May 2026.
Returns to form, Shiny New Things & Bittersweet Goodbyes.
On May 23rd, plenty of reasons to visit us both in and out of town as we welcome artists into the bookshop for Spooky Marketplace & we join fellow booksellers and publishers at Collective Arts Hamilton for the return of Books & Brews: A Travelling Book Fair!
Crazily, you could visit us in three places on that particular Saturday, as our Union Station PopUp with Hopeless Romantic is still open and going strong. If you hit every location, you’ll have successfully seen every Ghost, as this will be an all-hands-on-deck weekend. No matter where you go, we hope you have an amazing time with us and the respective creative communities we share space in (gothic creatives, small publishers, and indie bookstores). These connections are what makes our work at Little Ghosts so fulfilling.
KRISTIN’S KOZY CORNER…
Why we Read.
Hello wonderful newsletter readers! How’s everyone doing? Slowly improving weather starting to lift your spirits? Have definitely seen more of your lovely faces out and about; both at the Union Station pop-up and at Little Ghosts OG location on Dundas. Everyone seems just that little bit lighter and I’m so hopeful for all of us to feel that little bit of joy (though I’m always hoping for LOTS AND LOTS OF JOY for us all) that the warming temps and the budding trees and plants bring to our being.
One of the (many) things that I love about working in books are the conversations with customers, co-workers, authors, publishers and so on. Usually the conversation centres on “what are you reading” or “who/what’s your favourite book or author”? But another question that comes up - especially working in a horror bookstore - is why do we read the books that we do, or sometimes indeed, just why do we read? Now that’s a big, big question and the answer is going to be slightly different for everyone, but I’m going to make a stab at answering both for you, dear reader.
Why do I read? For me the question is akin to why do I breathe? It is foundational to who I am; outside of the need to dance (yes I am a real life SIM), I have been reading for almost as long as I can remember. Words on a page have never not fascinated me; the worlds they open up, the knowledge conveyed, the emotions stirred, and of course the escape. Books have always made sense, even if I didn’t understand the context of the words, the books themselves never confused me. I could carry them with me, (instant friends), I could close them to think about what I’d read, or to do something else and they’d still be there, and I could lose myself in a million different worlds and that wonder, that awe, has never gone away. I truly don’t know who I’d be without books; they surround me at home, and fill me with memories and joy; they surround me at work and I feel those same emotions, but also I get to share them with those of you that come to the store. We all read for a variety of reasons; because we have to (school and/or work), because we’re curious about something, because we want to teach ourselves a new skill, or more often than not, as an escape. Books are brilliant as an escape, and have been mine for many a year.
Books have made me feel safe, they’ve given me haven (thank you library club in elementary school), I’ve made friends, been successfully hit upon (and vice versa) and cemented friendships - all through books. The thought of not having books in my life - regardless of genre, as I read multitudes - honestly causes me pain. When the first year of lockdown literally stole my ability to process the written word (our brains are just jerks sometimes), I truly thought I would go mad; to be alone but with all my friends on the page sounded manageable, but to be alone surrounded by those same friends and for them to be silent? That was one of the longest and darkest years of my life; also began my addiction to tiktok.
So I read because I can’t not; it’s the rarest of days that I don’t read something, anything - it’s my comfort, my security, my sanctuary and it reminds me of who I am; and often of what we can be.
Now then to the other part of the equation; why read horror. I didn’t always read a lot of horror (though always some), instead I was raised on mysteries and science fiction; I loved a puzzle and a fantastical world. Those early books - some that I’ve written about in earlier newsletters - are still on my shelves, they are my best friends, my earliest pockets of happiness. But along with all the puzzles and the far flung worlds came the occasional scary story, the chill down the spine, the creepy tales that tickle a different part of the brain. Though again, I was more a watcher of horror films (and I watched a lot of them), than I was a reader of them through my adolescence. In fact I eschewed Stephen King when all of my peers were devouring him. Save for Salem’s Lot and maybe Needful Things, I didn’t start reading him until later - instead I was reading the occasional ghost story, Shirley Jackson (of course) and then finally Clive Barker both on the screen and on the page. Even then I didn’t fully know why I liked certain horror books, but much like a lot of the sci-fi and mysteries that I read, I connected with the weird people, the ones that didn’t always fit in, or that were looked at differently. When the stories didn’t make them the bad guys, instead showing why they were the ones that people should listen to, should support and so on - well that made all the sense to me. And as the years went on, those weirdos in all those creepy, odd, thought provoking stories took their place among my friends. So again, why horror? Because sometimes we want to name the monsters that hurt us, we want to see them in a form that we can fight, because we just want to be in the story, because sometimes the monsters are who we should be cheering for. And it’s fun to be scared sometimes; ghost stories around a campfire, a haunted house, trick or treating, jumping out at your siblings or your friends hoping for that satisfying scream - it’s part of most of us, and getting that in book form? Oh that’s the best. Horror writing hits all the notes; it can be funny, bloody, gory, scary, spooky, sad, existential, gut wrenching, disgusting, political, sweet, and more! I’ve always loved genre fiction more than lit fic (as we say in the biz), and in my former life at the big chain my staff always came to me when a customer wanted something weird, something different, something not on the usual picks table. So give me all of the haunted house, indigenous, sci-fi, sapphic, unsettling, weird, existential, occasionally make me recoil books you can. Oh and all the slashers please - I love a good slasher!
