Thanks for a great #HorrorWritersChat, Gree. As for me, I have a story to share posted yesterday in The #ShadowBoxArchives Substack. Originally, it was for a publication, but it got rejected, so it's free to read. You can find the link to that below. We're also having our #Thirstday chat ⬇️

My latest fiction is "The Doctors Dreams: Novellas" 2nd edition, links up at my author site jjbrownauthor.com - thank you for hosting a provocative dialog with fellow writers, all! www.amazon.com/Doctors-Drea...? #horrorwriterschat #writingcommunity #booksky

No promo tonight, but I did just get my first order of book merch stuff , which was pretty exciting! Bookmarks, some stickers & envelope seals, and my own author pen! (And now, back to reading through the last of the anthology submissions!)

#HorrorWritersChat Q4: If there is nothing left to sacrifice, why keep up the ceremony at all? With trembling hands, you tear down the shrine. That festering hatred will guide you to the rest. Dark, rage-filled eyes stare at you through eternity. "When you're forgotten, you'll feel what I do."

Thank you for the cathartic questions! I don't have anything of my own to promote, so instead I would like to promote the cozy fantasy webtoon The Astral Diaries by @theastraldiaries.bsky.social ❤️ #HorrorWritersChat

In the mood for some historical or Gothic horror? Check out "The Pure World Comes," about a maid in Victorian England who goes to work for a mad scientist. Think Frankenstein and Crimson Peak had a baby together. Available in paperback and ebook. www.amazon.com/Pure-World-C... #HorrorSky #BookSky

#HorrorWritersChat “They killed your kindness,” your darkness whispered. “And now, all you have is me.” It felt empty, but now it was comforting, cold, but comforting. It was like a sinister bowl of ice cream. I decided that since I was alone and only had this darkness, might as well embrace it.

#HorrorWritersChat "Yeah, they did, but guess what? That doesn't mean I'm stupid enough to trust you! I am keeping the dagger, though because it looks really cool."

I said nothing. The enormity of my choice hit home as my darkness cackled. "What good is power," it whispered again, "if you have nothing else?" Alone, with my darkness, I wept, with no one ever to hear. #HorrorWritersChat

"They killed my kindness, but left me alive. Rookie mistake." The darkness *blinks* "What?" "The kindnes was the only thing holding me back. I'm you'r problem now." With a primal howl, dagger tightly clenched, I attack the darkness. Whoever wins today, one of us dies. #HorrorWritersChat

I stab the stand-ins for my enemies. Where the knife pierces their images, blood red roots twist out. Thousands of miles away, I hear the screams of those around my enemies. The fools are transforming into the monsters they always were. And now everyone sees the truth! #HorrorWritersChat

"I watch the world turn crimson as he enters my skull. Darwin, the darkness, the cosmic blood, is in me. All those hours working out, becoming huge to defend myself are at his disposal now. The grin I see reflected in the mirror is his. Shit." --- Lola Barrera #HorrorWritersChat Q4

Becoming a Dhampir fundamentally changes a person, as their soul is now tied to God. It's not just the agelessness and magical powers they receive, but the entire world now becomes a thing of duty - to protect against evil, and vanquish evil before it even sprouts. #HorrorWritersChat

#HorrorWritersChat Considering my characters have beaten literal gods before, I would say they change by becoming smarter. There are things even deities can't comprehend.

#HorrorWritersChat My vampire becomes despondent if she embraces her dark side so she tries to avoid it, but she isn't always successful. Her dark side is hopelessness and loneliness. Dying doesn't help since she's still alone. She can't risk love. Humans die. Then she's alone again.

If my werewolf huntress embraces the darkness she calls on to help her, some nasty stuff tends to happen, especially since she has the help of the descendants of Van Helsing and H. P. Lovecraft, both of whom have some pretty dark ideas about how to get those pesky werewolves. #horrorwriterschat

#HorrorWritersChat Q3: I don't know if it's because the world needs it, or because I do, but I don't tend to reward embracing the darkness. Embracing it is functionally the same as succumbing to it. You become part of the horror then, a vessel for continued darkness or a cautionary tale.

When Bathory does it in Innocent Blood, she becomes more powerful and frees herself from the strictures of society. Seems like it could be a good thing, but isn't for society. Sometimes it's better that have a f*ck or two to give. #horrorwriterschat

For Willow from A Mother's Porcelain, it's the fear of losing her daughter that she lets consume her; and it drives her to becoming an overbearing and possessive monster until it transforms not her, but her daughter. #HorrorWritersChat

Few of my characters "embrace" darkness. It usually comes for them. And the transformations tend to be permanent. #HorrorWritersChat

#HorrorWritersChat Venke's on a path towards losing herself entirely to her werewolf self, but her wife will be there regardless. Ksenia risks losing the lady who finally cracks her shell and has to face her own toxic masculinity Elle is being led away from comfort, into the wild world of spirits

#HorrorWritersChat Raven is very calm and controlled with her kills. She knows who and why she's killing. But if she something happened to a loved one it would break her. She could easily go on a killing spree, and there would be a lot of carnage left in her wake.

If Lola fully embraces her anger against her enemies at college, she won't physically change. But if Darwin (a ball of blood from outer space) is around, he may use the opportunity to synchronize with Lola, lasting as long as her rage does. #HorrorWritersChat Q3

Lola Barrera is full of hate & fury towards her enemies at college. She wants them to pay. And she embraces this fury. 😠 (Artist name on the art!) #HorrorWritersChat Q2

#HorrorWritersChat Q1: Hello, I'm Jacob Marsh and I write horror and supernatural thrillers. The part of myself I don't like is the rage I keep prisoner. The psychic scream, caged up, that rattles the bars when I read the news. The dark part is that the screaming feels more and more rational.

I'm Amber, a horror and dark fiction writer from central Maine. I write all kinds of horror, most with cults or ghosts. I'd say maybe my anxiety is the darkest part of me? It can take totally mundane situations and spin them into grotesque nightmares. #HorrorWritersChat

Howdy skymates. I'm Nate. My horror tends to exist within a spectrum of Working Class Cosmic, though I do like the occasional ghost. The darkest part of myself is my anger. When I was young, it wasn't well regulated. I've since learned how to channel it into my writing. #HorrorWritersChat

Hello! I'm Gree, writer of body, psychological, and religious horror for my Bloodied Rose: Verses of Midnight setting! The darkest side of me is definitely my anger towards bad persons. The more intense it gets, the more I start dehumanising them as obstacles to be dealt with. #HorrorWritersChat

Hello #HorrorWritersChat I'm Vincent, I write gothic and Lovecraftian horror with trans man MCs. I'd definitely say my fears and anxieties, as much as that may be a cliche. There's a lot of stuff I don't do because I'm just too afraid. Of what? People, mostly...

Hoi! I'm J. Neira, cozy horror author & slush reader for multiple presses. The darkest part of me is my intrusive thoughts, or sometimes my spirals which have been linked to my NPD. 😱 #HorrorWritersChat Q1

#HorrorWritersChat My name is Rosé Black. I write horror and horror comedy. Obviously, my imagination is the darkest part of me.

Good day #HorrorWritersChat! I'm Senka and I write mostly historical folk horror. The darkest parts of myself are the things which have gotten me through the worst parts of my life; coping mechanisms that addle my brain. I try to untangle them on the page.

I’m Clover, and I write atmospheric horror, dark fantasy, and poetry. As for what part of myself I consider the darkest, it’s probably my envy. I feel resentful toward people whom have achieved more in life without working as hard as I or many others have. I’m still working on it #HorrorWritersChat

Amanda M. Blake, purveyor of dark fiction, quiet to extreme. Imagining other people's cruelties was my darkest aspect, but where we are as a country right now makes me want things to happen that make me question fundamental principles about myself. I'm doing shadow work on it. #HorrorWritersChat

#HorrorWritersChat Hello! Karen here. Tired nugget who'll try to keep up. I write various genres of horror and fantasy. My latest release was a collection of garden horror, the next will be a cozy sapphic romance 🤷‍♀️ The darkest? My intrusive thoughts.

