On sale right now from indie publishing house First United Church of Cthulhu is the horror anthology Urban Temples of Cthulhu: a collection of tales edited by FUCC founder Khurt Khave (author of Astronomicon Minorem: DMT, Cthulhu and You) that are inspired by the works of legendary author H. P. Lovecraft—specifically the “Cthulhu Mythos” he developed and then expanded upon with the assistance of such writers (and H.P. fans) as Robert Bloch, Conan the Barbarian creator Robert E. Howard, August Derleth, and others during the first half of the twentieth century.
“Sects and the Single Girl” is my contribution, and tells the tale of Shitaki Cumberbatch, a member of the Elder God–worshipping Church of Starry Wisdom (a religious order that appeared in “The Haunter of the Dark,” the final Mythos story that Lovecraft wrote before his death). Set in the present day, we find Shitaki involved in filing a sexual harassment lawsuit against her former church—even though she was a willing participant in all their hedonistic practices! It’s a character-driven story of faith and soul-searching, lawsuits and religious hierarchies, with just a touch of the sarcasm and snark that readers have come to expect from my writing. Editor Khurt Khave certainly appreciated my approach:
“You hooked me with the cult sexual harassment theme, but wow did you follow through with a great story. And there was even a brief moment of contention! It was one of the best stories that we received.”
Urban Temples of Cthulhu contains nineteen tales of horror and is available from Amazon in print and Kindle editions, so head over there and get yourself a copy—or face the wrath of the Great Old Ones!
Speaking of Mature Readers stories involving single women getting mixed up with Lovecraftian cults, have you met Lorelei, StarWarp Concepts’ resident soul-stealing succubus? Making her comics debut in 1993, Lori is SWC’s first leading lady of horror, and currently stars in a critically acclaimed graphic novel:
Lorelei: Sects and the City finds Lori battling a cult of Elder God worshipers attempting to unleash hell on Earth. Basically a love letter to 1970s horror comics like Vampirella, Tomb of Dracula, and “Satana, the Devil’s Daughter,” it’s written by yours truly, Steven A. Roman (Stan Lee’s Alexa, X-Men: The Chaos Engine Trilogy), and illustrated by Eliseu Gouveia (Vengeance of the Mummy, Lady Death), Steve Geiger (Web of Spider-Man, Incredible Hulk), and Neil Vokes (Flesh and Blood, Fright Night). It also features a cover by legendary artist Esteban Maroto (Vampirella, Zatanna, Lady Rawhide), a frontispiece by original Vampirella artist Tom Sutton (Ghost Rider, Man-Thing, Werewolf by Night), and a one-page history of succubi illustrated by Ernie Colon (Vampirella, The Grim Ghost).
“I can honestly say that I enjoyed the hell out of this book…. The art is solid, the story is full of lots of things that make the horror genre so great, and the overall quality of the book is top notch.”—Die-Screaming
“Kudos to Roman for capturing the essence of 1970s fare like Vampirella. Filled with ghouls, chicks, and some strong artwork, this is a title that might’ve piqued Hammer Studios’ interest back in the day.”—Dread Central
“A satisfying romp and one that feels like it would have made an excellent seventies horror film (especially one made by Hammer)…. The story is funny at times, graphic at times, and horrific at others, and it’s always delivering its stuff at full volume.”—Strange Amusements
Lorelei: Sects and the City is available in print and digital formats, so visit its product pages for ordering information, as well as sample pages.
