Horrific Scribes
an online archive of the provocative, scary, and strange
L. Andrew Cooper, editor
Horrific Scribes is an expanding online archive of dark short fiction (and some poetry) by authors who share the Horrific Scribblings imprint’s dedication to the provocative, scary, and strange. It collects dark, transgressive fiction, mostly horror (all subgenres, bloodless to extreme, nothing off limits) and “horror-adjacent” work in areas such as dark fantasy, dark sci-fi, the surreal, and the experimental.
Works in the archive are intended for mature readers and often contain graphic violence, explicit sexuality, profanity, and other material that some readers may find triggering or offensive. By continuing, you acknowledge that you read at your own risk.
Coming Oct. 13: Extremely Weird Splatter!
Because gloriously countercultural splatterpunk fiction tends toward grounded, all-too-possible types of horror, while the more fantastic category of “weird” fiction has become far too respectable, we feel a need for EXTREMELY WEIRD SPLATTER, an anthology of stories that highlight the awesome potential released when extreme aesthetics and splatter savvy fuse with the way-out weird that leaves “grounded” behind.
JG Faherty, Christine Morgan, Jason Nickey, Monica J. O’Rourke, Steve Rasnic Tem, and many other outstanding talents stretch the boundaries of the acceptable and the rational beyond their breaking points in EXTREMELY WEIRD SPLATTER. See the Books page for more.
NEW EXHIBIT!
Special Exhibit Five: We shouldn’t be here is our biggest Special Exhibit yet, combining eleven all-new works with three from the archive that are perfect fits for a showcase of liminal horror. Stories and poems focus on in-between, transitional spaces that terrorize their visitors by contrasting with and concealing the comforts of “normal,” by revealing hidden aspects of individuals and their worlds, and by consuming unlucky trespassers entirely.
Beardsell, "Fisher of Men"
Bertholet, "The Nightway"
Broderick, "Night Flight"
Brunell, "No Exceptions"
Duttagupta, "Five Matches"
Dutton, "Darcy's Docks"
Frank, "The Highline Grace"
Komen, Whispering Walls and Other Haunting Verses
Kumar, "The Soft Interior"
MacCulloch, Bare and Brittle Brick and Metal
Nathan, "Red Thread"
Pecha, "More Downstairs →"
Rajagopalan, "Industrial Accidents"
Townend, "When One Door Closes"
Horrific Scribes does not have “issues” like a magazine. However, it does have “Exhibits,” selections of stories and poems collected because of commonalities (themes, subgenres, images, etc.) and united by an introduction and cover art. Selections appear in a sequence that highlights meaningful connections.
Reading an Exhibit is like reading an anthology. Past Exhibits remain available:
ARCHIVED FEATURES
After time in the feature spotlight (below), Scribes and their Scribbles (or Scribblings) remain in the archives according to the months when their works first appeared. Browse the archival depths! For a specific author, try the “Authors” link above. For something else, try the “Search” option at the bottom of the screen.
FEATURED SCRIBES AND SCRIBBLES
(SCROLL DOWN FOR THE LATEST)
“Perfect Pitch“
Afterward, he could never remember if he saw the monster right away.
Read “Perfect Pitch” (~2300 words)
Author Keywords: psychological; music; horror; queer
Author Trigger Warnings (if any): domestic abuse, child abuse (both non-graphic)
Horrific Scribes Extremity Rating:
“Widjibors“
They’re awfully hard to find.
Read “Widjibors” (~5000 words)
Author Keywords: witchcraft; kidnapping; folk horror; supernatural.
Author Trigger Warnings (if any): infanticide; child abduction.
Horrific Scribes Extremity Rating:
Lene MacLeod
Third Scribbling, August 13, 2026
Strange stories seep from the quiet darkness; Lene has no choice but to bring them to life.
Read more.
“The Nice Café“
Do, Be, Do—but be nice about it.
Read “The Nice Café” (~2600 words)
Author Keywords: quiet horror, revenge
Author Trigger Warnings (if any): [silence]
Horrific Scribes Extremity Rating:
Willow Nichols-Capra
Joined August 19, 2026
Nichols-Capra manages the weight of grief and human folly in her New England gothic prose.
Read more.
“What’s Your Emergency?“
A mother grieving her daughter’s tragic death finds comfort in a police scanner.
Read “What’s Your Emergency?” (~4300 words)
Author Keywords: Bleak, Gothic, Grief, Obsession
Author Trigger Warnings (if any): Child death
Horrific Scribes Extremity Rating:
Mason Soun
Joined August 21, 2026
When he is not writing or playing chess, he is worrying about the state of the Memphis Grizzlies.
Read more.
“The Extraction“
They’re here.
Read “The Extraction” (~3500 words)
Author Keywords: Guardianship, Body Horror, Dread, Speculative Fiction
Author Trigger Warnings (if any): Body Violence, Violence Against Children, Graphic Description of Mutilated Body
Horrific Scribes Extremity Rating:
Arden Jaeger
Joined August 25, 2026
Queer, transgressive cyberpunk. Body horror non-negotiable.
Read more.
“[INSIDE JOHNNY:¥]”
“You came here to witness my degradation, so witness.”
Read “[INSIDE JOHNNY:¥]” (~5200 words)
Author Keywords: Transgressive Fiction, Queer, Extreme Horror, Cyberpunk, Speculative, Found Footage.
Author Trigger Warnings (if any): Body horror, substance use, sexual violence, gore.
Horrific Scribes Extremity Rating:
SJ Townend
Third Scribbling, August 28, 2026
SJ Townend writes dark fiction about difficult decisions, strange people, and the odd moment when everything goes beautifully weird.
Read more.
“Bedroom Eyes“
George now stands in front of me, staring. I stiffen. For three weeks, each late afternoon date has curdled like this. With George giving it bedroom eyes.
Read “Bedroom Eyes” (~3800 words)
Author Keywords: quiet horror, folk horror, existential dread, domestic decay
Author Trigger Warnings (if any): [silence]
Horrific Scribes Extremity Rating:
J.W. Bodden
Joined September 1, 2026
When not prepping for doomsday, he’s an unapologetic wanderer of alternate worlds.
Read more.
“Twink Death“
An aging hustler defies his inevitable Twink Death by searching for a legendary pimp.
Read “Twink Death” (~3800 words)
Author Keywords: Dark fantasy, urban fantasy, horror.
Author Trigger Warnings (if any): Sex Work, Gun Violence.
Horrific Scribes Extremity Rating:
