July 03, 2026 | Read online | This Week in Speculative Fiction with The Horror Tree for 07/02/2026 |
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| | Word of the week: Mechanolatry - worship, excessive reverence, or idolization of machines | Hi readers and writers! Welcome to this week’s Horror Tree newsletter at the start of a brand new month. June was Pride month and Migraine Awareness Month. July is now Disability Pride Month, and it is important now more than ever. If you’re a fellow disabled horror writer or a fan of horror, then please join me on my socials, as I would love to know how many of us disabled folk are actually out there. This is the month to be proud of our accomplishments, and I’m certainly going to let my writing have the spotlight. And for anyone who might be thinking, ‘Why on earth do we need a Disability Pride Month?’ Well, because there’ll be someone out there who will be thinking, ‘I’d rather end my existence than be disabled’. This is the month to shine a light on it. | You can find me (Corinne Pollard) lurking on Bluesky @corinnepwriter.bsky.social, Instagram & Threads @Corinnepwriter, and my website, corinnepollard.wordpress.com. Now, onto the latest articles on writing from around the web. | | | | | In this Newsletter, you'll find... | |
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| | | | | | 🌟 Horror Tree / Trembling With Fear Updates | Welcome to the first full week of July. | There's something refreshing about turning the page on a new month. June is behind us, the second half of the year is officially underway, and that means there are still countless opportunities ahead to finish a story, submit that piece you've been sitting on, or start something entirely new. Writing rarely follows the timeline we imagine for ourselves, but every sentence written and every project completed adds up. Keep creating, keep submitting, and keep believing in the stories only you can tell. | We're also still looking to expand the Horror Tree team. If you've ever wanted to connect with authors, ask questions about craft and publishing, and help spotlight voices across speculative fiction, we're searching for a new Interview Coordinator as well as additional contributors interested in interviewing authors. If that sounds like something you'd enjoy, we'd love to hear from you. | And for our Trembling With Fear writers, consider this a friendly reminder that our inbox is always open for drabbles. We've published hundreds over the years, but we're always excited to discover new voices and fresh ideas. If you've been thinking about sending one our way, now's a great time to do it. We'd love to have a few more drabbles making their way into the queue. | Here's to a productive July filled with new stories, new opportunities, and maybe even a few pleasant surprises along the way. |
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| | | | | | 🌟 Articles | This week, I’m sharing articles from General and Business. Firstly, Helping Writers Become Authors has guest author Brian Hicks share advice on how an author can build a burnout-free routine. This concept grabbed my attention as I’m already attuned to the four seasons in regards to my body (chronic illness, you have no choice), so applying this concept to my writing routine has a certain appeal. Next, FoxPrint Editorial points out that you don’t need permission to invest in your writing. I’ve often felt guilty for spending money on workshops, writing advice books, conventions, and writing-related events, but why? If it is important to you, it shouldn’t matter how much time or money you spend. In business, Writers in the Storm has writing coach and editor Rachel Warmath explore how to launch your book with confidence. You may feel like a nuisance or a parrot when promoting your book, but Warmath points out why you shouldn’t feel like this and how to overcome this hurdle. | General: | Helping Writers Become Authors: “The Four Seasons of Writing: How Authors Can Build a Burnout-Free Writing Routine” | FoxPrint Editorial: “You Don’t Need Permission to Invest in Your Writing” | Business: | Writers In The Storm: “Launching a Book With Confidence” | From Horror Tree: | Using "Find" to Find Weak "To Be" Constructions | Book Review: Steal Me by Helen Grant | Book Review: The House That Eats the Dead | Book Review: I'm Not A Good Person, I'm A New Yorker | Book Review: Daggermouth by H.M. Wolfe | Book Review: Watchers by Dean Koontz |
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| | | | | | 🌟 Free Fiction Roundup | This week’s free fiction explores sci-fi horror from memory wiping to birthing alien bees. Firstly, “No Crimes Committed” is a flash story about a soldier called in to answer questions to their leader, but this is an interrogation where the facts won’t add up and will fade away. It is a compelling story where the sci-fi is never explained, which adds to its atmosphere. Next, “This Is An Emergency Broadcast” is a short story about an emergency broadcast that tries to be heard against the noises of technology. There’s a lot of dialogue with content that grows darker as the story progresses, until the broadcast is the only one speaking. A very convincing apocalyptic story about humanity’s need to stand together. Lastly, “What To Expect When You’re Expectorating Bees on Hive Colony Delta” is a flash story about a miner who gets injected with a bee’s eggs. With great body horror, this sci-fi explores a society where workers are exploited to keep a bee colony alive. This is guaranteed to make you uncomfortable. Enjoy reading! | | “No Crimes Committed” by Eric Fomley at Wyldblood Press. | “This Is an Emergency Broadcast" by R.S.A. Garcia at Clarkesworld Magazine. | “What To Expect When You’re Expectorating Bees on Hive Colony Delta” by Addison Smith at Flash Point SF |
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| | | | | | 🌟 Writing Prompt | Your protagonist moves their family to the countryside. It is a fresh start for them and their kids, or so they think. Their youngest plays every day in the back fields, wishing to play without their siblings. | At mealtime, everyone goes round the table explaining what they’ve been up to. When it's the youngest’s turn, they say they’ve been having fun with their new friends. | Your protagonist thinks nothing of it until they spot their kid playing in the middle of the road, alone. A truck is speeding, coming closer and closer. | Your protagonist runs and grabs their kid out of the road at the last minute. | “What are you doing?! You know not to play on the road!” | “My friends are lonely. They want me to play. They said it didn’t hurt.” | What happens next is up to you…Let your imagination run wild! | If you post any writing content during the week and think it would be a good fit for us to feature, do reach out and let us know at con...@horrortree.com | Thank you, Patreons! As always, the site's lifeblood is in your hands and we truly appreciate your support. |
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