It's now officially 2026, so in honor of the death of 2025 here's our annual list of some cool (new to me) horror (mostly) reading that we did this year. I'm always behind the curve, so most of these books didn't actually debut in 2025, but... well, you get the idea.

Moonflow (2025) by Bitter Karella

Damon Knight: holy machine learning process! it seems that people don't AI slop being eligible for the nebula! Knight: what to do? Knight: i'll feed the question into the bat computer Erin Underwood: never fear, erin underwood is here!

Moonflow by @midnightpals.bsky.social Weird in all the right ways. Queer, trippy splatterpunk. Unlike anything else I read this year.

Damon Knight: hello citizens Knight: it's me, damon knight Knight: science fiction writer, SFWA founder, and vigilante crime fighter Barker: yeah that scans Poe: how do you figure that, clive? Barker: i mean with a name like damon knight Poe: oh yeah that makes sense

Charles Dickens: turns out everyone really loved a Christmas carol Dickens: this whole Christmas ghost story idea is a gold mine! Dickens: i'm gonna write a new ghost story for EVERY Christmas! Dickens: and each one is gonna be BIGGER than the last! Dickens: don't believe me? just watch!

Charles Dickens: hey it's Christmas! Dickens: you know what that means! Clive Barker: Christmas was last week, man Dickens: it means Dickens: what? Dickens: no no that can't be!

In honor of the SFFWA stepping on a rake like a bunch of bozos who can't understand that writers might not want to embrace AI slop, enjoy this classic Midnight Pals podcast episode about how writing awards are all pretty stupid! midnight-pals.simplecast.com/episodes/the...

[scottish castle] JK Rowling: ugh! i'm tired of all thesssse people online making fun of my black mold! Rowling: that'sss it! Rowling: today isss the day that i do sssomething about it

The perfect holiday gift for the discerning pervert on your list. Pick up Moonflow for someone you love today!

King: you know we haven't seen JK Rowling in a while King: is she still tweeting? Barker: ha ha ha oh steve Barker: ha ha ha ha ha Barker: ha ha ha ha ha ha King: what's so funny? Barker: ha ha ha! King: c'mon i want to know the joke

Graham Joyce: submitted for the approval of the midnight society, i call this the tale of some kind of fairy tale Joyce: it's about a girl who gets kidnapped by fairies Joyce: and i know what you're thinking Joyce: but my fairies are different

Matt Maxwell: submitted for the approval of the midnight society, i call this the tale of no tomorrows Maxwell: it takes place back in the cool dank cyberpunk noir future of 1980s Los Angeles Maxwell: where veteran punk rocker turned cool chick cait Macready is being cool

Our own Bitter Karella is part of this AMA! You should go and ask anything!

Never believe the fuckers who say "why bother, they already won"

Colleen Hoover: anyway i have a fun, sassy little romance for you that i think you'll all love Hoover: it's totally normal and NOT fucked up in any way Poe: ok this is really not assuaging me Barker: let it go, edgar, i'm excited for this fucked, not normal story Barker: this is gonna be a doozy

these are some good essays 👇

Colleen Hoover: well golly Hoover: i don't know why everyone's so scared of lil' ol' me Hoover: i'm just a girl, after all Hoover: just a harmless girl

might be a good time to get yourself (or a loved one!) a copy of our debut horror novel MOONFLOW if you haven't yet! 🤔

Nora Roberts: ah here we are Poe: nora? aren't you usually at the romance campfire? Roberts: yeah but i wanted to bring you a new member Poe: a new member? Roberts: yeah meet colleen hoover Colleen Hoover: Poe: oh, uh, hi Roberts: yeah she just wasn't fitting in over there

[mysterious circle of robed figures] JK Rowling: hello children Rowling: i want you all to say hello to graham linehan Rowling: he'ss jussst a normal man Graham Linehan: [wearing tin foil hat] trans free masons run the country!

We’re joined by @videocrime.48minutesofdogsbarking.com of the @podcast.48minutesofdogsbarking.com and @midnightpals.bsky.social podcasts to discuss “the MAGA civil war,” MTG’s exit, goofy online reactions to Epstein, “the seditious six,” some awful news out of Texas, and Jacob’s college lore

Stephen King: submitted for the approval of the midnight society, i call this Elon Musk: [rising from bushes] eyyyy Stephano king Musk: itsa me, you besta friend elon Musk: elon musk!

