Hello, children of the dark. I’ll keep it short and to the point. There’s been some not-great-at-all stuff going on in the horror community this week, so I wanted to use this opportunity to reiterate one thing: Horror Tree and, by extension, Trembling With Fear welcome all writers, regardless of race, gender identity, ability, or background. 

I love that we are often the first place new writers submit, and I promise we treat all writers with respect and dignity. As a volunteer editor, I don’t often get as much time as I’d like to help nurture a writer and their story, but I do try to give feedback based on the story itself, not the person who’s writing it.

If you ever feel we’ve crossed a line, let us know. You can contact the team using the submission form here. We don’t bite, but do ask that you treat us the way you would like to be treated. 

We’re all human, but if we don’t own our mistakes, learn from them and grow, then having our influence limited is an appropriate next step. Previous reputation or supposed status is not a protective cloak. I personally applaud the decisions made by organisations to remove a certain writer from the conversation this week.

Soap box to the side, let’s turn to this week’s menu. For our Trembling main course, Jay Rounds takes us to the rodeo. This is followed by three delicious quick bites:

• Kerry E.B. Black has a nightmare,
• Jessica Gleason remembers an old neighbour, and
• RJ Meldrum finds a new trick at a funeral.

If these stories inspire you to get writing, you’ll find details on how to submit to us over here, and we have an insatiable appetite. As Stuart said the other week, we would like to re-open to short stories soon but we still have quite a few waiting for publication. If you really want to get your short story mojo going, we are looking for submissions to our Valentine’s special – that’s shorts up to 2500 words or drabbles of the usual 100 exactly. Get them in quick – deadline looms!

Over to you, Stuart.

We’ve had an uptick in Valentine’s Day submissions for Trembling With Fear – Thank you! I can feel the love of darkness in the air.

While the overall look of the site change is still coming, we’re starting to work on some new layouts for the full line of ‘Trembling With Fear’ line of blog posts in advance of that! You should be seeing them come soon-ish.

For those looking to support the site, we’re always open Ko-Fi donations and always have our Patreon going.

As always, I hope you had a great weekend.

Hello, children of the dark. Tell me: where do you get your writing inspiration from? What is it that brings those little story sparks, the step before you fan the flames of creation? I’m always curious about what gets other creatives going – especially when, as I am now, I’m staring into the deep abyss of a new project and feeling totally overwhelmed about what to tackle first. So many possibilities! What if I choose the wrong one?!

Sometimes inspiration comes from attending an event – I went to a wassail organised by a friend on Sunday, and my folk horror senses were tingling – and sometimes it comes from reading the work of peers. Many of our contributors at TWF are inspiring with how they paint a picture with carefully chosen words, others inspire by outlandish and crazy ideas. If you’re looking for inspiration from the best of the best, last week the Horror Writers Association released the longlist for this year’s Stoker Awards. I’ve always found this list, and others like it, to be a great pointer towards new talent and things I might’ve missed from the more established, too. Check it out here and let us know what you’re going to add to your TBR for inspiration pile!

But now let’s turn to this week’s menu. We head out into the great outdoors for this week’s Trembling main course with Shelby Dollar. This is followed by three delicious quick bites:

• Mike Rader channels the feline world,
• Rachel L Tilley brings wildness to heartbreak, and
• Carys Crossen seeks a magickal assistant.

If these stories inspire you to get writing, you’ll find details on how to submit to us over here, and we have an insatiable appetite. As Stuart said the other week, we would like to re-open to short stories soon but we still have quite a few waiting for publication. If you really want to get your short story mojo going, we are looking for submissions to our Valentine’s special – that’s shorts up to 2500 words or drabbles of the usual 100 exactly. Our new specials editor Shalini awaits your imagination!

Over to you, Stuart.

The new hosting and layout are going to be pushed back by a couple of weeks so we’re a bit stuck in limbo on updates until that time. I hope that we’ll have a few changes to share before that. However, this week, we won’t be adding anything fun. Apologies!

On the Trembling With Fear side, as mentioned above, we are eagerly looking for your Valentine’s Day short stories and drabbles, and TIME IS RUNNING OUT! Also, we’re starting to catch up on our serials and Unholy Trinities that we’ve had backlogged. A final update, the next set of anthologies will start being prepared after the new layout is complete.

For those looking to support the site, we’re always open Ko-Fi donations and always have our Patreon going.

As always, I hope you had a great weekend.

Hello, children of the dark. How are you doing on this fine January day? Me, I’m still on a bit of a high after seeing filmmaker Darren Aronofsky be interviewed at the British Film Institute last night. He’s made some of my favourite films – ok, maybe not favourite, but certainly films that have left a lasting impact on me – and it’s always a privilege and a pleasure to get to hear these creative leaders speak live, in the same room. 

Since I made the decision to truly prioritise my creativity and make big changes in my life, I’ve tried to make the most of these sorts of opportunities to attend events and Q&As and suchlike. Living in London is such a gift for these things, but I’m also grateful for all the virtual events that have become a staple since the beginning of the pandemic. It makes the creative arts more accessible to those outside the big centres, and that can only be a good thing.

