Hear Us Scream: The Voices of Horror is a collection of personal essays from horror lovers all over the world. This collection was written by women and non-binary horror lovers. Each of the essays beautifully shows how horror has changed the lives of those who love horror.
The book was successfully crowdfunded through Kickstarter which helped to fund the book cover design (by Rosie Cass), the purchasing of ISBNs, and to help pay for the POD service IngramSpark. This week each backer received their copies of the book via PDF and will soon receive a small thank you gift which includes a postcard designed by Destiny Kelly.
The book is due to be released on the 6th of December and will be available through many online retailers globally.
There are plans for a Volume Two coming in 2022. Interest to contribute to that volume will be accepted in the new year.
Excerpt from book (taken from letter from the editor)
“Horror has given us all a home, it might be a little run down, knife holes in the exit doors, and some blood splattered on the beautiful white tiles in the bathroom; but it is our home. This home houses all of our trauma, our laughter, spirits and friendships. And what a wonderful home it is. Our community is one of the most inviting, supportive, and accepting communities that I have had the honour of being a part of. Without being welcomed in with open arms I would not have had the dream to create something so incredibly special for the community, but especially for our contributors.”
Essays in the anthology include
Squeezing My Hand in The Dark: A Girl Gang I Can Always Turn To by Rebecca McCallum
Learning To Fight Like a Final Girl: How Horror Inspired Me To Become A Woman Without Women by Zoë Rose Smith
Good Suffering by Blayne Waterloo
The (Not So) Safety Game of Life by Jerry J Sampson
Haunted, Haunting by Violet Burns
My Babysitter Was a Monster by Dulce Maria
At Home With Monsters by Gena Radcliffe
When Survival is Enough: Finding Strength in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre by Jessica Scott
Bite-Sized Love Notes for Scooby-Doo (2002) & its Original Motion Picture Soundtrack by Dylyn
Nothing so Appalling: Words of Love For The Bizzare and Beautiful Fringes of Horror Films by Jack Van Tuyle
Horror Gave Me Back My Laugh by Catherine E. Benstead
Isolation, Neurodiversity and The Story of How Horror Saved My Life by E.L. King
On Mental Health, Creation and Horror by Hari Berrow
Horror Gave Me Freedom by Ashley D
To Be Black and Love Horror by Destiny Kelly
Bone Begets Blood: A Personal History of Horror From the Lab to the Cinema by KC Amira
Being Friends with the Dark by Marina Garrido
Horror in The Closet by Lucy Holmes
Gender Realisation Through Horror Movies: How Horror Movies Helped Me Realise I Am Non-Binary by Bernadetta F
The Love of My Life by Kristen
Rebirth of Black Horror Cinema: Horror Fandom Through The Black Lens by Kyasia Fields
Don’t Dream it, Do it: Our Journey to Creating a Queer Horror Film Festival by Elecia Page and Sam Whitaker
Bodies, Blood, and Binaries: Developing the Trans Gaze in Horror Cinema by Jenni Holtz
Love, Chaos, and Freddy Krueger by Amber RW Knapp
Towards Radical Transgender Politics in the Slasher Film by RC Jara
The book was edited by Catherine Benstead, S.C. Parris, and Violet Burns.
All preorder links are available on the Hear Us Scream website at https://www.hearusscream.com/buy-volume-one
An Amazon exclusive hardcover will be available for preorder shortly.
