Stephen Kozeniewski's Blog, page 18

New Release: THE PERFECTLY FINE HOUSE

Hey, everybody!  In spite of the existential horror that is apparently just the world we live in now, I'm pleased to announce the release of my "reverse haunting" novel THE PERFECTLY FINE HOUSE, co-written by Wile E. Young and released by Grindhouse Press.  I hope you'll grab a copy and share the new on social media or even just tell a friend.  (On the telephone, please - keep up your social distancing.) 

Also, as a courtesy to my co-author and publisher, if you're taking me up on my offer of a free e-book, please do not request this one, but please do take me up on the offer.  And stay safe out there, everybody!

One Free e-book

Hey, everybody!

Hope all’s going well with you and you and yours are staying safe and healthy.

In the interests of supporting social distancing, I’m going to do what I’ve seen many of my peers and friend doing: offering a free book as a small distraction in this difficult environment.

So, if you’re interested, take a look at my Published Works page.  If something catches your fancy, shoot an e-mail to me at:

skozeniewski at yahoo dot com

I will be happy to send you one free e-book for your personal recreation.  (Although it would be nice if you left me a review on Amazon, Goodreads, or your favorite review site.). I have the following formats available:

.pdf
.mobi (Kindle)
.epub (Nook, Kobo, etc.)

Women in Horror Month #11: Caroline Kepnes

Hi, everybody!  I was shocked and delighted when today's guest agreed to come on the blog.  Let's meet her and then ask a few questions to close out Women in Horror Month for 2020!
About Caroline Kepnes:

Caroline Kepnes is the New York Times bestselling author of YOU, HIDDEN BODIES, and PROVIDENCE. The hit Netflix series "You" is an adaptation of her debut novel and follow-up. She’s currently writing the third book in the JOE GOLDBERG series. After graduating from Brown University, Caroline lived in New York and wrote about pop culture for "Tiger Beat" and "Entertainment Weekly." She moved to Los Angeles and wrote episodes of "7th Heaven" and "The Secret Life of the American Teenager." Originally from Cape Cod, Massachusetts Caroline now splits her time between Los Angeles and Cape Cod.
Interview:
SK:How are you involved in the world of horror?

CK:  I've loved to be scared ever since I was a kid. It meant the world to me when Stephen King tweeted about reading YOU. When I was growing up, his books were all around our house, and that was the good kind of house of horrors. I've made friends with a lot of horror writers online and I love to learn about books from "Mother Horror" (AKA Sadie Hartman). Horror people are so much fun. Kealan Patrick Burke just tweeted about my book PROVIDENCE and mentioned people "creepily fapping to Joe from YOU" and I mean that's the horror community. Funny, warm and always passionate about the books that they love.

SK: Who or what terrifies you?

CK:  This morning I was up early--this happens when I'm almost done with a revision. just can't fucking sleep--and I drove to a mini-mall and there was a man screaming at the sky that he just can't take it anymore. It was scary. It was sad. It was disturbing to see other people seeming unbothered. I was a little spooked by those people too because of course, when you live in a city, you build a shell, but those shells can be scary, you know? And then I got my coffee and though about the artificial sweetener in there and this great old documentary "Sweet Misery", which is about how poisonous it is....So yeah, a lot terrifies me in 2020! Especially when I'm writing this much.

SK: Are there unique challenges to being a woman in horror or do you feel like gender is irrelevant?

CK:  Mark Matthews invited me to contribute to an anthology about addition called LULLABIES FOR SUFFERING. Mark's story is incredible, and the same can be said for all the stories in the collection. I mention this experience because I've really connected with the other writers in the collection. It's a microcosm of the horror community. It's good people. 

SK:  Who are your favorite female horror icons?

CK:  Kim Liggett is 's a horror writer. a pathos writer, just a damn good writer. And the kindest person, too. I read THE LAST HARVEST a few years ago and I've gushed to her about that book. It really stayed with me and scared me and it's been so exciting to see THE GRACE YEAR getting a lot of love. I can't wait to see what Kim loves next. And Mary Shelley...well the impact she had on me and countless other writers, I mean she's a perma-icon.

SK:  What are you working on/promoting currently? Why should folks check it out?

