Here’s a small selection of the horror and genre news that caught our eye during the last week …
New from editors Kelly Brocklehurst & Jamie Stewart and DarkLit Press, The Sacrament
The Sacrament is a collection of tales that will take you to the depths of terror and despair. It delves into the unknown and the unseen, revealing a world where the higher power has gone awry, and all that’s left is horror. Each story in this anthology is crafted by a diverse group of authors, each bringing their unique voice and perspective to the theme of religious horror.
The Sacrament is not for the faint of heart. It’s a must-read for fans of religious horror and for those who want to explore the darker side of faith. This anthology will leave you questioning your beliefs and wondering what really lies beyond the veil of our understanding. So, if you’re ready to face your fears and enter a world of darkness, then you must take the sacrament. Beware, for what you’ll find within these pages is not for the weak-minded, it is a journey into the abyss. Available now in eBook at a limited launch price of 99p/99c, and with a paperback edition to follow, you can pick up your copy here.
Out today from Death Knell Press, Every Woman Knows This, the debut collection from Laurel Hightower
A never-ending storm rages, tossing a dark and bottomless sea. Tentacled beasts reach from every direction, a battle at every turn, but they’ve chosen the wrong target. Armed with teeth and sharp weapons of her own, she’ll fight until there’s nothing left, and then she’ll pick herself up and fight again. For this is what we do.
Laurel Hightower, author of Below and Crossroads, delivers the blow that shatters the glass ceiling into twenty deadly shards-each reflecting horrors faced by women. Unwelcomed advances from dangerous men. The unbearable weight of motherhood. A goddess pushed to her limits. The inescapable responsibilities of being a caretaker, even beyond the grave. Dive in for Hightower’s most beloved short stories, all brought together in one collection which includes five brand new tales. Navigate the stormy waters of womanhood with caution as you are about to experience the horrors that every woman knows. Available now in paperback and eBook editions, you can grab your copy here.
Out now from writer Christi Nogle and Flame Tree Press, The Best of Our Past, The Worst of Our Future
The Best of Our Past, the Worst of Our Future collects Christi Nogle’s finest psychological and supernatural horror stories. Their rural and small-town characters confront difficult pasts and look toward promising but often terrifying futures. The pieces range in genre from psychological horror through science fiction and ghost stories, but they all share fundamental qualities: feminist themes, an emphasis on voice, a focus on characters’ psychologies and a sense of the gothic in contemporary life. Stories here may recall Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper,” Shirley Jackson’s “The Renegade,” or Kelly Link’s “Stone Animals.” Available now in eBook and paperback editions, you can pick up yours here.
Monstorm: A Charity Anthology of Horror, out now from Madness Heart Press
Storms are the epitome of nature at her most primal, savage, and untamable. They inspire awe and terror in equal measure. When storms unleash their fury, nothing and no one can stand against them.
Hurricane Ian was such a storm. When Ian ripped into South Florida in the fall of 2022, homes and businesses were reduced to piles of rubble. Cleanup and recovery were slow, and as of the printing of this book, there is still much to be done to get things back to normal for those in the region whose lives were turned upside down.
This book contains 20 stories by seasoned genre veterans as well as fresh voices and represents the horror community’s response to hurricane Ian. There are stories about storms, the devastation they can cause, and what they reveal about the people who live through them, stories of tearing wind, driving rain, blizzards, hurricanes. These are stories of terror, but this book is one of hope, produced to help raise money to support those who, in Ian’s wake, need help most. The proceeds from this volume will go directly into the hands of the local All Faiths Food Bank, which serves the areas most affected by Hurricane Ian. Available now in eBook and paperback editions, you can grab your copy here.
Abigail’s Odyssey, a new YA horror story from author David Vorhees, out now
It’s been 2 weeks since Abigail was last seen. The day she disappeared was just like any other. Abigail was walking along the path through the woods right behind her house. She had walked the path a thousand times before and knew it like the back of her hand. It wasn’t unusual for her to go on these walks either. Whenever Mom and Dad fought, Abigail would go on a walk. She never really knew why they fought though, all she knew was that it was loud and she couldn’t stand the noise.
The full moon was shining up above her and thousands of bright stars lit up the path ahead of her. With critters and friendly forest animals all around her, Abigail continued on her walk through the woods thoroughly enjoying every moment of peace. Until she saw something strange. Something she had never seen before — a black door, right in the middle of a clearing. Ever the curious little girl, she stepped closer and wondered what was behind the door. She took a deep breath and grabbed the doorknob. …What Abigail didn’t know was that there were just some doors that were never meant to be opened. Available now in eBook and paperback editions, you can get yours here.
Bites Eyes, a new collection of horror by writer Matthew R. Davis, out now from Brain Jar Press
Art and ambition meet sublime moments of dread in Matthew R. Davis’ Bites Eyes, a collection of sinister and terrifying vignettes from the award-winning author and rising star of Australian horror.
Within, you’ll find ghosts celebrating heartbreaking holidays, deadly music that spells death for any who hear it, unsettling children who take extraordinary steps, lethal butchers lurking in plain sight, ancient evils, and much more.
Collected together for the first time, these thirteen macabre morsels offer a taste of the terrifying, the sinister, the dangerous, and the disturbed. Every bite’s a pleasure, yet comes with a delectable thrill of fear. Available now in eBook and paperback, you can pick up your copy here.
KEV HARRISON
