Carina Bissett

Dead Girl, Driving and Other Devastations: Book Launch

I’ve been watching the approach on March 8th with a mix of anticipation and more than a little bit of dread. Today is the day my debut short story collection goes out into the world. Happy book birthday Dead Girl, Driving and Other Devastations! I hope you have the best book release EVER!!!

E. L. Doctorow once likened writing a book to navigating a two-lane highway in the fog at night: “you never see further than your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.” As much as this quote has inspired me over the years, I can’t help but feel a little disappointed that Doctorow failed to mention that darkness and fog weren’t the only potential hazards on this cross-country jaunt across unknown territory. If you’re lucky, you might start out with four wheels (in my case, it was a rusted out 1987 Blazer with a leaky radiator and bald tires) but some of us don’t even have that luxury. Sometimes, the best you can do is to set off with a borrowed bicycle mounted with a battery-operated headlight. And when that breaks down, the only choice left is to continue by foot, one step in front of the other as you walk the line, hoping not to be hit by oncoming traffic.

The oldest story in this collection (“More Wings Than the Wind Knows”) was written in 2015. The second is “Rotten,” which was the story I submitted with my MFA application to Stonecoast (University of Southern Maine). These are the only two stories in the collection that were written before my bicycle accident in June 2016. (You can read my post about the accident HERE. Content warnings for graphic images.)

Long story short: not only was my body broken, but I’d also sustained a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Even though I had my new identity in place (a change that occurred in 2013 as part of a protection plan for domestic violence) and I’d been admitted to Stoncoast’s MFA program for Popular Fiction, my life changed in just a few seconds. Between one moment and the next, my dreams of being a writer ended up unconscious, bleeding and broken on the side of the road. No lights. No destination. Just a body wracked with unmanageable pain and a brain wiped as clean as a blank slate.

I struggled to move forward, but I failed on a spectacular level. The pain was unrelenting, and my brain refused to work. The multiple surgeries in the hospital’s trauma unit were followed up with two more: the second of what would be four facial reconstructions and the second of what would be three knee surgeries. Yet still, I was unable to read, unable to write. And when it finally sank in that I couldn’t do the two fundamental tasks associated with being a writer, I approached the darkest time of my life. I counted all the medications I’d hoarded and contemplated my options. That’s when I discovered I was one pill short of a fatal dose of morphine. Would I have made the attempt otherwise? I don’t think so. But I kept that bottle for years before finally disposing of it.

The title story of this collection (“Dead Girl, Driving”) is a result of my own struggles with suicidal ideation. It also includes experiences drawn from domestic abuse. It was a hard story to write, and it is a hard story to read. But it is an important story. I believe it is my responsibility to face the struggles so many of us deal with. And so, in lieu of counseling, I prefer to battle my demons in my short fiction and poetry.

“From fairy tale revisions to fresh takes on monstrous transitions and the absolute horrors of being female, no one knows how to write a story like Carina Bissett. Fierce yet fragile.”
—Lindy Ryan, author of Bless Your Heart“

In June 2018, I graduated with my MFA in Creative Writing. To my surprise, I was asked to be the commencement speaker for my class. Not something I expected as I still harbored feelings of failure for my inability to perform the way I’d hoped. Yet, I also realized I had a message to share with my fellow graduates and the students who were still coming up through the program. In my commencement speech, I told my peers to keep moving despite the inevitable obstacles they would encounter along the way. I urged them to slow down, to take advantage of unexpected side trips, to explore the roads off the beaten path. Because here’s the truth: Doctorow’s sage advice for writing a novel doesn’t apply to the reality of living a literary life. It’s a journey that continues to evolve and change with all its twists and turns. There are no speed limits, no race to the finish line, no end destination neatly marked on a map.

“Carina Bissett is one of my favorite speculative authors writing today—magic and myth, horror and revenge, wonder and hope. Her stories are original, lyrical, and haunting—Shirley Jackson mixed with Ursula LeGuin and a dash of Neil Gaiman. An amazing collection of stories.”
—Richard Thomas, author of Spontaneous Human Combustion, a Bram Stoker Award finalist

Also in 2018, I published my first pro rate story (“A Seed Planted”). By this time, the scars on my face were fading, and I’d found ways to work around my cognitive deficits. In the right light, at a far enough distance, I almost looked normal. Given enough extra time to rework sentences and phrases ad nauseum, my writing appeared comparable to my peers. That’s when I opened the folder with my notes on “Dead Girl, Driving.” Only then did I realize that if I didn’t finish this story, there was a high likelihood that no one would ever know how close I’d come to finding death at my own hand. I decided that was unacceptable. After all, it’s the tough stories that are the most important to tell. And so, I spent a few months working on this piece until I finally captured the emotions I wanted to convey. It eventually found a home in the anthology What Remains (Firbolg Publishing, May 2022). To date, I feel it’s one of the most significant stories I’ve told.

