As the “most criminally underrated author on the scene,” according to Underbrush Books, I would be remiss not to pimp my fiction one last time during this season of spending.
As a gift to you (or is it a punishment?), I’ve got a free short story out on e-book, “Creepy Old Dude,” about a neighborhood stalker where things go a little too far (based on a true story!).
THE JEWISH BOOK OF HORROR, the anthology I edited for Denver Horror Collective (DHC) in late 2021, won a bronze medal in the Independent Publisher Book Awards, a Silver medal in the 666 Awards, and had previously made it onto the preliminary ballot for another well-known award. Meanwhile, at a horror writers conference, I lost count of the authors who told me they loved the book, which sold well at the DHC table, as it has literally around the world.
While readers are hungry for Jewish horror as a unique exploration of the larger genre, I think I finally understand why THE JEWISH BOOK OF HORROR was one of the only Jewish horror anthologies ever released (all by small presses). And why nearly every working author who also writes Jewish horror tells me they have difficulty getting those particular stories published.
Because while pitching my Jewish folk horror novel (CHARWOOD was ultimately published in 2023 by Aggadah Try It, the Jewish horror imprint of Madness Heart Press) to the editor of a large, established horror fiction publisher, one of my sneaking suspicions as to what’s been turning off so many gatekeepers was finally confirmed.
I hope you’ll consider voting for some of my titles in Godless Horror’s 666 Awards. Totally fine if you don’t, of course. Just remember that I know where you live (and what time you go to bed).
“Best Novella”: MALINAE (by me)
“Best Anthology/Collection”: THE JEWISH BOOK OF HORROR (edited by me)
“Best Short” category: (any of the stories from THE JEWISH BOOK OF HORROR)
*The 666 Awards makes you vote in every category to submit your vote, and we encourage you do so. But if you’re not familiar with any options in the other categories, feel free to put N/A.
Jennifer Anne Gordon interviews me on her Let’s Scare Jennifer to Death podcast about the comforts of horror fiction, my depiction of a character with Alzheimers in MALINAE, editing THE JEWISH BOOK OF HORROR, and pushing through the darkness into the light.
– by Josh Schlossberg
I’ve been thinking a lot about the concept of “social proof” in the writing world. Especially after my novella MALINAE won Horror Authors Guild “Novella of the Year,” and the anthology I edited for Denver Horror Collective, THE JEWISH BOOK OF HORROR, just qualified for the Bram Stoker Awards preliminary ballot.
THE JEWISH BOOK OF HORROR, the anthology I edited for Denver Horror Collective, made it on to Horror Writers Association 2022 Bram Stoker Award preliminary ballot for the anthology category.
Have you picked up your copy yet?
MALINAE, my cosmic folk horror novella from D&T Publishing, and THE JEWISH BOOK OF HORROR, the anthology I edited for Denver Horror Collective, together at last in Denver Westword! (even if it was several weeks ago)
Reader reviews are one of the most fundamental ways we authors have of getting our books out into the world. Tragically, we have a harder time getting readers to write those reviews than we do convincing them to eat their own…
But, Josh, I hear you thinking, we’re not all mountain hermits like yourself with nothing better to do. You think it’s easy for us to come up with some fancy review?
First of all, mean. And second, who the heck’s talking about anything fancy?
I cajole Joy Yehle and Brenda Tolian to have me back on The Burial Plot podcast to talk about–and read from–THE JEWISH BOOK OF HORROR.
On the first night of Hanukkah, November 28 at 5 pm PT / 6 MT / 7 CT / 8 ET Denver Horror Collective hosts “Jewish Horror 101,” an hour-long virtual Zoom event celebrating the publication of the award-winning small press’ third horror fiction anthology, THE JEWISH BOOK OF HORROR, available online and at bookstores across the U.S.
RESERVE YOUR FREE SPOT through Eventbrite.
Whether it’s pirate rabbis or demon-slaying Bible queens, concentration camp vampires or beloved, fearless bubbies, THE JEWISH BOOK OF HORROR offers you twenty-two dark tales about the culture, history, and folklore of the Jewish people, selected by award-winning editor and horror author Josh Schlossberg, with a foreword by Rabbi John Carrier and introduction by Molly Adams of the Jewish Horror Review.
“Jewish Horror 101” will feature five anthology authors revealing secrets about famous and lesser-known creatures from Jewish folklore and mythology appearing in their stories, including the golem (Simon Rosenberg), Lilith (Molly Adams), the dybbuk (John Baltisberger), mazzikim (Emily Ruth Verona), the alukah (Michael Picco), and the Watchers.
Continue reading
Josh's Worst Nightmare 