Billed as “Drive” meets “Beetlejuice” by publisher Tor Nightfire, Chuck Tingle’s latest takes readers on a wild ride of campy carnage through Palm Springs.
The Los Angeles resident’s fifth horror novel, “Fabulous Bodies,” publishes Tuesday, July 7, and he’ll also close out the book tour with an event at Dynasty Typewriter in L.A. on July 17.
Known for wearing sunglasses over a pink cloth mask, the anonymous author has carved out a name for himself in the world of horror over the past few years. He’s also a prolific writer of self-published satirical gay erotica and fantasy that he refers to as “Tinglers.”
“I’ve always gravitated towards taboo art, not just horror but erotica, too,” Tingle said during a recent email interview. “These genres have a special energy coursing through them, I think, like there’s a live wire just below the surface.”
Despite exploring the darker places that the horror genre allows readers to go, Tingle spreads the message that “Love is real,” not just on his mask but also throughout his work. And “Fabulous Bodies” is no different.
At its heart, the novel, like many of his others, is about family, biological and chosen. Plus a side of undead, cosmic horror that, while grossing you out in the best way possible, just might also prove that love is indeed real.
“It’s a genre that’s known for darkness, but that also means there’s no better place for a moment of light to really shine,” Tingle said.
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The beloved author is also known for his social commentary through his work, which includes “Camp Damascus” and “Bury Your Gays.”
Tingle graciously answered all our questions about “Fabulous Bodies,” his writing process, all his favorite places in L.A. and the compelling reason for covering up his identity.
These questions and answers have been edited for length and clarity.
Q. Can you tell us about “Fabulous Bodies”?
“Fabulous Bodies” is the story of a woman who is both an influencer and a dead bodies dealer, and really, it’s an exploration of what bodies are worth in both a literal and existential sense. She’s tasked with picking up an iconic queer musician, and that musician wakes up during transport.
Q. What’s your writing process?
Writing a novel is quite the undertaking. So, before I dive in and commit myself to any idea, something very specific needs to happen. I imagine it like there are buckets in my mind. The first bucket is full of ideas that I think are exciting, amusing or clever — that’s the brain bucket. The second bucket is full of issues that I care about, things I want to say, or messages that are just clawing to get out of me. That bucket holds the passion. Eventually, the contents of those two buckets will bounce around and crash into each other, and I’ll suddenly realize “Oh, that idea is the perfect way to express that feeling.” It has to have both sides for me to start writing, and that can take some time, but if I have those elements, I can rest easy because I know it will sing in the end.
Q. The book is a bit of an ode to Palm Springs. What’s your favorite thing about the city?
I’ve been obsessed with Palm Springs since I was young. During my first visit, I remember thinking, “Wow, there’s something magic here.”
I love cities that have a strong personality, and Palm Springs is exactly that. It’s bold and unique and proud. Someone could drop you into the middle of the street in Palm Springs with a blindfold on, and when they took it off, you’d know exactly where you are. The architecture alone is worth a visit, but that’s only the beginning.
Q. Where did the inspiration behind the main character, Poppy Stringer, and the reanimated icon Eddie Michaels come from?
Eddie and Poppy are both influencers, in their own ways, so I think they work really well as a pair. Eddie understands entertainment in the most traditional sense, and he hates the way things have evolved. Meanwhile, Poppy is fully plugged into the new era.
Eddie is obviously inspired by a lot of icons from the past, folks like Freddie Mercury, Elton John or George Michael, but I also have to admit there’s a lot of myself in there. He’s a little bit of an evil Chuck Tingle, sunglasses and all.
I care a lot about art, art theory and expression. Maybe too much, because it can become all-consuming. Eddie is kind of an exploration of what might happen if that feeling of obsession were taken to its extreme. What if you really did care about entertainment more than anything else?
Q. You’re known for having the phrase “Love is real” written on your face coverings, and it’s also a central theme in your books. What about horror helps you spread that message?
It’s very easy to choose love when everything’s going OK. That’s not really a challenge. The challenge comes when you choose love as the whole world is falling apart and nothing makes sense. Horror is a bit of a microcosm of this idea.
Q. Some might consider your mask a novelty. But you’ve spoken before about how you consider it a safe space that helps with your neurodivergence and protects your identity as a queer activist. Can you describe how it has freed you up?
As an autistic person, I’m forced to neurotypically mask in my daily life. I’m very good at it, actually, but all of that tension doesn’t just disappear at the end of the day. It needs somewhere to go.
I spent many years battling chronic pain, and none of the doctors could figure out what was going on. I thought I might just have to exist in a haze of painkillers for the rest of my life, but when I started expressing myself with this pen name and wearing this pink mask, my pain started fading. It was like a steam valve cracking open and letting out all of that pressure, a steady stream instead of one big explosion. By wearing a fabric mask, I created a space where I could metaphorically unmask, and it literally saved my life.
Because of that, I consider the mask a sacred space. I’m very careful about letting people cross over between the world of Chuck and the world of my legal name. I go to my publisher’s big Manhattan high-rise with the pink bag over my head. I’ve worn it in lawyer meetings. I’ve worn it to barbecues. When it comes to the Tingleverse, this mask really never comes off.
Also, I’m somewhat known without my face covering, and I’d like to keep these worlds separate. Part of this is for artistic reasons, but I also think people enjoy guessing. The mystery can be fun, even if the ethics of someone trying to “out” me are a bit dubious. A certain level of theorizing is OK.
