Author: KC Grifant

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WiHM 2023: Saddle Up! 5 Supernatural Westerns by Women For Your TBR

Saddle Up! 5 Supernatural Westerns by Women For Your TBR

By KC Grifant

 

In honor of Women of Horror month, here’s a roundup of five relatively recent supernatural westerns by my fellow “weird west” authors you don’t want to miss. So shake off your boots, hang up your hat, and settle in!

 

If you’re new around these parts, the “weird west” mashes Old West elements with other genres, such as horror, science fiction and fantasy. Think The Wild Wild West, Preacher, Jonah Hex, the Dark Tower series or Cowboys & Aliens. The weird west is where you’ll find werewolves, demons, zombies, aliens, and other speculative elements lurking in the vast landscapes of the American West. 

 

Novels, novellas, anthologies and graphic novels in this genre range from blood-soaked extreme tales to more light-hearted adventures. Here are five with a supernatural hook to kick off your weird western TBR.

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5 Tips for Writing a Horror Weird Western

5 Tips for Writing a Horror Weird Western

By KC Grifant

 

There’s no doubt about it: there has been a recent surge in historical horror fiction, especially in the “Weird West” category. Maybe you’ve read a recent anthology featuring horror tales that take place in the Old West or come across “splatter westerns.” Whatever the case, the Weird West genre is making a comeback. Read on for more about this fascinating genre as well as tips for writing your own weird western.

 

What is the Weird West?

 

The term “Weird West” emerged around the 1970s with the debut of DC’s Weird Western Tales. Since then, Weird West stories have appeared in popular culture mediums, like Deadlands, The Wild Wild West, Preacher, Jonah Hex and many more.

 

Very generally, the Weird West fuses elements of the American West—including folklore, settings and aesthetics—with genres like horror, science fiction and/or fantasy. Horror is one of the most common fusions, featuring tales of haunted lands, monsters and brutal encounters that reflect some of the darker violence of the times. The subgenre sometimes also crosses over to—or is often used synonymously with—gothic westerns, historic fantasies, alternate histories, and splatter westerns (more on that below).

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