This book right here kicked ass! It will keep you guessing through. Such a cool concept. Check out his other book as well. Camp damascus

Bury Your Gays by master horror author Chuck Tingle is one of those books that is both responsive to current events and possibly prescient about where those events might be taking us as a culture.

Misha Byrne is a commercially successful horror film screenwriter working for a studio whose latest innovation is bringing a deceased A-list actor back to life via AI. As Misha is on the brink of winning an Academy Award for one of his short films, people who seem to be cosplaying some of his more terrifying characters begin stalking him. When those "characters" begin harming his friends in ways similar to his films, he's horrified to realize they're not just crazed fans but the monsters actually brought to life. Desperate to save his friends and prevent his own end at the hands of a curse he created for one of his most popular films, Misha discovers the studio hasn't been dabbling in just low-grade AI—they've managed to harness that basic intelligence to a technology with far greater power, one that's poised to upend the movie business, and society in general, in dramatically destructive ways.

Tingle has pounced on the existential anxiety around AI and its current use and tied it seamlessly to the changing landscape of filmmaking and creative art in general to produce a story that feels like a mix of both sci-fi thriller and classic horror in all the best ways. This is a book that will get your brain churning over all the ramifications of AI and technology on entertainment only to switch suddenly to delicious, heart-pounding fright within the same scene. Add in shades of a poignant coming-out scenario and the glamour of Hollywood and Bury Your Gays becomes a must-have for an entertaining vacation read that will leave you thinking about it long after you return home.

Review posted on GoodReads: I was given a copy of this book pre-release from NetGalley. This story answers the question: What lengths would a *redacted* major studio production company go to in order to protect their bottom line in the age of AI? Reminiscent of Black Mirror through a queer lens, this raucous, horrific, and touchingly original book is a triumph that only a storyteller like Chuck Tingle could manage.

Chuck Tingle’s latest takes the “bury your gays” trope and gives it their trademark treatment, resulting in a story that is fresh and also moving, frightening, and fascinating.

This compulsively readable story involves the movie industry (especially horror), out of control AI, effects of trauma, and the visibility of LGBTQ+ people both onscreen and off. The main character and his found family are a treat, and the supporting cast is excellent, too. Messages about greed, hypocrisy, & discrimination are interwoven in a way that leave the reader thinking about it long after the last page is turned. I can totally see this book as a movie or series!!! More people should read Chuck Tingle’s work. LOVE IS REAL.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for the digital ARC!

Chuck Tingle takes on Hollywood in Bury Your Gays, a horror novel with razor-wire wit. TV writer Misha Byrne has just been given an ultimatum: straighten out his main characters, or let them be queer...and kill them off immediately. Misha refuses, and the ghosts of his own horror-movie past come to haunt him, like a cynical Hollywood executive's idea of Scrooge's three spirits. Only these monsters aren't here to help him--they're here to make sure he does what he's been told to do, or they'll end his career...and his life. Now Misha has to protect himself, his boyfriend Zeke, and his best friend Tara, all while figuring out how to give his characters the happy ever after they deserve. Oh, and he might have to write an Oscars acceptance speech, too. The dry wit and satire give this fast-paced horror novel an added angle of commentary on Hollywood's obsession with trends and the skin-deep rainbow-washing that can hide a rotten core. Highly recommended for any horror fan, and anyone who's ever rooted for two queer-coded TV characters to "just kiss already!"

4.5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley for an eARC of this title!

This book is about the stories we tell, and what we will go through to ensure those stories are heard. I enjoyed Tingle's second officially published novel (no offense intended towards Space Raptor Butt Invasion). He was able to masterfully evoke my emotions, leaving me alternatively biting my nails and jumping out of my seat with excitement.

Misha is a screenplay writer who is given an ultimatum to kill off the queer protagonists of his TV show. As a half-in-half-out of the closet gay man, he initially doesn't want to go along with it. Things change when the villains of his previous works begin leaving the screen and following him in real life. Misha will have to decide which story he will tell, both for his TV show and his own personal life.

