The Horror Zine

01/07/2024

Today is July 1, and this is a special month for The Horror Zine! Today means that we have been in business for 15 years!

The Horror Zine's first issue was in July of 2009. 15 years and 180 issues later, we are still going strong, thanks to YOU and the rest of our readers.

https://www.thehorrorzine.com

01/07/2024

Everyone has seen the movie The Conjuring. It was supposed to be based upon real life events. But was it?

The Horror Zine digs deep into what really happened at the house on 1677 Round Top Road (includes a photo gallery). You will be surprised!

Director James Wan was "adamant" that the first The Conjuring movie stay "as close to the true story as possible." Likewise, screenwriters Chad and Carey W. Hayes strove to accurately represent the events. But did they?

30/06/2024

The Horror Zine contains a fun article this month! On our Special Page, professional psychic Alexis Donkin tells how psychics work, and how to find the right psychic for you.

Alexis Donkin is The Destructrix, offering thoughtful mentorship and psychic insight at crossroads moments. She is accomplished in many things: from publishing and music, to art and language. Steeped in herbal tea, Alexis is the witchy bestie you've always wanted.

30/06/2024

Bram Stoker Award-winner and author of over 60 books--everyone's favorite horror/comedy writer Jeff Strand gives us a story to enjoy in this month's issue of The Horror Zine.

Pa kicked open the screen door and stormed into the backyard. “What the hell is going on out here?” A moment later he saw the dead body on the lawn. He looked from the body to the bloody knife in my hand, then back at the body, then closed his eyes and shook his head and sighed.

27/06/2024

The Horror Zine is now open for submissions for fiction, poetry, and art.

We are a "4theluv" market, exposure only. No monetary or any other compensation for either the ezine or the print magazine.

27/06/2024

July is a special month for us! The Horror Zine's 15-year Anniversary Issue is now available for free viewing here: https://www.thehorrorzine.com

That's right! The Horror Zine first hit the world in July of 2009. That means we have successfully produced 180 issues on time every month!

In this 15-year Anniversary Issue:

SPECIAL

Professional Psychic Alexis Donkin tells how to find the right psychic for you

FICTION

Everyone's favorite horror/comedy writer, Bram Stoker award-winner Jeff Strand
Jonathan Chapman
Brian J. Smith
Bailey Burck

POETRY

Norbert Gora
John Grey
Russel Winick

ART

Dan Kuzmenka
Michal Bedkowski

MORBID

How accurate was the movie The Conjuring (1)? The Horror Zine digs deep into what really happened at the house on 1677 Round Top Road (includes a photo gallery).

NEWS

The top 20 horror films of all time as chosen by our facebook friends (maybe you?), ranked in the order of how many votes each movie received. Includes trivia about each film.

Join us in our celebration of 15 years of bringing the best of horror fiction, poetry and art to everyone for free for all of our readers each month!

Thanks for continuing to support The Horror Zine,
Jeani Rector, Editor

We feature an exclusive interview with the Bram Stoker award-winner Grady Hendrix, who wrote Horrorstör, How to Sell a Haunted House, and other best-selling books! Go HERE

24/06/2024

The Horror Zine will open for submissions on June 27. Check the guidelines for more information.

We are a "4theluv" market, exposure only. No monetary or any other compensation for either the ezine or the print magazine.

19/06/2024

This woman looks perfectly normal. In reality, she is a chimera.

Sometimes Vanishing Twin syndrome can produce chimeras in both people and animals. What is a chimera and could you be one? Find out in this month's issue of The Horror Zine (also contains a photo gallery of animal chimeras) here before the new issue replaces it:

In Greek mythology, a chimera was a fire-breathing creature with physical traits of a lion, goat, and dragon. In human beings, a chimera is a person who has two totally different sets of DNA inside their body.

18/06/2024

Nancy A. Collins is a winner of the HWA’s Bram Stoker Award, The British Fantasy Award, the International Horror Guild Award, and many others.

Don't miss her story in this month's The Horror Zine before the next issue of the ezine replaces the current issue! Go here:

Nancy A. Collins is best known for the female punk vampire and vampire slayer Sonja Blue and as a founding pioneer of the Urban Fantasy genre.

17/06/2024

Trish Wilson here, your friendly neighborhood Media Director. This is the last week to enjoy my exclusive interview with Bram Stoker award-winner Grady Hendrix. (who wrote Horrorstör, How to Sell a Haunted House, and other best-selling books) before the next issue of The Horror Zine replaces the current issue.

