I’m honored to have 12 new horror, scifi and/or weird west short stories published this year. These are eligible for award nominations, and several of them are free to read. Complimentary copies (PDF) of the others are available upon request. Hope you enjoy!

Horror

“The Color of Friendship”

-Published in Chromophobia: A Strangehouse Anthology by Women in Horror from Rooster Republic Press
-Description: A mean-girls, creature feature about a lake house trip gone sideways, this story is described by the editor as having “major CREEPSHOW vibes.”
-Words: 3,400

“The U Train” (available online as an audio story)

–Winner of the Sley House podcast competition and published in Tales of Sley House 2022
-Description: Four strangers find themselves on a New York subway platform, forced to face their pasts as they wait on a train that shouldn’t exist.
-Words: 5,300
-Note: “The U Train” is available as a free dramatic audio recording here: https://podcast.app/kc-grifants-u-train-e315014645/

“Unrest”

-Published in Dancing in the Shadows: A Tribute to Anne Rice and forthcoming in a future episode of Tales to Terrify
-Description: An unnatural force at the local cemetery seeks to avenge an act of murderous violence.
-Words: 2,400 

“All Aboard” (available online)

-Published in 34 Orchard magazine, issue #6
-Description: A new pandemic forces those exposed to carry out their quarantine at sea, where strangers are less than charitable.
-Words: 1,200
-Note: “All Aboard” is available to read for free at the magazine’s website (pdf): https://34orchard.files.wordpress.com/2022/11/34-orchard-issue-6-autumn-2022.pdf

“Death Felt Fine“(available online)

-Published in Dose of Dread
-Description: Death takes on a mission to deal with the latest apocalypse even as he yearns for something more.
-Words: 1,000
–Note: “Death Felt Fine” is available to read for free at the Dose of Dread website: https://dreadstonepress.com/2022/08/19/death-felt-fine/

“The Serpent Queen“

-Published in Brigids Gate Press’ Musings of the Muse anthology
-Description: A girl is forced to make an impossible choice in an ancient, snake-centric ritual.
-Words: 1,000

“Crab Man”

-Published in Cosmic Horror Monthly
-Description: A city courier crosses the wrong cult with unfortunate consequences.
-Words: 1,200

“The Circus King” (available online)

-Published in Typehouse Literary Magazine
-Description: After a sentient circus turns Evelyn into the Circus King, she must find a way to escape the psychic hold of the entity that rules the show.
-Words:2,900
–Note: available to read for free at the magazine’s website (pdf): https://typehousemagazine.com/th/content/TypehouseIssue24Jan2022.pdf

Sci-Fi Horror

“Odd Colleagues“

-Published in Dark Matter Magazine #10
-Description: An insecure scientist has an unexpected encounter with a new life form.
-Words: 1,400

Sci-Fi

“Cynscout“

-Published in the British Science Fiction Association (BSFA)’s Fission Magazine
-Description: A fused owner-and-pet consciousness trying to survive the apocalypse must carry out their grim mission to usher in the end of the world.
-Words: 1,700

Horror Western/Weird West

“The Fall of Denafas Manor“

-Published in Cohesion Press‘ SNAFU: Dead or Alive anthology
-Description: Monster-hunting gunslingers Melinda and Lance rescue a kidnapped victim from a relentless supernatural family with a deadly secret.
-Words: 3,800