We're Here: An Anthology of LGBTQ+ Horror

We're Here #1

by James G. Carlson, Judith Sonnet, Hailey Piper

For the marginalized and oppressed, the expression of dread varies greatly. There has been no safer place than art to communicate such powerful thoughts and feelings. And never have these voices been so embraced as in the horror genre. Hence, the existence of this important book—We’re Here: An Anthology of LGBTQ+ Horror. Comprised of twelve stories, We’re Here boldly speaks its mind, presents old and new horrors, and celebrates the beautiful spectrum of otherness. Even in fiction, we live our truths.

Contributing authors
Judith Sonnet
Hailey Piper
Angelique Jordonna
Ruth Anna Evans
Michael R. Collins
Sumiko Saulson
Evan J. Peterson
Dan B. Fierce
Pippa Bailey
Anton Cancre
James Lefebure
Jason LaVelle

Genres: Horror, Short Stories

227 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 16, 2023

About the author

James G. Carlson is an award-winning author of horror, science fiction, and dark fantasy. His short stories have appeared in various anthologies. He has released two collections of dark fiction, Seven Exhumations and The Ever-Descending Staircase, as well as three novellas, The Legion Machine, Midnight in the City of the Carrion Kid, and Red Falls (in the book Hacked in Two, with Daemon Manx). Most recently, Carlson has teamed up with fellow author Michael R. Collins for Miracles for Masochists, a collection featuring one collaborative tale and three shorts by each author. From the weird state of Pennsylvania, James drinks too much coffee and writes at a desk surrounded by animals and family in the mad zoo he calls home.

Reviews

[Milt Theo · Rating 5 out of 5]

A second LGBTQ+ Horror anthology in as many months, published independently from each other, can only be good news for all horror fans! 'We're Here' delivers twelve exciting tales spanning horror, dark fantasy, and a bit of futuristic science fiction. With an amazing cover by Ruth Anna Evans, it features stories by such names as Ruth Anna herself, Judith Sonnet, Hailey Piper, Dan B. Fierce, and Jason Lefebure. There's a wide variety of themes and writing styles, thankfully going beyond mere depictions of the very real injustices LGBTQ+ people continue to face daily, and reimagining, instead, both the monstrous (the transphobic male, the antigay bully, the queer-fearing parents, and the sinister gossipmongers at the workplace) and that elusive intimate connection (between parents and child, lovers, friends, even between strangers). My favorite stories were: "The Sin-Eaters" by Michael R. Collins, a revenge story with a very satisfying ending; "Insurrection" by Ruth Anna Evans, a heartbreaking story that not only addresses the anthology's shared themes, but transcends them in order to shake up the heteronormative in its fully political dimension; "The Parachute" by Evan J. Peterson, a short creepy creature feature story; and "Trauma" by Jason LaVelle, a touching story on the victimization of trans women around the world. Many thanks to Gloom House Publishing for the ARC copy!

[Corrina Morse · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic collection of LGBTQ+ stories and authors that will grab hold of you, rip your heart out and stomp on it, shock, stun and surprise you, horrify you, make you feel ALL the emotions and make you sorry you have to put it down! It will stick with me for a long time, there are some extremely powerful messages in these pages, thought provoking and deeply emotional stuff! Congrats to all on a superbly put together anthology that is gripping, addictive and just, bloody brilliant!!

Oh and if youre a fan of Dani by Angelique Jordonna, you will definitely want to grab this book and read her prequel/sequel, of which I had the absolute honour of being a very special character in! (Thank you so, so much Angelique, for this incredible accolade!)💜

I genuinely enjoyed every single story, each in its own way, but the stand-outs for me were, SHE WAS THE FIRST (and not just because I was in it!), THE SIN-EATERS, INSURRECTION, THE PARACHUTE and, ENDLESS, HE SAID! And, as always with anthologies and collections I will write a few words for each story….

CHASER by Judith Sonnet…. Tulsa is just trying to pay her bills by making online videos, but she hates the internet, and all the idiots it brings to her inbox. She doesnt have a lot of confidence in herself and the transphobic comments towards her cut deep! And then she receives an anonymous text out of the blue that changes not just her life but her whole world. She is given the ultimate opportunity for revenge against her haters, but will she take it? Would you? A tale of gory, creepy vengeance!