CK:  I'm finishing up a draft of the third book in the YOU series. So close to the end that I'm in my own horror state of I wanna finish so bad and I don't wanna finish, I am gonna miss this book! If you watched "You" on Netflix, you would probably enjoy reading YOU and HIDDEN BODIES. And I love to see more people reading my book about the horror of love, PROVIDENCE. I already mentioned LULLABIES FOR SUFFERING but I'll mention it again because it's a great gateway to authors. :) I've got another short story in an upcoming anthology, but it's not time to promote that just yet!
About LULLABIES FOR SUFFERING:

"Chilling. Thought-provoking."
-The Library Journal, (Starred Review)

Addiction starts like a sweet lullaby sung by a trusted loved one. It washes away the pains of the day and wraps you in the warmness of the womb where nothing hurts and every dream is possible. Yet soon enough, this warm state of bliss becomes a cold shiver, the ecstasy and dreams become nightmares, yet we can't stop listening to the lullaby. We crave to hear the siren song as it rips us apart.

Six stories: three novellas, three novelettes, written by a powerful list of talent, all featuring the insidious nature of addiction--damaged humans craving for highs and wholeness but finding something more tragic and horrific on the other side.

FEATURING:
Caroline Kepnes, author of YOU and HIDDEN BODIES
Kealan Patrick Burke, author of SOUR CANDY and KIN
Mercedes M. Yardley, author of PRETTY LITTLE DEAD GIRLS
John FD Taff, author of THE FEARING
Mark Matthews, author of MILK-BLOOD
Gabino Iglesias, author of COYOTE SONGS

"A plunge into the agony and the ecstasy, the inescapable nightmare of addiction."
- Alma Katsu, author of THE DEEP and THE HUNGER

Women in Horror Month #10: Caroline Kepnes

Hi, everybody!  I was shocked and delighted when today's guest agreed to come on the blog.  Let's meet her and then ask a few questions to close out Women in Horror Month for 2020!
About Caroline Kepnes:

Caroline Kepnes is the New York Times bestselling author of YOU, HIDDEN BODIES, and PROVIDENCE. The hit Netflix series "You" is an adaptation of her debut novel and follow-up. She’s currently writing the third book in the JOE GOLDBERG series. After graduating from Brown University, Caroline lived in New York and wrote about pop culture for "Tiger Beat" and "Entertainment Weekly." She moved to Los Angeles and wrote episodes of "7th Heaven" and "The Secret Life of the American Teenager." Originally from Cape Cod, Massachusetts Caroline now splits her time between Los Angeles and Cape Cod.
Interview:
SK:How are you involved in the world of horror?

CK:  I've loved to be scared ever since I was a kid. It meant the world to me when Stephen King tweeted about reading YOU. When I was growing up, his books were all around our house, and that was the good kind of house of horrors. I've made friends with a lot of horror writers online and I love to learn about books from "Mother Horror" (AKA Sadie Hartman). Horror people are so much fun. Kealan Patrick Burke just tweeted about my book PROVIDENCE and mentioned people "creepily fapping to Joe from YOU" and I mean that's the horror community. Funny, warm and always passionate about the books that they love.

SK: Who or what terrifies you?

CK:  This morning I was up early--this happens when I'm almost done with a revision. just can't fucking sleep--and I drove to a mini-mall and there was a man screaming at the sky that he just can't take it anymore. It was scary. It was sad. It was disturbing to see other people seeming unbothered. I was a little spooked by those people too because of course, when you live in a city, you build a shell, but those shells can be scary, you know? And then I got my coffee and though about the artificial sweetener in there and this great old documentary "Sweet Misery", which is about how poisonous it is....So yeah, a lot terrifies me in 2020! Especially when I'm writing this much.

SK: Are there unique challenges to being a woman in horror or do you feel like gender is irrelevant?

CK:  Mark Matthews invited me to contribute to an anthology about addition called LULLABIES FOR SUFFERING. Mark's story is incredible, and the same can be said for all the stories in the collection. I mention this experience because I've really connected with the other writers in the collection. It's a microcosm of the horror community. It's good people. 

SK:  Who are your favorite female horror icons?

CK:  Kim Liggett is 's a horror writer. a pathos writer, just a damn good writer. And the kindest person, too. I read THE LAST HARVEST a few years ago and I've gushed to her about that book. It really stayed with me and scared me and it's been so exciting to see THE GRACE YEAR getting a lot of love. I can't wait to see what Kim loves next. And Mary Shelley...well the impact she had on me and countless other writers, I mean she's a perma-icon.

SK:  What are you working on/promoting currently? Why should folks check it out?

CK:  I'm finishing up a draft of the third book in the YOU series. So close to the end that I'm in my own horror state of I wanna finish so bad and I don't wanna finish, I am gonna miss this book! If you watched "You" on Netflix, you would probably enjoy reading YOU and HIDDEN BODIES. And I love to see more people reading my book about the horror of love, PROVIDENCE. I already mentioned LULLABIES FOR SUFFERING but I'll mention it again because it's a great gateway to authors. :) I've got another short story in an upcoming anthology, but it's not time to promote that just yet!
About LULLABIES FOR SUFFERING:

"Chilling. Thought-provoking."
-The Library Journal, (Starred Review)

Addiction starts like a sweet lullaby sung by a trusted loved one. It washes away the pains of the day and wraps you in the warmness of the womb where nothing hurts and every dream is possible. Yet soon enough, this warm state of bliss becomes a cold shiver, the ecstasy and dreams become nightmares, yet we can't stop listening to the lullaby. We crave to hear the siren song as it rips us apart.

Six stories: three novellas, three novelettes, written by a powerful list of talent, all featuring the insidious nature of addiction--damaged humans craving for highs and wholeness but finding something more tragic and horrific on the other side.

FEATURING:
Caroline Kepnes, author of YOU and HIDDEN BODIES
Kealan Patrick Burke, author of SOUR CANDY and KIN
Mercedes M. Yardley, author of PRETTY LITTLE DEAD GIRLS
John FD Taff, author of THE FEARING
Mark Matthews, author of MILK-BLOOD
Gabino Iglesias, author of COYOTE SONGS

"A plunge into the agony and the ecstasy, the inescapable nightmare of addiction."
- Alma Katsu, author of THE DEEP and THE HUNGER

Women in Horror Month #10: Hildy Silverman

Hey, everybody!  I'm very fortunate to meet with today's guest a few times a year at conventions, so I thought it was far past time to invite her on the blog.  Let's meet her briefly and then find out more.
About Hildy Silverman:

Hildy Silverman was the editor-in-chief of "Space and Time" Magazine for 12 years. She is a short fiction author whose recent publications include, "My Dear Wa'ats" (2018, BAKER STREET IRREGULARS II: THE GAME'S AFOOT, Ventrella & Maberry, eds.), "The Lady of the Lakes" (2018, CAMELOT 13, French and Thomas, eds.), and "Sidekicked" (2019, RELEASE THE VIRGINS, Ventrella, ed.). Her nonfiction articles have appeared in numerous legal and medical professional journals and blogs. In the mundane world, she is the Digital Marketing Manager for Oticon Medical US.

Interview:
SK: How are you involved in the world of horror?

HS:  Professionally, I was involved as the publisher of Space and Time Magazine for 12 years. Despite the title we published a lot of horror, as did our founder, Gordon Linzner. I also write horror short fiction and am a past president of the Garden State Horror Writers. Personally, I love the genre – I read a great deal of horror and enjoy horror movies and television series.

SK: Who or what terrifies you?

I find concepts related to loss -- of autonomy, a loved one, freedom – most terrifying. The inescapable, the unrelenting. The horrifying thing or fate you simply cannot avoid or escape, no matter what you do.




SK: Are there unique challenges to being a woman in horror or do you feel like gender is irrelevant?

HS:  I have been fortunate – probably because (so far) I only write short stories -- but I haven’t personally experienced any sense of exclusion or loss of opportunity just because I’m a woman. That said, I think gender is clearly still relevant, in that I know many other people have experienced issues due to being other than cisgender straight white men. I’ve been involved in or observed discussions of how horror has been something of a “boys-only club” for a long time. However, I find it encouraging that this is finally being acknowledged, and many established members are helping open up the genre to becoming more inclusive.

