Dread Coast: SoCal Horror For a Cause

Posted: August 22, 2025 in Announcement, anthology, books, horror, writing
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Today’s the day!! DREAD COAST: SoCal Horror Tales (No Bad Books Press), is officially out! This collection of Southern California horror short stories is co-edited by me and Dennis K. Crosby. I am so proud of this project and all of the stories. Plus, proceeds go to support the vital long-term recovery work from the Palisades and Eaton fires.

Order signed print copies from SoCal local bookstores!

Order from Mysterious Galaxy
Order from Artifact Books
Order from Warwick’s

If you prefer digital copies you can order from the usual suspects here or on Amazon.

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Monster Gunslingers The Game: Blast into the Weird West This Fall!

Posted: August 8, 2025 in Announcement, art, books, horror, Melinda West, recommendations, Weird West
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Poker. Powers. Pandemonium.

The stakes are high. The cards are stacked. And the monsters are coming.

I am so excited to share the news of Monster Gunslingers The Game! This fall, the Weird West meets poker in a version of Texas Hold’Em turned supernatural. Every card has a special power and every hand is a showdown.

In Monster Gunslingers The Game, 2-6 players go head-to-head in rapid poker showdowns where winners have to rely on more than luck and bluffing. Get ready to gather your monster-fighting posse, ante up and outwit the supernatural while havoc is unleashed on Main Street.

The monsters are coming, and only the cleverest gunslingers will make it out alive.

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New Fantasy and Horror Anthologies

Posted: July 30, 2025 in Announcement, anthology, books, horror, recommendations, science fiction, short stories, Weird West, writing
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I’m proud to be part of not just one, but several upcoming anthologies from Stars and Sabers Publishing, the exciting powerhouse imprint founded by award-winning authors and editors Jendia Gammon and Gareth L. Powell.

Stars and Sabers is rolling out an ongoing series of beautifully produced anthologies featuring stunning cover art and stories by some of the most talented names in speculative fiction out there. From horror to fantasy to genre-bending crossovers, these anthologies feature bold, imaginative storytelling.

I’m thrilled that my story “Worship,” about a mysterious goddess-like entity in a Puritan town, will be included in Stars and Sabers’ upcoming horror anthology Of Dread, Decay, and Doom. The anthology is currently in fundraising mode; you can learn more about supporting the book here.

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New Book Deal: Fantastica Horrifica

Posted: June 26, 2025 in Announcement, books, horror, science fiction, short stories, writing
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I am so thrilled to have found the perfect home for my second collection of short stories, titled Fantastica Horrifica. Stars and Sabers Publishing, headed up by award-winning authors and publishers Jendia Gammon and Gareth L. Powell, has a fantastic slate of books, anthologies and collections dedicated to speculative fiction and cross-genre storytelling. (You can see several of their anthologies here, which include new stories by me.)

New Fantasy and Horror Anthologies

About Fantastica Horrifica:

These 21 horror, science fiction, and fantasy stories and poems showcase siren songs of desperation, sacrifice, denial, codependency and survival. Mothers, dreamers, and lovers deal with cosmic terrors, some snatching a semblance of vengeance along the way.

Publication is slated for April 2027.

Read the full press release from Stars and Sabers Publishing here: https://www.starsandsabers.com/2025/06/21/stars-and-sabers-publishing-news-book-deal-for-kc-grifant/.

Make sure to sign up for my newsletter to get notified of preorders and special giveaways!

Quick Draw: Weird West Flash Fiction Contest

Posted: June 21, 2025 in Announcement, short stories, Tips, Weird West, writing
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I’ll be judging an upcoming weird-west-themed flash fiction contest through Reach Your Apex–with prizes!

The first prize winner will be awarded $100 U.S. and have their story published in Apex Magazine issue 151, coming out in October 2025. The second prize winner will be awarded $50 U.S. and have their story published on the Reach Your Apex website in September 2025. Three third prize winners will each be awarded $25 U.S. and have their story published on the Reach Your Apex website in September 2025.

Submissions will open at 12:00 am Eastern, July 1, 2025. Submissions close July 15, 2025 at midnight Eastern. Anonymous, original submissions only under 1k words. More submission details: https://reachyourapex.com/weird-west-quick-draw-a-flash-fiction-contest/.

I hope you’ll submit to this diverse and growing genre! If you want tips for writing a story, check out some of the resources I have over at Weird West Fiction. If you really want to dive in, I’ll be offering a virtual workshop on June 27 called “Creating Weird West Stories That Sizzle And Sell” at Reach Your Apex.

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New Class! Learn How to Write a Weird Western

Posted: June 16, 2025 in Announcement, short stories, Tips, Weird West, writing
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I’m thrilled to teach “Creating Weird West Stories That Sizzle And Sell” at Reach Your Apex later this month.

weird west class

In this live virtual course, writers will learn how to:

✅ Build immersive settings and plots that evoke the Old West without falling into clichés and harmful stereotypes
✅ Flip familiar tropes into fresh and thought-provoking elements
✅ Draw inspiration from historical accounts with empathy and nuance
✅ Develop grounded characters and high-stakes conflicts
✅ Blend horror, fantasy, science fiction and history in unexpected ways

Writers will leave with the foundation of a new weird western, along with tools for revisions and submissions ✍🏼 

Use code wwss10 at checkout for $10 off!

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Melinda West and the Gremlin Queen is out!

Posted: June 8, 2025 in Announcement, books, horror, Melinda West, Weird West, writing
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Book 2 in my supernatural western series is officially out! A book launch is always special, and I am so grateful to everyone who supported this adventure. A huge, huge thanks especially my publisher Brigids Gate Press, my fellow horror peeps, and my ARC readers.

And exciting news—the book hit #1 in New Releases in the Western Horror category!

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New sci-fi horror audio story: Negation

Posted: May 24, 2025 in flash fiction, horror, science fiction, short stories, writing
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I am delighted to have my brand new scifi story, “Negation,” appear on the award-winning Simultaneous Times podcast, presented by Space Cowboy Books.

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New Class! Creating Short Horror Stories that Sizzle and Sell

Posted: May 21, 2025 in Announcement, short stories, Tips, writing
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I’ll be teaching a Reach Your Apex workshop called “Creating Short Horror Stories that Sizzle and Sell” this Friday, May 23, 2025 at 2pm ET/11am PT. This course is for both emerging writers and established authors looking to explore the art of short horror fiction. Whether you’re new to horror or looking to hone your craft, you’ll learn how to create captivating short stories that will stay with the reader long after the final sentence. 

Use code HORROR10 at checkout for $10 off: https://reachyourapex.com/product/creating-horror-short-stories-that-sizzle-and-sell/. Hope to see you there!

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Announcing Women of the Weird West Anthology Open Call

Posted: March 5, 2025 in Uncategorized
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I am so excited to be editing an anthology I’ve had in mind for a long time. Women of the Weird West will be coming out from Brigids Gate Press in 2026, and I can’t think of a better partner for this project!

We already have a fantastic line-up of authors, listed below, with more to be announced soon!

The limited open submission call will be open April 1, 2025. In particular, we are hoping for more flash fiction, drabbles and poetry. The full submission guidelines are below.

To stay updated on this project and other releases, subscribe to my monthly newsletter here or visit this page.

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