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).
Happy book birthday to my debut collection, SHROUDED HORROR: TALES OF THE UNCANNY out today!
Huge thanks to everyone who has pre-ordered or read/reviewed an advance copy; it means the world to an indie author like me. I am so grateful to the readers, reviewers, supporters and my publisher, Dragon’s Roost Press, for bringing this collection of weird, cosmic and monster tales to the world.
See what people are saying about SHROUDED HORROR: TALES OF THE UNCANNY (Dragon’s Roost Press) atAmazon and Goodreads.
If you are looking for spooky stories, look no further! My short story collection SHROUDED HORROR: TALES OF THE UNCANNY is now available for preorder! Thank you to everyone who has read an advance copy and reviewed already; it means the world to an indie author like me.
SHROUDED HORROR: TALES OF THE UNCANNY (Dragon’s Roost Press) is officially available for preorder, with a release date of July 11, 2024. I am so excited to share this collection with the world!
On the one-year anniversary of my debut book,I am thrilled to announce that my second novel, MELINDA WEST AND THE GREMLIN QUEEN, will be coming out in May 2025 from Brigids Gate Press!
This action-adventure supernatural western is part of the Melinda West series, in which a stoic monster hunter and her partner encounter a brutal gremlin species set on spreading a psychic disease and taking over the Old West.
MELINDA WEST AND THE GREMLIN QUEEN is an adult “Weird Western” featuring gunslingers, diverse characters and monsters galore, with Bonnie & Clyde + Buffy + The Witcher + Supernatural vibes.
Melinda and Lance are two characters I featured in several published short stories before the first book. They were very well received in MELINDA WEST: MONSTER GUNSLINGER (see reader reviews here). Aside from creating an escapist adventure, my overarching goal for this speculative world is to reframe some of the typical depictions of the Old West.
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!
MELINDA WEST: MONSTER GUNSLINGER will be coming out in February 2023 from Brigids Gate Press.
The book is an adult “Weird Western” adventure featuring gunslingers, diverse characters and a menagerie of nightmarish monsters, with Bonnie & Clyde + Witcher + Supernatural vibes.
Original pitch: When monsters roam the Old West, there is one gunslinging couple who can tilt the odds in favor of humanity. Stoic sharpshooter Melinda and her easygoing partner Lance are pros at fighting everything from giant flying scorpions to psychic bugs. But when they accidentally release a demon that steals souls, they find themselves caught in a supernatural war. Melinda and Lance must battle a menagerie of monsters and hunt a notorious outlaw to save their friends and stop hell on Earth.
Melinda and Lance are two characters I have featured in several published short stories and I am ecstatic that they will star in their own book soon. Aside from creating a fun, escapist horror adventure, my goal for this speculative world is to reframe some of the typical depictions of the Old West and build a world where women and diverse characters take center stage.
If this sounds like your cup of tea, sign up here for updates. Pre-orders will start in the fall.
Mood board for MELINDA WEST: MONSTER GUNSLINGER
I am so grateful to my family for providing early feedback and to my HWA colleagues and fellow writing colleagues for their support. The road to publishing can be a lonely one, paved with a billion or so rejections, so their guidance and encouragement is invaluable.
KC Grifant 