Exclusive Cover Reveal! Bound in Flesh: An Anthology of Trans Body Horror from PMMP

Hello. My name is Max Booth III. I am the co-founder and publisher (with my partner, Lori Michelle) of Ghoulish Books, an indie small press that’s been operating in San Antonio, TX for just over a decade now. Today I am thrilled to introduce the gorgeous front cover of a new anthology we’ve been cooking up for quite a while, along with its incredible table of contents.

The book, Bound in Flesh: An Anthology of Trans Body Horror, edited by Lor Gislason, brings together 13 trans and non-binary writers, using horror to both explore the darkest depths of the genre and the boundaries of flesh. It’s a fun, disgusting good time for all!

I am honored that The Lineup has offered to help us spotlight the cover this week, as it is Transgender Awareness Week, and I cannot conceive of a more perfect time to celebrate trans horror writers (other than, you know, every damn day).

Here is what our anthology’s editor, Lor Gislason, had to say about Transgender Awareness Week:

“Transgender Awareness Week strives to bring together transgender people to share their stories and push forward advocacy around the issues of discrimination and violence the transgender community faces. November 20th is Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) to honour the memories of those we have lost to anti-trans violence.

“In this vein, Bound in Flesh also strives to highlight the talent of the trans horror community and to reaffirm the importance of diverse voices. Horror has always included stories of gender dysphoria, whether through subtext or outright stated. We want to make horror a welcome place for everyone.”

Right now, in my state of Texas, those in charge of our government are trying their hardest to make it impossible to live here as a transgender person—but that doesn’t mean everybody here agrees with them. Our government may be cruel, and many citizens of the state may follow their lead, but there are still good people here fighting with everything they have. Voting, protesting, living, surviving. I love my trans friends with all my being. The laws Texas wants to put into place are disgusting and infuriating. Too many cowardly monsters have gotten comfortable here with their ignorant mindsets.

It is often a helpless feeling, which is why we are so excited to be publishing Bound in Flesh.

Here in Texas, we sell books at physical events probably once a week if not every other week, and it is our goal as a publisher to continue publishing books that will piss off the right kind of people.

Trans people exist, and they are not going anywhere, and if you have a problem with that, then—to quote Godspeed You! Black Emperor—you can “eat shit and die alone.”

And now, I present to you Babs Rastorfer’s amazing cover art for Bound in Flesh: