Hello, Inklings! Eliwood here, welcoming you to the blessed spooky season.

In my corner of the world, October means crispy leaves, apple picking, and the biggest, thickest comforters I can curl up in. Of course, that also means the year is firmly on its way out, which seems … well, surreal doesn’t even begin to cover it.

2026 hasn’t been an easy year for anyone. There’s no real need to review the Troubled Times that the whole world is chewing through, breathing in anxiety-inducing news and breathing out an endless litany of what-ifs. I sit with a lot of anxiety on a day-to-day basis. In these times particularly; in my personal, non-writing life, I’ve taken some significant blows, the kind that make me endlessly grateful to my loving partner and supportive friends. I’m not entirely sure when I’ll be able to get back on my feet, or what my life is going to look like when I do. 

Which makes it feel like a very personal betrayal when, in the midst of trying to figure out what my next month, week, day is going to look like, my brain decides to simply spin out and chainsaw through any remaining ounce of calm I may have. I’ve spent more than a few sleepless nights counting all the ways the future can, pardon my French, completely fuck me over. 

And, you know, when the shit hits the fan, you definitely want to face that all on 2 hours of sleep and a migraine. 

I began therapy for the first time this year, to help me deal with the painful fall-out of some of these personal setbacks, and my therapist made a recommendation for catastrophizing. After a lifetime of anxiety causing me emotional and physical damage, Ms. Therapist recommended that I spend some time figuring out how to fight hypothetical with hypothetical. In short: “Instead of always imagining what can go wrong, what if you imagined what can go right?”

Lol. Lmao, even. Lady, what?

I mean, I was polite about it, but the very concept seemed absurd. What do you mean, what if something goes right? Do I even remember what going right looks like? In honor of the spookiest time of year, do I look like someone who can afford to stop being scared of the future?

This is why we go to therapy, though. It took a while for the thought to actually sink in. And along with that, another, more critical question: if I can’t afford to stop being scared of the future, in what way could I possibly afford to stop being hopeful for the future?

Disappointment sucks.Helplessness is the real curse of the human condition, and paradoxically, cycling through a list of increasingly improbable scenarios just in case I can possibly prepare myself for them feels like the only way to stop feeling helpless. 

This, friends, is why it’s so, so important to choose joy. This is the crux of hopecore. There is no shortage of horrible. Horrible is the eternal mycelium burrowing through the darkest crevices of everyday life. But when it feels useless–especially when it feels useless–it’s so critical to continue choosing joy. Sometimes that’s the only choice we have. Isn’t that really the basis of celebrating the spooky season? When the leaves fall, and chill and death come creeping in, we settle down by the fire and tell scary stories. We befriend the ghosts and goblins, we cackle with the witches and we drink the last of the harvested crops, because there are long nights ahead and we all need our sleep. 

Happy spooky season to you all, friends, and I hope you find joy this season.

Hook & Quill Updates

Our third book is coming! In full celebration of this beautiful time of year, Thief of Death will be available digitally this month! Samantha Breaux’s romantasy is full of the exact hopepunk we can all use right now; two souls who have seen more than their share of hard times, choosing to move forward with saving the day and falling in love. Stay tuned for the release date & cover reveal, and don’t forget to follow Hook and Quill Press and Samantha Breaux for more updates!

We also have physical editions of The Gods of Atalantis by Emily Klotz available!

Bludeye Beach by Eliwood S Gheist can be found here, or if you want to support an indie online store, you can check out copies at The Crafty Bookstore.

If you’re in the mood for even more cozy spookiness, Kelsey and Eliwood have joined with friend of HQP A.M. Shilling for the Cozy Coffin Podcast, available on most major podcasting platforms! These three horror fans share their favorite finds across different mediums, including movies, books, video games, and comics.

Where in the World is Quillbert?

It’s not cold everywhere, but wherever you are, hopefully you have a cozy blanket you can snuggle up in like Quillbert.