Jonathan Gensler
Undertaker Books is happy to share that author Jonathan Gensler will be joining Rebecca Cuthbert for the ghost story collection THE HAUNTINGS BACK HOME, set for release Oct. 18, 2025. Gensler wrote not only the foreword, but contributed his own ghostly tale, "One Red Glove," for the lucky 13th story of the collection.
Gensler recently dedicated himself full time to his craft, and has gotten far fast due to hard work and common sense.
"They say write what you know. Not sure who they are, but the advice seems to have worked for me, as I have had a long set of careers before settling into writing professionally," he said.
And as for what Gensler knows? It's vast and varied.
"Looking back over my body of work from the past several years, I tend to write along one of three major lines: surreal military horror, visiting the themes of how violence, specially conducting violence intentionally on behalf of an authority, affects the psyche at the individual, community, and occasionally national level; anti-capitalist science fiction/horror, often examining how technology changes us as a species and in our communities, often for the worse, and turns our basest motives (profit, personal gain, and the like) into monsters; and what is often the most fun to write, nostalgic Appalachian folk-horror, which often has an eco-horror bent based on my experiences growing up in the shadow of the mountain-consuming coal industry. Of course, this is not all-inclusive, as I have written dark fantasy exploring issues and fears associated with parenthood, and even what I believe is an eco-horror story disguised as a bit of historical fiction about the ghost of a sunken whaling ship."
Gensler's story "One Red Glove" does touch on those parental fears, as he explained.
Gensler recently dedicated himself full time to his craft, and has gotten far fast due to hard work and common sense.
"They say write what you know. Not sure who they are, but the advice seems to have worked for me, as I have had a long set of careers before settling into writing professionally," he said.
And as for what Gensler knows? It's vast and varied.
"Looking back over my body of work from the past several years, I tend to write along one of three major lines: surreal military horror, visiting the themes of how violence, specially conducting violence intentionally on behalf of an authority, affects the psyche at the individual, community, and occasionally national level; anti-capitalist science fiction/horror, often examining how technology changes us as a species and in our communities, often for the worse, and turns our basest motives (profit, personal gain, and the like) into monsters; and what is often the most fun to write, nostalgic Appalachian folk-horror, which often has an eco-horror bent based on my experiences growing up in the shadow of the mountain-consuming coal industry. Of course, this is not all-inclusive, as I have written dark fantasy exploring issues and fears associated with parenthood, and even what I believe is an eco-horror story disguised as a bit of historical fiction about the ghost of a sunken whaling ship."
Gensler's story "One Red Glove" does touch on those parental fears, as he explained.
"I have been a skier and snowboarder all my life, and my wife and I are raising our kids on the mountains all winter long. Getting separated from a kid, or seeing a kid get in a terrible skiing accident, even just imagining what you'd do in the case of something like that, it is a very real set of fears for me. I was writing toward a theme of solitude, and this one just came out nearly fully baked from the beginning."
Readers and writers should not be intimidated by his storied past or military posture. Cuthbert can assert that Gensler is a really nice guy who laughs easily and loves to meet new people.
Readers and writers should not be intimidated by his storied past or military posture. Cuthbert can assert that Gensler is a really nice guy who laughs easily and loves to meet new people.
"If you ever run into me at a con, or event, or wherever, I'd love to chat! Don't be shy!" he said.
And a bit more on Gensler:
Jonathan Gensler (he/him) grew up in a haunted house in West Virginia and has stories in Cosmic Horror Monthly, OnSpec Magazine, and Creepy Pod, among other venues. An Army combat veteran, recovering entrepreneur, and Active Pro Member of the HWA, he lives and writes in the Rocky Mountains with his wife and three children. You can connect with him online at jonathangensler.com.
And a bit more on Gensler:
Jonathan Gensler (he/him) grew up in a haunted house in West Virginia and has stories in Cosmic Horror Monthly, OnSpec Magazine, and Creepy Pod, among other venues. An Army combat veteran, recovering entrepreneur, and Active Pro Member of the HWA, he lives and writes in the Rocky Mountains with his wife and three children. You can connect with him online at jonathangensler.com.