Julia O’Connell
@juliajoyce.bsky.social
Publicity Director at Penzler Publishers; Freelance editor; Book blogger at The Gothic Library. She/her ✡️📚
Does anyone have a physical or ebook copy of Rachel Harrison’s latest novel, Play Nice?
I read the audiobook, but need to check the exact wording of a quote and have no idea how to go about finding it in the audiobook…
If you’ve got a copy and are willing to look up the quote for me, let me know!
I read the audiobook, but need to check the exact wording of a quote and have no idea how to go about finding it in the audiobook…
If you’ve got a copy and are willing to look up the quote for me, let me know!
November 27, 2025 at 12:08 AM
Does anyone have a physical or ebook copy of Rachel Harrison’s latest novel, Play Nice?
I read the audiobook, but need to check the exact wording of a quote and have no idea how to go about finding it in the audiobook…
If you’ve got a copy and are willing to look up the quote for me, let me know!
I read the audiobook, but need to check the exact wording of a quote and have no idea how to go about finding it in the audiobook…
If you’ve got a copy and are willing to look up the quote for me, let me know!
New blog post!
Check out my review of CINDER HOUSE, a spooky and sweet Cinderella retelling by @freyamarske.bsky.social:
www.thegothiclibrary.com/review-of-ci...
💙📚
Check out my review of CINDER HOUSE, a spooky and sweet Cinderella retelling by @freyamarske.bsky.social:
www.thegothiclibrary.com/review-of-ci...
💙📚
Review of Cinder House—A Haunting Fairy Tale - The Gothic Library
“A ghost was how a building held a grudge.” What if Cinderella was a ghost, murdered by her stepmother and only able to interact with the world outside the home she haunts for the three precious night...
www.thegothiclibrary.com
November 17, 2025 at 3:40 PM
New blog post!
Check out my review of CINDER HOUSE, a spooky and sweet Cinderella retelling by @freyamarske.bsky.social:
www.thegothiclibrary.com/review-of-ci...
💙📚
Check out my review of CINDER HOUSE, a spooky and sweet Cinderella retelling by @freyamarske.bsky.social:
www.thegothiclibrary.com/review-of-ci...
💙📚
Reposted by Julia O’Connell
Seen as it looks like I won't have a main job for a while (and seen as I haven't been paid anything since September) if you'd like to support the work that I do through Romancing the Gothic, you can!
You can also buy courses (in case you didn't know!)
ko-fi.com/samhirst
You can also buy courses (in case you didn't know!)
ko-fi.com/samhirst
Support Sam Hirst ❤️
Support Sam Hirst
ko-fi.com
November 7, 2025 at 2:09 PM
Seen as it looks like I won't have a main job for a while (and seen as I haven't been paid anything since September) if you'd like to support the work that I do through Romancing the Gothic, you can!
You can also buy courses (in case you didn't know!)
ko-fi.com/samhirst
You can also buy courses (in case you didn't know!)
ko-fi.com/samhirst
New blog post! Check out my reflections on this year’s #AScareADay reading challenge for October:
www.thegothiclibrary.com/ascareaday-2...
www.thegothiclibrary.com/ascareaday-2...
#AScareADay 2025 Reading Challenge Reflections - The Gothic Library
What better way to spend October than reading thirty-one scary short stories and poems? Every year, Dr. Sam Hirst of Romancing the Gothic puts together a magnificent reading list for spooky season of ...
www.thegothiclibrary.com
November 3, 2025 at 8:10 PM
New blog post! Check out my reflections on this year’s #AScareADay reading challenge for October:
www.thegothiclibrary.com/ascareaday-2...
www.thegothiclibrary.com/ascareaday-2...
Day 31, the final story of #AScareADay is “The Path She Sings” by Vanessa Fogg. A fitting last name for this story!
The narrator grieves his undead wife. The creature that moves around his house is no longer her, not really. Or is it?
1/
The narrator grieves his undead wife. The creature that moves around his house is no longer her, not really. Or is it?
