Wholesome Horror

Whimsy October has been and gone, and it’s safe (ignoring the serial killer theme song that’s just started playing) to say this month was our most whimsical yet. Or more to the point, the tip of the blade if you will, the most challenging to cut down to just five selected stories and five honourable mentions. But scary as it was, we got there…

Congratulations to our five selected stories for October, among which we have a ghostly yarn on the question of masculinity, a slashing (stabbing) tale of writerly romance, a poetic exploration of bringing life into a place void of it, keeping horses in the afterlife, and for our spotlight story - a misunderstood loner looking out for the neighbourhood in what is a wonderful, quintessential take on well-meaning slasher!

A big congrats also to this month’s five honourable mentions, bringing us not-so frightening witches, an eyeball seeking nuisance, cutting back on unhealthy eating habits, haunting epistolary hilarity, and strange fishin’ phenomena.

We’ve also let Gary, Heir to Oblivion pick three bonus stories to include in the anthology, too. We’ll drop those writers an email along with our selected stories and HMs shortly.

Lastly, bravo to our fourth name on the Whimsy Wall of First Lines with what is a fantastic, absurd opening image.

Thanks for all the Wholesome and all the Horror this month. Next up: a different place on the speculative spectrum, kicking off this Sunday 1st November. We'd love to see you there!

– Timothy Hayes (aka timmytimtimothy)