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Richard Alex Jenkins

1,205 books | 1,142 friends

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106 books | 2,035 friends

Perry

1,721 books | 109 friends

Ryan Rice

4,005 books | 138 friends

Hydra Star

644 books | 2,167 friends

Stephen Kozeniewski

720 books | 5,359 friends

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1,538 books | 1,338 friends

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4 books | 575 friends

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Chris Kelso

Goodreads Author

Born

in The United Kingdom

Website

http://www.chris-kelso.com/

Twitter

https://twitter.com/ChrisKelso5

Genre

Science Fiction, Philosophy, Horror

Influences

B.R.Yeager, Mark Fisher, Julia Kristeva, Breece D'J Pancake, Thomas Li ...more

Member Since

April 2012

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Chris Kelso is an award-winning genre writer, editor, illustrator, and musician from Scotland. His work has been published widely across the UK, US and Canada.

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What’s your advice for aspiring writers?

Chris Kelso Getting started as a writer is relatively easy – all you have to do is put pen to paper, to write and to draw with conviction and resolve! The next st…moreGetting started as a writer is relatively easy – all you have to do is put pen to paper, to write and to draw with conviction and resolve! The next steps, well, they can be a bit more of challenge.

It should be noted that I’m not a ‘successful’ writer by any stretch of the imagination. I make modest sales, I don’t write full-time, and I only have a very small (if awfully devoted) fan-base spread across the continent. However, I have been published extensively and am well acquainted with the various pitfalls of the publishing industry.

My journey was a fairly unconventional one.

So, once you’ve got your content and you’re happy enough with it, it’s time to start pitching.

First things first – there/their/they’re; your/you’re. Do NOT make these basic grammatical errors, they count against you big time. Even indie presses hate bad diction and sloppy syntax. Proofread!

There are thousands of independent publishers with open submission calls; it’s your job to sift through the swells and find a press that best suits your work. I recommend getting signed up to Duotrope, a subscription-based service for writers that offers searchable databases of fiction, poetry, and non-fiction markets. You’ll be amazed at the diversity of choice.

Make sure you have a strong cover letter and always adhere to the publications guidelines. The process of working through a slush pile is an arduous one for an editor, so be patient – I once submitted a story in December 2014 and didn’t hear back until January 2016 (it was a rejection). Response times vary from publication to publication. DON’T FREAK OUT!

Don’t be discouraged by rejections either. They’re inevitable. Lord knows I’ve had my share; I continue to be rejected on a weekly basis. Remember, JK Rowling was famously rejected by a screed of publishers before Harry Potter saw the light of day. Just because the first 100 publishers pass on your story doesn’t mean that the next hundred won’t be clawing each other’s eyes out to sign you up! You learn from rejection: it builds character and toughens you up. You’ll need a tough skin, my friends.

Some writers go down the route of obtaining an agent before submitting a manuscript. You should know that agents can be harder to get than a publishing contract. I chose not to seek an agent. As a result, I became skilled at pitching my own work to respected publishers. Sometimes doing it yourself can really make things happen. But if you are lucky enough to get an agent it’ll remove the extra DIY aspect of your writerly life – which, admittedly, can be draining. Constantly self-promoting is…yes, draining.

Small presses may not have the advances of bigger publishers but they do put a lot of their own money into making the final product look great. In fact, some of the most beautifully formatted and presented books I’ve come across were spawned from indie presses. Another thing - smaller companies won’t usually ask you to compromise your artistic vision. My first book was picked up by a small publisher from Manchester. They put a lot of effort into the product and marketing. Now I had my footing in the industry, placing my other material elsewhere is much easier. The bigger publishing houses I work with are always trying to spin my novels from a certain angle so that it’ll appeal to a whole new demographic of readers. Honestly though, I’m not all that interested in selling books on that kind of scale. I’d rather have artistic integrity. Maintain control. So I suppose another important piece of advice would be stay true to yourself.

If you write for money then you’re writing for the wrong reason. I write some of the most surreal and dark fiction out there but there are always going to be people around who want to read that sort of stuff.

For graphic novels, I’d even recommend self-publishing. If you decide to self-publish you control the content (we’ve established that’s essential for a healthy artistic psyche!). This means you can then tour your comic at conventions and pitch it to industry professionals – and once you’ve successfully pitched your book to a distributor you can join the Live Literature database. Having the finished article to show off will really go in your favour.

Lastly, I’d say know your limitations – managing expectations is vital. My books are pretty scary and nihilistic, so I’m realistic about sales and feedback. I write marginalised fiction for a very niche crowd. When I get a bad review I just remember that not everyone is going to like reading about murderers and demons. Be strong. Believe in your own work.(less)

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Hi, Chris. You have been involved with some very interesting collaborations recently, including Apollo Unbound with illustrator Jim Agpalza, and The Church of Latter Day Eugenics, with co-author Tom Bradley and artist Nick Patterson. Can we expect more collaborative work from you in the future?

Chris Kelso Hi Janie. You know, I think I've always sought out other artists who could enhance my material. There's an element of visual-literacy that i'm interes…moreHi Janie. You know, I think I've always sought out other artists who could enhance my material. There's an element of visual-literacy that i'm interested in: after all, a striking image can really give great life to words on the page.

I've been lucky that whenever I reached out, most of the good guys have said yes to a bit of fraternisation - Bradley, Clairval, Bahr, Grassmann, Swank, Agpalza, etc. Oh, I actually have short story collaborations with Laura Lee Bahr, Gio Clairval and Preston Grassmann featuring in various publications his year, so keep an eye out!

With people like Bradley and Patterson on 'The Church of Latter-Day Eugenics', I just wanted the opportunity to work with guys I already admired (I have all Tom and Nick's books and he's always been one of my favourite bizarro writers. To have a book out with him is really surreal!).

