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Articles by Eric LaRocca
[Guest Editorial] Author Eric LaRocca Discusses Why Horror Fiction Should Never Feel Safe
[Editor's Note: This week sees the release of Eric LaRocca's We Turn Gruesome At Night, "the nightmarish second installment of a new trilogy of provocative, disruptive and brutally poetic queer horror set in a small New England town." We're excited to have Eric LaRocca contributing a guest editorial for Daily Dead readers, discussing why horror fiction should never feel safe!] Horror Fiction Should Never Feel Safe By Eric LaRocca Over the past few years, the horror genre has been completely...
Monthly Wrap Up: April 2026
Hey everyone! It’s time for my monthly wrap up post for April! I picked out 5 books for April, and you can see which books I picked in my April TBR post. This was a much better reading month for me than March, and I got through almost all of my chosen books! In total, I read 4 books in April, and started a 5th. Books Read: 1 – Doll Parts by Penny Zang Doll Parts by Penny Zang was a book club read.
Wretch: or, The Unbecoming of Porcelain Khaw
Simeon grieves the loss of his beloved husband, and through manipulation and desperation, falls into the web of Porcelain Khaw, a mysterious creature who can show people their dearly departed loved ones. A labyrinth of stories within stories, LaRocca’s new book is a treasure chest of asides and casual musings that could be whole novels unto themselves.
Giving a Voice to the Faceless: A Guest Post by Eric LaRocca
Giving a Voice to the Faceless: A Guest Post by Eric LaRocca This is a terrifying (and thrilling) start to a brand-new trilogy from the author of Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke and At Dark, I Become Loathsome. Read on for an exclusive essay from Eric LaRocca on writing We Are Always Tender with Our Dead. Hardcover $27.99 By Eric LaRocca In Stock Online Hardcover $27.99 Please enable javascript to add items to the cart.
At Dark, I Become Loathsome
LaRocca (Everything the Darkness Eats), who is best known for shocking depictions of depravity, tries a more nuanced exploration of the transformative power of grief. Ashley is a man who has much to grieve, having lost his wife to cancer and having had his eight-year-old son Bailey stolen from him. Formerly an artist, Ashley now spends his days performing “fake death” rituals on his clients, introducing them to death as a way to give them an appreciation of life.
We Are Always Tender with Our Dead
. (Burnt Sparrow, Bk. 1). Sept. 2025. 304p. ISBN 9781803368672. $27.99. HORROR COPY ISBN LaRocca’s ( At Dark, I Become Loathsome) latest is a brutal and hallucinatory exploration of traumas and transgressions in the little town of Burnt Sparrow, NH. Focusing on two main characters, Rupert and Gladys, and a mysterious massacre that steamrolls the town, LaRocca pushes readers deeper and deeper into a Lynchian symphony of sorrow with stunningly beautiful and horrifying language.
Mother Horror’s Guide to Dark & Disturbing Fiction in 2025
Reading Companions, I have finished writing my book, Feral & Hysterical: Mother Horror’s Ultimate Reading Guide to Dark and Disturbing Fiction by Women (August 19th, 2025), and with my newly available time, I’m determined to catch up on previously released books I missed while keeping up to date on as many new titles as I can. Through it all, I will report my experience to you here, at The Lineup, at the end of each month. A monthly wrap-up, if you will. My personal reading journal, shared.
At Dark, I Become Loathsome
As both a fan of scary stories and a writer, I’ve always considered the horror genre to be among the most difficult to execute well. A case in point is Eric LaRocca’s At Dark, I Become Loathsome. While it features the elements of a successful horror novel, it ultimately falls short. Having lost his wife to cancer and his son to a kidnapper, Ashley Lutin dwells in the twilight zone of a life that no longer feels real.
Every Horror Story is About Power: A Guest Post by Eric LaRocca
Every Horror Story is About Power: A Guest Post by Eric LaRocca Bestselling author Eric LaRocca returns with a dark, decadent story of loneliness and longing, life and death. With claustrophobic rituals and spine-tingling horror you won’t be able to look away from, this is LaRocca at his best. Read on for an exclusive essay from Eric on writing At Dark, I Become Loathsome. Hardcover $25.99 Please enable javascript to add items to the cart.
