First Issue, February 29, 2024
Hey y'all! Welcome to my little corner of the horror village. My name is R.J. Joseph, creative and academic writer, and I love having company here on the dark side.
This is the first issue of my brand, spanking new newsletter. It has been a long, long time coming!
I thought this 29th day of February would be a perfect day to start on. It's the last day of Black History Month and the day before Women in Horror Month starts this year. This crossover is an intersection of two facets of my personhood that are very important to me.
Today, I want to take y'all over to my cabin, where we can chat a little while. You take the comfy chair on the porch and I'll bring us some sweet tea. Might even spike it, if you want. Take your shoes off. The bugs aren't biting this early in the season and it's already a balmy 60 degrees here. Look! I still have a few teacakes we can nibble on, too.
What Am I Doing?
I recently recorded a video panel on African Americans in Horror for Con-Tinual: The Con That Never Ends, with my esteemed colleagues Linda D. Addison, Paula Ashe, Steven Van Patten, Wrath James White, and L. Marie Wood. When I talk about fellowship and community, this is exactly what I mean. You can check it out here.
I've been plugging away at the splatter Western I started many months ago. Finally, an end is in sight. I'm also wrapping up the final stories in the next collection I'll be shopping around. This is exciting because while I send those two out into the world, I'll be polishing up my proposal for a non-fiction book on Black folk horror.
My latest story, "We Were Meant to be Buried" is in this gorgeous anthology by Outland Entertainment, currently up for pre-orders, To Root Somewhere Beautiful.
I'm also editing the next installation of the Raw Dog Screaming Press novella line, Selected Papers from the Consortium for the Study of Anomalous Phenomena. While I can't get into the specifics of this particular one, I'm excited to send y'all to check out the newest release in the line, 12 Hours by L. Marie Wood. You're in for such a treat! This creepy stream of consciousness story is just what you need to keep you busy for a little while.
While you're at it, take a look at the first novella in our series, Bleak Houses by Kate Maruyama. Hey, you know I'm always looking out for y'all. I wouldn't steer you wrong. With these brilliantly stylized covers by the inimitable Lynne Hansen, we all need these novellas on our bookshelves.
Where Am I Going?
Next month, I'm completely blown away to be a ghoul of honor at The Ghoulish Festival. This is a seriously ghoulish good time! I've attended the festival since it's inception, and although it didn't seem possible, it gets better and better every time. Come hang out with us in San Antonio, March 15-17, 2024. You can get your badges and peek at the festivities in store here.
So much horrory goodness going on!
Where Am I Spending Money?
Speaking of all things Ghoulish, last year brought us two royal horror weddings. The first one was Lori Michelle Booth and Max Booth III, the fearless coordinators of Ghoulish Festival. They treated us to the festival, the wedding, and then one of the coolest independent bookstores in Texas, Ghoulish Books. Y'all gotta go see this place. The vibe, the selection, the everything! I'm hanging out there every chance I get.
We then had the power couple horror nuptials between Brian Keene and Mary SanGiovanni. And you know what these superheroes did next? Yep, they gave us another wonderful independent bookstore to haunt! Vortex Books and Comics is now open in Pennsylvania, and I'm working hard to make my way there soon. They will be getting a regular chunk of my shopping money...
Go support these amazing bookstores and booksellers!
Next Up:
Ghoulish Book Festival, San Antonio, TX. March 15-17
StokerCon 2024, San Diego, CA. May 30-June 2
Multiverse Convention, Peachtree City, GA. October 18-20
Ah! I've talked your ears off and the sun's now setting. See those shadows over there...the ones that are growing? Yeah, they may be growling, too. I have business over there tonight. I'll see you off so I can delve into the darkness with them. Here, take these teacakes along with you.
Don't be a stranger, now. Come back for another visit real soon.
Thanks for coming to hang out in our horror village with me today. Stay spooky.
