State of My State 2014 Edition

11

December 20, 2014 by Laird

I forged ahead with a significant amount of writing this year–the majority of it won’t make the scene until 2015, so I’ll leave that aside and stick with what is here at the moment. My agent is in possession of two manuscripts, one of which is the forthcoming Alaska collection, Swift to Chase. A handful of stories saw publication. The Beautiful Thing That Awaits Us All won a Stoker and was nominated for the World Fantasy Award. I wrote several introductions and forewords for my fellow authors, including Simon Strantzas, John Goodrich, and Scott Nicolay. Guest-editing the Year’s Best Weird Fiction, Volume 1 is a hell of a milestone–I am proud of the book Mike and I put together. Additionally, I penned essays and eulogies for colleagues who have passed on to the other side. A bittersweet task, but it was honor to take it on.

Thank you to Ellen and Matt at KGB, Cory and the gang at Night Shade, Ross Lockhart and Justin Steele at Worde Horde, Michael Kelly at Undertow, the good folks at WORD BOOKSTORE in Brooklyn, everybody at THE STRAND in Manhattan, and INQUIRING MINDS bookstores of New Paltz and Saugerties, NY. As always, much appreciation to my agents Janet and Pouya and their assistants Penny and Jess. Thanks to my family and friends, especially Fiona, John, and David Langan. And special thanks to my girlfriend Jessica. She’s a wonderful person, and I am lucky to have her in my corner.

Finally, my heartfelt gratitude to my supporters and fans in the genre community. Thank you for buying my books and reading my words. It permits me to keep at this writing bit. I appreciate your kind words and thoughts–this is a solitary gig and it makes a difference knowing you’re out there pulling for me.

2014 publications

Stories

“(Little Miss) Queen of Darkness” Dark Discoveries Magazine, #29
“Screaming Elk, MT” Nightmare Carnival
“the worms crawl in,” Fearful Symmetries
Man with No Name, A Mountain Walked

Reprints

The Croning Valdemar Books, Spain
“More Dark” Natura Erratae
“Bulldozer” Lovecraft’s Monsters
“Ardor” The Cutting Room
“Termination Dust” The Year’s Best Dark Fantasy & Horror 2013 
“Jaws of Saturn” The Best Horror of the Year 6

Essays

“Silken Death Tunnel.” Introduction to Pop 1280 by Jim Thompson
“May Bury You (On Robert Aickman’s ‘The Hospice’)” Weird Fiction Review
“Life among Ghosts.” introduction to Hag by John Goodrich
“We Are For the Weird.” Introduction to the Year’s Best Weird Fiction, Vol. 1
“Shine On, Dark Star.” Michael Shea tribute; Locus Magazine
“No Form Is Eternal.” Michael Shea essay; Lightspeed Magazine
“A Stitch in Darkness.” Introduction to Unseaming by Mike Allen
“Dig My Grave.” Introduction to Burnt Black Suns by Simon Strantzas
“Eye of the Raven.” Introduction to The New Black Dark House
“Waking the Titans.” Introduction to Ana Kai Tangata by Scott Nicolay

Interviews

Building a Better Shark
Good Reads Mad Reads–Episode 6 2014
Unwinnable 2014