Eric LaRocca
@ericlarocca.com
(He/They) Bram Stoker Award finalist, Shirley Jackson Award nominee and Splatterpunk Award-winning Author ericlarocca.com
Of course the legendary Chuck Palahniuk just published a brilliant essay on S*bstack about the importance of solving challenges within your work by actually WRITING as opposed to using genAI. He says: “If you want to be “transgressive” you need to get some skin in the game.” YES, CHUCK. YES!!!
Luckily, writing the book is the best part of writing the book
Andrew F. Sullivan@afsulli.bsky.social · 58m agowriting the book requires writing the book.
The HWA has apologized for the AI article and specifically apologized for the inclusion of Indigenous water rights struggles in the AI column, and removed the newsletter writer from their board position. I’m deeply appreciative of the apology and of all who expressed solidarity in my post about it.
"The Executive Leadership and Trustees on the Board of the Horror Writers Association has voted to remove Sephera Giron from her position as Trustee effective immediately.” Good. As an ex-trustee, wish I had the time. The HWA needs more “luddites” who aren’t afraid to speak up.
If you are a member of the HWA please check your email. That’s my official statement about today.
It's a day of very big feelings as I learned that I'm a finalist for the World Fantasy Special Award – Non-Professional for Nightmare Magazine on the same day I announced that this is my last year as EIC at Nightmare. www.nightmare-magazine.com/nonfiction/e...
Editorial: August 2026 - Nightmare Magazine
Gardens are pumping out the juiciest tomatoes, corn on the cob is at its peak, and every melon is bulging with sugar water. The days might be the hottest, but with fall on the horizon, the nights are ...
nightmare-magazine.com
Professional writer organizations should not send out pro-AI propaganda in the form of tantrum-having "essays" to their members, and I don't think that's controversial.
Regarding The Pro-AI Tantrum In The HWA Newsletter
Today I, and every other HWA member, received the HWA newsletter in our inboxes. In that newsletter was an essay (“essay”) of pro-AI propaganda that made a number of specious points in …
terribleminds.com
This. Like, a bunch of us who are speaking up are members of the organization, and even though we're not the board, we feel responsibility toward steering it in positive directions.
Emily C. Hughes@emilyhughes.bsky.social · 9h agothat HWA newsletter op-ed was disgusting, juvenile, stupid, AND poorly written, but I do think we need to underline the distinction between "the organization allowed a bad essay to be published in an official communication" and "the HWA endorses this point of view"
THIS SATURDAY! New England friends, get your tickets now to join me and this incredible lineup of authors as we celebrate Summerween! Panels, signings, horror hijinks! Join us!!
Very disappointed in the HWA… To publish a pro-AI essay/rant in their newsletter and send it out to members who have had their own writing plagiarized and stolen by AI software feels so incredibly unacceptable. It’s embarrassing and pretty fucking grotesque.
A book is not a product like the shelf upon which it sits. Art is not a product like the frame in which it is displayed. If you think of stories or art like that sort of product, if you use AI to "create" it, you are not a storyteller. You are not an artist. This is not an opinion. It's a fact. 5/6
If you prompt a computer to generate something, you are NOT its creator. If stating that fact makes me a gatekeeper, then I will proudly keep that fucking gate for all the days of my life. 6/6
This screed is so misguided and full of weird, bad ideas. It's got that vibe of "I didn't really think this through and actually don't even understand the subject much, but I want to yell about it anyway." Which is fine for Gen Pop internet, but like, maybe keep it off the HWA newsletter, wtf.
Holly Lyn Walrath@hollylynwalrath.bsky.social · 23h agoThere is a lengthy pro-AI screed in the latest HWA newsletter and it is . . . a mood.
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Get yourself a publisher who is as happy and proud as @sagapressbooks.bsky.social is of their authors. Seriously. They are the best. All of them.
Wow! This novel was brilliant. Reminded me so much of the experimental fiction of Kathy Acker. Dual storylines centered around obsession mirror each other flawlessly here. Highly recommend if you’re looking for something uncompromising and unusual.
It’s awesome when you get a new book from an author you’re very into, and know that a new release is only about a month away. Going to devour Wretch but can’t wait for We Turn Gruesome at Night! @ericlarocca.com @titanbooks.bsky.social #wretch #horrorbooks #booksky
First pass pages of my March 2027 novel BRUTE in my inbox today and they look stunning 😈 @sagapressbooks.bsky.social
Excited to receive an early author's copy of UNEARTHED edited by @dancoxon.bsky.social & @pfracassi.bsky.social It features a standing stone-inspired short story by me. ReHistory is something a little bit different that I hope you’ll enjoy, inspired by Quatermass & Doctor Who’s The Daemons.
Every writer I know, and for my sins I know a lot of them, is absolutely 100% delighted for you to get their book out from your local library.
“Gloriously nihilistic” “Acclaimed series” I AM LEVITATING 💚 Thank you so much, Waterstones. I love you!! www.waterstones.com/book/we-turn...
The special limited edition of WE TURN GRUESOME AT NIGHT is now available to order directly from @thebrokenbinding.bsky.social! Pre-order here: thebrokenbindingsub.com/products/we-...
Someone recently reviewed this book as “deeply traumatic.” The ebook is currently a BookClub pick and on sale so you can traumatize yourself if you’re feeling brave enough… 😈🖤 @titanbooks.bsky.social
Are you ready to return to Burnt Sparrow? 💚 The nightmarish second installment of @ericlarocca.com's provocative, disruptive and brutally poetic queer horror is coming soon... https://tinyurl.com/mr34wvcp
Wowwww!!! The audiobook for WRETCH just received a “starred” review from Library Journal and they wrote “Listeners brave enough to face the depths of depravity and longing should immediately dive into this exquisitely painful book” 😭😭❤️❤️