I'd totally love to work with Jim Agpalza again. In fact, we do have another comic story-boarded, it's just finding a home for it. This one has a more Philip K.Dick vibe about it. I do think (hope) people will enjoy it if it ever sees the light of day. Shane Swank and I will definitely be collaborating on the third instalment of the DREGS trilogy, 'Ritual Amerca'. Hopefully my career will be littered with fruitful collaborations though. Working together to make better art is what it's all about!(less)

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Chris Kelso’s books

Average rating: 3.9 · 1,903 ratings · 506 reviews · 72 distinct works • Similar authors

	The Black Dog Eats the City 4.02 avg rating — 90 ratings — published 2014 — 11 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Voidheads 3.97 avg rating — 63 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Dregs Trilogy 4.40 avg rating — 52 ratings — published 2019	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	I Dream Of Mirrors 3.80 avg rating — 59 ratings — published 2019 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Unger House Radicals by Chris Kelso (Goodreads Author), Shane Swank (Illustrations) 4.27 avg rating — 52 ratings — published 2016 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Interrogating the Abyss 4.40 avg rating — 43 ratings — published 2021	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Transmatic 3.92 avg rating — 37 ratings — published 2013 — 8 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Terence, Mephisto and Viscera Eyes 4.55 avg rating — 31 ratings — published 2014 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Children of the New Flesh: The Early Work and Pervasive Influence of David Cronenberg by Chris Kelso (Goodreads Author) (Editor), David Leo Rice (Goodreads Author) (Editor), Jonathan Greenaway 4.58 avg rating — 26 ratings — published 2022 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Burroughs & Scotland 4.54 avg rating — 26 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Chris Kelso…

9 posts
Chris Kelso's Blog

My book about Zulawski's Possession is on Goodreads!

Possession: Dreams of Suffering and Sanity is on Goodreads!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

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Published on August 09, 2025 16:00

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Series by Chris Kelso

Slave State (10 books)
by

Chris Kelso (Goodreads Author) (Editor),

Laura Lee Bahr (Goodreads Author),

Preston Grassmann,

Roger Lovelace,

Dale McMullen,

Rhys Hughes (Goodreads Author),

Gregory L. Norris,

Andrew Coulthard,

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4.15 avg rating — 293 ratings

The Dregs Trilogy (2 books)
by

Chris Kelso (Goodreads Author),

Shane Swank (Illustrations)

4.38 avg rating — 120 ratings

Chris is Currently Reading

Chris Kelso is currently reading

So Long, See You Tomorrow

by William Maxwell

bookshelves: greats, currently-reading

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Dec 21, 2025 04:41PM

Chris Kelso is currently reading

The Arabian Nights: Tales of 1001 Nights, Volume 1

by Anonymous

bookshelves: greats, currently-reading

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Oct 18, 2025 03:34PM

Chris Kelso is currently reading

Raft (Xeelee Sequence, #1)

by Stephen Baxter

bookshelves: currently-reading, sf-new-wave

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Sep 05, 2025 10:25AM

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Chris Kelso rated a book really liked it Woodcutters by Thomas Bernhard	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Chris Kelso rated a book it was amazing The Weird and the Eerie by Mark Fisher	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Chris Kelso rated a book it was amazing Somna by Becky Cloonan	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Dec 26, 2025 09:08AM · 1 like · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Woodcutters by Thomas Bernhard. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Woodcutters by Thomas Bernhard <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Chris Kelso wants to read Scream With Me: Horror Films and the Rise of American Feminism, 1968-1980 by Eleanor Johnson	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Chris Kelso is now following Ewan Morrison Author of How to Survive Everything
Dec 23, 2025 01:34PM · like

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Quotes by Chris Kelso (?)

“McNeil harboured fantasies of his own physical deterioration, about making love to the great wound of the universe, coalescing with.”
― Chris Kelso, Voidheads

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“In the censored-city, our only access to the outside is through the cloud. Sometimes I feel safer here, with all the screeds of data smog and oversaturated pop culture references condensed to their basic minimum. I mean, the sheer amount of input to our system has long since exceeded our processing capacity. We all felt the same way. Spam and social media had taken over everything. I remember it, clear as day.”
― Chris Kelso, I Dream Of Mirrors

tags: infobesity

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“The city is a cage bursting with roaring, tormented animals. The city is alive with purulent cries.”
― Chris Kelso, I Dream Of Mirrors

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A Million More Pages: Crime Weapons Spell-Out	77	117	May 11, 2023 07:58AM

Chris’s Quotes

“Truth cannot be imparted," said Kline. "It must be inflicted.”
― Brian Evenson

26 likes

“Work as if you live in the early days of a better nation.”
― Alasdair Gray

tags: possibility, progress, work

110 likes

“I have been writing my heart out all my life, but only getting a living out of it now, and the attacks are coming in thick. A lot of people are mad and jealous and bitter and I only hope they also can be heard by an expanding publishing program the size of Russia's. Because it's not a question of the merit of art, but a question of spontaneity and sincerity and joy I say. I would like everybody in the world to tell his full life confession and tell it HIS OWN WAY and then we'd have something to read in our old age, instead of the hesitations and cavilings of 'men of letters' with blear faces who only alter words that the Angel brought them.”
― Jack Kerouac

tags: biographical-resume-1957

27 likes

“Nobody realizes that some people expend tremendous energy merely to be normal.”
― Albert Camus

tags: humanity, life, mankind, mortality

7354 likes

“You don't write a novel out of sheer pity any more than you blow a safe out of a vague longing to be rich. A certain ruthlessness and a sense of alienation from society is as essential to creative writing as it is to armed robbery.”
― Nelson Algren, Nonconformity: Writing on Writing

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My book about Zulawski's Possession is on Goodreads!

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