TCR Talks with John Palisano, author of Requiem

Interview by T.J. Tranchell Author John Palisano has worn many hats, among them musician, filmmaker, teacher, president of a writers’ organization, and fan of horror and sci-fi. His latest novel, Requiem, is a gothic-in-space following a crew as they visit an artificial moon, the Eden, designed to serve as a sort of cemetery. Grief, music, and the ever-present threat of artificial intelligence loom large in the novel. The Coachella Review caught up with Palisano to discuss his range of influences, the future of AI, and the importance of having a writing community. The Coachella Review: Because this book has been…

TCR Talks with Brian Asman, author of Good Dogs

By T.J. Tranchell Every writer has a unique journey. Brian Asman’s has taken him from the world of bizarro and splatterpunk novellas to his first full-length novel, Good Dogs. Asman, who became a viral sensation for his haunted house novella, Man, Fuck This House, sees this journey as steps in a long-term plan. After half a dozen independently published novellas, the leap into a full-length novel was spurred by completing his MFA at UCR-Palm Desert’s low-residency program. Published first in 2021, Asman’s breakout novella is eye-catching not only for its title, but for his innovative use of social media to…

TCR Talks with Brian Evenson, author of Good Night, Sleep Tight

By T.J. Tranchell Good news for Brian Evenson fans: even after nearly thirty books, the short story writer, novelist, translator, and teacher still has plenty to say. His latest, Good Night, Sleep Tight, marks his ninth book with Coffee House Press. The new collection delves into Evenson’s unique space between science fiction and horror, while exploring what a post-human world might look like. Many of the stories confront ideas of parenthood and how that might be present in artificial intelligences. Each explores the meaning and mystery of being human, leaving readers satisfied with having more questions than answers in a…

TCR Talks with Nicholas Belardes, author of The Deading

By Daniel J. Collins Multi-hyphenate author Nicholas Belardes writes what he knows—the ecological landscape of Central California, the study of climate change and crisis, birds, the Chicano experience—and then blends and turbocharges it with the unknown, crafting energetic and complex works that combine the best elements of fantasy, horror, and science fiction. A graduate of UC Riverside Palm Desert’s Low Residency program with an MFA in fiction, Nick studied under horror writer Stephen Graham Jones and crime writer Tod Goldberg. His new book, The Deading, is an eco-horror tale that blends the sensibilities of both genres while also grounding the…

Interview: Tom Mavroudis, Author and Horror Writers Association Scholarship Winner

by Lucio Rodriguez I’ve known Tom Mavroudis for nearly a decade, having concurrently attended UC, Riverside— Palm Desert’s low residency MFA program. We’d frequently meet up at the bar between classes at residency to talk books or nonsense over truffle fries and lobster mac. We shared an interest in genre writing, including weird fiction and horror, as well as an interest in giving each other a hard time. Since graduating, Tom has more than a few publications under his belt. He has stories in Terror in 16-Bits, Behold the Undead of Dracula: Lurid Tales of Cinematic Gothic Horrror, Terror at…

TCR Talks with James Comtois

BY A.E. Santana

James Comtois has long been a fan of horror and is a skilled and adventurous storyteller, writing dramatic, thoughtful, and frightening onstage scenes. As the cofounder and co-artistic director of New York–based theater company Nosedive Productions, where he also served as resident playwright, Comtois was involved with creating original and fantastically bizarre plays. He has produced more than twenty plays, including the award-winning titles The Awaited Visit and Mayonnaise Sandwiches. He is an accomplished reporter and reviewer.

Just in time for Halloween, The Coachella Review talks with Comtois on horror, crafting scripts in this genre, and his experience writing the acclaimed vampire play, The Little One.

Book Review: Lawrence Davis’ “Blunt Force Magic”

By: A.E Santana

Janzen Robinson has been trying to forget his past and move forward with a boring, mundane life as a delivery man. This intention is interrupted when he saves a young woman from a Stalker—an evil from the Abyss—and is thrown back into a life of magic, monsters, and the pain he was trying to forget. With help from old allies and new companions, Janzen does his best to save the life of an innocent while not getting everyone killed in the process.

Blunt Force Magic is the debut novel of Lawrence Davis, a U.S. Army infantryman who served three tours overseas. This novel is the first in the Monster and Men