October Focus on Horror: Anthologies

Created by Bob Helmbrecht, collection development librarian

Today we’re doing our Focus on Horror a little differently. Going back to Poe and even before, many of the great works of horror fiction have been short stories. Here are some of my favorite horror anthologies released in 2022.

The follow-up anthology to Strangehouse Books’ Stoker-nominated “Not All Monsters,” “Chromophobia” brings together the talents of 25 authors, newcomer and veteran writers alike, who explore the role of color in horror and deliver stories that use color in creative, unconventional, and unnerving ways.

Within these pages you’ll find tales of dead men walking, an insidious secret summer fling, an island harboring unspeakable power, and a dark hallway that beckons. You’ll encounter terrible monsters–both human and supernatural–and be forever changed. The stories in “Dark Stars” run the gamut from traditional to modern, from dark fantasy to neo-noir, from explorations of beloved horror tropes to the unknown–possibly unknowable–threats.

Deep in the dark forest, in a cottage that spins on birds’ legs behind a fence topped with human skulls, lives the Baba Yaga. A guardian of the water of life, she lives with her sisters and takes to the skies in a giant mortar and pestle, creating tempests as she goes. Those who come across the Baba Yaga may find help, or hindrance, or horror. She is wild, she is woman, she is witch– and these are her tales.

A diverse table of contents brought together for an explosive grand finale-an unflinching look at the insidious nature of addiction, told with searing honesty but compassion for those who suffer. 

Offering new stories from some of the biggest names in horror as well as some of the hottest up-and-coming talents, “Other Terrors” will provide the ultimate reading experience for horror fans who want to examine fear of “the other.” Horror writers from a multitude of underrepresented backgrounds have created stories of everyday people, places, and things where something shifts, striking a deeper, much more primal, chord of fear. 

From werewolves and vampires, to demons and aliens, the monster is one of the most recognizable figures in horror. But what makes something, or someone, monstrous? Award-winning and up-and-coming authors attempt to answer this question. These all-new stories range from traditional to modern, from mainstream to literary, from familiar monsters to the unknown … and unimaginable.

Features the best in never-before-published dark verse and lyrical prose from the voices of Women in Horror. Centered on the innate relationship between body horror and the female experience, this collection features work from Bram Stoker Award-winning and nominated authors, as well as dozens of poems from women (cis and trans) and non-binary femmes.

Not a horror reader, and wondering if it’s for you? Check out one of these anthologies and find out!