K.C. Grifant's Blog, page 8

Horror poem now available in HWA Poetry Showcase Volume 8

Edited by Stephanie M. Wytovich, the Horror Writers Associations presents their eighth annual Poetry Showcase, featuring original dark poetry. With cover artwork by Robert Cabeen and poetry judges Sara Tantlinger and Angela Yuriko Smith, this year features the first Crystal Lake Poetry Contest winner and poems from members of the Horror Writers Association.

I’m honored that “A Woman’s Weapon,” my poem about an obsessive biologist with a dark secret debuts in this collection!

This collection is now Available in Print and on Kindle – click here to check it out.

Showcase TOC:

Bright Tapestry by Carina BissettOn the Altar of a Beseeching Bell, Woebegone with Captivity by Saba Syed RazviNecrow by Querus AbuttuAfterlife by Mercedes M. YardleyGirls Who Create Monsters by Jeannine Hall GaileyLucky Charm by Cynthia PelayoRevelation 9:15 by Benicio Isandroorchid moon by Lee MurrayNote for My Sisters When I Am Gone by Patricia LillieAll of the Ghosts Are Gone by Chad HelderWhat Monster is This by Ingrid L. TaylorLow Tide by Sarah Readritual for reuniting with my favorite demon by Kailey TedescoSugar by Jacqueline WestVisiting Hours by Vince A. LiagunoOn Darkest Night of Faerie Bright by Sumiko SaulsonA Woman’s Weapon by KC GrifantEpiales by Caitlin Marceauthe umami of blood by Michael ArnzenFerrywoman of Geoje-do by Patricia Flaherty PaganOur Nightly Voyage by Amy LangevinThe Serpents’ Tale by Lisa MortonWe Are Born of Blade and Blood by Naching T. KassaBuried by Lindy RyanSeedling by Beverly LeeDead as Brains by Lorna D. KeachShadecrest Palisades by Manny BlacksherSkinwalker Moon by Brenda S. TolianThe Song of the Wandering Zombie by Graham MastertonTeeth by Brad ChristyThe Silence of God by Jamal HodgeA Garden of Flesh by Deborah L. DavittMoon by Corrine De WinterMine Offenses by R.J. JosephRestless Spiritualists by Amanda HardNight Out at the Old Circus by Ian HunterCarefully Tended Horrors and Gardens by Trisha J. WooldridgeCarrie by Emma J. GibbonVargas Visits the Monastery (a Vampyre speech) by Patricia GomesLong Forgotten by EV KnightWin, Lose by Donna LynchThe Madness of Monsters by Sheldon WoodburyYour Eyes, Umber Dark, A Disease by Lonni NadlerDeath Mask by Stephanie EllisThe To-Do List that Never Ends by Kerri-Leigh GradyTo Necrophilia by Katherine KerestmanThere Is No Difference Between an Eye and a Mouth by Donyae ColesHow Date Nights Bring You Ever Closer: A Forbidden Haibun by Terrie Leigh RelfWaning Moon by Alicia HiltonIn a Place Somewhere Inside by Ronald J. Murray

“From Sea to Shining Sea” in Field Notes from a Nightmare anthology

My short climate fiction story, “From Sea to Shining Sea,” will appear in Dread Stone Press’ FIELD NOTES FROM A NIGHTMARE anthology.

Pollution. Extinction. Warming. Sea Levels rising…Mother Nature heard our crimes and found us guilty. Field Notes from a Nightmare is an anthology of ecological horror, containing 18 stories from some of the strongest voices in indie horror. Edited by Alex Ebenstein with a foreword from New York Times-Bestselling author Tim Lebbon. Cover art and interior illustrations by David Bowman.

You can purchase the anthology starting November 16, 2021 from your favorite bookstore or Amazon.

Read more about the anthology from Dread Stone Press here.

Stories from:A.K. DennisAlexis DuBonJonathan Louis DuckworthEddie GenerousKC GrifantS.L. HarrisTim HoelscherTom JollyGwen C. KatzJoanna KochCarter LappinNikki R. LeighJ.R. McConveyMatthew PrittEric RaglinSara TantlingerGordon B. WhiteAlex Woodroe

Description from the editor:

Field Notes from a Nightmare is a print and e-book anthology about environmental and ecological horrors. Though some still try, there is no denying that humans have and continue to drastically alter the earth and its environment. Climate change, pollution, suburban sprawl, deforestation, etc. What horrors have/will we see as a result? How will Mother Nature fight back in a struggle for survival?

Purchase

TikTok for Authors and Writers: A Guide on How to Create Engaging Videos and Top Tips For Getting Started

Introduction

When any new social platform comes along, authors ask themselves: should I join? With a day job in communications/marketing/PR, I’m always intrigued by the latest technologies and trends. So when “elder millennials” like myself started joining TikTok, I gave it a try. Like many, I was skeptical at first but since joining I have found myself laughing and learning more on TikTok than any other social media app. It is a dynamic platform and a great wat to connect with others, especially as BookTok—the community of book lovers on TikTok—continues to grow. 

Most marketers would agree with a resounding “yes” that TikTok is becoming a hot spot for promoting your business. But what about authors and writers? Given that there’s a huge community of like-minded individuals on TikTok, it’s absolutely worth an author’s time to test it out. If you’re ready to take the plunge, I’ve gathered my top 5 tips on how to use TikTok efficiently as an author, writer or reader, and the potential benefits. But first, a bit of background on TikTok and what to expect.

What is TikTok? 

What started as yet another social video platform for teenagers to post dancing videos has rapidly evolved. TikTok has over a billion users and more adults joining every day. Videos show users dancing, creating art, making music, giving tutorials, sharing workout tips and much more: the variety of content seems endless. 

Better yet, creators are funny, refreshing and clever. Plus, TikTok’s algorithm will show you a lot of new content and users, more so than other platforms, keeping your feed fresh and interesting. Whether learning about new cultures; seeing people rally behind important causes; marveling at feats; learning new skills; or aww’ing at pets, there’s something for everyone. If you haven’t considered joining, I recommend at least checking out others’ videos and only making your own content when you’re ready.

Why Should Authors and Writers Join TikTok?

You may have noticed a lot of authors have started to use TikTok recently. It began with a rush of news articles in the spring which shared anecdotes of how candid book review videos on TikTok led to an increase in book sales, outlined most notably in a NYT article called How Crying on TikTok Sells Books.

Other articles, like TikTok is taking the book industry by storm, and retailers are taking notice (NBC) and How TikTok Got This YA Author A Six-Figure Book Deal (Bustle) have convinced authors to test the waters. Many authors are realizing how powerful a tool TikTok can be to connect with fans, network with other writers, and get your book and brand out there.

Book recommendations, reactions and other related content—typically collected under the hashtag #BookTok—are prolific on TikTok. But, despite breathy declarations that BookTok will help you sell thousands of books overnight, the reality is a little different. Even though TikTok is fundamentally different than other social platforms in some ways (see next section), like any endeavor, it takes time and work to be successful.

In summary, TikTok can be a vital and even inspiring tool for authors and writers, as long as you have tempered expectations. It’s highly unlikely your videos will spawn massive sales overnight. However, if done correctly, creators can find TikTok a valuable tool for growing their brand, as well as connecting with others.

How to Connect with Readers, Increase Book Sales and Enhance Your Brand Using TikTok

There are marked differences between this social platform and others—primarily the ability to go viral more easily—that can make TikTok a very useful platform for authors. In particular, TikTok content is shown to a wide pool of people beyond your followers, and a few early likes or comments can help propel your video to an exponentially wider audience.

However, TikTok is like any other social media platform in some ways: if you’re just on there to sell something, it shows, and it’s hard to be successful. The most popular users on any platform—Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube—take the time to create interesting and relevant content; engage with others; and learn the best practices of the platform.

Finally, without further delay, here are my top 5 tips for authors using TikTok.

Top 5 Tips for Authors on TikTok:1-Use tried-and-true videography principles

The first step to TikTok is learning how to create a good video. Most people don’t have a lot of video editing experience. TikTok makes it somewhat easier with its built-in tools. There’s plenty of tutorials on getting started (see Resources below for specific recommendations), but generally you can upload pre-recorded videos from your camera roll or record directly from TikTok. TikTok has built-in options for filters, animations, adding text and—maybe most usefully—a huge repository of music, including top hits, that you can easily add to your video.

But before you get too much into effects and animations, it’s important that what you record follows the best practices of videography as much as possible. Sometimes less is more. As a communications expert with a background in video, I spot a lot of beginner’s errors in videos that are pretty easy to avoid and will help make your videos stand out. Here are a few things to keep in mind to make your videos more engaging.

Quick Tips for Elevating Your TikTok Videos to the Next Level

LIGHTS: Be mindful of lighting. The best lighting is from the front and/or side. Natural lighting is best (e.g., sitting next to a window). A simple ring light is affordable and can do wonders in boosting your content to the next level. Reduce light from behind and above, as these can cast many shadows on your face.CAMERA: Generally, for equipment, your smartphone camera should work fine. No need to invest in a fancy camera or set-up. However, some equipment will help: a simple stand (Gorilla tripods are useful and popular) is key in making sure you can get a steady view for the angle you are looking for. BACKDROP: Be thoughtful and deliberate about what’s in your background. It’s great to show some personal touches (bookshelves, artwork, etc.). If in doubt, simplify. Plain is always better than distracting when it comes to your backdrop. Further, scripting or storyboarding your video can be helpful and make the recording process go faster. ACTION: If you are recording yourself, start with some movement: sitting in a seat, taking a sip of water. These everyday actions help instill a sense of sincerity for your videos.SOUND: This one is often overlooked but is incredibly important for good videos. You don’t need an external mic to record, but do be mindful that background sounds should be reduced so you can get the clearest audio possible. Few things will make a viewer move onto the next video than bad audio.

Finally, you will want to select a “cover” to the video that is eye catching, and add hashtags like you would on other social media sites (see Tip #5 for suggestions). Then, hit that post button!

Once you get the hang of the tools and technical side of creating and posting videos, the next step is to find your style.

2-Develop your style

Finding out how you want to approach your videos can take a few trials. If you’re a dancer, dance. If you like to read aloud or ham it up on camera, TikTok is the perfect playground to do so.  Some people like to be on camera – if you do, great! TikTok is perfect for that. But if you don’t want to tap into your latent acting skills, there are plenty of other options to create videos that more fit your style and brand.

As you master your videos, you can explore other forms of video creation as well. For example, “stitching” a video is when you take the beginning of someone else’s video and add it to yours. This is most used in a question-and-answer format. You may want to do that for the majority of your videos. Again, there are a plethora of tutorials if you want to learn how to do a particular set-up, edit or format. Google is your friend.

I personally enjoy recording a Siri voice-over for my videos. If you don’t like to appear on camera, you can show off your books or have an auto-reader read an excerpt from your latest work. If you enjoy video editing, you can try your hand at creating book trailers to post to TikTok (and cross-post to YouTube, but that’s another explainer).

Head spinning yet? Keep in mind that, as with any other craft or artform, the more you practice, the better you’ll get and find out what is working for you. Give yourself time if your first few videos aren’t great – the more important thing to do is keep going. By experimenting, posting and trying new videos, you’ll get better. Even quick social media videos are an artform in and of themselves. This leads me to the next tip…

3-Get creative and have fun

Short videos can be similar to writing fiction. Just as with any written story, a great short video often has a narrative arc too. These obviously take longer to script and shoot sometimes but they are worth thinking about as you practice your video skills.  There are a few general video narrative structures I’ve noticed on TikTok, in particular, that are worth mentioning. These can be great sources of inspiration and, as storytellers, fodder for sharing our own content.

Character’s Journey: As a writer, I find the “journey” format of video to be one of the most interesting. This type of TikTok video generally shows something happening – I did something, this is the result. It often shows a micro emotional journey: I was miserable at my job, quit, now have my own business. I toiled away on my project, received rejections, was eventually published. Think of it as a hero’s journey in a two-minute video collage. 

Playing on Expectations: This type of video sets up an expectation that quickly becomes subverted. It is effective because it creates a question in the viewer’s mind that they must have answered, resulting in the type of tension that keeps someone watching. This could include showing someone in a workplace setting having a conversation, with subtitles or musical effects indicating their true thoughts. Often these types of videos juxtapose emotions or facts, usually to humorous effects.

Sharing Knowledge: Presenting tips and information never goes out of style. Think of this as the “nonfiction” approach to TikTok. If you have thorough or professional knowledge in a particular area—whether it’s tips on writing, marketing, or a beloved hobby/craft—consider turning those into a tutorial series. Anything visual (e.g., calligraphy or painting), can help make your series take off.

One thing to note with the “sharing knowledge” approach: a lot of users take a confessional or hyper-casual style to appear to be more intimately imparting inside information. As you become more savvy with TikTok content you’ll notice many videos are carefully edited to start in what I call the mid-action video. Someone onscreen will be people drinking, eating, doing their make up, walking outside, or parking their car as they talk. These are deliberate choices to appear as if they are quickly sharing something that just came to mind. This informal style emphasizes a sense of authenticity and sincerity that is often more engaging to viewers.

Here are a few additional ideas that might inspire you or that, as an author, you might want to try.

TikTok content ideas for authors

Play off of trending hashtags or TikTok meme challenges, if appropriate/applicable for your style and audienceShow your books, bookshelves or collectionsGive honest (short) book reviewsPerform readings of your workCreate book trailers for your stories“Stitch” answers to relevant questions, such as answering who your favorite author is

And as you scroll through TikTok, think about how you can play on current video trends and offer your own take. The biggest part of this tip is to have fun. Creating shouldn’t be a chore. If it is, it will come across that way, doing you and your followers a disservice.

4-Follow general social media best practices

As anyone who has been on social media knows, there are a few golden rules for any account. Many of the social media best practice tips and etiquette rules you’ve heard before apply to TikTok as well. In short, these include:

Engage with your followers – if someone leaves you a comment or question, it is good etiquette to respond, generally speaking. (Note that this does not apply to harassing or troll-like behavior. See below for more.)Do not post overly private information – Just as in real life, keep your personal information – like your full address, registration cards and other content – away from prying eyes to protect yourself against identity theft. Be kind – As in real life, don’t participate in harassing or negative behavior. This will inevitably come back to bite you. Don’t just promote yourself and book – These accounts get old fast. As a fellow writer and author, think about elevating other books and brands as well, and making personal connections to get a more rewarding experience.
Understand the basics of the particular platform – Know when your audience might be most engaged on the platform and time your posts then (for example, be mindful of time zones and note that most people peruse social media on their breaks or before/after work). 

For details, Sprout Social’s 11 Dos and don’ts on social media etiquette for businesses has some good tips that are useful for individuals as well, such as not being overly promotional and monitoring your posts frequently. This post from Forbes, Social Media Etiquette: 12 Step Checklist, also has some universally applicable social media tips.

Unfortunately, trolls are an inevitable part of the online experience. There are several schools of thought on how to deal with trolls, many of it conflicting. Some general tips include to first establish they are actually a troll (versus someone who is a poor communicator); ignore or politely address them; and/or report and block them. Read more at Don’t Feed the Trolls and Other Hideous Lies (The Verge); 5 Tips for Dealing with Trolls (ReachOut.com); and 10 Tips to Deal with Trolls (Forbes).

5-Use hashtags (but not as you’d expect)

This is an obvious but important. Hashtags are a powerful tool on TikTok, but I see a lot of people make a similar mistake. Instead of strictly thinking about how your content would be categorized as a guide for choosing hashtags, instead think of your audience. Who are you trying to reach? Is it other writers? Readers? That reframing will help you select more relevant and useful hashtags for getting your content seen. Here’s a starting list of popular hashtags to consider.

Hashtags for Authors

#BookTok#Authors or #Writers#Books or #Book#Writing#Reading#AuthorsLife#AuthorsofTikTok#YABooks#Bookstan#Bookish#Booktoker#Bookclub#FYPage – this one means “for your page.” Some believe that this hashtag can help boost visibility. BookTok has many engaged users ranging from reviewers to authors to librarians.Bonus Tip! Who To Follow on TikTok

TiKTok is a great place to connect and support other authors, local bookstores, libraries, reviewers, book bloggers, book artists and readers. You can start with this list of hashtags to explore: #libraries #booktok #bookstan #bookreviewers #bookstores as well as your typical genre hashtags, such as #YAbooks and the others listed above.

If you still need tips on who to follow, some top accounts of book lovers, reviewers and all-around entertaining accounts to get you started are below:

Best book TikTok (BookTok) accounts to follow

Cait’s Books – @caitsbooksMoon Girl Reads (Selene) – @moongirlreads_ Abby’s Books – @abbysbooksSydney Blanchard @sydeneyyybeanKevin Tyler Norman @kevintnormanGreat Valley High School Library @gvhslibraryAbby Parker @abbysbooks@EMMMABOOKS@bookedj@crisreadsbooks@ezeekat@abbysbooks@thebookplace@sophie. in_wonderland@kawaii. librarianAdditional Resources to Help Get You Started

Here are some great additional resources on TikTok:

7 Basic Editing Tips for Creating TikTok Videos on the Fly (Premium Beat)The Best Gear for Creating Your Next TikTok Video (Premium Beat) How to Create Your First TikTok Video (Social Media Examiner)Creating your first TikTok video (step by step instructions from TikTok)

I hope you enjoy checking out TikTok to see if it might be worth trying for yourself. Tips? Questions? Leave them in the comments section below!

