Get Gruesome Stories in your Paws!

If you’ve been waiting for something truly twisted, beautifully illustrated, and priced like the pulp magazines of old, I have good news: the first two issues of Gruesome Stories are now available.

Issue No. 1 has been out for a couple of weeks, priced at just 95¢, and features the unnerving Dr. Hazard tale, Do Not Let the Bedbugs Bite. Fully illustrated, it channels the spirit of those fragile newsstand digests that once promised “Tales of Horror and the Unknown” for pocket change.

And now, hot off the (digital) press, Issue No. 2 is ready for you. This one comes in at 49¢—a real throwback price—and contains two short stories along with a text piece that digs deeper into the lurid world of dread and imagination. It’s all wrapped in stark, pulpy illustration that makes each page feel like you’ve stumbled across something forbidden in a dusty corner of the library.

Why Gruesome Stories?

The thinking behind these little magazines is simple:

• Affordability. Horror should be accessible, the way it was when kids could pick up a thrill for less than a dollar.
• Illustration. Words and pictures belong together in this tradition. The art isn’t just decorative—it sets the mood before you even begin to read.
• Experimentation. Each issue is small, strange, and self-contained. It lets me play with format and storytelling in ways that might not fit into a larger book.
• Collectibility. Like the pulps of yesterday, these issues are meant to feel like something you want to hold onto, to stack, to revisit.

And yes, that’s my cat Essie in the image above, caught in the act of devouring the latest issue with her usual gothic flair. She may be the most discerning reader I know—and if Essie approves, you know it’s worth your time.

So whether you’re a fan of penny dreadfuls, pulp horror, or just want to support indie storytelling with a bite, check them out in The Ghastlight District — along with a growing array of digital storytelling in a wide variety of forms, most of it completely free! It's all part of the Dreary, Maine experience. Grab a copy, dim the lights, and prepare to be entertained… and unsettled.

And don't forget: The Dreary Lenormand is Coming Soon!