SJ Townend
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sjtownend.bsky.social
SJ Townend
@sjtownend.bsky.social
1.2K followers 720 following 320 posts
A writer. A reader. A bit of a daydreamer.
Here for the horror.

SJTownend.com


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sjtownend.bsky.social
SJ Townend @sjtownend.bsky.social · Nov 25
Look! It's finally here! After the longest, most painful labour ever, I birthed a book.

It's feeding well and gaining weight, but it sleeps with its eyes open and wails like a banshee if I put it down.
brigidsgatepress.com/product/sick...
Reposted by SJ Townend
frostzonestories.bsky.social
Second story in the TOC spotlight:
"Good Jeans" by Andrew Humphrey @andyhumphrey11.bsky.social

Frost Zone Stories 3 eBook may be ordered, releasing March 3.
Paperback will be available around the same time.

books2read.com/u/mvgvoJ
cover of Frost Zone Stories book 3 on left: black cover FROST ZONE in white, below which is a green oval shape with type, S T O R I E S. Image is black and white antique etching of woods and stream into which a troll-like figure has been added in the shadows and a tall, thin man with slouchy top hat, pirate boots, long black coat, and skeleton face and hands. He is scattering stars to the ground atop a tiny hare. On the right: Andrew Humphrey "Good Jeans" The woman waits for me to continue speaking. Her name is Edith Bell. She is a retired psychologist. I don't want her to know that I know this. Her expression sharpens. "You look familiar". ... He was a good dad. Despite ... everything. A great one, actually, from my perspective. To others, he was a monster. Frost Zone Stories Book 3, Spring 2026
February 3, 2026 at 8:34 PM
Reposted by SJ Townend
tenebrouspress.bsky.social
🔥SALE🔥

In honor of announcing the Table of Contents for BRAVE NEW WEIRD: The Best New Weird Horror Volume Four, Volume THREE is on sale now for 20% off at our webstore for a limited time🖤☠️
store.tenebrouspress.com/products/bra...
BRAVE NEW WEIRD Volume Three (softcover; includes eBook)
The Most Important Meal of the Day…is Weird. Why so glum, friend? Are you feeling fatigued? Logy? Knackered? Do you require sustenance? A boost of energy to reinvigorate your existence? We have good n...
store.tenebrouspress.com
February 2, 2026 at 7:08 PM
sjtownend.bsky.social
I've only read the middle one. It was very good.
February 1, 2026 at 4:58 PM
Reposted by SJ Townend
frostzonestories.bsky.social
Spring's coming early to the Frost Zone, with book 3 tentatively planned to release on March 3rd.

TABLE of CONTENTS and COVER:
on left: cover of Frost Zone Stories book 3. Black and white image in centre is part of an antique etching of woods and river with a cave-like area, in which can barely be seen a hunched over troll-like creature. A thin man in black with top hat and skeleton face and hands sprinkles stars above a tiny hare. The text reads on top: Book 3, Spring 2026 Frost Zone in white atop a black banner bordered with green, and S T O R I E S below this in a rounded rectangle of green with black text. Author names are at bottom of cover and also listed to the right of cover with story title: Jay McKenzie - Melt, Andrew Humphrey - Good Jeans, Thomas Nicholson - The last Polling Station, Damir Salkovic -Missing Places, E.F. Ritter - A Winter on Poplar Avenue, Rex Burrows- Path of Totality, Mike A. Rhodes - The Old Graveyard, Alistair Rey - Never Leave, Isabelle Nygren - Minor Adjustments, and SJ Townend - Going Last
January 29, 2026 at 1:05 AM
Reposted by SJ Townend
tenebrouspress.bsky.social
Alex & I have 1 last cage match before we announce the final BRAVE NEW WEIRD ToC later this week.

As usual the hard part’s the fun part: there’s SO MUCH AMAZING WEIRD to choose from. This scene’s amazing.

Meantime: why don’t y’all check out our winners from years past?

store.tenebrouspress.com
January 25, 2026 at 11:02 PM
sjtownend.bsky.social
It is never not exciting to see your own story-words in print, on paper, in an actual book. AN ACTUAL BOOK!