New, Chilling Horror Books to Read in January
Most people associate horror with fear, but great horror can also incite a deeply rooted sense of discomfort and revulsion. The work of the author Eric LaRocca does just that. Blacker than the blood of a fountain pen and unapologetically queer, AT DARK, I BECOME LOATHSOME (Blackstone Publishing, 230 pp., $25.99) shares the gruesomeness of LaRocca’s previous work while exploring the inner workings of a mind shattered by guilt and grief.
Six short books to read this year
We are all familiar with the New Year’s resolution to read more novels, but towards the end of January, many have yet to progress with that goal. Instead of waiting for the beginning of a new month to start anew, begin your reading journey now with these six short yet mighty books. “Lie with Me” by Philippe Besson Three words to describe this book: beautiful, heart-shattering and tender.
Coming Soon To Streaming Platforms: Daniel Lasker’s ‘HIDDEN WITHIN’ - PopHorror
Coming Soon To Streaming Platforms: Daniel Lasker’s ‘HIDDEN WITHIN’ Christine Burnham 6 mins ago News, Trailers Coming soon to streaming from director Daniel Lasker (The Signal) is a new thriller: Hidden Within. Synopsis A young woman returns home to Zimbabwe to visit her ill father. A string of local disappearances reveal a frightening secret he’s been hiding. The film stars Daniel Lasker (Abraham Lincoln – TV Series), Arthur Falko (The Devil Speaks – TV Series), and Anja Taljaard (Glasshouse).
Coming Soon To Streaming From Director Charles Band: ‘QUADRANT’ (2024) - PopHorror
Coming soon to streaming from Pulp Noir and director Charles Band (Evil Bong 666) is a new horror film: Quadrant. The film stars Emma Reinagel (Monster Mash), Lexi Lore (AIMEE: The Visitor), and Christian Carrigan (Evil Lives Here – TV Series). Developed by scientists Harry and Meg, the Quadrant helmet allows your mind to transport you into a world where all your phobias and nightmares are real, while also granting you the strength to defeat them, liberating you from their control forever.
‘The Trees Grew Because I Bled There: Collected Stories’ By Eric LaRocca – Book Review - PopHorror
I have been hearing much praise for Eric LaRocca throughout the horror book community. He is a two time Bram Stoker Award Finalist and a Splatterpunk Award winner.
Mike Thorn: books, biography, latest update Original
Mike Thorn is the author of Shelter for the Damned, Darkest Hours, and Peel Back and See. His fiction has appeared in numerous magazines, anthologies and podcasts, including Vastarien, Dark Moon Digest and The NoSleep Podcast. His work has earned praise from Jamie Blanks (director of Urban Legend and Valentine), Jeffrey Reddick (creator of Final Destination), and Daniel Goldhaber (director of Cam).
On the Shelf: 'They Were Here Before Us'
“They Were Here Before Us: A Novella in Pieces” by Eric LaRocca, Independent Publishing, October 2022, $12.99 “The only thing more brutal than nature is love”.
Bound in Blood: Stories of Cursed Books, Damned Libraries and Unearthly Authors|Hardcover
PRAISE FOR DEAD FUNNY “Johnny Mains not only carries a flame for the old horrors, but wants to cause a bit of a conflagration of his own.” Stephen Volk “The book revels in the unsettling overlap between laughter and dread.” Financial Times “Johnny Mains is one of these people, his encyclopaedic knowledge and private collection of books and memorabilia is stunning. Seriously Johnny should lay on some catering and provide guided tours round his house.
Bound in Blood by Johnny Mains, Adam Cesare
A chilling anthology of over 20 original stories of cursed and haunted books; featuring malevolent second-hand books, cursed novelizations, unsettling journals and the end of the world. From award-winning authors including Eric LaRocca, Charlie Higson, Kim Newman and A. G. Slatter. Perfect for fans of When Things Get Dark. You find it hidden in the dark corner of the bookstore; tucked away in a box in the attic, desperate to be read; lurking on your bookshelf, never seen before.
