We Mostly Come Out at Night

“Transformative and at times haunting, there’s something for every teen who ever felt othered for being who they are.”–People“A gloriously layered collection … here, monstrousness and magic parallel that which society fears–queerness, asexuality, trans lives–and through transformations both tiny and tremendous, teens enduring discrimination show how amazing they can be. The message here? ‘Too bad, world. You will make space.’”–Shelf Awareness, starred review“The collection as a whole is compelling and rich with fascinating beasties that provide new twists on monster lore…worthwhile for its strong queer-affirming stance and thought-provoking depictions of monsters.”–Kirkus“In We Mostly Come Out At Night, you’ll find kinship, joy, your experiences and fantasies finally coming to life in stories. And perhaps better than that, you’ll feel a sense of community and belonging.”–Lightspeed Magazine“An ambitious anthology centering queer monstrosity in all its forms. Each entry opens with a stunning black-and-white chapter illustration, whetting readers’ appetites for the tale to follow. Stories range from ethereal fairy-tale retellings to dystopian quests of teens seeking love and acceptance in dust-soaked, drowned-out Earths … a solid collection of speculative queer YA.”–School Library Journal

“These monster stories positively pulse with humanity. Not only are they gripping and suspenseful, but they have such depth, meaning, and stand as powerful testaments to the fierceness and fabulosity of the queer experience.”

Rob Costello (he/him) writes contemporary and speculative fiction with a queer bent for and about young people. He’s the author of the forthcoming short story collection The Dancing Bears: Queer Fables for the End Times (Lethe Press, 2024). His stories have appeared in The Dark, The NoSleep Podcast, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Hunger Mountain, Stone Canoe, Narrative, and Rural Voices: 15 Authors Challenge Assumptions About Small-Town America (Candlewick, 2020). An alumnus of the Millay Colony of the Arts, Rob holds an MFA in writing from the Vermont College of Fine Arts and has served on the faculty of the Highlights Foundation since 2014. He lives in upstate New York with his husband and their four-legged overlords.