Archive for the ‘author interview’ Category

2022 year-end summary

Posted: December 31, 2022 in Announcement, author interview, books, horror, Melinda West, short stories, Weird West, writing
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2022 was quite the ride for me, writing-wise! I had my first book deal and a bunch of other “firsts,” highlighted below. These types of year-end posts are helpful for authors to stay accountable and celebrate successes in a path paved with a billion rejections.

My biggest writing milestone this year was announcing my first book deal in May. The book will publish less than a year later: MELINDA WEST: MONSTER GUNSLINGER will be available in February 2023 from Brigids Gate Press. This adult “Weird Western” adventure features gunslingers, diverse characters and a menagerie of nightmarish monsters, with Bonnie & Clyde + Witcher + Supernatural vibes. Author milestones including seeing the incredible cover by Carrion House; holding the physical ARC in my hand for the first time; and reading early reviews, which have been positive so far. I am so very grateful to Brigids Gate Press, the indie horror writing community, early readers and supporters, and many others for helping to bring this book to life.

collage of magazine and book covers

I also published more short stories this year than I have any year prior. 13 of my short horror/sci-fi/weird west stories were published in anthologies, magazines and/or podcasts, and I’ve signed contracts for 5 more appearing next year, including an audio version of my gothic horror tribute to Anne Rice, “Unrest,” by the excellent Tales to Terrify podcast.

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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.

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Recent guest articles – Horror Tree, Authority Magazine and more

Posted: November 23, 2022 in Announcement, author interview, Tips, Weird West, writing
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The fall is always a busy and fun time for horror writers. I wanted to share some of the guest interviews and articles I was honored to recently be part of.

→KC Grifant On The 5 Things You Need to Know to Become a Great Author

In this interview with Authority Magazine on Medium.com, I share my path to writing, thoughts on the Weird West genre and writing tips.

→What Scares Horror Authors: Interview with Reader’s Entertainment Magazine

This was a fun, short interview with Reader’s Entertainment Magazine on “what scares horror authors.”

→Guest Post at The Horror Tree

My article, “5 Tips to Writing a Horror Weird Western,” was featured on the Horror Tree. It was also highlighted as one of the “5 Must-Read Horror Articles” in October by This is Horror.

Visit this page for a full list of interviews/guest articles.

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

Posted: April 27, 2020 in author interview, Weird West, writing
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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

2018: Year in review

Posted: December 31, 2018 in anthology, audio, author interview, short stories, writing
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2018 Year in Review

The road to writing and publishing is paved with a whole lot of self-doubt and countless rejections. Writers need to celebrate any accomplishment, big or small, to help fuel motivation and bade away the naysayers (internal and external). New Year’s Eve is a good opportunity to pause and take stock of accomplishments of the past year and reflect on upcoming goals.

Personally it’s been a year of firsts, with some accomplishments of note:

International: This year I broke into the Australian (Andromeda Spaceways Magazine, COLP, and Things in the Well series); Canadian (Renaissance Book Publisher); and British (Tales to Terrify podcast) marketplaces.

Cover feature: My Weird Western tale “Dusty Arrival” was the cover story for the award-winning Andromeda Spaceways Magazine (March 2018 issue). This was a particular thrill: it never gets old to see how talented illustrators interpret your work. 

Audio: Another big highlight was a foray into audio storytelling with the acceptance of my reprint story “The Peerlings” for the Tales to Terrify podcast. Much like when an artist visually manifests your story, it is surreal and gratifying to hear a talented voice actor interpret your tale.

In summary, I’ve had 6 publications and 1 author interview this year:

I am incredibly grateful for the writing and editing community, particularly in the areas of genre fiction, which often are misunderstood (e.g., horror = slasher). 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 2019!

Author interview in ANDROMEDA SPACEWAYS MAGAZINE

Posted: September 28, 2018 in Announcement, author interview
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Andromeda Spaceways cover 72 author interview

I was delighted to be interviewed for the “Authors Unearthed” feature in the Australian-based, award-winning Andromeda Spaceways Magazine. This long-running publication features speculative fiction (SF, fantasy and horror), as well as artwork, interviews and reviews from local and international authors.

My interview appears in issue #72, edited by Eugen M Bacon and Samantha Ryder. This comes on the tail of the cover story publication of my weird west story “Dusty Arrival” in issue #70. In the interview, I discuss managing writing in between working full-time and raising a one-year-old; author inspiration; and the brilliance of the Back to the Future trilogy.

An excerpt is below. To read the full interview and the rest of the magazine (recommended!), purchase a digital copy here.

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