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Chris’s Year In Books

Chris’s 2025 Year in Books

Take a look at Chris’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.

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Chris Kelso’s Followers (208)

Chris’s Bookshelves

to-read (131)
currently-reading (6)
read (586)
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anthologies (17)
bizarro (82)
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graphic-novels-comics (29)
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Chris’s Friends (734)

Jesi Bender

312 books | 186 friends

David Peak

838 books | 192 friends

Alan Clark

222 books | 1,409 friends

Costi Gurgu

559 books | 1,082 friends

Bradley

3,212 books | 1,383 friends

Mark Young

481 books | 1,306 friends

KnNaRfF

237 books | 125 friends

Robert Dunbar

3,436 books | 4,239 friends

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Chris Kelso

Goodreads Author

Born

in The United Kingdom

Website

http://www.chris-kelso.com/

Twitter

https://twitter.com/ChrisKelso5

Genre

Science Fiction, Philosophy, Horror

Influences

B.R.Yeager, Mark Fisher, Julia Kristeva, Breece D'J Pancake, Thomas Li ...more

Member Since

April 2012

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Chris Kelso is an award-winning genre writer, editor, illustrator, and musician from Scotland. His work has been published widely across the UK, US and Canada.

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Popular Answered Questions

What’s your advice for aspiring writers?

Chris Kelso Getting started as a writer is relatively easy – all you have to do is put pen to paper, to write and to draw with conviction and resolve! The next st…moreGetting started as a writer is relatively easy – all you have to do is put pen to paper, to write and to draw with conviction and resolve! The next steps, well, they can be a bit more of challenge.

It should be noted that I’m not a ‘successful’ writer by any stretch of the imagination. I make modest sales, I don’t write full-time, and I only have a very small (if awfully devoted) fan-base spread across the continent. However, I have been published extensively and am well acquainted with the various pitfalls of the publishing industry.

My journey was a fairly unconventional one.

So, once you’ve got your content and you’re happy enough with it, it’s time to start pitching.

First things first – there/their/they’re; your/you’re. Do NOT make these basic grammatical errors, they count against you big time. Even indie presses hate bad diction and sloppy syntax. Proofread!

There are thousands of independent publishers with open submission calls; it’s your job to sift through the swells and find a press that best suits your work. I recommend getting signed up to Duotrope, a subscription-based service for writers that offers searchable databases of fiction, poetry, and non-fiction markets. You’ll be amazed at the diversity of choice.

Make sure you have a strong cover letter and always adhere to the publications guidelines. The process of working through a slush pile is an arduous one for an editor, so be patient – I once submitted a story in December 2014 and didn’t hear back until January 2016 (it was a rejection). Response times vary from publication to publication. DON’T FREAK OUT!

Don’t be discouraged by rejections either. They’re inevitable. Lord knows I’ve had my share; I continue to be rejected on a weekly basis. Remember, JK Rowling was famously rejected by a screed of publishers before Harry Potter saw the light of day. Just because the first 100 publishers pass on your story doesn’t mean that the next hundred won’t be clawing each other’s eyes out to sign you up! You learn from rejection: it builds character and toughens you up. You’ll need a tough skin, my friends.

Some writers go down the route of obtaining an agent before submitting a manuscript. You should know that agents can be harder to get than a publishing contract. I chose not to seek an agent. As a result, I became skilled at pitching my own work to respected publishers. Sometimes doing it yourself can really make things happen. But if you are lucky enough to get an agent it’ll remove the extra DIY aspect of your writerly life – which, admittedly, can be draining. Constantly self-promoting is…yes, draining.

Small presses may not have the advances of bigger publishers but they do put a lot of their own money into making the final product look great. In fact, some of the most beautifully formatted and presented books I’ve come across were spawned from indie presses. Another thing - smaller companies won’t usually ask you to compromise your artistic vision. My first book was picked up by a small publisher from Manchester. They put a lot of effort into the product and marketing. Now I had my footing in the industry, placing my other material elsewhere is much easier. The bigger publishing houses I work with are always trying to spin my novels from a certain angle so that it’ll appeal to a whole new demographic of readers. Honestly though, I’m not all that interested in selling books on that kind of scale. I’d rather have artistic integrity. Maintain control. So I suppose another important piece of advice would be stay true to yourself.

If you write for money then you’re writing for the wrong reason. I write some of the most surreal and dark fiction out there but there are always going to be people around who want to read that sort of stuff.

For graphic novels, I’d even recommend self-publishing. If you decide to self-publish you control the content (we’ve established that’s essential for a healthy artistic psyche!). This means you can then tour your comic at conventions and pitch it to industry professionals – and once you’ve successfully pitched your book to a distributor you can join the Live Literature database. Having the finished article to show off will really go in your favour.

Lastly, I’d say know your limitations – managing expectations is vital. My books are pretty scary and nihilistic, so I’m realistic about sales and feedback. I write marginalised fiction for a very niche crowd. When I get a bad review I just remember that not everyone is going to like reading about murderers and demons. Be strong. Believe in your own work.(less)

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Hi, Chris. You have been involved with some very interesting collaborations recently, including Apollo Unbound with illustrator Jim Agpalza, and The Church of Latter Day Eugenics, with co-author Tom Bradley and artist Nick Patterson. Can we expect more collaborative work from you in the future?

Chris Kelso Hi Janie. You know, I think I've always sought out other artists who could enhance my material. There's an element of visual-literacy that i'm interes…moreHi Janie. You know, I think I've always sought out other artists who could enhance my material. There's an element of visual-literacy that i'm interested in: after all, a striking image can really give great life to words on the page.

I've been lucky that whenever I reached out, most of the good guys have said yes to a bit of fraternisation - Bradley, Clairval, Bahr, Grassmann, Swank, Agpalza, etc. Oh, I actually have short story collaborations with Laura Lee Bahr, Gio Clairval and Preston Grassmann featuring in various publications his year, so keep an eye out!

With people like Bradley and Patterson on 'The Church of Latter-Day Eugenics', I just wanted the opportunity to work with guys I already admired (I have all Tom and Nick's books and he's always been one of my favourite bizarro writers. To have a book out with him is really surreal!).

I'd totally love to work with Jim Agpalza again. In fact, we do have another comic story-boarded, it's just finding a home for it. This one has a more Philip K.Dick vibe about it. I do think (hope) people will enjoy it if it ever sees the light of day. Shane Swank and I will definitely be collaborating on the third instalment of the DREGS trilogy, 'Ritual Amerca'. Hopefully my career will be littered with fruitful collaborations though. Working together to make better art is what it's all about!(less)

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Chris Kelso’s books

Average rating: 3.89 · 1,954 ratings · 514 reviews · 72 distinct works • Similar authors

	The Black Dog Eats the City 4.02 avg rating — 92 ratings — published 2014 — 11 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Voidheads 3.97 avg rating — 66 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Dregs Trilogy 4.42 avg rating — 52 ratings — published 2019	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Unger House Radicals by Chris Kelso (Goodreads Author), Shane Swank (Illustrations) 4.25 avg rating — 53 ratings — published 2016 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	I Dream Of Mirrors 3.78 avg rating — 58 ratings — published 2019 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Interrogating the Abyss 4.39 avg rating — 44 ratings — published 2021	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Transmatic 3.95 avg rating — 37 ratings — published 2013 — 8 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Terence, Mephisto and Viscera Eyes 4.55 avg rating — 31 ratings — published 2014 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Moosejaw Frontier 4.16 avg rating — 31 ratings — published 2013 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Burroughs & Scotland 4.54 avg rating — 26 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Chris Kelso…

9 posts
Chris Kelso's Blog

My book about Zulawski's Possession is on Goodreads!

Possession: Dreams of Suffering and Sanity is on Goodreads!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

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Published on August 09, 2025 16:00

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Series by Chris Kelso

Slave State (10 books)
by

Chris Kelso (Goodreads Author) (Editor),

Laura Lee Bahr (Goodreads Author),

Preston Grassmann,

Roger Lovelace,

Dale McMullen,

Rhys Hughes (Goodreads Author),

Gregory L. Norris,

Andrew Coulthard,

more…
4.15 avg rating — 300 ratings

The Dregs Trilogy (2 books)
by

Chris Kelso (Goodreads Author),

Shane Swank (Illustrations)

4.38 avg rating — 122 ratings

Chris is Currently Reading

Chris Kelso is currently reading

The Friedkin Connection: A Memoir

by William Friedkin

bookshelves: non-fic, currently-reading

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Apr 17, 2026 03:59PM

Chris Kelso is currently reading

Through the Valley of the Nest of Spiders

by Samuel R. Delany

bookshelves: greats, sf-new-wave, currently-reading

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Mar 29, 2026 11:13AM

Chris Kelso is currently reading

Deliver Me

by Elle Nash (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: horror, scottish-fiction, currently-reading

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Jul 05, 2023 12:12PM

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Chris’s Recent Updates

Chris Kelso and 2 other people liked Luke’s status update Luke Pajowski is currently reading Possession: Dreams of Suffering and Sanity
Apr 21, 2026 02:55AM
Chris Kelso liked Luke Pajowski's review of Possession: Dreams of Suffering and Sanity: "Outstanding analysis of a movie that is unfortunately reduced to two scenes- the tunnel scene and the Lovecraftian octopus scene. Kelso breaks down both Isabelle and Sam's characters, Zulawski's personal struggles, the symbolism and the West Berlin s" Read more of this review »
Apr 21, 2026 02:23AM · see review
Chris Kelso finished reading Shadowspheres by Ewan Morrison (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 19, 2026 11:04AM · 1 like · like
Chris Kelso wants to read Volcanic Tongue: A Time-Travelling Evangelist’s Guide to Late 20th-Century Underground Music by David Keenan	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 17, 2026 03:59PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Volcanic Tongue by David Keenan. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Volcanic Tongue by David Keenan <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Chris Kelso started reading The Friedkin Connection: A Memoir by William Friedkin	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 17, 2026 03:59PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Friedkin Connection by William Friedkin. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Friedkin Connection by William Friedkin <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Chris Kelso and 26 other people liked Khalid Abdul-Mumin's review of The Alchemist: "A masterpiece, sublime in its prose, evocative in its insight, and best of all, enjoyable for all readers and seekers of the numinous!"
Apr 13, 2026 01:15PM · see review
Chris Kelso rated a book really liked it The Farm by Clarence L. Cooper Jr.	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 11, 2026 05:10AM · 1 like · like
Chris Kelso rated a book really liked it Raft (Xeelee Sequence, #1) by Stephen Baxter	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 11, 2026 05:10AM · 4 likes · like
Chris Kelso rated a book it was amazing The Arabian Nights: Tales of 1001 Nights, Volume 1 by Anonymous	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 11, 2026 05:09AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Arabian Nights by Anonymous. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Arabian Nights by Anonymous <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Chris Kelso rated a book it was amazing So Long, See You Tomorrow by William Maxwell	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Quotes by Chris Kelso (?)

“McNeil harboured fantasies of his own physical deterioration, about making love to the great wound of the universe, coalescing with.”
― Chris Kelso, Voidheads

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“In the censored-city, our only access to the outside is through the cloud. Sometimes I feel safer here, with all the screeds of data smog and oversaturated pop culture references condensed to their basic minimum. I mean, the sheer amount of input to our system has long since exceeded our processing capacity. We all felt the same way. Spam and social media had taken over everything. I remember it, clear as day.”
― Chris Kelso, I Dream Of Mirrors

tags: infobesity

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“The city is a cage bursting with roaring, tormented animals. The city is alive with purulent cries.”
― Chris Kelso, I Dream Of Mirrors

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Topics Mentioning This Author

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A Million More Pages: Crime Weapons Spell-Out	77	117	May 11, 2023 07:58AM

Chris’s Quotes

“Truth cannot be imparted," said Kline. "It must be inflicted.”
― Brian Evenson

27 likes

“Work as if you live in the early days of a better nation.”
― Alasdair Gray

tags: possibility, progress, work

110 likes

“I have been writing my heart out all my life, but only getting a living out of it now, and the attacks are coming in thick. A lot of people are mad and jealous and bitter and I only hope they also can be heard by an expanding publishing program the size of Russia's. Because it's not a question of the merit of art, but a question of spontaneity and sincerity and joy I say. I would like everybody in the world to tell his full life confession and tell it HIS OWN WAY and then we'd have something to read in our old age, instead of the hesitations and cavilings of 'men of letters' with blear faces who only alter words that the Angel brought them.”
― Jack Kerouac

tags: biographical-resume-1957

27 likes

“Nobody realizes that some people expend tremendous energy merely to be normal.”
― Albert Camus

tags: humanity, life, mankind, mortality

7376 likes

“You don't write a novel out of sheer pity any more than you blow a safe out of a vague longing to be rich. A certain ruthlessness and a sense of alienation from society is as essential to creative writing as it is to armed robbery.”
― Nelson Algren, Nonconformity: Writing on Writing