#carmilla quarterly

[queenofmorningstar]

Caught Between the Vees

The Vees x intern f!reader

Summary: Though you tried to help Charlie by spying on the Vees by joining an internship at Voxtek, your plans are jeopardized by all the Vees taking an interest in you...

CW: No explicit stuff in this part, but will start from chap 2. The Vees being Vees, Valentino (I've tried to make him a little milder than his canon self, so he's not abusive to the reader at least), poly Vees, foursome with the reader eventually. Everyone wants a piece of f!reader.

Notes: at the end of post

Word Count: 1.5K

Chapter One (Part 1) : INTRODUCTION

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3| Part 4 | Part 5

If Sir Pentious could spy on Hazbin Hotel, why can’t you plot a little payback? As the news of the hotel winning against the angelic army spread, so did the rumors that the Vees were planning something big.

Charlie and you were friends, but due to your own business, you couldn’t visit her often. After hearing the news, you immediately realised that things were getting serious. You both reconciled, and over a hot cup of coffee, Charlie told you of her plans.

“I’m just worried about the Vees.” Charlie sighed softly and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. 

You raised a brow. “Because of Angel?”

“That too. But, they are always on the news, and rumors are spreading that they are readying for war against heaven.”

Your hands tightened around your cup. “But Carmilla Carmine has a monopoly on those weapons. And I’m sure she doesn’t want to start a war.”

Charlie groaned. You can tell it was bothering her. She always wanted to have peaceful negotiations with Heaven, but you knew it was impossible. Though Charlie led a defensive war, but you knew it would lead to more bloodshed before it cooled down.

You smiled. “How about this? I will take care of the Vees problem, so you can focus on the main thing, okay?”

“Really?! Oh, thank you thank you thank you!” Charlie hugged you tightly and you chuckled softly as you patted her back.

So, here you were, standing in front of the Vees tower, since your internship letter was accepted. Well, of course, you did. You had excellent skills. Charlie was worried but you reassured her. 

Your first few days were good…as good as an overworked intern’s could be. You hadn't met any of the Vees yet. But no one suspected an intern, so you heard a lot of gossip of what the Vees were up to.

As days passed by, you tried to gain information and prepare yourself for seeing them but what you did not see coming was Vox, The CEO, literally standing right in front of you as you entered. 

Stay calm.

Though he was plastering a wide smile across his screen, he was whispering to another sinner, most likely his assistant. The poor guy was trembling. 

Vox gritted his teeth. “Why the fuck is the quarterly projection off by 12%? I asked for a breakdown of the metrics. Where. Is. It?”

The assistant swallowed hard, flipping through his notes. “I—I’m still waiting for—”

“Waiting?!” Vox’s voice rose, mixed with static, his patience hanging by a thread. “WE CAN’T KEEP FUCKING WAITING WHEN I HAVE A DEADLINE.”

The poor guy looked ready to melt into the floor.

Your fingers tightened around your bag’s strap, and before you could even think it through, you stepped forward. “Excuse me, um… sir.”

Vox’s head snapped up, his icy gaze landing on you. He looked ready to smite you on the spot. You should really think this shit through. Shit shit shit.

You tried to meet his gaze without flinching, but you felt your fingers trembling as well.

You were tense as hell, but tried to appear useful so he doesn’t smite you like an annoying fly.

Your tone was respectful but firm. “I ran a secondary analysis of the projections this morning. The dip isn’t from sales. It’s due to an underperforming vendor in Greed Ring. Their supply chain delays are driving up costs.”

Silence. 

Shit, should you have not said that?

The assistant’s jaw practically hit the floor.

Vox’s gaze sharpened. But at least his eyes lost its murderous vibes. “And you’re sure?”

“Yes, sir.” You didn’t blink. “I cross-referenced it with the regional performance reports and procurement data. If we renegotiate their contract or explore alternative suppliers, we can mitigate the loss in Q3.”

Vox’s expression was unreadable as he studied you. His attention was too piercing for you, but you somehow maintained his gaze.

Then…

“Show me.”

You quickly stepped beside him, pulling up the data on your V-phone. Your fingers moved deftly as you navigated through the figures, your explanations crisp and precise.

