Gothic Quill

Gritty, honest writing about a family true crime and coming from a blue-collar background. Helping folks build authentic presence and a writing community. MFA from Brown / PhD Denver.

By Julia Madsen

· Launched a year ago

Widow's Bay: Folk Horror & Working-Class Politics

Putting the folk in folk horror.

Jun 18•Julia Madsen

Tired of all the hyperreality? Me too.

Our lives are inundated with artificiality and fake shit. Thankfully, we have our writing.

Jun 3•Julia Madsen

Death Trip, Interstate 80

Confronting family secrets and driving into the vanishing point of the Midwestern landscape.

May 5•Julia Madsen

Words as liminal hinges

I'm doing a giveaway for Mark Mayer's thrilling & surreal new book - About, Above, Around: 50 Prepositions! It's easy: I'll send a copy of the book to…

Apr 1•Julia Madsen

Why are working-class writers silenced?

Writers with working-class roots have been perennially excluded from publishing and haven't had a seat at the table.

Mar 10•Julia Madsen

On being a nobody and writing anyway

Is your audience an actual ghost? This is for you.

Feb 3•Julia Madsen

How I befriended failure

I learned to work with failure as a way to make shit happen.

Jan 22•Julia Madsen

Dive Bars, True Crime, & Small-Town Secrets

“If you have a deep scar, that is a door, if you have an old, old story, that is a door.” — Clarissa Pinkola Estés

Jan 13•Julia Madsen

This resource connects writers with agents, indie presses, & lit mags

Open call: Writers, tell us about your book manuscript. Agents, indie presses, & lit mags: Let us know what you're looking for.

Oct 15, 2025•Julia Madsen

I Grew Up in a Haunted Farmhouse (True Story)

I still don’t know what they wanted from us or even if they meant well.

Oct 1, 2025•Julia Madsen

I stepped away from the writing community for years. Here’s what I learned.

The publishing landscape changed & I needed to re-find my juice. If you’ve struggled like me, maybe this will help.

Sep 22, 2025•Julia Madsen

The indelible mark

Three days from now marks the 83rd anniversary of my family’s tragedy, and this time of year returns with a sudden gust of wind unlocking the door…

Sep 11, 2025•Julia Madsen

Horrors of the Working Class

or, my dad the car mechanic

Jun 2, 2025•Julia Madsen

The Dark Secret at the Harvest Table

A feast is fuming! Start baking your casserole! Break out the tinfoil! We are cooking up some delicious horrendous bites.

Apr 8, 2025•Julia Madsen