Bound in Blood
By Johnny Mains , Adam Cesare , Eric LaRocca + Buy US/Canada Buy UK/Rest of World Buy Australia/New Zealand You find it hidden in the dark corner of the bookstore; tucked away in a box in the attic, desperate to be read; lurkin… US/Canada $27.99 UK/Rest of World £18.99 You find it hidden in the dark corner of the bookstore; tucked away in a box in the attic, desperate to be read; lurking on your bookshelf, never seen before. Crack the spine, feel the ancient pages. Read it aloud, if you dare.
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Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn Liked by 271.9K PixGone Girl is a psychological thriller that keeps readers guessing until the very end. The story is full of twists and turns, and the unreliable narrators make it difficult to determine what is real and what is a lie. To add a comment, download the Likewise app from your device's app store. PixThe Girl on the Train is a gripping psychological thriller with a complex narrative structure.
10 Books With Cult BookTok Followings That Should Be Made Into TV Series
"BookTok", a particular side of TikTok dedicated to recommending and discussing novels of all genres, connects readers with books that they might not be familiar with, and the ones that are often trending could easily become successful TV shows. TikTok has arguably been responsible for a resurgence of reading across certain demographics, as the sense of community tied to the importance social media has on people's lives creates a unique form of engagement.
8 best horror books of all time
8 best horror books of all time Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke And Other Misfortunes By: Eric LaRocca How to sell a haunted house By: Grady Hendrix Nothing but blackened teeth By: Cassandra Khaw The only good Indians By: Stephen Graham Jones
Never Wake
Where do we go when we dream? Since the beginning of time, people have argued the meaning of dreams. Are they symbolic visions that hold great meaning and personal significance? Are they portals into other worlds? Or are they just a series of random events our mind shows us when we fall asleep? Whatever the case, this much is true—the mind can be a scary place to venture, even for a few hours.
Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke And Other Misfortunes
"Amongst the Top 50 Horror Books of All Time" CosmopolitanThree dark and disturbing horror stories from an astonishing new voice, including the viral-sensation tale of obsession, Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke. For fans of Kathe Koja, Clive Barker and Stephen Graham Jones. Winner of the Splatterpunk Award for Best Novella.
Amazon.com: Grimdark Magazine Issue #35 eBook : Amor, Gemma, Rountree, Josh, de Bodard, Aliette, LaRocca, Eric, Starling, Caitlin, Wolf, Deborah, Jones, Aaron S., Tabler, Beth, Chorn, Sarah: Books
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We Go On: The Miracle of Perseverance
I expect many readers will undoubtedly be frustrated after finishing my debut novel, Everything the Darkness Eats. I expect many readers will feel cheated, as though they had blindly submitted to the whims of some master manipulator. Of course, I welcome these criticisms and I am delighted whenever readers react so powerfully to my work. After all, I’ve been told time and time again that the worst public reaction to any creative piece of work is indifference.
Everything the Darkness Eats
There has been considerable buzz around Eric LaRocca in the horror community over the last couple of years. He’s published his own collection and is featured in other anthologies and several novellas, including the widely discussed Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke and the recent You’ve Lost a Lot of Blood. LaRocca has also been nominated for the Bram Stoker Award and is a winner of the Splatterpunk Award for Things Have Gotten Worse.
Everything the Darkness Eats|Paperback
An insidious darkness threatens to devastate a rural New England village when occult forces are conjured and when bigotry is left unrestrained. After a recent string of disappearances in a small Connecticut town, a grieving widower with a grim secret is drawn into a dangerous ritual of dark magic by a powerful and mysterious older gentleman named Heart Crowley.
Queer Fear: The Most Exciting LGBTQ+ Voices in Horror Fiction
Although the horror genre has a decidedly volatile history when it comes to including marginalized voices, it’s obvious that such standards are now being upturned in favor of a more inclusive community of authors. In fact, the genre seems to have been revitalized by countless up-and-coming voices from marginalized communities. Readers in search of diversity have a wealth of offerings to choose from with compelling fiction being written by shining talents like Gabino Iglesias, V.
