When Lauren T. Davila pitched the idea of a climate-focused horror anthology to me in 2022, I loved the concept of a vengeful nature—and a humbled humanity learning to deal with the consequences of how they treated the planet. The resulting anthology, To Root Somewhere Beautiful, surprised me with all the ways the authors took on the theme, as well as how hopeful I came away feeling after reading all of them.
To Root Somewhere Beautiful launches on Kickstarter today, and I hope you'll join is in taking a look at futures that could happen, and futures that we might become. The stories are both warnings and desires, full of body horror and vengeance, yes, but also moments of beauty and connection, of family and new beginnings. I'm astonished at how beautiful it became, and how it rooted in my heart.
The Kickstarter features not only the anthology, as well as our full ebook library of Outland's collected anthologies, but opportunities to choose the names of characters within the stories themselves! Here's a look at the table of contents, as well as our catalog copy to give you the big idea!
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Introduction by Danny Lore
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Seeds Within by Mari Kurisato
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The Last Singapore Girls by Wen-yi Lee
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Unlocked by C.M. Leyva
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As the Forest Itself Gave Chase by Alyssa Grant
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Love Is a Battleship by D.C. Dador
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Mango Heart by Katalina Watt
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A Mosaic of Tiny Insignificant Moments by Laura Galan-Wells
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The Red Sentinel by Amparo Ortiz
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El Grito de la Onda by Lauren T. Davila
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We Were Meant to Be Buried by RJ Joseph
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They Used to Build Parks Here by SJ Whitby
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Like Blood From by Rien Gray
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Honey and Onions by Sam Elyse
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When the World Gives Out by Rachal Marquez Jones
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Follow Me into the Dark by Mallory Jones
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Nectar: Unlimited by Laura G. Southern
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To Root from Flesh by Isa Arsen
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Emma by Morgan Spraker
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The Boy Who Became an Entire Planet by Nicholas Perez
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Alone by Alex Brown
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The Roots Called Us Home by R.M. Virtues
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Mother of Titans by Darci Meadows
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A grandmother who promises both bitterness and love.
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A desperate husband seeking to supernaturally win back his wife.
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Cafe patrons facing down vigilante trees.
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The last remaining flight attendants in Singapore after a climate apocalypse.
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The recipient of a mysterious gift, who might change or doom the future.
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And many more.