So dear readers, why do you read? What brought you to horror books?
What’s Kristin reading?
Year of the Mer by L.D. Lewis: What if the Little Mermaid’s granddaughter is about to go to war with her bodyguard and fiancee Nova at her side. Set to inherit the throne, a coup leaves Yemi and Nova on the run and only Ursla can help them. I’ve only just started reading this but am anticipating a page-turning, bloody good time!
Neon Moon by Grace R. Reynolds: “Where The Whiskey Burns Hotter Than Hell” - what a great tagline! Darlene survived a deadly attack and has found a home at the Teegarden Saloon; until an axe-wielding maniac tries to wreck that home. Darlene and the rest of the customers will have to fight tooth and nail to survive this night. The first chapter already has me stressed out, and on board with whatever she does to make it just one more day.
The Bewitching by Silvia Morena-Garcia: I’m a sucker for any book that involves books (or libraries); I’ll pick them up just because of that regardless of the author. But show me a multi-generational horror, where the main character is studying the history of horror literature and I will RUN to that book. Which brings me to Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s latest, and how I haven’t already torn through this I have no idea - however I’m in it now and already loving the descent into madness. Family trauma and legend, witches, books, and a cursed campus? Let’s go!
The Library After Dark by Ande Pliego: This one is high on my TBR; a library science student and horror enthusiast, is trapped in an infamously haunted library that holds her darkest secrets, but there’s a murderer in her tour group that’s killing everyone off one by one, to deal with first. Oh no, a locked room mystery, with a killer in a haunted library - not at all up my alley. *apologizes to the rest of the TBR* Will I love it? Wait until next month to find out!
I hope that the month of May is indeed merry for you all! See you next month!
ON WRITING… with Jay!
Nonfiction.
While I primarily write fiction, a fair share of my creative energy is devoted to nonfiction as it is more reliable at paying bills. Not to say nonfiction isn’t creatively fulfilling, as I do find the research, process, and craft satisfying, but inherent worries do present themselves when I vacation to the “real world.” Will my fiction suffer, or, worse yet, will my ability to craft compelling prose dull the edge of my cerebral rapier in the ethereal battlefield of the written word?
I started writing movie reviews for an online blog in my early twenties. I had fun, got to watch some weird stuff, and I received a whole 5 dollars for each 600-word review. Not too long after that, I started my own blog for movie reviews, which eventually led to a podcast and interviews with anyone who would say yes. Turns out musicians are more attainable, and they’ll also give you free press passes to their shows. I had a decent DSLR camera at the time and enjoyed photography, so why not? I’d get a free show, and the band would get photographs and an interview. Not a bad deal. I did enough on my own that record labels would eventually contract me to shoot photos and/or interview bands coming through my neck of the woods. Hell, yeah! I get to sharpen my relationship with cameras, discover some new bands, and talk to some eccentric folks.
What I didn’t know was that I was developing a portfolio. What that portfolio allowed me to do was pitch contributing articles to magazines and blogs, and those articles provided me with the resources and resume to apply for and receive a nonfiction grant. That grant is going to the upcoming Canadian horror movie compendium: The Great Fright North (shameless self-plug). I’m very excited by it, but this is where my fears come to fruition. How can you write a large non-fiction guide and remain entertaining, informative, and engaging? The last thing I want to do is write a glorified encyclopedia.
Fiction helps inform my nonfiction. No matter the nonfiction subject, there is a compelling story to be told. Identifying that story is the tricky part. When it came to movies, I did my best to identify what the filmmakers were trying to do and analyzed whether that was achieved. They had a vision, developed it, and executed. Did it work? Did they come up short? Did they not have the resources? Did they seemingly pander to outside forces like audience anticipation, or did studios interfere? It helped me remain as unbiased as possible while also affording me an elastic foundation to write an article.
