The guiding principle of Six Ridiculous Questions is that life is filled with ridiculousness. And questions. That only by giving in to these truths may we hope to slip the surly bonds of reality and attain the higher consciousness we all crave. (Eh, not really, but it sounded good there for a minute.) It’s just. Who knows? The ridiculousness and question bits, I guess. Why six? Assonance, baby, assonance.
This fall brings with it a new edition of Lafcadio Hearn’s Japanese Ghost Stories, published by the Folio Society. This edition includes an introduction by Yoko Ogawa and new illustrations by Yuko Shimizu. I spoke with Shimizu about her work on this edition, her experiences with Hearn’s fiction, and more.
I met Kyle Winkler at VoidCon last year, where I picked up his novel Enter the Peerless, a work of heady cosmic horror. This fall brings with it the release of his new book The Ship of Death, a book about a board game that might also be a vessel by which uncanny presences can enter the contemporary world; it’s also told through a series of found documents. As someone with a fondness for board games myself, the combination was irresistible and the novel wholly compelling. I chatted with Winkler about the roots of the origins of this novel, subverting horror tropes, and the challenge of creating found documents.
I’ve been an admirer of Grant Maierhofer’s work for years, but my experience of reading his two latest books back to back may be the apex of my experience with his bibliography thus far. Those two books are Synecdoche, New York — an entry in the Timecodes series to which I’m also a contributor — and the book-length essay Serotonin: Writing and Depression. Both books are, in their own way, moving explorations of creativity and mental health. They are candid, often very moving, and haven’t left my brain since I finished them. Maierhofer and I chatted via email about these two books, his larger project, and what’s next for him.
Mallory Smart is an author, editor, publisher, and podcaster. She has had a prolific year with multiple stories published and a chapbook, We All Go A Little Mad Sometimes, from Thirty West Publishing. Her newest horror story collection is Book of David from House of Vlad, out October 7, 2026. An authentic encapsulation of Midwest gothic, Book of David is certainly a haunting collection just in time for Halloween. I sent her a list of questions to learn more about David.
Like her characters, author Diana Rojas certainly doesn’t take the easy route toward closure or redemption. In her latest novel They Hold Grudges she writes from the perspective of Roberto, someone who refuses to “stir the pot” – even when his own reputation is being cooked.
The guiding principle of Six Ridiculous Questions is that life is filled with ridiculousness. And questions. That only by giving in to these truths may we hope to slip the surly bonds of reality and attain the higher consciousness we all crave. (Eh, not really, but it sounded good there for a minute.) It’s just. Who knows? The ridiculousness and question bits, I guess. Why six? Assonance, baby, assonance.
There are infinite ways for our heroes to disappoint us. In Julie Buntin’s latest novel Famous Men, she explores an issue that too many women face: What happens when the men they look up to take advantage of their admiration?
The novel follows the life of Wilhelmina (Will) Miles, a girl who grows up in the same small Michigan town as celebrity writer Nathaniel Fellow. His many books are the star of her mother’s bookshelf, one of which is signed with a sentimental note that makes Will wonder if he is actually the father she grew up without. So, when she finally moves away from home, she seeks him out in New York City. He promptly hires her as an assistant, seemingly as a favor, and makes an exception to let her audit his MFA classes. It doesn’t take long for his mentorship to morph into a secret relationship that shapes Will’s whole life and career as a writer.