SK: Who are your favorite female horror icons?

HS:  Hard to narrow it down! Among authors, the obvious two – Mary Shelley and Shirley Jackson – can’t even have a discussion of female horror icons without them. My favorite in fiction are Sigourney Weaver (Ripley) from the "Alien" films and Michonne in "The Walking Dead."




SK: What are you working on/promoting currently? Why should folks check it out?

HS:  My next horror story, “Divided We Fell” will be released in early March in THE DYSTOPIAN STATES OF AMERICA (Bechtel, ed., Haverhill House Publishing). This story is a favorite of mine, and it has been well-received during various live readings I’ve given as part of promoting the anthology. The anthology is a collection of dystopian-themed horror with an impressive table of contents that I’m honored and humbled to be included in. All proceeds will go to the ACLU, so buyers will not only be getting great stories, they’ll be doing something positive for our country at the same time.


About THE DYSTOPIAN STATES OF AMERICA:

A charity anthology benefiting the ACLU Foundation, featuring dystopian views of the future (for America and / or the entire world) should the current regime remain in power.

Women in Horror Month #9: Hildy Silverman

Hey, everybody!  I'm very fortunate to meet with today's guest a few times a year at conventions, so I thought it was far past time to invite her on the blog.  Let's meet her briefly and then find out more.
About Hildy Silverman:


Hildy Silverman was the Editor-in-chief of Space and Time Magazine for 12 years. She is a short fiction author whose recent publications include, "My Dear Wa'ats" (2018, Baker Street Irregulars II: The Game's Afoot, Ventrella & Maberry, eds.), "The Lady of the Lakes" (2018, Camelot 13, French and Thomas, eds.), and "Sidekicked" (2019, Release the Virgins, Ventrella, ed.). Her nonfiction articles have appeared in numerous legal and medical professional journals and blogs. In the mundane world, she is the Digital Marketing Manager for Oticon Medical US.

Interview:
SK: How are you involved in the world of horror?

HS:  Professionally, I was involved as the publisher of Space and Time Magazine for 12 years. Despite the title we published a lot of horror, as did our founder, Gordon Linzner. I also write horror short fiction and am a past president of the Garden State Horror Writers. Personally, I love the genre – I read a great deal of horror and enjoy horror movies and television series.

SK: Who or what terrifies you?

I find concepts related to loss -- of autonomy, a loved one, freedom – most terrifying. The inescapable, the unrelenting. The horrifying thing or fate you simply cannot avoid or escape, no matter what you do.



SK: Are there unique challenges to being a woman in horror or do you feel like gender is irrelevant?

HS:  I have been fortunate – probably because (so far) I only write short stories -- but I haven’t personally experienced any sense of exclusion or loss of opportunity just because I’m a woman. That said, I think gender is clearly still relevant, in that I know many other people have experienced issues due to being other than cisgender straight white men. I’ve been involved in or observed discussions of how horror has been something of a “boys-only club” for a long time. However, I find it encouraging that this is finally being acknowledged, and many established members are helping open up the genre to becoming more inclusive.

SK: Who are your favorite female horror icons?

HS:  Hard to narrow it down! Among authors, the obvious two – Mary Shelley and Shirley Jackson – can’t even have a discussion of female horror icons without them. My favorite in fiction are Sigourney Weaver (Ripley) from the Alien films and Michonne in The Walking Dead.



SK: What are you working on/promoting currently? Why should folks check it out?

HS:  My next horror story, “Divided We Fell” will be released in early March in THE DYSTOPIAN STATES OF AMERICA (Bechtel, ed., Haverhill House Publishing). This story is a favorite of mine, and it has been well-received during various live readings I’ve given as part of promoting the anthology. The anthology is a collection of dystopian-themed horror with an impressive table of contents that I’m honored and humbled to be included in. All proceeds will go to the ACLU, so buyers will not only be getting great stories, they’ll be doing something positive for our country at the same time.


About THE DYSTOPIAN STATES OF AMERICA:

A charity anthology benefiting the ACLU Foundation, featuring dystopian views of the future (for America and / or the entire world) should the current regime remain in power.

Women in Horror Month #9: Lucy A. Snyder

Hey, everybody!  I'm absolutely delighted to have today's multi-award-winning guest today.  Let's meet her and then jump right into the interview.
About Lucy A. Snyder:

Lucy A. Snyder is the Shirley Jackson Award-nominated and five-time Bram Stoker Award-winning author of over 100 published short stories and 12 books. Her most recent titles are the collection GARDEN OF ELDRITCH DELIGHTS and the forthcoming novel THE GIRL WITH THE STAR-STAINED SOUL. She also wrote the novels SPELLBENT, SHOTGUN SORCERESS, and SWITCHBLADE GODDESS, the nonfiction book SHOOTING YOURSELF IN THE HEAD FOR FUN AND PROFIT: A WRITER'S SURVIVAL GUIDE, and the collections WHILE THE BLACK STARS BURN, SOFT APOCALYPSES, ORCHID CAROUSALS, SPARKS AND SHADOWS, CHIMERIC MACHINES, and INSTALLING LINUX ON A DEAD BADGER. Her writing has been translated into French, Russian, Italian, Spanish, Czech, and Japanese editions and has appeared in publications such as "Asimov’s Science Fiction," "Apex Magazine," "Nightmare Magazine," "Pseudopod," "Strange Horizons," and THE BEST HORROR OF THE YEAR. She lives in Columbus, Ohio and is faculty in Seton Hill University’s MFA program in Writing Popular Fiction. You can learn more about her at www.lucysnyder.com and you can follow her on Twitter at @LucyASnyder.

Interview:
SK: How are you involved in the world of horror?

LAS:  I write and edit horror, and I mentor up-and-coming horror writers. In terms of my writing, I frequently contribute short stories to horror anthologies. I co-edited the CHIRAL MAD 4 anthology with Michael Bailey, and I provide developmental editing for private clients, many of whom are writing horror. Most of my mentoring happens in Seton Hill University's Master of Fine Arts in Writing Popular Fiction program, but I also offer writing coaching for private students as well.

SK: Who or what terrifies you?


LAS:  In real life, I'm not bothered by many things that people are typically afraid of, like snakes or spiders or clowns. Okay, I mean, don't test this by leaving a clown in my bed or something; that's gonna be weird for me and the clown. The things that freak me out the most are heights and cockroaches. I would be very unhappy taking a hot air balloon excursion if the basket was filled with palmetto bugs.

But in fiction? If you think about things in just the right way, most anything can be completely terrifying. That's one reason why I appreciate the use of the uncanny in dark stories, because that's all about finding the sinister, frightening aspects in things that should be comfortable and familiar.

SK:  Are there unique challenges to being a woman in horror or do you feel like gender is irrelevant?

LAS:  Horror isn't insulated from the things that affect our culture at large; there are many well-documented challenges to being a woman in the arts, so of course there are challenges to being a woman horror writer. Women get published less and once they're published are reviewed less than their male counterparts. There's the issue of sexual harassment and assault at horror conventions. There are a whole bunch of ways that women are more negatively impacted than men are.

The good news is, the situation is getting better, though not as consistently or quickly as would be ideal. But that's a big factor in why I'm a writing educator and mentor: I want to help the next generation of writers along.

SK: Who are your favorite female horror icons?

LAS:  I tend to side-eye the idea of icons, idols and heroes because while a person's work might be brilliant, people are inherently flawed and we can all point to people who made great art but who did terrible things in their private lives. The dictionary definition of an icon is that it's someone who's the object of uncritical adoration or devotion. All of us working in horror need to approach work (and the people who create it) with our eyes open.

But anyway, in terms of women who have written horror, I most admire the work of Shirley Jackson, Caitlín R. Kiernan, Toni Morrison, and Joyce Carol Oates. Those are my top four; if I list more we'll be here all day, because there are a whole lot of women writing phenomenal horror novels and stories these days.

For horror actors, I've long loved the work of Jamie Lee Curtis and Sigourney Weaver. In recent horror movies, Octavia Spencer, Sally Hawkins, Essie Davis, Jessica Chastain, and Natalie Portman have been great.

SK: What are you working on/promoting currently?