When it came to interviews, it depended on the subject. Every professional at one point was a novice, and every novice at some point was a beginner. Those humble beginnings are inherently compelling, and those stories are always an arduous journey rife with victories and defeats. So, if you’re reading this right now and believe your endeavors are too uncertain, that’s the life of a craftsman. Life on the edge. It’s fun, but make sure to take care of yourself. But finding the kernels of victory and defeat in someone’s passion, whether it’s their entire career or a single project, is genuinely inspiring.
Contextualizing something real can be just as terrifying as an A24 movie with the right lens. Finding that creative bedrock is what makes nonfiction so compelling. The subject has learned something along the way, and so will the reader. Also, no successful human being has ever known exactly how their story would unfold, nor have they earned success alone. Their life has always had surprises and assistance. Tapping that vein of adaptability and camaraderie is a deeply profound life lesson. Knowing everyone’s story is yet to be written is a comforting thought. We only get one go at this life thing, and we’re not going to nail it one-hundred-percent of the time. So, to me, that makes everyone’s story worth telling.
“We are here to help each other get through this thing, whatever it is.”
― Kurt Vonnegut’s Dentist Son
Write on Weary Travellers.
Pip did not write a poem this month.
Instead, enjoy a snail photo.
JUNE EVENTS… with Phi!
Happy Pride Month, Ghosts!
Friday, June 12th, 6-8pm… WORK IN PROGRESS NIGHT!
Are you a Local Author? Come by and share your latest and spookiest with a room of writers and supportive folks. Read your own or summon a reader from the room if you’re feeling shy and receive valuable constructive criticism before your work gets sent out into the publishing wilds.
All attendees MUST bring work to read! It only works if we are all vulnerable- but don’t be scared. Your bookshop Dads are here and believe in you.
Saturday, June 13th, 1-3pm… QUEER AUTHOR WIP READING
Join us for a WIP night open to the public! Hear stories in progress from both established horror authors and up-and-coming queer writers. No matter where you are in your publishing journey, your stories are important to us. Readings from Andrew Robertson, phi rowan, Suzan Palumbo, Jay Krawczyk, and more…
Friday, June 19th, 6-8pm… Little Ghosts Book Club Presents: “Wife Shaped Bodies” by Laura Cranehill
Forbidden from leaving her house from girlhood until marriage, Nicole has only her mother’s lessons and what she can see from her bedroom window to draw on in forming her view of the world, and of herself. Taught that the mushrooms which cover the women in her village are repulsive and dangerous, she conforms to a rigid set of rules to protect herself and those around her.
When her wedding day arrives, Nicole moves from one prison to another—an empty mansion on the very outskirts of town belonging to the husband she’s been promised to since birth. As she haunts the edges of Silas’s unknowable life and decaying home, maintaining control over her own transforming body becomes increasingly impossible. And when another wife with rebellious tendencies pays Nicole an unexpected visit, something within her cracks open. Their furtive explorations yield confusing answers, unearthing the long-buried secrets of the generations of resentful brides that came before. Unmoored, angry, and at last awakened, Nicole must reckon with who she really is, and perhaps, give in to what she truly wants.
Saturday June 20th & Sunday, June 21st, 12-4pm… QUEER VENDOR MARKET!
Vendors TBA!
email phi (events@littleghostsbooks.com) to apply to be a vendor!
Friday, June 26th, 6-8pm… QUEER FEARS! A Little Gay Book Club Presents: “The Only Safe Place Left is the Dark” by Warren Wagner
In The Only Safe Place Left is the Dark , an HIV positive gay man must leave the relative safety of his cabin in the woods to brave the zombie apocalypse and find the medication he needs to stay alive
Saturday, June 27th… Books and Brews: QUEER LIT EDITION @ Left Field Brewing in Leslieville
Join us for our travelling Book Fair for adults… this time ALL GAY! LGBTQA+ works from indie publishers and queer authors, all showcased in a lovely local brewery that encourages you to stay and mingle with other bookish community members. Get your Queer Reads with us!
Sunday, June 28th, 5-8pm… Post-Pride Crash Out @ Little Ghosts!
Tired from a busy weekend of partying (or not partying)? Come hang with the Little Ghosts and unwind with some snacks, quiet reading time, or just chill vibes with your fellow bookworms!
