Saddle up for a wild, monster-infested ride through the Old West in my action-packed, award-winning debut book, Melinda West: Monster Gunslinger—a genre-bending fantasy western hailed as “fast, furious, and a hell of a lot of fun!” (Jonathan Maberry, NYT bestselling author).
Narrator Ash Aarrestad brings to life this first book in the Monster Gunslinger series. In a desolate frontier crawling with supernatural threats, stoic sharpshooter Melinda West and her charismatic partner, Lance, make a living exterminating monsters, from flying scorpions to mind-controlling insects. But when Melinda inadvertently unleashes a demon, she must face vengeful outlaws, ancient evils and an oncoming war between worlds to save her friends. With vibes of The Witcher, Supernatural, BuffyThe Vampire Slayer and Bonnie and Clyde, this story is ideal for fans of fantastical worlds, supernatural thrillers and complex heroines.
What people are saying
“This fun, imaginative, and confident series opener will be a massive crowd pleaser for general audiences, especially for those who enjoy a wide range of popular weird western offerings.” —Library Journal (full review)
Saddle up for a wild, monster-infested ride through the Old West in my action-packed debut, Melinda West: Monster Gunslinger—a genre-bending fantasy western hailed as “fast, furious, and a hell of a lot of fun!” (Jonathan Maberry, NYT bestselling author).
Now that Comic Con is over, I am continuing to celebrate the release of my debut collection, SHROUDED HORROR: TALES OF THE UNCANNY, with several virtual and in-person events this week. I hope you will join in!
Last month, the premiere horror podcast show Pseudopod did a fabulous audio production of my short story, “Just Another Apocalypse.” The team did a wonderful job with the audio production and elevating the angst and creepiness factor. It was an absolute joy hearing it come to life. As an extra bonus, Pseudopod did a shout-out to my work co-organizing StokerCon 2024 and also to my upcoming debut collection, SHROUDED HORROR: TALES OF THE UNCANNY.
My heartbreak cemetery story, “Unrest,” recently appeared in the excellent audio horror show Tales to Terrify. This slow burn tale originally published in Dancing in the Shadows: A Tribute to Anne Rice, edited by Rebecca Rowland. The story is a result of drawing inspiration from Rice’s unique goth style as well as wanting to impart a twist on the typical final-girl-in-a-graveyard scenario.
Voice actor Amanda Stribling did an amazing job bringing this tale to life and adding a new dimension of creepiness.
Happy April! I’m excited to share new book promos, interviews, events and more.
Limited time: popular Weird West books available in special promo for readers at StoryBundle
For a limited time, my supernatural western MELINDA WEST: MONSTER GUNSLINGER (Brigids Gate Press) will be available in a “storybundle” together with some of the biggest fantasy and horror western titles available right now.
StoryBundle offers a jaw-dropping deal for readers: for only $5, you’ll receive the four featured digital books:
There is also an upgraded bundle where you can get all 11 weird west stories shown for a deeper discount. This is a fabulous option if you’re looking for new books and want to explore more of the “weird west” (these are westerns with speculative elements, usually combined with fantasy and horror).
I was also delighted to be a guest on D.C. Gomez’s The Book Corner Amazon show to talk about MELINDA WEST: MONSTER GUNSLINGER. You can watch a recording of the live show here.
Upcoming events and appearances
Events:
Book Signing: LAT Festival of Books – Sat, April 22, 1-3pm
Panels: Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Nebula Conference – May 13 & 14
Book Signing and Discussion: Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore – Sat, May 20, 3pm
This last month I’ve visited several local bookstores to sign copies of Melinda West: Monster Gunslinger and On social media the book as popped up in bookstore locations ranging Ontario to Kentucky to South Dakota. The book also made its first con appearance (Wondercon), with hopefully many more to come!
As January comes to a close, I am thrilled to share news that MELINDA WEST: MONSTER GUNSLINGER hit the #1 best-selling rank on Amazon a week ahead of its release! Thank YOU to everyone who supported this weird western horror adventure! It really means the world.
“KC Grifant comes out guns blazing with MELINDA WEST: MONSTER GUNSLINGER –a devious action-packed adventure set in a very weird version of the Old West. Fast, furious, and a hell of a lot of fun!“
-Jonathan Maberry, NY Times bestselling author of SON OF THE POISON ROSE and RELENTLESS
“This fun, imaginative, and confident series opener will be a massive crowd pleaser for general audiences, especially for those who enjoy a wide range of popular weird western offerings.”
Along with other authors, I will be reading an excerpt from MELINDA WEST: MONSTER GUNSLINGER at Strange Worlds, Strong Women. Pre-register here: Pre-register: https://strongwomenstrangeworlds.weebly.com.
I joined the excellent Hidden Gems podcast to discuss how to write–and publish–a short story. The discussion includes tips on how to create a strong plot and well-developed characters, the finances of short stories, and much more. You can listen here: https://www.hiddengemsbooks.com/podcast/episode-54/.
To receive monthly email updates, sign up here and, as always, happy reading!
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.
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
KC Grifant 