After I finished “Dead Girl, Driving,” I wrote the next story. And then the next. Finally, in November 2022, I picked up a trunked novel, decided to throw away 105,000 words, and then I started over. Today, I am on the last two chapters on what I believe will be my debut novel. It’s taken longer than I wanted, but this is the case with everything I do these days. And I try to remind myself that I deserve a some grace and compassion, that the writing life is a journey, not a destination. It’s hard to remember that sometimes, but Dead Girl, Driving and Other Devastations wouldn’t exist today, if I hadn’t kept going, if I hadn’t pushed myself to go as far as I could see on that lonely, dark road.

I’m not where I wanted to be at this point in my life, but I am very aware that this journey could have been much worse. My ex-husband could have found me and followed through with his promise of murder. My accident could have left me blind and immobile, or worse. And, with the lack of a solid work history under my new identity, I could have easily become homeless. The list goes on. So, yes, I’ve had my share of setbacks, but I’ve had my share of successes too. I co-edited my first anthology Shadow Atlas: Dark Landscapes of the Americas (2021), which won the Colorado Book Award. My 8,000 word retrospective on women in horror—”Words Wielded by Women” (Apex Magazine, 2023)—is currently a finalist in the category Superior Achievement in Short Nonfiction at the 2023 Bram Stoker Awards®. And the Season of the Wolf marks the beginning of my eighth year teaching workshops at The Storied Imaginarium.

These days, I don’t mind the fog in the night. I don’t mind the dark two-lane highway. I am surrounded by people who care about me, writers who I admire, and they give me all the light I need to see my way through. My only hope is that one day, I can be a light for others as well.

“Carina Bissett’s collection is a thing of wonder and beauty. It is a true representation of Carina herself: whimsical, visceral, lovely, and fierce. You can hear women’s voices screaming while roses fall from their lips. Dead Girl, Driving and Other Devastations is a triumph.”
—Mercedes M. Yardley, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of Little Dead Red

In this powerful debut, Carina Bissett explores the liminal spaces between the magical and the mundane, horror and humor, fairy tales and fabulism. A young woman discovers apotheosis at the intersection of her cross-cultural heritage. A simulacrum rebels against her coding to create a new universe of her own making. A poison assassin tears the world apart in the relentless pursuit of her true love—the one person alive who can destroy her. Dead Girl, Driving and Other Devastations erases expectations, forging new trails on the map of contemporary fiction. Includes an introduction by Julie C. Day, author of Uncommon Miracles and The Rampant.

Product details

Publisher:‎ Trepidatio Publishing (March 8, 2024)

Paperback: ‎ 164 pages

ISBN-10:‎ 1685101232 / ISBN-13:‎ 978-1685101237

Purchase Links

Trepidatio Publishing

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

“In a debut collection weaving folklore and fairy tale and told in magical, lyrical, irresistible prose, Carina Bissett inveigles readers with the breadth of her skill. A feat of woven wonder, with spells sketched in the air and strands stretched taut, Dead Girl Driving and Other Devastations is an enchanting tapestry of silken stories, the collection establishing Bissett as a world-class author of fabulism, fantasy, and horror. A must-read for lovers of Neil Gaiman, Angela Slatter, and Carmen Maria Machado.”
—Lee Murray, five-time Bram Stoker Awards-winning author of Grotesque: Monster Stories

GUEST POST: The Twisted Folklore Histories Bundle

Every culture, every people has their own myths and monsters, their own magics and unfathomable mysteries, and when the storytellers of today take these bedrock elements of their heritage and frame them in new ways — whether it be alternate realities or histories, collisions with modernity, or futuristic extrapolations — the results astound. Some new twists lead to frightening places. Others unleash surprising and glorious light.

Spanning folklore from Africa to Southeast Asia, from all corners of the American continents, from Eastern Europe, Japan, the Philippines, and more, the Twisted Folklore Histories StoryBundle gathers a bevy of award-winning and award-nominated authors, some well established, some rising talents, all masters of their craft.

Their perspectives encompass home countries and diasporas, gritty realities and mind-bending flights of fancy. As curator I’m thrilled by the breadth and depth of treasures I get to offer you.

Angela Slatter and Theodora Goss breathe new energy into familiar (and not-so-familiar) European fairy tales. Eugen Bacon, Isabel Yap, and Yukimi Ogawa take the legends of their native lands and from them build horror tales, ghost stories, detective stories, paranormal romance, even forays into science fiction.

Brenda S. Tolian spins frightening yarns from the lore of the American Southwest, while C.S.E. Cooney invents wild worlds featuring fey kingdoms and shapeshifting angels. Barbara Krasnoff and Elwin Cotman bring myth and folklore into their explorations of the Jewish American and Black American experiences.

Let’s not forget the two spectacular anthologies. Shadow Atlas: Dark Landscapes of the Americas, edited by Carina Bissett, Hillary Dodge, and Joshua Viola, takes readers on a sumptuously illustrated, scary exploration of the Western Hemisphere, with a who’s-who of fantasy and horror writers bringing fabulous monsters to life. The groundbreaking Black Cranes: Tales of Unquiet Women, edited by Lee Murray and Geneve Flynn, smashes Asian stereotypes even as the contributors draw from their cultures and mythologies to open new frontiers in fear.

