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For the paperback of Growing Things I wrote a favorite short fic collection list. It's long but not meant to be exhaustive. Alphabetized by author. (1/many)
@NBallingrud: North American Lake Monsters, Wounds
The stories in his first collection are southern gothic inflected, Raymond Carver bits of working class nightmare/horror. His second collection mixes pulp and Clive Barker grandeur. Both books are must reads.
The stories in his first collection are southern gothic inflected, Raymond Carver bits of working class nightmare/horror. His second collection mixes pulp and Clive Barker grandeur. Both books are must reads.
@RealCliveBarker Barker: The Books of Blood (all volumes)
No author has made me feel as fundamentally unsafe when reading their work. On the short list of my all-time favorite stories, “In the Hills, the Cities” is a jaw-dropping feat of vision, imagination, and storytelling.
No author has made me feel as fundamentally unsafe when reading their work. On the short list of my all-time favorite stories, “In the Hills, the Cities” is a jaw-dropping feat of vision, imagination, and storytelling.
@LairdBarron: The Imago Sequence, Occultation, Swift to Chase
No one mixes cosmic horror, noir, pulp, and literary fiction in quite the way Laird does. His fingerprints are all over the boom/renaissance of horror fiction in the 21st century.
No one mixes cosmic horror, noir, pulp, and literary fiction in quite the way Laird does. His fingerprints are all over the boom/renaissance of horror fiction in the 21st century.
Aimee Bender: The Girl in the Flammable Skirt
Full of vivid yet humane fever dreams. Bender’s stories are typically wild yet also subtle in their approach to our daily absurdities. The title story is a showstopper.
Full of vivid yet humane fever dreams. Bender’s stories are typically wild yet also subtle in their approach to our daily absurdities. The title story is a showstopper.
@nadiabulkin: She Said Destroy
A heady, unerringly intelligent collection of socio-political horror stories, so of our time as to be prescient of what’s the come. After first reading “Intertropical Convergence Zone” I decided that I would read everything she wrote.
A heady, unerringly intelligent collection of socio-political horror stories, so of our time as to be prescient of what’s the come. After first reading “Intertropical Convergence Zone” I decided that I would read everything she wrote.
@emilyterrible: Through the Woods
A graphic novel collection of 5 short stories with some referring to or connecting to each other. Her characters exist in a shadow reflection of ours, and as disturbed as I am by it, I want to climb down into the pages and walk around.
A graphic novel collection of 5 short stories with some referring to or connecting to each other. Her characters exist in a shadow reflection of ours, and as disturbed as I am by it, I want to climb down into the pages and walk around.
Stuart Dybek: I Sailed with Magellan
A simmering, harrowing, and often beautiful collection of interconnected stories set in Chicago’s South Side.
A simmering, harrowing, and often beautiful collection of interconnected stories set in Chicago’s South Side.
@LaEnriquez1973: Things We Lost in the Fire
My favorite collection of the 21st century. Literary fiction, socio-politics, and horror, every story is different in approach + tone, yet the unity of effect lingers. “The Dirty Kid” is a brutal and perfect opening salvo.
My favorite collection of the 21st century. Literary fiction, socio-politics, and horror, every story is different in approach + tone, yet the unity of effect lingers. “The Dirty Kid” is a brutal and perfect opening salvo.
Brian Evenson: A Collapse of Horses, Song for the Unraveling World
Brian’s short jolts of surrealism, ontology, and existential dread are as playful as they are bizarre and disturbing.
Brian’s short jolts of surrealism, ontology, and existential dread are as playful as they are bizarre and disturbing.
@jeffreyford8: A Natural History of Hell
Like many if not most of the writers included in this list, Jeff is a writer that cannot be pigeonholed into a single genre. His fierce intelligence, mischievous sense of humor, and dark heart shine through in everything he writes.
Like many if not most of the writers included in this list, Jeff is a writer that cannot be pigeonholed into a single genre. His fierce intelligence, mischievous sense of humor, and dark heart shine through in everything he writes.
Karen Joy Fowler: The Pelican Bar
Karen writes expertly in multiple genres and her work is almost always heartbreaking, the kind that leaves a permeant mark. The title story is as dark and devastating as it gets.
Karen writes expertly in multiple genres and her work is almost always heartbreaking, the kind that leaves a permeant mark. The title story is as dark and devastating as it gets.
