Q4 2025: Cosmic Horror Monthly, Dread Mondays, & Poisoned Soup 💫💼🍲

Hello lovely people. Welcome back or welcome here!

I'm Xochilt Avila, an indie author of speculative fiction and non-fiction.

This has been a challenging year, and I've lamented to my husband and others how strange it is to be a (queer, multiracial) author in the current American climate. While I no longer exclusively write horror, it's still very much my bread and butter, and sometimes that feels... weird. Given the, erm, endless onslaught of real-life horrors all around us. Sometimes it's hard not to feel like my work is contrive in comparison to the constant tsunami of bad news.

But writing gives me a sense of control through the chaos. It allows me to channel my anxieties and anger into something tangible. It allows me to create something that gives me catharsis, fantasy, joy, or even just a semblance of justice.

I hope my writing can give this to you as well. Honestly, I would consider that a huge win, and yet another reason to keep on working.

With that, I currently have three different publications I'm thrilled to share.

Upcoming Publications

I'm in this September's issue of Cosmic Horror Month💫and I have the huge honor of headlining with many amazing authors, including my friend Jonathan Gensler. Funnily, neither of us knew about this until we saw the cover, but it was a wonderful surprise. His work is incredible, by the way. You should definitely it out!

Cover art of "Cosmic Horror Monthly #63" for September 2025. It has an illustration of a figure with pale white skin, wearing a black turtleneck outfit, and black wings. It has several red threads coiled around it, which stretch off the page. Title authors include LC von Hessen, Jonathan Gensler, Anne Wilkins, Xochilt Avila, and more! Edited by Jolie Toomajan, cover art by Trevin Wyant

My story, "As Much as I Please," is a tragic love-tale between an eldritch time eater and a grieving widow. I'm so proud of it, and I'd love for you to check it out if you're able. Both digital and print copies are now available!

My short story, "Closed for Maintenance," is in the upcoming Dread Monday's anthology with Whisper House Press. Ever read about an evil cult and wonder, "Gee, I wonder what the custodians have to put up with in a place like that."?

This is that. And it's disgusting.

Cover art of "Dread Mondays," a Whisper House Press Horror Anthology. Cover features woods with a ton of fog, and the title in large gray letters. At the bottom white text reads, "Edited by Steve Capone, Jr."

I adore this story, and it's been a pleasure working with editor Steve Capone, Jr. I hope you'll check the anthology out when it releases October 25th!

My short essay, "Creepy Stuff Happens in Nowhere," will be featured in Brigids Gate Press' Poisoned Soup for the Macabre, Depraved, and Insane. It's a short and sweet reflection of Courage the Cowardly Dog, my first real experience with horror. There's a ton of amazing authors in this collection, so I'm looking forward to reading it myself. I'll definitely share when there's a release date!

Lastly, I'll be at Voidcon 3 for some portion of the weekend, so feel free to say hi if you see me. I'm not tabling, but you might spot me skulking around like Bigfoot.

See ya til next time!