Vox watched you with newfound interest, his irritation cooling into something else — something far more intrigued.

You weren’t sure which was worse. It felt like playing with a shark, not knowing when it would stop acting nice and snap you in half.

When you finished, he leaned back, his lips curling ever so slightly on his screen. “Impressive,” he murmured.

You straightened, breathing again. “Thank you, sir.”

Good, good. You won't be electrocuted today.

A beat.

“Peppermint.” Vox didn’t even look at him. He looked at you, as if the chaotic halls of the tower did not exist.

“Yes, sir?” His voice was barely above a whisper.

“Get me a revised strategy by the end of the day,” Vox said coolly. Then his eyes flicked back to you, his tone softer but still authoritative. “I’d like you to sit in on the next strategy meeting. I think we could use your… insight.”

You blinked, caught off guard for the first time. “Of course, sir.”

Was this really happening? No, this can’t be that easy. You need to stay on guard.

As you stepped back, your heart pounded in your chest, but you managed to keep your face composed.

Vox’s gaze lingered on you for a moment longer than necessary.

“Dismissed.”

___________________________________

When you had walked out, a slight smile had tugged at the corner of his lips.

His mind wasn’t on your looks. Bitches always threw themselves at him, so beauty was something secondary to him.

She saw something he didn’t.

That thought echoed louder than he liked. Vox was used to being the smartest person in the room.

After all, he didn’t become this famous just by sitting around. But this intern — with barely a few weeks under her belt — had spotted a problem his entire team had missed.

Sharp. Calculated. She hadn’t jumped in to impress him. No… she had stepped up because she saw something in an incorrectly placed puzzle, and couldn’t stay away without solving it.

Someone who fixes problems, not just points them out.

Vox leaned back in his chair, fingers tapping thoughtfully against the desk. Various screens flickered in front of him.

Your every information was displayed on his screen, and photos and videos of you everywhere around the city and in the V tower played out.

“Who is this chica?” Val's velvety voice slithered in, as he walked towards Vox with a cigarette on one of his hands, pink smoke swirling around him. 

Vox could already see that Val was making calculations in his mind if you were good enough for one of his shows. Vox shrugged. “She is not under soul contract yet.”

Val gasped in light-hearted shock. “Why not, papito? Are you not seeing all this?”

“Are you guys tapping that?” Velvette smirked as she entered as well, her phone in her hand.

Vox's screen flickered, his expression full of mirth. "I don’t mind, but you guys better not make her run away. There's... business potential here."

Val draped himself dramatically across a nearby chaise lounge, his wings fluttering slightly as he adjusted his position to better observe you on the various screens. His eyes gleamed with predatory interest.

"Business, business, business," Val mocked, taking a long drag from his cigarette. The pink smoke formed hearts as it dissipated into the air.

“Look at all that tension in her body…she needs to fucked till she is begging me to stop.” He gestured toward you with a languid wave of his hand, four rings glinting in the dim light. "That's not business material. That's pleasure material."

“Bitch, please. Who says it has to be one or the other?” Vel folded her arms, her hip titled to a side. “You boys have no vision for this. That's why people run away from you. Val can’t handle his boytoy Angel Dust, and Vox has some homosexual rivalry/obsession with the Radio Demon, which is honestly fucking with your vibes.”

“Babydoll woke up and chose violence.” Val purred, dripping with lazy amusement, but there was an edge beneath it. Vox started to act like the man-child he is, but Vel tuned him out.

Vel put her hand on her hip, and sashayed back, typing rapidly on her phone. She didn’t need to hear the piss babies arguing, when she could be one step ahead. 

Later, your phone dinged with a work email.

From: radvelvetcakes@voktek.com

Sub: Requisition of duties

Darling _____,

Tomorrow your help is needed in my fashion wing. Be there at 8 with a pink Velvette Macchiato.

XOXO

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Notes: The plot is set during season 2, non-canon, with no leaks/spoilers.

Vox and your conversation doesn’t make any sense and I just threw in some realistic-sounding corporate jargon to make the dialogue feel authentic.

This is my first fic, and English is not my first language.

Smut will begin from chap 2

Velvette’s email is taken from her non-canon Voxstragm handle.

