Coming May 19, 2026, Beneath the Bluebonnets: Tales of Terror by Texas Women is the spiritual successor to the Road Kill: Texas Horror by Texas Writers anthology series. Chilling tales from Texas women shine a light on the terrors of womanhood and the power of womanhood in the face of evil.
Read my eco-horror short “Well Being” in this fabulous new anthology, in which a mother follows strange impulses from tainted water to find her daughter. I’ve waited a whole year to get to talk about this story, and I can’t wait to share it with you!
From Mary Shelley to Tananarive Due and Mariana Enríquez, women have long shaped horror—often without equal recognition. Living closest to the genre’s edge, women know these fears firsthand: lost autonomy, violence, childbirth, survival.
Set in Texas, a land of haunted histories and increasingly restrictive laws, Beneath the Bluebonnets emerges from the raw intersection of terror and endurance. Written by twelve Texas women writers: R. J. Joseph, Lauren Oertel, L.H. Phillips, Kathleen Kent, Madison Estes, Jess Hagemann, Emma E. Murray, Jae Mazer, Iphigenia Strangeworth, Jacklyn Baker, S.G. Baker and edited by Carmen Gray, this collection is urgent, unflinching, and deeply haunting—stories that refuse to look away.
Leanna Renee Hieber, award-winning USA Today Bestselling author of America’s Most Gothic and A Haunted History of Invisible Women, had this to say about Beneath the Bluebonnets:
“A visceral, haunting collection that punches between beauty and terror, gore and catharsis, fury and justice. A harrowing indictment of our current times. With stories as diverse and variegated as the experience of womanhood itself, this [is] a collection that refuses to go quietly. Not easily contained, each voice demands attention, so settle in and brace yourself.”
For those in the Austin area (or willing to drive there), you can attend the book launch party on May 26! Keep an eye out for a book signing here in the panhandle and more across Texas!
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Summer’s Latest
Beneath the Bluebonnets: Tales of Terror by Texas Women
Read my eco-horror short “Well Being” in this fabulous new anthology, in which a mother follows strange impulses from tainted water to find her daughter.
From Mary Shelley to Tananarive Due and Mariana Enríquez, women have long shaped horror—often without equal recognition. Living closest to the genre’s edge, women know these fears firsthand: lost autonomy, violence, childbirth, survival.
Set in Texas, a land of haunted histories and increasingly restrictive laws, Beneath the Bluebonnets emerges from the raw intersection of terror and endurance. Written by twelve Texas women writers: R. J. Joseph, Lauren Oertel, L.H. Phillips, Kathleen Kent, Madison Estes, Jess Hagemann, Emma E. Murray, Jae Mazer, Iphigenia Strangeworth, Jacklyn Baker, S.G. Baker and edited by Carmen Gray, this collection is urgent, unflinching, and deeply haunting—stories that refuse to look away.
Writing the Mother Road: Texas High Plains Writers Celebrates Route 66
Route 66 isn’t just a highway—it’s a legend.
In Writing the Mother Road, the Texas High Plains Writers invite you to travel America’s most iconic stretch of pavement through a rich collection of short works inspired by the sights, stories, and spirit of Route 66. Inside these pages, you’ll find essays, memoirs, historical reflections, whimsical adventures, and imaginative tales ranging from science fiction to fantasy—all tied together by the culture and charm of the Mother Road.
For generations, Route 66 has fueled livelihoods, sparked creativity, and shaped the towns and travelers who crossed its path. Now, as the road approaches its centennial, this anthology celebrates the enduring heartbeat of the Texas Panhandle and the unforgettable road that helped define it.
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