September 2026

Dear ,

"I'm not really a horror reader, but I'm going to give this a try."

Rarely has a phrase so delighted me.

You could exchange "horror" for any genre and it would be a wonderful compliment — any time a reader is willing to depart from their tried-and-true genres to experiment with something new is a gift, but especially in these times when a choice to do one activity is a choice to not do a dozen others. When every algorithm is designed to give you more of the same, and every industry seeks to ensure you never run out of more of the same, the small decision to do something different is, in a way, remarkable.

And yes, you could probably read it as a backhanded compliment — "I wouldn't normally deign to read this" — but that's not been my experience of it. I'm sure that has been some authors' experience of it, more than likely other women authors, so I'm not trying to tell anyone else how to feel about this particular phrase. But I've only ever heard it as earnest.

Perhaps the genre does play into that. If someone says they don't usually read horror, the default assumption is that they're too afraid rather than too erudite, and that assumed bit of self-deprecation allows me to hear the phrase as genuine. Or perhaps I'm dense and self-involved and assume every compliment is genuine. Both are equally possible.

Regardless, the phrase has become near and dear to me, and represents a moment of connection I was never bold enough to imagine for myself. Maybe it comes in the form of an Instagram comment — not typically considered the height of interpersonal connection, but for me, a chronic lurker and rare commenter, that equates to more effort than I'm usually willing to put in. Most often I hear it at an event, which means the person has taken time out of their day and money out of their wallet to listen to an author they've never heard of and buy a book in a genre they don't normally read.

The generosity of that absolutely floors me.

But I think horror, as a genre, rewards that generosity. Horror is expanding in all directions, embracing both the quieter, subtler outliers and the weirder, darker, more transgressive experiments. It's crossing over with all kinds of genres, literary and fantasy and romance, recognizing the depth and magic and beauty within itself. In that growth, it’s finding not just new readers, but new writers — like me.

Whether you’re a seasoned horror fan or you’re just venturing into the genre, if you’ve already picked up Fawn (or The Devil Knows Her Name), I am incredibly grateful. I’ve loved meeting you, or signing your preorders, or seeing your posts.

And if you haven’t yet brought Fawn home to haunt your bookshelf, fall is here, and now’s the perfect time.

News and Events

If you missed me at Act 4 Books in Perry or Walls of Books in Parma, you still have a couple more chances to get a signed book this year!

• Author’s Note / Medina, NY / October 8th at 6:30 p.m. / RSVP here

• Warsaw Public Library / Warsaw, NY / October 9th at 6 P.M. / RSVP here

• A Writing Room / San Francisco, CA / November, exact date TBD

And I’ll be back at the Warsaw Public Library on November 21st, chatting about The Death Row Club with USA TODAY bestselling author V.A. Vazquez. If you’re in the WNY area, don’t miss that! Grab a seat here.

September Reads, Seeds, and Needs

A selection of books, articles, plants, seeds, art, movies, TV, and other miscellanea I’ve enjoyed since the last newsletter:

📕 Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy: If you want devastating, eco-focused lit-fic, look no further — this book and her previous, Once There Were Wolves, are both gorgeous.

🌱 Black cohosh: The common names for this plant run the gamut, from the delightfully whimsical Fairy Candles to the humble Bugbane, and the cultivar I have smells delicious.

🖼️ Build by Keith Perelli: This piece has been on my moodboard for The Walking Tree since the very beginning — I love that it gives you only a glimpse and leaves you wanting more.

🎵 The Autumn Effect by 10 Years: This album is more than 20 years old now, which is totally fine and nothing to freak out about, and it continues to be a perfect fall listen.

📝 Good Riddance by DeeSoul Carson: Hades is one of my all-time favorite games, and this poem awed me with its ingenuity. Yes, you have to be at least familiar with the gameplay to fully appreciate it, but I love pieces that require some background knowledge.

📕 The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar: An exquisite homage to language and story, so beautiful and so clever I had to take a minute to get over my jealousy before I could keep reading.

A Moment in the Grass

I spent all of August and most of September working on edits for The Walking Tree, and most days, I was just happy to go outside and watch the bees on the goldenrod for a while. But I also launched my debut novel, met some incredible booksellers and amazing readers, and started a new project I hope you’ll get to read someday.

Until next time,

-C