Q. And may we ask about your activism? Can you tell readers a little bit about that, especially in the context of how mental health, gender, and sexuality are being discussed today?
I think of myself as an artist before I think of myself as an activist, but I suppose when you’re writing about the queer community or the neurodivergent community, and when you’re diving into issues that you’re really passionate about, that creation kind of transforms into a moment of activism.
Then again, there are times in my career when some of these creative pursuits have looked a lot like direct activism. I’ve scooped the websites of conservative politicians out from under them and turned them into queer fundraising pages. I’ve given books away as a method of raising money for various charities, like the anti-ICE audiobook I recently collaborated on with Jamie Loftus. And I have a large social media platform where I’m not afraid to get political. I suppose it’s up to you whether or not that’s art or activism. It’s probably both.
Q. The cover of “Fabulous Bodies” states, “never meet your heroes.” In the book, that doesn’t exactly work out for the protagonist, but what about in real life? And is this something you have to keep in mind when people meet you?
I’ve been lucky enough to meet a lot of my childhood heroes. I’ve actually worked with several of them, and I’m happy to say the vast majority have been wonderful.
When it comes to people meeting me, I’m always aware that these two minutes of their day are going to feel really important, so I do everything I can to respect that. In addition, someone who’s a fan of my work has directly helped create this space and literally saved my life. So in that sense, it’s like, “You think you’re a fan of me? I’m a fan of you! I wouldn’t even be here without you!”
Q. Music obviously plays a big role in the plot. What were you listening to while you wrote “Fabulous Bodies”?
Each of my horror novels is paired with a musical genre, and “Fabulous Bodies” represents that sort of groovy, ’70s Laurel Canyon rock sound. That said, I can’t listen to anything with lyrics while I write, so the actual writing was mostly just accompanied by jazz.
Q. What do you think is so enduring or appealing about the final girl trope?
I like to divide horror into two different categories. The first is grueling horror, where the story gets worse and worse, and the characters are ground down into nothing. Sometimes literally, I suppose. This kind of horror functions similarly to eating spicy food or riding a huge roller coaster; you are challenging yourself to the experience. It’s like working out a muscle. You might feel bad because of the tragic ending, but the next day, you’re a little stronger.
The other kind of horror is cathartic horror. These stories make you think they’re going to be grueling, but at some point, the tables turn. Suddenly, we have a hero to cheer for, someone to outsmart the monster while we pump our fists in the air. It feels so good because we’re releasing all of this tension that’s been building up as others die off and as the situation gets as dire as possible.
The final girl archetype is the embodiment of cathartic horror, so I’m not at all surprised by the way it has endured. Any horror fan will likely have mountains and mountains of glorious, cathartic feelings associated with these characters.
Q. Do you have a favorite horror novel or film? Or are there any that you feel have influenced your work?
There are honestly too many to list, but I feel like a huge North Star for me is “Scream.” There’s definitely a thread that leads from the tone of my novels all the way back to that movie.
www.chucktingle.com/tour.html
— Chuck Tingle (@chucktingle.bsky.social) 2026-05-28T18:27:56.566Z
Q. You’re wrapping up your tour for “Fabulous Bodies” in Los Angeles. Can you tell fans what to expect from the event?
My book tours are not like a typical book tour. I don’t do readings or anything like that. Instead, we partner with local bookstores to rent out a theater for a “one-man show” kind of thing. In L.A., I’m working with Skylight Books, and the event is at Dynasty Typewriter, which I couldn’t be more excited about. I love Dynasty, and Skylight is my personal home-turf bookshop when I’m not wearing this pink bag over my head, so I just feel incredibly honored.
Q. You’re also an L.A. resident. What are some of your favorite locations around the city?
My other career without the mask brought me to L.A. when I was a kid, so I was basically living here half-time before I ever moved. In those days, I was always hanging around Los Feliz, going to Fred 62 and Figaro and the Vista and the Los Feliz 3 theater, so that part of town will always have a special place in my heart.
Other favorite locations generally involve food. I love getting horror-themed vegan hot dogs at The Frankenstand in Burbank. I love going to Bacetti and then walking around Echo Park Lake. I love going to Ramen Hood at Grand Central Market before stopping into The Last Bookstore.
And of course, Cinespia at Hollywood Forever Cemetery. I was visiting L.A. almost 20 years ago when I went to my first screening. I try to go at least once every summer, but that’s difficult because my books come out in the summer months and I need to tour.
Q. Is there anything else that you’re currently working on?
I typically write a few novels ahead, so when one of my books is coming out, I’ve got one or two already in the can waiting to go. “Fabulous Bodies” is nearly here, so that means the process for releasing next year’s book will start up soon enough. It’s never-ending action here in The Tingleverse.
Q. What’s something about your novel “Fabulous Bodies,” or any of your work for that matter, that you don’t think anybody knows or that you wish people knew about?
Along with my new horror novels having little crossovers with the old ones, I like to plant future references in my books, and I’m really excited for people to find the hidden Easter Eggs that connect previous novels to “Fabulous Bodies.”
Q. And finally, if you could ask your readers anything, what would you ask?
Did you know that you’re the overwhelmingly powerful and infinitely unique result of billions of choices and paths throughout history, and because of this, there is nobody as good at being you as you are?
If you go
- When: 7:30-9 p.m., Friday, July 17
- Where: Dynasty Typewriter, 2511 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles
- Details: Doors at 6:30 p.m., 18+ general admission
- Tickets: $22.99, with fees, or $48.24 for a book/ticket bundle, through SquadUp.com.