(Tales of Sley House 2025, Sley House Publishing.)
@sleyhouseeditor.bsky.social
January 22, 2026 at 9:25 PM
sjtownend.bsky.social
Jim writes great horror. Highly recommend his Changes collection.
horlockwarlock.bsky.social Jim Horlock @horlockwarlock.bsky.social · 16d
Books that I wrote
January 20, 2026 at 8:54 PM
sjtownend.bsky.social
Congrats, Jim! Also, I just read your Changes and Other Stories collection. Absolutely brilliant. Nice one! :)
January 18, 2026 at 5:29 PM
sjtownend.bsky.social
@markpeters.bsky.social Thanks for all your editorial support with this anthology. You're a star x

And thanks to all the wonderfully creative authors who submitted stories to us at Bag of Bones Press for our Skin call in 2024.
January 15, 2026 at 7:04 PM
Reposted by SJ Townend
frostzonestories.bsky.social
Frost Zone Stories Book 3 is out this spring with 10 awesome stories by the authors: (order subject to change)

Jay McKenzie
Andrew Humphrey
Thomas Nicholson
Damir Salkovic
E.F. Ritter
Rex Burrows
Mike A. Rhodes
Alistair Rey
Isabelle Nygren
SJ Townend
light blue rectangle with inside text: Ten tales of the unexpected, the chilling, the dreadful, and the strange. Dark Fiction & Quiet Horror Short Stories by: (list of authors as in the post). Above the rectangle: Coming this spring...Frost Zone (in white) STORIES (in black within a green oval) Book 3. Background is a black square.
January 15, 2026 at 1:54 AM
sjtownend.bsky.social
Yes, Andy! ToC buddies at last 🖤🖤🖤
January 15, 2026 at 6:27 AM
sjtownend.bsky.social
Rooting for you, @andyhumphrey11.bsky.social !!!
January 14, 2026 at 6:28 PM
sjtownend.bsky.social
Congrats to everyone nominated!
January 14, 2026 at 5:38 PM
sjtownend.bsky.social
Great title!
January 12, 2026 at 3:54 PM
sjtownend.bsky.social
I've just discovered a new cupboard in my classroom that I swear wasn't there last term.

Should I open the cupboard door?

I'm going to open the cupboard door.

If you don't hear from me again, please tell someone to check the cupboard.
January 12, 2026 at 9:03 AM
sjtownend.bsky.social
Mission accomplished.
January 10, 2026 at 9:34 PM
Reposted by SJ Townend
therelphian.bsky.social
Stunned to find my horror story on Ellen Datlow's Best Horror Recommendations list 😍
Scratch is one of my favourite pieces, published in Bag of Bones Press (@sjtownend.bsky.social) SKIN anthology and my horror collection, Sick Ink (links in thread)
To see it highlighted in this list is amazing 🖤
January 4, 2026 at 11:10 AM
sjtownend.bsky.social
And congrats to all of the other authors who made the list :)

ellendatlow.com/category/new...
News
ellendatlow.com
January 4, 2026 at 8:56 AM
sjtownend.bsky.social
Congrats to all of the wonderful Skin authors (Bag of Bones Press, edited by me and Mark Peters) who got a mention in Ellen Datlow's Best Horror of the year recommended list! JP Relph, Rob Shearman, Jim Horlock, to name a few!

SKIN, a charity anthology, is available to buy here: amzn.eu/d/asR60dC
SKIN: An Anthology of Dark Fiction
Buy SKIN: An Anthology of Dark Fiction by Townend, Sarah (ISBN: 9781068679001) from Amazon's Book Store. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
amzn.eu
January 4, 2026 at 8:56 AM
Reposted by SJ Townend
frombeyondpress.bsky.social
Nobody was around to tell me not to start a new online horror and sci-fi magazine, so.

Stay tuned.
December 29, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Reposted by SJ Townend
catherinemccarthy.bsky.social
A selection of great indie books I read this year.
I highly recommend all of these!👇📚
(See list below, left to right)
December 28, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Reposted by SJ Townend
catherinemccarthy.bsky.social
The Lion of the Desert by MatthewJBenecke
Sick Girl Screams by @sjtownend.bsky.social
The World of Vile Wonder (antho), edited by @coyhall.bsky.social
Harrowfield by @stephellis.bsky.social
Mad Days by @elfordalley.bsky.social
The Skin We Feel Most Comfortable In by @craigwallwork.bsky.social
December 28, 2025 at 3:58 PM
sjtownend.bsky.social
I hope next year is better for you. X
December 23, 2025 at 8:46 AM
sjtownend.bsky.social
My story, YELLOW CAR, is now available to read, along with many other horrifying journey-themed tales, in this anthology from Hell Bound Books:

www.amazon.com/HellBound-Hi...
December 19, 2025 at 8:08 AM
sjtownend.bsky.social
Fancy a Bristol-based Christmas horror story from me?

Check out WHEN ONE DOOR CLOSES published by Horrific Scribes here:

horrificscribblings.com/when-one-doo...

You can read more horrifying tales by other authors too at horrificscribblings.com
When One Door Closes
A man has an issue with the doors in his house. Even the doors on his advent calendar are playing up. But are the doors his only issue?
horrificscribblings.com
December 19, 2025 at 7:04 AM