6-8-2026 Latham's Last Words: Pride Month Interviews: Michael R. Collins

It's Pride Month and I've gathered some interviews with some amazing LGBTQIA+ authors which I will be posting throughout the month.

Michael R Collins, or Mick, is a phenomenal author and human being. I immediately knew this was someone I wanted in my circle and he is such a wonderful person to be around.

Tell us a little about yourself.

My name is Mick and I write under Michael R. Collins and Mick Collins. I’ve been publishing for about 12 years at this point. I’ve written horror, humor, weird, and even a young adult novel. I’m a husband, step-dad, Buddhist, and bi. I’ve always written stories and love to create in general. Just recently I’ve taken up drawing and teaching myself how to paint with various mediums. In the past I played bass in a few bands and gigged around when I lived in Austin, Texas. For the most part, I’m just a working stiff who tries to find what beauty I can in life despite the horrors of reality and clinical depression.

How important do you think queer representation in horror is?

I feel queer representation is important in all things, and definitely so in horror. I love that there has been such a surge in queer horror in the last few years. Horror is a fertile ground for tackling themes that relate specifically to the queer community, but also showing how those themes also affect everyone else. It gives us a chance to tell our stories in ways that can resonate and entertain.

Horror has always been a venue for social commentary and it’s always been queer. So I think its really important to keep horror queer and keep representing in it because this is one of our safe spaces and should continue to be so.

As the demonization of our community continues to rise in the current environment, horror can be cathartic, entertaining, or message-driven. Overall it can only add to the growing overlap of horror and queer communities.

Tell us about your most recent release, or an upcoming release.

I’ve had a couple of recent releases. The first is Splatter, a collab with Angelique Jordonna, Rowland Bercy Jr. and Chisto Healy. (You wanna talk about queer horror, here you go, lol) This was a fun project because Angelique started the narrative off, then we each took turns picking up where they other left off. It’s vile, inappropriate on all levels, and a lot of splattery fun.

My latest release is the short story collection The Sin Eaters and Other Macabre Tales. This is a collection of ten stories from over the last couple of years. Most of them have been previously published, but it does include a few new ones written specifically for the collection. Almost all of them have queer representation and have something to say, one way or another.

Splatter is available on Amazon

Sin Eaters is also available on Amazon, but if you get the ebook, I’d prefer you get it from Godless. (plus Godless has the cool variant cover)

Which character you've created is your favorite and why?

I’d have to say that my favorite character is Twila from Night Shall Overtake. I feel most connected to her. I’ve created a lot of characters over the years, but she’s the one that still lives rent-free in my head. More than once I’ve asked myself ‘what would Twila do in this situation’.

Being a shapeshifting private investigator is cool enough, but she’s also pragmatic and grumpy. She’s also one of the characters I’ve created that people have related to the most, and that always feels good.

Where can readers find your books?

Paperbacks can all be found on Amazon. Ebooks are there as well, but as I mentioned before, I prefer you get them at Godless. Plus there are some Godless only exclusive stories you can grab as well, such as the Obscene Adventures of Bisexual Zombie series.

For easy one-stop shopping head over to http://linktr.ee/mrcollins

Where can readers follow you on Social Media? 

I’m on Facebook as Mick Collins, Instagram as michael_r_collins_writes, and Bluesky @mickwrites.

I also have a website https://michaelrcollins.wordpress.com