Skeletons by Chisto Healy

 

This post is going to look slightly different than the posts I normally do. I wasn't quite ready to post this book. Chisto Healy and I touched based back in August of this year when I was gathering a list of upcoming releases, and he had two set for September. Skeletons released on September 15, and Toxic Maternal with CA Baynam released on September 20. I had sent Chisto the Q&A questions for both books and received the ones for Skeletons, but he was going to work on the Toxic Maternal ones with his co-author and get back to me. That was before the hurricane.

Chisto and his family have endured complete devastation due to the recent hurricane. The power went out for a long period of time, cash in inaccessible, and the entire city was sent into a tailspin. Chisto is personally dealing with downed trees and damage to his home that will likely take some time to repair. Hearing this absolutely breaks my heart, as Chisto is one of the kindest people in the industry. He deserves all the support in the world, and I encourage everyone to go purchase his books.

So, without further ado, let me tell you about Skeletons.

When the police discover the body of a gay man locked in a closet, they call in help from PI Paulie Paisano (Price Slashers) and his new partner, Taylor Conroy (We're Still Here), because this is just the beginning. In this city, there are far more skeletons in the closet.

Here's a little Q&A about the book and Chisto's writing:

Q: I think it goes without saying that you write a TON! Your work is featured in numerous anthologies, and you often collaborate with other authors. What is it about Skeletons that made you decide to write this one as a solo novel?

A: The thing about this book is it's actually a collection of things I've previously published that create one big story when put together. I'm building my own universe (the Healyverse?) of hard-boiled gore, and maybe I'll eventually let other people write in that world, but first I want to establish it. The first novella is my part of the Price Slashers book (three different authors with the same prompt), and then the next story is my story from the anthology We're Still Here, which I would still urge people to pick up because all the proceeds go to the Trevor Project, and the other stories are amazing. Then the last novella I wrote for the Books of Horror LGBT book box as a limited edition release. I put them all together in one book, as they have common characters and themes. It ties to my book Two of a Kind, which is still my most popular and hopefully leaves people excited for the next one.

 Q: What’s your process for choosing which stories to collaborate on and which to keep for yourself? 

 A: Usually, I decide to collab with someone before we have a story. It's just about working with that person. Sometimes we have a cover that we are inspired by. Sometimes they come to me and ask if I can help with something, and I almost always say sure. When I have an idea of my own, I just dive in unless there's someone I really think would fit the particular story and I have to ask them. My son brings me his stuff to type up and embellish. I don't count those as collaborations though because he literally can't do it himself yet. I'm sure when he gets older and doesn't need me to do it, he'll run free. 

Q: The description for Skeletons tells us “this is just the beginning.” You’re also reintroducing some characters you’ve used in other stories. Can readers expect more books in the future taking place in this universe? 

A: Yes. Absolutely. I've discovered that this is a genre I absolutely love to write in and that's why I started making it a universe. I'm excited to get to the next book actually, but it won't be until next year. It will be the official sequel to Two of a Kind and directly connect to Skeletons.

Q: Your story ideas are incredibly unique, and your son has had some great ideas of his own! You have another child that is a talented artist as well, right? How do you foster that creativity and love of horror day-to-day in your family? Is that something that comes naturally to them?

 A: Yes. My son Elliot is an insanely good painter and illustrator. He wants to make movies. My oldest is a singer/songwriter and is extremely talented as well. Boe has an endless imagination and will be writing books for years to come. It definitely comes naturally to them. I don't need to foster creativity in them. They gravitate to it. As for horror, the only one in the whole family aside from me that likes horror is Boe. I definitely raised him on creativity and he came over to horror on his own. It's actually funny how much he loves spooky scary things. He said he can't wait to be grown up so he can watch and read all of it. I told him not to rush it!

As you can see, Chisto is a creative mind, a solid person, and a great dad. His family, along with many others, don't deserve what they're going through. Please consider purchasing Skeletons here, or take a look at his other titles on his Goodreads page here or in his Amazon author info here. You can also donate to the hurricane relief through a variety of organizations, including Beloved Asheville, or purchase from the Cajun Navy's Amazon wishlist. The more grassroots, the better.