You know, I’ve read a number of Chuck’s Tinglers, and they are certainly entertaining in a very specific way. But Chuck Tingle’s horror is just SO GOOD. Camp Damascus didn’t quite work for me, but Straight and now Bury Your Gays have been fantastic.

I love how he turns homophobia into the horror. And in Bury Your Gays the horror is in the romanticization and commodification of queer trauma. The idea that only stories of queer trauma sell, which was the way in a lot of media until fairly recently (it’s still there, but it’s gotten so much better).

In this story Misha Byrne is a scriptwriter in Hollywood and in the season finale of his popular TV show it will be revealed that his two female leads are in love with each other. But ‘The Board’ have decided that that can’t happen; Misha either has to reveal their love and kill them off, or make them straight and keep them alive. What follows is a wild and horrific story about what can happen when late stage capitalism meets high tech.

I absolutely love what Tingle did with this story; not only is it a critique of ‘bury your gays’, but also of capitalism and the role of technology in the film industry. He references the WGA and SAG/AFTRA strikes several times, specifically referencing the gains that have been made in streaming and AI with regard to pay for actors and writers. My little labour heart was all aflutter! I also really appreciated his critique of how shallow and trend-chasing Hollywood is. And he did all of this while still telling a fairly horrific and gory story. I am impressed.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am eagerly awaiting his next.

Thank you Tor Publishing and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. First Chuck Tingle read! Misha’s, a successful screenwriter, recent show has just had its two queer stars express their love for one another. When the executives tell him to kill them off, he won’t do it. Afterwards strange things start happening to him and his friends. They’re being chased by monsters, not just any monsters, monsters from Misha’s own movies. Can he survive? Can he figure out what’s going on? Such a tense book that will have you on the edge, unputdownable! Hilarious, horrific, and will put you in the feels! Touches on difficult issues that are plaguing media currently that’s very relatable! It all works together to make a wonderful book that I recommend!

There is no amount of stars that can appropriately describe how much fun I had reading this book.

Every now and then a novel or film comes along that is an obvious love letter to the horror genre, and this is clearly one of those novels. Chuck Tingle not only crafts a heart-pounding thriller, but cleverly builds a tale that challenges the status quo without feeling preachy or heavy handed. Through the story we follow Misha, a semi-openly gay screenwriter living in Los Angelese (he's California out, Montana closeted). When the executives of the film studio he works for demand he kill of the lesbian couple in his popular TV show, he denies the order; Next thing he knows, he's being chased by monsters-and not just any monsters, but monsters he himself wrote for his own movies and shows. Now he's on a race against the clock to get to the bottom of the attacks, while protecting not only himself, but his boyfriend and his best friend.

What really got to me about this book was how it felt like an open love letter to queer people who grew up in the nineties. I related so deeply to Misha's fears, his experiences, and really rooted for him throughout the story (to the point of staying up FAR too late to read). Tingle really seems to relate to the queer community, and obviously cares very deeply about giving them stories where they can be the hero. I would suggest this book to just about anyone, I think so many different types of readers will be able to connect to the message.

2024's best queer beach read? This has everything I want in a fun mystery: a strong/relatable/funny protagonist in a fancy setting filled with suspects,, a constantly surprising plot with a little bit of social commentary, and a kick-ass ending. Will recommend.

Misha is a semi-closeted, mostly out, gay man who works in the television business. He’s been working on his show for years which is about 2 women FBI agents who solve supernatural cases and find love, with each other. But here’s the thing, big time TV doesn’t want Misha’s characters to get the queer joy he’s written for them. They want tragedy. They want him to “bury the gays”. Now Misha of course isn’t having this, he refuses. And his refusal gets him, his boyfriend and his best friend in some supernatural danger.

The title alone is how I knew I had to read this. “Bury your Gays” is ALL over media. I’ve read more than one book that killed off a queer character (I dnf’d a long ongoing series because the only time queer characters were brought in they were also killed off by the end) I’ve seen so movies and shows (SUPERNATURAL YOU MAY BE MY FAVORITE SHOW BUT I’M LOOKING AT YOU) where queer characters are killed off, hinted at but never fully realized or just absent.

This was both a good commentary on how much queer tragedy is used and a creepy af story. Tingle’s writing had me picturing the Smoker, Mrs. Why, the Bride, Black Lamb and Tara (she’s the BFF and amazing) in living color. The flashbacks were used well and added to the story (can’t always say that) and I really just liked Misha’s POV.

I don’t know how I feel about the explanation of the horror but I think in the end it works extremely well for what the story is commenting on. (I want to keep it vague because I feel like horror is best enjoyed without knowing too much beforehand.)

Okay so here’s my biggest, most strongly felt feeling about how this book did a great job talking about this topic: Even though this was a story about how queer tragedy is used as a plot device and to make money all the time, meaning you know the ending will turn out good for the main character because it’s trying to subvert that trope, I still was scared Misha and Zeke were going to get their happily ever after. I was scared one of them was going to end up being a bad person and cheating or Zeke would betray Misha or Zeke wasn’t real. I’m sorry but that just goes to show how often I’ve consumed media where I see myself represented as a member of the alphabet mafia and have been let down. Misha’s whole reason for writing his show is because he was let down that way as a kid and he wanted to write something where queer people got to see themselves. So props to Mr. Tingle for still giving me that suspense.

But yeah, spoiler alert, Misha gets his happily ever after, his characters get their happily ever after and Tara just continues to be awesome. (Also the ace rep from Tara is so refreshing, she’s right, they get forgotten all the damn time.)

🖤 Bury Your Gays ARC Review 🖤

Thank you so much to Chuck Tingle and Tor Nightfire for the opportunity to read and review this book!

Bury Your Gays is a standalone Hollywood horror novel. Misha is an Oscar-nominated writer in Hollywood with a successful career and an amazing boyfriend. But when the studio executives demand that he kills off his queer characters, Misha’s refusal soon puts a target on his back. Can he survive without losing himself and everything he loves?

This book was an amazing read! I adored Misha - he was strong but also had a lot of character growth in this book. The plot was unique and suspenseful, while also paralleling real world concerns about politics, art and queer representation. The amount of Easter Eggs and references to Hollywood society was absolutely amazing!

This book was a fantastic five star read for me! Absolutely loved it! The story was compelling, the characters were well developed and there was enough realism to make it scary. This book does have some darker elements, so please check triggers if you’re sensitive. While this book did have a relationship between two characters, this book did not have a romance subplot, so no rating will be given for spice

If you’re a fan of classic Hollywood, unique horror and strong queer characters, then absolutely pick this one up!

Please Note: review will be posted on Amazon upon publication

Tingle's follow-up to Camp Damascus is another love letter to the queer community written large and bloody. Lots of good scares and touching moments as our protagonist Misha fights against monsters, Hollywood homophobia, and the closet. It was a pleasure to read about vibrant queer characters with identities that are less represented in popular media, like bisexual men and ace spectrum folks. I was also pleasantly surprised by the commentary on AI and art. If you are someone who loves campy horror and longed to see queer characters on the screen growing up, this is worth picking up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for access to the digital arc in exchange for an honest review!

It blends fun and horror together very well. The ending twist was phenomenal! This book borders on potential reality that makes you question everything about the future

Bury Your Gays is an adult horror book by Chuck Tingle that follows protagonist Misha, a screenwriter who is finally being recognized when he is nominated for his first Academy Award but when strange thing start happening in his life, he is forced to face his past to figure out his future.

The synopsis of this book is super vague so I will leave my review vague as well as I think this book is best gone into blind. This book does have a lot to do with the film and television industry so if you are not interested in those things, you may find part of this boring.

I really enjoyed this book. I think Chuck Tingle is a fantastic author. He is very self aware of his writing and I think that creates a certain “meta” quality to his books. I think this book as well as Camp Damascus are super unique horror books. I think this book had a bit more humor but it also had a lot more critiques about Hollywood and the way queer characters are portrayed.

This wasn’t a perfect book for me. Some of the side characters didn’t feel fully fleshed out and some of the pacing was a little weird. The first quarter and the last quarter of this book were super strong to me and then the middle had its ups and downs. That being said, I will still read anything this author writes. I know eventually he is going to write a book that becomes a favorite of all time for me.

I see the importance in this novel and I know that, for the right audience, this is going to be a huge hit. I still plan on buying a physical copy when it releases because I know this is a book I will want to go back and revisit and still recommend.

The “Bury Your Gays” trope is often criticized for its disproportionate elimination of LGBTQ+ characters in media narratives, typically without substantial narrative purpose. This pattern implies that these characters are frequently deprived of fulfilling conclusions, and their demises are used more to propel the storylines of heterosexual characters than to develop their own. “Bury Your Gays” confronts this trope head-on, revealing its fundamental essence.

Misha Byrne, a scriptwriter for HBS, a renowned TV and movie production company, has penned numerous terrifying creatures that have graced the screen. However, when the executives insist on a specific ending for his season finale, Misha stands his ground. Resolute in crafting the conclusion on his own terms, he faces a nightmarish reality as his fictional creations begin to manifest and terrorize him and his closest friends.

The narrative offers robust LGBTQ+ representation and delves into the experiences of the queer community, highlighting the challenges they encounter in a predominantly heterosexual society. While it encompasses the full spectrum of horror with its array of monsters, spirits, extraterrestrials, and more, it also sheds light on the heartbreak associated with simply being oneself and navigating life as a queer individual.

