HOLY HORRORS: The Table of Contents
At long last, T.M. Wright and I are able to able to announce the table of contents for the Holy Horrors anthology that we began editing a year ago this month. We received more than 600 submissions. The final TOC contains 40 stories by 40 separate authors. Many of the rejections were agonizing to make. The quality bar was set very high right from the start, simply by the nature of the submissions we received. So here’s a massive thanks to all the authors who sent us a story for what has turned out to be a massive anthology (which may well be issued in two volumes; only time will tell). Life-permitting, T.M. and I will each be contributing an original story as well, although this is not a sure thing on either count given current life situations and conditions of busyness for both of us.
We’re still deciding on a publisher. I’ll give updates as they become available.
Note that the number appearing after most titles indicates approximate word count (this was a record-keeping device for my co-editor and me).
HOLY HORRORS: The Table of Contents
1. “Intentions” by William Freedman. 7800
2. “Saviour” by Gary A. Braunbeck. 6200
3. “The Sect of the Idiot” by Thomas Ligotti. Reprint
4. “The Dead Must Die” by Ramsey Campbell. Reprint
5. “The Editor” by Pamela K. Taylor. 1300
6. “Hate the Sinner, Love the Sin” by Brian Hodge. 10,000
7. “Darshan” by William Eakin. 3900
8. “At the Feet of the Forest Primeval” by Randy Chandler. 6000
9. “Vom-Beist” by Mike Norris. 4100
10. “Porta Nigra” by Darren Speegle. 3600. Reprint
11. “Purifying Vows” by Kim Paffenroth. 5000
12. “Magog” by Craig Holt. 9300
13. “The Hands of God” by Michael McBride. 4500
14. “Sanctuary” by Jim Rockhill. 330
15. “Redemption” by David Niall Wilson. 5500
16. “Thunder of the Captains, and the Shouting” by Tom Piccirilli. 5500. Reprint
17. “The Dreams of Cardinal Vittorini” by Reggie Oliver. 7300. Reprint
18. “The germ of his ideas” by Jose Lacey. 6400
19. “Abandon” by Adam Browne. 7200
20. “Bavel II” by Jens Rushing. 5500
21. “A Prayer for Captain La Hire” by Patrice E. Sarath. 6900. Reprint
22. “Behind the Bathroom Door” by Sarah Berniker. 4900. Reprint
23. “Sicarii” by Andrew Tisbert. 6700
24. “Cold to the Touch” by Simon Strantzas. 6500
25. “Darkness” by Jude Wright. 5000
26. “Ezekiel Remembers” by Kurt Dinan. 2000
27. “Bad Religion” by Douglas M. Chapman. 5000
28. “Anubis Has Left the Building” by Tim Waggoner. 3900. Reprint
29. “The Bishop Receives a Visitor” by Marion Pitman. 6500
30. “The Tattoo Artista” by Eric S. Smith. 4200
31. “In the Name of God” by Stuart Young. 5000
32. “Uncaged” by Paul Finch. 6000
33. “The Monsters We Defy” by Karen Williams. 4800
34. “The Shaft” by Brian Hodges. 6600
35. “Waters Dark as a Raven”s Wing, Flames Bright as a Dove”s Breast” by Dru Pagliassotti. 1900
36. “The Temple” by Quentin S. Crisp. 5200. Reprint
37. “The Wound of Her Making” by Gerard Houarner. 6100. Reprint
38. “And You Shall Be Adored” by Regina Mitchell. 2000
39. “On This Day of Reckoning” by Joseph Nassise. 4500
40. “Rapture” by Robert Morrish and Harry Shannon. 3700
(Note: Lest there be any confusion, I’ll point out that #6, Brian Hodge, and #34, Brian Hodges, are indeed two separate authors with remarkably similar names.)
William Freedman said,
September 25, 2007 at 12:27 pm
Thanks, Matt, and — WOW! — it’s an unparalleled honor to be in such company. And a special thanks to you and Terry for the long hours of unsung toil.
Uh, I guess this means the contracts are on their way…?