With the recent SAG-AFTRA strike, the rise of AI in creative spaces, and the continued struggle for minority authors to be heard, this book could not have come at a better time. It is a horror novel, but it is also a satire on the movie business as a whole, calling out profit-over-art practices and performatory allyship. I think any readers who have felt underrepresented in media, or worse, poorly represented, will deeply resonate with this book.

Misha is an incredibly fleshed-out character, so I was disappointed many of the other characters were so one-dimensional. A lot of them sounded really cool, and I wanted to learn more about them. I also struggled to understand some of the explanation of the monsters (though that might just be me misunderstanding). While I mostly enjoyed the commentary on the movie industry, sometimes I felt it got in the way of the story itself.

I would recommend this book for any diehard fans of horror movies, and anyone who is looking for a story about stories. And of course any queer people looking to finally see themselves represented outside of purely tragedies.

This book is the validation many of us needed after years of queerbaiting in media and bury/cancel your gays style finales. I loved everything about this. I read it so fast. If your looking for a fun queer horror story with a lot of nuance and a happy ending, check this one out.

This has solidified Tingle as a top horror author. The creativity alone is unmatched. Add on the excellent writing/complex characters and it’s undeniable.

Misha took us on a deep dive into the horrors of Hollywood. Corporate greed isn’t a new concept, but of course Tingle put his own spin on it that made it 100x more interesting. Horror novels that combine horrors of the real world with monsters are scary on a whole new level.

I had to force myself to set this one down several times so that I was able to savor it. It’s an immersive, evocative experience and I can’t wait for more.

Also, the nods to Camp Damascus were an incredible touch.

this was my first chuck tingle and it certainly won't be the last. i love how this story was a tackle to the "gays being killed off" on television too early

‘Bury Your Gays’ was honestly way scarier than I was expecting it to be, as Chuck Tingle’s last book had an air of dark humor laced into it. While this definitely has cheeky moments, it leans into the horror of what some creatives would consider the most nightmarish of scenarios: the monsters you’ve written coming to life and hunting you. It was fast-paced and a page-turner that I couldn’t put down.

*Slight spoilers ahead*
There is also an important discussion that stems from the plot surrounding the future of media and the use of artificial intelligence within creative spaces. Any program used to replicate a persons likeness is terrifying, in a sense, but when it begins to calculate and predict movements is when we have hit Terminator level of absurdity. There is a time and place for these types of programs, but creative spaces are not a place for algorithms.

I loved this book!! I loved all of the clever Easter Eggs in the character names, and as both a queer writer and media consumer, Chuck Tingle really, really gets the struggle down. The idea of gay tragedy and trauma being "okay" by the masses, and then as we are self-aware of it, people try to over-correct and disavow sad gay stories or allowing ANY gay character to die. It really does feel like books, shows, and even online discourse are overly focused on making the most algorithmically perfect queer stories, that queer people are in fact limited. I love Misha's takeaway of "just let me write what I want!"

As someone also very much against AI, the way this novel goes into it is wonderful, even if uncomfortable with how too close to comfort things can feel. AI is soulless and can never capture the heart humans have when writing.

Overall, I couldn't put this book down. Fun characters, plot, setting. I think thematically, it's very important and timely.

There are many aspects of Chuck Tingle’s “Bury Your Gays” that I enjoyed, but unfortunately, there were also some letdowns for me. The queer representation in the book is fantastic and much-needed, as the title suggests. I appreciated the concept of a character defying the trend of killing off gay characters simply because a higher power mandates it. The prevalent “bury your gays” trope is tiresome, and it was refreshing to see it challenged.

The book immediately draws you in and is hard to set aside once you start reading. The monsters within the story are genuinely terrifying, and the descriptions are nightmare-inducing. I was looking forward to encountering more of these creatures as the narrative unfolded.

However, the novel’s strong stance against AI felt a bit heavy-handed at times, detracting from the queer elements that initially intrigued me. The author’s message is important, but it occasionally overshadowed the primary focus of the book. The queer representation, particularly concerning the asexual and bisexual characters Tara and Zeke, fell short for me. While the main character was fleshed out through flashbacks, they sometimes felt two-dimensional. Zeke, a rare representation of a bisexual man, felt underdeveloped and muted, often referred to only as “my boyfriend.” Tara had a standout moment of empowerment regarding her sexuality but still seemed to have untapped potential.

The narrative could have benefited from additional editing, as certain phrases were repeated excessively. Despite these flaws, I would still recommend “Bury Your Gays.” It is an engaging and easy read, perfect for horror enthusiasts seeking a story with a meaningful message that isn’t too dense.

Thank you to NetGalley and Nightfire for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions within are my own.

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I'm coming to the tragic conclusion that Chuck Tingle's writing and I are not a match made in heaven. I find it extremely heavy-handed and occasionally clunky. In particular, emotional redundancy is a pet peeve of mine. I don't need the themes restated in every chapter. I got it the first time. This sort of repetition - along with little sly references to real life media events (like straight-up naming a lesbian character to-be-killed-off 'Lexa') feel like lazy attempts at satire and theme, masquerading a lack of depth in exploring those same themes.

To be clear, Tingle's message is valuable and one I agree with. It's the execution I take umbrage with.

Actually, no let me give one thematic element the credit it's due, because I think it was actually interesting and added extra dimension. Tingle makes some fantastic points about Corporate Pride and toxic positivity. I just wish these elements were given more focus, instead of being used as a catalyst to plunge ahead into an underwhelming ending.

The redundancy also hurts characterization, especially in the case of Zeke, our protagonist's boyfriend. Every so often, Zeke does something heartwarming. If Tingle left it at that, my heart would be warmed. Instead, these actions are followed by Misha gushing about how wonderful his boyfriend is. Every. Damn. Time. With a stronger writer, that kind of doubling down would lead me to believe that Misha is trying to convince himself more than the reader and wonder what's gone wrong with the relationship. However, that's clearly not what Tingle is doing here. The redundancy, mixed with Zeke lacking any character development, renders him a cardboard cutout of a Perfect Boyfriend.

Other issues are not as glaring, but they're still there. Tingle's Hollywood lacks the authentic feel of, say, Mishell Baker's or Taylor Jenkins Reid's. Misha's encounters with the supernatural horrors of his cinematographic past entertained me but failed to scare me in the least, and the revelation of what was going on with them never made it past the gate of me suspending my disbelief. There were a few really odd word choices. I spent several paragraphs wondering what 'divergent eyes' were, before figuring they were staring in opposite directions.

I do want to mention it's not all bad here. I was pleasantly surprised by some of Misha's down to earth human interactions. I liked his friendship with Tara and the scene at the high school reunion where he talks about the value of horror. I actually really liked the flashback with his Uncle Keith. The build-up had me bracing for something poorly handled and melodramatic, but the scene of a child left in the care of an abusive adult hit home. Tingle's portrayal of Keith was nuanced and most importantly specific, taking no shortcuts, and so it managed to be more chilling than anything else in the book.

It was scenes like those that made me waver in my resolve to probably not pick up Tingle's next book. They don't cancel out everything else, but they move the needle nonetheless.

Being such a big fan of Camp Demascus, I'm truly honored to be given the chance to read the arc of Chuck Tingle's newest novel! And let me tell you, I thoroughly enjoyed Bury Your Gays. The concept alone would be enough to sell me: a horror movie/television writer going toe-to-toe with the very monsters he helped to create. This novel dealt with quite a lot of important issues from the use of queer tragedy in pop culture to the dangerous machine that is capitalism. The story covered many ranges of emotion from some hilarious comedic moments, to moments that brought tears to my eyes as we explored our main character, Misha Byrne's, past. As a huge horror nerd, I really enjoyed picking up on the author's references to the genre through character names, descriptions, etc while also coming up with some very creative original ideas to explore! This novel already leaves me excited and ready to pick up whatever Chuck Tingle writes next, and I'll be sure to recommend this one to everyone I know.

