Picture a storyteller who weaves queer romance and ghostly chills into the heart of small-town America—meet Courtney Gould! Hailing from Salem, Oregon, this rising star in young adult horror fiction has captivated readers with her spine-tingling tales of haunted girls and supernatural mysteries. Her debut novel, The Dead and the Dark, introduced a fresh voice blending horror, LGBTQ+ representation, and coming-of-age struggles, earning her a dedicated following and critical acclaim.
With a knack for crafting eerie atmospheres and heartfelt characters, Gould’s stories resonate with teens and adults alike, offering a thrilling escape into worlds where love and fear collide. Let’s dive into her journey, from her Pacific Northwest roots to her impact on modern YA literature.
The Making of Courtney Gould
Born and raised in Salem, Oregon—a city steeped in spooky lore—Courtney Gould was destined to write about ghosts and things that go bump in the night. She graduated from Pacific Lutheran University in 2016 with a Bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing and Publishing, honing her craft and passion for storytelling. Inspired by rural landscapes and the complexities of small-town life, Gould began penning stories that blend the supernatural with raw human emotion, drawing from her love of bad TV, queer narratives, and the haunting beauty of the Pacific Northwest.
After college, Gould moved to Tacoma, Washington, before returning to Salem, where she continues to write what she calls “love letters to haunted girls and rural, empty spaces.” Her early career was marked by a fierce determination to tell stories that center queer girls, a perspective often underrepresented in horror.
Courtney Gould’s Unforgettable Stories
Gould’s debut, The Dead and the Dark (2021), is a chilling mystery set in Snakebite, Oregon, where missing teens and ghostly secrets unravel against a backdrop of homophobia and family ties. Praised for its atmospheric writing and sapphic romance, it won the Leslie Bradshaw Award for Young Adult Fiction and established Gould as a talent to watch. The novel’s blend of horror, mystery, and queer love struck a chord, earning rave reviews for its emotional depth and creepy vibes.
In 2023, Where Echoes Die took readers to a haunting Arizona town, exploring grief and sisterhood through a supernatural lens. This International Thriller Award finalist showcased Gould’s ability to weave complex themes into gripping narratives. Her latest, What the Woods Took (2024), dives into a wilderness therapy camp where teens face “mimic” monsters and personal traumas, earning comparisons to Yellowjackets for its queer survival horror and psychological depth. Gould’s short stories also shine in anthologies like The Gathering Dark and The House Where Death Lives, cementing her versatility.
Gould’s style is a masterclass in balance: her prose is lyrical yet accessible, her horror unsettling yet hopeful. She tackles heavy themes—grief, identity, and societal bias—with nuance, always grounding her supernatural tales in authentic human experiences. Her focus on queer girls as protagonists brings a fresh perspective to YA horror, making her work both thrilling and inclusive.
Why Courtney Gould Matters
Courtney Gould is more than a horror writer—she’s a trailblazer redefining the genre for a new generation. Her commitment to queer representation fills a vital gap in YA literature, offering readers characters who reflect their identities and struggles. By setting her stories in rural, often conservative towns, she exposes the tensions of belonging and otherness, making her work resonate with marginalized readers and beyond. Her exploration of trauma, love, and resilience adds emotional weight to her scares, earning her a loyal fanbase and critical praise.
As a Pacific Northwest native, Gould brings a unique regional flavor to her work, turning overlooked landscapes into vivid, haunting settings. Her growing body of work signals a bright future, with fans eagerly awaiting her next eerie tale. In a genre often dominated by predictable tropes, Gould’s originality and heart make her a standout.
- Born: Salem, Oregon
- Key Works: The Dead and the Dark, Where Echoes Die, What the Woods Took
- Awards: Leslie Bradshaw Award for Young Adult Fiction
- Fun Fact: She’s a self-proclaimed connoisseur of bad TV, from Drag Race to Riverdale!
Ready for a spooky, heartfelt read? Snag The Dead and the Dark and dive into Courtney Gould’s thrilling world of queer horror!