SEPTEMBER 2023 RECAP: Librarians, Domestic Violence Awareness & The Boulet Brothers

Hello readers, and welcome to the end! With September almost officially past, October is soon upon us. Between end of year deadlines, fall semester, and the upcoming High Holiday, things are busier than ever in my little corner of the world. The past few weeks have been packed, and with travel, events, and special announcements coming over the next few weeks, October promises to be just as busy, so let's get to it: here's everything that happened in September!

First, I wrote an open letter to librarians about BLESS YOUR HEART, and the place libraries (and librarians!) hold in my heart.  You can read the full letter–along with a brief Q&A about four generations of women tasked with battling a vampire to protect their town–on the Macmillan Library site here.

     BLESS YOUR HEART began as an exercise—or maybe an exorcism—to say goodbye to the women I loved most. A way to bring them back to life on the page, hear their voices again, and give them different endings. And not just my grandmothers, but my friends, those kids who, like me, were too different to fit into the confines of their small towns. Those beautiful boys and girls who grew up scared to be themselves in small minds. Who, unlike me, never left. Whose stories, like the Evanses’, refuse to stay buried.

With September comes fall book season, and with fall book season comes a HUGE list of new horror releases–and I've got my Top 8 picks for the month over at Rue Morgue.

Highlights this month include new books from Carissa Orlando, Chuck Palahniuk, Nichelle Giraldes, Lee Murray, Clay McLeod Chapman, Stephanie M. Wytovich, Rachel Harrison, and Kristen Simmons. 

Check out the full list (with summaries) on ​Rue Morgue.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness month, and the amazing team behind UNDER HER EYE, Black Spot Books' second annual women-in-horror poetry showcase, has been busy ramping up both for the release of the showcase (November!) as well as putting together several campaigns to bring awareness to domestic violence, and bring support and resources to women worldwide. (Check out this feature in Rue Morgue for a peak at some of the incredible poems!)

The Nerd Daily shared an exclusive look at co-editor Lee Murray's introduction. Next month, I'll share more about why I support this very important project.

     UNDER HER EYE is a charity showcase developed in partnership with The Pixel Project, a global non-profit organization focused on eliminating violence against women worldwide. According to a March 2022 study, “over one in four women experience intimate partner violence before the age of 50, according to a worldwide analysis led by researchers from McGill University and the World Health Organization. The largest of its kind, the analysis covers 366 studies involving more than 2 million women in 161 countries.” 

And last, but certainly NOT least: earlier this month I was able to rekindle my love of All Things Boulet Brothers by sharing amazing news–come Halloween, THE BOULET BROTHERS' DRAGULA is BACK with Season 5!

This season promises to be bigger, better, and more horrible than ever and I AM HERE FOR IT. Check out the full announcement over at Rue Morgue where you can also read up on last season, my interview with DRAGULA TITANS winner Victoria Elizabeth Black, and more!

That's it for now! Happy almost-October, and remember, Halloween is only 33 days away!
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Currently Reading: TENDER IS THE FLESH by Agustina Bazterric