Chuck Tingle's first full-length adult horror novel was a lot of fun. It's as much a takedown of capitalist corporate greed as it is a skewering of gay trauma/"bury your gays" tropes.

Be careful if you're squeamish - the body horror is pretty intense. Personally I'm not a huge fan of body horror, so I did end up skimming those scenes, but it seemed to be well-done overall and wasn't a deterrant for me as I was reading. The psychological horror was extremely effective and well thought out. I would watch most of these movies (through my fingers, but still) if they were actually real.

I had a few qualms with the way the screenplays were integrated - it was never very clear whether or not they were mashups (Misha appears in all of them) or inspiration. I also thought the scene at the high school reunion was largely unrealistic and did not quite fit in with the timeline. It probably would have made a better flashback along with the other ones. Two relatively minor complaints for this book, though.

So happy to see a positive, complex queer horror novel out there. Will be recommending widely.

Bury Your Gays: a Review
by Chuck Tingle

I recently had the pleasure of diving into an Advanced Reader's Copy of Bury Your Gays by Chuck Tingle, a horror novel that's as thrilling as it is meaningful. Slated for release on July 24th, 2024, it promises to be the standout horror novel of the summer. Packed with edge-of-your-seat action and blockbuster-level scares, it also delivers a powerful commentary on LGBTQ+ representation in media. And don't worry, my review is entirely free of spoilers, keeping the surprises intact for your reading adventure.
Diving into Bury Your Gays, you'll ride shotgun with Misha, a scriptwriter who's seen it all and then some in the Hollywood grind. Just as he's about to pop champagne for his first Oscar nod, boom, he's slapped with a real Sophie’s Choice. The big shots want him to ax a gay character in the name of the all-mighty algorithm. Sounds like a no-brainer for the suits, but for Misha? It goes against everything he’s been working up to, building to, and it betrays the young Misha, who grew up wanting to see representation in the media.
Cue the ghost of decisions past, lurking around every corner, reminding Misha of times he wished he could forget. Now, he's staring down the barrel of a moral quandary that could either make or break him. It's not just about making a stand; it's a sprint against the clock to do the right thing, to rewrite his legacy before the final act. Trust me, it's a page-turner that'll have you rooting for Misha to pull off a Hollywood ending like no other.
Bury Your Gays isn't just a horror novel; it's a genre-bending rollercoaster that'll have you howling with laughter one minute and peeking through your fingers the next, all while tugging at your heartstrings. Chuck Tingle isn't just playing the game here; he's flipping the board, taking us deep into the jungles of AI in the arts, the scars of trauma, the quest for genuine representation, and the murky waters of corporate bandwagon pride—all without missing a step. It's like a perfectly mixed cocktail of themes, each enhancing the flavors of the others, propelling this narrative juggernaut forward with a precision that's nothing short of masterful.
Bury Your Gays is a home run. It's rare to stumble across a book that tries to juggle so many themes and nails it with the grace Tingle has, but here we are. Reading this book is like mainlining pure joy—it's that addictive. And if you thought Chuck Tingle was just dabbling in fiction with hits like Straight and Camp Damascus, think again. The man's not hiding behind any façade; he's out here, loud and proud, showcasing his knack for weaving queer horror with the finesse of a true artist. If anyone was still sleeping on Tingle's talent, Bury Your Gays is the alarm clock going off.
Thanks to Macmillan Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC–it was highly appreciated!

