“He was cadaverously thin, almost shockingly pale, and stared at the writer from dark-shadowed eyes set deep under a pale, high brow that melded into a pale, bald scalp. A few strands of graying hair lept out from the sides of this skull-like visage.” – Dan Simmons, Drood THE NOVEL Drood, by Dan Simmons, is […]
“Surprises, like misfortunes, seldom come alone.” ― Matthew Pearl, The Last Dickens The literary works of Charles Dickens have been widely acclaimed since the 19th century. One of his most famous works is his final, unfinished novel, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, published as sequential instalments. In this era, production in book form often followed serialization, which […]
“But to die as lovers may – to die together, so that they may live together.” ― Sheridan Le Fanu, Carmilla Note: I’ve added images of reference texts that delve into the topics of vampires, sexuality, queerness, and 19th-century literature within their pages. These are but a few, though ones I’ve quite enjoyed. This post […]
“This place is damned.” – Mark Gulino, Upon the Pale Isle of Gloam: A Gothic Horror Novella A DARK, atmospheric, often pensive narrative, Upon The Pale Isle Of Gloam: A Gothic Horror Novella by Mark Gulino, presents a moral tale about choices, accountability, and the possibility for redemption, but at what cost? The author delves into the […]
“Nathan felt a chill in the air and an irrepressible feeling of dread. He clambered to his feet and found his way to the bedside table. He grabbed the matchbox from the drawer, and with trembling fingers, struggled to light the candle he kept close by. The footsteps were nearly there.” – Talbot Finch, Violet […]
“And for what it’s worth, I don’t find anything about you repulsive. On the contrary, I can’t remember meeting a more wonderful person.” – Talbot Finch, The Housekeeper THE NINETEENTH century, particularly the later half, has always captivated me; I’m a sucker for a good Victorian novel—or in this case, a novelette. While the Gothic literature of the […]
LIKE MANY of author Andrew Grey’s M/M series, be they thriller or romance, characters from the first novel often play supporting ones in the next installment and so on. It creates a beautiful interconnectedness, a community of fabulous characters who each get a turn to tell their story with the added reader bonus of familiarity. […]
Benjamin Kissell: “I have the standing rule that unless I, as the author, state in-text otherwise, assume ALL of my characters fall somewhere in the LGBTQIA+ rainbow.” I’d like to welcome Benjamin Kissell to the BLOG. A native of Fredericksburg, VA, Benjamin is the author of the epic Queer Fantasy Novel, A Queen of Blood […]
A Queen of Blood and Glitter: a Faery Tale of Grief, Drag, and Hope Told in Six Parts is the flagship book in the A Queen of Blood and Glitter Series, which includes two follow-up novellas. The half-Faerie drag queen, Blodeuwedd, aka Miss Nomer, has a score to settle. They’ve suffered a terrible loss resulting in a deep […]
“The Curse of Byron and the Birth of Literature’s Greatest Monsters” LORD BYRON was considered by many to be “mad, bad, and dangerous to know!” He was an unapologetic sensualist who bedded men and women alike. Byron was a poet, a rogue, and an atheist with sexual appetites he proudly shared publicly. He also […]