Free Science Fiction Short Story in MYTHAXIS Magazine

My science fiction story, “Comfort Zone,” is featured in the spring 2021 issue of British scifi magazine, Mythaxis.

Editorial introduction:

There’s a certain theme in science fiction and fantasy that’s always been popular – hard to set this up without spoiling it! Hollywood movies have repeatedly run with it (usually for laughs), so too surely every TV show in either genre. It has clear horror potential too, but very rarely are such stories approached from the outsider’s point-of-view. KC Grifant does so here, and with a similarly atypical air of loss, rather than gain.

In “Comfort Zone,” a new technology designed to improve empathy has the unintended side effect of putting a mom and daughter at odds. This story was inspired by my time reporting on emerging technologies while a science journalist. Specifically, research in the areas of quantum computing, brain-machine interfaces and neural imaging came together in a tale about the speed of which technology advances, and what happens when it’s hard to accept how fast the world–and children–can change.

You can read the story online for free here or an excerpt below.

Excerpt from “Comfort Zone”

Mar breathed shallowly as she headed inside the apartment complex and up the stairs, trying not to inhale the scent of cat litter and creamed corn soup. She paused in front of one of the apartment doors, and pressed her fingers together to keep them from shaking. Once they were steady, she knocked.

“Come in,” a voice said, catching like a jagged nail. The voice cleared itself with a cough and tried again. “Come in.”

Mar pushed the door open. The scent of lilacs, her daughter’s favorite, sent a twisting spike through her stomach.

A figure in a pressed plaid shirt tucked over a slight potbelly turned to her. Older than Mar, Leif was thinner since the last time she had seen him, maybe three weeks ago. Then, he had still been her daughter. Leif started to speak, but stopped when Mar showed him the pristine gleam of her handgun.

She pointed it directly at his cerulean eyes.

“Jenna wouldn’t want this,” Leif said.

“What could you possibly know about what she wants?” Mar spat and, just as she had practiced in the shooting range, took aim at his chest.

To continue reading for free, visit Mythaxis Magazine: https://mythaxis.co.uk/issue-25/comfort-zone.html.

THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY – Women of Horror Anthology Vol. 3

I’m honored to appear alongside 30 other women horror writers in this spooky collection from Kandisha Press, out on February 1, 2021. THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY – Women of Horror Anthology Vol. 3 includes my reprint story, “Minor Malfunction,” about a prosthetic limb gone rogue.

Synopsis from the publisher: In these pages you’ll find tales of unrequited love, blind dates gone wrong, stalkers and their prey, cursed guitars, alien symbiotes, sinister letters, and bitter acts of revenge. Dive into these murky depths and discover what hides inside the minds of women scorned.

Edited by Jill Girardi, foreword by Gwendolyn Kiste (Bram Stoker award winning author of The Rust Maidens).

Featuring chilling tales from: Carmen Baca, Ushasi Sen Basu, Ashley Burns, R.A. Busby, Amira Krista Calvo, Dawn DeBraal, Shawnna Deresch, Ellie Douglas, Amy Grech, KC Grifant, Meg Hafdahl, Rowan Hill, Stevie Kopas, Michelle Renee Lane, Catherine McCarthy, Villimey Mist, Mocha Pennington, Janine Pipe, Lydia Prime, Paula RC Readman, Marsheila Rockwell, Lucy Rose, Rebecca Rowland, Yolanda Sfetsos, Haddassah Shiradski, Barrington Smith-Seetachitt, J Snow, Sonora Taylor, Faith Pierce, Demi-Louise Blackburn

Available at any of the links below or from your favorite local bookstore:

http://books2read.com/yougotaway

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/the-one-that-got-away-women-of-horror-anthology-volume-3

Apple Books: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1549962795

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/2940162245544

2020 in Review: Writing and Publishing

2020. I don’t think any more needs to be said about the year that will haunt many of us for a lifetime. Here’s hoping we can bring about a healthier, safer and kinder world in 2021.

This was a productive year of writing for me, even though it didn’t feel like it. Writing was an escape from the news and world events; writing was the only way I felt like I was able to survive this year’s chaos and uncertainty without completely losing my mind.