Our Media Director, Trish Wilson, captured an exclusive interview with the New York Times best-selling author Grady Hendrix

17/06/2024

From Jeani Rector: Updated today! Our list of publishers page now contains new information. Reputable publishers are on the top half of the page and disreputable publishers are on the bottom half (which I call The Basement).

If you are seeking a publisher for your work, this list is important information for you. We list good publishers that don't ask for money from authors, pay royalties, and don't require a literary agent.

The first list below is our list of reputable publishers and more small press publishing houses will be added as we are made aware of them. If you are a publisher, or have a publisher that you are happy with, please contact us HERE to be added to the list.

15/06/2024

The Horror Zine will open for fiction, poetry, and art on June 27.

We feature an exclusive interview with the Bram Stoker award-winner Grady Hendrix, who wrote Horrorstör, How to Sell a Haunted House, and other best-selling books! Go HERE

15/06/2024

A couple of weeks ago, I asked my facebook friends to list their favorite horror movies of all time. I have now compiled the list into the top 20 winners of the poll, according to the number of votes. The list will be in the next issue of The Horror Zine on the News Page.

I will give you a hint: the number one pick was The Thing (1982).

We feature an exclusive interview with the Bram Stoker award-winner Grady Hendrix, who wrote Horrorstör, How to Sell a Haunted House, and other best-selling books! Go HERE

13/06/2024

Jeani Rector’s Advice on Writing is a folksy, easy to comprehend step-by-step process that covers in detail such techniques as character development; substance, structure and style; pacing suspense; suggestions about promoting your work and other valuable information.

What makes an editor choose one story over another for publication? What are the secrets to make your work stand out from the pack? On sale for only $8.99 paperback and $2.99 kindle here:

Jeani Rector's Advice on Writing

08/06/2024

Shirley Jackson Awards Nominees 2023

Congrats to all the nominees! The 2023 Shirley Jackson Awards nominees for outstanding achievement in horror, psychological suspense, and dark fantasy fiction have been announced.

Novel
 The Daughters of Block Island, Christa Carmen (Thomas & Mercer)
 Every Version Ends in Death, Aliya Chaudhry (Haunt)
 The Reformatory, Tananarive Due (Saga Press)
 Don’t Fear the Reaper, Stephen Graham Jones (Saga)
 The Militia House, John Milas (Henry Holt & Company)
 Brainwyrms, Alison Rumfitt (Nightfire)

Novella
 Broken Paradise, Eugen Bacon (Luna Press Publishing)
 Getting by in Tligolian, Roppotucha Greenberg (Arachne)
 To the Woman in the Pink Hat, LaToya Jordan (Aqueduct)
 The Salt Grows Heavy, Cassandra Khaw (Nightfire)
 Sleep Alone, J.A.W. McCarthy (Off Limits)
 Green Fuse Burning, Tiffany Morris (Stelliform)

Novelette
 The Pram, Joe Hill (Amazon Original Stories)
 People Like Them, Minka Kent (Amazon Original Stories)
 The Lover, Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Amazon Original Stories)
 “The Swan”, Lynn C. Pitts (Infinite Constellations)
 “What’s He Building in There”, Cat Powell (Fairy Tale Review: The Rainbow Issue Vol. 19 2023)
 “Six Versions of My Brother Found Under the Bridge”, Eugenia Triantafyllou (Uncanny 9-10/23)
 “Vampire Fiction”, Michael Wehunt (The Inconsolables)

Short Fiction
 “Invasion of the Baby Snatchers”, Lesley Nneka Arimah (Out There Screaming)
 “The First Mrs. Edward Rochester Would Like a Word”, Laura Blackwell (Aseptic and Faintly Sadistic)
 Kazti Girls, Sciascia DeKay (The Fabulist)
 “Something is Rotten”, Jo Kaplan (Shakespeare Unleashed)
 “The Dizzy Room”, Kristina Ten (Nightmare 3/23)

Single-Author Collection
 Her Body Among Animals, Paola Ferrante (Book*hug)
 Drinking from Graveyard Wells, Yvette Lisa Ndlovu (University Press of Kentucky)
 They Will Dream in the Garden, Gabriela Damián Miravete, translated by Adrian Demopulos (Rosarium)
 Jackal, Jackal, Tobi Ogundiran (Undertow)
 White Trash & Recycled Nightmares, Rebecca Rowland (Dead Sky)

Edited Anthology
 Shakespeare Unleashed, James Aquilone, ed. (Monstrous)
 Never Whistle at Night, Shane Hawk & Theodore C. Van Alst, Jr., eds. (Vintage)
 Out There Screaming: An Anthology of New Black Horror, Jordan Peele & John Joseph Adams, eds. (Penguin Random House)
 Mooncalves, John WM Thompson, ed. (NO Press)
 Aseptic and Faintly Sadistic, Jolie Toomajan, ed. (Cosmic Horror Monthly)

Winners will be announced at the July 13, 2024 at Readercon 33 in Quincy MA. For more information, see the award website.

