own stories.

I was recently interviewed by the incredible Andrea Blythe over at Interstellar Press, which was a lovely experience all the way around. I’m also beyond delighted that the fantastic Christina Ladd reviewed Reluctant Immortals last month for Strange Horizons! I’m such a huge fan of both Andrea’s and Christina’s work, so this is truly such an honor!

It’s also such an amazing honor to be on the preliminary ballot alongside so many horror authors whose work I admire so much. This year’s preliminary ballot is truly filled with some of the absolute best voices in the genre right now, and to appear on the same list as their names is beyond a dream come true.

And finally, a quick reminder! The iMailer newsletter from HWA went out last week, which included a special link to download Reluctant Immortals, but if you missed that email, then it bears repeating: if you’re an Active or Lifetime member and would like to read my novel, please email me at gwendolyn@gwendolynkiste.com, and I would be thrilled to send you a copy of Reluctant Immortals!

Once again, so many congratulations to everyone on the preliminary ballot! There are so many incredible works in every category, and it’s truly so wonderful to be among all of you!

Happy reading!

A Brand New Year: Submission Roundup for January 2023

Welcome back, and happy New Year! 2022 was certainly a challenging one, so let’s start the new year off right, and get to submitting some awesome stories to one of these markets!

A disclaimer first: I’m not a representative for any of these markets. I’m merely spreading the word. Please direct your questions to their respective editors.

And with that, onward with this month’s Submission Roundup!

Cosmic Horror Monthly
Payment: .06/word
Length: 1,000 to 6,000 words (3,000 to 5,000 words preferred)
Deadline: January 7th, 2023
What They Want: Cosmic Horror Monthly is seeking fiction that features cosmic horror, Lovecraftian, and weird stories.
Find the details here.

The Crawling Moon: Queer Tales of Inescapable Dread
Payment: .08/word
Length: up to 6,000 words (1,000 to 4,000 words is ideal)
Deadline: January 15th, 2023
What They Want: Neon Hemlock is seeking queer horror stories that feature gothic horror and depravity.
Find the details here.

Dracula Beyond Stoker
Payment: .05/word
Length: 1,500 to 5,000 words
Deadline: January 15th, 2023
What They Want: This new journal is seeking fiction that reimagines and expands upon the world of Dracula. For the upcoming issue, the theme is Renfield.
Find the details here.

Literally Dead: Tales of Holiday Hauntings
Payment: .06/word
Length: 2,000 to 4,000 words
Deadline: January 20th, 2023
What They Want: Editor Gaby Triana is seeking ghost stories set around the winter holidays.
Find the details here.

Ghoulish Tales
Payment: .07/word
Length: up to 5,000 words for short fiction; up to 3,000 words for short nonfiction
Deadline: February 15th, 2023
What They Want: Open to short fiction and short nonfiction that focuses on fun horror that celebrates all things spooky.
Find the details here.

Happy submitting!

The Strange Year That Was: 2022 Award Eligibility Post

So here we are once again at the end of a writing year. That means one thing: it’s time for the annual Award Eligibility Post! I always point out how strange these things are to put together, but hey, it’s also nice to do an inventory of the year’s publications. If nothing else, it reminds me that I was, in fact, busy over the last twelve months.

Let’s start with my biggest release of this year: Reluctant Immortals! There have been so many positive things to happen with this novel. First off, it’s been published in two editions: the American version, which came out through Saga Press, an imprint of Simon and Schuster, as well as the UK edition, which came out through Titan Books. The novel’s been featured in Harper’s Bazaar and in not one but two featured horror articles on Goodreads. It’s also been named as one of Esquire’s Best Horror Books of 2022, and it’s received lovely reviews in Cemetery Dance, Rue Morgue, Feminist Book Club, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and many more.

So thank you to everyone who’s picked up a copy of Reluctant Immortals! You have no idea how much it means to me!

Moving on to short fiction, it was a sort of funny year, mainly because for the first eight months of 2022, I had absolutely no new short stories published. Then since September, I’ve had eight stories published. Proof positive that the writing world is nothing if not unpredictable. So here they are in all their horror glory.

“A Scavenger Hunt When the Veil Is Thin” (Literally Dead: Tales of Halloween Hauntings, Alienhead Entertainment, September 2022)
A woman returns to her old hometown on a rite-of-passage dare, only to uncover a ghostly presence that unravels everything she knows about her town and about herself. This is a truly delightful and festive anthology, and it was such an amazing experience working with editor Gaby Triana.

“The Peculiar Seclusion of Molly McMarshall” (Isolation: The Horror Anthology, Titan Books, September 2022)
Molly McMarshall goes into her house one day and doesn’t come back out again. The whole neighborhood becomes obsessed with what happened to her, and soon, they’ll stop at nothing to find out, even if it means tearing the world apart in the process. Editor Dan Coxon put together an incredible anthology with this one, and I’m so honored to be part of it. Ginger Nuts of Horror called my story “one of the most chilling and frankly upsetting short stories I have ever read.”