SHE TASTED OF GOOD FORTUNE by Hailey Piper…. The Eastlight Club has a reputation, and its not a good one. So Kate's trepidation on entering is more than justified, But Bouquet graced her with the invite, and Bouquet is very special. She seeks the help of a fortune teller, a clairvoyant, a sensitive, and sends Kate to find her one in particular, but their kind have been slowly disappearing, and Kate is about to find out why….
This was a darkly beautiful story! 🖤

SHE WAS THE FIRST: A DANI STORY by Angelique Jordonna…. This is the story of Dani's first kill, and its dark and beautiful! 🖤

Dani's girlfriend, Lyric, wants to know all about her first kill, the why, where, who and how of it all. Every single dark, disturbing detail. Angelique sets the scenes perfectly, theyre horrific, harrowing and chilling! You can feel Dani's fear and panic from the traumatic memories that are brought back to her so vividly, and the ensuing pleasure's after! And on the other hand, you get Corrina's fear and panic at what her actions have caused Dani to do to her. Brutal, bloody and devastating actions!

It was an absolute honour to be Dani's first kill!! And Angelique made my character a lot of fun, although imposing and immoral! Best death ever!! 😁😂 Im very much hoping there will be a book based on Dani's journals… 🤞

THE DENOUEMENT OF FREEZE-DRIED COFFEE by Sumiko Sauldon…. Lala and Wendy are living in a bay that is underwater after a sudden flood of acid rain. Rotting, swollen carcasses, both human and animal, litter the area and predatory ocean life impedes the journey to the local Safeway for supplies. With the land slowly disappearing underwater, and less places for people to live and try and survive, there are also less places to avoid all the transphobics that are left!
An eerie, thought provoking tale of survival!

THE SIN-EATERS by Mick Collins…. Della is about to face the Sin-Eaters, for the crime of falling in love, they are to release her of her so-called sins, of being bisexual and having unsavoury sexual thoughts and feelings. Although, they will do it in a very unorthodox manner. When the true sins are revealed however, the Sin-Eaters really get to work….
A fun, satisfying, feel good read!

TENEBRES MON AMOUR by Pippa Bailey…. In love with the darkness! Totally, completely and utterly! 🖤
Poetic and beautiful.

INSURRECTION by Ruth Anna Evans…. Wrens wife, Lorraine is terminally ill with cancer, and the world around them is tuning to shit! Insurs are out to get anyone they deem even slightly 'different' to them. Theyve cut off electricity and water supplies and are now stopping people from entering hospitals for their treatment. But thats not even the worst of it!! When they are dragged from the house one night, things go shockingly, horribly wrong!

The depth of the imagery and emotion in this story was fantastic! Shocking, horrifying, heart-breaking, Ruth ripped my heart right out with this one, and then stomped all over it for good measure! 💔

THE PARACHUTE by Evan J. Peterstone…. Brandon is on a date with Abe. Abe belongs to a travelling circus and takes Brandon back there to his trailer, and holy fucking shit I was NOT expecting that!!!! 😲
Starts off nicely, gets a bit steamy, and ends with a brilliantly fucked up twist!!

TAKE ME TO CHURCH by Dan B. Fierce…. Gerald is chained up in a basement after the so-called sin of loving another male. He has been put there and is being tortured by the church as a cure for said sins! The pastor and Gerald's parents hold a vigil, but little do they know, Gerald has made a new friend, a very supportive and encouraging friend!
Horrific, bizarre and brilliant!

A SONG OF SORROW by James Lefebure…. Callie misses her beautiful blonde hair. She's manipulative, uses her golden locks to tease and mesmerise men to do her bidding. But, when she loses out on a job to a lesbian, she takes drastic action to get the job she feels is hers, and then the phonecalls start, and then revenge is dished out….
Brilliantly horrific vengeance!

ENDLESS, HE SAID by Anton Cancre…. A brilliantly bizarre take on the zombie trope!
Haunting and one that will stick with me for a while!

TRAUMA by Jason Lavelle…. Raena's new home is haunted! Shes having a house warming party with a few friends, when things get creepy. Her friends try to help, but it only makes things worse, much worse!
From haunted house, to home invasion, to torture, perfect!