Case in point: next month in the UK, we have the Ghost Story Festival happening in Derby, which is in the Midlands of England. But the organisers know that not everyone will be able to get there, so they’ve added a preview night with two virtual sessions happening on the day before the festival proper kicks off, as well as launching a YouTube channel featuring interviews with the speakers. Then there are all the writing groups around the world who are using Zoom and other platforms to bring writers and creatives into our phones and computer screens to share wisdom, tips and expertise. Yes, even Horror Tree tries to make opportunities and offerings more accessible – have you subscribed to our YouTube channel yet?

Nothing is perfect and no one is doing everything right, but I am heartened to see these steps towards embracing different needs within the creative world. And, from where I sit, I reckon the world of speculative fiction is leading the way in embracing diversity. In Penguin Random House’s list of 10 most anticipated books of this year sits Victor Lavalle’s forthcoming Lone Women – no way would a horror book have appeared on that list a few years ago. In our own way, Trembling With Fear welcomes submissions from all writers of the darkly speculative, no matter your age, gender, ethnicity, beliefs, abilities – as long as you adhere to our submission guidelines, of course. Please do check them before submitting to us, as we will automatically decline stories that feature graphic sex, rape, racism, homophobia, transphobia, misogyny and misandry, or killing or abuse of kids or pets. 

But now let’s turn to this week’s menu. The Trembling main course comes courtesy of neurodiverse writer Robert Zerbe and his sticky garage door. This is followed by three delicious quick bites:

• Marc Sorondo faces an end of the world scenario,
• Chelsey Pippin Mizzi goes to hell, and
• Finbar Hussey writes in a diary.

If these stories inspire you to get writing, you’ll find details on how to submit to us over here, and we have an insatiable appetite. As Stuart said the other week, we would like to re-open to short stories soon but we still have quite a few waiting for publication. If you really want to get your short story mojo going, we are looking for submissions to our Valentine’s special – that’s shorts up to 2500 words or drabbles of the usual 100 exactly. Our new specials editor Shalini awaits your imagination!

Over to you, Stuart.

I know that I keep talking about the new hosting and design and that we’re not there yet. I promise you; we’re getting SO CLOSE! This is the big hold-up for quite a few upcoming changes and I’m hoping it shall be sorted soon.

Another change, I know that once upon a time in the past, it had been mentioned that we might be bringing iPhone and Android apps of the site into existence. We’re still exploring that idea and might have a way to feasibly do so that won’t kill our already pretty low budget. (We’ve lost a couple of Patreons lately so the budget has been shrinking. Gah!) 

For those looking to support the site, we’re always open Ko-Fi donations and always have our Patreon going.

As always, I hope you had a great weekend.

Hello, children of the dark – and it really is dark out there, isn’t it? At least in the Northern Hemisphere (a wave and shout-out to my homeland, where it’s currently summer). It’s that time of year in London that is pure grey skies, driving rain, blasting winds and just cold, cold, cold. My Aussie bones can’t take it, so I’m a hermit once more (though less of the heater-constantly-on thanks to the energy crisis, and more wrapped up in my warmest jumpers).

Over this side of the pond, tomorrow – the third Monday of January – is known as “Blue Monday”, and is said to be the most depressing day of the year. There is a lot of debate as to the methods and origins of this “science”, with some claiming it’s just a misguided PR stunt, but whatever the origins, the idea has really taken hold in the last decade. 

If you’re feeling down because of the weather, post-Christmas finances, low motivation and the pressure to take action on new year’s resolutions, maybe the concept resonates with you. Maybe it’s also taking its toll on your creativity, and you’re struggling to write. If that resonates, I ask that you hold on. The grey will lift, and soon the light will return. Find solace and inspiration in your community of writers and readers of the darkly speculative. And, of course, reach out if you need to talk to someone. There’s a lot of shit out there, but there’s also good to be found.

Dare I say, some of that good is in this week’s TWF menu? Our Trembling main course is definitely not one for the bug-phobic (thanks, Kellee Kranendonk!). This is followed by three delicious quick bites:

• Scott Bogart takes revenge on the bad guy,
• Robert Allen Lupton takes revenge on editors, and
• Ron Capshaw’s type of revenge is tbc.

If these stories inspire you to get writing, you’ll find details on how to submit to us over here, and we have an insatiable appetite.

Over to you, Stuart.

A HUGE thank you to Kangas Kahn Publishing for sponsoring this week’s newsletter! Please, if you’ve got a Halloween story in mind, do reach out to them! They’re paying 8 cents per word for 2000-5000 word Halloween stories! Details are on the link above. 

We’re inching toward the new hosting and layout, which is taking up quite a bit of my time! (That, and my latest class for my MBA, has started up, which hasn’t helped matters.) That isn’t to say nothing is getting done that is new! I’ve added an automation for new subscribers of our newsletter to receive a welcome e-mail and wrote a script that will welcome our new Patreons as well, which I’ll be trying to record soon. (I may also add a video to our welcome letter.) 

