I’m extremely proud to share that LIL GUTS, the gross horror anthology I edited in collab with Little Ghosts books – 13 stories that are hilarious, heart-warming and horrifying. As a release day treat, I asked a few authors for their GOOPY SECRETS….
RYAN MCANDREW’s story MIND OVER MATTER is such a lovely throwback to classic monster flicks, of unforseen consequences and family drama. Best paired with: BRAIN DAMAGE.
What inspired your LIL GUTS story?
I’ve always had a soft spot for mindflayers, so playing Baldur’s Gate 3 reignited that love and had me craving some good old-fashioned brain-suckin’ horror. When I read the call for Lil Guts, I knew I’d found a great excuse to write some!
Is there anything in horror that TRULY grosses you out?
The thought of being swallowed/absorbed alive. I blame Dragonball Z for this one: watching Cell slurp people up really did a number on me as a kid! (Lor note: god I also hated those scenes!!!)
What are 3 underrated movies you’d love people to experience?
Savageland (2015), Apostle (2018), and Vivarium (2019). I’m really surprised that last one isn’t more well-known, considering the popularity of the Backrooms and liminal-space horror in recent years. (Lor note: I CONCUR PLEASE WATCH THESE FILMS)
Favourite gross fact u can share with the class GO
The slow loris is the world’s only known venomous primate! Their venom glands are located in their armpits; they lick their own pits to add the venom into their bite. Said venom is powerful enough to induce anaphylactic shock in humans and produce flesh-melting lesions in smaller animals, including other slow lorises. Cute!
It’s near the end of the year. Any News Years goals, as a writer?
I’d love to get more involved in the horror lit community- I read so much great stuff from talented authors, but never really interact with other writers directly. If you’re a horror fan who wants to chat all things spooky, hit me up!
KAY HANIFEN’S THE COLONOSCOPY is such a great dive into an uncomfortable medical procedure – so as a cooldown afterwards, try DR. GIGGLES!
What inspired your LIL GUTS story?
So, this is a little TMI, but I got a colonoscopy last year–nothing was wrong, thankfully–but the experience was not pleasant, as everyone above a certain age will find out eventually. I guess writing this was to both process that gross experience and make it even worse.
Is there anything in horror that TRULY grosses you out?
Scatalogical stuff tends to gross me out. Blood and guts don’t bother me too much on the screen but piss and shit do, which is a little weird when you think about it. Also, people eating things that should not be eaten. Cannibalism is fine because meat is meat after a certain point, I guess, but eating rotten food, excrement, and vomit gives me the willies and makes me gag.
What are 3 underrated movies you’d love people to experience?
Oof, that’s a tough one. It changes daily. My first choice is not body horror related, but Wrath of Dracula (2023) is the only Dracula movie that has Mina Harker actually in character. It’s also very silly fun. Getaway (2024) is very fun and has an excellent plot twist that I will not spoil. Finally, As Above So Below is incredibly underrated in my opinion. It came out when people were getting tired of found footage, but it’s genuinely fun. It’s a found footage film about a female Indiana Jones hunting for the Philosopher’s Stone in the Paris Catacombs and finding herself and her team living through the Divine Comedy. It hits just about everything I geek out about and is a ton of fun.
Favourite gross fact u can share with the class GO
Chainsaws were originally invented to assist with childbirth. Before the invention of safe c-sections, if the baby’s head was too big, they would take a chainsaw and cut the mother’s pelvis in half to widen the opening. If that isn’t enough to make you cross your legs and swear off sex forever, I don’t know what is.
It’s near the end of the year. Any News Years goals, as a writer?
My goal is to write another novel. This past year, I’ve been focused a lot on short stories and other projects, but I think it’s time to get into another big project.
JOE KOCH’S MEAT OF THE STARFISH is an unconventional love story, with the signature gorgeous prose I and many others adore about Joe’s work. For dessert: SPRING (2014)
What inspired your LIL GUTS story?
I wanted to write about a person both privileged and caged, because it raises some really interesting questions about autonomy, so I came up with a boy whose unique biological gift (hinted at in the title) makes him valuable property as a sex worker. I should probably be blunt and say sex slave. He’s also useful as food for cannibal culinary fetishists. Most of the actual gross-out is off screen in the story, because I became more interested in what happens to him after the cage is destroyed, how he feels about this biologically impossible body, and would he have any ability after how he’s lived to negotiate or understand autonomy.
Is there anything in horror that TRULY grosses you out?
I’m a wuss! Lots of things get to me. Infectious puss is probably the thing that gets me most, especially if folks are drinking it or slurping it up. Looking at you, Ryan Harding.
What are 3 underrated movies you’d love people to experience?
The Sudbury Devil, The Witch Who Came From The Sea, and Possession (1981).
(Lor note: I watched Sudbury after Joe recommended it and HOLY SHIT what a ride.)
Favourite gross fact u can share with the class GO
There’s various folk remedies for vaginal problems that nurses are familiar with because patients come in with things stuck inside of them. Most of these “cures” involve inserting foods, like garlic or potato. They’re supposed to alter ph or something. Obviously this puts the patient at risk for infection, but the real problems occur when they’re left in the vagina for too long and begin to grow roots.
It’s near the end of the year. Any News Years goals, as a writer?
Writing is always going to happen, it’s just part of my life. I like to let it happen rather than impose external demands (because the world is happy to impose plenty of them for me). I have some plans stewing for future books, possibly a novella here or there. Several are in the works and have been for a long time, but I’ve needed to hone my skills before completing final drafts. But maybe instead I’ll throw away all the old stuff and bang out something new and unhinged and experimental really fast instead of being so precious about it. Who knows?
ANDREW RIVAS understood the assignment with LIL GOOPY GUYS GO VIRAL. I’m upset I can’t have one of my own, honestly. PAIRS WELL WITH: THE BOOGENS.
What inspired your LIL GUTS story?
I love playing with squishy stress toys, and I had one that was just an orb with googly eyes that was filled with glittery slime. Very cute. But as it always happens, the toy eventually burst, coincidentally right where its mouth would be, and it vomited this viscous, glittery ooze that quickly got everywhere and grossed me out. I couldn’t stop thinking about the moment the toy went from cute to gross, and when LG and Lor announced Little Guts, the idea came to me and stuck– just like the ooze.
Is there anything in horror that TRULY grosses you out?
ANY kind of trauma having to do with fingernails or eyes immediately makes me gag, which must make me a masochist, because I love incorporating those scenes into my stories.
(Lor note: fingernail stuff is also my weakness ;o;)
What are 3 underrated movies you’d love people to experience?
I’ll sing Coherence’s praises to anyone who will listen: it’s a fantastic time-bendy horror movie on a shoe-string budget that I never hear anyone talk about. Underwater, with Kristen Stewart, gives heavy ALIEN vibes and is so good that you’ll forget TJ Miller is in it. Lastly, Sorry To Bother You has some incredibly body horror in the back half; trust me, you have no idea what that movie is about if you haven’t seen it.
Favourite gross fact u can share with the class GO
I have been thinking about the way Anglerfish mate CONSTANTLY since I learned how they do it. That’s a weird thing to say, but it’s true; think of how gnarly the phrase “sexual parasitism” is. The way it happens is, the male, which is much smaller than the female, latches onto the female’s belly with its sharp teeth. It then releases an enzyme that digests the skin of his mouth and her body, fusing the two of them together permanently. The male becomes completely dependent on the female for nutrition, while it provides the female with a steady supply of sperm. I find it simultaneously revolting and fascinating.
It’s near the end of the year. Any News Years goals, as a writer?
I would love to make a twine game, but on a slightly more cheesy note, I just want to make more author friends! This year I made it a point to read and post about independent literature, and it always makes me smile when authors get excited about people reading their books. There’s a lot of weird and wild shit out there, and not enough people are reading it!
RAIN CORBYN made me legit want to vomit with TOP OF THE POPS, and I’ll be impressed if anyone can get through it without gagging. TRY IT WITH: BODY MELT
What inspired your LIL GUTS story?