Vox’s assistant’s name is made up/similar from non-canon posts from fandom

On my ao3 as well😊

Next>>>

[redvexillum]

Second Kiss: Devoted

A/N: This is my first time writing Carmilla - I hope... I did her justice.

SUMMARY: In the heart of Hell, a devoted warehouse supervisor’s quiet admiration for the powerful Carmilla Carmine changes as the clock strikes midnight and you take the first step for something more.

When you first met Carmilla Carmine, you were terrified. She radiated a presence so commanding, so undeniably powerful, that it was impossible not to be awestruck. She moved with the fluid grace of a swan, every step deliberate and poised. Her beauty was otherworldly, like a ballerina frozen mid-pirouette—delicate, yet full of controlled strength.

And her mind?

Razor-sharp.

Every word she spoke seemed laced with layers of meaning, her intelligence like a glinting blade hidden beneath darken silky curtains. 

Signing a contract with her felt like stepping into uncharted territory. You weren’t sure what awaited you on the other side of that agreement, but the sheer gravity of her presence compelled you to take the leap. 

At first, the work was... underwhelming. Mostly routine admin tasks, managing schedules, arranging files, and keeping the ever-ticking machinery of her world running smoothly. Mundane, but not unimportant. 

You thought you could settle for this—a quiet existence, one of unobtrusive diligence. For eternity, even. After all, Hell was vast and chaotic, and carving out a small, stable corner within it seemed like a victory in itself. 

Or so you believed. 

But then, Carmilla’s vision began to seep into your consciousness. It was in the way she spoke of her people, the fire in her eyes when she vowed to protect them, her unyielding determination to carve order from the chaos of Hell. Her strength was awe-inspiring, but it was her heart that truly captured you. She wasn’t just powerful—she was noble. Compassionate. Everything about her demanded admiration. 

And you admired her, deeply, unreservedly. 

That admiration transformed into something more: a yearning to rise above your station, to prove yourself worthy of standing beside her, even in the smallest of ways. You wanted to embody her values, to reflect her ideals, to contribute meaningfully to her cause. 

So, you worked harder. You became a whirlwind of energy and ambition, taking on tasks that others avoided, pouring yourself into every detail, no matter how small. Every effort you made was a step toward redemption—a chance to rewrite the story of your existence. You had died full of regrets, a nobody in the grand scheme of things. But here, in Hell, you have the opportunity to be somebody. 

To matter. 

Even the smallest tasks became acts of devotion. When a supervisor asked for coffee, you didn’t just make coffee—you brewed perfection. Word spread, and soon, you were unofficially crowned the "coffee master" of the warehouse. It seemed insignificant, but the joy on your coworkers’ faces as they sipped your creations warmed something inside you. 

And then, one day, that small ripple reached Carmilla herself. 

Your supervisor was sick, leaving you the unenviable task of presenting the quarterly report to Carmilla during a surprise visit. When she walked into the room, her usual brilliance seemed dulled—her face marked by exhaustion, the faint lines at the corners of her eyes betraying her weariness. Even her smile, normally dazzling, felt dimmed. 

You stood before her, trembling, clutching the report like it was a lifeline. As you began to speak, your voice faltered, words tangling and fraying under her piercing gaze. The weight of her presence bore down on you, and when she sighed—soft, but heavy—you felt as though the ground might swallow you whole. 

You were certain you had failed her. Certain that you would forever remain a blip in her memory, a disappointing nobody in a sea of inefficiency. 

But then, unexpectedly, her hand came to rest on your shoulder. Her touch was gentle, her fingers brushing against your skin like the softest feathers. 

“Breathe,” she said, her voice low and soothing, carrying an almost maternal warmth. “Go on.” 

Her words cut through the storm of your anxiety. You took a shaky breath in, then exhaled, your chest rising and falling as you followed her gentle command. 

“Again,” she urged, her tone patient and unyielding. 

You complied, drawing in another breath, then releasing it. With each repetition, the raging beast of anxiety inside you ebbed, your pulse slowing, your trembling subsiding. 

“There,” she murmured, her lips curving into a faint smile. “Better?” 