Boston, MA (June 2024) — In recognition of the legacy of Shirley Jackson’s writing, and with permission of the author’s estate, The Shirley Jackson Awards, Inc. has been established for outstanding achievement in the literature of psychological suspense, horror, and the dark fantastic.

03/06/2024

Congratulations to all of the Stoker winners:

The 2023 Bram Stoker Award winners were announced on June 1 during the Annual Bram Stoker Awards Banquet at StokerCon™ 2024 in San Diego.

THE 2023 BRAM STOKER AWARDS®

Superior Achievement in an Anthology
• Peele, Jordan, and Adams, John Joseph – Out There Screaming(Random House)

Superior Achievement in a Fiction Collection
• Files, Gemma – Blood from the Air (Grimscribe Press)

Superior Achievement in a First Novel
• Carmen, Christa – The Daughters of Block Island (Thomas & Mercer)

Superior Achievement in a Graphic Novel
• Chu, Amy (author) and Lee, Soo (artist) – Carmilla: The First Vampire(Dark Horse)

Superior Achievement in Long Fiction
• Jiang, Ai – Linghun (Dark Matter INK)

Superior Achievement in Long Nonfiction
• Hartmann, Sadie – 101 Horror Books to Read Before You’re Murdered(Page Street Publishing)

Superior Achievement in a Middle Grade Novel
• Senf, Lora – The Nighthouse Keeper (Atheneum Books for Young Readers)

Superior Achievement in a Novel
• Due, Tananarive – The Reformatory (Gallery/Saga Press/Titan)

Superior Achievement in Poetry
• Wytovich, Stephanie M. – On the Subject of Blackberries (Raw Dog Screaming Press)

Superior Achievement in a Screenplay
• Yamazaki, Takashi – Godzilla Minus One (Robot Communications, Toho Studios)

Superior Achievement in Short Fiction
• O’Quinn, Cindy – “Quondam” (The Nightmare Never Ends, Exploding Head Fiction)

Superior Achievement in Short Non-Fiction
• Bulkin, Nadia – “Becoming Ungovernable: Latah, Amok, and Disorder in Indonesia,” (Unquiet Spirits: Essays by Asian Women in Horror, Black Spot Books)

Superior Achievement in a Young Adult Novel
• Tran, Trang Thanh – She Is a Haunting (Bloomsbury YA)

OTHER AWARDS PRESENTED

SPECIALTY PRESS AWARD
• Thunderstorm Books

THE RICHARD LAYMON PRESIDENT’S AWARD
• Brian W. Matthews

THE KAREN LANSDALE SILVER HAMMER AWARD
• Lila Denning

MENTOR OF THE YEAR AWARD
• Lisa Wood

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
• Mort Castle
• Cassandra Peterson.
• Steve Rasnic Tem

03/06/2024

Submissions for fiction, poetry and art reopen on June 27.

31/05/2024

On this month's News Page, we feature Prophetic Frights: Ten Times Horror Movies Predicted the Future. Go here:

Recently, Jeani Rector queried folks on facebook as to what are their favorite horror books of all time. She assembled the list in descending order per the number of votes for each book. Below are the of 16 top picks of people from facebook.

30/05/2024

We have the most interesting subjects on our Morbid Page. This month it is about chimeras, which are those that absorb their own twin in the womb so that they have two different sets of DNA. It could happen to both humans and animals. Could you be one and not even know it? Sometimes there are no outward signs of chimerism. See our Morbid Page to find out (includes photos) here:

In Greek mythology, a chimera was a fire-breathing creature with physical traits of a lion, goat, and dragon. In human beings, a chimera is a person who has two totally different sets of DNA inside their body.

29/05/2024

Nancy A. Collins is a winner of the HWA’s Bram Stoker Award, The British Fantasy Award, the International Horror Guild Award, and many others. Read her amazing story in this month's issue of The Horror Zine here:

Nancy A. Collins is best known for the female punk vampire and vampire slayer Sonja Blue and as a founding pioneer of the Urban Fantasy genre.

