We'll Always Be Here: An Anthology of LGBTQ+ Horror

by Various, Rebecca Rowland, James G. Carlson

Horror is among the most diverse genres in fiction. That, in part, is why representation is so important. Fiction writing isn’t strictly entertainment. Sure, to an extent, most stories are crafted for enjoyment, but they’re also exercises in social commentary, political activism, cultural exploration, artistic therapy, philosophy, and self-expression. The stories in Gloom House Publishing’s third annual LGBTQ+ charity anthology, We’ll Always Be Here, speak to that beautiful range in horror fiction. Of equal importance, these books celebrate the voices of the LGBTQ+ community and the allies who love, appreciate, and champion them. Thank you for supporting this project and keeping queer and trans fiction not only safe but valued.

Cover design by Ruth Anna Evans
Edited by James G. Carlson


Rebecca Rowland
James G. Carlson
Bridgett Nelson
Leo X. Robertson
Angelique Jordonna
Jennifer Anne Gordon
Michael R. Collins
Chisto Healy
Phrique
Denver Wheeler
Arya Hyde
L. Stephenson

211 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 11, 2025

About the author

Various is the correct author for any book with multiple unknown authors, and is acceptable for books with multiple known authors, especially if not all are known or the list is very long (over 50).

If an editor is known, however, Various is not necessary. List the name of the editor as the primary author (with role "editor"). Contributing authors' names follow it.

Note: WorldCat is an excellent resource for finding author information and contents of anthologies.

Reviews

[Stitching Ghost · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's a surprisingly good variety of types of horror in this collection, from historical fiction to bizzarro. This time around there's no authors I don't read in the collection, so I don't even need to be conflicted about how to rate (yay me!) and much to my delight there was also a good balance of indie horror anthologies usual suspects and of newer voices.

My favorite stories were:

The Ghost Girls of Waterbury by R. Rowland. The first story in the collection and the only historical fiction entry of the collection. It was a surprisingly simple story, yet the horror of it lingers.
Making America Straight Again by C. Healy. This story of a parent's fierce love for their child absolutely gutted me. I related to the parent so much and it made the whole thing so much more bleak.

Ethan is Following Me by M. R. Collins. A well executed ghost story.

Winter Festival by A. Hyde. Good world building and characters exposition in very few pages. So. Frigging. Bleak.

There were 2 stories I didn't particularly care for, one was written like a scenario for a sitcom episode which really isn't something I enjoy so it was a case of not for me more so than anything being wrong with the story, the other one just felt rushed.

I read this book with Link and Goobz (Tiny Terror was busy staring into the void), both agree that it is not conducive to a cat getting the attention it deserves and therefore they do not recommend fellow felines purchase it for their humans. They also don't recommend that you let your human cook for themselves because it renders the lap inaccessible so I'm not sure how much of their advice you should take. It gets a 4.5 from me though.

[Milt Theo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet another dazzling entry in Gloom House's "We're Here" LGBTQ+ horror anthology series, this one containing twelve short stories a bit different in tone and theme from the previous two volumes, though equally dark and unsettling: from the opening story, Rebecca Rowland's "The Ghost Girls of Waterbury," a heart-breaking tale based on real facts, about "the radium girls," whose "skeletons continue to glow in their coffins to this day," to James G. Carlson's near future political satire, "Night of the Living Fascists," and the self-annihilating weirdness of "Checkov's Eyeball" by Jennifer Anne Gordon, a sense of quiet resistance or subtle defiance underlies the anthology; a sort of determination not to write about characters posing as victims of the times, but to be candid instead, about being prepared to stand outside one's comfort zone, if that's what the situation demands.

So, in this volume, the horror appears less of the supernatural kind, and more of the itchy, scratchy sort, so to speak, irritating and annoying, sure, yet more and more an inescapable part of one's daily life. Take Leo X. Robertson's "Lackers," for example: a bizarre tale of very real horror, opening with a queer, married journalist visiting ("just to watch") an orgy of amputees; you'd expect the horror to come from the outside, from the lacking form - but no, it comes from the inside, its meaning revealing itself violently in the horrifying ending scene. Or, Chisto Healy's terrifying "Making America Straight Again," a story about transphobia and the collapse of rationality in the US: again, the horror originates in hatred already there, now encouraged to be expressed openly - no need to appeal to iconic horror tropes when the negativity already lives inside. Perhaps the most effective example, however (because it's the creepiest), is Phrique's screenplay of "Kimmy Gibbler: Glamour Shot of a Switchblade Romance"; Phrique has a lot of fun messing with the sitcom characters, revealing underlying tensions with (very) dark humor and extreme prejudice LOL.

