My LIST OF 100 FEMALE HORROR AUTHORS YOU SHOULD BE READING RIGHT NOW!

Hey! It’s good to be back! And to the new followers, welcome!

Anyway, the reason why I took some time off from all the wedding planning madness is because this month is a very special month. For those who don’t know already, February isn’t just love month. It’s also Women in Horror Month. (Though I’m pretty sure a lot of people would agree that every month should be Women in Horror Month.)

The thing about the horror industry is that most people believe that it’s a male-dominated business.  Seriously, how many female horror authors can you actually name, right?

Right?

Well…

Right now, I’m naming at least a hundred. And these are just some of my recommendations…

Fact: It’s tough for female horror authors to get some recognition in the mainstream system.  It’s for that reason why a lot of us thrive quietly in the indie scene or find a home in the small press.  It’s also the reason why a lot of the most well-known female horror authors end up being shelved under other genres (Sci-Fi, Gothic, Dark Fantasy, Thriller, etc.) This reality prompted me to come up with my very own LIST OF 100  FEMALE AUTHORS THAT HORROR FANS SHOULD BE READING RIGHT NOW!!! Some of the female writers on this list are like rock stars in the genre. Some are legends. Some gained recognition only after they’ve left this world. That said, there are those who aren’t as popular but have instantly earned my respect after I’ve read a couple of their stories. Others are indie, self-published, and small press authors who deserve more recognition than they get. I’m proud to say that I’ve had the pleasure of working with some of these ladies.

If you click on each author’s name, you’ll be automatically taken to a page featuring one of her stories/books. Some are even free reads so you can have a taste of these writers’ awesomeness before you decide to purchase their published works. So, without further fuss, here’s my list of THE 100 Female Horror Writers You Should Be Fangirling On Right Now!

1) A.C. Wise

2) Alice J. Black

3) Amanda M. Lyons

4) Angela Carter

5) Ania Ahlborn

6) Angela Meadon

7) Ann Radcliffe

8) Anna Taborska

9) Anne Rice

10) Annie Neugebauer

11) Billie Sue Mossiman

12) Brooke Warra

13) Caitlín R. Kiernan

14) Caitlin Marceau

15) Caroline Kepnes

16) Chantal Noordeloos

17) Charlotte Baker

18) Charlotte Perkins Gilman

19) Christine Morgan

20) Damien Angelica Walters

21) Daphne du Maurier

22) Dona Fox

23) Eden Royce

24) Edith Wharton

25) Elizabeth Gaskell

26) Farah Rose Smith

27) Fox Emm

28) Gemma Files

29) Gerri Leen

30) Gertrude Atherton

31) Gwendolyn Kiste

32) Helen Oyeyemi

33) Holly Day

34) Jaelithe Ingold

35) Jeanie Rector

36) Jessica McHugh

37) Joyce Carol Oates

38) Julia Benally

39) Julianne Snow

40) Kaaron Warren

41) Karen Runge

42) Karen Russell

43) Kate Jonez

44) Kathe Koja

45) Kathryn M. Hearst

46) Kelly Link

47) Kerry E.B. Black

48) Lauren Beukes

49) L.B. Shimaira

50) Lindsey Beth Goddard

51) LinnieSarah Helpern

52) Lisa Lane

53) Lisa Mannetti

54) Lisa Morton

55) Livia Llewellyn

56) Lori R. Lopez

57) Lori M. Myers

58) Lori Safranek

59) Lori Titus

60) Louisa Bacio

61) Lucy Taylor

62)Margaret Atwood

63) Mary Elizabeth Counselman

64) Mary Shelley

65) Mercedes Yardley

66) Michelle Garza

67) Miracle Austin

68) Nadia Bulkin

69) Nancy Collins

70) Nancy Holder

71) Nina D’Arcangela

72) Octavia Butler

73) Paula Ashe

74) Priya Sharma

75) Rachel Anding

76) Rachel Nussbaum

77) Rebecca J. Allred

78) Rena Mason

79) Rie Sheridan Rose

80) Rose Hartley

81) Sandra McDonald

82) Sarah Langan

83) Scarlett R. Algee

84) Sharon Twizzell

85) Shenoa Carroll-Bradd

86) Shirley Jackson

87) Silvia Moreno-Garcia

88) Stephanie Wytovich

89) Sumiko Saulson

90) Susan Hill

91) Suzy Saylor

92) Tamara Fey Turner

93) Tananarive Due

94) Tanith Lee

95) Tawny Kipphorn

96) Theresa Derwin

97) Valerie Valdes

98) V.C. Andrews

99) Veronica Magenta Nero

100) Wendy Wagner

Just to be clear, there are more than 100 female horror authors that I admire. I created this list hoping to come up with a truly eclectic catalogue so that every fan of the genre can find what s/he’s looking for– be it hardcore horror, dark fairy tales, erotic horror, dystopian horror, etc.

So, who are your favorite female writers in the horror genre? I’m inviting you to come up with a list of your own and to share it with everyone. 🙂

Want to find out more about WiHM? Visit http://www.womeninhorrormonth.com

Also, do visit Gwendolyn Kiste’s blog to check out a special WiHM interview series featuring yours truly and several other talented female horror authors. We talked about a lot of interesting stuff from the reasons why we feel drawn to the genre to our hopes concerning the trajectory of horror in the years to come.

Thank you so much for reading this post. I hope this has helped enrich your to-read list.

Bye for now! ❤

xox

K.Z.