When Things Get Dark

Description

A collection of new and exclusive short stories inspired by, and in tribute to, Shirley Jackson. Shirley Jackson is a seminal writer of horror and mystery fiction, whose legacy resonates globally today. Chilling, human, poignant and strange, her stories have inspired a generation of writers and readers. This anthology, edited by legendary horror editor Ellen Datlow, will bring together today's leading horror writers to offer their own personal tribute to the work of Shirley Jackson. Featuring Joyce Carol Oates, Josh Malerman, Carmen Maria Machado, Paul Tremblay, Richard Kadrey, Stephen Graham Jones, Elizabeth Hand, Kelly Link, Cassandra Khaw, Karen Heuler, Benjamin Percy, John Langan, Laird Barron, Jeffrey Ford, M. Rickert, Seanan McGuire, Gemma Files, and Genevieve Valentine.

Ellen Datlow has been editing science fiction, fantasy, and horror short fiction for over thirty-five years as fiction editor of OMNI Magazine and editor of Event Horizon and SCIFICTION. She currently acquires short fiction for Tor.com. In addition, she has edited more than a hundred science fiction, fantasy, and horror anthologies, including the annual The Best Horror of the Year, Lovecraft's Monsters, Fearful Symmetries, Nightmare Carnival, The Doll Collection, The Monstrous, Nightmares: A New Decade of Modern Horror, and Black Feathers. Forthcoming are Haunted Nights (with Lisa Morton), and Mad Hatters and March Hares (stories inspired by Alice's Adventures in in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There). Joyce Carol Oates is the author of more than 70 books, including novels, short story collections, poetry volumes, plays, essays, and criticism, including the national bestsellers We Were the Mulvaneys and Blonde. Among her many honors are the PEN/Malamud Award for Excellence in Short Fiction and the National Book Award. Oates is the Roger S. Berlind Distinguished Professor of the Humanities at Princeton University, and has been a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters since 1978.

"18 outstanding, atmospheric horror shorts from some of the biggest names in the genre ... Any fan of Jackson's oeuvre will delight in this anthology." - Publishers Weekly starred review "Other stories are equally memorable, but for me, the outstanding one is Skinder's Veil, a breathtaking blend of fairytale, dream and reality by the incomparable Kelly Link." - The Guardian "This compilation of stories that make the mundane seem terrifying is chilling and uncanny, offering tropes that will be familiar to readers of Jackson's work (witchy women, eerie suburbia) but with unique touches that could come only from these individuals authors." - New York Public Library Best Books "A joy for Jackson fans, but no Jackson knowledge is needed to enjoy this anthology. A gem in its own right." - SFX "If you're a fan of Shirley Jackson, you're bound to find something here that moves you the way her stories did." - LitReactor "Perfect to dip in and out of as the nights draw in" - Culturefly "In short, another great anthology assembled by Ellen Datlow." - Horror Tree "No one consistently delivers like Datlow does." - Horror DNA "This anthology is classic horror in its appearance, but in the inside has modern sensitivities with standout prose. Shirley Jackson would've been proud" - Last Sentence "Compiling a short story anthology that caters to a wide audience's taste is no small feat. Ellen Datlow has done a brilliant job of curating a selection of stories which are not only varied in style and topic, but of high quality. Whether you prefer your creepiness level at one or eleven, with a good dose of blood and gore or just with a hint of psychological suspense, you will find a favourite which appeals to your taste in this collection." - Crime Fiction Lover "Unsettling, disquieting, even disorienting... This collection is special. Somewhere, Shirley Jackson is peering over those glasses of hers, one eyebrow raised, a sly smile on her lips" - Dave Writes and Draws "Even the most voracious of readers is sure to be swept away by the sheer magnitude of talent on display in When Things Get Dark." - Phantastiqa "Datlow did it again... every piece was entertaining" - Happy Horror Writer "If you are looking for an overview of what the current literary horror world looks like, this is a fantastic example" - California Reading "[A] successful endeavour that shows just how much of an influence Shirley Jackson had with her writing" - Zachary Houle "A thrilling encounter with the uncanny courtesy of the some of the best contemporary horror writers." - End of the Words "From haunting to eerie to downright terrifying, there is something for every reader" - Mandy McHugh "I thoroughly enjoyed reading this anthology [..] so I have no hesitation in recommending it." - Stephen Bacon "These stories really linger in the back of my mind - like they're creating a space of their own in my memory" - Girl Who Reads "Hands-down, my favorite anthology I've ever read." - Quaint and Curious Volumes