There are, of course, exceptions: Denver Wheeler's "Taken Away" is a familiar, supernatural tale of childbirth horror, great in its own way, yet closer to more typical horror stories; and Michael R. Collins "Ethan Is Following Me" is a disturbing ghost story about homophobia, guilt, and redemption. Both vary in their approach to the anthology's themes, and I enjoyed both immensely.

All the stories are good stuff. But the volume, I feel, also succeeds in asking people not to look away from what's happening. At times heavy and haunting, often just disturbing, the stories do address the violence, just not in its own terms. The authors do not point fingers; but they do raise them! And that's fine with me.

[Corrina Morse · Rating 5 out of 5]

A collection of lgbtq+ stories that are well represented, and explore all the fears, prejudices, and emotions the lgbtq+ community are up against. As well as scaring you and entertaining you, these stories will make you stop and think, to try and understand just what that means in this horrifying world we live in today.
It's a powerful, emotional, heartfelt, and scary collection. A gripping roller coaster ride you won't want to put down, and when you do, will stick with you for a long time to come.

Each story is incredible in its own right, but my two standouts were, ETHAN IS FOLLOWING ME By Mick Collins, and MAKING AMERICA STRAIGHT AGAIN By Chisto Healy.

As always I will write a few words for each story:

THE GHOST GIRLS OF WATERBURY By Rebecca Rowland.... Painting clock faces and yourselves with radium, because it's so pretty, makes you look positively glowing, but leads to a slow, painful and often gross deterioration...

Sad and chilling.

NIGHT OF THE LIVING FASCISTS By James G Carlson.... Music helps to heal, to cope, to survive and in this short story that message is instilled in us once again with the close knit band, Far Left, and their explosive set, bringing the house down, and causing everyone to come together. It then veers off into a bizarre, alien and extremely hellish world..
BOB! 🥰

MILE-HIGH By Bridgett Nelson.... An intense chance meeting leads to an even more intense, and a little hot and steamy, mystery. And ultimately, a brilliant twist!

LACKERS By Leo X. Robertson.... An orgy with a difference kicks off this rather quirky tale.. beautiful tragedies brought together by a common entity... mostly voluntarily, but sometimes not.

IT'S STILL HERE By Angelique Jordonna.... A breath of fresh air amongst loss and devastation, or is it?

Beautifully written, poetic, fast paced with a snappy twist.

CHEKHOV'S EYEBALL By Jennifer Anne Gordon.... Two friends, soul mates, putting the world to rights over frozen yoghurt, and interesting images. From artisanal bread, to something more mite-y.

ETHAN IS FOLLOWING ME By Mick Collins.... After a sudden death, there is a lingering presence that just wants an answer and acceptance.. whilst the person being followed is drowning in fear and guilt.
Chilling.

MAKING AMERICA STRAIGHT AGAIN By Chisto Healy.... A proud dad, in awe of his son's strength and determination in a world full of prejudice, takes a little bit of that strength for himself..
The love and pride shown for the mcs son is amazing and humbling, powerfully emotional. (Broke my heart into a million pieces!)

KIMMY GIBBLER: GLAMOUR SHOT OF A SWITCHBLADE ROMANCE By Phrique.... Written like a screen play, this starts as campy good fun, and quickly turns darkly sinister. With giggles and gloom, showing two very different worlds colliding…

TAKEN AWAY By Denver Wheeler.... Eagerly awaiting the arrival of their newborn, two mums are relieved to spot a hospital whilst panic hits in the middle of nowhere.. but things take a sudden and disturbing turn..

WINTER FESTIVAL By Arya Hyde.... A tale of survival, a bizarre festival, and a battle, with love and with hate.

Hunger games/running man vibes.

TRUE STORIES By L. Stephenson.... The fear, dread and paranoia are palpable in this story. Two stories intertwined into one, with a creepy outcome.

