Hello and welcome to the latest issue of The Ghoulish Times. My name is Max Booth and this is my free spooky newsletter for all things GHOULISH.

I am writing this on the afternoon of Tuesday, April 21. Fiesta in San Antonio has kicked off and things are not looking great for any of the planned events this week due to some heavy rainstorms. I don’t think it’s actually stopped raining for two days now. Not great! I feel bad for all of the vendors who rely on Fiesta to make most of their income. Learn more about Fiesta here. I’m not going to try explaining what it is. Mostly because I would probably just copy/paste from Wiki anyway.

I feel like I used to like the rain. I would like to like it again. It’s hard, I guess, when you live in a city where construction is so prevalent that every time it storms the situation becomes life-threatening due to flooding. The construction is my theory, at least. It’s been going on so long, everywhere, that I’m convinced all the drainage systems are just clogged with dirt and other debris. Not to mention all the concrete barriers giving the water nowhere else to go but up. People have literally died because of this shit. It’s crazy that every time it rains, going to work means gambling your life. Also, I feel like I liked rain more when I didn’t have so many dogs. Dogs and rain do not go well together. However, I like dogs more than rain, so dogs win. Dogs always win.

Things have been weird over here. It’s not a good year. In fact it’s kind of a terrible year. I’m not going to get into the details because I’m sure you’re also experiencing your own unique version of 2026 that I wouldn’t envy, either. If that’s the case, hey, I’m sorry. You’re not alone. We’re all in hell over here. Now here are some things I want to promote:

PENITENTS COVER REVEAL

Earlier this month, we partnered with Rue Morgue to reveal Evangeline Gallagher’s cover art for Madeline Blondeau’s debut novel Penitents.

Madeline Blondeau’s PENITENTS, a debut trans tribute to New French Extreme cinema and ’70s grindhouse horror set on the rain-slicked coast of the Pacific Northwest, in which a writer runs afoul of a local violent family while attempting to take some space from her partners, set against a backdrop of desperate hook-ups and polyamorous infidelity, this roaring revenge romp spans the course of one blood-soaked weekend around Astoria, Oregon.

Here is what Madeline had to tell Rue Morgue about the book:

“At its heart, PENITENTS is about the walls we put up between each other, and the violent ways in which they are enforced. It’s one part gory survival thriller, one part allegory on my hope for a better future—for the most wounded among us. Inspired by classic revenge narratives like I Spit on Your Grave and social horror like Frontier(s), I channeled frustrations, fears and dreams into a non-stop roller coaster with lots of blood and sex.”

Penitents comes out this summer and you can (and should!) pre-order it directly through our webstore. All paperback pre-orders will come with a signed bookplate from the author.

DECAY CHAIN ANNOUNCEMENT

We are thrilled to announce Emma E. Murray's Decay Chain, a psychological horror novel following an aspiring family annihilator, in which a father of three decides to escape his boring suburban life once and for all. All paperback pre-orders will receive a signed author sticker from Emma E. Murray. Pre-order it TODAY and get a nice surprise a year from now.

Seriously, pre-orders help indie presses so much! It’s the BEST way to support a company like ours, and indie writers like Emma E. Murray and Madeline Blondeau.

RECENTLY ON PATREON

ICYMI I started a personal patreon. I don’t have a regular job and barely make any income, so this patreon is my attempt to, like, fix that? Even if it’s currently very small? I’m currently saving up to move out of state, so $$$ has become a bigger stress factor than usual these days. Hence why I keep pushing the patreon so hard. Anyway, you can help by supporting it! Stories! Essays! Other things, occasionally.

In April I’ve posted two stories: 3 Eggs (text) and Pros & Cons (text | audio). Check ‘em out!

Also before I leave - happy lesbian visibility week to Mel & Amy from my movie We Need to Do Something. ❤️

and also to me

and also to you

-max