[Milt Theo · Rating 5 out of 5]

A second LGBTQ+ Horror anthology in as many months, published independently from each other, can only be good news for all horror fans! 'We're Here' delivers twelve exciting tales spanning horror, dark fantasy, and a bit of futuristic science fiction. With an amazing cover by Ruth Anna Evans, it features stories by such names as Ruth Anna herself, Judith Sonnet, Hailey Piper, Dan B. Fierce, and Jason Lefebure. There's a wide variety of themes and writing styles, thankfully going beyond mere depictions of the very real injustices LGBTQ+ people continue to face daily, and reimagining, instead, both the monstrous (the transphobic male, the antigay bully, the queer-fearing parents, and the sinister gossipmongers at the workplace) and that elusive intimate connection (between parents and child, lovers, friends, even between strangers). My favorite stories were: "The Sin-Eaters" by Michael R. Collins, a revenge story with a very satisfying ending; "Insurrection" by Ruth Anna Evans, a heartbreaking story that not only addresses the anthology's shared themes, but transcends them in order to shake up the heteronormative in its fully political dimension; "The Parachute" by Evan J. Peterson, a short creepy creature feature story; and "Trauma" by Jason LaVelle, a touching story on the victimization of trans women around the world. Many thanks to Gloom House Publishing for the ARC copy!

[Derek Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I originally planned to read this anthology in June to celebrate Pride, but it took me a while to get to it, better late then never though. The contributing authors are some of the best Indie writers around, so obviously the stories are fantastic. They touch on themes that can scare anyone, regardless of their sexuality, but the true horrors in We're Here are the everyday people and events members of the LGBTQ+ community are forced to deal with. I enjoyed every single story, but I have to mention Insurrection by Ruth Anna Evans as a diamond in the box of gems. It absolutely blew me away. It is horrifying in many ways, but more than anything it is a heart-breaking love story. My favorite amongst many great tales.
Get the book, read it all and be nice to people you meet in this world and support these authors.

[Christina Eleanor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This anthology published by Gloom House Publishing is an amazing assortment of stories told in the perspectives of characters just trying to be themselves. These 12 stories go into the harsh realities of what it is like to live in society and reveals the fear and anxiety that they may feel or experience. Some of these tales are visceral and brutal; I will admit, hard to get through at times. I will highlight some of the ones I enjoyed best here.

Chaser by Judith Sonnet– Tulsa is a woman that tries to avoid the trolls in her inbox. She keeps to herself most of the time but a puzzling message comes through that doesn’t want to be ignored. This story put me on edge right at the start. Sonnet brilliantly portrays the fear and uncertainty that Tulsa must deal with.

She Was The First: A Dani Story by Angelique Jordonna– Jordonna thrills us with a tale that supplements her Dani novella. Dani has a conversation with her lover about the first time she killed. The detail of the brutality really made this story a great one!

The Denouement of Freeze-Dried Coffee by Sumiko Saulson– The world is in an apocalyptical state due to an event that has caused the sea to rise. A group of friends must work together to survive and get to a safe place. Saulson did a great job showing the loyalty of friendship in this one.

The Sin-Eaters by Michael R. Collins– Della has committed an act that her family believes is sinful. They need to restore their daughter and remove those impure thoughts, so they call the Sin-Eaters to come take away her sins. This story was really creepy because as the reader, I was not sure what was going to happen. This story was wild and kept me guessing!

Insurrection by Ruth Anna Evans– This was a powerful tale of a couple that is trying to survive in a world where the extremists have taken over. People that do not fit their mold are being rounded up and removed from society. I quickly became invested in this couple. The brutality they see made it hard to get through this story. This hit close to home because I can see how these events could potentially happen. This story is a bleak glimpse into an alternative future that could come to pass. It’s scary as hell!

A Song of Sorrow by James Lefebure– Callie is a woman who recalls her past, reminiscing of the things she loved then. Her song takes her back to those happy times. That song also is how she survives as the Lady of the Loch! This is a story of betrayal and the consequences of that betrayal. I really enjoyed this story!

Trauma by Jason Lavelle– Raena has moved into her new to her older home. She finds she is not alone in the home, but accepts those that were there before her. A dinner party with friends ensues. But will she heed the warnings from her house ghosts? This story blew me away! I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. Lavelle did a fantastic job showing the vulnerability of Raena.

In all, this was a fantastic line up of stories. Definitely shelf worthy, so so get your copy today!

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I'm not going to give you the 'what this book is about' blurb - you can read that elsewhere.


1. Of course, I was going to read this in June for Pride Month! (Yes, this means my reviews are a few weeks behind, insert nervous laughter) I pre-ordered and read it pretty much immediately upon showing up on my Kindle. It was even better than I expected! This anthology is 12 stories, either written by LGBTQIA+ authors or containing LGBTQIA+ characters and content. The community is extremely diverse, and the stories within this anthology were a good depiction of the breadth of our community. Unfortunately, many were tinged with an element of fear that, in my opinion, should no longer be a factor in 2023, yet here we are. Yes, this is a soapbox, and no, I’ll not hop off.

