Dec 2025: SOME VERY EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENTS!

Hi friends. Welcome back or welcome here.

I'm Xochilt Avila, an indie author of speculative fiction and non-fiction. And it's officially chilly now on the East Coast. While I generally prefer warmer weather, I do enjoy a lot of aspects of winter. Take wearing those big, fuckoff jackets that make everyone look like marshmallows for example. You know the ones. There's also hot soup, fresh bread, and a million other little joys to be found.

Today I have some joys to share with you.

I'm thrilled to announce that my short story "A Witch in Robstown" will be in the upcoming ENCOUNTERS with Cryptids anthology with editors Andrew Cull and Trevor Henderson.

It's an imagining of La Lechuza, a cryptid native to Southern Texas and Northern Mexico, and a dangerous deal she makes with a desperate mother facing a fierce custody battle. It's tense, unsettling, and viciously gory.

There's a ton of amazing authors in this collection. Special shoutout to Margo Pecha who's short story was selected by me and the other slushers at Cat Eye Press for the October Oddities Contest. I'm thrilled to now be in the same anthology as them (we had no idea until the TOC was announced).

ENCOUNTERS with Cryptids comes out February 14th, 2026, and is now available for pre-orders.

Today is finally pub day for Poisoned Soup for the Macabre, Depraved & Insane. I adore this cozy, creepy collection of stories, and it's a pleasure to be among the many talented authors in the TOC.

This anthology called for stories that evoke feelings of nostalgia and eeriness, which prompted me to write about my first exposure to horror, Courage the Cowardly Dog. I wrote this essay last winter just before visiting my family in the rural mountains of central California, envisioning the pitch black sky and howls of coyotes. It made me feel just like the way Courage's unsettling adventures and baren desert home made me feel as a kid. I worked hard to channel those feelings into my writing, and I think it came through really well.

If you're interested, you can order Poisoned Soup at Barnes & Nobles, Kindle, and wherever else books are sold.

I haven't posted about my novella Mariposa since my first newsletter in May, but behind the curtain I've been working hard to find it a home. It's taken fifteen months and over a dozen submissions, but I've finally done just that.

Mariposa will be published by The Laughing Man House in February 2027!!!

It's hard to image a better fit for this queer, bug tragedy. I align strongly with LMH's ethos, support for artists, and dedication to publishing fantastic literature. We're still very early in the development process, but I'm absolutely estatic, and I will share more info where there's info to share ;)

Recently in a Discord I'm in, fellow authors and I highlighted our professional accomplishments this past year. It was inspiring to see so many people share their achievements, especially given how hard of a year this has been for so many.

I just wanted to briefly share my own, because I'm super proud of what I've achieved.

🐛I got seven publications this year!! It was a mix of short stories, non-fiction essays & drabbles. I broke into a lot of amazing markets as well.

🐛I officially sold my novella Mariposa to LMH.

🐛I launched this newsletter, and have consistly posted at least once a month.

🐛I began slushing for Cat Eye Press, and helped read for Enter Here: An Anthology of Portals.

🐛I participated in Pitdark and made an awards eligibility post. Neither of these got much traction, but I'm still proud for putting myself out there. This probably isn't something I'd have done last year.

🐛My 2025 submission total was 58 (including simultaneous submissions, but whose counting). Either way, it's a huge jump from 2024's total of 15.

This is the most serious I've ever been about building my writing career, and I think it's starting to really show. Thank you for joining me along for the ride, and I hope you have a wonderful and restful December remaining.

See you next year!