Your heart stuttered for an entirely new reason. Her kindness, her understanding—it was overwhelming. You nodded, heat rushing to your cheeks, your admiration for her swelling into something that bordered on reverence. 

At that moment, you knew you’d made the right choice. Carmilla Carmine wasn’t just your employer. She was your guiding light, a force of nature, and the closest thing to hope you had found in the fiery depths of Hell. You would follow her anywhere. For all eternity. 

You couldn’t ignore the weariness shadowing her features—the subtle downturn of her lips, the tired weight in her eyes that even her composure couldn’t conceal. Carmilla Carmine, the invincible force of Hell, looked human in her fatigue, and it tugged at something deep inside you. 

So, you did the one thing you knew you excelled at. 

“Can I brew you a coffee, Miss Carmine?” you asked, your voice almost trembling with a mix of nerves and hope. 

She tilted her head, her sharp gaze softening in faint surprise. “Coffee?” 

“Yes,” you blurted, stepping forward slightly. “I’d like to make you a cup. It’s... kind of my specialty.” 

Her lips quirked upward in a ghost of a smile, and she nodded. “Very well.” 

That first brew changed everything. You poured your heart into the preparation, your hands steady despite the quickening of your pulse. When you handed her the steaming cup, you held your breath as she brought it to her lips. 

The transformation was immediate. Her shoulders eased, the tension melting from her frame as she closed her eyes, savouring the taste. A sigh escaped her, content and unguarded. 

“This is... excellent,” she said, her tone carrying a rare warmth. 

The compliment sparked something giddy in you, and before you could stop yourself, you grinned and said, “I’d be happy to make you coffee anytime you’d like!” 

You didn’t realize how much enthusiasm you’d packed into those words until she blinked, clearly taken aback. And then, to your astonishment, she laughed—bright, melodic laughter that filled the room and wrapped around you like sunlight parting through heavy clouds. 

From that day on, it became a tradition. Year after year, whenever Carmilla visited your warehouse, she’d stop by your office. By then, you’d risen through the ranks, becoming the supervisor of her main warehouse. Her visits weren’t always official—sometimes, she’d chat casually about her daughters, share snippets of Hell’s cutthroat politics, or recount silly anecdotes that made her laugh. 

And you, ever the eager audience, would listen intently, a wide smile plastered on your face as you brewed her another cup of what she called “a perfect cup of coffee.” Those moments, filled with her presence and her quiet gratitude, were the highlight of your existence. 

You’d never been happier. 

Until one day, on the cusp of New Year’s, she arrived unexpectedly, her silhouette framed by the dim light of your office door. In her hand was a contract—a contract you hadn’t seen in what felt like lifetimes. 

With that gentle smile you adored, she held it out to you. “You mentioned once that you enjoy brewing coffee, yes?” 

You blinked, the question catching you off guard. “That’s… right,” you said, hesitating as you stepped closer. Your gaze fell on the paper. There it was—your soul contract, your name signed neatly at the bottom. The very contract you’d sealed decades ago. 

“I’ve been thinking,” she began, her voice lilting with barely contained excitement. “Perhaps you’d be happier opening your own café.” 

Your breath hitched. 

Her eyes crinkled with that rare kindness that both warmed and ached in equal measure. “The streets are safer now, with the exterminations no longer an issue. I’ve already scouted a location for you. It’s perfect.” 

Her words painted a vision of a new future—a cozy café, bustling with life. You could almost see her stepping inside, a rare moment of reprieve from her endless responsibilities. But it wouldn’t be the same. She wouldn’t linger like she did now. Her visits wouldn’t come with the easy rhythm of laughter and shared conversations. You wouldn’t see her as often, not with her ambition pulling her in every direction. 

Your chest tightened, the thought carving a hollow ache within you. 

Outside, the muffled sounds of fireworks burst through the air, mingled with cheers and laughter. Carmilla glanced toward the commotion, shaking her head with a small laugh. “It seems my men have started celebrating early.” 

You couldn’t take your eyes off her. You admired everything about her—the sharpness of her mind, the strength in her convictions, the tenderness that she reserved for fleeting moments like these. But most of all, you cherished the serene smile your coffee brought to her lips after a long, gruelling day. 

That smile had become your purpose...

Your pride... 

...Your joy. 