2. This was a polarizing collection for me. While I respect all the stories and voices, of the 12 stories I super enjoyed 5, liked 2, and didn’t care much for 5, which is kind of a low ‘enjoyment percentage’ for the anthologies I’ve been reading lately. But the stories I enjoyed, I really enjoyed; so that makes up for the difference.

3. Just a listing of some things that stuck with me, and, surprisingly, not all these stories are in my favorites – proof that just because a story doesn’t connect on a personal level doesn’t mean it isn’t good!
- The Denouement of Freeze-Dried Coffee by Sumiko Saulson has a closing line that messed with my head in a good way. It made me put down my Kindle and think for a bit, but I enjoy a philosophical rabbit-hole while I read.
- The Sin-Eaters by Mick Collins was great fun! It took a complete left turn from what I thought was going to happen, and I loved every second of it.
- Insurrection by Ruth Anna Evans left me teary-eyed and terrified. She played on a very scary, and, depending on where you live, real possibility which left me all kinds of shook. *Back on my soapbox: we need to do better. This isn’t a fear that people should be forced to live with, and sadly, it’s not far off.
- Both Tenebres Mon Amour by Pippa Bailey and Endless, He Said by Anton Cancre were beautifully written; almost poetic, really. Leaving just enough up to your imagination while providing ample structure for the point to hit home. This is my introduction to both of their work, and I’m looking forward to more by each of them based on these stories alone.

4. Pride month may be over, but I’ll leave you with this: We’re STILL Here.

[Carlos E. Rivera · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Very Unique Horror Anthology

This is a horror anthology written entirely by queer authors. Stories that take all the hate, discrimination, and prejudices against queer people and turn them into modern monsters, dystopias, and supernatural threats. Or... they take all of those misconceptions about queer people, own them, and say, "Yes, we're that and a whole lot more, so you better not mess with us."
Some truly creative disturbing stand-outs in this one. I can honestly say I only didn't enjoy one of the stories in the book, because it felt more like an article to vent about discrimination and not so much a story but I hesitate to deduct any points for that one story, because its message is incredibly important and should be read.
Aside from that one story I feel every single other was beautiful, horrifying and enjoyable. Ranging from cosmic horror, to supernatural horror, to the very human horrors that can come for us.
This is one hell of a meaty anthology, and I truly recommend it to everyone.

[Dustin Ekman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twelve short horror stories mostly from authors I’d never read before, “We’re Here” was essentially sold by Hailey Piper telling me her story She Tasted of Good Fortune took place in the same world as her amazing novel No Gods for Drowning. Finding out that Judith Sonnet was also in here made me wish I could get Same Instant Shipping. I love both of these women’s writing styles.
This anthology then introduced me to the work of Angelique Jordonna, Michael R Collins, Pippa Bailey, Jason Lavelle, Dan B Fierce, Sumiko Saulson, and the author of my favourite story in the book “Insurrection”, Ruth Anna Evans.
It is an amazing set of horror stories, and I now have my eye on ten new (to me) authors, so this is a win.

[Maryanne Chappell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished We're Here, An Anthology of LGBTQ+ Horror. Im happy to say I've met, know and have read some of the authors in this anthology such as Sumiko Saulson, Anton Cancre, Hailey Piper, Mick Collins and Ruth Anna Evans. All the stories of struggle told through the lens of horror, were well told and very eye opening in many instances I thought. I highly recommend this anthology, I'm positive you will find something you love in here!💜

[Petri · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great collection of queer horror short stories. There was only couple I didn't really care for and some of them were just 10/10.

I'd recommend this for anyone who is looking for inclusive lgbtq+ horror.

[Charlotte Rhodes · Rating 2 out of 5]

Chaser - 2/5
She Tasted of Good Fortune - 2/5
She was the First - 3.5/5
The Denouncement of Freezer Dried Coffee - 2.5/5
Sin Eaters - 4/5
Tenebres mon Amour Dors Bien - 2.5
Insurrection - 4/5
Parachute - 2/5
Take me to Church - 2.5/5
A Song of Sorrow - 3.5/5
Endless, he said - 1.5/5
Trauma - 4/5

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Insurrection is the one short story that will stick with me. Felt a lot and very relatable fears. 5 stars for that one!