LAS:  This month, my story “My Knowing Glance” will be out in MISCREATIONS: GODS, MONSTROSITIES & OTHER HORRORS (Written Backwards). My story “Abandonment Option” will appear in THE DYSTOPIAN STATES OF AMERICA (Haverhill House Publishing) very soon as well.

I'm in the midst of writing a serial novel, BLOSSOMS BLACKENED LIKE DEAD STARS, for Broken Eye Books. It's a Lovecraftian space opera, and once it's complete, BEB will release it as a paperback.

I have two new books coming out later this year. My short story collection HALLOWEEN SEASON will be out from Raw Dog Screaming Press in September. And my new Lovecraftian southern gothic novel THE GIRL WITH THE STAR-STAINED SOUL (Chaosium, Inc.) should be out sometime this year as well.
About MISCREATIONS:

What happens when we make monsters? What happens when we make monsters of ourselves? Grotesque beings lurch from our darkest dreams. Vicious beasts stalk our twisted pasts. Lost souls haunt our deepest regrets. They are the blood on our hands. They are the obsessions in our heads. They are the vengeance in our hearts. They are MISCREATIONS: GODS, MONSTROSITIES & OTHER HORRORS. Edited by Bram Stoker Award-winning editors Doug Murano and Michael Bailey. Featuring a foreword by Alma Katsu, and illustrations throughout by HagCult.

Women in Horror Month #8: Lucy A. Snyder

Hey, everybody!  I'm absolutely delighted to have today's multi-award-winning guest today.  Let's meet her and then jump right into the interview.
About Lucy A. Snyder:

Lucy A. Snyder is the Shirley Jackson Award-nominated and five-time Bram Stoker Award-winning author of over 100 published short stories and 12 books. Her most recent titles are the collection GARDEN OF ELDRITCH DELIGHTS and the forthcoming novel THE GIRL WITH THE STAR-STAINED SOUL. She also wrote the novels SPELLBENT, SHOTGUN SORCERESS, and SWITCHBLADE GODDESS, the nonfiction book SHOOTING YOURSELF IN THE HEAD FOR FUN AND PROFIT: A WRITER'S SURVIVAL GUIDE, and the collections WHILE THE BLACK STARS BURN, SOFT APOCALYPSES, ORCHID CAROUSALS, SPARKS AND SHADOWS, CHIMERIC MACHINES, and INSTALLING LINUX ON A DEAD BADGER. Her writing has been translated into French, Russian, Italian, Spanish, Czech, and Japanese editions and has appeared in publications such as "Asimov’s Science Fiction," "Apex Magazine," "Nightmare Magazine," "Pseudopod," "Strange Horizons," and THE BEST HORROR OF THE YEAR. She lives in Columbus, Ohio and is faculty in Seton Hill University’s MFA program in Writing Popular Fiction. You can learn more about her at www.lucysnyder.com and you can follow her on Twitter at @LucyASnyder.

Interview:
SK: How are you involved in the world of horror?

LAS:  I write and edit horror, and I mentor up-and-coming horror writers. In terms of my writing, I frequently contribute short stories to horror anthologies. I co-edited the CHIRAL MAD 4 anthology with Michael Bailey, and I provide developmental editing for private clients, many of whom are writing horror. Most of my mentoring happens in Seton Hill University's Master of Fine Arts in Writing Popular Fiction program, but I also offer writing coaching for private students as well.

SK: Who or what terrifies you?


LAS:  In real life, I'm not bothered by many things that people are typically afraid of, like snakes or spiders or clowns. Okay, I mean, don't test this by leaving a clown in my bed or something; that's gonna be weird for me and the clown. The things that freak me out the most are heights and cockroaches. I would be very unhappy taking a hot air balloon excursion if the basket was filled with palmetto bugs.

But in fiction? If you think about things in just the right way, most anything can be completely terrifying. That's one reason why I appreciate the use of the uncanny in dark stories, because that's all about finding the sinister, frightening aspects in things that should be comfortable and familiar.

SK:  Are there unique challenges to being a woman in horror or do you feel like gender is irrelevant?

LAS:  Horror isn't insulated from the things that affect our culture at large; there are many well-documented challenges to being a woman in the arts, so of course there are challenges to being a woman horror writer. Women get published less and once they're published are reviewed less than their male counterparts. There's the issue of sexual harassment and assault at horror conventions. There are a whole bunch of ways that women are more negatively impacted than men are.

The good news is, the situation is getting better, though not as consistently or quickly as would be ideal. But that's a big factor in why I'm a writing educator and mentor: I want to help the next generation of writers along.

SK: Who are your favorite female horror icons?

LAS:  I tend to side-eye the idea of icons, idols and heroes because while a person's work might be brilliant, people are inherently flawed and we can all point to people who made great art but who did terrible things in their private lives. The dictionary definition of an icon is that it's someone who's the object of uncritical adoration or devotion. All of us working in horror need to approach work (and the people who create it) with our eyes open.

But anyway, in terms of women who have written horror, I most admire the work of Shirley Jackson, Caitlín R. Kiernan, Toni Morrison, and Joyce Carol Oates. Those are my top four; if I list more we'll be here all day, because there are a whole lot of women writing phenomenal horror novels and stories these days.

For horror actors, I've long loved the work of Jamie Lee Curtis and Sigourney Weaver. In recent horror movies, Octavia Spencer, Sally Hawkins, Essie Davis, Jessica Chastain, and Natalie Portman have been great.

SK: What are you working on/promoting currently?

LAS:  This month, my story “My Knowing Glance” will be out in MISCREATIONS: GODS, MONSTROSITIES & OTHER HORRORS (Written Backwards). My story “Abandonment Option” will appear in THE DYSTOPIAN STATES OF AMERICA (Haverhill House Publishing) very soon as well.

I'm in the midst of writing a serial novel, BLOSSOMS BLACKENED LIKE DEAD STARS, for Broken Eye Books. It's a Lovecraftian space opera, and once it's complete, BEB will release it as a paperback.

I have two new books coming out later this year. My short story collection HALLOWEEN SEASON will be out from Raw Dog Screaming Press in September. And my new Lovecraftian southern gothic novel THE GIRL WITH THE STAR-STAINED SOUL (Chaosium, Inc.) should be out sometime this year as well.
About MISCREATIONS:

What happens when we make monsters? What happens when we make monsters of ourselves? Grotesque beings lurch from our darkest dreams. Vicious beasts stalk our twisted pasts. Lost souls haunt our deepest regrets. They are the blood on our hands. They are the obsessions in our heads. They are the vengeance in our hearts. They are MISCREATIONS: GODS, MONSTROSITIES & OTHER HORRORS. Edited by Bram Stoker Award-winning editors Doug Murano and Michael Bailey. Featuring a foreword by Alma Katsu, and illustrations throughout by HagCult.

Women In Horror Month #8: Carmilla Voiez (Redirect)

Hey, everybody!  Make sure to swing by the ol' group blog so you don't miss out on this year's interview with Carmilla Voiez!

Women in Horror Month #7: Gwendolyn Kiste

Hey, everybody!  I'm very excited about today's guest, one of the most exciting new names in horror fiction.  Let's meet her briefly and then jump right in!
About Gwendolyn Kiste:

Gwendolyn Kiste is the Bram Stoker Award-winning author of THE RUST MAIDENS, from Trepidatio Publishing; AND HER SMILE WILL UNTETHER THE UNIVERSE, from JournalStone; and the dark fantasy novella, PRETTY MARYS ALL IN A ROW, from Broken Eye Books. Her short fiction has appeared in "Nightmare Magazine," "Black Static," "Daily Science Fiction," "Shimmer," "Interzone," and "LampLight," among others. Originally from Ohio, she now resides on an abandoned horse farm outside of Pittsburgh with her husband, two cats, and not nearly enough ghosts. Find her online at gwendolynkiste.com.

Interview:
SK:  How are you involved in the world of horror?

GK: I’m a horror author of both fiction and nonfiction. My debut novel, THE RUST MAIDENS, came out in 2018 from Trepidatio Publishing and won both a Bram Stoker Award and the This is Horror Award. I also have a fiction collection, AND HER SMILE WILL UNTETHER THE UNIVERSE, from JournalStone, and a dark fantasy novella, PRETTY MARYS ALL IN A ROW, from Broken Eye Books. On top of all my fiction, I’ve written a number of articles and essays for numerous outlets including "Vastarien" and "Unnerving Magazine."



SK: Who or what terrifies you?

GK: People in general terrify me. The casual cruelty of humanity is more horrifying than any supernatural force. The only thing that keeps me going is that there’s a great capacity for kindness in human beings as well; without that, the world would be far more unlivable than it currently is.

Loss is also very scary to me, in particular the loss of a loved one. That’s been a kind of terror that’s always been creeping at the margins of my life since I was a child. Life really is so fleeting, and everything you love can be gone in an instant, which is such a horrifying and unsettling reality when you think about it at all. Again, though, being able to appreciate the good moments when you’re living them makes the horror of the world a little more bearable. That’s one of the many ways that horror appeals to me—it doesn’t shy away from any of life’s somewhat routine terrors. Instead, the horror genre faces all those things without flinching, which can sometimes even take away some of its power.

SK:  Are there unique challenges to being a woman in horror or do you feel like gender is irrelevant?

GK: There are definitely still a lot of challenges being a woman in horror. Women still aren’t taken as seriously as male writers. Our fiction often isn’t published as widely or considered “important” enough work. Female-centric stories are also sometimes not deemed “scary” enough or even belonging in the genre in the first place. Fortunately, some of these preconceived notions are changing, which is so heartening to see. I do hope that the day will eventually come when Women in Horror Month won’t be needed anymore, but until we get to that point, I’m glad there’s at least one month a year when there is a lot of signal boosting of women writers. It definitely helps draw more attention to the work of female horror creators, and it’s also a really nice time to celebrate the horror genre in general.

SK:  Who are your favorite female horror icons?

GK: Shirley Jackson and Angela Carter are two of the biggest ones for me. Their fiction is so unusual and uncompromising, and their stories have held up incredibly well over the decades. In particular, Jackson’s novel WE HAVE ALWAYS LIVED IN THE CASTLE and Carter’s collection THE BLOODY CHAMBER are must-reads for horror fans. As for more modern horror creators,
SK: What are you working on/promoting currently? Why should folks check it out?

GK: My novelette, THE INVENTION OF GHOSTS, is available now from Nightscape Press. It’s all about the occult, phantoms, and complicated friendships, so if you like ghost stories, in particular weird ones, then it might be right up your alley! The book is part of Nightscape’s Charitable Chapbook series, and one-third of all proceeds go to the National Aviary in Pittsburgh, so it’s horror for a good cause!

As for what I’m currently working on, I’m in the process of finishing up some short stories as well as some nonfiction articles. Also, I’ll hopefully have a second novel out at some point in the next year. For anyone who wants to keep up with me and my blog (which also features interviews and a monthly roundup of open submission calls), feel free to track me down at gwendolynkiste.com.
About THE INVENTION OF GHOSTS:

One third of all sales of this chapbook will go to support the National Aviary. The National Aviary is America’s only independent indoor nonprofit zoo dedicated exclusively to birds. Located in Allegheny Commons Park on Pittsburgh’s historic North Side, the National Aviary’s diverse collection comprises more than 500 birds representing more than 150 species from around the world, many of them threatened or endangered in the wild.

It starts with rapping in the ceiling and spirit boards that know them a little too well.

Everly and her best friend aren’t your typical college students. Instead of raucous Saturday night parties, they spend their weekends conjuring up things from the beyond. Ectoplasm, levitation, death photography—you name it, and Everly knows all about it. But while this obsession with the supernatural is only supposed to be in good fun, the girls soon discover themselves drifting deeper into magic and further from each other. Then when one evening ends with an inadvertently broken promise, everything they’ve ever known is shattered in an instant, sending them spiraling into a surreal haunting. Now Everly must learn how to control the spectral forces she’s unleashed if she wants any chance of escaping a ghost more dangerous than all the witchcraft she can summon.

A tale of the occult, unlikely phantoms, and complicated friendships, THE INVENTION OF GHOSTS is the latest strange vision from the Bram Stoker Award-winning author of THE RUST MAIDENS.