What do you think?
Rate this book
Dread Coast: SoCal Horror Tales
California is more than beaches, sunshine, and vineyards. Two dozen horror authors are about to drag you into their nightmares, taking you on a wild tour behind the sun-soaked glamour, promising chills and thrills that linger long after the last page. With stories ranging from cosmic to body horror, to the comedic and the strange, Dread SoCal Horror Tales is a descent into the darkest corners of Southern California. These pages carry the whispers of sinister secrets in the Hollywood Hills, ancient evils stirring beneath the sands, and twisted tales behind San Diego’s sun-soaked streets, making this anthology the perfect read for lovers of the macabre. Twenty-four writers, including New York Times bestselling authors, Peter Clines, Jonathan Maberry, and Scott Sigler; and USA Today bestselling author Luke Dumas will be your guides … to the shadowy side of the Golden State.
And the best part? Your terror helps others. Proceeds from sales go to support the vital recovery work from the Palisades and Eaton fires.
Edited by Dennis K. Crosby and KC Grifant
Participating authors
David Agranoff
Kevin David Anderson
Brian Asman
Peter Clines
Jon Cohn
Ronald Coleman
Dennis K. Crosby
Luke Dumas
S. Faxon
KC Grifant
Indigo Halverson
Theresa Halvorsen
Henry Herz
Elle Jauffret
James Jensen
TJ Kang
Lisa Kastner
Jonathan Maberry
Greg Mollin
C.D. Oakes
Scott Sigler
Benjamin Spada
Chad Stroup
Rose Winters
And the best part? Your terror helps others. Proceeds from sales go to support the vital recovery work from the Palisades and Eaton fires.
Edited by Dennis K. Crosby and KC Grifant
Participating authors
David Agranoff
Kevin David Anderson
Brian Asman
Peter Clines
Jon Cohn
Ronald Coleman
Dennis K. Crosby
Luke Dumas
S. Faxon
KC Grifant
Indigo Halverson
Theresa Halvorsen
Henry Herz
Elle Jauffret
James Jensen
TJ Kang
Lisa Kastner
Jonathan Maberry
Greg Mollin
C.D. Oakes
Scott Sigler
Benjamin Spada
Chad Stroup
Rose Winters
- GenresShort StoriesFiction
368 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 22, 2025
About the author
Dennis K. Crosby
26 books122 followersDennis K. Crosby is an award-winning novelist and short fiction author. His debut novel, Death’s Legacy, won the 2021 Readers’ Favorite Silver Medal in Urban Fantasy, the 2021 IAN Book of the Year Award for Outstanding Fiction in the Supernatural/Paranormal category, and was a finalist for Outstanding First Novel in the 2021 IAN Book of the Year Award. His sophomore novel, Death’s Debt, won the 2022 Best Indie Book Award for Urban Fantasy. His third novel, Death’s Despair, was released in 2023. In addition to his urban fantasy novels, Dennis has published twenty-two short stories in various anthologies including Weird Tales magazine, several Castle of Horror Anthologies, Dracula Beyond Stoker, and Creepshow: 13 Tales of Terror.
Dennis holds a Master of Science Degree in Forensic Psychology and a Master of Fine Arts Degree in Creative Writing. With experience in retail sales, private investigation, and social service, Dennis uses his knowledge and experience to craft compelling characters experiencing real world challenges, often against the backdrop of magical, supernatural, and mythological phenomena. He's been the subject of several interviews and podcasts, has been a guest speaker and workshop facilitator for writer’s groups and multiple conferences, and he’s been a panelist and moderator at WonderCon, Comic-Con International, Nebula, Bouchercon, and StokerCon 2024, where he also served as Co-Chair of the local organizing team. In March 2025 he was awarded the Jonathan Maberry Inspiring Teens Award from the Creative Writing Club at Canyon Crest Academy.
Dennis grew up in Oak Park, IL, and currently makes his home in San Diego, CA. where he is secretary of the local chapter of the Horror Writers Association, a member of Crime Writers of Color, and a board member of Partners in Crime, the local chapter of the national organization, Sisters in Crime, and San Diego Writer’s, Ink, a non-profit dedicated to supporting the efforts storytellers.
Dennis holds a Master of Science Degree in Forensic Psychology and a Master of Fine Arts Degree in Creative Writing. With experience in retail sales, private investigation, and social service, Dennis uses his knowledge and experience to craft compelling characters experiencing real world challenges, often against the backdrop of magical, supernatural, and mythological phenomena. He's been the subject of several interviews and podcasts, has been a guest speaker and workshop facilitator for writer’s groups and multiple conferences, and he’s been a panelist and moderator at WonderCon, Comic-Con International, Nebula, Bouchercon, and StokerCon 2024, where he also served as Co-Chair of the local organizing team. In March 2025 he was awarded the Jonathan Maberry Inspiring Teens Award from the Creative Writing Club at Canyon Crest Academy.
Dennis grew up in Oak Park, IL, and currently makes his home in San Diego, CA. where he is secretary of the local chapter of the Horror Writers Association, a member of Crime Writers of Color, and a board member of Partners in Crime, the local chapter of the national organization, Sisters in Crime, and San Diego Writer’s, Ink, a non-profit dedicated to supporting the efforts storytellers.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
September 6, 2025
I have a story in this anthology so at the risk of sounding biased- fantastic collection of stories from so Cal about So Cal. Full review and podcast coverage...
