Haints and Hollers has been unleashed onto the world, and we’re proud to say that it’s been jackalope approved.

Welcome to my 114th  #Rainbowsnippets. This one, as always, is uniquely mine, but there are lots of other great snippets to read so after you finish here click the FB link at the bottom of the post to discover other great LGBTQIA authors and their works.

Are my stories in Haints and Hollers queer? Well, they’re recounts of my own experiences and I’m queer so… yep. They most certainly are but you have to look closely to see it.

Blurb: Thirteen tales plus one, an uprooting of tradition with another just for fun. A strong mix of history, speculation, and, perhaps, a wee bit of fear. The haints in these hills are listenin’, child, so come sit a spell. You’ll hear tales you ain’t before; dark yahoos, wishes gone wrong, veil walkers, and someone’s head might well roll. Ain’t nothin’ really, just a few new stories you can take back to the holler and share with you and yours. Maybe they’ll shiver. Maybe you will too. And maybe, just maybe, you’ll hug someone tight when things get scary enough.

This is an anthology of nontraditional Appalachian ghost tales. It’s not that we don’t like the classics. Rather, we’re ready for something new.

Today, I’m sharing from a second snippet story my anthology short story, “The Neighbors are Fantastic.” This tidbit comes from about 1/2 way into the story.

     “Come here.” Anna patted the space beside her on the porch swing then pointed to the wooded lot. “Look. Do you see what I do?”

     I squinted into the sunlight above the trees. “What are they? Swarming insects?”

     “I thought so at first, but they’re too big.”

     “Birds?” I squinted harder. “No, birds don’t move like that.” These were too big to be either hummingbirds or insects, but they were winged nonetheless. “What are they?”

     “Fairies.” My Catholic-raised spouse had just claimed we were seeing fairies. Now I knew beyond a doubt that those woods were occupied by something greater than either of us.

Just like with “A Visit from a Peculiar Entity,” this is actually nonfiction. I was a part of this happening. Think what you will. I know the truth.

Next week, I’ll be sharing from my third contribution to the anthology, “Great Uncle’s Rocker.”

*RainbowSnippets is a safe and welcoming space for LGBTQIA+ authors, readers, and bloggers to share 6 sentences each week from a work of fiction—published or in-progress—or a book recommendation. Feel free to join in.