Tuesday, June 30th, 6-8pm… LAUNCH PARTY: “Across the Trapped and Boundless Deep” by philip rowan
You read that correctly! Little Ghosts’ resident Editor and Events Ghoul is publishing their first novella! Celebrate the end of pride month with the Little Ghosts and special guest: Suzan Palumbo!
After the senseless and preventable death of their partner back on Earth, Shel takes a job as the astrobiologist onboard The Inkblot. Its 50 year voyage into deep space will bring them to the edge of the known universe on a mining expedition. A mundane exercise in gathering the metals required to build new spacecraft.
It’s the perfect place to die in peace.
All the while, Shel is haunted by memories of their lost love—memories that are becoming more and more real with each passing day. Memories that are being weaponized by a force greater than they can comprehend.
Something is out there… and it sings with your voice.
Retail Therapy:
xvi. (Strategic?) Growth.
For those of you following along at home, you’ll know that for the last few months we have been operating in two locations: Little Ghosts OG, our longtime home on Dundas West near Toronto’s Trinity Bellwoods Park & HRB x LGB Union Station PopUp inside Toronto’s historic train station, a black x pink horror x romance combo the size of a generous postage stamp.
The PopUp, with its adorable colour combo and very instgrammable concept, is coming to an end. After the solstice (June 22) we wave goodbye to this very fun and very charming collaboration with one of our fave indie genre bookstores. It’s been a treat to chat with bookish folks who maybe otherwise wouldn’t have dipped their toe into the wilds of horror literature. For me, I never dreamed of having such a large presence or press behind our brand. The visibility of it will last beyond our stay. It was a great opportunity- I’m glad we took it. More people read this newsletter, more folks come curiously by the OG shop, and we have more audiobook listeners through Libro.FM. The advertising worked. The effort of it was enormous, and the Ghosts team will all need a little break to recover from expanded scheduling and two-location inventory tracking. If you haven’t stopped by quickquickquick you have a month! Get that crossover merch! Then, the horror x romance meet cute will disappear.
We reabsorb all staff and stock into the classic location, but not an unchanged one- somehow, during all this, construction has begun on the Little Ghosts’ Workshop Space. A garage out back is being transformed into a smoll but mighty little home for our Book Clubs, WIP nights, Screenwriting Workshops, Readings, Marketplaces… and more! It is looking like the major points of this renovation will be done by early June (at the time of writing this, we have framed new doorways, poured concrete, and fully replaced the roof). This project was made possible so far by the generous response to our Crowdfunding efforts in March, and we even got a very succinct write-up about it in 6ix Retail ! Fulfilment on Crowdfundr rewards is beginning in the coming weeks- including hanging of ceramic Little Ghosts donor plaques inside the store this long weekend.
It’s hard, as a small business, to know which directions to take. There is always pressure to expand, opportunities to take on more work. How do you know when the juice is worth the squeeze, or when more is simply… MORE? When outside forces start to put a strain on our efforts, I try to bring myself back to the mission and vision for Little Ghosts. It becomes an alignment question. How does this grow the business, sure sure, making more money is an unfortunate need as the costs of everything increase beyond control. But does it grow the brand in a direction that reflects its values? At Little Ghosts, representing our LGBTQA+ indie creative horror community and providing a safe and encouraging space for the people who make that art as well as the people who consume it is… the whole point of the thing. Internally, offering good jobs with decent pay, predictable scheduling, and room to contribute meaningfully to the mission is, again, the whole point. If something shiny comes along that will need the attention and labour and visibility of Little Ghosts and our team… we have to keep asking if it serves the Little Ghosts ethos. It has to be a fit. The PopUp was an amazing opportunity to work with friends and get out in front of more eyeballs, but ultimately our focus on creating opportunities for creative folks and platforming them is where our long term investments live. Its closure marks a return to the travelling book fairs we organize, to planning for Little Ghosts Fest (Sept. 26 & 27th- vendor call Live on the Website ) and to offering up more space for folks to come host their workshops with us.
Missed our Crowdfundr campaign? While some of the limited edition rewards are no longer available, we’ve opened up to donations again and have a small amount of wall ghosts and rewards back up for those who want to help us out on a few key elements we have yet to be able to afford (like AC… and heat). We can’t wait to host in our newly expanded and improved space in time for pride! And to refocus our efforts and the expertise of the team to offer even more programming hosted by all the lovely folks who frequently haunt Little Ghosts. Keep your eye out for those event listings as they emerge- and maybe even a Workshop Warming Party! Dates TBD (you know how renovations can be).
Contribute to the Little Ghosts Workshop Fund