Christopher O’Halloran
Canadian author of Dark FictionPushing Daisy
A Novel
Daisy did not get the life she deserved. Despite her compassion, nothing she did made a difference in the world. With her through it all was her selfish, bitter husband, working a job he hated while they lived off her income as a nurse.
The peace Daisy has carried in life does not follow her to the grave. A dead, bloodshot eye glowers from a dark bathroom. Below it, her deranged smile. Daisy, a mad corpse, haunts their townhouse.
She’s back and intent on punishing Roger Darling for his mistreatment. Her death shook him enough to brave his faults, but this improved man does her no good now. He can try to escape into the arms of others, but at the end of the day, we all return home. To keep his new friends and maintain his sanity, Roger must help Daisy move on before her violence touches everything he’s built. She won’t leave on her own. Not for a second time.
Coming May 15 from Lethe Press
Praise for Chris
“Jesus Christ on the cross. This story reworks how your heart beats and then some. There’s a lot of deep metaphorical elements in this one and it forces you to re-read the ending a few times, coming to grips with the hellish beauty of a story you just consumed.”
— Steve Stred, author of Mastodon (about "Water Drops on Stone Hearts")
“Picking favourites in a book full of stand-outs is a tall order...Twist my arm and I may have to go with ‘Possess and Serve’ by Christopher O’Halloran, an action-packed Sci-Fi offering that mixes the best parts of ‘Repossessor’ and ‘Altered Carbon’.”
More from Chris
Skies darken. Sirens wail. Buildings tremble with each distant boom. You grasp your loved ones close to you. Any second could be your last.
Howls From the Wreckage will push you to the edge of imminent disaster—and drown you in the heartbreak of its fallout.
HOWL Society Press and Christopher O’Halloran present their thrilling anthology of disaster horror, fittingly introduced by Nick Cutter, acclaimed author of The Troop and The Deep.
“Don’t Play in the Closet” by David Worn
“(>executeRelease_)” by P.L. McMillan
“Son of Yokozuro” by Caleb Stephens
“Crickets” by Solomon Forse
“You Shall Return” by L.P. Hernandez
“The Richardson Family Reunion” by Ryan Marie Ketterer
“Casualties of a Predictable Apocalypse” by Joseph Andre Thomas
“Heavy Rain” by TJ Price
“A War in Hell” by Mike Adamson
“Fleshies” by Thea Maeve
“A Tornado or Something Like It” by C.B. Jones
“A Thing of Habit” by Cassandra Khaw
“Unzipped” by Bridget D. Brave
“The Last Sermon of Brother Grime” by Timaeus Bloom
“Against the Flats” by Jennifer L. Collins
“Hope is a Sad Song” by Gully Novaro
“Systemic Infection” by Michelle Tang
“Forever Home” by Chelsea Pumpkins
“The Children of the Event” by Carson Winter
“Detritus” by Lindsey Ragsdale
Howls from Hell:
A Horror Anthology
Featuring my novelette, Possess and Serve.
“Quality horror by true believers—who can write. What more can you ask for?”
~Stephen Graham Jones, New York Times bestselling author of The Only Good Indians
“An anthology for horror devotees by horror devotees, Howls from Hell first pays homage to horror’s venerable tropes, then blows them away. “
~J.D. Horn, Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The King of Bones and Ashes
“Howls From Hell gifts us with sixteen imaginative nightmares from some of the freshest voices emerging in horror and dark fiction. The stories in this collection are fierce and delightfully wicked. I’m certain we’re going to be reading a lot from these writers for years to come.”
~Cynthia Pelayo, two-time Bram Stoker Award-nominated poet and author
Bloodlines: Four Tales of Familial Fear
Featuring my novelette, Our Migraine.
If you’ve ever dreaded a family dinner, felt terror at the blood pumping in your veins; if you’ve ever thought maybe the people you call kin just aren’t quite right—Bloodlines will hold you in its thrall with its literary daring, blood-soaked wit, and taste for carnage. From quiet horror to caterwauling bloodshed, this quadruple feature is fun for the whole family.
A trio of sisters take turns sharing a migraine that challenges their pain tolerance—and sanity ("Our Migraine," Christopher O’Halloran).
A man struggles with his inheritance when his absent father—and namesake—dies, leaving him with disturbing visions and an unwanted purpose ("Nos Da, Tad," Antony Frost).
A young ghost watches a sinister family gathering complete with a prettier, smarter replica of herself—then, makes sure it’s their last ("I Am Not to be Replaced," Carson Winter).
Following the death of his mother, the eldest of five siblings must uncover the true nature of his family’s strange, isolated existence as an apocalyptic event looms ("The Heads of Leviathan," Alex Wolfgang).
This is where the family tree meets the family plot. This is Bloodlines.
Within these pages the reader is presented with the stark inevitability of family, the awfulness of family conformity, the terrible fact of where we come from and who and what we are. I burned through the thematically linked stories in Bloodlines—nodding, chilled and delighted. You will too! Don’t miss it!
—Jon Padgett, author of The Secret of Ventriloquism
About Chris:
CHRISTOPHER O‘HALLORAN (he/him) is the factory-working, Canadian, actor-turned-author of PUSHING DAISY, his upcoming debut novel from Lethe Press (2025). His shorter work has been published or forthcoming from Kaleidotrope, NoSleep Podcast, Cosmic Horror Monthly, and others. He is editor of the anthology, Howls from the Wreckage. He is currently seeking representation.
He is the president of HOWL Society, the internets most active horror book club. Join at HOWLSociety.com
Despite transitioning to writing, Chris still puts his acting diploma to use; he acts like a fool for chuckles from his wife and sons at home in British Columbia. Joining his two kids in his menagerie of animals are two kitties, a dog, and two horses. The house is getting a little cramped…
Contact
Feel free to contact Chris with any questions.
Email
ChrisROHalloran@gmail.com