@Liz_Hand: Errantry: Strange Stories
Liz is one of my favorite contemporary writers: from horror to noir punk polemics to historical fiction, there’s nothing she can’t write and write exceedingly well. “Near Zennor” aches with a unique blend of dread and melancholy.
Liz is one of my favorite contemporary writers: from horror to noir punk polemics to historical fiction, there’s nothing she can’t write and write exceedingly well. “Near Zennor” aches with a unique blend of dread and melancholy.
Amy Hempel: Tumble Home: A Novella and Short Stories
These quiet (until they’re not) stories are loaded with secrets and insights. Heartbreaking and hopeful, and written with a measured yet mesmerizing style.
These quiet (until they’re not) stories are loaded with secrets and insights. Heartbreaking and hopeful, and written with a measured yet mesmerizing style.
@joe_hill Hill: 20th Century Ghosts
Joe’s first book is full of energy, wit, and compassion (as in “Pop Art”). His stories still have bite, though, like “Best New Horror,” which remains one of my favorite stories written about the horror writer and fan community.
Joe’s first book is full of energy, wit, and compassion (as in “Pop Art”). His stories still have bite, though, like “Best New Horror,” which remains one of my favorite stories written about the horror writer and fan community.
Shirley Jackson: The Lottery and Other Stories
Where would we be without Shirley Jackson? There’s an off-ness to her work that can only be described as Jacksonesque, or Jacksonian? Nah, -esque sounds more literary. (1/2)
Where would we be without Shirley Jackson? There’s an off-ness to her work that can only be described as Jacksonesque, or Jacksonian? Nah, -esque sounds more literary. (1/2)
2 My favorite story of Jackson's is “The Intoxicated.” A high-school aged girl is confronted in the kitchen by one of the adult male revelers at a party her parents are hosting. Funny, threatening, and gloriously righteous in a way all outsiders can recognize.
@SGJ72: The Ones That Got Away, After the People Lights Have Gone Off
Stephen never pulls any punches, never flinches. Hell, he doesn’t blink. I still have one scene stuck in my head from “Raphael” and it will never go away,
Stephen never pulls any punches, never flinches. Hell, he doesn’t blink. I still have one scene stuck in my head from “Raphael” and it will never go away,
@StephenKing King: Night Shift, Skeleton Crew, Nightmares and Dreamscapes
As much as I love and have been inspired by his novels, I find myself returning more and more to his short fiction. There are too many favorites to pick out one, but I’ll mention two... 1/2
As much as I love and have been inspired by his novels, I find myself returning more and more to his short fiction. There are too many favorites to pick out one, but I’ll mention two... 1/2
2 ...that don’t get mentioned as often as others. “The Reach,” about a ninety-five-year-old woman attempting to cross ‘the reach’ to the mainland for the first time in her life; “Umney’s Last Case,” a wonderfully imaginative and affecting Raymond Chandler riff.
@MrGaunt: The Wide Carnivorous Sky and Other Monstrous Geographies, Sefira and Other Betrayals
Perhaps you can tell by the lengths of the titles (sorry, John) but his short fiction isn’t all that short. His novelettes and novellas are... 1/2
Perhaps you can tell by the lengths of the titles (sorry, John) but his short fiction isn’t all that short. His novelettes and novellas are... 1/2
2 ...always inventive (the genius “How the Day Runs Down;” think Our Town with zombies) are packed with wit, intelligence, integrity of vision, and they’re creepy as hell.
@TheNuminous1 Llewellyn: Engines of Desire, Furnace
Livia’s weird/horror/erotic stories are as disturbing as they are grotesquely beautiful. Another stellar writer with an integrity of vision. “The Last, Clean Bright Summer” is a coming of age story that’s unlike any other
Livia’s weird/horror/erotic stories are as disturbing as they are grotesquely beautiful. Another stellar writer with an integrity of vision. “The Last, Clean Bright Summer” is a coming of age story that’s unlike any other
@haszombiesinit: Magic for Beginners
Kelly’s stories are modern, messed-up, fully-fanged fairy tales. Her “Some Zombie Contingency Plans” is one of the best stories about zombies without there actually (maybe) being a zombie in it.
Kelly’s stories are modern, messed-up, fully-fanged fairy tales. Her “Some Zombie Contingency Plans” is one of the best stories about zombies without there actually (maybe) being a zombie in it.
to be continued...