I envy you the adventures ahead. Hours upon hours of pure reading pleasure await. – Mike Allen

For StoryBundle, you decide what price you want to pay. For $5 (or more, if you’re feeling generous), you’ll get the basic bundle of four books in .epub format—WORLDWIDE.

Never Have I Ever by Isabel Yap
Blood Mountain by Brenda S. Tolian
The Twice-Drowned Saint by C. S. E. Cooney
The History of Soul 2065 by Barbara Krasnoff

If you pay at least the bonus price of just $20, you get all four of the regular books, plus eight more books for a total of 12!

A Feast of Sorrows by Angela Slatter
Dance on Saturday by Elwin Cotman
Chasing Whispers by Eugen Bacon
Black Cranes edited by Lee Murray and Geneve Flynn
The Collected Enchantments by Theodora Goss
Like Smoke, Like Light by Yukimi Ogawa
Dark Breakers by C. S. E. Cooney
Shadow Atlas edited by Carina Bissett, Hillary Dodge and Joshua Viola

This bundle is available only for a limited time via http://www.storybundle.com. It allows easy reading on computers, smartphones, and tablets as well as Kindle and other ereaders via file transfer, email, and other methods. You get a DRM-free .pdf for all books!

NOTE: Bundle buyers have a chance to donate a portion of their proceeds to Girls Write Now!

Poetry Publications & Pixel Project Panel

As a survivor of domestic violence, I’m happy to represent with my highly personal poem “Carina, Carina,” which is included in Under Her Eye: A Women in Horror Poetry Showcase, Vol. II. I’ll be joining editors Lee Murray and Lindy Ryan for the Pixel Project YouTube panel session this Saturday. I’m a firm believer that we can make a change by raising awareness about the continuing epidemic of violence against women. I hope you’ll join us live on November 25 at (6:30 pm MDT/8:30 EDT) HERE. You can order the book online HERE.

“Seeing stars, they call it,

as though cartoon characters

and spinning symbols

can capture a chokehold,

police lights shifting, spinning

from red to blue to red

haze, a starburst, vessels broken,

petechiae spotted on a field of white

surrender in the keelhauling,

barnacles replaced with the mundane,

chains wrought in butter knives,

jelly spoons scalloped.”
Excerpt from “Carina, Carina” in Under Her Eye: A Women in Horror Poetry Showcase, Vol. II (November 2023)

In other related news, my poem “Sleeping Beauties” is featured in The HWA Poetry Showcase, Vol. X. This is my fifth appearance in this annual showcase.

“The Instrument:

a sliver of flax, needle-sharp

spindle, corset, a fine-toothed comb,

poison apple;

the dead girls dream in concert,

a nebulous connection—cursed.”

There is more news on the horizon. Stay tuned!

On Writing about Women in Horror

It’s always been a dream of mine to claim a spot on the table of contents at Apex Magazine. In May 2023 (Issue 138), this dream came true with the publication of my essay “Words Wielded by Women.”

This 8,000 word nonfiction retrospective looks at the horror genre from its early inception and influences to the ground-breaking work being done by contemporary authors and editors including Ellen Datlow, Julie C. Day, Tananarive Due, Paula Guran, Gwendolyn Kiste, EV Knight, Kathe Koja, Lisa Morton, Lee Murray, Lindy Ryan, Angela Slatter, Sara Tantlinger, Ann VanderMeer, and more.

Last summer, when I began digging into the incredible reach of horror and the roles women have played in the development of the genre, I found I had a lot to say about the subject. Over the years, I’ve personally had pushback when it comes to defining my work as horror, especially since I tend to move across traditional genre conventions. Curious to see if this was an anomaly, I reached out to other female writers and quickly discovered that I’m not the only one. So, after three months of research and more than two dozen interviews, I found myself with this massive piece complete with detailed footnotes and an extensive bibliography. Only then did I realize that the resulting essay was much too long to publish in traditional venues. With only the slightest thread of hope, I reached out to the editors at Apex Magazine, and to my immense surprise they decided to take a chance on it, despite its length. I’m so glad they did! You can read the essay in its entirety HERE.

“If you’re a fan of Monster, She Wrote by Lisa Kröger and Melanie R. Anderson or if you’re looking to ﬁll your TBR pile with more fantastic women horror writers, then this is an essay you won’t want to skip!”—Lesley Conner, Editor, Apex Magazine

In addition to the nonfiction feature article “Words Wielded by Women” at Apex Magazine, I also wrote an academic essay on women’s roles in the genre over the last two decades. In March 2023, “The Future of Horror: Evolution or Revolution?” was published in The Evolution of Horror in the Twenty-First Century, edited by Simon Bacon.

“We don’t have to claim a space,” says award-winning author Kathe Koja. “It belongs to us. It has always belonged to us.”