A few years back, it was announced that StokerCon was coming to San Diego. At the time, I had been mulling over the idea of joining the local Horror Writers Association, having had experience putting on cons and similar large events, and I thought that I could be useful. One of the things we often talked about in meetings was this project that would eventually become Dread Coast. A Southern California or San Diego-based anthology, and the majority of the authors in this book are from San Diego.
The idea was a charity anthology, so the headache of paying two dozen authors would be taken out of the equation. Early on, talk was that it should be a California cause. When the Wildfires happened in LA, it seemed a no-brainer to support relief efforts. Dennis K. Crosby and KC Grifant, who led much of the efforts on Stokercon, continued to lead by editing this book. Publishing duties have been well handled by local author Theresa Halvorsen and her publishing arm No Bad Books Press.
There are, of course, stories that are stand-outs, and I will highlight those, but there are no duds. I enjoyed reading this one cover to cover. I often skip around, but I was curious how the stories were placed. The book opens with a squirmer from bestselling author Luke Dumas. A great kick-off for the collection, and having a story set on the beach is perfect. This one gets inside you and wiggles around. The Suitcase from newcomer C.D. Oakes is a powerful one. Probably the best most powerful prose of the collection comes from bookseller Greg Mollin (shout-out Artifact Books) whose story Growing Darkness packs a punch. Brian Asman and Jon Cohn have funny stories that make use of real settings. Chad Stroup’s story takes place in the universe of his criminally underrated Secrets of the Weird. Closing out the collection is Jonathan Maberry’s powerful vampire story.
Dread Coast is a must-read for So-Cal horror fans, but I think horror fans in all regions will enjoy this one.
A few years back, it was announced that StokerCon was coming to San Diego. At the time, I had been mulling over the idea of joining the local Horror Writers Association, having had experience putting on cons and similar large events, and I thought that I could be useful. One of the things we often talked about in meetings was this project that would eventually become Dread Coast. A Southern California or San Diego-based anthology, and the majority of the authors in this book are from San Diego.
The idea was a charity anthology, so the headache of paying two dozen authors would be taken out of the equation. Early on, talk was that it should be a California cause. When the Wildfires happened in LA, it seemed a no-brainer to support relief efforts. Dennis K. Crosby and KC Grifant, who led much of the efforts on Stokercon, continued to lead by editing this book. Publishing duties have been well handled by local author Theresa Halvorsen and her publishing arm No Bad Books Press.
There are, of course, stories that are stand-outs, and I will highlight those, but there are no duds. I enjoyed reading this one cover to cover. I often skip around, but I was curious how the stories were placed. The book opens with a squirmer from bestselling author Luke Dumas. A great kick-off for the collection, and having a story set on the beach is perfect. This one gets inside you and wiggles around. The Suitcase from newcomer C.D. Oakes is a powerful one. Probably the best most powerful prose of the collection comes from bookseller Greg Mollin (shout-out Artifact Books) whose story Growing Darkness packs a punch. Brian Asman and Jon Cohn have funny stories that make use of real settings. Chad Stroup’s story takes place in the universe of his criminally underrated Secrets of the Weird. Closing out the collection is Jonathan Maberry’s powerful vampire story.
Dread Coast is a must-read for So-Cal horror fans, but I think horror fans in all regions will enjoy this one.
April 10, 2026
This anthology is great! It has a wide-range of horror flavor, so something for everyone. As a San Diegan, I appreciated how these stories were all set in SoCal. I applaud the editors, Dennis Crosby and KC Grifant, for assembling fantastic authors and stories for this charity anthology.
I found something to enjoy about every story, and here are a few of my favorite:
The View From Here by Elle Jauffret
Skin in the Game by Brian Asman
Acheron Gas & Co by Dennis Crosby
Birds of Prey by KC Grifant
Flesh Trade by Peter Clines
and
Growing Darkness by Greg Mollin (This was my favorite story. Moody, atmospheric, beautifully-written.)
I found something to enjoy about every story, and here are a few of my favorite:
The View From Here by Elle Jauffret
Skin in the Game by Brian Asman
Acheron Gas & Co by Dennis Crosby
Birds of Prey by KC Grifant
Flesh Trade by Peter Clines
and
Growing Darkness by Greg Mollin (This was my favorite story. Moody, atmospheric, beautifully-written.)
November 26, 2025
Entertaining collection of horror / thriller tales set in various locales of Southern California. The voices of the authors varied widely, from softer, sometimes guarded stories of ghosts and vampires, to darker ones about the occult and cults. Everything from the more realistic horror to fantastic a la Lovecraft.
August 25, 2026
I enjoyed this compilation of horror stories. They are all unique and well written. As a SoCal resident, I love that they are all set in Southern California. I highly recommend this anthology! It was a creepy yet fun read.
August 29, 2026
A perfect collection of short stories for SummerWeen. Each story has a tie to Southern California, including many places in San Diego. I enjoyed all of them and didn’t skip any. Also by local authors supporting wildfire relief.
September 18, 2025
Great collection of horror! I had a blast reading this. Highly reccomend!
February 25, 2026
A fun collection for a great cause. Greg Mollin's story, Growing Darkness, was particularly haunting and excellent.
March 24, 2026
✔️ Rainy Day, by Scott Sigler 03/24/2026
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews