Reflecting over my first TRUE month of Women in Horror, I decided I wanted to give some shout outs to some of the ladies I respect, admire, and genuinely like in the horror world. I can promise you that each and every one of these fine ladies have touched me in some way. Whether it’s personally being there for me as a friend, someone I shared a laugh with, someone pushing the genre forward by their own hands, someone who wrote a great poem, or a story that grabbed my heart and sucked all the juice it could from it before allowing me to breathe again. Most of these women have done several things on this list. But without dragging on this monologue any more than it already is going to be, let’s get started.
First is Lori R. Lopez. A musician, actress, filmmaker, and phenomenal writer (I love her poetry), the San Diego resident is blazing a trail through the horror world. I have been lucky enough to share a TOC with her in the Indiana Horror Review 2014 by jwkfiction. She really knocked the ball out of the park with her offerings for Terror Train. Her standalones include Odds and Ends: A Dark Collection, which she did the illustrations for, Dance of the Chupacabras: The Tome of Trilogies, and Macabre. She also happens to be one of the coolest people you will ever meet.
Next is Deb Hoag. This is one funny woman, if you’re lucky enough to know her personally, and a great author. She is featured in Terror Scribes, edited Women Writing the Weird and Women Writing the Weird II: Dreadful Daughters. She lives in sunny, dry Arizona (seriously, I coughed when typing it), and is rumored to be at the Stanley Hotel Writer’s Convention this year. If you have a chance, meet her. You will not be disappointed.
Krista Clark Grabowski, one of the editors of Cellar Door III: Animals/Hell II , and also Terror Train by jwkfiction, has helped me tremendously in writing. Her editing service, Krista’s Editing Services is top notch, as well as her press, Verto Publishing. If you read her story, What Rose Saw (available at Amazon) you will see why she makes such a good editor. Her stories are awesome.
This one makes me smile just thinking of her (she did a turn at county—inside joke). Jane Brooks will change your mind about who you think she is. Inside that hilarious woman is one of my favorite authors of today. The Alabama (Roll Tide!) native has stories in Dark Visions II and Death’s Realm by Grey Matter Press. Check her out for sure.
On the subject of Grey Matter Press, I want to give some love to Sharon Lawson. She is the acquisitions editor for one of the most successful young presses in our business. Grey Matter Press has excelled, and in large part to Sharon’s fantastic work…and putting up with Mr. Tony.
In this same topic of awesome, hard working women who promote authors in horror, I want to mention the incredible ladies at Siren’s Call Publications. Julianne Snow, editor and creator of Days with the Undead, Nina D’Arcangela, administrator and social media wiz, and the editor in chief, Gloria Bobrowicz make a team that pump out a free ‘eZine chock full of great horror and disturbing tales and poems. This month’s issue is devoted to Women in Horror. Support these women. They deserve it.
Catt Dahman is a woman who is close to my heart. Not only can she write more than anyone I know, she’s sick when she does it. If you go to Amazon and pick up one of her tales, like When We Were 8, or Extinction Island (yes, the one with the most bad ass dinosaur cover you’ve ever seen), you’ll see what I’m talking about. More than that, she gives many of my friends, colleagues, and even myself chances to shine along side her at her press, J. Ellington Ashton Press. Anthologies, novels, novellas. Name it—they do it, and well. But none of it is possible without the drive and determination of Catt, a true warrior for horror.
The Doctor of Hug-a-Nomics, Mary Genevieve Fortier—the woman with the most vowels in history in her name (including sometimes “y”)—pushes horror as hard through various outlets. Nighty Nightmares blog, helping with The Whispers in the Dark podcast, or her amazing poetry are just to name the three things that just popped in my mind. Her work has been in Terror Train, Cellar Door III: Animals/Hell II, and Ladies and Gentlemen of Horror 2014. She is also a truly warm and caring person.
We’re going dark and dirty with this next one. Lisa Dabrowski. Yep, her. First of all, a loving, compassionate woman and mother of an Autistic son (who is my buddy), is a torch bearer for Transgressive Fiction. Her work usually centers on the dirty, perverted side of that side genre, as displayed in Doctor Satanic’s House of Whorrors (yeah, I spelled it right—cool ass name, right?) or Gutter Cherub: Poetry and Prose. But what you don’t see coming is something like Beautifully Blended Bella, a real life story of a child living through the divorce of her parents. It’s heartfelt, touching.
Magenta Nero is a super cool woman I have shared a TOC with in a J. Ellington Ashton release, Floppy Shoes Apocalypse (yes, it’s clown horror). She is great with vivid descriptions, and leans a little naughty sometimes. She is worth following on Twitter or Facebook if only to read her snips of poetry she posts. Good night, she’s good.
One of the sweetest, other-author-promoters in this blog is K.Z. Morano. She gives you the feeling that she never stops smiling, even as she writing some seriously creepy stuff. Her flagship book, 100 Nightmares, is an awesome idea and great for anyone who reads in a flash. I actually got lucky enough to win the Editor’s Choice Award with her for Demonic Possession through jwkfiction. I think she is a micro and flash fiction master. It’s hard to do it as good as her, let alone any better.
The last two (yes, finally last two) are actual close, personal friends of mine. I have pictures and things they have sent me hanging up in my house. I speak to them every day.
First, Alice J. Black. I love ya, chick. She’s riding the wave of her debut novel, The Doors. It made it to the Stoker Reading List, a huge accomplishment. I am soon to share a TOC with her, in J. Ellington Ashton’s Undead Legacy anthology. That is something I am proud to say. I have followed Alice for a while. She’s only going to be huge. I suggest following her now.
Last, and the woman I love more than any word in the dictionary can do justice to, Mrs. Dona Fox. First, she’s a driving force behind me. She’s like the wind pushing a hurricane. You only remember the hurricane’s name, not the wind that got it where it is. On top of all that, she’s ridiculously strong writer. The only three time Editor’s Choice winner at jwkfiction (Memento Mori, The Grays, and Indiana Horror Review 2014) has been featured in Eldritch Tales, Haunts, and Cemetery Dance publications. A truly gifted author, and my friend.
Before leaving you, I want to throw in some names that deserve it for their contributions to the horror genre and all things dark. Paula Ashe, Latashia Figuera, Chantel Noordeloos (she’s pushing Mary for the vowel championship), Amanda M. Lyons, Dixie Pinoit, all deserve to have their names down here, as do every other woman who sculpts our genre with your soft, maternal hands. Much love ladies. Thank you for the strength you bring to horror.
T.S.Woolard's Blog/site 