Archive for the ‘anthology’ Category

Cosmic horror story “The U Train” in Tales of Sley House 2022

Posted: December 7, 2022 in Announcement, anthology, horror, Lovecraft, short stories
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My cosmic horror story, “The U Train,” appears in Tales of Sley House 2022, now available! This anthology features lots of unsettling and creepy horror stories divided into three themes.

In “The U Train,” four strangers find themselves on a 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 also produced as an audio drama, which you can listen to for free at one of the links below.

Listen to “The U Train” for free: 

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Upcoming horror stories and more December news

Posted: December 1, 2022 in Announcement, anthology, author interview, books, horror, Melinda West, podcast, science fiction, short stories, submissions, Tips, Weird West, writing
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Happy December! I hope you had a fulfilling Thanksgiving and are gearing up for a fun and restful holiday season. If you’re stumped on gift ideas, I’ve included some tips on horror and book gift suggestions below.

In personal news, I am beyond thrilled that my poem “A Woman’s Weapon” (published in HWA’s Poetry Showcase Volume VIII) made the recommendations list for the upcoming volume of Ellen Datlow’s esteemed Best Horror of the Year! You can peruse the full list here.

Book news

Early reviews from advanced readers on MELINDA WEST: MONSTER GUNSLINGER are starting to post on Goodreads and I’m delighted to see people enjoying this Weird West epic adventure.

If you haven’t already, you can add MELINDA WEST: MONSTER GUNSLINGER to your Goodreads list. Preorders will be available later this month.

Digital versions of Advanced Reader Copies (ARCs) are available for reviewers and early readers! If you’re interested, please message me. 

Book and horror shopping guide tips

If you need some shopping inspiration, check out the excellent Horror for the Holidays shopping guide from author Sara Tantlinger. 

Also I highly recommend Bookshop for great gift ideas for supporting independent bookstores. Better yet, browse your nearby indie bookstore!

Lastly, check out the social media pages of your favorite indie authors. Chances are that they (or their publishers) are having sales this month.

Upcoming short stories

I am thrilled to have another story appear in an upcoming Tales to Terrify episode. “Unrest,” a gothic horror tale about a cemetery taking revenge on a monster, first debuted in the anthology DANCING IN THE SHADOWS: A TRIBUTE TO ANNE RICE.

You can listen to my first Tales to Terrify cosmic scifi horror story, “The Peerlings,” here for free. 

I also have a new Weird West short story debuting in ALONG HARROWED TRAILS from Timber Ghost Press forthcoming in 2023.

Recent stories out now

To receive monthly email updates directly into your inbox, sign up here and, as always, happy reading!

Short Story 2022 Roundup and Awards Eligibility

Posted: November 14, 2022 in Announcement, anthology, books, horror, recommendations, science fiction, short stories, Weird West
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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

collage of publications


“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

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Weird West action story out in SNAFU: DEAD OR ALIVE anthology

Posted: November 6, 2022 in Announcement, anthology, horror, Melinda West, short stories, Weird West, writing
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My Weird West monster action story, “The Fall of Denafas Manor,” debuts in this epic Western horror anthology from Cohesion Press. Edited by Amanda J Spedding and Geoff Brown, SNAFU: DEAD OR ALIVE is the latest addition to the SNAFU anthologies, some of which were adapted for the Netflix series LOVE, DEATH + ROBOTS.

“The Fall of Denfanas Manor” is an original story featuring gunslingers Melinda and Lance as they rescue a kidnapped victim from a relentless supernatural family. You can read an excerpt below.

As a side note: Melinda and Lance have their own novel-length adventure forthcoming in MELINDA WEST: MONSTER GUNSLINGER (Feb 2023, Brigids Gate Press).

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October News – upcoming stories and book updates

Posted: October 15, 2022 in Announcement, anthology, books, horror, Melinda West, podcast, science fiction, short stories, submissions, Tips, Weird West, writing
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It’s October, the best month! When when the “Halloween People” come out to play and when the pumpkin spice flows freely. I hope you’re finding fun and spooky ways to celebrate.

Read on for book updates, my first reading of the season and a new article on Weird West writing tips. As always, I hope your bookshelves have been full and your reading time uninterrupted!

New article! 5 Tips For Writing a Horror Weird Western

My article, “5 Tips for Writing a Horror Weird Western,” is now live on The Horror Tree! You can read it here: https://horrortree.com/5-tips-for-writing-a-horror-weird-western/.

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September news – recent short stories, book update, and more

Posted: September 15, 2022 in Announcement, anthology, books, horror, podcast, science fiction, short stories, Weird West, writing
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Happy September! I hope the pumpkin spice is flowing freely and apple picking is plentiful. Read on for recent updates!

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Weird West novelette “Old Habits” now available

Posted: August 31, 2022 in Announcement, anthology, horror, short stories, Weird West
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Surreal western book cover.

My Weird Western story, “Old Habits,” is now available in Queer Weird West Tales (QWWT)! Edited by Julie Bozza, the anthology is a diverse collection of international Weird West adventures.

“Old Habits” description

To save her girlfriend from a monster’s infectious venom, Topaz must confront her tumultuous past and ask the last person in the world she wants to see for help—her ex.

Topaz is a side character in my upcoming novel MELINDA WEST: MONSTER GUNSLINGER. She was so dynamic and intriguing, she practically demanded a spotlight in her own story. This tale focuses on Topaz’s adventures after the novel, expanding on her newfound love as she faces a reckoning with her past.

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August news – recent short stories, book update, and more

Posted: August 18, 2022 in Announcement, anthology, books, horror, podcast, science fiction, short stories, submissions, Tips, Weird West, writing
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With the end of summer comes a rush of news. Here’s a few updates!

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CHROMOPHOBIA: Color-themed horror anthology now available in paperback

Posted: August 10, 2022 in Announcement, anthology, art, books, horror
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“…stories featuring delicious twists, eerie creatures, and visceral imagery.”

“…stories that deliver shocks and ghastly plot turns.”

“Extraordinary tales of terror that are as grim as they are delightful.”

Read the full review at Kirkus Reviews

The horror color-themed CHROMOPHOBIA anthology from Rooster Republic Press is now available for paperback order and early reviews are glowing! Edited by Stoker Award-winning author and poet, Sara Tantlinger, the anthology features dozens of spooky and disturbing tales by renowned and up-and-coming women writers.

The anthology includes my mean-girls, creature feature story “The Color of Friendship.”

Reactions to “The Color of Friendship”

[This story has] major CREEPSHOW vibes, the kind of story that ought to be introduced by the Cryptkeeper…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.”

Editors

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 Reviews

…Four friends escape on a scenic getaway to a lakeside cabin, but simmering about the gray-green water are unresolved grudges and petty jealousies, the stench of which quickly becomes “rotten…bordering on putrid.” Grifant makes hearty use of the verdant setting as her protagonist discovers a strange and ravenous creature…In the isolation felt within a pack of mean girls grown up, there is a monster lurking just under the surface, both literally and metaphorically.

–Ginger Nuts of Horror

Read an excerpt from “The Color of Friendship” here: https://roosterrepublicpress.com/chromophobias-15th-entry-is-a-full-blown-creature-feature/.

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July news – scifi horror stories, book update, submission calls and more

Posted: July 20, 2022 in Announcement, anthology, books, horror, podcast, science fiction, short stories, submissions, Tips, Weird West, writing
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It’s been a busy summer, with lots of updates. Let’s dive in!

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