[Phrique · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was honored to be invited to write a story for We’ll Always Be Here, but I was just as excited to read the stories that accompanied mine. Especially with a stacked Table of Contents like this one, I knew I was in good hands. As expected, the stories were all entertaining while being varied with distinct voices, time periods, subjects matters, and characters in a plethora of horrific scenarios that all play out deliciously.

The Ghost Girls of Waterbury by Rebecca Rowland- An unsettling historic glimpse into “what’s normal to the spider is chaos to the fly.”
Night of the Living Fascists by James G Carlson- an epic battle of the bands that takes a bizarre, punk shape-shifting twist.
Mile High by Bridgett Nelson- A spicy tango between femme fatales that dripped with intrigue & noir throughout.
Lackers by Leo X Robertson- Unnerving & spellbinding, until the shocking finale that knocks you on your ass.
It’s Still Here by Angelique Jordanna- As romantic & heart-breaking as it is monstrous. Just when you think you are out of the woods…
Chekhov’s Eyeball by Jennifer Anne Gordon- A sensory overload that lays eggs in your brain for you to obsess about later.
Ethan is Following Me by Michael R. Collins- A shocking telltale heart update that haunts & makes the main character’s panic palpable.
Making America Straight Again by Chisto Healy- This one is going to make you pissed and sad, Chisto continues to hold a mirror to where we are in history.
Kimmy Gibbler: Glamour Shot of a Switchblade Romance by Phrique- How is it this man has not been McSued yet? The Hamlet nods? Under the jail.
Taken Away by Denver Wheeler- A gut-wrenching tale that pairs body horror & lack of autonomy with a malevolent ghost story that will stay with you.
Winter Festival by Arya Hyde- A well-planned time bomb that drops just the right bread crumbs until the monster reveal and a deafeningly quiet ending.
True Stories by L. Stephenson- A paranoid story within a story that makes your palms sweat, while looking over your shoulder long after.

Whew! That was a lot, but each story deserved its own time to shine. Gentle reminder that you don’t just have to read LGBTQIA2s+ authors *just* in June. We’re queer year round! (usually more so around the holidays.) Picking up the anthology not only delivers storytelling for just about any horrorphile’s taste, but the proceeds help fund the Trevor Project. I know I’m biased, but that’s a win-win or me. 🌈

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[Lisa Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

We’ll Always be Here: An Anthology of LGBTQ+ Horror collects 12 short stories ranging from impactfully dark to brutally horrifying. The horrors herein range from thought-provoking to terrifyingly realistic to fantastically frightening, and one is even irreverently, darkly humorous. It is a diverse group of stories penned by a talented group of authors.

“The Ghost Girls” by Rebecca Rowland is a powerful tale of the radium girls of the 1920s. “Night of the Living Fascists” by James G Carlson is a sci-fi leaning punk story of a horrific possible future. “Mile High” by Bridgett Nelson is a twisted tale of desire and intrigue with an ending you won’t see coming. And “Lackers” by Leo X Robertson is an incredibly profound story with a chilling twist, and I won’t soon forget it, if ever.

In Angelique Jordanna’s “It’s Still Here,” deep tragedy turns to a chance encounter that in turn leads to terror. Jennifer Anne Gordon’s “Chekov’s Eyeball” follows a conversation about a gross little anecdote and has deep subtext about identity. Michael R. Collins’s “Ethan is Following Me” is an incredibly dark tale about a man haunted. And Chisto Healy’s “Making America Straight Again” is a brutal tale of bigotry and terror.

“Kimmy Gibbler: Glamour Shot of a Switchblade Romance” by Phrique is the irreverently, darkly humorous one, a twisted parody of an old sitcom. “Taken Away” by Denver Wheeler is, in my opinion, the most horrifying story in here, a disturbing and brutal tale of nightmarish proportions. “Winter Festival” by Arya Hyde is a deep, compelling, and evocative story with wrenching social mirroring subtext and an excellent storyline. And “True Stories” by L. Stephenson is a thought-provoking tale of suspense.

This is the third annual LGBTQ+ charity horror anthology from Gloom House Publishing, and as with the other two, I am duly impressed by the magnificent range of stories it contains. I particularly enjoy how some speak to social climate and real-life LGBTQ+ issues while others show LGBTQ+ characters as people in a story representing the normalcy of who they are. The mix is quite satisfying.