1/
November 1, 2025 at 2:32 AM
Day 31, the final story of #AScareADay is “The Path She Sings” by Vanessa Fogg. A fitting last name for this story!
The narrator grieves his undead wife. The creature that moves around his house is no longer her, not really. Or is it?
1/
The narrator grieves his undead wife. The creature that moves around his house is no longer her, not really. Or is it?
1/
Day 30 of #AScareADay is “Bleeding Hearts” by Suzan Palumbo.
A sweet, uplifting tale as we near the end of the challenge. A witch who heals heartbreaks finally begins to face her own grief and open her heart up to someone new.
1/
A sweet, uplifting tale as we near the end of the challenge. A witch who heals heartbreaks finally begins to face her own grief and open her heart up to someone new.
1/
October 31, 2025 at 3:45 AM
Day 30 of #AScareADay is “Bleeding Hearts” by Suzan Palumbo.
A sweet, uplifting tale as we near the end of the challenge. A witch who heals heartbreaks finally begins to face her own grief and open her heart up to someone new.
1/
A sweet, uplifting tale as we near the end of the challenge. A witch who heals heartbreaks finally begins to face her own grief and open her heart up to someone new.
1/
Day 29 of #AScareADay is “The Portrait of Sal Pullman” by Lonnie Nadler and Abby Howard—a web comic and one of the most unsettling stories we’ve read so far!
“I am celebrated. I am a masterpiece. I am in hell.”
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“I am celebrated. I am a masterpiece. I am in hell.”
1/
October 30, 2025 at 4:26 AM
Day 29 of #AScareADay is “The Portrait of Sal Pullman” by Lonnie Nadler and Abby Howard—a web comic and one of the most unsettling stories we’ve read so far!
“I am celebrated. I am a masterpiece. I am in hell.”
1/
“I am celebrated. I am a masterpiece. I am in hell.”
1/
Day 28 of #AScareADay is “Ten Excerpts from an Annotated Bibliography on the Cannibal Women of Ratnabar Island” by Nibedita Sen
This was the only story on this year’s challenge that I’ve read before. In fact, I’ve had the pleasure of listening to Nibedita read it aloud at two different salons.
1/
This was the only story on this year’s challenge that I’ve read before. In fact, I’ve had the pleasure of listening to Nibedita read it aloud at two different salons.
1/
October 29, 2025 at 2:50 AM
Day 28 of #AScareADay is “Ten Excerpts from an Annotated Bibliography on the Cannibal Women of Ratnabar Island” by Nibedita Sen
This was the only story on this year’s challenge that I’ve read before. In fact, I’ve had the pleasure of listening to Nibedita read it aloud at two different salons.
1/
This was the only story on this year’s challenge that I’ve read before. In fact, I’ve had the pleasure of listening to Nibedita read it aloud at two different salons.
1/
Day 27 of #AScareADay is “Uncontainable” by Helen Stubbs
“Good Wife Henny is fair of face but her heart is festerin’ black.”
Young Rochelle seldom speaks, but when she does she speaks the truth.
1/
“Good Wife Henny is fair of face but her heart is festerin’ black.”
Young Rochelle seldom speaks, but when she does she speaks the truth.
1/
October 28, 2025 at 4:05 AM
Day 27 of #AScareADay is “Uncontainable” by Helen Stubbs
“Good Wife Henny is fair of face but her heart is festerin’ black.”
Young Rochelle seldom speaks, but when she does she speaks the truth.
1/
“Good Wife Henny is fair of face but her heart is festerin’ black.”
Young Rochelle seldom speaks, but when she does she speaks the truth.
1/
Reposted by Julia O’Connell
Feels like I'm preaching to the choir here, but seriously. Food pantries can stretch every dollar you spend on goods to drop off at their doors twice as far as you can, and stretch it into fresh, locally brought goods, too. Give $$.