I wrote seven new short stories (down 50% from last year), mostly at the beginning of the year. Though I wasn’t able to attend workshops or conferences this year, and skipped NaNoWriMo, the time at home let me focus on some bigger projects I had on the back burner. Once the pandemic hit and I started working from home full-time and having a toddler home all day (read more about how having a kid helped me with writing in last year’s recap here). I switched to tackling two novels I’ve had in the works and finally finished them (!). I also made progress on a new one and had several acceptances of new stories and reprints.

Also, as this year illustrated how important it is to stay connected, I started a newsletter to keep readers better informed. You can sign up here.

Year-End Roundup

I had 6 acceptances this year, fairly similar to 2019. Reprints included my flash horror story “Protection” to the Sirens Call eZine Halloween/Fall 2020 issue (pdf), and a horror holiday story, “A Cup of Holiday Cheer,” to the Sirens Call eZine December 2020 issue (pdf). “What Storms Bring,” was republished in the San Diego Guild’s 2020 anthology, Strange Happenings. Finally, my horror scifi story, “Minor Malfunction,” will be reprinted in The One That Got Away – Women of Horror Anthology Vol. 3 by Kandisha Press.

New stories accepted in 2020 included two weird westerns. “Dream Bugs” to Gypsum Sound Tales COLP’s charity issue, Amongst Friends, with proceeds benefiting the Australian bush fires in January. This weird western tale featured my reoccurring characters, gunslinging Melinda and Lance, who battle monsters in the Old West. “Death’s Horse,” a standalone story featuring Melinda facing off against her nemesis-turned-Zombie, was featured in Six Guns Straight From Hell 3: Horror & Dark Fantasy From the Weird, Weird West.

Lastly, Shadowy Natures: Tales of Psychological Horror came out in March with a good amount of buzz, featuring the debut of my horror story “Maternal Bond.” You can read more about the piece and the collection, along with reviews, here.

As always, I am incredibly grateful for the writing and editing community. This year, I am especially grateful for the technologies that allowed us to stay connected, and to the scientists and medical care workers who worked tirelessly on the frontlines of the pandemic.

I hope the coming year leads to fresh starts, new stories, and a safer year for everyone.

Happy 2021! 

Six Guns Straight From Hell 3: Horror & Dark Fantasy From the Weird, Weird West

[image error] Six Guns Straight From Hell 3 cover.

Six Guns Straight From Hell 3: Horror & Dark Fantasy From the Weird Weird West is now available and debuts my zombie story, “Death’s Horse.” The collection is edited by David B. Riley and J.A. Campbell, with a cover illustration by M. Wayne Miller. The Weird West is one of my favorite subgenres for a variety of reasons (you can read why in an article I wrote for Aurealis Magazine, more details here). “Death’s Horse” features the plight of gunslinging, monster-hunting Melinda Putman, first introduced in “Dusty Arrival,” cover story for Andromeda Spaceways Magazine in 2018. Weird West stories in this collection include tales by David Boop, C.W. Blackwell, Kristal Stittle and many others.

Description from the publisher:

Saddle up for a wild ride through the weird, weird west. As you ride our trails you’ll want to keep one eye on the path ahead and one over your shoulder cause there’s a bushwhacking monster creeping up behind you. If your horse gets eaten by a monster, you might be able to get a ride on the midnight train, as long as you don’t mind sitting with ghosts. If you don’t catch the train, maybe the devil can give you a lift back to town. Just be careful which place you head for, because the folks in one town are about to die. Staying on ranches ain’t much safer, especially at one girl’s birthday party. Then again, even going to outhouses can be deadly. If you happen to visit the local brothel, be sure and treat the ladies right or you’ll pay dearly. And Tombstone is no place to get your picture taken if you want to keep your skin.

Excerpt from “Death’s Horse”

Death rode in on a horse made of wood and bones, its joints screeching with every pound of its hooves against the sand. Death, otherwise known as Elliot Red-Eye Carson, raised his rifle, the sun a smudged glow behind him like someone had burned the sky with the end of a rolled cigarette.

“Found you.” Carson leveled the rifle at Melinda’s forehead. He wore a hat the color of day-old puke, with rags to match. He and the horse smelled of sewage, rot and all manners of decay.

“You look a little different, El.” Melinda eased her finger off the trigger of her six shooter and set it gently down. Beneath the wide-brimmed hat and duster she wore year round, her skin dripped from the heat. Even at sundown, the desert was hotter than the hubs of hell this time of year.