“Seven Myths They Tell You About the Town Beneath the Lake” (That Which Cannot Be Undone: An Ohio Horror Anthology, Cracked Skull Press, October 2022)
A nameless narrator grows up visiting a local lake and hearing legends of the flooded town that exists beneath the waters. She also sees a restless ghost from the town, one that never stops calling out to her. As she grows older and more restless herself, she must decide if she’s going to heed the ghost’s call. It was so much fun returning to Ohio in my fiction, and it was of course wonderful to reunite with Jess Landry, the editor who worked on my debut collection as well as The Rust Maidens.

“Things We Need for the Homecoming Seance” (Dark Murmurs: A Compendium of Curiosities, Silent House Press, October 2022)
A jaunty to-do list from a group of magically-inclined teenage girls quickly turns sinister as their true intentions for homecoming—and the reasons for their trauma—become clear. Another stellar table of contents, one that I’m proud to be part of.

“Her Skin a Grim Canvas” (Stories of the Eye, Weirdpunk Books, October 2022)
An adrift young woman finds herself the muse of a celebrated designer, only to realize that her own flesh is the price she’ll pay for stardom. A fairy tale set in the world of high fashion, this one takes inspiration from the late, great Angela Carter. Working with editors Sam Richard and Joe Koch was a blast, and the table of contents is out of this world.

“Last Tour Into the Hungering Moonlight” (Into the Forest, Black Spot Books, November 2022)
Families keep moving into a strange, yet seemingly perfect neighborhood. But as the whispers from something in the forest grow louder, the housewives on the street find themselves drawn to the possibility of another darker and more magical life. Inspired by the folklore of Baba Yaga, this all-female anthology has been getting rave reviews, so it’s a pleasure to be included in it.

“To the Progeny Forsaken” (Looming Low, Volume 2, Dim Shores, November 2022)
An aging rock star is forced to take care of his strange teenage daughter who may or may not be plotting the end of the world. Think Sofia Coppola’s Somewhere meets the cosmic horror of H.P. Lovecraft. Dim Shores has long been a major purveyor of weird fiction in the publishing industry, and it was great to work with them on this anthology.

“A Housewife’s Eldritch Guide to Hosting the Perfect Dinner Party” (Tales from Between, December 2022)
A quiet housewife does her best to put together an ideal dinner party, even though she doesn’t know anyone there, including her own husband. But as the evening wears on, she realizes they know her all too well—and they know exactly what they want to do to her. My final short story published this year, it was so much fun being part of this issue of the new Tales from Between, especially with such a great group of authors.

In addition to my short fiction, many of my articles and essays made their way into the world in 2022. This is particularly exciting since last year, I mentioned how I wanted to write more nonfiction. On that front, it’s definitely been mission accomplished: I’ve had twelve nonfiction articles published since January with one more on the horizon later this month. Here are a few of the highlights.

“In Defense of Wendy, Barbra, and the Traumatized Women of Horror” (Tor Nightfire, January 2022)
An exploration of The Shining‘s Wendy and Night of the Living Dead‘s Barbra and how we’ve unfairly maligned them over the years. I’m extremely proud of this article, as it charts my own evolving opinion of the way we depict female characters in horror and the real world ramifications of that depiction.

“The Devil’s Just Sitting There Laughing: The Uncanny American Landscapes of Terrence Malick’s Badlands and Days of Heaven” (Vastarien, Volume 5, Issue 1, June 2022)
A deep dive into the existential and gothic horror of Terrence Malick’s first two films. Needless to say, it was an absolute honor to work with Jon Padgett of Grimscribe Press again. This essay was also recently nominated for a Pushcart Prize. I adore Vastarien and recommend that everyone who’s a fan of horror and weird fiction pick up a copy of literally any issue if you haven’t already.

“The Gothic Horror of a Post-Roe America” (Literary Hub, August 2022)
So I’m just going to declare this very loudly, because it’s one of my favorite accomplishments of the year: I now have a byline in Lit Hub. Seriously. That’s real. For years, I’ve been reading the essays at Lit Hub, and I can’t believe my work is now on the site too. The essay itself is a painful piece, dealing with the fallout of losing Roe and how the women of gothic horror have a thing or two to teach us about surviving oppressive men.

“Something Old, Something Frightening and New: How Horror Retellings Help Us Reclaim Our Lost Narratives” (The Lineup, July 2022)
A discussion of how retellings can help unearth new narratives and why that’s so important for marginalized creators. If nothing else, please read this article and pick up two of the novels I mention: Hooked by A.C. Wise and Unwieldy Creatures by Addie Tsai. I can’t recommend them enough.

So that’s my year of writing. It’s certainly been a busy one. Looking ahead, I have lots of fiction and nonfiction planned for 2023, so here’s to hoping all my big forthcoming goals come to fruition!

Happy reading, and happy end of 2022!