October 27, 2025 at 10:58 PM
Feels like I'm preaching to the choir here, but seriously. Food pantries can stretch every dollar you spend on goods to drop off at their doors twice as far as you can, and stretch it into fresh, locally brought goods, too. Give $$.
Day 26 of #AScareADay is the poem “The Right Foot of Juan De Oñate” by Martín Espada.
A bronze statue of a brutal conquistador faces a poetic justice.
1/
A bronze statue of a brutal conquistador faces a poetic justice.
1/
October 27, 2025 at 3:22 AM
Day 26 of #AScareADay is the poem “The Right Foot of Juan De Oñate” by Martín Espada.
A bronze statue of a brutal conquistador faces a poetic justice.
1/
A bronze statue of a brutal conquistador faces a poetic justice.
1/
Day 25 of #AScareADay is “Eleanor Atkins is Dead and Her House is Boarded Up” by Kaaron Warren
This was a fun one! Mostly a happy ghost story, but still with a slight air of the eerie or ominous.
1/
This was a fun one! Mostly a happy ghost story, but still with a slight air of the eerie or ominous.
1/
October 25, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Day 25 of #AScareADay is “Eleanor Atkins is Dead and Her House is Boarded Up” by Kaaron Warren
This was a fun one! Mostly a happy ghost story, but still with a slight air of the eerie or ominous.
1/
This was a fun one! Mostly a happy ghost story, but still with a slight air of the eerie or ominous.
1/
Day 24 of #AScareADay is "Sweet Subtleties" by Lisa L. Hannett.
As in our earlier story "The Sandman," we have a female automaton, but this time she is made out of sweets and sugar rather than clockwork. And we get to see through her perspective.
1/
As in our earlier story "The Sandman," we have a female automaton, but this time she is made out of sweets and sugar rather than clockwork. And we get to see through her perspective.
1/
October 25, 2025 at 12:24 AM
Day 24 of #AScareADay is "Sweet Subtleties" by Lisa L. Hannett.
As in our earlier story "The Sandman," we have a female automaton, but this time she is made out of sweets and sugar rather than clockwork. And we get to see through her perspective.
1/
As in our earlier story "The Sandman," we have a female automaton, but this time she is made out of sweets and sugar rather than clockwork. And we get to see through her perspective.
1/
Day 23 of #AScareADay is “Itsy Bitsy” by John Lindqvist. We’ve reached the contemporary stories.
A nice departure after yesterday’s gore, this story isn’t scary at all. Just slightly unsettling and filled with anxiety and anticipation.
1/
A nice departure after yesterday’s gore, this story isn’t scary at all. Just slightly unsettling and filled with anxiety and anticipation.
1/
October 24, 2025 at 2:12 AM
Day 23 of #AScareADay is “Itsy Bitsy” by John Lindqvist. We’ve reached the contemporary stories.
A nice departure after yesterday’s gore, this story isn’t scary at all. Just slightly unsettling and filled with anxiety and anticipation.
1/
A nice departure after yesterday’s gore, this story isn’t scary at all. Just slightly unsettling and filled with anxiety and anticipation.
1/
Reposted by Julia O’Connell
Enter our Goodreads giveaway for a chance to win an early copy of THE DAUGHTERS by Joanna Margaret, a "dark, gripping, and atmospheric" thriller (Lauren Nossett, author of The Professor).
💙📚 ⚡📚
www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sho...
💙📚 ⚡📚
www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sho...
Book giveaway for The Daughters by Joanna Margaret Oct 23-Nov 22, 2025
Enter to win one of 20 free copies available. Giveaway dates from Oct 23-Nov 22, 2025. Enter to win an early copy of this dark, gripping, and atmospheri...
www.goodreads.com
October 23, 2025 at 3:12 PM
Enter our Goodreads giveaway for a chance to win an early copy of THE DAUGHTERS by Joanna Margaret, a "dark, gripping, and atmospheric" thriller (Lauren Nossett, author of The Professor).
💙📚 ⚡📚
www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sho...
💙📚 ⚡📚
www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sho...