“Quit stalling.” Carson yanked his monster closer and Melinda wondered, as she had plenty of times before, if this would be the day she died. “Give me what’s mine.” 

Read more in Six Guns Straight From Hell 3. The book is available from Mysterious Galaxy bookstore or other independent booksellers, as well as on Amazon.

SHADOWY NATURES: Stories of Psychological Horror is Now Available

 

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The boundary line between instinct and reason is of a very shadowy nature.
-Edgar Allan Poe (1840) 

Shadowy Natures: Tales of Psychological Horror is out today!  This disturbing collection edited by Rebecca Rowland features the debut of my story “Maternal Bond,” where postpartum paranoia and isolation chip at a new mom’s sanity as an outside threat pushes her over the edge.

I chat with Rebecca about the story’s background, as well as horror writing and inspirations, in my author interview, which you can read here.

About Shadowy Natures

With its twenty-one stories of serial killers and sociopaths, fixations and fetishes, breakdowns and bad decisions crafted by authors as diverse as their writing styles, Shadowy Natures leads fans of psychological horror down dark and treacherous roads to destinations they will be too unsettled to leave.

From unique twists on traditional terror tropes to fresh frights found in the most innocuous of places, these tales will surprise and unnerve even the most veteran horror fans. Featuring brand new fiction from Jeremy Billingsley, C.W. Blackwell, Barrie Darke, Matthew R. Davis, Christina Delia, KC Grifant, Liam Hogan, K.N. Johnson, Thomas Kearnes, Rudy Kremberg, Scotty Milder, Bryan Miller, Hollee Nelson, Elin Olausson, James Edward O’Brien, Andrew Punzo, Lee Rozelle, Joseph Rubas, Paul Stansfield, Louis Stephenson, and Thomas Vaughn.

Shadowy Natures: Stories of Psychological Horror is now available at AMink‘s Dark Ink and at Amazon in print, audiobook and e-book. Alternatively, please check your local bookstores for order availability.

Early acclaim for Shadowy Natures and “Maternal Bond”

“The perfect anthology with 21 dark tales that will get in your head, squirming and pulsing until you have to look away. There is something in here for every fan of horror and/or dark fiction.”

–Holly Rae Garcia, author of Come Join the Murder

“Maternal Bond” by KC Grifant gets into the uncomfortable skin of post-pregnancy, and that’s only the beginning of the discomfort that this story brings. Grifant brilliantly channels the sleeplessness and disorientation of new motherhood, then moves in and shocks us awake.

–Goodreads reviewer

“Unnerving.”

-S.K. Gregory, Best-selling author of the Daemon Persuasion and Aurelia Graves series

“Dark prose and wildly unique stories…I suggest giving this book a looksie!”

-Mortality in Horror

“A terrific and terrifying selection of stories that will make you squirm in your seat and force you to get up to check the doors and windows before you go to sleep.”

-Bob Hastings, Goodreads

These 21 dreadfully dark tales held me captive from first to last story…”Maternal Bond” by KC Grifant in which a new mom battles lack of sleep and postpartum depression really got under my skin as I recalled my own earliest days of coping with a baby who cried nonstop. 

 -Well Worth a Read

Goodreads



Amazon



AMink Publishing

Speculative Fiction, Cosmic Horror, and Weird Western Author KC Grifant Interview

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I’m pleased to share a fun print interview that Nico Bell, fellow horror author, conducted via email. In this Q&A, I reveal why the Weird West is one of my favorite subgenres, what I’m reading, and why my browser history would raise a few eyebrows. I also talk a bit about my current writing projects, including THE FINAL HOUR, a fantasy novella inspired by The Labyrinth; DARK TRAILS, a fun supernatural western; and two weird science stories.

Check out the other Spotlight Author feature for interviews with tons of horror writers, and my Q&A, here: http://nicobellfiction.com/featured-authors-meet-new-writers/2020/4/24/speculative-fiction-cosmic-horror-and-weird-western-author-kc-grifant-interview

2019 – The Year in Review on Writing and Publishing

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Overview

The end of the year is always a good time to take stock of accomplishments of the past year and reflect on upcoming goals.

In general, 2019 was packed with exciting books, TV and movie releases in horror and other genre fiction. There are plenty of lists out there detailing some of the standouts (here and here, for example). Overall, the wealth of genre stories hitting mainstream audiences is encouraging for those of us who toil in realms of the fantastical and strange.