You glanced at the clock on your desk. The second hand ticked closer to midnight. You knew it was reckless, but your heart urged you forward. Maybe it was the champagne fizz of hope bubbling inside you, or perhaps it was the way her gaze lingered, soft and warm. 

“Miss Carmine,” you began, your voice a trembling whisper. 

She turned to you, her eyes luminous in the dim light. 

Your pulse roared in your ears as you took a step closer, emboldened by the fleeting seconds of the year slipping away. If you were wrong—if her touch, her warmth, her laughter meant nothing more than camaraderie—you would accept it. You would stay in her orbit, no matter the cost. 

That alone was enough. 

The clock struck twelve, its chime swallowed by the thunderous symphony of fireworks outside. Bursts of red and gold illuminated your office, painting the walls in fleeting brilliance. The flickering light danced across her face, highlighting the regal angles of her cheekbones and the warmth in her eyes as they caught yours. 

Your heart was a storm—wild, relentless, but determined. Summoning every ounce of courage, you stepped forward, rising onto your toes. Time seemed to stretch infinitely as you leaned closer, your pulse roaring in your ears. 

And then, softly, tentatively, you pressed a kiss to her lips. 

It was brief—just a whisper of contact, a fleeting moment that seemed to burn into your very soul. “Happy New Year, Miss Carmine,” you murmured, your voice barely audible over the crackling explosions outside. Her eyes widened in surprise, shimmering in the firelight. 

Before you could withdraw, before the crushing weight of doubt could descend, you managed a shy, trembling smile. “I hope… I hope to keep working for you. To keep brewing coffee for you, for many more years to come.” 

You began to step back, expecting silence, perhaps even rejection. But instead, her hand caught yours—firm, yet gentle. 

And then she leaned in. 

Her lips met yours again, this time slow and deliberate, her movements as graceful and unyielding as everything else she did. The kiss was tender, filled with a kindness and warmth that mirrored the very essence of her being. It wasn’t hurried or uncertain; it was grounding, affirming, as though she’d waited lifetimes for this moment too. 

The fireworks painted the room in shifting hues of gold and crimson, their brilliance cascading across your entwined fingers. Her touch, her presence—it all felt surreal, like you were floating somewhere far above the chaos of Hell, suspended in a private world of light and warmth. 

Your heart thudded steadily, its rhythm no longer frantic but sure. And in that timeless moment, as her lips lingered against yours, you realized with a clarity that stole your breath away: 

You were in love with Miss Carmilla Carmine. 

❀˖° Like my story? Toss a coffee to the gremlin—probably safe, but no promises! ❀˖° Join Voxtek Server and Follow Me for live updates!

[cryptofmadness]

INTERVIEW: Rich Sala (Warrant Publishing/Shudder and Vampiress Carmilla magazines)

Interview conducted by Chet Reams

Rich Sala is the Publisher at Warrant Publishing Company and has granted us at Crypt of MADness magazine an exclusive interview, for which we are very, very greatful! This interview was conducted over means of electronic correspondence in April 2024.

Chet Reams: Hello Rich! Thanks for agreeing to an interview!! Rich Sala: Thank you for taking an interest in Warrant Publishing Company and for reaching out.

