Archive for the ‘writing’ Category

“What Storms Bring’ in MONSTORM charity anthology

Posted: February 28, 2023 in Announcement, anthology, books, horror, writing
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Out today! MONSTORM: A Charity Anthology Of Horror from Madness Heart Press contains my reprint story, “What Storms Bring” among other weather-themed horror tales. Proceeds from sales go to the local All Faiths Food Bank to support those affected by Hurricane Ian.

Edited by Matt Masucci and Josh Strnad, published by Madness Heart Press, and with a cover from Don Noble and intro from Jeff Strand, this anthology features eerie stories of natural and unnatural storms.

Fellow contributing authors include: Donna J. W. Munro, Owl Goingback, Christina Arrascaeta, James Dorr, Franc Auld, Christine Morgan, Derik Cavignano, Frank Raymond Michaels, Sarah Licht, Warren Benedetto, Katelin Deushane, Thomas Michael Thomas, Jose Cruz, Kenzie Jennings, Thomas Smith, Mike Schuhler, Douglas Ford, Kristi Petersen Schoonover, and Lisa Morton.

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Free short story “Just Another Apocalypse” in TWO THOUSAND WORD TERRORS anthology

Posted: February 27, 2023 in Announcement, anthology, horror, short stories, writing
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zombie art

Two-Thousand Word Terrors (Rooster Republic Press), edited by author Nicholas Day and featuring art by Don Noble, is a new online horror anthology featuring 45 tales of terror over the next few months. 

My short story “Just Another Apocalypse,” an angsty take on a zombie outbreak, is out today in the anthology, free to read. Check it out and let me know what you think!

Read “Just Another Apocalypse”

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MELINDA WEST: MONSTER GUNSLINGER launches!

Posted: February 2, 2023 in Announcement, books, Melinda West, Weird West, writing
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Today’s the day! My supernatural western MELINDA WEST: MONSTER GUNSLINGER is officially OUT into the world!

Publishing a book is something I’ve dreamt about for decades. I’m so thankful for my publisher, Brigids Gate Press, for taking a chance on a Western/horror/fantasy mashup, and for the supportive writing and horror communities. The book has been well-received, with reviewers calling it “a fun, fast-paced, monster-filled joy ride,” “genre-blending,” “a story that is fascinating and irresistible,” and a “massive crowd-pleaser.” (See what other readers are saying here: https://scifiwri.com/publications/melinda-west-monster-gunslinger/). 

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January news: author events, Weird West book reviews, a pre-sale and more

Posted: January 30, 2023 in Announcement, anthology, books, horror, podcast, short stories, submissions, Tips, Weird West, writing
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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.

Read more: January news: author events, Weird West book reviews, a pre-sale and more

$.99 presale

The Kindle pre-sale price of just .99 cents is still ongoing for another week or so! Make sure to snag a copy while it’s at this awesome price.

Order now!

Reviews: Library Journal, Horror DNA, Ginger Nuts of Horror and more

The reviews for MELINDA WEST: MONSTER GUNSLINGER are pouring in! Some highlights:

“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.”

–Library Journal (full review) 

“Melinda West is the hero I’ve been waiting for as long as I can remember. The world and characters are vivid and magical. This story is a delight.“

–Kate Jonez, Bram Stoker and Shirley Jackson Award-nominated author 

You can peruse more reviews here or on Goodreads.

Upcoming Events

See details and more upcoming events, as well as past events, here.

How to Write a Short Story

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!

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.

Near-future horror story, “All Aboard,” in 34 Orchard Magazine

Posted: November 15, 2022 in Announcement, horror, short stories, writing
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I’m honored that my horror pandemic story, “All Aboard,” debuts in 34 Orchard Magazine issue #6, a publication described as “a literary journal that takes you dark places.”

In “All Aboard,” a new pandemic forces those people to carry out their quarantine at sea, where strangers are less than charitable. You can download the entire issue as a pdf for free at https://34orchard.com/issues/issue-6/.

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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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