flash fiction

“The Ruins of Elfland,” Even the Worm Will Turn audiobook

Posted on 2023-11-07 by audiobook even the worm will turn flash fiction novella short story

My final (I’m pretty sure) short story of 2023 released today in The Seventh Terrace’s new anthology, Solstice in Purgatory, a flash fic snowstorm of winter holiday horror. My tale, “The Ruins of Elfland,” shows the secret cost of Christmas in a world going cold for the sake of toys.

Also, on Halloween the audiobook for Even the Worm Will Turn released from Tantor! Allyson Voller reprises her role as narrator from The Worm and His Kings to bring this sequel to audio, and she’ll be returning for the final book next year, Song of the Tyrant Worm.

Audio at: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, LibroFM

“She Tasted of Good Fortune” in We’re Here + more

Posted on 2023-06-15 by flash fiction no gods for drowning novelette short story

I’m heading to StokerCon in Pittsburgh this afternoon, but a quick update before hitting the road on two new stories.

We’re Here: An Anthology of LGBTQ+ Horror is out today in ebook! All stories by queer authors, and all proceeds go to the Trevor Project, and with it releasing during Pride Month, what could be more perfect?

I have a novelette inside, “She Tasted of Good Fortune,” which takes place in the world of No Gods for Drowning and tells of curses, criminals, and a sultry deal to find a fortune teller before the night is done. It’s a standalone tale, so whether this is your first dive into the No Gods for Drowning world or you’re returning from reading the book, you’re good to go.

I’ve added a hub page for No Gods for Drowning as a series/setting, where you’ll be able to find links to the current book and novelette, as well as future books and stories as they’re announced/released.

Also if you’re attending StokerCon, I have a flash fic in the new souvenir book, The Monsters That Made Us, which isn’t available beyond the con. “The Black Lagoons of Our Eyes” is my queer love letter to The Creature from the Black Lagoon and series, and how I see myself in its titular creature. I’m delighted it can appear with many top-notch essays and stories of horror origins.

“Cross-Generational Cryptid Theory” in The Arcanist

Posted on 2022-12-08 by aeg article flash fiction no gods for drowning novel queen of teeth short story

My final short story of 2022 is up!

The Arcanist is going on permanent hiatus. I’ve had the honor of appearing there four times in the past with stories  Crones in Their Larval State,  Demons of Particular Taste,  Jormungander’s Dance, and The Mother Stitch, with the first three reprinted in my short story collection Unfortunate Elements of My Anatomy because I felt so strongly about them (and the fourth might have been there, but it came out after signing the collection with The Seventh Terrace).

So many final story of 2022 is also my final Arcanist story. I’m so glad I could be a part of its swan song with this weird post-post-apocalyptic weird familial flash fic, “Cross-Generational Cryptid Theory.” It’s free to read and listen to online, so enjoy.

In Queen of Teeth news, two items: the novel has been nominated for the This Is Horror Award for Novel of the Year 2021, so thank you everyone who voted for it. Also, the audiobook will be releasing from Tantor on December 27th, but it’s available for pre-order now.

Also exciting, No Gods for Drowning has officially made Vulture’s list of “The Best Horror Novels of 2022” alongside incredible work that came out this year. I’m honored to see my book among them.

“Feast for Small Pieces” on Pseudopod, TPONG audio update, 2021 lists

Posted on 2021-12-31 by article audio audiobook flash fiction novella short story the possession of natalie glasgow
Last story of the year, and it’s about a favorite for many: “Feast for Small Pieces” opens my short story collection Unfortunate Elements of My Anatomy, and also opens the final 2021 episode of Pseudopod, Flash on the Borderlands LIX, which features four horrific flash fics for your listening pleasure.
In further audio news: previously available exclusively to Audible, The Possession of Natalie Glasgow audiobook, narrated by the brilliant Gemma Amor, is now available at a wide selection of online retailers, including Libro.FM!
In other news, Queen of Teeth had the good fortune to appear on a couple more end-of-year lists, and I’m immensely grateful:
Also, Book Riot recommended Unfortunately Elements of My Anatomy in their article Short Stories for Dark Nights.
That will do it for 2021. Thank you for all your support, and Happy New Year!

Queen of Teeth release dates update; Pride Month stories

Posted on 2021-06-20 by audio flash fiction novel queen of teeth short story

“… one of the best horror books of 2021.” – Rue Morgue

My debut novel from Strangehouse Books, Queen of Teeth, is closer than ever now! Limited hardcover orders carry on to the end of June, and now we have new release dates for other version.

Paperback: August 1, 2021

Ebook: September 1, 2021

Kindle pre-orders are up on Amazon! Paperback soon to come!

I’m excited for readers to meet Yaya, Doc, and Magenta all the sooner!

In the short story realm, I have two new ones out for Pride Month! The first is not horror at all, strangely enough, but a steampunk western romance flash fic, “The Heart Is a Spare Part,” which appears in Baffling Magazine #4, available right now on their Patreon and then in July on their main page.

Next, The Wicked Library has unleashed their super-stuffed Pride Month Special, with stories by many wonderful queer horror authors. My sci-fi horror tale “A Little Too Late for Little Green Men” kicks off the festivities!

Unfortunate Elements of My Anatomy release day!

Posted on 2021-05-07 by collection flash fiction short story unfortunate elements of my anatomy

At last, it’s release day for Unfortunate Elements of My Anatomy! My first short story collection comes from The Seventh Terrace, stuffed with 18 tales of queer horror, isolation, and the monstrous feminine. It includes my first novelette in two years, “Recitation of the First Feeding,” and a host of body horror, sci-fi horror, and all things macabre.

Check it out in paperback and ebook

Praise for Unfortunate Elements of My Anatomy:

“In Unfortunate Elements of My Anatomy, Hailey Piper masterfully crafts a resolutely modern gothic, unearthing the rotten, the broken and the strangely beautiful. Piper wields incisive prose with empathy and deep intuition, carefully dissecting the monstrous bodies herein and spilling their stories onto the page. A compelling and essential collection.”

– Laura Mauro, British Fantasy Award-winning author of Sing Your Sadness Deep

“With surgical precision, Hailey Piper’s stories slice through the skin, fat, and muscle of her characters’ lives, all the way down to the living bone and what is written on it. In terms of their prose, their wit, their insight, their compassion, their terror, these are the sharpest of stories. Read them, but be prepared for the cuts.”

– John Langan, author of Children of the Fang and Other Genealogies and Bram Stoker Award-winning author of The Fisherman

 

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

Posted on 2021-01-06 by 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.

 

“Forgive the Adoring Beast” in Dream of Shadows; “There Is an Old Lady Who Swallows the Stars” in Neon Horror; new interview

Posted on 2020-06-03 by flash fiction interview short story

Happy Pride Month! I delayed updating for what I feel should be obvious reasons. The first Pride was a riot though and no change comes without fighting for it.

New stories:

Dream of Shadows has released their second issue, inside which you’ll find my post-apocalyptic fantastical horror flash fic, “Forgive the Adoring Beast” alongside lots of other cool stories.

Over in the UK, The Haunted Bouncy Castle has released their first anthology, Neon Horror, which is all queer horror creators. My flash fic “There Is an Old Lady Who Swallows the Stars” appears inside.

Next, Stephanie Evelyn has been running a terrific series of interviews, Women Thought Leaders in Horror, over at her blog and was kind enough to invite me to be part of it. She posed interesting questions that I was all too happy to answer. You can check that interview here.

More to come soon!

Newsletter: Hailey’s Comments

Recent Updates

About This Site

Official website of author Hailey Piper.