Reams: So first off, how did Warrant Publishing/The Creeps magazine get started? Sala: Back in 2012, I was filling in some holes in my Warren magazine collection. While browsing the internet, I decided to do a few searches to if I could find anything similar to the old Warren magazines being produced for the current market. I saw a lot of horror comics, including the Dark Horse reboots of Creepy and Eerie and the Dynamite Vampirella titles, but almost everything I saw was being produced in the smaller, standard floppy comic book size, approximately 6.5’ x 10” with typically about 32 pages. There were absolutely no magazine sized black and white horror comics with 50 plus pages and none were being created with the classic horror art and story styles that I loved so much as a youngster. I was at a crossroads in my life so I decided to move forward with a serious attempt at contacting some of the original Warren artists and writers and reassembling some of the old Warren crew to help create a full-sized 8.5” x 11” black and white illustrated horror magazine. The first issue took two years to assemble. It was a modest 36 pages, with plans to expand to 52 pages if The Creeps #2 was possible. I assumed that since we featured four original Warren artists in the first magazine, The Creeps would be picked up by Diamond Comic Distributors right away, but sadly, it was not to be. The Diamond buyer at the time rejected our magazine. I’d already invested tens of thousands of dollars in the project so I had no choice but to try to recoup some of my initial investment. In June, 2014, I started selling The Creeps #1 solely through our website, while investing in a few Facebook promotions to help get the word out. Without Diamond, I was sure that The Creeps was going to bite the dust with issues #1. As it turned out, there was an extremely strong interest in the concept of the magazine from the older Warren fans and collectors, and online sales started pouring in. Within about 5 weeks, I’d tripled my initial investment and Warrant Publishing Company was in business. I continued The Creeps with the intention of producing the magazine twice annually. The second issue was released in December, 2014 and I submitted copies to a few national magazine distributors. One of those distributors, INGRAM (now defunct), contacted me saying that they were interested in distributing The Creeps through the Barnes and Noble bookstore chain, the nation’s largest, with a popular newsstand magazine section in each of their 700 locations. They required that the magazine move to a quarterly release schedule if they were to carry the book. I agreed, and The Creeps became a nationally distributed quarterly publication in Spring, 2015. The Creeps #3 sold so well through INGRAM that they sent us an extremely rare re-stocking order to replenish the sold out copies in many of their outlets. Then, in late 2016, I was contacted by a newly hired magazine buyer at Diamond Comic Distributors who wanted to distribute The Creeps magazine through Diamond. They started with The Creeps #10, which became their #1 selling magazine title right out of the gate.

Reams: What about Vampiress Carmilla magazine? Sala: We wanted to create a sister magazine for The Creeps, with a different kind of horror host. A Vampire character made sense, so we dug into the archives at the local library and finally settled on the title character from the public domain horror classic by author Sheridan Le Fanu, Carmilla. She is a beautiful young Vampiress who never ages. We trademarked the title and launched Vampiress Carmilla magazine in December, 2020 as a bi-monthly publication. Each magazine is released in the months between each bi-monthly issue of Shudder magazine, exactly how James Warren used to leap-frog releases of Creepy and Eerie magazine back in the 1960s.

Reams: Obviously there have been some legal issues with the owners of CREEPY/EERIE magazine, New Comic Company LLC, as they filed a lawsuit against you a couple years ago, which was eventually settled out of court. (The aforementioned lawsuit was for copyright infringement which is odd, because none of their material was used!) Was there ever any talk with New Comic Company, LLC about licensing out “CREEPY” and Uncle Creepy, as opposed to (what seems would be their intent ) to stop you from continuing The Creeps/Shudder? Sala: I can’t comment on the negotiations or terms of the settlement due to the included non-disclosure agreement. I will say that the transition from The Creeps to Shudder was seamless. Surprisingly, the orders from both our newsstand distributors and Diamond Comic Distributors increased by about 30% after the name change, which a nice, unexpected surprise. Go figure! LOL!

Reams: How did you gather the team of artists and writers for the magazine? Sala: We reached out to a lot of Warren creators in the beginning and the response was very positive. We published work from a couple dozen original Warren creators during our first few years and by 2017, the late, great Nicola Cuti, who had held three different editorial positions at Warren Publishing Company over the years, had become our associate editor. Our stable to newer artists either contacted us with samples of their work or we contacted them after seeing their work and determining that their style would be a good fit for our books.

Reams: Several of the legendary legacy artists and writers have passed away in the years since you started publishing your comic mags. Ken Kelly, Richard Corben, and others come to mind… How has that affected things? Any chance of getting more newer contemporary horror/fantasy artists to do front covers? Or for that matter, even back covers, variant covers, and the like? Sala: Not anytime soon. There is still a great wealth of work available from the original Warren cover artists. Those guys are aging out quickly so we feel an urgent need to commission as much work as possible from greats like Sanjulian, Jeff Easley, Don Maitz and others while they are still able to produce work. We’ve already lost Basil Gogos and the aforementioned Richard Corben and Ken Kelly, who produced close to a dozen original cover commissions for our magazines over the years. Having covers by actual Warren cover artists is instrumental in creating AUTHENTIC Warren-styled magazines, which is the sole purpose of Warrant Publishing Company. I’ve always thought Variant cover(s) were a money grab by publishers who want to re-sell the same book to their faithful readers over and over by slapping on a half dozen different covers. If a variant cover is so great, put it on its own damn book. Warren never released a variant cover and neither will we.

Reams: What happens with the original artwork pieces that are used in the magazine? Are they kept or at least retained as photo-stats, digital scans, or something else? Sala: Most of the work is digital these days, so there is no original art. I retain multiple backup files of EVERTHING. I have about half of the original story pages from The Creeps #1, but beyond that, I usually let the artists keep their own originals if they work in traditional media. I do have a few select original pages by some of the original Warren illustrators in our archives through. A page that EC artist Angelo Torres illustrated for Shudder #6 is among my most treasured pieces.

Reams: What kind of stories do you look for specifically for use in Shudder mag (formerly “The Creeps”) and Vampiress Carmilla? Sala: With very few exceptions, I look for work that would fit perfectly into a collection of 1970s illustrated horror stories without standing out. Artists who work digitally must be able to produce work that accurately mimics traditional media.

Reams: Are there any stories you flat-out would not print in the magazine? Sala: Sure. We produce PG-13 magazines with adult horror themes in the Warren style. We would never run anything overtly sexual like some of the so-called “modern horror comics.” No worms crawling out of, or cutting up women’s sexual organs - things that are obvious gore p-rn.

Reams: This is more of an “entertaining” question, but out of these three, which would you choose as a favorite series: EERIE, VAMPIRELLA or CREEPY? (of the Warren magazine series-run titles) Sala: My introduction to illustrated horror was Warren’s Creepy magazine. I saw my older sister’s copy of Creepy #14 before I could even read. Those pictures freaked me out and they are burned into my brain to this day. Warren’s Creepy is the first and best in illustrated horror. At least in the large magazine format that I prefer.

Reams: Do you have any kinds of exclusive scoops/announcements about the magazine(s) Warrant Publishing does, that you could tell us here at Crypt Of MADness mag? Sala: We’re launching a Shudder Magazine Fan Club this Summer, 2024 and we’re putting the finishing touches on some Shudder and Vampiress Carmilla T-shirt designs. Coming soon!

Reams: Thanks again for the interview, Rich!! Sala: You’re welcome.

[im-an-aesthetic-mess]

EMAIL BOOK CLUBS MASTERLIST !!!

alright, there are a lot of email book clubs now, so here's ALL of them, in one convenient list

NOTE: IF YOU FIND MORE PLEASE SEND !!! put them in the notes, my ask box, dm them to me, just notify me in SOME way and i will edit this base post so they all remain in one place

without further ado:

Dracula Daily - dracula, the one that started it all || real time

may 3, 2022 - november 10, 2022

Whale Weekly - moby dick || real time

starting december 2022, continuing for 3 years

Frankenstein Weekly - frankenstein || wednesdays and sundays

begins february 1, 2023

Letters from Watson - sherlock holmes

begins january 1, 2023

What Manner of Man - a new original work by st john starling (its gay vampires click the link)

begins january 2023

Edgar Allen Poe Daily - the works of edgar allen poe || weekdays where dracula daily does not post

began may 13, 2022

The Penny Dreadful - penny dreadful

begins TBA

Ovid Daily - the works of p. ovidius naso (note: these are in latin but they contain a translation)

dates depend on the in-progress work (from what i can tell)

Werther Rewritten - the sorrows of young werther, slightly modernized || real time

may 4, 2022 - christmas 2023

The Sorrows Of Young Werther - the original of the above || you pick the dates

from what i can tell, it begins when you subscribe and you pick the frequency of emails