There’s a famous YouTuber whose body changed significantly after years of daily eating challenges, and the idea was floated around that his channel was all a piece of performance art. That fascinated me, the idea of self-harm as spectacle, and what “too far” is for an audience who wants to watch pain but declare themselves good people at the same time. What’s that tipping point, where they bail and claim the high road? Since writing my story, I’ve learned that that guy has changed his lifestyle and acknowledged it was in fact performance art btw.
Is there anything in horror that TRULY grosses you out?
Mouth sounds, and like a masochist that’s what I’m working on next. Otherwise, slow gore always gets me, especially self-inflicted. A vegetable peeler is way scarier to me than an axe.
What are 3 underrated movies you’d love people to experience?
There are movies I don’t want to admit I’ve seen in a place this public so here are some good ones that won’t get you on a list.
Don’t Look Now (1973) is famous for its ending, and rightly, but the whole movie is a masterclass in dread, grief, and fucking through it.
Eyes Without a Face (1960) is so important to me, and is so ahead of its time in terms of body horror, obsession, and cinematography. We wouldn’t have The Substance without it.
The Piano Tuner of Earthquakes (2005)! I love gory action but I live for art that takes its time and rewards your full attention.
Favourite gross fact u can share with the class GO
Go watch a video of a spotted hyena giving birth.
(Lor note: OH NOOOOOO)
It’s near the end of the year. Any News Years goals, as a writer?
It’s always “write more,” isn’t it? But I’ve got an eco-body horror novella and a compulsive liar POV transgressive fiction novel I’d love to find homes for, and I have almost enough stories for a collection I hope to self-publish!
KYLA LUTZ makes me feel conflicted about my love for unagi with THE EEL – Have you always wondered where baby eels come from? You’ll regret asking. AFTER THIS, TRY: A CURE FOR WELLNESS
What inspired your LIL GUTS story?
I was inspired by The Book of Eels by Patrik Svensson and the Japanese delicacy of Shirouo, where live fish are consumed with a bit of soy sauce and continue to move even after being swallowed.
Is there anything in horror that TRULY grosses you out?
I find anything with infection or pus really gross – think the eyeball scene in Hostel or the leg shaving scene in Cabin Fever. It never fails to gross me out.
What are 3 underrated movies you’d love people to experience?
Bone Tomahawk (excellent mixture of western and horror), The Brood (Cronenberg movie filmed right in Toronto), and Slither (James Gunn’s first movie, peak body horror)
Favourite gross fact u can share with the class GO
When you have scurvy, it breaks down the cells that make up scar tissue so any wounds you’ve suffered over the course of your life reopen as though you’ve just gotten them for the first time.
It’s near the end of the year. Any New Year’s goals, as a writer?
2023 is the year of my first publication, so I’d like to continue that in 2024 and delve deeper into horror writing!
KEEGAN HUGHES opens the anthology with GUTS FOR GLORY, a look at Canada’s future where Hockey is more akin to RUNNING MAN, told as if you’re watching it on TV. Keep your stick on the ice, fellas.
What inspired your LIL GUTS story?
I’ve always been a big hockey fan, and I thought it would be funny to make it a true bloodbath. Plenty of fans look for things to go back to the “good old days” of questionable skill, unquestionable heart, and unbridled violence, so I figured in a dystopian future Canada those same “good old days” might be a popular on-ice product. Just with even more gore. And somehow even less concern regarding concussions and CTE.
Is there anything in horror that TRULY grosses you out?
TEETH! Anything to do with dental distress really makes my skin crawl (and my gums itch).
(Lor note: I apologise for TOOTHWORMS!!!)
What are 3 underrated movies you’d love people to experience?
Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 lives in the shadow of the original TCM, but I’d argue that it’s a lot of fun. It’s got everything! Live murder radio broadcasts, high-end chainsaw shopping sprees, head wound scab eating, fleshy face masks fresh from someone else’s skull, walls full of sloppy entrails, the works.
