I’m beyond excited to reveal the cover of MELINDA WEST: MONSTER GUNSLINGER, coming in February 2023 from Brigids Gate Press. I have always been a fan of UK-based Carrion House’s artwork, so I was thrilled to see how Luke would interpret the vibe and story (check out more of his amazing artwork here). Aside from the compelling, creepy imagery, the intriguing font also immediately drew me in. Needless to say, I couldn’t have imagined a better cover for this story!
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My Weird Western story, “Old Habits,” is now available in Queer Weird West Tales (QWWT)! Edited by Julie Bozza, the anthology is a diverse collection of international Weird West adventures.
To save her girlfriend from a monster’s infectious venom, Topaz must confront her tumultuous past and ask the last person in the world she wants to see for help—her ex.
Topaz is a side character in my upcoming novel MELINDA WEST: MONSTER GUNSLINGER. She was so dynamic and intriguing, she practically demanded a spotlight in her own story. This tale focuses on Topaz’s adventures after the novel, expanding on her newfound love as she faces a reckoning with her past.
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I’m honored to have my scifi story, “Cynscout,” debut in the British Science Fiction Association (BSFA)’s magazine! Edited by Eugen Bacon and Gene Rowe, Fission issue #2 Volume 1 is now available for purchase.
“Fission #2 Vol 1 deftly plays with the evocative and provocative. There are nuanced beats of light and dark, that entertain and exhilarate in perfect harmony. Highly recommended.”
–Andrew Hook, British Fantasy Award-winning editor and author of Frequencies of Existence
“Cynscout” is about a fused owner-and-pet consciousness trying to survive the apocalypse and carry out their grim mission to usher in the end of the world. You can read an excerpt below.
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Sley House Publishing presents its first-ever scripted audio drama, my weird horror short story, “U-Train.” I could not be more pleased with the voice actors and production. Big thanks to Sley House and the team! Read below for links to listen for free and a story description.
Four strangers find themselves on a New York subway platform, waiting on a train that shouldn’t exist. But as they try to find out why they’re there and how they might escape, they realize that when the train arrives, a fate worse than death might be waiting for them.
The story was inspired by far too many hellish city commutes and what felt like eternal waiting for transfers!
“U Train” will also be available in Halloween Tales of Sley House 2022 later this fall along with other spooky stories. You can also listen to more of Sley House’s podcast, Sley Bits, on all things horror and fantasy – https://sleyhousepublishing.podbean.com.
If you are interested in discovering more weird horror stories, including receiving FREE short stories, sign up for my monthly newsletter: https://kcgrifant.us19.list-manage.com/subscribe
Dark Matter Magazine‘s “symbiosis” themed issue 010 is out, with jaw-dropping standard edition and variant covers by Jeff Aphisit, as well as intriguing story artwork.
My scifi horror story, “Odd Colleagues,” about an insecure scientist and her encounter with an alien, debuts. The art accompanying my story gives “Invasion of the Body Snatcher” vibes!
(more…)I am thrilled to announce my first book deal!
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.
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.
Thank you for reading, and stay tuned!
MUSINGS OF THE MUSES, an anthology of Greek myth-inspired stories from Brigids Gate Press, is now available for preorder!
My short story “The Serpent Queen” is a horror tale centered around a girl forced to make an impossible choice in an ancient, snake-centric ritual. This is a character that’s been in my head for a long time, inspired by many childhood summers exploring the ruins of Crete. I’m excited she’ll be out in the world soon!
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My science fiction story, “Comfort Zone,” is featured in the spring 2021 issue of British scifi magazine, Mythaxis.
In “Comfort Zone,” a new technology designed to improve empathy has the unintended side effect of putting a mom and daughter at odds.
This story was inspired by my time reporting on emerging technologies while a science journalist. Topics of quantum computing, brain-machine interfaces and neural imaging came together in a tale about the speed of which technology advances, and what happens when it’s hard to accept how fast the world–and children–can change.
You can read the story online for free here or an excerpt below.
KC Grifant 