20th Century Ghosts
Encyclopedia
20th Century Ghosts is American
author Joe Hill
's first published book-length work. An anthology
of short stories
, it was first published in October 2005 in the United Kingdom
and released in October 2007 in the United States
.
author Joe Hill
in October 2005 by PS Publishing
which is based in the United Kingdom
. The original release was available for pre-sale only through the publishers website.
The collection has won several awards including the Bram Stoker Award
for Best Fiction Collection, as well as the British Fantasy Award
for Best Collection and Best Short Story for "Best New Horror." The hardcover editions are collectable, especially the signed slipcased edition that had a print run of only 200 copies and scarce to find on the open market.
In October 2007, HarperCollins
Publishers released the first public edition of Hill's collection. This edition also contains the short story "Bobby Conroy Comes Back from the Dead," which was not previously published in the UK edition. Also in October, Apple Inc.'s USA iTunes Store
released audiobook versions of the stories in this edition, at US$0.95 per short story, through 29 October.
in which the spirit of a young girl talks to various moviegoers. She has been posthumously frequenting the cinema after she died during a screening of The Wizard of Oz
. The story also focuses on Alec Sheldon, the theatre owner, and how he comes to terms with his nearing mortality and how the Rosebud will fare after his retirement.
produced a limited edition chapbook of Pop Art limited to 150 numbered copies and 52 lettered copies. These books were only available through the publishers website.
"Pop Art"'s plot is about a young boy who has a hard time in life, because he is inflatable. Christopher Golden
called it one of the best short stories in years.
.
→ 20th Century Ghosts page
→ Blog entries concerning 20th Century Ghosts
→ Archived entry for 20th Century Ghosts
→ Entry for 20th Century Ghosts
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author Joe Hill
Joe Hill (writer)
Joseph Hillstrom King , better known by the pen name Joe Hill, is an American author and comic book writer. He has published two novels—Heart Shaped Box and Horns—and a collection of short stories entitled 20th Century Ghosts. He is also the author of the graphic novel series Locke & Key...
's first published book-length work. An anthology
Anthology
An anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or excerpts...
of short stories
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
, it was first published in October 2005 in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and released in October 2007 in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Publication history
20th Century Ghosts is the first publication made by AmericanUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author Joe Hill
Joe Hill (writer)
Joseph Hillstrom King , better known by the pen name Joe Hill, is an American author and comic book writer. He has published two novels—Heart Shaped Box and Horns—and a collection of short stories entitled 20th Century Ghosts. He is also the author of the graphic novel series Locke & Key...
in October 2005 by PS Publishing
PS Publishing
PS Publishing is a Hornsea based publisher founded in 1999 by Peter Crowther. They specialise in novella length fiction from the fantasy, science fiction and horror genres. It has quickly become established as one of Britain's premier small presses...
which is based in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The original release was available for pre-sale only through the publishers website.
The collection has won several awards including the Bram Stoker Award
Bram Stoker Award
The Bram Stoker Award is a recognition presented by the Horror Writers Association for "superior achievement" in horror writing. The awards have been presented annually since 1987, and the winners are selected by ballot of the Active members of the HWA...
for Best Fiction Collection, as well as the British Fantasy Award
British Fantasy Award
The British Fantasy Awards are administered annually by the British Fantasy Society and were first awarded in 1971. The membership of the BFS vote to determine recommendations, short-lists and winners of the awards...
for Best Collection and Best Short Story for "Best New Horror." The hardcover editions are collectable, especially the signed slipcased edition that had a print run of only 200 copies and scarce to find on the open market.
In October 2007, HarperCollins
HarperCollins
HarperCollins is a publishing company owned by News Corporation. It is the combination of the publishers William Collins, Sons and Co Ltd, a British company, and Harper & Row, an American company, itself the result of an earlier merger of Harper & Brothers and Row, Peterson & Company. The worldwide...
Publishers released the first public edition of Hill's collection. This edition also contains the short story "Bobby Conroy Comes Back from the Dead," which was not previously published in the UK edition. Also in October, Apple Inc.'s USA iTunes Store
ITunes Store
The iTunes Store is a software-based online digital media store operated by Apple. Opening as the iTunes Music Store on April 28, 2003, with over 200,000 items to purchase, it is, as of April 2008, the number-one music vendor in the United States...
released audiobook versions of the stories in this edition, at US$0.95 per short story, through 29 October.
Limited editions
Released in October 2005, this short story collection was released in a limited edition format only. The three formats available before publication were:- Deluxe slipcased signed limited hardcover edition signed by Joe HillJoe HillJoe Hill, born Joel Emmanuel Hägglund in Gävle , and also known as Joseph Hillström was a Swedish-American labor activist, songwriter, and member of the Industrial Workers of the World...
and Christopher GoldenChristopher GoldenChristopher Golden is an American author of horror, fantasy, and suspense novels for adults, teens, and young readers.Golden was born and raised in Massachusetts, where he still lives with his family. He is a graduate of Tufts University...
