Though I consider myself a horror writer, I’m not a big reader of genre fiction. My definition of what constitutes a horror story is quite broad. Broader than most people’s. I look to find horror or strange stories or weird fiction or whatever you want to call it in unexpected places, often written by authors not associated with genre writing. All I ask is that the story be disturbing and odd and chilling. That it might make me laugh with some horrible black humour while at the same time thinking, ‘Should I really be laughing at that?’ That it might stay with me. That it might haunt me not because of ghosts or vampires or zombies, although those things might be present, sure, but rather because some unwelcome truth has been exposed. Something that resonates with my own life. For me, this is what makes a horror story work best. And ambiguity. Tons of ambiguity.
There are a few writers missing from my list who I would’ve liked to have included. Robert Aickman sets the tone but has too many wonderful stories to choose from. Andre Dubus’s stories didn’t quite fit the theme. And then there’s Rebecca Lloyd, Robert Pope, and L.S. Johnson, three great short fiction writers currently working.
The stories listed below would, in my opinion, make a wonderful anthology of strange tales. Some are very dark and serious, some are more fun (but still dark). These are stories that, if I’m being honest, I’ve tried to emulate over and over again, arriving at my own versions, hopefully unrecognisable from what inspired them. Isn’t that the biggest compliment one writer can give to another?
A Personal Anthology 