Simon Strantzas said,
September 25, 2007 at 3:56 pm
I’m just curious if “still deciding on a publisher” means you have interested publishers already and are choosing among them, or if it means you and Terry are still shopping the book around.
Quentin S Crisp said,
September 29, 2007 at 4:15 am
It looks like an impressive line-up.
I hope you don’t mind me pointing out what I’m pretty sure is an error: ‘The Temple’ is, as far as I remember, previously unpublished. It’s true that my memory is sometimes a bit dodgy, but I’m about as sure as I can be on this.
Elizabeth said,
October 1, 2007 at 11:43 am
Matt,
So, approx a quarter of the antho is reprints. That’s a surprise.
You probably read publisher’s lunch — if you do not, take a look at the “mainstream” publishers who have begun or are about to launch new spec. fic. imprints. They seem hungry for material and you’ve got plenty of names to throw at them. Perhaps even suggest a series of anthos. (Since Harry P. series are the IT thing, not only in kiddie product.)
E.
bendk said,
October 7, 2007 at 2:18 pm
I love the concept of this anthology. I look forward to reading it.
Andrew said,
October 8, 2007 at 6:07 pm
I’d call this a really promising theme anthologies, if the names involved–particularly those of the familiar writers, including those of the editors, mind–haven’t already proven their worth. And of course, it’s great to see new names there, too, with their own stories of holy horrors.
On an off-topic note, here’s a new interview with Thomas Ligotti.
marty said,
November 17, 2007 at 7:23 pm
oh boy, oh boy, oh boy!
Mike Norris said,
December 6, 2007 at 11:53 pm
Hey Matt,
Any news on your ongoing search for publishers? I was afraid I might be missing an alternate spot where you might’ve been posting updates.
voke said,
January 13, 2008 at 3:03 pm
Here is a short short by Lawrence Person called “Salvation” that will probably be enjoyed by people interested in this book.
In Dublin, One almost got away.
He was halfway out the door when they caught Him, the spikes cast aside, His wounds already healed. It took five strong men to hold Him to the cross while the others drove the nails back in.
I know how hard it must have been. I had cross-watch duty at our church (St. Luke’s) last Friday when Ours awoke and I had to hammer back the spikes. I’ll never forget the look of betrayal on His face, the blood from His crown of thorns trickling down into His accusing eyes. He turned back to wood that way, still facing me.
He didn’t stop bleeding.
We’ve grown used to the blood, all of us. When the crisis first started, we had to dump the buckets once a week. Now we have to do it twice a day, and soon we’ll be doing it every hour.
But the worst time was when He came alive Sunday morning, while Minister Farley was reading from John. It took Him almost a half hour to turn back, the sound of the hammers and His screams drowning out the sermon. The congregation had left as fast as they could, their eyes wide with terror and shock.
I pray every night, and when I pray I think about the look in His eyes. I pray desperately for guidance, for a sign that I’m doing the right thing, that I’m still worthy of salvation. And yet I still feel the fear, the cold uncertainty that grips my evry waking hour.
But we dare not stop now. I saw pictures of the congregation of St Jude, the one who let Him escape, the blood oozing from the wounds that appeared in their ahnds and legs. I saw their faces twisted in pain from the stigmata, their eyes blinded with blood from their invisible crown of thorns, and knew what we had to do.
And so I watch when I have to watch, and nail when I have to nail.
And pray.
In fact, I pray now more than ever, four or five hours every night. I pray fervently that Our Lord’s bleeding would stop, and that heither I nor anyone else would have to see those accusing eyes, or drive in those nails, ever again. And most of all, I pray that there is still salvation, that mankind has not filled our world with so much blood that even the infinite mercy of Our Savior can no longer contain it all.
And still the words of Luke 23:34 haunt me, for though those Romans soldiers may not have known what they were doing, dear God, we most certainly do.
Dru Pagliassotti said,
June 5, 2008 at 12:12 am
Has there been an update posted elsewhere on the publication of this anthology?
Matt Cardin said,
June 5, 2008 at 11:17 am
Dru - I have sent you an email. The short answer is no, there hasn’t been an update about HOLY HORRORS posted elsewhere. But there will be an update about it posted here sometime in the foreseeable future.