COLD SIGNAL
is a digital literary anthology that publishes infrequently that was founded in 2022. Initially created in response to the rise of AI text and imagery and its immediate dizzying affect on the collective unconscious, Cold Signal seeks to gather and celebrate diverse, challenging work straddling a multitude of genres and styles that speak to the unique alienating challenges and conditions we face today as artists and human beings. Each issue centers around a loose theme announced prior to or decided during submission period (see the submissions page for more details.)
Each piece is accompanied by a promotional digital collage created by the editor utilizing free and public domain art and imagery that is meant to convey a general sense of the work.
The best way to understand Cold Signal is to read it!
Masthead
Cold Signal is a one-person operation by editor John Chrostek, who reads submitted pieces, edits them and creates the digital collages that accompany the selected work.
John Chrostek is a writer and editor of fiction, poetry and plays. He grew up in Bucks County, Pennsylvania and studied writing & film at the Savannah College of Art and Design. He has lived, worked and eked out a living in Georgia, Florida, Vancouver, B.C, Portland, OR, Richmond, VA and now lives in Buffalo, NY with his partner Amanda and their two pets, Madeline and Cvetka.
(Rest in peace, sweet Zadie.)
In his own work, John is driven towards themes of poverty, madness, memory loss and capitalism’s many ills inspired by his working class background and bizarre life experiences. He has been featured in magazines like Coffin Bell, X-R-A-Y, HAD, Maudlin House, Cease Cows, Hex Literary, Maudlin House, Scrawl Place, Deep Overstock, River Heron Review, Taco Bell Quarterly and more. His work has been nominated for awards such as the Pushcart and Best of the Net and he has previously been a reader for Uncharted Magazine.
He has a short story collection, Boxcutters, forthcoming with Malarkey Books in May 2025, and a dark fantasy/body politic horror novel, Feast of the Pale Leviathan, forthcoming with Deep Overstock in August 2025.
Find links to his writing at johnchrostek.com. He’s also currently on Twitter at @johnnychrostek.
CRITICAL, ETERNAL THANKS
to everyone who has donated towards the Cold Signal effort. You are beautiful people and I wanted to commemorate your kindness by including you on the Masthead:
Rod Mannix
Stephanie King
Art Stanton
Dan Stephenson
Allister Nelson
COLD SIGNAL 