Queereaders discussion

QueerHorror.com is a site devoted to exploring the horror genre and its inclusion of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and the transgendered. It's a place where queer folk can explore their interests in, or connections with, the horror genre.

Vampires, werewolves, ghosts and demons have their own tabs. Zombies can be found if you search.

Feel free to discuss your favorite horror stories here. Titles do not have to be exclusively LGBT.

This reminds me of a story, I think it was by Felice Picano. It was about gay men who sell their souls so they would be handsome, popular, Master of the Universe type of men. He wrote it right before the advent of AIDS. I can't remember the name of the story. Does anyone know the name of this story? I remember those men were required to make a wax doll of themselves to house their souls while their bodies were taken over by the devil or whatever it was.

Hmm. I only know Picano as a novelist. I'll have to check out his stories.

Nancy, there's an interesting essay on gay themes in horror fiction here.

http://www.glbtq.com/literature/ghost...

Oh. And I generally loathe it when people do this sort of thing, you know, touting their own works in the middle of some innocent forum discussion, but somehow I don’t seem able to help myself. My novels – THE PINES and THE SHORE – have always gotten pretty sensational reviews from the mainstream presses, but finally one of my books is being reviewed by the queer media. I’m quite pleased.

http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php?c...

That was a great review! I've ordered my copy of Martyrs & Monsters and should have it in my hot little hands in about a week or so.

Robert wrote: "Hmm. I only know Picano as a novelist. I'll have to check out his stories.

Nancy, there's an interesting essay on gay themes in horror fiction here.

http://www.glbtq.com/literature/ghost......"


That was a very interesting essay. I'm glad to see it mentioned one of my favorite modern vampire novels, Lost Souls. I've read several of Sheridan Le Fanu's short stories and one of his novels, but need to check out Carmilla.

Thanks for posting this, Robert.

Love "Lost Souls." Poppy Z. Brite is to die for.

horror fans should check this out
http://www.fangoriaonline.com/blogs/g...

I definately want to read both the Pines and the Shore. The descriptions definately have me going and they seem to be something I would really enjoy.

There doesn't seem to be enough gay horror! And in the movies, doesn't the gay guy always get it early on in the film? The gay character can never be the hero!

It is always the pure virginal heroine. You know, the one that always trips over the root but manages to get back up and run around screaming?

Oh, and Nancy, I love Sheridan Le Fanu! I didn't think anybody knew him at all anymore! I went through quite the Gothic phase a few years ago!

Thanks, Doug. (It's the weirdest thing, but those books are everywhere, I mean at places like Target and WallMart. Totally messes with my sense of reality. I like to think it's mutual.)

Cool link, Adam -- some interesting stuff. How encouraging that Fangoria is still going strong after all these years!

Nancy, thanks for reminding me about the QueerHorror site. I used to drop by the forum there from time to time. (I think they shut it down finally, but that's probably just a coincidence.) Even posted a few reviews, but that was years ago.

Does anyone remember those anthologies of women's horror stories and thrillers that Victoria Brownworth used to do for Seal Press?

Doug: I found Sheridan Le Fanu's The Wyvern Mystery a little weak, but really enjoyed the few short stories I read. Do you have a collection you'd recommend?

Robert: I've never heard of Victoria Brownworth before today. It looks like I'll be adding more books to my shelf. :)

My company restricts access to a lot of LGBT and horror sites, so I'll have to check Fangoria out when I get home.

I think the Wyvern mystery was the one I read! I loved the movie.. did it have Derek Jacobi in it? And I seem to remember another gothic tale called the Italian that I liked, but it has been a while since I was on that kick. And I tend to forget everything I read!

Doug wrote: "There doesn't seem to be enough gay horror! And in the movies, doesn't the gay guy always get it early on in the film? The gay character can never be the hero!

There have been a couple of gay-themed horror thrillers these past few years, and some of them are actually worth watching (depending on your view, heh)! ["HellBent" (2004), "You Belong to Me" (2007), "In the Blood" (2006):]

Also, interestingly enough, the recent "The Hills Have Eyes 2" (2007) had an twist. The characters who survived were the ones who were actually perceived as not-as-macho as the others. There was some innuendo about one of them possibly being gay (and he was portrayed by the actor from "Dorian Blues").

And there are various vampire anthologies (including horror and erotica stories) that include queer characters, like those edited by Victoria Brownworth and Cecilia Tan.

See, Nancy? Victoria B has come up again. Her "Night Bites" especially is worth checking out.

Oh -- duh -- don't know why I didn't think of this before. Dark Scribe Press did a lovely anthology of queer themed horror stories called UNSPEAKABLE HORROR -- which won the Bram Stoker Award this month. (And as added incentive, if you go to their site you'll find the worst interview I've ever given ... the lesson there being drink AFTER the interview.)

I checked out Bookmooch and PaperbackSwap and neither site has Night Bites Vampire Stories by Women Tales of Blood and Lust. I'll have to check the library.