New Deal Announcement - DEATHREALM: SPIRITS
Today we are announcing a deal to publish Deathrealm: Spirits, a horror anthology edited by Stephen Mark Rainey. Deathrealm: Spirits features new ghostly stories from genre legends Joe R. Lansdale, Brian Keene, Eric LaRocca, and many more. This anthology is being curated and edited by Stephen Mark Rainey, there will not be an open submissions period, nor will there be any crowdfunding campaigns.
How Accurate Is Goodreads's "Readers Also Enjoyed" Feature?
As an avid bookworm obsessive about monitoring my studying and discovering new favorites, I’m on Goodreads recurrently. The dialogue boards, giveaways, and yearly purpose maintain me coming again again and again. I believe I’ve tracked my studying there for a minimum of six years, and my TBR shelf is filled with remnants from each section of my studying, particularly the YA dystopian romances of my teenagehood.
How Accurate Is Goodreads's "Readers Also Enjoyed" Feature?
As an avid bookworm obsessed with tracking my reading and discovering new favorites, I’m on Goodreads regularly. The discussion boards, giveaways, and yearly goal keep me coming back over and over again. I think I’ve tracked my reading there for at least six years, and my TBR shelf is full of remnants from every phase of my reading, especially the YA dystopian romances of my teenagehood.
Transgender Awareness Week: Catching Up with Hailey Piper - Horror Writers Association
Catching Up with Hailey Piper Hailey Piper is the Bram Stoker Award-winning author of Queen of Teeth, The Worm and His Kings, No Gods for Drowning, Unfortunate Elements of My Anatomy, and other books of dark fiction. She is an active member of the HWA, with over ninety short stories appearing in Pseudopod, Vastarien, Cosmic Horror Monthly, and other publications. She lives with her wife in Maryland, where their mad science experiments are secret.
25 Best and Scariest Horror Books Ever
So many pieces fit together to make The Hunger unmissable — the Donner party retelling, the sparkling prose, the weirdness of the west, the bizarre historical foundations. It’s all here, and it is masterfully woven to take you on a tense and gripping journey into the darkness of human nature. (And when you’re finished with this one, pick up Alma Katsu’s latest, The Fervor.)
Fear the Queer | Powell's Books
"Queer horror—the hottest new trend in publishing and also its longest overdue. Queer people have been weaving themselves into the threadwork of the horror genre for as long as it has existed. And though some of its lifeblood has trickled through in the shape of Clive Barker and the forgotten-by-time Carmilla, queer horror today takes ferocious, magnanimous form thanks to indie/small press publishers and the deliciously morose writers crafting through them. Who knows?
Eric LaRocca’s Top Five Works of Queer Extreme Horror
Eric LaRocca’s Top Five Works of Queer Extreme Horror Enter these worlds of twisted subversion... By Eric LaRocca | Published Oct 28, 2022 Manhunt By Gretchen Felker-Martin Searching for chills? Sign up for The Lineup's newsletter to get terrifying recommendations delivered straight to your inbox. Exquisite Corpse By Poppy Z. Brite We Are Here to Hurt Each Other By Paula D. Ashe Books of Blood - Volume 1 “In the Hills, the Cities” By Clive Barker Searching for chills?
They Were Here Before Us|Paperback
Hot off of a Splatterpunk Award for his novella Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke, LaRocca is back with another irresistible, captivating, and violent new book, featuring six separate tales, all united by how they portray the brutality that lies at the foundation of love.
7 Novels That Blend Romance and Body Horror
The first movie I saw in theaters was Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. It’s perhaps my earliest memory, I was two years old. My brother, who was three, was afraid of the beast and had to be escorted out of the theater. I, however, was quite taken with the monster.
THINGS HAVE GOTTEN WORSE SINCE WE LAST SPOKE by Eric LaRocca – Review
I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke And Other Misfortunes by Eric LaRocca Published by Titan Books on September 6 2022 Genres: Adult, Horror Pages: 288 Source: Publisher Buy on Amazon Goodreads The nitty-gritty: At times uncomfortable and disturbing, Eric LaRocca’s stories explore the dangerous side of human relationships.
Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke And Other Misfortunes
Jump to header and navigation. Jump to main content. Jump to footer. Description A whirlpool of darkness churns at the heart of a macabre ballet between two lonely young women in an internet chat room in the early 2000s—a darkness that threatens to forever transform them once they finally succumb to their most horrific desires.
10 Scarily Good September Reads to Kick off Spooky Season
This Is Where We Talk Things Out by Caitlin Marceau DarkLit Press, 21 September 2022 Quick, chilling and brutal, Marceau masters her portrayal of toxic narcissism in a bone-chilling tale of a mother-daughter relationship gone horribly wrong. Part Misery, part Sharp Objects, This Is Where We Talk Things Out is a sinister walk down Memory Lane. DarkLit Press | Goodreads
We Can Never Leave This Place|Paperback
English 1685100236 "When you're given a gift, something else gets taken away." A precocious young girl with an unusual imagination is sent on an odyssey into the depths of depravity. After her father dies violently, young Mara is surprised to find her mother welcoming a new guest into their home, claiming that he will protect them from the world of devastation and destruction outside their door.
A Queer Horror Anthology (English Edition) eBook : Hamilton, Spencer, Hamilton, Niall, LaRocca, Eric: Amazon.es: Tienda Kindle
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Beneath a pale sky - by Philip Fracassi
Before I take “Beneath a pale sky” apart into its constituent pieces in an attempt to explain my overall impression of Mr Fracassi's collection, it would be remiss not to mention the overall impression one gets from reading a collection such as this – I think it would be fair to say that Philip hit it out of the ballpark with this. In terms of immersion into his collected worlds, the poetry of the language on display, breadth, and scope of themes – it’s all golden.
Mephisto Disco - by Simon Paul Wilson
This collection is the first writing I have read from Simon, which is hard to believe because both Baggage and See you when the world ends are on my kindle, patiently waiting for me to read them. What can I say? It’s my own fault. My bad, Simon. Mephisto Disco has 13 (? I think) short stories comprising its whole, each story differing enough from the others that one gets a feel of the breadth of storytelling available here.
We can never leave this place - By Eric LaRocca
Contains Spoilers ARC copy courtesy of Sadie Hartmann and Eric LaRocca I posted a while ago that I needed time to think about this book, and wanted to commit to that promise of a review to both Eric and Sadie, from whom I gratefully received an ARC copy. The fact that a lot of people have similarly posted they need time to process the novella, shows that it’s something that requires retrospection. This, then, is my first best attempt at that process.
Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke And Other Misfortunes (Signed Book)
Three dark and disturbing horror stories from an astonishing new voice, including the viral-sensation tale of obsession, Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke. For fans of Kathe Koja, Clive Barker and Stephen Graham Jones. A whirlpool of darkness churns at the heart of a macabre ballet between two lonely young women in an internet chat room in the early 2000s—a darkness that threatens to forever transform them once they finally succumb to their most horrific desires.
GIVEAWAY: Emerging Horror Authors-The Ultimate Starter Pack
GIVEAWAY: Emerging Horror Authors—The Ultimate Starter Pack One lucky winner will win SIX books for a taste of a thrilling new era of horror fiction. By The Lineup Staff | Published Mar 16, 2022 Cirque Berserk By Jessica Guess Mestiza Blood By V. Castro Children of Chicago By Cina Pelayo Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke By Eric LaRocca Someone to Share My Nightmares By Sonora Taylor The Worm and His Kings By Hailey Piper
You've Lost a Lot of Blood|Paperback
English 1088025757 Each precious thing I show you in this book is a holy relic from the night we both perished-the night when I combed you from my hair and watered the moon with your blood. You've lost a lot of blood . . .
8 Emerging Horror Authors Who Are Changing the Face of Horror
8 Emerging Horror Authors Who Are Changing the Face of Horror These incredible authors are writing terrifying stories for a new era of horror. By Michael J. Seidlinger | Published Nov 4, 2021 Photo Credit: Cover of Goddess of Filth by V. Castro Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke By Eric LaRocca Searching for chills? Sign up for The Lineup's newsletter to get terrifying recommendations delivered straight to your inbox.
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