We’ll Always Be Here: An Anthology of LGBTQ+ Horror
Edited by James G. Carlson
Gloom House Publishing, 2025
ISBN-13: 979-8286039685
We are living in dangerous times. ICE has turned into a modern-day Gestapo, raiding homes and yanking immigrants out of their beds to cart them off to detention centers. Scientific organizations such as the National Institute of Mental Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have lost funding, putting a hold on research that could cure diseases and save lives. And a war criminal has been applauded upon his arrival to America.
But the most dangerous thing about living in our country right now is to be a part of the LGBTQ+ community. To be transsexual, homosexual, pansexual, etc. Because the government not only refuses to allow medical care for this marginalized group but it is also trying to erase this group entirely. People in our government don’t accept members of the LGBTQ+ community and they are trying to get rid of them. It is a disturbing and alarming stance the government has taken against the LGBTQ+ community and it has sparked fear, anger, outrage and rebellion among the many people who belong to it.
Meanwhile, we turn to literature for escape and possibly even for the imagined forms of revenge we would wish to exact on all the haters. And that’s exactly what readers of the anthology edited by James G. Carlson, We’ll Always Be Here: An Anthology of LGBTQ+ Horror, will find in these stories. From stories of the horrifying reality we have in store if Trump’s quest for power continues to go unchecked to those in the community who are fighting back against hate, these stories will entertain, empower, and delight fans of horror fiction.
This anthology starts off strong with “The Ghost Girls of Waterbury” by Rebecca Rowland. So many poor working conditions in the past have led to men and women coming down with a variety of ailments – cancer, mostly – and this story captures that in a dark, disturbing way. I love reading historical horror but this story was also a sad one. Those women were probably never compensated for the illness they all came down with as a result of where they worked.
“Night of the Living Fascists” by James G. Carlson was an epic story! With the addition of an alien to this story, I started to wonder if this was a nod to the many conspiracy theories that Trump is an alien. And there’s an intelligent cockroach named Bob! LOL I had to laugh over Musk being a zombie in this story and how one character noted that Musk is “on the dumb side.” The horror of Trump’s vision of how he wants to turn America into a country of blind Republican-worshiping followers was unnerving. That’s definitely an America I would hate to live in! I loved how the band members of the rock group Far Left joined the crusade to stop this alternate future from happening. They are likable characters. I loved how the alien tells the group members, “But you still have some serious struggles ahead. But with people like you in the world, I’m sure humanity will figure it out eventually.” I sure hope so. We can’t let this war of hate against the LGBTQ+ community win.
I also enjoyed reading “Mile-High” by Bridgett Nelson. This story is a very good example of how gender is fluid, but also a good reminder that we should never settle when it comes to love. Some people who are heterosexual transition to homosexuality even after their marriage. With me, I was heterosexual when I got married but now, after several years of marriage, I am asexual (I had to learn what this is after struggling with it for years!). Then there are some people who are homosexual and are in the closet and they feel like they should do what they are “supposed to do” and marry a person of the opposite sex just to make everybody happy or to fit in. But denying who they are is wrong and will only lead to a low sense of self-esteem and dejection. It could also create a loveless and poor marriage, as happens in this story. (And, yes, I know there are homosexuals who will marry the opposite sex JUST to have children with them then toss them to the curb with a divorce after those people have “served their purpose.”) So in this story, we see what that kind of suppression does. But I love how this story is written! And I loved the ending too. It’s a great story!
“Lackers” by Leo X. Robertson was such a bizarre story! What a weird term for people who are lacking parts of their bodies. But the story itself was so interesting to read! It really pulled me in and I was hooked until the horrifying ending!
I also loved the story “It’s Still Here” by Angellique Jordonna. It was so creepy! Her description of the monster is spot on and I was reading the escape scene with bated breath. I LOVED the surprise ending!
“Ethan is Following Me” by Michael R. Collins is another great story. It was SO creepy! I love reading ghost stories but this one was really scary. The ending left me surprised and speechless!
“Making America Straight Again” by Chisto Healy was such a good story. Warning to readers: There is transphobia in this story. It is a bunch of garbage spouted by MAGA (then again, what else do these supporters of our lying, delusional, racist, rapist, homophobic, transphobic, narcissist thieving president ever spout?). Chisto Healy is one of my favorite writers and this story was another one of his excellent works. As much as the transphobia and the MAGA characters grated my nerves and angered me, I really loved this story. Hopefully this story would make people THINK (although I realize that is too much to ask of MAGA), and just hopefully get people to understand that even if we love someone who is the same sex or even no sex, we’re all human beings who feel and care and want to be accepted.
And now for something completely different! That’s what readers are in for when they move on to the next story: “Kimmy Gibbler: Glamour Shot of a Switchblade Romance” by Phrique. I loved reading this script! It was hilarious in addition to horrifying. I loved watching Full House when I was younger (never watched Fuller House), so it was an interesting read. Although I gotta admit that I exclaimed “NOO! Not Michelle!” when I got to that part of the story. Still, the story was funny, surprising, and a uproarious blast to the past! The ending was surprising (though not really, if you paid much attention to the TV show) and I loved how it all came together. The spoofs of the characters were off-the-wall, farcical, and absolutely hysterical, especially the one about Aunt Becky. If only this was something we could watch on the screen! (Except for the part with Michelle. Have mercy!)
“Taken Away” by Denver Wheeler was another awesome story! So dark and disturbing. (Can you tell that’s my kinda story to read?) Not only do the characters in this story get lost but they end up WAY off the map where people who are “not infected” should not even be exploring. I get it that they were trying to get to a hospital, but it was like they ended up in some other kind of other dimension when they were at a hospital that just seemed so unusual. Like Mel, I was worried about what would happen to her baby. What a horrifying twist it takes at the end!
We’ll Always Be Here is an anthology of LGBTQ+ horror fiction that sends a powerful message to the world, a message that says, “We’re here, we’ve always been here, and we’ll always be here no matter what you try to do to erase us.” We will fight back. We will stand strong. And we’ll continue to write our stories, share our experiences, and create our art whether or not our society or our country will accept it.
Five stars
Disclaimer: This review is entirely voluntary. I purchased a Kindle edition of this book and was not asked to review it by anyone involved in this book’s writing or publication. All opinions and ideas expressed in this review are entirely my own.
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