Robert, I poked around on the Dark Scribe Press site and couldn't find your interview. Would you mind posting a link?

I just spotted a copy of "Night Bites" on Alibris going for $1.95 -- normally I avoid used book sellers, but if the book is out of print ...

"couldn't find your interview"
Well, count your blessings, dear. But here --

http://www.darkscribemagazine.com/fea...

Actually, a much more satisfactory interview went up today at a site called Horror Bound.


http://www.horrorbound.com/news.php

Thanks for the link, Robert. I still haven't read the first one yet.

Oh, I picked up my copy of Martyrs & Monsters today. I love the bright cover and my old eyes love the larger print.

Thanks, Nancy! Isn't the cover gorgeous? It's a detail from one of my partner's paintings.

Yes, it's a gorgeous cover. It's eye-catching, colorful and stands out from all the conventional covers of many mass-market horror books. Are your other book covers from your partner's paintings?

I'm very happy lately with the quality of books I've purchased from small publishing companies.

I wish. No, my other books have all been from much bigger publishers. (Actually, I've been lucky. Two of my covers have been by Mike Bohatch, quite a big name in that small pond.) But Dark Hart is such a small company that they were open to discussions about the cover artist. Guess who I suggested ...

A couple of the horror graphic novels and comic books I've been reading include queer characters. I'm most of the way through Heathentown and the main character is a lesbian. I read The Exterminators, Vol. 1 Bug Brothers and it has lesbian secondary characters.

It's not horror, but sci fi: Y The Last Man Vol. 1 Unmanned is a comic series that has lesbian characters. It's all about all the men on the planet die from an unknown event, except for one lone man. A very great series.

Robert wrote: "I wish. No, my other books have all been from much bigger publishers. (Actually, I've been lucky. Two of my covers have been by Mike Bohatch, quite a big name in that small pond.) But Dark Hart is ..."

Does Chas have his own website?

Well, I did manage to find the Shore, and I bought the Rising and City of the Dead by Keene. Now all I need is a flashlight so I can read under the covers. Though I would be horrible if I had to fend off a monster.

What kind of monster are you accustomed to finding under the covers? No, don't tell me. Just let me imagine ...

This was very kind of these folks.

"Not a book to read lightly ... will leave you shuddering. If you like stories written beautifully and aimed at the intelligent but quirky reader, this is your book."

http://rainbow-reviews.com/?p=1746

Hey, folks --
Just wondering if people were aware of publishers like Lethe Press and Dark Scribe. Both are doing excellent work with some VERY interesting queer horror titles. Their sites are worth visiting.

do you have links, Robert? :)

Uh ... sure, let me Google them.
Okay, here's one.
http://darkscribepress.com/pages.php?...
And, let's see. Yes, here's the other.
http://www.lethepressbooks.com/about.htm

you rock! :)

Thanks for bringing this topic back to life, Robert! I've just subscribed to Dark Scribe Magazine.

Cool! I just got "In the Closet, Under the Bed" and it's brilliant. ("Unspeakable Horror" was pretty fab too.) And Jameson Currier has a new collection from Lethe, which is also pretty wonderful.

Glad you liked Unspeakable Horror: From the Shadows of the Closet. I have to read it soon. The cover is great!

It's a fun book. I was upset that I wasn't able to participate, but I was just putting together Martyrs & Monsters when Vince asked me.

In the Closet, Under the Bed is lovely too. (And Lee is adorable!)

Now that I'm reading Martyrs & Monsters, I thought it was time to revive this topic again. This collection of stories has whet my appetite for horror and I'll be on the lookout for more when I'm done.

Has anyone read Tim Lebbon or Elizabeth Massie?

Robert, I know I said this before, but the cover art is gorgeous! I love its brightness, all the colors, and I think I can even see the texture. The painting must be truly amazing!

I beta read a ghost story by Heidi Cullinan called The Wounds in the Walls which will be coming out in a Dreamspinner anthology this summer. Wow! She really got me wanting more gay horror! It was a great tale!

Thanks, Nancy -- I love that cover too. I've been after my Chas to set up a website of his paintings, but he usually just mutters something along the lines of "right, in my spare time." I'll keep at him though. He is doing all the cover designs for Uninvited Books. http://www.UninvitedBooks.com

Martyrs & Monsters continues to get outstanding reviews, though watching horror critics try to evaluate my literary techniques and all the queer characters has occasionally been the stuff of high comedy. Just yesterday, a really well-intentioned article compared it to the L-Word. Umm ... okay ...

Tim Lebbon and Beth Massie are both wonderful writers. I don't know Tim personally, but I've always admired his work, and recently he did an awesome job with 30 Days of Night Movie Novelization. I taught a seminar with Beth a couple of years ago. (Or she taught, I heckled the audience. God, I hate those things.) She's very sweet and Wire Mesh Mothers is an amazing book.

I loved Massie's Wire Mesh Mothers and her short story collection, Shadow Dreams. I'm disappointed that she has shifted her focus to YA fiction. Kathe Koja did the same thing. Skin is one of my favorite stories that would most likely be considered horror, but doesn't fall neatly into that genre.