Beatrice Winifred Iker: Submitted for the approval of the Midnight Society, I call this the tale of the demon at the HBCU Lovecraft: what's a HBCU Iker: it's a historically bl Poe: oh no don't say it in front of howard Poe: the abbreviation will do just fine

Today's 7 o'clock shill is our first anthology, THIS WORLD BELONGS TO US: AN ANTHOLOGY OF HORROR STORIES ABOUT BUGS. It has Cynthia Pelayo, Laurel Hightower, Kealan Patrick Burke, Paula D. Ashe, and more. Amazing cover and interior art by Jacob Blanchet. frombeyondpress.com/books/this-w...

hear ye hear ye, old awards season declared crappy by all! chooseth ye bitter karella for new awards this season!!!!!

Guillermo del Toro: submitted for the approval of the midnight society, i call this the tale of frankenstein del Toro: but del Toro: this frankenstein is a little different Bram Stoker: yes we know, guillermo, this frankenstein is hot del Toro: del Toro: oh del Toro: i've mentioned this before?

NEW Midnight Pals episode!! Stephen King tells the tale of THAT 🤡🤡🤡 midnight-pals.simplecast.com/episodes/the...

U could also...preorder my book ghoulish.rip/product/cosm...

King: Submitted for the approval of the Midnight Society, I call this the tale of the running man King: it's about a dystopian future where real people's pain is exploited for television ratings King: you might even call it King: reality TV

you won't want to pass up THIS deal! What a savings!! All the sexy sexy gore, half the price!

Joe Hill: but if you think THAT'S scary Hill: wait until you hear about the tale of the black phone 2 Hill: oh hero, named Finn Hill: like Stranger Things! Hill: is now in the 80s Hill: like Stranger Things!

Stephen King: okay guys today my boy joe is going to tell a story King: and we're all gonna give him our full attention okay? Barker: sure King: and we're gonna act like it's really great, okay? King: because it is really great!

Elon Musk: [rising from bushes] eyyy itsa me elon King: criminy Musk: you know, joyce carol oates, she says i no read Musk: but thata not true Musk: as evidenced by dissa new ad campaign i just start onna twitter to convince everyone that i read

Just learned that Moonflow is going to a second printing!!!!!!!!!! You know what that means - there's going to be more opportunity to get your hands on this gross, sexy adventure! Don't pass it up!

King: submitted for the approval of the midnight society, i call this the Elon Musk [rising out of bushes]: eyyyy stephano king Musk: itsa me, elon! Barker: hey it's your pal King: he's not my pal!! Barker: look everyone it's steve's pal Poe: that's enough clive Poe: you're going too far

👀👀👀

[at Tesla] Tesla Shareholders: in recognition of your incredible gift for lowering the price of tesla stock, we would like to award you this trillion dollar bonus Elon Musk: yeah yeah that'sa fine Tesla Shareholders: what's the matter? you seem distracted Musk: no i'm fine Musk: [muttering] oates

Moonflow: still available where ever quality books are sold! You should check it out! 👀 www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/bitte...

Stephen King: submitted for the approval of the Elon Musk: [rising from bushes] eyyyyy Stephano king King: oh criminy King: this again King: is there no one who will rid me of this vexing trillionaire Joyce Carol Oates:

Anything for the vine.

Oh dang; for a minute there I got all excited since I'd already done a doll, but then I re-read it. But here's the doll, anyway, just because

👀👀👀

new art challenge dropped: draw jugsaw 👀💦

Out now on the @midnightpals.bsky.social podcast: "The Tale of the Shadow Over Innsmouth", available on Apple Podcasts, Youtube, Pocket Cast, or wherever you find podcasts! Howard tells an eldritch space squid story, and goes head to head with Mary Shelley in a high-stakes bet.

The @midnightpals.bsky.social are back! This week HP Lovecraft tells “The Tale of the Shadow Over Innsmouth”. Hear me as folksy inn keeper, Gilman. Gilman is your typical New England local who loves salt water taffy, hospitality and squid Jesus. #MidnightPals #Podcast #HPLovecraft #SquidJesus

The choices of how to depict Greg Bear, as well as Swanwick and Zelazny, had me howling! It's so good!

New @midnightpals.bsky.social is out! It's FINALLY Howard's turn at the campfire, and he's doing... Shadow over Innsmouth?? Ugh. Mary took his thesaurus and made a chilling bet. Listen at midnight-pals.simplecast.com

Stephen King: hey guys guess what? King: the blue wave is back!🌊🌊🌊 King: it's curtains for DRUMP! King: end of the line for mango mussolini! King: no more orange julius caesar! King: i haven't been so excited since we finally defeated bu$hitler back in '09!

Clive Barker: hey steve where's your friend elon Stephen King: he's not my friend Barker: yeah sure so where is he? Barker: haven't seen him allllll day Barker: wonder what's up with that Barker: sure hope he's not having a bad time Barker: ha ha ha ha