As someone outside the Queer community, this book profoundly moved me, and it will undoubtedly compel readers to see the world from a different perspective. It aims to foster empathy, compassion, and understanding.

“Bury Your Gays” transcends the genre of queer horror. It portrays a world where heterosexual narratives predominate, often resorting to clichéd tropes while claiming to empathize. This book echoes the outcry of many of my own friends and relatives and after reading, one cannot help but join their chorus: Do not dictate who I can or cannot be… Do not prescribe how to be gay… Simply allow me to exist authentically.

I received this book as an Advanced Reader Copy.

What a deep, dark exploration of some of the hottest topics surrounding technology, identity, and capitalism, handled deftly by one of the finest contemporary genre writers! Tingle puts you right in Misha's world and the pressures he is feeling. This book has a lot to say, but communicates in an interesting and digestible way. For fans of horror and queer literature, this is not one to be passed by!

In Bury Your Gays, Misha is a successful screenwriter in Hollywood who has been hit with an ultimatum from the producers for the studio he works under regarding his current show. The two characters who have been circling one another for seasons can either end this season’s finale gay and dead or straight and alive. Misha balks at this order, and quickly finds out the consequences of that refusal might go beyond future issues with his contract.

Bury Your Gays is split between a profound frustration and anger at the state of representation and a deep tenderness for the lived experiences and desires of queer people. It strikes a well-executed balance of being thrilling, clever, and deeply unsettling.

You get maybe ten minutes to settle into Misha’s life before Tingle throws the narrative into full throttle. I felt like I couldn’t keep up fast enough while reading it, but that feeling also is appropriate with what the characters are through. It is a genuine treat to have characters trying so hard to be good horror movie protagonists (once they understand the danger is present and real, of course) and to still want to reach into the pages and shake them because horror novels and horror movies are still different and they’re so close if they could just be an inch more aware of the medium.

The meta nature of this book is the most lighthearted and serves as an appropriate breath of levity for how dark parts of this can get. The sections of the narrative written in screenplay are really well done, and the running commentary about the pacing of the story between the characters was entertaining. I had way more fun than I had any right to playing “name the buried gay/queerbait character” anytime someone new popped up in Misha’s story.

Misha is also a really interesting protagonist. He’s far more messy than his first impression might reveal, tied up with internal contradictions and several version of himself he’s willing to be depending on the crowd. Despite all of Misha’s success, he is still very much a tortured artist and that comes with a handful of traits that I personally find incredibly abrasive. His best friend, Tara, isn’t the easiest person to like either but the two of them are so patient and devoted to one another you end up loving them both, flaws and all.

It toes the line of being a touch too cheesy for me, but it’s hard to knock the book for it because it is so god damn earnest you can’t be mad at it. Tingle’s mantra of love is real bleeds from this book. I might have a quibble with some pacing, found some moments a little soapboxy and wanted more from a certain character, but that doesn’t change the way this book made me feel. It completely swept me away and this is commendable work.

This is an easy recommendation to people who love horror, especially horror that is interested in talking about horror. If you’re at all interested in queer stories, conversations of representation and AI impacts on art I think there’s something worth your time here. Also, if you’re looking for something interesting happening at a thrilling pace! I think this is the most fun I’ve had with a book in a really long time.

Thank you NetGalley and Tor for the eARC.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book.

I really enjoyed this fast-paced, plot-driven novel, which was my first foray into reading the Tingleverse. It was a thoughtful exploration of what it means to be in the closet, as well as a slipstream horror/sci-fi romp. I will absolutely be reading more by Chuck Tingle—great summer/beach read!

Just like Camp Damascus I went from 20% into the book to 60% in and I hadn't realized how immersed and absorbed into the story I had been. Tingle has a way of pulling me in and down and pulling every emotion and cheering on the MC. I'll be talking about this one a lot.

A fast-paced, biting social commentary that manages to be equal parts funny and horrifying, and highly original. Some disturbing scenes will creep out even hardened horror fans, though these pale in comparison to the terrors of the film industry and broader societal treatment of the LGBTQ community. Narrator & protagonist Misha is witty and observant, though not always the most likeable character. This wasn't quite a 5-star read for me as I do think there were some issues with the pacing, and secondary characters felt a bit one-dimensional. Still a thoroughly enjoyable read.
Chuck Tingle is a gem.

𝐕𝐢𝐛𝐞𝐬:
➤ Queer Representation
➤ Anti AI
➤ Hollywood
➤ Film Industry.

𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:
Bury Your Gays is a satirical horror novel where our main character, Misha (a horror screenwriter) receives pressure to kill off his gay characters “for the algorithm.” This had a lot of moving pieces that kept the story engaging and kept me wondering what was happening and where things were headed. While I loved the thematic element of this, and the ironic conclusion we come to with the algorithm, I had an incredibly hard time connecting to the writing style - things felt disjointed and my investment in the characters and plot remained minimal.

𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:
➤ So much incredible queer rep
➤ “Doing it for the algorithm” anti AI themes
➤ Tingle jumps back and forth between essentially 3 POVs who are all the same person, and the way this comes together by the end was really well thought out.

LOVED this book. Tingle has a way of writing cross-genre that is truly refreshing. This book was funny, dark, tense, and just all around loveable. Definitely good for horror fans or queer-lit fans (or any combination) - plus, it feels like an accurate satire of Hollywood's current age. Read this book.

Bury Your Gays by @chucktingle

I laughed, I cried, I gasped “oh NO” repeatedly…

Synopsis:
“Misha knows that chasing success in Hollywood can be hell.

But finally, after years of trying to make it, his big moment is here: an Oscar nomination. And the executives at the studio for his long-running streaming series know just the thing to kick his career to the next level: kill off the gay characters, “for the algorithm,” in the upcoming season finale.

Misha refuses, but he soon realizes that he’s just put a target on his back. And what’s worse, monsters from his horror movie days are stalking him and his friends through the hills above Los Angeles.

Haunted by his past, Misha must risk his entire future—before the horrors from the silver screen find a way to bury him for good.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is a horror book, but this is not a scary book, and that’s perfectly fine by me 😎

Our lord and savior, Chuck Tingle, has written a Hollywood horror dream novel, it’s hilarious, it’s sassy, it’s got commentary out the ass. I spent so much time trying to puzzle together what could possibly be happening to Misha, only to watch as it kept spiraling into worse and worse.

The tropes were so much fun to follow along, to join Misha in acknowledging them and thriving in the meta and the beats that got hit so perfectly.

Guys, it’s just a fjucking great book. If you haven’t pre-orderèd, you absolutely should. It’s a fast sit down, it’s a two sittings kinda book, and I can’t wait for my own pre-0rder to get here so I can hand it to my wife so we can talk about it. Because there’s so much to talk about.

I think the one weakness is that the side characters aren’t as strongly developed as I wanted, but they’re never the point of the book, so it makes sense. We’re on Misha’s journey, focusing on a gay writer in Hollywood who wants to see all kinds of queer stories.

That’s why the second pic in this carousel is for a ton of different queer stories: queer joy, queer horror, queer comedy, queer thriller, queer tragedy. The whole spectrum. (Yeah, there’s a lot of horror in there, I love it, I can’t help it!)

Thanks to @netgalley & @tornightfire for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I could not put this book down and absolutely devoured it! (Given I have TBI, it was pretty impressive I finished this in 2 days!) Misha is a screenwriter, and he is told he has to kill off one of his gay characters. He refuses and is stalked by his own monsters from his films. This was intense, suspenseful, fun, terrifying, and creative. I loved the message and would absolutely recommend this book!!! the pace was just right (OK, Goldilocks), and it is detail oriented! A quote from early in the book: “Horror is a celebration of life.”

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for an advanced copy of Bury Your Gays, in exchange for an honest review.

I've been interested in Chuck Tingle's work before, as I have had Camp Damascus sitting on my TBR shelf for a hot minute, and I was very surprised and grateful for the opportunity to read and review the newest novel.

Misha is a writer in Hollywood, who has written tons of horror movies and TV shows and has just been nominated for his first Oscar. When producers want him to kill off his main characters because of an algorithm that suggests killing them off would bring in more money and viewership, Misha decides to fight back. However, it's not as easy as he expected it would be...

This book was pleasantly surprising. It was very well-rounded; Bury Your Gays had fantastic character development for the main character, had moments of intense body horror that had me squirming in disgust, and it also had a lot of heart with a fantastic message for the masses. I found myself in full agreement with every point being made, rolled my eyes at the Hollywood stereotypes, and was cheering for Misha the entire time. The flashbacks into Misha's childhood were very heartbreaking, but it really helped show his growth through the course of the story. I loved all of the different horror characters from Misha's previous works as well - they were fun and terrifying. The nod to Camp Damascus made me wish I read it first, so I'll definitely be checking that one out in the near future. I do wish there was a bit more development of Zeke and Tara, because they were also very likable, but I felt they kind of blended into the background and would have loved to see more about their backstories.

Camp Damascus will definitely be up soon on my TBR, because Chuck Tingle definitely has a knack for storytelling and character development! I look forward to seeing what else this author comes up with in the future.