HAPPY GOAT HORROR IS MY LOVE LETTER TO YOU, THE INDIE HORROR COMMUNITY

Dark Greetings, everyone!

Normally, I like to talk about other people's work here - books, TV, film, basically whatever writing has inspired or entertained me in an above average kind of way. To that end, last August, I started a review website called Happy Goat Horror. I thought I'd kick off this year by talking about this - my own project, which funnily enough, is a promotional venture for other people's projects.

On the website, we cover anything that comes under the umbrella of Horror. So far, the vast majority of our posts have been book reviews mostly for indie authors. We plan to expand into film reviews, and also game reviews (we have a YouTube channel ready to go for both of these, and are currently working on content).

Where books are concerned, our focus will remain primarly on the indie horror community. We'll talk about horror from mainstream publishing, if one of us reads something we want to discuss, or something is sent our way as a request, but indie horror is where our dark, bleating hearts are.

I'd like to share why I started this project, and why it means so much to me.

Seven or eight years ago now, I started submitting horror stories to anthologies. They were all unpaid, "for-the-love" projects and I couldn't have cared less about being financially compensated for my efforts - I just wanted to be published. I had no real idea how the indie book community worked - I didn't know how to find submission calls, I didn't know there were groups dedicted to horror on social media - hell, I didn't even know there were such things as small/indie presses. I stumbled upon all of this after using my good pal Google, and coming across a website called Spinetinglers, where five stories per month were published on the website, chosen from submissions sent in by members. I signed up and started submitting, with nothing but rejections for a while, and then I cracked the top 5. Eventually, I cracked the top 3 once or twice (and if you make it to the top 3, you get paid!).

I went from that to charity anthologies, paid anthologies, and going to horror/writing conventions. I discovered indie horror books and started buying them. I fell in love with one particular press - Sinister Horror Company - whose books I always enjoyed, were always immaculately presented and edited, and were of consistent high quality. I found my first indie author that would sit alongside Stephen King as one of my favourite authors of all time - Kit Power. I discovered and started writing reviews and articles for Gingernuts of Horror, and Spooky Isles.

I submitted a story to Sinister Horror Company, hoping it might fit an anthology or collection of some kind, but they had nothing lined up for which it was suited. However, they did like the story and asked if I'd like to work with them to release it as an ebook. I was thrilled. After that, they asked me if I'd be interested in publishing a short story collection through them - an offer which I found profusely flattering.

I was new to everyone, really, when my collection was released, but the support I had from the indie horror community - most of whom I'd never met in person, many of whom I'd never even talked to on social media - was overwhelming. Jim (GNOH) had it reviewed on the site, people were sharing it across FB, other authors messaged me to congratulate on my first paperback release - honestly, these people were more proud and supportive of me than most of my real-life friends (I said most, not all! I love and appreciate you, my real-life friends).

Fast-forward a few years and many of these Internet authors who I knew by name and book only have become very dear to me, and some of my closest friends.

I was on an upward trajectory, writing-wise, and nothing could stop me. I was receiving a lot more acceptances when submitting work, and had started getting approached by other presses. But somehow, and I really don't know why, I managed to lose complete confidence in myself. I stopped submitting work.

Fast-forward a little further, and I started working as a personal assistant for Stephen Kozeniewski, an author who I was somewhat familiar with because I'd once reviewed an anthology he'd contributed to and had been absolutely blown away by his story. I do the usual sort of admin things, but the things I have learned about the writing world from him are invaluable. Quite frankly, I have come to view him as some sort of Author Jedi Master. He is Yoda.

Stephen is an extremely kind and humble person and if he reads this, I'm sure this lament about his character will embarass him, but credit where it's due, and it's due in abundance here. He has taught me how to approach reviewers (and this was a shock to my system because as obvious as it is to seek out reviewers, it had never even occured to me to be proactive about this with my own work), how to construct agent queries, and he's introduced me to book awards, websites, competitions, opportunities, and new people.

One of the first things he talked to me about was that book bloggers/reviewers are to be respected always, because whether they give you a good or bad review, they have done you a favour by accepting your review request. Even if they hated your book, you ought to be appreciative for their time and hard work. I've met some wonderful book reviewers during my time as Stephen's assistant, and it's because of working for him that I've learned how invaluable they are to indie authors. Word of mouth is absolutely everything when you don't have the benefit of a mainstream publisher's marketing budget behind you.

It's the culmination of all I've told you that brought me to the decision to start my own review site. I love reading, I love horror, and I love the community that has raised, praised, accepted, and befriended me. I wanted to do something to promote the work I love in a bigger way than leaving reviews on amazon (very important - please do this!). So I created Happy Goat Horror, set up Facebook and Instagram accounts, and started writing reviews.

I did not expect the influx of requests that we received almost immediately, but we welcome them all (and WILL get around to them - just give us time)!

Perhaps I shouldn't have been surprised by the amount of support my community gave me with this project, but I was - they were promoting the hell out of the website for me without being asked or asking for anything back. I don't care what people think of horror fans - these people are the loveliest, most enthusiastic group on the planet.

So here's where I'll get cringe-worthy, because here's where I'd like to acknowledge the people directly responsible for giving me the confidence to put Happy Goat Horror together. I really love the site and my goat team - it takes an extraordinary amount of my time but I LOVE it. I'm proud to be able to promote wonderful authors and books. And I would not have the time or know-how if it wasn't for Stephen Kozeniewski - an unbelievably cool person to work for who trusts me to manage my own time (and therefore affords me the time to fit in consistent hours on my own passions), and is always willing to give me his time to answer questions, give me advice, and encourage me in my own writing. He's an unbelievably hard-working person who deserves every book sale, every glowing review, and every success. He's an inspirational person to work for, and I respect him immensely as both a person and an author.

David of Spooky Isles, and Jim of GNOH are people who took a chance in allowing me to contribute to their websites, and gave me the strange idea that, actually, people might be interested in my thoughts on things.

Justin Park of Sinister Horror Company has become a close and valued friend over the years, who is also the epitome of hard work and dedication, and an excellent writer. He just will not let me give up on writing, and it's largely because of his unending and unwavering encouragement and advice that I spent 2020 writing my first novel (no it's not good enough to publish, but I'm okay with that!). He got me back into the swing of things. I'm really proud to be among Sinister Horror Company's authors, and I want to give back to it as much as I can.

Kit Power - the man, the writer, the legend. Or at least he will be by the end of his writing career. I swear, if it's the last thing I do, I will get more people reading his work. I don't understand why more people aren't... why EVERYONE ON THE PLANET isn't. I'm so obsessed with his books that it sincerely infuriates me that he isn't known and beloved worldwide. It's just inconceivable to me that he isn't a household name yet. Writing amazon reviews and telling my friends about him didn't seem good enough, and I swear it was this weird fixation I have with his books that was on my mind as I was building the site. I don't know how exactly I thought my website was going to aid his career at all, but the goats will never give up on this mission.

And to the indie horror community in general - you inspire me, entertain me, and I love you all dearly.

I think I've rambled quite enough.

Uhhhhhhhh, bye.