Excerpt of SHINY HAPPY PEOPLE at Nerd Daily: bit.ly/49fpBzq

NY #booksky

launching

Professor Alex Dawson snapped these pictures during today’s Inside the Writers House: Horror Edition at Rutgers University, featuring me, Nat Cassidy and Cassandra Khaw. I read from SHINY HAPPY PEOPLE for the vury vury first time. Chatted with creative writing students about spooky stuff.

Check out friend of the show Clay McLeod Chapman's thoughts on his new YA horror novel!

Today on the newsletter, we have our *first ever* guest post, as @claymcleod.bsky.social explains his approach to his YA debut SHINY HAPPY PEOPLE, in bookstores tomorrow! matthewjacksonwrites.com/guest-post-s...

Somebody brought masks to this Rutgers University horror author event and I swear it wasn’t me @natcassidy.bsky.social @casskhaw.bsky.social

HELLO RUTGERS UNIVERSITY @natcassidy.bsky.social @casskhaw.bsky.social

The lovely members of the horror book club at Underbrush Books just sent me the coolest t-shirt. Facing my fears head on by wearing it today. Thank you, Underbrush!

As of right now, I'm a third of the way through his collection, and these stories have been funny and made me feel uneasy. Chapman is truly gifted; so, go get a copy of Acquired Taste, and I'll highlight another story next week. 3/3

The story is simple: a man is leaving his family and his wife brings home a bag of baby carrots that he says looks mangled, and then the carrots start moving and Chapman makes carrots terrifying. It's actually impressive his ability to make mundane things like carrots scary. 2/3

Baby Carrots. You know, the small little carrots that your toddler devours. What if I told you Clay McLeod Chapman wrote an effective short story about...baby carrots; well, he did in his short story collection Acquired Taste. #MutantBookClub #MutantFam Harless🥷/ @jonharless21.bsky.social 1/3

My friend found a signed copy of Acquired Taste by @claymcleod.bsky.social at the bookstore today. Would it be in bad taste for me to steal it out of her luggage before she leaves tonight? #booksky

Now reading Whisper Down the Lane by @claymcleod.bsky.social

Crazy hectic events week coming up so I wanna get a jump on getting the word out: 11/10 11AM: NJ: Inside the Writers House @ Rutgers B&N 11/11 7PM: NYC: Double YA horror book launch @ Twisted Spine Books 11/13 6:30PM: MA: Spooky book event @ Once Upon A Bookshop 11/15 12PM: Virtual horror book talk

Got my @thunderstormbooks.bsky.social books edition of KILL YOUR DARLING @claymcleod.bsky.social personalized at Horror Reader Weekend. (It’s a phenomenal book. Haven’t read it? See Clay’s face of disbelief. Seriously, people—read it!)

My author autograph bag now includes @claymcleod.bsky.social @chuckwendig.bsky.social and @markzdanielewski.bsky.social ☺️

Don’t know about you but my Sunday afternoon will be spent with a dog in my lap and a book in my hands. I’m cracking open THE COUNTRY UNDER HEAVEN by Frederic S. Durbin…

Action shot from last night’s reading at Horror Reader Weekend

Here's one of you frightening people with baby carrots.

I only took four photos at Horror Reader Weekend and they were of A) Ron Malfi’s banner B) a shot of a panel I got to speak on C) a pop up tattoo parlor in the hotel lobby and D) the beautiful view of Bear Mountain. I promise to take more/better pictures next time. @christineharrold.bsky.social

I got to read a story about a bad batch of baby carrots to all of these beautiful people… Thank you @christineharrold.bsky.social

Just received Shiny Happy People by @claymcleod.bsky.social

Hi, I’m at Horror Reader Weekend

Getting my dark academia on this morning while I take the train up to Horror Reader Weekend. Thank you @getunderlined.bsky.social

@johnlangan.bsky.social’s name card told me in an otherworldly voice to hide @claymcleod.bsky.social’s name card. I’m not responsible for its disappearance.

home alone on a friday night so i’m gonna try and scare myself @spectrevision.bsky.social

Thanks so much for picking this up! Especially after, um, Booger Sugar.

Book Review 64 of 2025: Shiny Happy People by Clay McLeod Chapman is s young adult horror novel inspired by Invasion of the Body Snatchers. The imagery is beautiful even during the horrific. Shiny Happy People brings the horror. #ShinyHappyPeople #NetGalley #horror #bookreview #youngadult #booksky

Fearmongers is live! Clay gets to the heart of what makes a haunted house if there are no ghosts with guests Marcus Kliewer (WE USED TO LIVE HERE) & Christina Henry (THE PLACE WHERE THEY BURIED YOUR HEART). Apple: bit.ly/3XlBCfa Spotify: bit.ly/47Jp0DD Amazon: bit.ly/3WMMHG2 YouTube: bit.ly/4nJeF0n

Publishers Weekly covers SHINY HAPPY PEOPLE in its weekly roundup of kids and YA books. 11/11/25 is just around the corner… Don’t you think it’s time to shine?

#ShinyHappyPeople is perfect for introducing new horror readers to something approachable but still scary enough for more seasoned horror fans and with all the dark humor we’ve come to expect from @claymcleod.bsky.social. TY #NetGalley and Delacorte for the ARC. #BookSky Full Review:

Did you know there is an audiobook of SHINY HAPPY PEOPLE and did you know it’s narrated by Dominique Salvacion and that it’s difficultly dystopian?

There’s a new bookstore brewing in Fall River, MA and guess who’s stopping in next week? I’ll be hanging with Christa Carmen at Once Upon A Bookstore on 11/13 to chat about SHINY HAPPY PEOPLE and her recently released HOW TO FAKE A HAUNTING. Register here to let us know you’re coming: bit.ly/47QLzax

New book haul! Gonna need to causally place @claymcleod.bsky.social's old @shortwavebooks.bsky.social prints of some of these on our local coffee shop's bookshelves 😏 And if you're not familiar with @jauntworksstudio.bsky.social, there's no better time to get acquainted than #Noirvember. #BookSky

👀👀👀 • @capesandtights.com This week on Episode 253 of the Capes and Tights Podcast, Justin Soderberg welcomes back author @claymcleod for a discussion on his latest novel Shiny Happy People and so much more!⁠

CJ LEEDE NYC TAKEOVER (we totally did not coordinate our outfits today, I swear…) @ceejthemoment.bsky.social

Edge of Venomverse (Vol. 2) #1 The infinity Comic gives backstories to the versions we're seeing in Spider-Verse vs. Venomverse. Some good stories and good versions in here. Enjoyable art all around. I like the set up for the current vs run, it really works.

This week on Episode 253 of the Capes and Tights Podcast, Justin Soderberg welcomes back author Clay McLeod Chapman for a discussion on his latest novel Shiny Happy People and so much more! Shiny Happy People in-stores November 11! @claymcleod.bsky.social

This week’s episode of Taste the Pod of Dracula is on 1970’s Scars of Dracula with special guest @claymcleod.bsky.social! open.spotify.com/episode/6ucg...

Feeling squeamish sharing this because it’s the ‘zon. Plus it’s such a highly specific reading niche that feels like it shouldn’t necessarily be celebrated… SHINY HAPPY PEOPLE is the #1 book under “Teen & Young Adult Fiction On Depression & Mental Health.” Should these orange banners be celebrated?

I like to imagine I’m the eighth sister, or maybe just the first reader. Or the second. THE SEVENTH SISTER by Dawn Kurtagich hits shelves April 2026 from Thomas & Mercer Books. @dawnkurtagich.bsky.social

Clay McLeod Chapman has written a genuinely terrifying book with Shiny Happy People that could easily hook a new generation of horror fans for life. One week away! @claymcleod.bsky.social

In 1 week, my new YA sci-fi horror novel SHINY HAPPY PEOPLE comes out. I’ll be celebrating alongside Kristen Pipps at The Twisted Spine. This will be 1 of a few live events I’ll be doing for its release, so I’d love for you to join us. Let us know if you can make it by registering: bit.ly/4hs96BU

I always love me some book mail!

Voted.

Clay McLeod Chapman joins the Capes and Tights Podcast for Episode 253 on November 5, 2025. To prepare for the conversation, we have compiled 15 books and comics by Chapman you should read. @claymcleod.bsky.social

Stuff like this blows my mind. Can you imagine having enough junk that someone can say, hey, here’s the better stuff for you to check out. Some deep cuts here, which really warms my heart. Can I just keep writing stuff, please? I love writing. Thank you, Capes & Tights. Read here: bit.ly/4hErA29

Booklist gives SHINY HAPPY PEOPLE a STAR! “A fast-paced tribute to horror and sf greats that explores the overwhelming loneliness of feeling like an outsider, the challenges of drug epidemics across the U.S., and the desperation felt in losing one’s trust in their community.” Read it: bit.ly/47CR8bB

Monday! November 10th! 11AM! New Jersey! Nat Cassidy! Cassandra Khaw! Meeeeeeeeeeeeee! Inside the Writers House: Nightmare Edition at Rutgers University: bit.ly/3LlvtNt