This fierce generation of women horror writers refuses to be pushed back into the shadows. They write about their hungers, bodies, and desires, and they do so without fear of judgment or recrimination. They will not be erased from the pages of their own stories, nor will they bear the domination of patriarchal conventions and genre constraints. Those times are relics of the past. The future is progress, and women in horror are determined to pave the way.
—Carina Bissett, excerpt from “The Future of Horror: Evolution or Revolution?”

Poetry Roundup

I love poetry. It’s a form that has always called to me. However, I never thought of myself as a poet, even when I first started publishing. That title has always felt unapproachable and prestigious, so it’s always somewhat dizzying to see my poems in print. This year is no different: 2023 has started out as a year of poetry with a story about a witch and mermaids in Fantasy Magazine, a piece filled with feminist rage and Greek monsters in The Future Fire, and a deeply personal poem about my experiences with domestic violence in the second showcase of women’s poetry forthcoming in Under Her Eye by Black Spot Books.

There are more markets for speculative poetry than ever before, so writing poetry is something I plan to continue. It feeds my creative soul in a way that is distinctly different than my pursuits in fiction. Best of all, I’m nearing the completion of my first poetry collection, so I suppose it’s time to accept that I might be a poet after all.

Thank you for reading!

“Carina, Carina,” Under Her Eye: A Women in Horror Poetry Showcase, Black Spot Books. Forthcoming.

“Between Scylla and Charybdis,” The Future Fire. April 2023.

“The Mermaids of Magonia,” Fantasy Magazine. February 2023.

Into the Forest: Anthology Release Day!

A little over a year ago, I sat down to write a story for an anthology call seeking stories about Baba Yaga. And down the rabbit hole I went. As I followed the trail of this enigmatic witch in Slavic folklore, I was reminded that there are many versions of the cunning character. In some cases, her name is not a name at all but a babble word or a phrase that roughly translates to “iron-nosed midwife” or “forest mother.” In the end, that is the trail I followed. This also led me to the decision to incorporate the folklore of the rusalki, the restless and often malevolent spirits of undead drowned girls. And then, for the final twist, I took these characters and placed them in the Netherlands during WWII–a perfect setting to sift through themes of displacement and identity and resistance.

The end result is my story “Water Like Broken Glass,” which is intensely personal despite the distance in time and place. It’s one of my favorite pieces I’ve written to date, so I’m especially pleased that it found a home in Into the Forest: Tales of the Baba Yaga, edited by Lindy Ryan and published by Black Spot Books.

“Water Like Broken Glass” joins other examinations of Baba Yaga in pieces written by some of the leading women authors working in horror today including Gwendolyn Kiste, Mercedes M. Yardley, Monique Snyman, Donna Lynch, Lisa Quigley, and R. J. Joseph. Featuring 23 stories and an instroctory poem by Stephanie M. Wytovich, there’s truly something for every reader in this spectacular showcase.

Deep in the dark forest, in a cottage that spins on birds’ legs behind a fence topped with human skulls, lives the Baba Yaga. A guardian of the water of life, she lives with her sisters and takes to the skies in a giant mortar and pestle, creating tempests as she goes. Those who come across the Baba Yaga may find help, or hindrance, or horror. She is wild, she is woman, she is witch— and these are her tales.

Edited by Lindy Ryan, this collection brings together some of today’ s leading voices of women-in-horror as they pay tribute to the Baba Yaga, and go Into the Forest.

As part of the events surrounding the launch and the subsequent book tour, I’ve had the privilege of writing two different columns.

“Take A Peek At ‘Into the Forest: Tales of the Baba Yaga’” includes an excerpt from “Water Like Broken Glass” and a bit of the inspiration that led to the decision to set this story in the Netherlands during the Nazi occupation of WWII. This feature also includes a short introduction by Lindy Ryan.

On December 11, a second essay is scheduled to appear at Little Miss Book Lover. This piece includes the ways in which I used sensory descriptions to enhance theme and mood. If you are a writer looking for practical tips when it comes to writing from the senses, I hope you’ll stop by when the essay goes live.

It has been fun to see this story garner several mentions, especially since it is not about the Baba Yaga but, instead, the idea that all women have the potential to become a baba yaga, one of the forest mothers. However, even then, the baba yagas exist on the margins of my story. In fact, “Water Like Broken Glass” actually centers on a rusalka and explores ideas of love and loss, revenge and retribution.

“Water Like Broken Glass” by Carina Bissett…delivers a wonderfully queer update to the tale against the backdrop of WWII. Fans of folklore retellings will find plenty to enjoy. – Publishers Weekly

“Water like Broken Glass” by Carina Bissett is another standout. Bissett is a folklorist and it shows, as she skillfully mixes history with myth. The writing is fantastic, harrowing and haunting. – Zach Rosenberg, Horror DNA

As part of Ryan’s truly amazing work in spreading the news of this anthology far and wide, Into the Forest has also received numerous reviews at Goodreads.

5 star reviews for “Water Like Broken Glass”

Big shocker, the guy who has read military history since middle school liked the story set in the Second World War. Still, it was a beautiful story centered around a river spirit and a resistance fighter and the changes that time and the war place on their relationship. It was only tangentially connected to Baba Yaga but I thought the themes of dual compassion and barbarism fit very well with the rest of the collection. – Melkor von Moltke, Goodreads

This is a very unique story of how Baba Yaga exists and how one can become Baba Yaga, but it’s also about love and the extent of what one will do for love. It’s a story about forgiveness. It was well written and captivating. Hands down one of my favorite reads of this collection. ” – Autumn (Chapter Malliumpkin), Goodreads

The story isn’t narrated by Baba Yaga, but by a rusalka. And I can’t say more without spoiling it big time. The ending, though! Honestly this story merits a full novel. – Marquise, Goodreads

I hope you’ll consider adding this truly fabulous anthology to your collection. It can be purchased at AmazonUS, AmazonUK, Barnes & Noble, and at Bookshop.org. Thank you for the support. Happy reading!

Dreams for a Broken World: A Book Birthday & a #Giveaway!

It’s hard to believe that just a year ago, I was sitting down to read the first batch of stories that would eventually become the second book I’ve worked on with my dear friend Julie C. Day at Essential Dreams Press. There’s nothing quite like watching the magic as a book comes together. And now it’s November 1st—the day Dreams for a Broken World is released into the world. I can’t think of anything better to start off the month, as I join the editorial team in celebrating this newest achievement by Essential Dreams Press.

Edited by Julie C. Day and Ellen Meeropol, Dreams for a Broken World is the second in the Dreams series. To celebrate the book birthday of this charity anthology, Essential Dreams Press is offering a #giveaway. It doesn’t get much better than that!

So here’s the deal: If you purchase Dreams for a Broken World today (November 1) and share the news on social media with the hashtag #DreamsforaBrokenWorld, you’ll be eligible to receive a free ecopy of the first anthology in the series Weird Dream Society!

Not only will you be supporting and indie publisher (thank you!), but the proceeds of your purchase with benefit the Rosenberg Fund for Children (RFC). This organization envisions a world where no child suffers alone when their family faces repression. In addition to contributing to a good cause, you’ll be getting a truly amazing collection of stories ranging in style from literary to speculative. Patron saints and luchadores. Trickster gods. Freedom fighters. Infections of fire. Gated communities and glass castles. Hong Kong. Iran. NYC. The 1860s and the end of the world. These authors raises their voices with stories that demand to be heard.

“24 impressive stories.” —Publishers Weekly

“Highly recommended.”— Lightspeed Magazine

But wait, there’s more!

If you will be at the World Fantasy Convention (WFC), you can join us for a reading and get your books signed on Saturday, November 5th at 10pm CT. Julie C. Day will be hosting a group reading featuring Usman Mlk, Nisi Shawl, and Robert V.S. Redick. Special guests will also be reading for a few of the authors not present. I hope to see you there!

Purchase Links

Containing a mixture of original and reprinted stories, Dreams for a Broken World brings together twenty-four amazing authors: Andrew Altschul, Joy Baglio, Breena Clarke, Zig Zag Claybourne, Tina Egnoski, Cai Emmons, JoeAnn Hart, Ava Homa, Innocent Chizarama Ilo, Céline Keating, Aimee Liu, Jan Maher, Usman T. Malik, Benjamin Parzybok, Charles Payseur, Robert V.S. Redick, Veronica Schanoes, Nisi Shawl, Vandana Singh, Lisa Taylor, Sheree Renée Thomas, Marie Vibbert, Cynthia Robinson Young, and Sabrina Vourvoulias.

Fairy Tale Poetry Workshop

This weekend, I’ll be running a two-hour poetry workshop as part of the three-day virtual event Writing Poetry in the Dark, hosted by Raw Dog Screaming Press. In addition to my live workshop (via Zoom), participants can interact with other contributors featured in the forthcoming book Writing Poetry in the Dark. Featured poets include Michael A. Arnzen, Donna Lynch, Jessica McHugh, Tim Waggoner, Albert Wendland, and Stephanie Wytovich.

Registrations at the VIP + 2 Workshops level ($197) will have access to the entire event, which features on-demand prerecorded content, live sessions, and recordings. This top tier includes all of the rewards in the VIP level ($97) AND access to the events TWO live workshops: Writing from the Wound with Donna Lynch and Fairy Tale Poetics: New Wine in Old Bottles by yours truly. At the all-inclusive price, which includes TWO 2-hour interactive workshops, you can’t go wrong.

My workshop, Fairy Tale Poetics: New Wine in Old Bottles, will be held on Saturday (October 8) from 5 to 7 pm Mountain Time. (To convert the session to your local time, check HERE.) I have a special presentation set up with some of my favorite fairy tale poems. As a participant, you will have access to workshop materials and resources. But the best part is that the small forum provides the perfect place for individual feedback and small group discussion. I hope you’ll join us. It’s going to be a blast!

If you’re new to my poetry, check out “Fairy Tale Prohibition” (NonBinary Review #25 Prohibition, Zoetic Press), which was nominated for Best of the Net. I have several new pieces slated to come out later this year and a few scheduled for 2023 (announcements coming soon!). Links to past poetry publications can be found HERE.

I’ve also worked in an editorial capacity with poetry in Shadow Atlas: Dark Landscapes of the Americas, which won the Colorado Book Award in the category of Anthology.

Although I don’t consider myself primary as a poet, it is one of my guilty pleasures. It’s a form I’ve always enjoyed, especially when it’s used as a lens through which to view fairy tales. I mostly work in the realm of short fiction, but I’ve been slowing compiling a full-length poetry collection. After all, fairy tales and folklore are my area of expertise. Over the years, I’ve presented on several panels. I’ve also been running online fairy tale workshops at The Storied Imaginarium since 2016. However, this will be the first workshop I’ve offered based solely on poetry. Writers I’ve worked with in the past have gone on to publish workshop stories in such magazines as Apex Magazine, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Clarkesworld, Daily Science Fiction, Fantasy Magazine, and more. I can’t promise results, but I’ll do my best to help you hone your voice. You can check out the list of published stories started in my workshops HERE.

What writers have to say about working with me:

“The best writing career money I ever spent was on the Storied Imaginarium Monstrous Women writing course presented by Carina Bissett. I’m planning to sign up for another one of Carina’s classes next time they open. It was astronomically helpful and inspiring.” — Mercedes M. Yardley, author of Little Dead Red. (Storyville: What’s the Best Money You’ve Spent on Your Writing Career?, column by Richard Thomas)

“Carina is a great teacher—insightful, resourceful and empathetic. It was Carina who encouraged me to get my stories out, even when they’d rather skulk in the corners of my brain, then revise and send my work out to publishers. I can’t wait to work with her more in the future.” —Daniela Tomova, author of “Behind Her, Trailing like Butterfly Wings,” Apex Magazine.

“Carina’s classes are intensive and illuminating. I’m impressed with her extensive knowledge of myth and fairy tales, as well as her insightful and kind critique. Highly recommend!” — KT Wagner, author of “3-D Monarch” in Happily Ever After, “Slipped Stitch” in Dead of Winter, and “Grandma Heloise” at Daily Science Fiction.

“Carina Bissett is one of the most energetic and enthusiastic workshop leaders I’ve ever seen. Her generous reading, sharp eye for detail, and prolific knowledge of both fairy tales and publishing make her an ideal teacher for novice and practiced writers alike. I heartily recommend any writing program with her at the helm.” — Julia K. Patt, author of “Whatever Tower, However High,” Escape Pod and “My Dear, Like the Sky and Stars and Sun,” Clarkesworld.

Persephone’s Promise

Come gentle spring in green’s desire:

the fertile floods, the tender shoots,

a promise of life in the making.

Come graceful fall, ripe bounty culled:

the harvest moon, the golden fields,

a promise of death in the taking.

When winter comes, she cradles bones of hope,

ash dusting dreams of the damned in the dark,

summer’s sacrifice red and ripe between her teeth,

shuddering pomegranate torn in two,

a promise of blood spilt in meadows bloomed,

a promise of seeds spent in shadows doomed.

Bio: Carina Bissett is a writer and poet working primarily in the fields of dark fiction and fabulism. Her short fiction and poetry have been published in multiple journals and anthologies including What Remains, Upon a Twice Time, Bitter Distillations: An Anthology of Poisonous Tales, Arterial Bloom, Gorgon: Stories of Emergence, Weird Dream Society, Hath No Fury, and the HWA Poetry Showcase Vol. V, VI, VIII, and IX. She is also the co-editor of the award-winning anthology Shadow Atlas: Dark Landscapes of the Americas. Links to her work can be found at http://carinabissett.com.

Preorder your copy of Writing Poetry in the Dark from Raw Dog Screaming Press HERE. *Coming October 18th*

Writing Poetry in the Dark brings together some of the most successful contemporary genre poets to discuss topics related to creating dark and fantastical poetry.

The essays inside feature wonderful tidbits of knowledge for all levels of poets or aspiring poets, or even, anyone interested in learning how people write poetry and why. It might even inspire a reluctant poetry reader to read some!

“Writing is alchemy. You take scary, magical things like emotions—all your pain and anger, your joy and lust, everything you’re afraid of—and you let them churn around inside the brilliant galaxy of your body and brain until they can’t be contained anymore. Then you make something. Maybe you make art. Maybe it’s violent art. Whatever it is, make the thing that sets you free.” – Claire C. Holland, in “Freeing the Demon: Writing Violence Into the Poem”

Writing Poetry in the Dark Table of Contents –

“To Sing Dark Songs” by Tim Waggoner
“Dislocating the World” by F.J. Bergmann
“Writing Speculative Poetry in Experimental Forms” by Linda D. Addison
“The Art of Speculative Haiku” by Christina Sng
“A Slippery World: Writing Poetry About Gender and Sexuality” by Lucy A. Snyder
“Do Not Fear Poetic Collaboration” by Jim & Janice Leach
“Here Are the Stairs to the Dark Cellar; Yes, You Must Go There: POV in Dark Poetry” by Timons Esaias
“World-Building…in a Poem?” by Albert Wendland
“Putting the Science in Science Fiction Poetry” by Jeannine Hall Gailey
“Like Fright on Lice: Humor and Horror Poetry” by Michael Arnzen
“Dark Poetry and War” by Alessandro Manzetti
“This Is Not a Poem” by Cynthia Pelayo
“Global Reflections Within Our Fear-Lit Ink” by Bryan Thao Worra
“Of Poison Doors and Uncarved Stones” by Saba Syed Razvi, PhD
“Into the Dark Woods: Fairy Tale Poetry” by Carina Bissett
“Dreams as Poetry: Translating Dreams into Verse” by Joanna C. Valente
“I Got My Passport Stamped in Hades: Waking the Dead in the Poem” by Leza Cantoral
“Historical Horror in Poetry” by Sara Tantlinger
“Exploring the Monstrous Woman Archetype: Writing Satan’s Sweethearts” by Marge Simon
“Freeing the Demon: Writing Violence Into the Poem” by Claire C. Holland
“Dancing in the Design: Creating Blackout Poetry” by Jessica McHugh
“Writing the Wound” by Donna Lynch

Shadow Atlas Wins a Colorado Book Award

I’m pleased to announce that Shadow Atlas: Dark Landscapes of the Americas took home the gold as the winner in the Anthology category at the Colorado Book Awards. This is the first win at the Colorado Book Awards for Hex Publishers, and it is also my first award as an editor.

When I had the opportunity to work on the project that became Shadow Atlas, my personal goal was to break down traditional boundaries by curating a diverse collection of voices and styles. I was also ADAMANT about moving away from the continuing (and frankly problematic) domination of cishet, white male writers in genre fiction anthologies. I’d like to point out that there are SEVEN women and only two men highlighted on the cover. (If you count the editors, those numbers change to NINE/three.) This not the norm in the industry.

I’d also like to point out that Shadow Atlas features 24 poems (written by 18 poets) and 21 stories (Note: Christina Sng wrote a suite of poems, and Angie Hodapp penned both a poem and a short story.} Out of these poems and stories, 28 of the 38 contributors identify as women or non-binary, and more than half of the contributors to Shadow Atlas: Dark Landscapes of the Americas are people of color and/or LGBTQ+, This diversity was a significant focus and an intentional component of the curation of this book.

This book was a labor of love for me, and I feel incredibly blessed to have had the ability to explore this idea, which continued to evolve and grow throughout the process. I’m proud of the book and honored at the overwhelmingly positive reception it has garnered.

Shadow Atlas: Dark Landscapes of the Americas was a Finalist in the Fiction: Anthologies category of the 2022 International Book Awards. It won first place at the Colorado Book Awards in the Anthology category.

Finalist readings for the Colorado Book Awards were held at the BookBar, which you can watch on YouTube HERE (34:00-54:100). Anthology was the first award given out at the awards ceremony. You can watch the 2022 Colorado Book Awards ceremony on YouTube HERE (12:50-18:10).

Reviews

“It’s woven together in such a masterful…tapestry of creative minds..seamlessly bound together. This book was quite magical.” Watch the review at Syn’s Book Nook HERE.

Laura Kemmerer at What Lies Beneath calls Shadow Atlas “a fantastic exploration of identity, landscape, and what happens when the two intersect…and the structure itself feels like a story that would be told around a campfire over the course of several nights.” You can read the full review HERE. Shout-outs for “Moon-Eyed Women” by Kay Chronister, “The Man Who Wasn’t There” by Betty Rocksteady, “Blood of Angels” by Owl Goingback, “Blood, Like Chocolate” by Stephanie M. Wytovich, “La Ciguapa” and “Yacumama” by Christina Sng, “Xtabay” by Julia Rios, “Door to Door” by Josh Malerman, and “Moon Under Mangroves” by Juliana Spink Mills. (Feb. 2, 2022)

“The editors’ fictionalized-scholastic approach combines academia with spine-tingling creepiness and absolutely riveting adventure,” writes Queen Wysiwyg at Brain Matter. “It is my fervent hope that Bisset, Dodge, and Viola are already working on Shadow Atlas: Europe. This was a splendid ride.” You can read the full review HERE. (Dec. 1, 2021)

Shadow Atlas garnered special attention as an Editor’s Pick at BookLife of Publishers Weekly. “Dead serious in its horror, yet delightful and inviting in its design and conceit, Shadow Atlas is a rare, beguiling treat, a collective fantasy with teeth, vision, and grounded in urgent, ancient truths.” You can read the review HERE. Shout outs include “Xtabay” by Julia Rios, “Blood Sisters” by Christa Wojciechowski, “Moon Under Mangroves” by Juliana Spink Mills, and “Iara” by Kathryn Reilly. (Nov. 30, 2021)

“Think The DaVinci Code or Indiana Jones, but with more literary force, as it comments on mortals, immortals, and the intersection of worlds which holds them.” You can read the Midwest Book Review on the General Fiction Shelf HERE. Shout outs include “Sand and Salt” by Mercedes M. Yardley and “Diablo Ballena” by Jeanne C. Stein.

“A host of sublime writers and settings create an entertainingly macabre collection.” You can read the Kirkus Review HERE. Shout outs for “God Spelled Backward” by (Tim Waggoner, “Door to Door” by Josh Malerman, “Xtabay” by Julia Rios, “You Ought Not Smile as You Walk These Woods” by Annie Neugebauer, “Diablo Ballena” by Jeanne C. Stein, and “The Massacooramaan” by “Christina Sng. (Nov. 22, 2021)

“If you’re the sort of person who likes books-as-objects, then I definitely recommend snagging a print copy of this one,” writes A.C. Wise. You can read this review for Shadow Atlas HERE. Shout outs for “Moon-Eyed Women” by Kay Chronister, “Things to Do in Playland When You’re Dead” by Gwendolyn Kiste, “You Ought Not Smile As You Walk These Woods” by Annie Neugebauer, “Xtabay” by Julia Rios, and “Blood Sisters” by Christa Wojciechowski. (Oct. 29, 2021)

“A host of sublime writers and settings create an entertainingly macabre collection.” —KIRKUS REVIEWS

“Think The DaVinci Code or Indiana Jones, but with more literary force.”—MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW

“Dead serious in its horror, yet delightful and inviting in its design and conceit, Shadow Atlas is a rare, beguiling treat, a collective fantasy with teeth, vision, and grounded in urgent, ancient truths.”—BOOKLIFE REVIEWS

Ancient peoples knew there were lands given over to shadow and spirit. The world is full of haunted places that exact a terrible toll on trespassers. Our forebears paid a heavy price to earn the wisdom and the warning they bequeathed to future generations.

Time transformed their precious knowledge into superstition, but there are those whose hearts beat in rhythm with the past and whose vision is not clouded by modernity. Seeking to reclaim humanity’s early secrets, the Umbra Arca Society was forged. For centuries, this private league of explorers dedicated their lives to uncovering the oldest mysteries of the Americas. Armed with boldness and guile, and equipped with only a compass, a journal, and devotion to truth, these adventurers braved cursed landscapes, dared unnatural adversaries, and exposed hidden civilizations.

Many did not survive.

None were forgotten.

Their stories are maps revealing the topography and contours of landscapes unimaginable and dark. The Shadow Atlas collects their adventures.

Edited by Carina Bissett, Hillary Dodge and Joshua Viola

Illustrations by Aaron Lovett

Release date: November 30, 2021

Published by Hex Publishers

Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-7365964-3-2

Paperback ISBN: 978-1-7365964-1-8

eBook ISBN: 978-1-7365964-2-5

Under Her Skin: Poetry Collection Release

Today is the book birthday of the highly-anticipated anthology Under Her Skin: A Women in Horror Poetry Collection, Volume 1. This gorgeous book includes two of my poems: “My Body, My Book” and “Our Lady’s Bird.”

“Not for the faint of heart…Each word and phrase has been structured in such a way that the reader will experience an intense depth of emotion and feelings.” —EGuide Magazine

“…varied themes, approaches, and poetic structures create a diverse series of horror inspections. Under Her Skin is unparalleled in scope, creativity, and literary strength.” —Midwest Book Review

A showcase of poetry from some of the darkest and most lyrical voices of women in horror.

Under Her Skin features the best in never-before-published dark verse and lyrical prose from the voices of Women in Horror. Centered on the innate relationship between body horror and the female experience, this collection features work from Bram-Stoker Award® winning and nominated authors, as well as dozens of poems from women (cis and trans) and non-binary femmes.

Edited by Lindy Ryan and Toni Miller, Under Her Skin celebrates women in horror from cover to cover. In addition to poems contributed by seventy poets, the collection also features a foreword penned by Science Fiction Poetry Association (SFPA) Grand Master and recipient of the Horror Writers Association Lifetime Achievement Award, Linda D. Addison; interior illustrations by Science Fiction & Fantasy Poetry Association Grand Master and recipient of the Horror Writers Association Lifetime Achievement Award Marge Simon; and cover art by noted horror artist Lynne Hansen.

OUR LADY’S BIRD by Carina Bissett

A good girl wears white
gloves, pristine, unblemished
hands folded, head bowed,
lips pressed tight, pink
heat hidden, sealed, trapped

in bleached cotton that covers,
smothers knuckles bruised,
nails chewed, cuticles torn,
blood spotting, weeping,
a testament to wickedness within.

You can read the rest of this piece as well as featured poems by Lee Murray and Amy Lowenstern in the article “UNDER HER SKIN: COVER AND POETRY REVEAL” at SciFiNow or in your own copy of this amazing collection of dark poetry.