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What They Wrote: In Praise of Dark Fiction
What They Wrote is a collection of introductions, reviews, and essays on books by one of today's premiere horror authors.
- GenresHorror
104 pages, Paperback
First published July 4, 2014
About the author
Jack Ketchum
198 books3,108 followersDallas William Mayr, better known by his pen name Jack Ketchum, was an American horror fiction author. He was the recipient of four Bram Stoker Awards and three further nominations. His novels included Off Season, Offspring, and Red, which were adapted to film. In 2011, Ketchum received the World Horror Convention Grand Master Award for outstanding contribution to the horror genre.
A onetime actor, teacher, literary agent, lumber salesman, and soda jerk, Ketchum credited his childhood love of Elvis Presley, dinosaurs, and horror for getting him through his formative years. He began making up stories at a young age and explained that he spent much time in his room, or in the woods near his house, down by the brook: "[m]y interests [were] books, comics, movies, rock 'n roll, show tunes, TV, dinosaurs [...] pretty much any activity that didn't demand too much socializing, or where I could easily walk away from socializing." He would make up stories using his plastic soldiers, knights, and dinosaurs as the characters.
Later, in his teen years, Ketchum was befriended by Robert Bloch, author of Psycho, who became his mentor.
Ketchum worked many different jobs before completing his first novel (1980's controversial Off Season), including acting as agent for novelist Henry Miller at Scott Meredith Literary Agency.
His decision to eventually concentrate on novel writing was partly fueled by a preference for work that offered stability and longevity.
Ketchum died of cancer on January 24, 2018, in New York City at the age of 71.
A onetime actor, teacher, literary agent, lumber salesman, and soda jerk, Ketchum credited his childhood love of Elvis Presley, dinosaurs, and horror for getting him through his formative years. He began making up stories at a young age and explained that he spent much time in his room, or in the woods near his house, down by the brook: "[m]y interests [were] books, comics, movies, rock 'n roll, show tunes, TV, dinosaurs [...] pretty much any activity that didn't demand too much socializing, or where I could easily walk away from socializing." He would make up stories using his plastic soldiers, knights, and dinosaurs as the characters.
Later, in his teen years, Ketchum was befriended by Robert Bloch, author of Psycho, who became his mentor.
Ketchum worked many different jobs before completing his first novel (1980's controversial Off Season), including acting as agent for novelist Henry Miller at Scott Meredith Literary Agency.
His decision to eventually concentrate on novel writing was partly fueled by a preference for work that offered stability and longevity.
Ketchum died of cancer on January 24, 2018, in New York City at the age of 71.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 1, 2025
Ketchum had wide-ranging interests and tastes. This collection puts together introductions and other essays published in the small press, mostly. A pleasant read and I could hear Dallas saying many of these generous things as I read the book. Good to spend more time with an old friend.
September 26, 2026
A collection of Jack Ketchum's introductions in various books from Stephen King, Edward Lee, and others less known to me.
This is as close as we will get to anything Jack Ketchum's critiques or love on writing. On 'how' to write.
Wish he would have left something like that for those who enjoy his craft more than just a read.
He goes on about how he reads the first paragraph and how a good one should be written.
Even first lines.
You can also take these books as recommendations to see what the man himself enjoyed reading.
This is as close as we will get to anything Jack Ketchum's critiques or love on writing. On 'how' to write.
Wish he would have left something like that for those who enjoy his craft more than just a read.
He goes on about how he reads the first paragraph and how a good one should be written.
Even first lines.
You can also take these books as recommendations to see what the man himself enjoyed reading.
July 27, 2014
Jack Ketchum must be thanking his lucky stars for e-books, which allow him to haphazardly throw together whatever writing scraps are lying around and call it a book.
WHAT THEY WROTE is mostly comprised of introductory pieces he has written for various books throughout the years. Most of those books are novels, but also included is one for a book of illustrations and another for what seems to be a collection of old horror film reviews.
Normally, reading a book that consists primarily of introductions would be like going to Red Lobster every day and only ordering an appetizer. But Ketchum really excels at this kind of writing, and I wouldn't be surprised if his intros sometimes turn out better than the books themselves. They are everything a good intro should be. They are beautifully written; they are insightful without giving away the plot; and they possess a certain giddy enthusiasm--the kind of contagious enthusiasm that can't be faked and sends you running to the nearest bookstore to see what all his fuss is about. Which, figuratively speaking, is exactly what I did when I went online and downloaded to my Kindle the first book introduced in this collection. (I'm reading it right now, and, so far, it's exactly as advertised.)
WHAT THEY WROTE is rounded out by a couple of essays (one on Matheson's I AM LEGEND and one on John Carpenter's THE THING). There is also a brief tribute to writer Peter Straub. I'm not sure WHAT THEY WROTE will give you the same satisfaction as reading an actual book, but, taken for what it is, I don't see how anyone could complain.
WHAT THEY WROTE is mostly comprised of introductory pieces he has written for various books throughout the years. Most of those books are novels, but also included is one for a book of illustrations and another for what seems to be a collection of old horror film reviews.
Normally, reading a book that consists primarily of introductions would be like going to Red Lobster every day and only ordering an appetizer. But Ketchum really excels at this kind of writing, and I wouldn't be surprised if his intros sometimes turn out better than the books themselves. They are everything a good intro should be. They are beautifully written; they are insightful without giving away the plot; and they possess a certain giddy enthusiasm--the kind of contagious enthusiasm that can't be faked and sends you running to the nearest bookstore to see what all his fuss is about. Which, figuratively speaking, is exactly what I did when I went online and downloaded to my Kindle the first book introduced in this collection. (I'm reading it right now, and, so far, it's exactly as advertised.)
WHAT THEY WROTE is rounded out by a couple of essays (one on Matheson's I AM LEGEND and one on John Carpenter's THE THING). There is also a brief tribute to writer Peter Straub. I'm not sure WHAT THEY WROTE will give you the same satisfaction as reading an actual book, but, taken for what it is, I don't see how anyone could complain.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews