Women in Horror Month: Writers to Read in February
February is “Women in Horror” month, and, yes, I’m a little late to the party with this list, but isn’t horror full of people showing up at the eleventh hour, ready to take down the monster and save the day? And what horror story doesn’t excel with the help of a final girl? So, in honor of this month of horror and women, why don’t we take a look at some of the leading ladies of the genre, the women breaking ground in a genre that is so frequently dominated by men. This is by no means meant to be a comprehensive list of writers to read in February, but it is my hope that this list will shine some light on perhaps your new favorite horror writer. With that said, let’s get into it.
Carmen Maria Machado
Let’s kick things off with one of my writing idols: Ms. Carmen Maria Machado herself. I have been a fan of Machado’s work since I read her award-winning, best-selling collection of short stories, Her Body and Other Parties. Reading that book was like opening a door to me for what it means to bend genre and take chances with writing. I devoured those stories with their dark twistiness and macabre imagery as much as I might say the stories devoured me. Since then, I have read whatever Carmen Maria Machado puts out, and I eagerly await the next spooky, mindbending tale from this force of nature.
What to read: I’m going to recommend her collection of comic books entitled The Low, Low Woods.
Emily M. Danforth
Emily M. Danforth absolutely wrecked my life with her newest book Plain Bad Heroines, which follows the twinned timelines surrounding a haunted school for girls. I won’t say much about the actual plot, because I truly believe you need to read this book in order to get the full weight and impact of this gothic story, but I will tell you that it’s incredibly sapphic and full of moments that will not only scare the crap out of you but will also make you laugh and smile, a feat that Danforth pulls off masterfully here. What are you waiting for? Go read this book already!
What to read: Did I not already say it? Go read Plain Bad Heroines right now!
Fernanda Melchor
Another writer who broke my brain open and rifled around inside of it is the incomparable Fernanda Melchor. Melchor is a Mexican writer born in Veracruz and is touted as one of the newest and freshest voices in Mexican literature. One can certainly see why when reading her work, which cuts straight to the bone and doesn’t let up the entire time it’s having its way with you. Truly, her work is startling in the best way and horrifying in the most unexpected way. If you haven’t been watching her already, I suggest you keep your eyes peeled for whatever she puts out next.
What to read: Check out her novel Hurricane Season and thank me later.
Sue Rainsford
If you like folk horror with a feminist twist, then you’re going to love me for introducing you to Sue Rainsford, an Irish writer based in Dublin. While her work is not explicitly horror in genre, her writing walks that line in such a way that I couldn’t help but include her on this list. She has a way with lyrical, imagistic language that absolutely unnerved me again and again, and it’s that kind of upset that I look for in the horror I consume, so here she is. I can’t wait to see how she freaks me out next.
What to read: Her debut novel, Follow Me To Ground, is a gorgeous exploration of otherness and femaleness.
Cherie Priest
Everyone who knows me, knows I love Southern Gothic horror. As a born and bred Southerner myself, that subgenre has always been enticing in the way that reading bad reviews of a show you love is enticing: Southern Gothic as a style seeks to upend the culture as we know it and poke at the seedy underbelly. Cherie Priest falls into that category with her tales of ghosts and swamps and dirty back roads leading to dark, twisted secrets that some would prefer stay hidden. If you haven’t already read something by her, then I feel inclined to say “bless your heart.”
What to read: Her novel The Toll had me laughing at turns and gripping the edge of my seat at others.
