Issue Eleven Intro
November 2024

As the seasons change, and the colors come out, so many interesting creatures and stories lurk in the woods, waiting to pounce. We have four fascinating new stories in this issue: “Had You Been a Dragonfly” by Charlotta Amato explores strong emotions as the title contemplates how things might have been different; “She-Wolf” by Arden Powell is a gruesome and original take on Little Red Riding Hood; “Families Are All Alike” by Kristin Peterson explores the manipulation and gaslighting of a charismatic cult leader; and “Aardvark” by Jackson Vrana taps into the uncanny for an original story about tiny elderly people hatched from eggs. As for reprints, we have three very cool stories: “Nelly’s World” by Arthur H. Manners explores grief and loss in a powerful tale about fatherhood; “Pepper Honey and Cedar Smoke” by K. S. Walker is an intense folk horror story; and “Mr. and Mrs. Kett” by Sam Hicks is a surreal, unsettling story—one of my favorites in recent memory. We have two original non-fiction essays this month: “El Rumbo de la Muerte” by Jess Simms, which explores the Day of the Dead and “My Greatest Irrational Fear: When Proteins Turn—The Insidious Horror of Prion Disease” by Veda Villiers which is a fascinating essay that really got under my skin (pun intended). And finally, our two non-fiction reprints are: “13 Tourist Destinations for Horror Lovers” by Annie Neugebauer, showcasing some captivating and haunted places around the world, as well as “In Defense of Anti-Science” by J.H. Siegal a controversial essay about science and anti-science that asks some compelling questions. Cover art this month is once again by the talented Lynne Hansen. Enjoy!

—Richard Thomas
Editor-in-Chief / Creative Director