Day 22 of #AScareADay is “The Midnight Meat Train” by Clive Barker. I’ve been meaning to read this one for a while!
Felt especially immersive reading this one on the subway (luckily not late at night)!
1/
Felt especially immersive reading this one on the subway (luckily not late at night)!
1/
October 22, 2025 at 11:12 PM
Day 22 of #AScareADay is “The Midnight Meat Train” by Clive Barker. I’ve been meaning to read this one for a while!
Felt especially immersive reading this one on the subway (luckily not late at night)!
1/
Felt especially immersive reading this one on the subway (luckily not late at night)!
1/
Day 21 of #AScareADay is “Two in One” by Flann O’Brien.
When an argument between two taxidermists over a tail-less cat ends in murder… I think you can guess what direction this story is going in.
1/
When an argument between two taxidermists over a tail-less cat ends in murder… I think you can guess what direction this story is going in.
1/
October 22, 2025 at 12:02 AM
Day 21 of #AScareADay is “Two in One” by Flann O’Brien.
When an argument between two taxidermists over a tail-less cat ends in murder… I think you can guess what direction this story is going in.
1/
When an argument between two taxidermists over a tail-less cat ends in murder… I think you can guess what direction this story is going in.
1/
Day 20 of #AScareADay is "Three Miles Up" (1951) by Elizabeth Jane Howard--another new-to-me author.
If we've learned nothing else from these reading challenge, it's not to trust strange watery women...
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If we've learned nothing else from these reading challenge, it's not to trust strange watery women...
1/
October 21, 2025 at 3:30 AM
Day 20 of #AScareADay is "Three Miles Up" (1951) by Elizabeth Jane Howard--another new-to-me author.
If we've learned nothing else from these reading challenge, it's not to trust strange watery women...
1/
If we've learned nothing else from these reading challenge, it's not to trust strange watery women...
1/
New blog post!
Looking for a scary haunted house book to read this Halloween? Check out my review of HOW TO FAKE A HAUNTING by @christaqua.bsky.social:
💙📚 😱📚
www.thegothiclibrary.com/review-of-ho...
Looking for a scary haunted house book to read this Halloween? Check out my review of HOW TO FAKE A HAUNTING by @christaqua.bsky.social:
💙📚 😱📚
www.thegothiclibrary.com/review-of-ho...
Review of How to Fake a Haunting - The Gothic Library
Here’s a recommendation for all of you looking for a good haunted house story this Halloween. What happens when a faux haunting becomes all too real? Christa Carmen (whose Poe-laced thriller Beneath t...
www.thegothiclibrary.com
October 20, 2025 at 6:36 PM
New blog post!
Looking for a scary haunted house book to read this Halloween? Check out my review of HOW TO FAKE A HAUNTING by @christaqua.bsky.social:
💙📚 😱📚
www.thegothiclibrary.com/review-of-ho...
Looking for a scary haunted house book to read this Halloween? Check out my review of HOW TO FAKE A HAUNTING by @christaqua.bsky.social:
💙📚 😱📚
www.thegothiclibrary.com/review-of-ho...
Day 19 of #AScareADay is Hugh Walpole's 1936 short story "The Tarn."
You know, I only ever come across the word "tarn" in short horror fiction. There's Poe, Blackwood, and now Walpole. Does anything good ever happen at a tarn?
1/
You know, I only ever come across the word "tarn" in short horror fiction. There's Poe, Blackwood, and now Walpole. Does anything good ever happen at a tarn?
1/
October 19, 2025 at 5:21 PM
Day 19 of #AScareADay is Hugh Walpole's 1936 short story "The Tarn."
You know, I only ever come across the word "tarn" in short horror fiction. There's Poe, Blackwood, and now Walpole. Does anything good ever happen at a tarn?
1/
You know, I only ever come across the word "tarn" in short horror fiction. There's Poe, Blackwood, and now Walpole. Does anything good ever happen at a tarn?
1/
Day 18 of #AScareADay is "The Canal" by Everill Worrell, a vampire tale from 1927.
A brooding young man likes to wander the banks of murky canals at night and becomes obsessed with a young woman he meets in the dark. However, his rash pledge of devotion to her leads him down a horrible path...
1/
A brooding young man likes to wander the banks of murky canals at night and becomes obsessed with a young woman he meets in the dark. However, his rash pledge of devotion to her leads him down a horrible path...
1/
October 18, 2025 at 6:44 PM
Day 18 of #AScareADay is "The Canal" by Everill Worrell, a vampire tale from 1927.
A brooding young man likes to wander the banks of murky canals at night and becomes obsessed with a young woman he meets in the dark. However, his rash pledge of devotion to her leads him down a horrible path...
1/
A brooding young man likes to wander the banks of murky canals at night and becomes obsessed with a young woman he meets in the dark. However, his rash pledge of devotion to her leads him down a horrible path...
1/
Day 17 of #AScareADay is “The Mystery of the Blue Jar” by Agatha Christie.
A ghost story—or is it a crime story? The twist in this one felt remarkably similar to yesterday’s story, “The Accusing Voice”
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A ghost story—or is it a crime story? The twist in this one felt remarkably similar to yesterday’s story, “The Accusing Voice”
1/
October 17, 2025 at 9:56 PM
Day 17 of #AScareADay is “The Mystery of the Blue Jar” by Agatha Christie.
A ghost story—or is it a crime story? The twist in this one felt remarkably similar to yesterday’s story, “The Accusing Voice”
1/
A ghost story—or is it a crime story? The twist in this one felt remarkably similar to yesterday’s story, “The Accusing Voice”
1/
Day 16 of #AScareADay is the 1923 short story “The Accusing Voice” by Meredith Davis.
This was a fun one! The lead juror on a murder trial is plagued by a manifestation of his guilty conscience 12 years after sending an innocent man to trial. But is it ghost, man, or all in his head?
1/
This was a fun one! The lead juror on a murder trial is plagued by a manifestation of his guilty conscience 12 years after sending an innocent man to trial. But is it ghost, man, or all in his head?
1/
October 16, 2025 at 6:52 PM
Day 16 of #AScareADay is the 1923 short story “The Accusing Voice” by Meredith Davis.
This was a fun one! The lead juror on a murder trial is plagued by a manifestation of his guilty conscience 12 years after sending an innocent man to trial. But is it ghost, man, or all in his head?
1/
This was a fun one! The lead juror on a murder trial is plagued by a manifestation of his guilty conscience 12 years after sending an innocent man to trial. But is it ghost, man, or all in his head?
1/
Reposted by Julia O’Connell
What roles did women play in theorising, popularising, writing, publishing and reading the early Gothic?
Come find out!
youtu.be/ZYXmHoErwL8
Come find out!
youtu.be/ZYXmHoErwL8
Women and the Early Gothic with Dr Sam Hirst
YouTube video by Romancing the Gothic
youtu.be
October 15, 2025 at 6:54 PM
What roles did women play in theorising, popularising, writing, publishing and reading the early Gothic?
Come find out!
youtu.be/ZYXmHoErwL8
Come find out!
youtu.be/ZYXmHoErwL8
Day 15 of #AScareADay is the 1916 poem “The Vampire” by Conrad Aiken
poets.org/poem/vampire
This is the second time in this reading series we’ve come across a pair of “basilisk eyes”!
1/
poets.org/poem/vampire
This is the second time in this reading series we’ve come across a pair of “basilisk eyes”!
1/
The Vampire
She rose among us where we lay
poets.org
October 15, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Day 15 of #AScareADay is the 1916 poem “The Vampire” by Conrad Aiken
poets.org/poem/vampire
This is the second time in this reading series we’ve come across a pair of “basilisk eyes”!
1/
poets.org/poem/vampire
This is the second time in this reading series we’ve come across a pair of “basilisk eyes”!
1/