(introduction author) and numbered 1-200 (ISBN 1-904619-48-7) - Signed limited edition hardcover signed by Joe Hill and numbered 1-500 (ISBN 1-904619-47-9)
- Trade paperback unsigned at 1,000 copies printed (ISBN 1-904619-46-0)
Contents
| Title | Originally published in… | Available in… |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction (by Christopher Golden Christopher Golden Christopher Golden is an American author of horror, fantasy, and suspense novels for adults, teens, and young readers.Golden was born and raised in Massachusetts, where he still lives with his family. He is a graduate of Tufts University... ) |
not applicable | All editions |
| "Best New Horror" | Postscripts no. 3 (2005) | All editions |
| "20th Century Ghost" | The High Plains Literary Review final issue (2002) | All editions |
| "Pop Art" | With Signs & Wonders (2001) | All editions |
| "You Will Hear The Locust Sing" | The Third Alternative no. 37 (2004) | All editions |
| "Abraham's Boys" | The Many Faces of Van Helsing (2004) | All editions |
| "Better Than Home" | Better Than Home (chapbook, 1999) | All editions |
| "The Black Phone" | The Third Alternative no. 39 (2004) | All editions |
| "In The Rundown" | Crimewave no. 8 (2005) | All editions |
| "The Cape" | Previously unpublished | All editions |
| "Last Breath" | Subterranean Magazine no. 2 (2005) | All editions |
| "Dead-Wood" | Subterranean Press Subterranean Press Subterranean Press is a small press publisher in Michigan. Subterranean is best known for publishing genre fiction, primarily horror, suspense and dark mystery, fantasy, and science fiction... February online newsletter (2005) |
All editions |
| "The Widow's Breakfast" | The Clackamas Literary Review spring/summer issue (2002) | All editions |
| "My Father's Mask" | Previously unpublished | All editions |
| "Voluntary Committal" | Voluntary Committal (chapbook, 2005) | All editions |
| "Bobby Conroy Comes Back From The Dead" | Postscripts no. 5 (2005) | U.S. print and audio book editions |
| "The Saved" | The Clackamas Literary Review spring/summer issue (2001) | U.K. slipcased edition |
| "The Black Phone: The Missing Chapter" | Previously unpublished | U.K. slipcased edition |
| Story Notes (by the author) | not applicable | U.K. slipcased edition |
| "Scheherazade's Typewriter" | Previously unpublished | All editions ("hidden" in the Acknowledgements) |
Best New Horror
The plot concerns Eddie Carrol, a man who is responsible for an anthology entitled America's Best New Horror. As part of his job he must look over many stories and has become jaded by the process. However, when he reads a story entitled "Buttonboy" by Peter Kilrue he feels his passion for his work growing once again. The story mostly concerns his search for the elusive Kilrue in an attempt to procure his story for the anthology.20th Century Ghost
20th Century Ghost concerns the Rosebud TheatreRosebud Theatre
Rosebud Theatre, located in the hamlet of Rosebud, Alberta, Canada, is the only professional rural theatre in Alberta. It produces four mainstage shows a year, attracting over 40,000 people per year to the hamlet of about 100 people....
in which the spirit of a young girl talks to various moviegoers. She has been posthumously frequenting the cinema after she died during a screening of The Wizard of Oz
The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)
The Wizard of Oz is a 1939 American musical fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was directed primarily by Victor Fleming. Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson and Edgar Allan Woolf received credit for the screenplay, but there were uncredited contributions by others. The lyrics for the songs...
. The story also focuses on Alec Sheldon, the theatre owner, and how he comes to terms with his nearing mortality and how the Rosebud will fare after his retirement.
Pop Art
This story was originally published in 2001 in an anthology titled With Signs & Wonders, published by Invisible Cities Press. In 2007, Subterranean PressSubterranean Press
Subterranean Press is a small press publisher in Michigan. Subterranean is best known for publishing genre fiction, primarily horror, suspense and dark mystery, fantasy, and science fiction...
produced a limited edition chapbook of Pop Art limited to 150 numbered copies and 52 lettered copies. These books were only available through the publishers website.
"Pop Art"'s plot is about a young boy who has a hard time in life, because he is inflatable. Christopher Golden
Christopher Golden
Christopher Golden is an American author of horror, fantasy, and suspense novels for adults, teens, and young readers.Golden was born and raised in Massachusetts, where he still lives with his family. He is a graduate of Tufts University...
called it one of the best short stories in years.
You Will Hear The Locust Sing
The story of a boy who wakes up one morning to find that he has become a giant insect.Abraham's Boys
A father tries to teach his sons about vampires, which he believes live among us.The Black Phone
13 year old John Finney is kidnapped by a man named Al. Trapped in a basement room, the boy's only hope may lie in a mysterious black phone hanging on the basement wall. The phone rings at night with the whispers of the other dead victims.The Cape
7 year old Eric learns that he can fly (well, sort of) while wearing his blue cape. After suffering a terrible injury he thinks the cape is lost, only to find the cape again years later.Last Breath
The story concerns Dr. Allinger, an old man who runs a "Museum of Silence" which contains the last breaths of various people, some being famous figures such as Edgar Allan PoeEdgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe was an American author, poet, editor and literary critic, considered part of the American Romantic Movement. Best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre, Poe was one of the earliest American practitioners of the short story and is considered the inventor of the detective...
.
External links
→ 20th Century Ghosts page
→ Blog entries concerning 20th Century Ghosts
- PS Publishing official web site — Original U.K. publisher of 20th Century Ghosts
→ Archived entry for 20th Century Ghosts
- William Morrow official web site — U.S. published of 20th Century Ghosts
→ Entry for 20th Century Ghosts