Personally, this was a productive year of writing for me. I wrote a number of short stories in 2019 as well as two novellas. With a demanding full-time job and wild two-year-old to take care of, I found it more important than ever to carve out writing time.

Before having a kid, I was a little worried that balancing my attention between my job and offspring would result in zero time for writing. This year proved the opposite. I realized that my increase in writing is not despite caring for a two-year-old but, in part, because of it, contrary to what many assume (including myself at one point). Being a parent forces you to manage time better and appreciate mindfulness: you multitask like crazy and value solitude so more. When I had all the time in the world to write I produced very little; now that writing time is more precious, I’m forced to focus and make the most of my writing time. 

Having a kid is like strapping a ticking clock to your head; the list of to-dos is endless and time is always short. At the same time, you relive your own childhood again through their eyes. This heightened sense of mortality and reduced free time makes me write more urgently. And when your identity is consumed by parenthood, writing (or any other passion) is a way to replenish the self that day-to-day living can wear down.

Aside from parenthood, three things of note helped my writing kick up a notch this year:

1. Writing Workshop

I was accepted into the 2019 Borderlands Bootcamp, where I connected with other authors for an intense weekend of beta reading and story feedback in Baltimore. This genre-focused writing workshop featured instructors Tom Monteleone, Douglas E. Winter, F. Paul Wilson and Ginjer Buchanan. I can’t stress enough how helpful this was for me to get myself in gear, accumulate helpful feedback on a scifi novel-in-progress, and continue to experiment with and refine new short story ideas.

2. Flash Fiction Writing Community

From the workshop, I connected with fellow writers and started doing a low-pressure, weekly flash fiction contest at various points throughout the year, run by the talented Donna J. W. Munro. Participating in this forced me to write (and complete!) a number of short stories. It also seeded the idea for a Labyrinth-inspired novella, “The Final Hour,” about a captive forced to rule a goblin realm.

3. NaNoWriMo

“National Novel Writing Month” is a worldwide effort that happens every November. Free to participate and open to everyone, NaNoWriMo is an online and in-person community where writers aim to finish a novel (50k words) in one month. Something as simple as a collective word-count tracker helped me outline and draft a story idea I had been kicking around for a while. While I fell short of the 50k goal in one month, I accomplished my personal goal: to write at least a few hundred words nearly every day of the month and complete a second novella/novel, a weird west horror adventure.

Additional factors that helped boost my writing:

4. Outlining

For a long time, I’ve written without a formal outline (“pantser”) but for NanoWrimo 2019 I tried the snowflake method of outlining, created by physicist and author Randy Ingermanson. This method was a perfect middle ground for me: not as detailed as notecards (which can be stifling) but focused enough so I didn’t get hopelessly lost in the weeds. This method helped me stay on track on my weird west story and find a path through the difficult middle spots—where the plot can become a sticky mess and the editor in me screams to fix everything rather than complete the first draft.

5. Local Writing Community

As always I am thankful for the group of local writers through the Horror Writers Association and other writing groups, as well as the San Diego treasure Mysterious Galaxy, a bookstore haven for genre writers and readers.

Year-End Roundup

As for my numbers, in 2019 I wrote 14 stories (compared to 2 from 2018) and had 7 acceptances (compared to 6 from 2018).  Reprints in 2019 included “Better Halves” to the debut issue of Macabre Museum magazine in October and “A Dusty Arrival” in Uchronia: Alternate Histories & Alternate Worlds, available this month.

New stories accepted in 2019 included “Vermin” in Unnerving Magazine; “Protection” in Frozen Wavelets issue #1; and “Cup of Holiday Cheer” in Christmas Lites IX, all published in 2019. Two new stories were also chosen for publication in 2020: “Minor Malfunction” in Running Wild Press Anthology of Stories, Volume 4; and “Maternal Bond” in a soon-to-be-announced anthology.

In addition to the 14 new stories (two of which are novellas), I pitched, wrote and published three fiction-related essays in Aurealis Magazine throughout the year: “What’s Next for the Weird West,” “A Horror Renaissance,” and “Legendary Women of Horror.”

I am incredibly grateful for the writing and editing community, particularly in the areas of genre fiction. I am also indebted to friends and family who provide support in this tough craft. I hope the coming year leads to new stories that provide respite, intrigue or food for thought.

Happy 2020! 

 

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Keep writing! Keep reading!