K.C. Grifant's Blog, page 7
August 5, 2022
Scifi story “Cynscout” in the British Science Fiction Association (BSFA) magazine
I’m honored to have my scifi story, “Cynscout,” debut in the British Science Fiction Association (BSFA)’s magazine! Edited by Eugen Bacon and Gene Rowe, Fission issue #2 Volume 1 is now available for purchase.
“Fission #2 Vol 1 deftly plays with the evocative and provocative. There are nuanced beats of light and dark, that entertain and exhilarate in perfect harmony. Highly recommended.”
–Andrew Hook, British Fantasy Award-winning editor and author of Frequencies of Existence
“Cynscout” is about a fused owner-and-pet consciousness trying to survive the apocalypse and carry out their grim mission to usher in the end of the world. You can read an excerpt below.
Excerpt
Read more in Fission #2!And if you’re inclined, check out BFSA’s great work and activities at their website: https://www.bsfa.co.uk.
Their official description: The BSFA was created by a group of fans in 1958, and was soon established and run as an official national body by readers, authors, critics, editors, booksellers and publishers with the aim of appreciating and encouraging science fiction in every form. Today, the BSFA is a vibrant and growing national organisation of science fiction writers, readers and scholars. We maintain an active discussion on Facebook and are regularly tweeting and retweeting about science fiction in all its forms.
July 20, 2022
July news – scifi horror stories, book update, submission calls and more
It’s been a busy summer, with lots of updates. Let’s dive in!
OUT NOW
My scifi horror story, “Odd Colleagues,” debuted this month in Dark Matter Magazine issue 010, featuring an insecure scientist and her encounter with an alien. I highly recommend this magazine for fans of dark scifi. They offer both a digital and print version and a truly unique cover! Details here: https://darkmattermagazine.shop.
FREE Audio Horror Story: U TrainBIG news: my cosmic weird horror short story, “U-Train,” won the Sley House Publishing podcast competition! It was produced into a dramatic podcast production and will appear in their Halloween anthology this fall. The 36-minute audio piece is available now, and I could not be more pleased with how actors brought the characters came to life. Listen for free at one of the links:
Apple podcast – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kc-grifants-u-train/id1580649232?i=1000570001918iHeart – https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-sley-house-publishing-pres-85758270/episode/kc-grifants-u-train-99450379/Podcast App – https://podcast.app/kc-grifants-u-train-e315014645/
Book Update: MELINDA WEST: MONSTER GUNSLINGERMELINDA WEST: MONSTER GUNSLINGER is a feminist Weird Western horror adventure about a stoic sharpshooter, Melinda, and her easygoing partner, Lance, debuting in February from Brigids Gate Press. I’m diving into book edits this week and it still feels unreal. This is my first book, so I’m learning about (and enjoying!) each step of the production process. Read about the book concept here.
In the meantime, I have an epic short story featuring the post-book adventures of one of the side characters debuting in QUEER WEIRD WEST TALES. The anthology is available to preorder now and will be available at the end of August. There’s also other one-off adventures featuring Melinda and Lance currently under review in other anthologies.
Early Praise For “The Color of Friendship” in CHROMOPHOBIA
KC Grifant’s “The Color of Friendship” conjures impressive atmosphere as a woman continually looks for whatever is swimming in a nearby lake during her friends’ weekend getaway.
Kirkus Review
“The Color of Friendship,” a mean-girls type of creature feature, debuts in the color-themed horror anthology CHROMOPHOBIA later this summer. So far, the stories are getting stellar early reviews.
Select Open Calls for Horror, Scifi, Speculative Short Stories – July 2022 Along Harrowed Trails (Weird West) Augur – Fiction Aurealis Dose of Drea d Les Petites Morts Tales of the Sley House Under Her Eye (horror poetry) Do You BookBub?I recently discovered BookBub as a great site for finding discount books and reading recommendations. If you’re on it, I would love to connect with you at KC Grifant!
To receive monthly email updates, sign up here and, as always, happy reading!July 15, 2022
Listen for free to short story “U TRAIN,” winner of horror podcast competition
Sley House Publishing presents its first-ever scripted audio drama, my weird horror short story, “U-Train.” I could not be more pleased with the voice actors and production. Big thanks to Sley House and the team! Read below for links to listen for free and a story description.
Listen for free: Apple podcast – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kc-grifants-u-train/id1580649232?i=1000570001918 iHeart – https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-sley-house-publishing-pres-85758270/episode/kc-grifants-u-train-99450379/ Podcast App – https://podcast.app/kc-grifants-u-train-e315014645/ Or find the episode (36 mins) wherever you listen to podcasts! (Search for “Sley House LitBits.”)“U Train” description:Four strangers find themselves on a New York subway platform, waiting on a train that shouldn’t exist. But as they try to find out why they’re there and how they might escape, they realize that when the train arrives, a fate worse than death might be waiting for them.
The story was inspired by far too many hellish city commutes and what felt like eternal waiting for transfers!
“U Train” will also be available in Halloween Tales of Sley House 2022 later this fall along with other spooky stories. You can also listen to more of Sley House’s podcast, Sley Bits, on all things horror and fantasy – https://sleyhousepublishing.podbean.com.
If you are interested in discovering more weird horror stories, including receiving FREE short stories, sign up for my monthly newsletter: https://kcgrifant.us19.list-manage.com/subscribe
Listen for free to short story “U TRAIN,” which won horror podcast competition
Sley House Publishing presents its first-ever scripted audio drama, my weird horror short story, “U-Train.” I could not be more pleased with the voice actors and production. Big thanks to Sley House and the team! Read below for links to listen for free and a story description.
Listen for free: Apple podcast – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kc-grifants-u-train/id1580649232?i=1000570001918 iHeart – https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-sley-house-publishing-pres-85758270/episode/kc-grifants-u-train-99450379/ Podcast App – https://podcast.app/kc-grifants-u-train-e315014645/ Or find the episode (36 mins) wherever you listen to podcasts! (Search for “Sley House LitBits.”)“U Train” description:Four strangers find themselves on a New York subway platform, waiting on a train that shouldn’t exist. But as they try to find out why they’re there and how they might escape, they realize that when the train arrives, a fate worse than death might be waiting for them.
The story was inspired by far too many hellish city commutes and what felt like eternal waiting for transfers!
“U Train” will also be available in Halloween Tales of Sley House 2022 later this fall along with other spooky stories.
Listen to more of Sley House’s podcast, Sley Bits, on all things horror and fantasy – https://sleyhousepublishing.podbean.com or become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/sley-house-publishing-presents-litbits.
Listen to FREE weird cosmic horror story “U TRAIN,” winner of Sley House podcast competition
Sley House Publishing presents its first-ever scripted audio drama, my cosmic weird horror short story, “U-Train.” I could not be more pleased with the voice actors and production. Big thanks to Sley House and the team!
“U Train” description:
Four strangers find themselves on a New York subway platform, waiting on a train that shouldn’t exist. But as they try to find out why they’re there and how they might escape, they realize that when the train arrives, a fate worse than death might be waiting for them.
The story was inspired by far too many hellish city commutes and what felt like eternal waiting for transfers. You can listen to it for FREE, as well as the other episodes of Sley House’s podcast, Sley Bits.
“U Train” will also be available in Halloween Tales of Sley House 2022 later this fall along with other spooky stories.
Listen to more of Sley House’s podcast on all things horror and fantasy – https://sleyhousepublishing.podbean.com or become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/sley-house-publishing-presents-litbits.
July 6, 2022
Alien horror story “Odd Colleagues” available in DARK MATTER Magazine
Dark Matter Magazine‘s “symbiosis” themed issue 010 is out, with jaw-dropping standard edition and variant covers by Jeff Aphisit, as well as intriguing story artwork.
My scifi horror story, “Odd Colleagues,” about an insecure scientist and her encounter with an aliens, debuts. The art accompanying my story gives “Invasion of the Body Snatcher” vibes!
A note about the artwork from Editor-in-Chief Rob Carroll:
The stories in this issue of Dark Matter all explore in one way or another the theme of symbiosis. So for the story art, we decided to have some fun and cocreate the images with an AI.* We used a third party AI to generate the base artworks and then fine-tuned the creations with our human hands via Photoshop and other digital art programs…[read more]
*It’s worth noting that this issue’s cover art and every image in this issue’s two art features are the creations of human artists, Jeff Aphisit and Sean Keeton. As far as we know, they are not sentient machines.
By K.C. Grifant
I pressed forward into the small crowd, straining to be among the first to glimpse what rested beyond the closed door. About two dozen of us milled around, the crème de la crème of biologists, including the ever-irritating Gustavo.
Gustavo. I clenched my teeth at the sight of him. He was always publishing similar work to mine a few months after the fact, but in larger, more prestigious journals, and worse yet, he was always trying to cop a feel at conference happy hours.
Don’t let him rattle you. My gaze locked on the door again. You deserve to be here. I went through the mental checklist to rally myself. The youngest tenured professor at my university. Dozens of publications. Countless invitations to committees and talks. But somehow it never felt like enough, especially in a crowd like this.
The green light above flashed and, even though we were some of the most distinguished scientists in the world, we lined up like school children, whispering and fidgeting with our digital pads and styluses. We had all read the dossiers and watched the recordings, but that was nothing compared to a coveted invitation to see the Visitor in person.
While pushing past me, Gustavo brushed his hand against my butt.
“Can you give me some space, please?” I snapped. I tried not to breathe in his cheap, awful-smelling cologne.
Gustavo grinned.
You can read additional excerpts from all of the delightfully creepy stories in issue 10 here: https://darkmattermagazine.com/issues/issue-010/.
Digital copies and related swag are available here: https://darkmattermagazine.shop/collections/issue-010
Happy reading!
May 29, 2022
New Book Deal Announcement: Weird West Horror Adventure!
I am thrilled to announce my first book deal!
MELINDA WEST: MONSTER GUNSLINGER will be coming out in February 2023 from Brigids Gate Press.