Tim Lebbon's Face was amazing, even though it's received some negative reviews. The book haunted my thoughts and dreams for days! I also like his short stories.

I'm loving your stories, Robert. They are unpredictable, thought-provoking and full of well-drawn and diverse characters. Since I empathize with those who struggle through life and live on the edge, these characters really grip my heart.

Have you had any criticism about your characters from critics or readers?

I really hate having to set the book aside to do school reading.

"Since I empathize with those who struggle through life and live on the edge, these characters really grip my heart."

Girlfriend, would you quit making me cry already?

Oh, I neglected to mention Gary A. Braunbeck. His In Silent Graves is another story that doesn't easily fit into one genre. It's horror, it's dark fantasy, it's literature. The book is just awesome!

Mr. Hands is very good too.

Yes! Braunbeck is terrific. I can't remember if I've asked you about T.M. Wright or Greg Gifune.

Yes, you did...it was on your Literary Horror group. I have Gifune's Drago Descending and don't know T.M. Wright. What would you recommend by him?

Sorry, I made you cry, Robert. You made me cry too. I loved Brandon and Tyrone in High Rise and I really adore ghost stories. The ending shattered me.

HIGH RISE meant a lot to me. I'm always puzzled that more people don't mention it, whereas I often hear from people who want to talk about the Conrad and Tim stories. (Mostly they just want to know if there will be more of them, though one nervous fellow at a lecture VERY cautiously inquired about any autobiographical element. You could just see how badly he wanted to call 911.) Actually, the critics have been great. Amazingly so. With my novels, I've gotten used to reviews of the "Dunbar shouldn't be allowed to write like this" variety and all those "this book is so stupid I can't even understand it" comments. But that's because of the way those books were distributed. The paperbacks were everywhere, supermarkets, drugstores, WallMart for crissakes. Naturally, they found their way into the hands of people not comfortable reading at an adult level. A calculated risk. But M&M -- though it's much edgier -- didn't catch much of that, because it was from such a small press. (Also I think the blurb on the cover about it being "horror for intelligent adults" warned off a lot of folks who would have been made furious by the contents.) Really, the closest thing to bad notices have been from a few of the hardcore horror presses where the critics simply didn't understand what they were reading ... and said so. But even those were full of praise. And not a hint of homophobia. Very encouraging.

I only read the first Tim and Conrad story and found it very haunting and unsettling. The characters were extremely well developed considering the number of pages. Neither were especially likable, but their life experiences and the tragic events in the story made me feel very deeply for them.

High Rise instantly brought me back in time to 170th Street in the Bronx where I spent my early childhood. I don't remember any ghosts in that dingy red brick building I lived in, but I swear I got a whiff of the bleach smell in the hallway while I was reading. It must have been the rich descriptions and details that sent me back in time. And it was those descriptions that made me know the boys were Black despite the fact their color was never explicitly mentioned.

Brandon reminded me of my younger brother - sensitive, serious, studious, delicately built. The only difference was that my brother didn't have an older brother to stick up for him. That role fell to his older sister (me).

Brandon in his caring and sensitive way loved his brother deeply, and because of his feelings, I couldn't help but care for Tyrone even though he treated his younger brother rather shabbily.

Keep writing those amazing stories, Robert. The praise and reviews are well deserved.

One of my first jobs in Manhattan was with social services -- I was in and out of projects in the Bronx all the time. There were plenty of days I just wanted to say, "Okay, get your things, you can't stay here." Not that my own neighborhood was much better. Maybe a shade safer. Maybe. My younger brother and I were sharing a horrible apartment, like something out of Dante, while he finished school. God, were we ever really that young? He's shooting a documentary in some very dangerous parts of Africa at the moment and, though he travels with armed guards, I still worry about him with every breath. I guess you never outgrow that.

Wow, Mal de Mer left me shaken! I love the sea - its mysteries, turmoil, tranquility, and lack of consciousness. This haunting, disturbing and erotic story explored aging, loneliness, and the emotional toll of being a caregiver. It probably wasn't a good idea to read this one just before I went to sleep. My dreams were haunted by the churning sea, former lovers with glistening bodies and needle-sharp teeth and my grandmother calmly observing from her wheelchair. It's one of the best stories in the collection so far.

Robert, has Mal de Mer been nominated for any awards?

Awards? In this genre? My work? Be serious.

But a number of people have written to tell me how much they were moved by that story. I can't imagine anything more rewarding than that.

Thanks, Ann! I looked at the site once briefly, but didn't realize there were free stories:

http://www.paulbens.com/

Anyone interested in queer horror should check out the short fiction collection Bending the Landscape: Original Gay and Lesbian Horror Writing. Like most collections it varies in quality from one story to the next but there are some truly spine tingling ones in there. I have recommended it to a number of horror readers, including some who would not have normally picked up a queer themed book, and they've all liked it.