Carmilla Quarterly - carmilla, just click the link its lesbian vampires

begins TBA

Literary Letters - lesser known public domain works

begins november 12, 2022

Pride and Prejudice Weekly - working title, im doing pride and prejudice now || mondays and fridays

march 10, 2023 - october 6, 2023

The Woman In White Weekly - the woman in white || sundays

begins july 31, 2022

Musketeers Daily - the three musketeers

begins march 14, 2023

LOTR Newsletter - lord of the rings || real time (i think)

september 15, 2022 - march 2023

Rizal Weekly - jose rizal's works (these are in filipino, i don't see a full translation but please correct me if im wrong)

began may 26, 2022

Divine Comedy Weekly - dante's divine comedy || begins on good friday, then updates tuesdays and thursdays

april 7, 2023 - march 5, 2024

Austen Weekly - jane austen's works

find more info on the posting schedule here

The Case Files Of Sheridan Bell - new original fantasy detective novels from em rowene

begins may 29, 2022

Big Dalloway Energy - mrs. dalloway by virginia woolfe || commentary encouraged

begins june 1, 2022

Nightly Knights - excerpts from arthurian texts

posted at random

Samuel Pepys's Diary - daily entries from samuel pepys's diary

the site posts a new entry at the end of each day

Dangerous Liaisons Daily - dangerous liaisons || real time

august 3rd, 2022 - january 14, 2023

Les Chroniques de Choderlos - dangerous liaisons, but in the original french || real time

august 3rd, 2022 - january 14, 2023

Wilde Weekly - oscar wilde's works

begins june 12, 2022

Logbooks of the HE-631-CORDELIA - a new original sci-fi series about a pilot and her robot by loreley

begins july 21, 2022

Les Mis Letters - les misérables || daily

january 1, 2023 - december 31, 2023

The Worst Journey in the World - r.f. scott's diaries + supplemental readings from cherry-garrard’s the worst journey in the world and others’ diaries

intro began july 12, 2022. diary entries begin november 25, 2022, and end in march, 2024

Daily Kafka - franz kafka's letters

began august 31, 2022

[thatstudyblrontea]

reblog if you, too, are subject to brief visitations of insanity

[lesbian-revenant]

Laura: wait didn't you bite me when I was a child?

Carmilla: no, you just dreamed that. I know this because I had the same dream.

Laura: I trust you because you are really hot.

[mourningmaybells]

Mr. R. Enfield, R.M. Renfield, Mademoiselle Rheinfeldt... I'm seeing a pattern

[the-jennnster]

Tumblr is on a book club kick so I'm spreading the good news-- Carmilla my ABSOLUTE beloved

[spacehippieface]

Because I am occasionally an unimaginative so-and-so, and I'm seeing how much people are loving these tumblr book clubs (myself included with Dickens December and Frankenstein Weekly), how would people feel about me doing one for The War Of The Worlds? Like, a chapter or half a chapter a week?

[phiilomath]

switching between all of my subscriptions like

[dwellordream]

carmilla quarterly has begun and your ass needs to sign up

[katesharmasheart]

was that doctor van Helsing👀?

i love how touchy they are to each other and Laura being all 'how lovely friendship ❤️ we must have been related another life☺️' and carmilla being all 'i love you, we should die together,be together😍����

also it is kind insulting the man pointing out carm's teeth

the funeral moment tho, that was pretty intense

this is interesting tho, carmilla being able to be out in the morning

Chapter 5 was the most fruity chapter

carmilla's declarations of love and laura keeping a painting bc it resembled carmilla 🌈

did she just bit her? without inviting her to dinner?

...bro wtf wtf

[chocolatey-umbreon]

okay friends im subscribed to carmilla to begin december 2022 and frankenstein to begin february 2023 by a friend’s recommendation

edit: also trying out jekyll and hyde weekly

im excited!!

[istherewifiinhell]

The last part of a carmilla quarterly update has ben languishing in an open tab whoops lol

In the meantime the young lady, whom her mother called by the odd name of Millarca,

Vampires gotta stop doing this!!!! Quick whats ur vampire name its ur normal name but backwards/slightly jumbled

I spent the interval in cudgelling my brains for a conjecture as to the identity of the lady who seemed to remember me so kindly,

WHOO SAY THE LINE

[thatstudyblrontea]

But dreams come through stone walls, light up dark rooms, or darken light ones, and their persons make their exits and their entrances as they please, and laugh at locksmiths.

Sheridan Le Fanu, Carmilla

[llsilvertail]

Okay. I’m subscribed to Carmilla Quarterly, and holy shit it’s so gay. I’d provide more commentary on it, but like, that’s it. It’s so gay.