The book is an adult “Weird Western” adventure featuring gunslingers, diverse characters and a menagerie of nightmarish monsters, with Bonnie & Clyde + Witcher + Supernatural vibes.
Original pitch: When monsters roam the Old West, there is one gunslinging couple who can tilt the odds in favor of humanity. Stoic sharpshooter Melinda and her easygoing partner Lance are pros at fighting everything from cannibalistic gremlins to psychic bugs. But when they accidentally release a demon that steals souls, they find themselves caught in a supernatural war. Melinda and Lance must battle a menagerie of monsters and hunt a notorious outlaw to save their friends and stop hell on Earth.
Melinda and Lance are two characters I have featured in several published short stories and I am ecstatic that they will star in their own book soon. Aside from creating a fun, escapist horror adventure, my goal for this speculative world is to reframe some of the typical depictions of the Old West and build a world where women and diverse characters take center stage.
If this sounds like your cup of tea, keep an eye out for updates over the coming months! Pre-orders will start in the fall. And if you’d like a sneak peek at the adventures of Melinda and Lance in the meantime, standalone stories are available at Amazon Vella (The first parts are free).
Mood board for MELINDA WEST: MONSTER GUNSLINGERI am so grateful to my family for providing early feedback and to my HWA colleagues and fellow writing colleagues for their support. The road to publishing can be a lonely one, paved with a billion or so rejections, so their guidance and encouragement is invaluable.
Thank you for reading, and stay tuned!
May 22, 2022
Tribute to Anne Rice Anthology Now Available
I’m honored to be a part of DANCING IN THE SHADOWS, a tribute to one of my writing inspirations and favorite authors, Anne Rice. This anthology features dark and gothic stories inspired by her writings.
Edited by Elaine Pasca and Rebecca Rowland, all the proceeds from the anthology go Animal Rescue New Orleans (ARNO), an organization created and dedicated to the rescue and aid of abandoned and homeless animals in the New Orleans area.
My quiet horror story “Unrest,” is about a violent tragedy at the local cemetery that needs to be avenged.
Description from the publisher:
With her hauntingly beautiful reimagining of archetypal monsters from classic horror, Anne Rice was the undisputed queen of contemporary gothic literature. Her contribution to the movement first established by Shelley, Stoker, and Stevenson revitalized and continues to inspire dark fiction writers and readers. Dancing in the Shadows pays tribute to Rice’s legacy with tales from today’s most innovative authors, drawing from the darkness where vampires and witches, mummies and rougarous, spirits and demons move to the music of nightmares.
Featuring stories by C. W. Blackwell, Anthony S. Buoni, Holley Cornetto, Stephanie Ellis, Douglas Ford, Lee Andrew Forman, Holly Rae Garcia, KC Grifant, Greg Herren, Christine Lajewski, Tim Mendees, Scotty Milder, Kristi Petersen Schoonover, E. F. Schraeder, Angela Yuriko Smith, Morgan Sylvia, Lamont A. Turner, Gordon B. White, and Trish Wilson ; edited by Elaine Pascale and Rebecca Rowland
100% PROCEEDS BENEFIT ANIMAL RESCUE NEW ORLEANSRead early reviews here!
Purchase from the publisher, your favorite retailer or Amazon.April 9, 2022
Story excerpts and more for CHROMOPHOBIA!
As the release date of the horror color-themed CHROMOPHOBIA anthology from Rooster Republic Press nears, art and story excerpts are now available, including a bit from my lake-house themed story, “The Color of Friendship.”
The editors write:
KC Grifant’s “The Color of Friendship” gives us major CREEPSHOW vibes, the kind of story that ought to be introduced by the Cryptkeeper, and we mean that as high praise. There have been a few otherworldly critters to show up in previous entries, but Grifant’s gnarly ode to fractured friendship is the first story to feel as though it could’ve been ripped out of the pages of an old EC horror comic. So, you want a monster? Well, here you go…
You can read an excerpt from “The Color of Friendship” here.
CHROMOPHOBIA is edited by Stoker Award-winning author and poet, Sara Tantlinger. You can pre-order the special hardcover edition of CHROMOPHOBIA HERE.
And if that teaser wasn’t enough, more story excerpts are linked below!
“Hei Xian (The Black Thread)” by Frances Lu-Pai Ippolito
“Eat Your Colors” by Sonora Taylor
“Toxic Shock” by Chelsea Pumpkins
“Red Light/Green Light” by EV Knight
“Golden Hour” by Kathryn E. McGee
“The Dyer and the Dressmakers” by Bindia Persaud
“The Copper Lady” by Jaye Wells
“Gray Rock Method” by Lauren C. Teffeau
Weird Horror Short Story “Crab Man” in Cosmic Horror Monthly
My short horror story “Crab Man” is now available in the March 2022 issue of the delightful Cosmic Horror Monthly magazine.
“Crab Man” is a tale of a city courier who crosses the wrong cult. A writer instructor likened the first draft to the kind of fever dream you might have after eating expired gas station sushi. If that’s not an endorsement for a weird story, I don’t know what is!
Excerpt of Crab Man
To read more, purchase Cosmic Horror Monthly’s March 2022 issue here!
