Stories of the absurd
Stories of the grotesque

“Once again...welcome to my house. Come freely. Go safely; and leave something of the happiness you bring.” - Bram Stoker (Dracula)

E.M. Bancroft

Writer, poet, visual artist, zinemaker & activist

E.M. Bancroft is a queer writer, poet, visual artist and activist based in Meanjin (Brisbane), Australia. Bancroft started writing at age 16 and quickly became influenced by various gothic, absurdist and science-fiction works.
As a teenager, they would publish their work on a Books & Writing Amino blog, and fanfictions to Vox Akuma fanzines.When they aren’t writing or studying, they can be found playing games with friends and rewatching Mike Flanagan shows.In 2025, they were a Co-Deputy Editor for the University of Queensland Union's student newspaper Semper Floreat.They are studying a Bachelor of Art, with an Extended Major in Writing and a Minor in Film Studies.

Latest Release!

The Receptionists: A Love Story

'With my body, I worship you...'

The Receptionist of Hell has been doing his job for an eternity. He also has a very easy job: all he has to do is process descendees. He has reasonable hours, a thirty-minute lunch break, and is entitled to paid leave. When he’s on break, he does one of two things: read a poetry collection or talk to Heaven’s receptionist. The Receptionist of Heaven, whom he has fallen in love with.

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A Cathedral towers before thee...

Around the Dark Corner

Two men find themselves stranded on a deserted island. A bounty hunter travels through a town devastated by a mysterious illness. God confronts his rebellious son. A young man uncovers his uncle’s peculiar curse. A house becomes trapped outside of reality.
Written throughout E.M. Bancroft’s journey as a young amateur writer, Around the Dark Corner is a collection of tales and prose that delve into the grotesque, tragic, gothic, and surreal.

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Coming Soon!

TBC

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Around the Dark Corner

Short stories and poetry on the grotesque and tragic.
Out December 2025

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TBC

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Lapsus Calami

Zine by E.M. Bancroft.
Lapsus Calami is Latin for ‘a slip of the pen’. Here at Lapsus Calami, we value the written form of advocacy, activism, resistance, and creativity.