Horror's Leading Ladies
Let's Celebrate the Women of Encyclopocalypse
March is Women’s History Month, which means it's time to shine a spotlight on the incredible women who have helped shape Encyclopocalypse Publications.
If you browse our catalog you’ll find books, audiobooks, paperbacks, ebooks, and novelizations spanning the horror landscape, and behind many of those titles are involved the work of brilliant women whose creativity, talent, and passion have helped make Encyclopocalypse what it is today. Because, truly, Encyclopocalypse wouldn’t exist without them.
So I wanted to take a moment to celebrate some of the women whose work has been part of this wild ride.
I've been incredibly fortunate to work with some truly exceptional woman authors.
Rena Mason is hands down the Engyclogal™ I've known the longest. She is a Bram Stoker Award-winning author, and one of the most distinctive voices in modern horror.
Lisa Morton is a towering figure in the genre. Author, historian, and former President of the Horror Writers Association. Her nonfiction and fiction alike have helped define contemporary horror scholarship and storytelling.
Jendia Gammon is another powerhouse author, editor, and champion of genre fiction. If you want to learn how to step up your game, watch her at work.
Jess Hagemann is a force to be reckoned with. She writes fearless transgressive fiction, and I'm excited about her forthcoming novelization(s).
Bridgett Nelson penned one of the most disturbing books in our entire catalog. That's a good thing. It pushes boundaries and reminds us how powerful horror can be when it refuses to play safe.
Claire Donner, is another historian and former branch director for Miskatonic Institute. You might have seen sit down with Joe Bob Briggs on The Last Drive-In. She penned the novelization of Splice.
Janine Pipe deserves enormous recognition as well. She is out there every single day championing horror--writing, promoting, and supporting the genre tirelessly. Horror thrives because people like her keep waving the flag.
Ariel Powers-Schaub is a razor-sharp journalist whose writing brings intelligence and perspective to genre culture, and she coined my new favorite term: Millennial Nasties.
Dayna Noffke, an outstanding filmmaker, made the Spider Baby novelization happen, bringing new life to one of the most beloved cult horror films ever made.
Renee DeCamillis, author of The Bone Cutters and Chisel the Bone, is not only an author, but a legitimate rockstar as well!
Amanda Wyss, star of A Nightmare on Elm Street and countless genre classics, narrated two audiobooks for us, bringing decades of horror legacy with her into the booth.
Felicia Day, beloved actor, writer, and creator also narrated two titles for us, and her performances elevated those stores to an entirely new dimension.
Another screenwriter in the roster is Jill Killington, whose work you may have seen in the CBS reboot of Stephen King's The Stand. Jill is as good as it gets, and her star is rising more every day. Her science fiction masterpiece, Nymph: The Singularity, was one of the very first titles I ever licensed for audio. I read the ebook when we first met, back in the Clive days, when we were developing a TV series of Imajica together.
Our partnership with Severin Films exists thanks to the support and recommendation of Amy Voorhees Searles. Without her, half of the blu-rays on your shelves likely wouldn't exist!
Even our less-genre based titles have horror roots. The Real True Hollywood Story of Jackie Gold, might not seem like a typical “Women in Horror” entry at first glance, but it was written by Dinah Manoff, the actress whom horror fans will recognize as Aunt Maggie in Child’s Play. Dinah holds the unique distinction of being Chucky’s first ever on-screen victim.
Speaking of Chucky, Kimberly Wetherell (who holds the record for most woman-narrated books in the entire library) narrated the nonfiction book Reign of Chucky, a deep dive into the history of everyone’s favorite killer doll franchise.
And, the Chucky connections continue with Autum Ivy's work. She narrated Doc of Chucky, the documentary I wrote and produced for Shudder. She has also voiced Ed Wood’s The Only House for us, and is in Preston Fassell's Our Lady of the Inferno, which just so happens to feature a performance by the legendary Barbara Crampton, star of Chopping Mall and Re-Animator.
And while on the subject of Chopping Mall maidens, Kelli Maroney narrated Preston's nonfiction biography, Landis. I cannot imagine anyone else narrating that book. Her performance, and voice, are perfection.
”Perfect voices” just so happens to describe our very long list of women narrators and writers, who also include, Liz Callens (a longtime friend), Shiva Negar, Anjali Bhimani, Ginny Di, Carol Schneider, Erin DeWard, Leanne Woodward, Roberta Jackson, Finlay Stevenson, Charlie Albers, Gigi Shane, Izzy Lee, Senn Annis, Claire Wilkinson, Carrie Coello, Lila Kerry, Sawyer Perry, Mali Elfman, Linda Jones, Lorelei Lester, Cathi Colas, Brenda Bakke, Erin Bateman, Xe Sands, Michelle H. Lee, Allie Rose, and Jenn Lee, who wins the award for most patient narrator.
Also on the roster is the great multi-talented Kasey Lansdale, another longtime friend, and daughter of the legendary Joe R. Lansdale. She’s voiced two Encyclopocalypse titles and runs Pandi Press. I have the distinct privilege of producing produce all their audiobooks.
The newest member of the team is Amanda Dempsey, who is a phenomenal designer. She was the production designer for Doc of Chucky, and has also created the covers for Dangerous Turns, Forge Your Freaky Fate, and The Gauntlet, as well as a few more that haven't been announced yet.
Grim Poppy Design also contributes some of our covers. I adore her work and hope to see more collaborations in the future. (Double tap volume three anyone?)
Still looking toward the design side of things, how about that badass cover for Sara Caldwell‘s Splatter Flicks? It was designed and photographed by the amazing special makeup duo Imhoff/Alex, The Alex in question being Cris Alex, who is one of the most talented makeup effects artists working today. Check out her instagram. It's fun.
Every Encyclopocalypse book has its own story, sometimes involving tears, blood, sweat, and more tears to bring it into the world. But there’s another side to this story that’s even more personal.
I was raised by my single mom and my grandmother, two incredibly strong women who shaped who I am today. And today, I live with my beautiful wife and daughter, and they are the reason Encyclopocalypse exists in the first place.
While I was Vice President of Clive Barker’s company, Seraphim, my daughter was born. The job came with a long commute. Between work and travel, I was spending 40+ hours a week working and another 20 hours a week on the road.
And I was missing the things that mattered most. Bedtime stories. Dance recitals. Swim lessons. Watching my daughter grow up.
So with the support (and incredible patience) of my wife, I left Seraphim and started Encyclopocalypse Publications.
The very first release was my Hellraiser novella The Toll, released as a full-cast audiobook in 2018.