In a near future setting, Hollywood screenwriter Misha Byrne is enjoying his first Academy Award nomination in the short film category. He is also currently at work on the final season of his cop TV show. In the season finale, he's planning to reveal that the two female leads have fallen in love and started a relationship. When he's called in to a meeting with the studio head, he's dismayed to find that he's being ordered to kill of the two characters once they're revealed to be in a lesbian relationship (hence the title of the book). Misha decides that he's going to stay true to his idea and turn in the script he wants, even if it gets rejected and replaced. As he's leaving, he sees someone killed by a falling piano. This shocking death is just the first in a string of strange events that happen to Misha in the following days. He returns to Montana for his high school reunion, where he's under the impression that no one in his hometown has realized he's gay. This prompts some uncomfortable feelings when he sees someone he had a complicated relationship with all those years ago. Once back in Hollywood, Misha and his partner Zeke and friend Tara are soon being stalked by characters from Misha's past -- scary horror characters he created earlier in his career have come to life. There is the Smoker, a scary man with no eyelids, Mrs. Why (whose touch basically turns people into empty shells), and the Black Lamb, which looks cute until you get too close. Misha has created these characters, so he knows how they behave and what they are planning to do to him and his friends. He has to track down where they came from to figure out why they've come to life.

The story is certainly imaginative and makes for an interesting read. The implications of Artificial Intelligence and how it might be used are all too real in today's world -- especially how it might be used in the entertainment industry to create works (including featuring performers who are no longer alive). I enjoyed the story and would love to see it made into a film!

It’s been a very long time since I’ve read a book, if not in one sitting, in less than 24 hours. To be honest I’ve never read anything by Chuck Tingle, other than social media posts, so I did not know what to expect. Reader, I was blown away. The plot, in which a writer of horror films is stalked by the characters he created, is certainly clever and fun, but it’s the heart and depth and understanding - both of the characters’ struggles and of genre fiction/films - that won me over completely. I received this as an ARC. I will be buying a hardcover physical copy as soon as it’s published.

This was a wild ride. The book blatantly discusses how Hollywood likes to literally bury gay stories <spoiler>and also the impact that AI (although to the extreme in this book) is going to have on media.</spoiler> This is a great mix of some really scary moments with some truly emotional ones. However the last ten percent of the book felt rushed which is why I can't give this a true five stars. <spoiler>After all of this buildup and tension the fact that they walk right in and destroy the AI nanobot network so simply just feels like it was forced.</spoiler>

Without spoiling anything by implying tone or direction, I will say this about the book’s end:…what a satisfying ending to not just a perfect novel, but a perfect piece of horror literary fiction. It has everything I could ever want. As a horror novel, it’s the equivalent of literary fiction in the ways it meets and surpasses the elements that make for enduring literature that we classify as “literary fiction”. The horrors are HORRIFYING—layered, pulled from all sorts of horror tropes and archetypes and blending them in ways unseen, and scary enough to make one’s breath quicken and eyes dart down the page to make sure all ends well. The Smoker took my breath away and chilled me to the backbone. And it’s not just the monsters that make this book meaningful. The characters are not your average horror fare—they’re all well-developed, even the secondary and passing characters have depth and attention paid to characterization. And our three main folks of the tale—Misha, Tara, and Zeke—are all queer characters in a very real and impactful way. These are not token characters and stereotypes with a bit of spice to switch it up. No, these are characters with depth and humanity and resonance, uniquely developed in personality and person and all equally lovable and relatable. Though the things they experience together are horrific and haunting and fantastical, the characters themselves are grounded in an important reality often ignored by art in general—queer people are not types, they are just people, each unique and complex and contradictory and human like any reader who picks up any book with a beating heart and a pulse.

These endearing and enduring characters are just one of the many things which contribute to the significant success the novel achieves in terms of making its most important statement: horror stories, particularly queer horror stories, make for important and illuminating stories for the culture at large, and we need more human and humane queer stories across all genres and mediums to be seen by a wider audience with a more open mind. Tingle shines in weaving social/cultural commentary into the narrative and presenting it in ways that feel true to the characterizations or circumstances he has created up to that point. The scene at Misha’s high school reunion, as he argues for the importance of horror and tells the story of the haunted room in the basement of his college house, comes to mind immediately, as does the sprinkled-in points about how entertainment treats queer people and queer stories. Scenes like these make the point so beautifully. As a horror scholar myself, Tingle’s subtext about the importance of genre and horror hits harder and makes me fall in love with this book even more. It has it all: the scares, the substance, the standing power, and the staying power. What a gift to the world Tingle created in writing this book.