J. L. Keay is a Southern gothic horror author raised in the tangling kudzu of Mississippi. Influenced as much by country ballads as gothic tales, Keay’s stories shine light on the cracks in the shadowy foundations of small-town America. Off the page, Keay is a lifelong pianist, sporadic baker, and the doting servant of two cats. Coming 2026, Sunnyside Square and Other Stories will be Keay’s first book.