27/05/2024

The June 2024 issue of The Horror Zine is now available for free viewing here: https://www.thehorrorzine.com

In this issue:

SPECIAL

An exclusive interview with Horrorstör author Grady Hendrix

FICTION

Bram Stoker Award-winner Nancy A. Collins
Nessa Cannon
Maryanne Chappell
Paul Lonardo

POETRY

D.L. Cocchio
Chris McAuley
Brian Rosenberger

ART

Frank Heiler
Irina Kor (Shennikin)

NEWS PAGE

Prophetic Frights: Ten Times Horror Movies Predicted the Future

MORBID PAGE

Chimeras: People and animals that were born with two different sets of DNA. Could you be one?

Thanks to you all for supporting The Horror Zine for yet another month.

Jeani Rector, Editor

7 time Bram Stoker award-winner (and also a Lifetime Achievement award-winner): Nancy Holder shares a suspenseful story with us HERE

26/05/2024

Tomorrow the June issue of The Horror Zine replaces the current May issue. And remember, all issues of the ezine are free for all to read.

If you want to see the May issue one last time, go here:

7 time Bram Stoker award-winner (and also a Lifetime Achievement award-winner): Nancy Holder shares a suspenseful story with us HERE

25/05/2024

The disease Encephalitis Lethargica turned people into frozen statues in the 1920s. Most never recovered. Was this linked to the Spanish Flu? Worse, could it happen again? With a photo gallery. See this article before the June issue goes live in a few days.

Go here to see it on The Horror Zine's Morbid Page here:

Above: Constantin Alexander von Economo, a psychiatrist and neurologist, reported in April 1917 about encephalitis lethargica in front of the Vienna Psychiatric Society. His primary description of the illness that raged in an epidemic in Europe and North America was named von Economo encephalitis.

22/05/2024

From Jeani Rector: Don't forget my own collection: THE BEST OF JEANI RECTOR. It has short stories, but it also contains two long stories and one novella.

Only $10.99 paperback and $2.99 kindle here:

Queen of Horror Jeani Rector is well-known for editing the critically acclaimed, international ezine called The Horror Zine. She knows how to deliver spine-tingling horror. Now she delivers the most terrifying short story collection of all, her own original work. In this book, she presents the ve...

22/05/2024

From Jeani Rector: Recently, I queried the folks on Facebook as to what are their favorite horror books of all time. I assembled the list of 16 top picks in descending order per the number of votes for each book. This is the last week to find YOUR Facebook choices on our News Page before the next issue of The Horror Zine replaces the current issue.

Go here:

Recently, Jeani Rector queried folks on facebook as to what are their favorite horror books of all time. She assembled the list in descending order per the number of votes for each book. Below are the of 16 top picks of people from facebook.

22/05/2024

Seven time Bram Stoker award-winner (and also a Lifetime Achievement award-winner): Nancy Holder shares a suspenseful story with us in this month's issue of The Horror Zine. Read it before the June issue goes live next week. (Photo credit: Beth Gwinn)

New York Times bestselling author and 7-time Bram Stoker Award-winner (and also the HWA Lifetime Achievement Award-winner), Nancy Holder is the Horror Writers Association's  Grand Master. She is a winner of the International Association of Media Tie-in Writers ASH for His Abominable Wife, the Baker...

20/05/2024

In this month's issue of The Horror Zine, best-selling author Joe R. Lansdale gives great advice that no writer should miss! Read it before the June issue goes live next week.

Champion Mojo Storyteller Joe R. Lansdale has written novels and stories in many genres, including Western, horror, science fiction, mystery, and suspense. He has also written for comics as well as "Batman: The Animated Series." As of 2020, he has written 50 novels and published more than 30 short-s...

15/05/2024

Fantastic review of "The Horror Zine's Book of Monster Stories" by Peace & Cookies. She reviewed every story in the book. Head on over for a listen, and then buy the book if you haven't already.

Hello, Earthlings!it took awhile, but I finally sat down to film this review. as I say, it's more of a visual and audible inventory for me!Song: Unlike Pluto...

12/05/2024

From Jeani Rector: It is getting difficult for me to tell whether artists are using digital manipulation through photoshop (which has been acceptable for years) or AI.

I think that starting from my August issue on, I will begin asking them directly. I don't want to publish AI if I can help it. I already have artists in the publishing lineup for the June and July issues or I would ask sooner.

09/05/2024

Don't forget my own collection: THE BEST OF JEANI RECTOR. It has short stories, but it also contains two long stories and one novella.

Only $10.99 paperback and $2.99 kindle here:

Queen of Horror Jeani Rector is well-known for editing the critically acclaimed, international ezine called The Horror Zine. She knows how to deliver spine-tingling horror. Now she delivers the most terrifying short story collection of all, her own original work. In this book, she presents the ve...