books

A Trail Mix of Horror…WHERE THE SHADOWS ARE SHOWN Out Now in Audiobook! 

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A Trail Mix of Horror…WHERE THE SHADOWS ARE SHOWN Out Now in Audiobook! 

You may have been sleeping on—or deliberately avoiding—the recent release of my first horror short story collection, WHERE THE SHADOWS ARE SHOWN, which one reviewer called “a trail mix for horror lovers.” But never fear, the audiobook narrated by the talented if upsettingly creepy voice actor, Tony Deurmier, is out now in time for Black Friday!

How can a book be anything like sweet, salty, crunchy “trail mix”? The fact that I cover nearly every subgenre of horror fiction in existence! I’m talking about biological to body. Cozy to eco. Fan fiction to funny. Noir to nonsense. Parable to psychological. Sci-fi to scatological. And some other categories yet to be defined!

Also, don’t forget my money back guarantee where, if you don’t find one story you LOVE and one you HATE, feel free to return the book to Audible for a full refund!

If you haven’t picked up a copy yet of the paperback, e-book, (and now audiobook!), here’s your chance to support an indie horror author who has yet to be officially “canceled” (coming in 2026!). And if you already have (thanks again!), you can get one as a gift for that social outcast horror fan in your life.

Just a warning that, since publishing WHERE THE SHADOWS ARE SHOWN through Josh’s Worst Nightmare, I’ve written another full collection of brand-new eco-horror short stories, a true crime screenplay, close to 40 horror lyrics (with about 15 set to music thus far), dozens of Two Sentence Horror tales, as well as most of another eco-folk horror novel, some of which I’ll be releasing at JoshsWorstNightmare.Substack.com. But I told myself I can’t get those out into the world until I’ve gotten this one into more people’s grubby little hands.

So, do society a favor by ensuring that my darkest thoughts stay safely within the pages of fictional stories, rather than forcing me to unleash such havoc in real life. I’m giving you all a chance to save yourselves, and, if you don’t act now FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, you’ll have no one to blame but yourselves.

Darkly,

Josh Schlossberg

Can Horror Fiction Fight Illiteracy?

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I don’t need to tell you that people are reading less and less these days.

One poll reveals how one-quarter of American adults haven’t read a single book in the last year. Another survey finds that only seventeen percent of thirteen-year-olds read for fun every day, with three in ten saying they either never or hardly ever do so. Even more shocking is the fact that men make up only twenty percent of all fiction sales in the US, UK, and Canada!

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Why I Sold My Soul To Nozama, The Dark One

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This post is a combination of three things:

1. An announcement of my forthcoming horror short story collection, WHERE THE SHADOWS ARE SHOWN, due out in September through my own small press, Josh’s Worst Nightmare.

2. Rationalization of publishing the book through Amazon (who, from this point on, will be called Nozama, the Dark One).

3. Confession of succumbing to the lesser of two evils.

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FREE GIFT from the “most criminally underrated author on the scene”

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As the “most criminally underrated author on the scene,” according to Underbrush Books, I would be remiss not to pimp my fiction one last time during this season of spending.

As a gift to you (or is it a punishment?), I’ve got a free short story out on e-book, “Creepy Old Dude,” about a neighborhood stalker where things go a little too far (based on a true story!).

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The Gatekeeper’s Burden

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by Josh Schlossberg

As a horror author who submits fiction to publishers, I often find myself standing in the cold outside the gates of the City of Readers. As an editor who gets submissions for anthologies, I’m also someone who decides who gets to come in.

In other words, I’m both a “gatekeeper” and someone who is “gate-kept.” So a question I’m always pondering is: What is the role (and responsibility) of a gatekeeper?

Over the years I’ve submitted my work to hundreds of editors and agents. In my experience, about half of them never respond at all. Many of the rest send a form rejection, usually months to even years later. Only a small percentage get back to me within several weeks to tell me they’ve passed on my work or not, and a handful of those will explain why.

Turns out, every gatekeeper I’ve interacted with has taught me how to become a better gatekeeper myself, sometimes by example, often by teaching me how not to behave.

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Midwest Book Review on MALINAE

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Midwest Book Review on MALINAE!

“As Malinae evolves, the questions of sanity, insanity, horror, and reality create a compelling first-person narrative…thoroughly engrossing reading that incorporates twists and turns even avid horror readers won’t see coming.

“The astute descriptions of little daily changes that lead to bigger, life-changing situations will especially resonate with anyone who has lived with a loved one suffering from a degenerative condition that poses new changes and challenges on a daily basis.

“Malinae is especially recommended for fans of Lovecraft-style horror; but it’s also a special pick for those interested in supernatural-tinged fictional accounts of living with disability and the ravages of old age.”

READ FULL REVIEW at Midwest Book Review

Monsters of D&T: ELDER HORROR on July 29

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A knife to the brain takes out a zombie. A stake to the heart finishes a vampire. And a silver bullet puts down a werewolf. But the only way to beat old age is to, well, die.

In the first of its “Monsters of D&T” virtual events on Thursday, July 29 at 5 pm PT / 6 MT / 7 CT / 8 ET, D&T Publishing’s Dawn Shea hosts three authors whose new books examine aging—aka “elder horror”—in very different ways.

Summer Feaker (HAVEN MANOR TRILOGY), Josh Schlossberg (MALINAE), and Mark Towse (NANA) will read briefly from their latest works, share their takes on the elder horror subgenre, and reveal their greatest fears of getting old.

Reserve your free ticket now via Eventbrite!