Hi. I'm Anna. I write cosmic and eco-horror. I suspect it's the capacity for anger. I think it takes a particularly dark form in people like me, who were highly socialized to be agreeable and shun open conflict. #HorrorWritersChat

Good afternoon, #HorroreWritersChat! I'm Trish Wilson, Media Director for The Horror Zine. I write quiet horror & horror comedy. The darkest part of myself: I'm Bipolar I. My mind goes to some damned depressing, horrifying, and dark places. I don't like it, but it is what it is.

I'm Bert. I write all flavors of #horror. And I am #neurodivergent which makes me seem cold, dark, and freaky to regular people. I don't have a proper filter and I think things and then say them and apparently they are inappropriate? 🤷🏻 #horrorwriterschat

Good afternoon, #HorrorWritersChat! I'm Trish Wilson, Media Director for The Horror Zine. I write quiet horror & horror comedy. The darkest part of myself: I'm Bipolar I. My mind goes to some damned depressing, horrifying, and dark places. I don't like it, but it is what it is.

Hoi! I'm J. Neira, cozy horror author & slush reader for multiple presses. The darkest part of me is my intrusive thoughts, or sometimes my spirals which have been linked to my NPD. 😱 #HorrorWritersChat Q1

#HorrorWritersChat Since I talked about international food days and since there are a load of them coming up, might I suggest picking up Cursed Cooking, a horror anthology/cookbook I edited? It’s quite fun and perfect for any occasion. www.cateyepress.com/store/p/curs...

What a fun chat! I'll never look at these international days the same way again 😂 My library locator got a bit of an update. Little White Flowers is coming soon to the San Antonio Public Library as well as more libraries in the Northeast. www.amberhathaway.com/post/lwf-pri... #HorrorWritersChat

#HorrorWritersChat Thanks Eryn, had fun Check out my most recent book, KILLER KAGAMI It'll make you wince It'll make you laugh It'll make you cry It'll make me about fifty pence a sale AN ADULT FILM STAR IS FOUND UNALIVED ON A SPACE STATION. HILARITY ENSUES! www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B...

#HorrorWritersChat Talked about both Lazarus and Owen today, and you can meet them in my short stories, available PWYW on my Kofi and Payhip. payhip.com/ALittleBitof... ko-fi.com/A0307Q3/shop Take em for free! At this point I'm happy just to be read 😂 Storygraph reviews are fun too though

Thanks #HorrorWritersChat 😁 Tomorrow’s my birthday, so it’s the last day you can get me an easy present by picking up one of my works from your favorite ebook retailer! 💖 I’ll leave my favorite here, but really any choice you make will make my day a happy one! 🥳 books2read.com/u/b571jA

Giving a shout out to the wonderful author we owe our beloved #HorrorWritersChat to. MG Mason wrote so many great stories, these gothic ghostly tales included #WritingCommunity

Thanks Eryn! #HorrorWritersChat, are you having trouble dealing with the cold? Try being Rose Taggert, who wakes up as part plant in the middle of winter! A Kafkaesque fantasy-horror story perfect for this season! www.amazon.com/Rose-Rami-Un... #HorrorSky #BookSky

Thank you! I've creeped myself out with the hugging dirty mutant bit. lol. I hope others will give my collection a chance. Like @stephellis.bsky.social stated, I can be quite good with imagery. Perhaps you wanna take...a look. 👀😂 mybook.to/AllsWell

#HorrorWritersChat From The Last Airing Of WSBN (Finale planned for April): "The times I thought of to share that embrace with her, not as lovers, but as friends. I denied them and kept myself at a distance, but now I wish I experienced them at least once. That's why I'm glad you're here now."

#HorrorWritersChat It wasn't their fault that their target's knife slipped last time. Maybe it was a bad idea to try to hug someone who was cutting onions. Regardless, they would try to honor the mandatory participation when they weren't in an industrial kitchen.