I have a couple of stories that are now out in the world, so I figured it was time to write a post. “An Authentic Experience” was published in the anthology WILD: Uncivilized Tales from Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers. I wrote this piece in August 2018, after a massive hail storm wrecked havoc on Colorado Springs and the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. Softball-sized hail destroyed several structures, hundreds of parked cars, and killed a few of the exhibits’ animals.
Luckily, the giraffes were spared serious damage. However, this had me thinking of the purpose of zoos and the fact that giraffes had just quietly slipped on Critically Endangered list. The end result was the story “An Authentic Experience”—a story about a zookeeper and the animals he cares for after Earth had been destroyed by an alien civilization. In all honesty, I just wanted the giraffes to have a chance to fight back.
This month, my flash story “The Stages of Monster Grief: A Guide for Middle-Aged Vampires” came out in the humorous horror anthology Coffin Blossoms, published by Jolly Horror Press. I read this piece at the inaugural Bloody Valentine event hosted by the Colorado Springs Chapter of the Horror Writers Association (HWA).
I’m thrilled that the HWA Colorado Springs Chapter is now its own entity. We have a powerhouse committee of founding members and plan on creating an inclusive community for all Colorado writers working in the realms of horror and dark fiction. It’s an exciting venture, and I can’t wait to see it evolve and grow!
In my final bit of October news, I will be speaking on two panels at MileHiCon this weekend: Building SF & Fantasy Mythologies (Saturday, Oct. 23 at 1 p.m.) and Modern Age of Poetry (Sunday, Oct. 24 at 1 p.m.). Both are in the Neverland room. I have a lot to say about both topics, and I’m looking forward to the panel discussions. I hope to see you there!
Carina Bissett 
I’m so glad you shared this. I look forward to exploring it. Warm regards, Holly Conlon