KC Grifant

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.

Interested readers can sign up here to request receiving an Advanced Reader Copy: https://forms.gle/BMZhBLRtJMfZzVDh7. You can also sign up for my newsletter to get exclusive early updates, as well as a chance to win a free copy next year: https://mailchi.mp/a9f0d76bba28/welcome

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!