the worm and his kings

Into the Halloween Season 2022

September’s end is upon us as we enter the Halloween season! I’ll be part of numerous upcoming events, which I’ll share about soon. In the meantime, a few recent releases:

Last week my new novel No Gods for Drowning released from Polis Books.

But so did El Gusano y Sus Reyes, the Spanish language edition of my 2020 cosmic horror novella The Worm and His Kings. Published by Dilatando Mentes Editorial in a new hardcover volume, with art by Raúl Ruiz and a translation by Alexander Páez, I’m excited a new audience can gain access to the story of Monique’s search for Donna beneath 1990 Manhattan.

On September 25, the sapphic horror anthology Moonflowers and Nightshade released, edited by Samantha Kolesnik. My story “A Change in Universal Flavor” appears among 18 tales of queer horror, following a young woman who encounters a shift in the heavens while being blackmailed by authorities.

On September 27, Chiral Mad 5 released from Written Backward, featuring a roster of incredible authors like Stephen King, Victor LaValle, Linda Addison, Josh Malerman, and many more. My story “Sable’s Bestiary for Those Who Remain” is a help guide telling how to survive an apocalypse brought on by strange light and stranger creatures.

Lastly, in time with my recent novel release, CrimeReads was kind enough to host my article “10 Shadowy Meetings of Crime and the Occult” which delved into ten stories/books mixing crime and horror.

Books announcement: The Worm and His Kings trilogy

Posted on 2022-08-05 by Hailey Piper Announcement even the worm will turn novella the worm and his kings

I’m tremendously excited to announce that my 2020 queer cosmic horror novella The Worm and His Kings will be getting two sequels, each published by Off Limits Press, forming a cosmic horror trilogy of novellas!

The second book, Even the Worm Will Turn, will release in 2023. The third and final book (title to be revealed) will release in 2024. I can’t wait to share more of this cosmic horror world with you! Worm faithful, keep watching.

Queen of Teeth translation + new stories

Posted on 2021-10-17 by Hailey Piper novel novella queen of teeth short story the worm and his kings

Bunch of new things today, starting with the announcement that Queen of Teeth will be joining The Worm and His Kings in upcoming Spanish editions from the wonderful Dilatando Mentes Editorial. They do a beautiful job with their translations and releases, and I’m looking forward to seeing these books join their line-up.

Next, new stories! First, my tale of manipulation and monstrous love, “End-Times Magic” appears in the new Dark Dispatch: Deadly Love.

After that, I have a weird post-apocalyptic dark fantasy, “In the Land of Ash, Where the Light Is God,” appearing in 2021’s final issue of Boneyard Soup Magazine.

Representation announcement; The Worm and His Kings audiobook and nomination

Posted on 2021-04-25 by Hailey Piper Announcement audiobook award novella the worm and his kings

This is a busy one, and every piece of is tremendous.

I’m delighted to announce I’m now represented by Karmen Wells at The Rights Factory for Film/TV. Karmen is a joy to work with, and I can’t wait to share what’s ahead.

On April 22, Fireside Horror released the audiobook production for last year’s queer cosmic horror novella The Worm and His Kings. Narrated by Allyson Voller, it’s a beautiful reading perfect both for new readers and those who’ve already joined the Worm’s faithful. Check it out.

And two days later, the final ballot was announced for This Is Horror Awards 2020, with The Worm and His Kings appearing as a nominee for Novella of the Year along with four other stellar titles. I cannot thank people enough for all their enthusiasm toward this weird little beast. Voting goes until May 22.

“The Bird With the Clownish Plumage” in Campfire Macabre; Worm translation

Posted on 2021-01-06 by Hailey Piper flash fiction novella short story the worm and his kings

Welcome to the world of 2021! It comes with clowns in my neck of the woods. Campfire Macabre is a flash fiction anthology of monstrous proportions, boasting dozens of stories by incredible horror authors. This publication also marks a personal milestone: my woodsy tale “The Bird With the Clownish Plumage” marks my 50th published short story.

Check it out.

Also, I’m pleased to announce that my queer cosmic horror novella The Worm and His Kings will be translated into Spanish for a release in Spain by Dilatando Mentes Editorial, a wonderful publisher that has been translating works of horror in beautiful new Spanish editions. More details and cover art to come.

Best Lesfic Award; Inkheist; “In Subspace, No One Can Hear You Scream” in Mycelia, Issue IV

Posted on 2020-12-22 by Hailey Piper award novel novella podcast queen of teeth short story the worm and his kings unfortunate elements of my anatomy

Today I had the fantastic honor of winning the Best Lesfic of 2020 Award for Best Horror, for my queer cosmic horror novella, The Worm and His Kings! Make horror gay AF!

Also, I had the pleasure of reappearing on the Inkheist podcast to talk about The Worm and His Kings as well as writing process, queer representation, my upcoming 2021 releases Unfortunate Elements of My Anatomy and Queen of Teeth, and whether psychic powers fit into supernatural horror or form their own subgenre of psychic horror. Give a listen!

I expect this will be the last update of a long, long year. Ending it with a bang is my erotic horror story, “In Subspace, No One Can Hear You Scream” that appears in Mycelia issue IV. At this club’s show, there’s more happening than meets the eye. Check it out.

“The Inheritance Thread” in Love Letters to Poe; interviews

Posted on 2020-11-20 by Hailey Piper audio interview novella podcast short story the worm and his kings

This week has been busy! The Worm and His Kings, my new queer cosmic horror novella, released from Off Limits Press on the 15th, and it’s now available from Bookshop if you would like to support indie bookstores.

In the short fiction realm, Gothic horror magazine Love Letters to Poe published my coming of age tale “The Inheritance Thread” in their most recent issue. It’s a story of lineage and burdens, and the long-sought voice of a mother. The magazine’s podcast, available on both the site and podcast places like Spotify, has an audio version to, narrated by my wife J. The page also includes a short interview with me about the story. Check it out here.

In the non-fiction department, I’ve had the pleasure of appearing on several venues:

Gabriel Hart invited me to LitReactor, where we talked cosmic horror and NYC.

Necronomi.Com had me on to talk in depth about one of my favorite horror movies, The Wicker Man (1973).

And most recently, I appeared on the Women in Horror Film Festival Facebook page for a video interview about The Worm and His Kings.

The Worm and His Kings release day

Posted on 2020-11-15 by Hailey Piper novella the worm and his kings

2020 has been a long one, and the journey from announcement to release for my queer cosmic horror novella has sometimes felt stretched between distant stars.

But today’s the day! The Worm and His Kings is here, published by Off Limits Press!

New York City, 1990:

When you slip through the cracks, no one is there to catch you. Monique learns that the hard way after her girlfriend Donna vanishes without a trace.

Only after the disappearances of several other impoverished women does Monique hear the rumors. A taloned monster stalks the city’s underground and snatches victims into the dark.

Donna isn’t missing. She was taken.

To save the woman she loves, Monique must descend deeper than the known underground, into a subterranean world of enigmatic cultists and shadowy creatures. But what she finds looms beyond her wildest fears—a darkness that stretches from the dawn of time and across the stars.

“Hailey Piper’s The Worm and His Kings is haunting and beautiful, heartbreaking and triumphant, a story of harming and healing, of knowing when to hold on and let go. It is a story of transcendence in a way Lovecraft’s work should have been. One of the best cosmic horror novels I’ve read in eons.” — Mary SanGiovanni, author of Thrall, The Hollower, and the Kathy Ryan series

“Eerie and visceral, Piper combines the supernatural with the deeply human in a novella that explores the many faces of horror, at once haunting and familiar, yet utterly new.” – A.C. Wise, Nebula Award-nominated author of Catfish Lullaby

Audiobook of The Possession of Natalie Glasgow; 10 Weird Writers List

Posted on 2020-11-13 by Hailey Piper article audiobook novella the possession of natalie glasgow the worm and his kings

Happy Friday the 13th, everyone! Let’s get some horror going.

First up, The Possession of Natalie Glasgow is now available in audiobook from Amazon! TPONG is my debut novella, and though I had hoped to release the audiobook in time with the two-year anniversary of TPONG’s original ebook release in October, 2020 had other plans. Still, it’s available now, and narrated by Bram Stoker-nominated author Gemma Amor, whose voice takes hold of TPONG so readily that I can’t look at the book’s text anymore without hearing her voice.

Check it out!

Earlier this week, I was honored to be placed on Silent Motorist Media’s list of Ten Weird Writers to Save Us in 2020. Authors were nominated by readers and chosen by editors and writers. I’m proud to be here, and especially proud that this list is so inclusive.

Lastly, my new queer cosmic horror novella, The Worm and His Kings, releases in just two days! Off Limits Press is now sold out of copies, but it can still be ordered in ebook and paperback from Amazon. It’s been a long time coming, but the Worm is nearly here!

The Worm and His Kings early reviews; Novel announcement

Posted on 2020-10-17 by Hailey Piper Announcement novel novella queen of teeth the worm and his kings

Less than a month to go until The Worm and His Kings releases on November 15, 2020! There’s still time to pre-order a paperback from the publisher and the ebook from Amazon.

Early reviews are already coming in from Goodreads and iHorror!

And then another announcement:

I’ve signed with Rooster Republic/Strangehouse Books to publish my body horror novel as part of their 2021 line-up! Check out the press release snippet from the publisher:

“Hailey Piper … has signed on to release a new horror novel through Strangehouse Books, and this is one hell of a manuscript. We are tempted to call the book “Cronenbergian” but we aren’t sure that really does the story justice. It’s more than that. This book will knock yer socks off. It’ll be getting the hardcover treatment, as well, and we’ll have further announcements over the next couple of months. But, go ahead and get excited.”

Title, cover art, and release date to be announced. Stay tuned! This one has teeth.