Kristina Grifantini, who writes fiction under the name KC Grifant, found inspiration for her debut novel in the local board game community. She and her husband joined a local game of “Doomtown,” a collectible card game with guns, spells, and mudslinging.
“The game immediately captured my imagination with its many diverse and women characters, which I hadn’t really seen in Westerns before,” she says. “I ended up writing several official game stories for ‘Doomtown.’ It piqued my appetite for weird Westerns, so I began to brainstorm my own supernatural Western world and characters.”
The result was “Melinda West: Monster Gunslinger,” released in 2023 and fitting into the genre known as “weird West,” or a story with Old West elements mixed with science fiction, fantasy, or horror. For Grifantini, co-founder of the San Diego chapter of the Horror Writers Association, it was a natural fit. She helped start the local chapter in 2016, after moving here from Boston. The organization is a nonprofit that promotes horror and dark fantasy stories, builds community among horror writers and fans of the genre, along with offering programming and resources for members. It started in the 1980s and its leadership has included Dean Koontz, Robert McCammon, and Joe Lansdale. With more than 2,400 members all over the world, they’re currently getting ready for their annual convention, StokerCon, taking place this year in San Diego from May 30 to June 2 at the Mission Valley Marriott.
Grifantini, 41, is a senior director of science communications for a local research institute; as KC Grifant, she writes horror, science fiction, and fantasy, and her work has appeared in magazines, anthologies, and podcasts. She lives in Mira Mesa with her partner, Jason, and their two young children. She took some time to talk about scary storytelling, the fun of StokerCon, and her massive comic book collection.
Q: How were you first introduced to the horror lit genre?
A: Growing up, I was more of a fantasy and science fiction reader. I read any book I could get my hands on. I was always drawn to darker stories, particularly tales with a gasp-worthy twist. A lot of sci-fi stories have a tinge of horror, like “The Stepford Wives,” “Invasion of the Body Snatchers,” and “Twilight Zone.” Those led me to shows like “Tales from the Crypt,” “X-Files,” and “Are You Afraid of the Dark?,” which prompted my interest in reading horror.
As a preteen, I explored the Christopher Pike and R.L. Stine books as my first real foray into horror literature. The books both fascinated and terrified me. And, like most readers my age, “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark,” volumes 1 through 3, left a deep mark. The other noteworthy introduction to horror literature happened in middle school. I saw a play about Frankenstein and became obsessed with the tragic tale of the tortured monster and its equally anguished maker. I wrote notebooks full of what was essentially fan fiction, writing letters from the various characters’ points of view.
Q: What was it about reading horror that drew you in and compelled you to keep exploring other works?
A: Though horror stories sometimes exacerbated my anxiety, I couldn’t stay away. As a kid, I had a lot of fears that would manifest in regular, vivid nightmares. Fear is such a profound and deep emotion, and children can be especially prone. Horror is a way to safely encounter and face your fears, so for many readers, it can be a cathartic experience.
What I love about Mira Mesa…
Mira Mesa is such a gem. It’s family friendly with lots of parks, festivals, and breweries. It’s also central and fairly easy to get to the beaches, downtown, and North County from here. We’ve seen lots of great coffee shops and restaurants come in recently, including authentic offerings from around the world — my personal favorites including Japanese ramen, Korean barbecue, and Taiwanese dumplings, all right down the street.
Q: What nudged you down the path of writing horror?
A: Growing up, I wrote obsessively from the moment I learned how to pencil a story, maybe around fourth grade or so. I filled countless large lined, looseleaf pages with fantastical tales. The earliest story I remember creating was a girl who shrunk herself down to ride a paper airplane around the classroom.
For a long time, I considered myself solely a sci-fi and fantasy writer. I think this is because when most people hear “horror,” they often think of gore and violence, and I thought the same. Most of my stories aren’t graphic or overly violent. For those reasons, I didn’t self-identify as a horror writer even though my stories aim to both entertain and disturb. When I finally came to the realization that my tales do fit in the horror genre, it was like an awakening. I especially enjoyed the creative freedom the horror genre entails and love to blend those elements with other genres (fantasy, western, sci-fi).
Q: Your debut novel, “Melinda West: Monster Gunslinger,” is described as “Bonnie and Clyde” meets “The Witcher” and “Supernatural,” about a sharpshooter and her partner caught up in a supernatural war in the Old West. What was your creative process for writing it?
A: I gender flipped the typical stoic cowboy character you see in Westerns, to create a stoic gunslinger, Melinda West, and her charismatic partner Lance Putnam, who exterminate monsters in an alternate version of the Old West. Part of my goal in writing “Melinda West: Monster Gunslinger” was to reimagine an Old West that featured more women and diverse characters than seen in a typical Western, as well as lots of monsters. I wrote one-off short stories featuring the duo’s adventures. Since these were well received by anthologies and magazines, I decided to write a novel-length adventure, which came out to positive, international reviews last year. The book was a standalone, but I’m writing more in the series. The second one, “Melinda West and the Gremlin Queen,” comes out in May 2025 .
Q: You’re co-chair and organizer for this year’s StokerCon. Tell us about StokerCon and what you’re looking forward to at this year’s gathering.
A: StokerCon is the premier annual conference for horror creators and enthusiasts, organized by the Horror Writers Association. It brings together authors, publishers, and others for a long weekend of workshops, panels, readings, networking opportunities, a film competition, an awards banquet, and much more.
StokerCon has two components that are completely free and open to the public that I am particularly excited about: the dealers’ room, which will feature about 30 vendors and booksellers, and a mass author signing event featuring over 100 horror authors, taking place at 5:15 p.m. Friday, May 31. As with every StokerCon, I look forward to the camaraderie—horror authors are some of the nicest people in the literary world. We joke that it’s because we get all our aggressions and stress out on the pages.
Q: Just by definition, horror seems scary and anxiety-inducing. What do you think non-horror enthusiasts may misunderstand about its appeal?
A: Horror is a fascinating genre because it contains a lot of variety. Enjoying horror is a spectrum — what is fun and scary for some can be overly stressful for others (like riding a rollercoaster). For example, I love a good monster tale, but stories about serial killers stress me out. When you find that sweet spot of horror, it can impart a sense of exhilaration and adrenaline. It can also be incredibly cathartic to read a horror story and live vicariously through the characters. I encourage anyone who hasn’t read horror to explore the diverse offerings the genre presents, as it truly has something for everyone.
Q: What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
A: Write the next thing! This is a paraphrase of advice from Gabino Iglesias, an author I greatly admire. The idea is essentially to always be creating, regardless of external factors, like awards or reviews. Rejection? Write the next thing. Acceptance? Write the next thing. Focusing on the next story helps to stay centered on what really matters: the writing itself.
Q: What is one thing people would be surprised to find out about you?
A: I’m a huge comic book collector. I have loved the “X-Men” universe and its various spinoffs for decades, so I have hundreds of comics. People often assume the collection is my husband’s.
Q: Please describe your ideal San Diego weekend.
A: If it’s July, attending [San Diego] Comic-Con and enjoying the vast array of outdoor exhibits, creative costumes, and fascinating panels. Otherwise, I’d start with hiking Torrey Pines, getting gourmet tacos, and taking a tour of the haunted Whaley House in Old Town.