The Greasy Strangler is a fever dream gross-out masterpiece produced by Elijah Wood. I make all of my friends watch it whenever I can, and they all like me less for it.
(Lor note: this movie is an EXPERIENCE. Truly made for and by freaks.)
The Return of the Evil Killings at Cursed Camp Blood Lake; The Reckoning is super underrated. Barely has 300 views on YouTube. Go check it out. The director seems like a cool guy.
Favourite gross fact u can share with the class GO
We’ve all got little tiny mites living on our skin and there’s nothing we can do about it.
It’s near the end of the year. Any News Years goals, as a writer
Write more! And write with less judgement upon myself. Just gotta let those words flow. Maybe I’ll learn something good about myself in the process.
PAIRED WITH: RITUALS (1977) An underrated Canadian horror that is just BRUTAL.
JESSICA DOUTSAS flips king Midas on his head with MELODY IS HUNGRY – everything she eats turns foul as soon as it touches her lips The Anti-Foodie story!
What inspired your LIL GUTS story?
I wanted to write something gross, but also a bit silly, so the idea of rotting food being the main repulsive thing (rather than a monster) seemed fun. I also love romance as my other main genre, so giving my character a bit of that story line – but having it go horribly wrong – was a good way to combine them together. I might have also been eating a particularly unpleasant dinner when the idea came to me.
Is there anything in horror that TRULY grosses you out?
I hate seeing eyeballs pop out of people’s faces. For some reason, that feels like the grossest thing that can happen to an alive person. Also just barfing. Seeing it, smelling it, hearing it happen, it’s all bad.
What are 3 underrated movies you’d love people to experience?
Silent Night with Keira Knightley – it’s a New Year’s Eve movie except it’s about a physically violent biochemical apocalypse, and one of my favourites to re-watch during the holidays. Lisa Frankenstein is a hilarious homage to 80s horror movies like Heathers and Edward Scissorhands, written by Diablo Cody and directed by Zelda Williams (daughter of Robin Williams). And My Best Friend’s Exorcism is a great adaptation of the amazing book (same name) by the prolific and fantastic horror author Grady Hendrix.
Favourite gross fact u can share with the class GO
Eyeballs don’t bounce! They seem like they would, but they just go splat. That was a factoid one of my teachers used to tell us, and once demonstrated for us. This might be why eyeballs gross me out to this day… (Lor note: damn! we disected eyes in school, but I never learned this!)
It’s near the end of the year. Any News Years goals, as a writer?
I’m currently writing my first novel (a comedy horror about dating during the zombie apocalypse), and completing a writing certification at UofT so I’m excited to finish both. I also run a bookstagram account on Instagram and TikTok @JdoutsBookNook and am excited about posting more often on there / growing the accounts.
PAIR IT WITH: RAW (2016) Who doesn’t love a little cannibalism and college partying?
JESSICA LUKE GARCIA answers a horrible “what if” none of us wanted to know about in LITTLE RED MICE. It’s also about girl power. Technically.
What inspired your LIL GUTS story?
Tampon horror, gross-out urban legends, and that scene from Spirited Away where Chihiro pulls the trash clog out of the polluted river spirit.
Is there anything in horror that TRULY grosses you out?
There’s something so special about vomiting!
What are 3 underrated movies you’d love people to experience?
Aquaslash (2019), Hysteria: The Def Leppard Story (2001), Catwoman (2004)
Favourite gross fact u can share with the class GO
There’s a rare disorder called vicarious menstruation where, alongside a cyclical period, you can also bleed from other fascinating bodily bits—like, say, your nipples, or eyeballs, or lungs.
(Lor note: oh, oh no)
It’s near the end of the year. Any News Years goals, as a writer?
Write better, harder, deeper and faster. Read more.
(Lor note: FASTER, PUSSYCAT! KILL! KILL!)
BEST PAIRED WITH: GINGER SNAPS – Truly a film that captures the early 00’s in Ontario like none other. Plus getting your period AND turning into a werewolf. These are things that happen in Canada.
LIL GUTS is available now!!
LORMAGGOT 