Exploring Dark Short Fiction Series 2019

Smartly edited by Eric J. Guignard and gorgeously illustrated by Michelle Prebich, these books are an excellent way to get to know (or if you already know them, then to better understand) the pre-eminent writers of SHORT STORIES in the horror genre. They feature five-to-six selected stories that represent their strengths, each including an academic commentary that I provide (along with a longer essay I contribute on why that author matters in the grander scheme of things). It's a fantastic series of "primers" and serves an important function to the genre, as so many of the authors are celebrated for…

Exploring Dark Short Fiction Series 2018: Kaaron Warren #2 & Nisi Shawl #3

Following up on the success of the first study of contemporary writer Steve Rasnic Tem, 2018 saw the publication of two new entries into the Exploring Dark Short Fiction Series published by Dark Moon Books: Primers to Australian author Kaaron Warren (#2) and -- just released this December -- Afrofuturist Nisi Shawl (#3). Smartly edited by Eric J. Guignard and gorgeously illustrated by Michelle Prebich, these books are an excellent way to get to know (or if you know them, to better understand) the pre-eminent writers of SHORT STORIES in the horror genre, because they feature five-to-six selected stories that…

Exploring Dark Short Fiction Series #1: Steve Rasnic Tem

Dark Moon Books, newly acquired and resurrected by Eric J. Guignard, has just released the first in a series of primers and tributes to significant horror writers working in the short fiction genre, called Exploring Dark Short Fiction. I am the current academic consultant, contributing analytical commentaries on every story and a longer essay on the significance of the writer's work. The first book is devoted to the great Steve Rasnic Tem, collecting six of his shorts (one new): "Hungry," "The Last Moments Before Bed," "In These Final Days of Sales," "Rat Catcher," "The Giveaway" and a creepy new original…

More on “Please Publish My New Adult Coloring Book: GTFU”

Today my short parody, "Please Publish My Adult Coloring Book: Grow the F*ck Up!" is featured on McSweeney's Internet Tendency.  I'm perversely proud of this, for some reason.  Mostly, I think, because it validates my thinking that this silly piece actually contains a great idea for a book! However, I am also sensitive to the notion that adult coloring books have therapeutic value. When my dad had a stroke, this was something I bought him to help retrain motor memory and create even though debilitated.  I also think coloring is fun, and it's kind of cool when groups of people…

To Write Well…

The following is an excerpt from the front page of my Fiction Writing syllabus at SHU, which I posted to scribd and soundcloud as part of the course. I was surprised to find out tonight that it was highlighted as a "Featured Document" by scribd.com! Neat. To Write Well Here's the audio version, recorded for the students in the class to respond to. Teaching does take time away from my writing, but it's just as rewarding to me, and it's fun to share in the students' creative spirits. Our class is going to be doing a lot of experiments with…