Oh, we’ve also had a few people ask about the return of Horror Tree merch. It won’t be happening with the new layout of the website, but we ARE actively working on bringing it all back (and adding more items as well!) More to come.

For those looking to support the site, we’ve recently launched a Ko-Fi and always have our Patreon going.

As always, I hope you had a great weekend.

Hello, children of the dark. I’ve had the strangest day, so forgive me if this week’s intro is a little… odd. You see, I was woken this morning by a crackle of static and a slow, low, barely audible voice: “Hello? Can you hear me?” As I came to consciousness, I realised there were wires all over me, and a machine on the wall told me it was recording.

It’s ok – I was just finishing up an overnight sleep study, but my word it was the strangest encounter I’ve had in a while. I’m still waiting to see if any psychic or telekinetic powers develop, but I guess at least the photo of me wired-up made a few people giggle.

After all that, I’m a bit tired – ok, I’m a bloody exhausted – so I’ll jump straight in if that’s ok with you?

Here is this week’s menu. Our Trembling main course concerns some danger in the dark depths of the deep. This is followed by three delicious quick bites:

• Kerry E.B. Black wonders if ambition is worth the cost of entry,
• Regina Beach spins a drabble from a Welsh myth, and
• Robyn O’Sullivan takes her final journey.

If these stories inspire you to get writing, you’ll find details on how to submit to us over here, and we have an insatiable appetite.

Over to you, Stuart.

The new year is upon us and we’re finalizing our plans for moving to a new host and working through our new layout. A ton of updates are on the horizon and I’m thrilled to be sharing them with you as they go live! 

For those looking to support the site, we’ve recently launched a Ko-Fi and always have our Patreon going.

As always, I hope you had a great weekend.

Hello, children of the dark. How’s the head? Did you celebrate the turn of the year last night? Me, I’ve never been one for the big New Year’s Eve rave-on (yes, I’m a party pooper), but I do feel like a clean slate is now ready for us all to put our marks upon. May 2023, the new year, be full of opportunity for us all.

And speaking of opportunities… If you’ve ever wanted to join the Horror Tree team, now is a good chance: we’re looking for book reviewers and article writers. We’ve had a few new faces get in touch in recent weeks, but – like our appetite for drabbles – we always crave more! If you are interested in getting your hands on books, interviewing authors about their process, or just writing about writing in general, then I’m sure Stuart would love to see your name in our inbox.

But that’s not all. As has been mentioned in previous issues, as well as saying goodbye to 2022, we’ve also said goodbye to Amanda Headlee, who has been at the helm of our special editions, Unholy Trinities and Serials for the last few years. While Amanda will be greatly missed, I am super excited to introduce our new specials editor: Shalini Bethala.

I met Shalini during pandemic lockdown virtual writing sessions, and I can confirm she is awesome. But don’t take my word for it – here she is, introducing herself:

“My love for writing and storytelling begins and ends with New Orleans, the place where I grew up. It was where I fell in love with the dark, mystical and supernatural stories that are inextricable from the rich history and ethos of the city. It was also where I discovered I wanted to be a storyteller and where I began my journey into becoming one. I’ve been a writer of all sorts, but in recent years, I’ve turned my focus to poetry, essays and screenplays. While my work spans several genres, including comedy, as a reader, I’m especially drawn to pieces that have me hanging on the edge or that rip the rug right out from under me. I love a good ghost story, a good eerie, unexplainable tale and – of course – anything that will have me trembling with fear.”  

I can’t wait to see what Shalini brings to our dark table, but for now, let’s turn to this week’s menu. Our Trembling main course has Eve Morton ponder what makes humanity. This is followed by three delicious quick bites:

• Catherine Berry explores old photography,
• Brad Kelechava goes under water, and
• Yvonne Lang brings a little Halloween magic to the new year

If these stories inspire you to get writing, you’ll find details on how to submit to us over here. Remember, we’re still CLOSED to short story submissions – full transparency, we’re scheduled well into the new year so it will be a while yet – but are always seeking drabbles of exactly 100 words. 

Over to you, Stuart.

Happy New Year, one and all! I hope that you’ll have an amazing one and that with the cluster of the last few years we may even have some kind of normality return to our lives. (Doubtful, but, wishful thinking, right? Gotta try for that positivity!) 

First off, as Lauren already did above, I’d like to give a warm welcome to Shalini Bethala who is going to be helping with our specials. On the Trembling With Fear front, we’ll be sitting down over the next few weeks to talk about how we can re-open our calls sooner than later for short stories. Also, we’ll be making a push on publishing the serials and Unholy Trinities that have languished in our accepted inbox and push them out into the world.

We have a lot of big things in the works this year. A new host, a new layout (not much different, but it’ll be faster and easier to customize going forward.) Also, we have a few new projects being thrown around that we plan to launch over the course of the coming year. I’m excited and hope that all of you are too! 

For those looking to support the site, we’ve recently launched a Ko-Fi and always have our Patreon going.

As always, I hope you had a great weekend.