Limited posts mean busy, busy, busy, but below are a few updates on various projects.

SILENT NIGHTMARES: Haunting Stories to Be Told on the Longest Night of the Year (edited by Chuck Palahniuk & Michael Bailey)

Chuck Palahniuk and I are planning to release our anthology through one of the biggest publishers in the world. More news on this soon. Out of 2,138 submissions, we have narrowed down our “best of the slush” to 45, which means those are in the top 2-3% of all stories submitted. All non-acceptances have now gone out, and the maybes know they are maybes. We hope to have a final Table of Contents ready in April. Who were the invited? Here’s a taste (in alphabetical order by last name):

Eugen BaconGary A. BraunbeckRamsey CampbellBrian EvensonGabino IglesiasAlma KatsuOwen KingJoe R. LansdaleJosh MalermanJonathan MaberryLisa MortonCynthia PelayoZoje Stage

YOU, HUMAN, Vol. 2 (edited by Michael Bailey)

This anthology of dark science fiction is slated for mid- to late-2025. The book will feature illustrations by Orion Zangara (for the poetry, such as the featured artwork in this post) and L.A. Spooner (for the fiction), and an introduction by Maxwell I. Gold. Along with three poems, the book will contain anywhere from 10 to 12 novelettes (around 100,000 words total). I currently have 7 in the “maybe pile,” a few of which will end up in the Final Table of Contents with the following (in no particular order):

“Being I” / “Watching You” / “They Become One” by Linda D Addison (poetry)“AI Chronicles: Properties of a Human Curse” by Eugen Bacon“Time for a (R)Evolution! – A Documentary” by Sachin Baliga“One Brown Mouse” by Gary A. Braunbeck“The Touch of an Old Friend’s Hand” by Scott Edelman“A Hollow Where the Screams Have Gone” by Hailey Piper“When Did It Happen?” by Erinn L. Kemper“All the Names You Didn’t Choose” by Ai Jiang“TBA” by Josh Malerman

LONG DIVISION: Stories of Social Decay, Societal Collapse & Bad Manners (edited by Doug Murano & Michael Bailey)

This anthology is available now through Bad Hand Books, and is currently on the Preliminary Ballot for the Bram Stoker Awards for Superior Achievement in an Anthology. Laird Barron’s story “Versus Versus” is also on the ballot for Superior Achievement in Short Fiction. Have you read it?

CHAOTIC STATES (novel by Michael Bailey)

Yes, I am writing a new novel. It’s something different.

MADNESS & WRITERS: The Untold Truth. Maybe? (creative documentary series)

This is still in production. More news soon! See madnessandwriters.com for details.

There are other projects in development (books, film, etc.), but they are either buried under nondisclosure agreements or not quite ready to discuss at this point.