But just updating this resource is not enough for my high standards of blog-a-thon material, so before we even get to the list, I wanted to highlight what I think is the best of the bunch-- JournalStone. Now, by my calling them “the best” that does not mean I think no one else has good books. Actually it has more to do with the overall picture of what they publish and how they distribute which makes them the best option for libraries.
Here are my reasons:
- JournalStone is easy to order. You can get their books through Ingram and Baker & Taylor. Orders can be placed for their titles just as you would for any major publisher. This is the largest hurdle for many libraries toward adding horror to their collections. If they cannot get it through the normal pipelines, they are discouraged [sometimes prohibited] from ordering it.
- JournalStone has the respect of best selling authors and horror masters, so they are able to publish original works by legitimate big name authors like Jonathan Maberry, Christopher Golden, and Gary Braunbeck. Writers whose work you already have in your collections. Writers who has fans waiting for more at your library. Click through to see the full catalog.
- JournalStone cares about identifying, developing and publishing the best new voices. Case in point, Brett J. Talley and Douglass Wynne. Those links go to posts I have done with or about them over the years.
- Their monthly newsletter is great! It is full of useful information, it is professionally produced, and it is delivered only once a month so it will not overwhelm you. Go to the bottom right of the main page to subscribe.
- Finally, JournalStone cares about libraries. They understand that one of the best ways to grow new fans is to have their books in libraries. They offer paperback and hardcover versions of all of their books; this is often an issue with small presses and libraries. Some libraries only buy hardcovers because they stand up to wear better. JournalStone also offers free digital copies with most of their publications too. If your library circulates eReaders with content, you can add these for no extra cost.
Don’t just want to take my word for it? Ok. I have a five book giveaway to offer you today courtesy of JournalStone so you can see for yourself. These are not advance copies. These are brand new, finished books that you can add to your collections right now.
I should rephrase that-- these are titles you should be adding to your collections whether you get them from me for free or not!
The titles included in this giveaway are:
- Swift to Chase by Laird Barron which I did an entire blog post about last week here.
- Whistling Past the Graveyard by Jonathan Maberry. This is the first print collection of short fiction by this New York Times Bestselling author.
- Limbus, Inc. Book III edited by Brett J. Talley [mentioned above] and featuring stories by Jonathan Maberry, Seanan McGuire, Laird Barron, David Liss and Keith R.A. DeCandido. Again many of them authors you know. I reviewed the first book in the Limbus, Inc series here. The entire series is well written, suspenseful, and fun.
- Out of Tune, Book 2 edited by Jonathan Maberry. This again features many best selling authors, including Josh Malerman[!]. Each story uses a classic folk song or murder ballad as its inspiration. Very cool premise and easy to book talk to patrons.
- Of Saints and Shadows by New York Times bestselling author, Christopher Golden which introduces a promising new series featuring Peter Octavian, vampire, PI. This one will have a wide audience.
I want to help you connect with horror readers, and these brand new books by huge authors will start you down the right path. So please, if you win, add these to your library’s collection, put them out on display and/or book talk them and see for yourself.
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Best Independent Horror Publishers for Libraries (updated 10.16)
There are many specialty, small presses who are dedicated to putting out as many horror publications as they can. As the editors over at Horror Fiction Review once noted, "The horror genre is one of the few genres that even HAS its own small press. Many mass market horror authors were discovered there. I believe the small press is (and actually has been for quite some time) the FUTURE of horror fiction."
I agree and I want to highlight some of the very best of these independent horror publishers. In the past, I have tried to be inclusive and include as many as possible, but I found that this resulted in a list that was too long to be useful to the average American public library as a collection development and purchasing tool. And since that is the whole reason I am here....
I have narrowed the focus of this page to include only the horror independent presses I have found to produce a consistent product worthy of being considered for your public library collections.
So please visit the pages of these publishers and consider ordering some of their books for your patrons.
Here they are in alphabetical order:
- 47North
- Apex Publications
- Cemetery Dance Publications
- ChiZine Publications
- Crystal Lake Publishing
- Dark Arts Books
- Dark Fuse
- Dark Regions Press
- Deadite Press
- JournalStone
- Necro Publications
- Night Shade Books
- Permuted Press
- Sinister Grin
If you are a horror publisher and want to be include here, contact me.
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