Two of my horror drabbles—First Kiss and Holding Hands—have been accepted into the Love Me, Love Me Not anthology by Black Hare Press. Each examines a different phase of a couple’s relationship, from the twisted start to the heartbreaking end.
My short (non-horror) story Firefly has been accepted by Flora Fiction for publication in Spring 2023. It’s a simple story about a young girl who captures a firefly in the back yard to help cheer up her ailing sister.
Missy caught the firefly in mid-air, cupping her hands around it to form a tiny, dark cave. She could feel the insect’s delicate footsteps tickling her skin as it wandered across her palm, searching for a way out.
“Got you!” she whispered, victorious.
I know you’ve been asking yourself, “Warren, how can we nominate YOU for a Nebula award?” Well, friends, you’re in luck. Here’s a quick rundown (for SFWA members only—login required).
Continue reading →
My coming-of-age horror story Many Deaths Before Dying has been accepted by Underland Arcana. When a giant, silvery puddle appears in the field where they play, four boys encounter an inexplicable horror that will change them forever.
“We need to get help,” I said quietly. But I didn’t move. I felt rooted in place, as if my feet had bonded to the Earth’s crust. I was frozen solid, utterly paralyzed with fear. Shah hadn’t just fallen into the puddle. He had been pulled.
2022 was another very busy year for me. As of December 1st, I will have published almost 80 stories this year alone. Of those, 37 were originals (1 novella, 14 short stories, 7 flash, and 15 drabbles) and the other 41 were reprints (18 short stories, 1 flash, 11 podcasts, 12 drabbles).
If you’re nominating for any of the major horror, sci-fi, or other awards out there (Hugo, Nebula, Stoker, Astounding, etc.), I’d love your support. Continue reading for my Top Ten Stories of 2022.
Continue reading →
I am beyond thrilled to announce that my techno-horror story Blame has been selected by Tenebrous Press for their anthology, Brave New Weird: The Best New Weird Horror, Vol. 1.
We define New Weird Horror as a Horror subgenre focused on progress, creatively capturing themes and questions that bleed into fiction straight from the modern reader’s life and future. It acts as a challenge to break new ground in terms of form and content and to engage with the unknown.
This collection features 22 stories selected from over 700 submissions of previously-published works from the past year. The final Table of Contents is a who’s-who of incredible talent—I’m so honored to be listed among such amazing writers and friends.
A House, Haunted, my first-ever horror poem, has been accepted into the Home Sweet Horror anthology by Black Ink Fiction.
Pipes spit water stained red with rust
into porcelain cracked like fractured teeth.
In addition, my horror story Something’s Wrong With Mom will be reprinted in Home Sweet Horror 3 later next year.
My techno-horror story Blame has been shortlisted for the upcoming Brave New Weird anthology by Tenebrous Press, a collection of the best new weird horror stories of 2022. With over 700 stories submitted—all of which have already been published—it’s an honor to be included in this shortlist with so many other incredible authors and stories. The final table of contents will be announced on December 1st.
My historical horror story Breathtaking has been accepted into Monstorm, a charity anthology of weather-related horror by Madness Heart Press. Proceeds from sales of the book will go to people affected by Hurricane Ian.
Set in 1930s Oklahoma during the Dust Bowl, Breathtaking tells the story of a young girl and her brother who see a mysterious woman in white screaming outside their house during a dust storm.
“Banshee,” I whispered, mouthing the words as I read. “A spirit in the form of a wailing woman who appears to members of a family as a sign that …” I trailed off. I felt my stomach tighten. Icicles formed down the center of my spine. “That one of them is about to die.”
My weird horror story The Man Who Ate the Road has been accepted by Haven Spec Magazine. When a woman tries to return home after visiting her abusive father, she discovers that the road is closed … but just for her.
It wasn’t until I had already steered onto the narrow shoulder and rolled to a stop that I began to realize how risky it was for me to pull over. I was a woman driving by myself down a deserted highway in the middle of the night, in the middle of the woods, in the middle of nowhere. I was completely and utterly alone.