We’ll Always be Here: An Anthology of LGBTQ+ Horror is an important 5-star reading experience.

A Bibliophilia Templum review
https://bibliophiliatemplum.wordpress.com/2025/06/11/well-always-be-here/

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Gloom House Publishing for providing a review copy.

I jumped at the chance to read this anthology, made up of LGBTQ+ authors. Like any anthology, the stories were a mixed bag, but overall I enjoyed them. Additionally, 100% of the proceeds from this book will go to The Trevor Project, and I am definitely on board with that. 3.75 stars

The Ghost Girls of Waterbury by Rebecca Rowland ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Night of the Living Fascists by James G. Carlson ⭐⭐⭐
Mile-High by Bridgett Nelson ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Lackers by Leo X. Robertson ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
It's Still Here by Angelique Jordanna ⭐⭐⭐.25
Chekov’s Eyeball by Jennifer Anne Gordon ⭐⭐⭐.75
Ethan is Following Me by Michael R. Collins ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
Making America Straight Again by Chisto Healy ⭐⭐.5
Kimmy Gibbler: Glamour Shot of a Switchblade Romance by Phrique ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Taken Away by Denver Wheeler ⭐⭐⭐.25
Winter Festival by Arya Hyde ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
True Stories by L. Stephenson ⭐⭐⭐

[Horror Bookworm Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Horror Bookworm Recommendation
We’ll Always Be Here edited by James G. Carlson
https://horrorbookwormreviews.com/

- A chance meeting during the delayed flight of B77W turns into an ultimate twisted tale of the worst-kind-of-fate.

- When the band Far Left plays their next gig, a strange storm brews outside. Which in turn reveals a degree of fucked-upness that has to be read to be believed. This is one of the most unusual sound checks known to mankind. It’s music to my fears.

- As a couple travel, a pregnant partner begins having contractions. Desperate to find help, they eventually end up at the Arena Springs Women’s Asylum. The facilities rusted bars and shackles become a “dead” give away that something isn’t right here.

From a naked orgy of imperfections to the dead waiting, following and haunting from the grave, We’ll Always Be Here is an anthology of LGBTQ+horror. Edited by the one and only Gloom House Publishing mogul himself, James G. Carlson, this great collection of horror is the next best thing since the Garbage Pail Kids trading cards. These grotesque and disturbing designs of fiction come from the likes of Chisto Healy, Rebecca Rowland, Bridgett Nelson, Phrique and James G. Carlson who offer some downright spooky shit…collect them all! Oh yes, then there’s Phrique who bestows a one-of-a-kind approach to storytelling by providing a screenplay of [Canned Laughter], Fade Outs and [Roll Credits].

Under the guise of evil, the social and political ingredients of suffering and hate definitely have a presence within these pages. The fear of being rejected for who you are is an all too real struggle. But fear not fellow horror readers, there is a treatment for the suffering. Create safe spaces, education and awareness, challenge discrimination, support LGBTQ organizations and become an ally. It’s not going to be easy but we can do it together.

This collection of spooky screams and scary shocks evolve around uncertain times of bigoted religion and corporate greed. We’ll Always Be Here focuses on a purpose and passion to celebrate and provide a safe environment. This is more than an anthology. It’s a statement made in a way that our tight little community understands…We will face the struggle together…We’re out and proud…We’re still here…We’ll always be here. A five star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Horror Bookworm Recommendation.

[Brian Mcclain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jumped at the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this charity anthology from Gloom House, a publisher whose offerings I have enjoyed and this was no different. A variety of works from goofy and twisted to haunting to brutal and horrific can be found in it each of which fits the central conceit of being LGBTQ+ horror. That variety was appreciated as it kept things interesting and diverse, fitting for such broad subject matter. I did not think that there were any weak stories in the collection, but if I had to pick a favorite I'd either go with Kimmy Gibbler: Glamour Shot of a Switchblade Romance by Phrique, which was an over the top twist on a Full House script or Ethan Is Following Me by Michael R. Collins a more traditional haunting story of prejudice and revenge. Highly recommended both for the contents and for the fact that the proceeds go to charity, a win/win.

I received a free review copy of this and am voluntarily providing an honest review.