When I checked out the catalog of new items coming from Arsenal Pulp Press I noticed a book of short stories and poems called Queer Little Nightmares and I was like this is one I have to check out. The collection of quirky, scary and at times touching by LGBTQ+ authors was just what I needed.
The first entry is Wooly Bully by Amber Dawn kicks off the book in a great manner. It is a coming-of-age tale about two young girls not only coming to grips with their mutual attraction but also that there might be something deeper they have in common. The fact that they both are shape shifter. Our protagonist, Gigi, is unaware of her true nature but discovers it through her interactions with the attractive and popular Brenda.
The next story that piqued my interest was #WWMD by Jaye Simpson. I have to be honest there were a couple of times I felt old with its extensive use of social media jargon but the retelling of the myth of Medusa with a transwoman at the center of it made it a page turner.
Then there is the poetry all of it imaginative and evocative. My favorite is On the Origin of Trans Femmes by Kai Cheng Thom which spoke to me.
We are the daughters.
Of witches
That they could and did burn
We are the daughters of witches.
They are still burning.
These are just a handful of the tales and almost all of them and worth the read. All in all, I have to give this one two enthusiastic thumbs up and you should definitely pick this up. https://arsenalpulp.com/Books/Q/Queer-Little-Nightmares