Thomas Wiloch
Encyclopedia
Thomas Wiloch was an American author, editor, poet, and illustrator.
Born in Detroit, Michigan
, Wiloch was "one of a handful of contemporary American masters of the prose miniature," Greg Boyd wrote in Asylum.
Writing in the Gore Letter, Michael Arnzen stated: "Wiloch has been quietly working away in relative obscurity in his own 'niche' for two decades, developing a one-of-a-kind approach to a form he almost entirely owns. Wiloch writes surrealist short-short pieces, often no longer than a page, that are as philosophical as they are whimsical, as clever as they are poetic, and as disturbing as they are intelligent."
According to Bruce Boston, writing in Illumen magazine, Wiloch is "arguably the leading writer of prose poems in the genre field for the last two decades." English writer and artist A.C. Evans wrote in Stride magazine that Wiloch portrays "fragmentary confrontation with alien Otherness described in a symbolic vocabulary of closed rooms, casual catastrophe, uncanny Fortean phenomena, rituals of cruelty, and fleeting visions of transmundane worlds."
Wiloch was the principal instigator and editor of Grimoire, a journal of surrealistic art and literature published from 1982-1985 that featured some of the earliest published work by the notable American horror writer Thomas Ligotti
. After working on the editorial staff of Gale, a reference book publisher, for some 26 years, Wiloch became a freelance writer and editor in 2004.
Much of Wiloch's recent published writing is prose poetry
, and has appeared in collections from various small press
publishers including Snake Press and Wordcraft of Oregon.
Wiloch has illustrated books by authors such as Bruce Boston
, Robert Frazier
, Andrew Joron
, and Jessica Amanda Salmonson
, and has contributed artwork to his own books as well. From 1988 to 1993, Wiloch wrote the column "Codes and Chaos" for PhotoStatic, an arts magazine. He was an associate editor of Sidereality magazine, 2004-05.
Born in Detroit, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, Wiloch was "one of a handful of contemporary American masters of the prose miniature," Greg Boyd wrote in Asylum.
Writing in the Gore Letter, Michael Arnzen stated: "Wiloch has been quietly working away in relative obscurity in his own 'niche' for two decades, developing a one-of-a-kind approach to a form he almost entirely owns. Wiloch writes surrealist short-short pieces, often no longer than a page, that are as philosophical as they are whimsical, as clever as they are poetic, and as disturbing as they are intelligent."
According to Bruce Boston, writing in Illumen magazine, Wiloch is "arguably the leading writer of prose poems in the genre field for the last two decades." English writer and artist A.C. Evans wrote in Stride magazine that Wiloch portrays "fragmentary confrontation with alien Otherness described in a symbolic vocabulary of closed rooms, casual catastrophe, uncanny Fortean phenomena, rituals of cruelty, and fleeting visions of transmundane worlds."
Wiloch was the principal instigator and editor of Grimoire, a journal of surrealistic art and literature published from 1982-1985 that featured some of the earliest published work by the notable American horror writer Thomas Ligotti
Thomas Ligotti
Thomas Ligotti is a contemporary American horror author and reclusive literary cult figure. His writings are unique in style, have been noted as major continuations of several literary genres – most prominently Lovecraftian horror – and have overall been variously described as works of...
. After working on the editorial staff of Gale, a reference book publisher, for some 26 years, Wiloch became a freelance writer and editor in 2004.
Much of Wiloch's recent published writing is prose poetry
Prose poetry
Prose poetry is poetry written in prose instead of using verse but preserving poetic qualities such as heightened imagery and emotional effects.-Characteristics:Prose poetry can be considered either primarily poetry or prose, or a separate genre altogether...
, and has appeared in collections from various small press
Small press
Small press is a term often used to describe publishers with annual sales below a certain level. Commonly, in the United States, this is set at $50 million, after returns and discounts...
publishers including Snake Press and Wordcraft of Oregon.
Wiloch has illustrated books by authors such as Bruce Boston
Bruce Boston
Bruce Boston is an American speculative fiction writer and poet who was born in Chicago and grew up in Southern California. He received a B.A. in economics from the University of California, Berkeley, 1965, and an M.A., 1967...
, Robert Frazier
Robert Frazier
Robert Alexander Frazier is an American writer of speculative poetry and fiction, as well as an impressionist painter on Nantucket Island....
, Andrew Joron
Andrew Joron
Andrew Joron is an American writer of experimental poetry. He began by writing science fiction poetry. Joron's later poetry, combining scientific and philosophical ideas with the sonic properties of language, has been compared to the work of the Russian Futurist Velimir Khlebnikov...
, and Jessica Amanda Salmonson
Jessica Amanda Salmonson
Jessica Amanda Salmonson, born January 6, 1950, is an author, editor and writer of fantasy and horror fiction.-Author:Salmonson is the author of the Tomoe Gozen trilogy, a fantasy version of the tale of the historical female samurai Tomoe Gozen...
, and has contributed artwork to his own books as well. From 1988 to 1993, Wiloch wrote the column "Codes and Chaos" for PhotoStatic, an arts magazine. He was an associate editor of Sidereality magazine, 2004-05.
Collections of prose poems
- Paper Mask (1988)
- The Mannikin Cypher (1989)
- Tales of Lord Shantih (1989)
- Mr. Templeton's Toyshop (1995)
- Stigmata Junction (2005)
- Screaming in Code (2006)
Collections of cut-up haiku
- Night Rain (1991)
- Decoded Factories of the Heart (1991)
- Narcotic Signature (1992)
- Lyrical Brandy (1993)
- Neon Trance (1997)
Nonfiction books
- Directory of Michigan Literary Publishers (1982)
- Everything You Need to Know about Protecting Yourself and Others Against Abduction (1998)
- Crime: A Serious American Problem (2004)
- National Security (2005)
- Prisons and Jails: A Deterrent to Crime? (2005)
Illustrator of books
- Bruce BostonBruce BostonBruce Boston is an American speculative fiction writer and poet who was born in Chicago and grew up in Southern California. He received a B.A. in economics from the University of California, Berkeley, 1965, and an M.A., 1967...
, Sensuous Debris - Jessica Amanda SalmonsonJessica Amanda SalmonsonJessica Amanda Salmonson, born January 6, 1950, is an author, editor and writer of fantasy and horror fiction.-Author:Salmonson is the author of the Tomoe Gozen trilogy, a fantasy version of the tale of the historical female samurai Tomoe Gozen...
, The Eleventh Jaguarundi - Andrew JoronAndrew JoronAndrew Joron is an American writer of experimental poetry. He began by writing science fiction poetry. Joron's later poetry, combining scientific and philosophical ideas with the sonic properties of language, has been compared to the work of the Russian Futurist Velimir Khlebnikov...
and Robert FrazierRobert FrazierRobert Alexander Frazier is an American writer of speculative poetry and fiction, as well as an impressionist painter on Nantucket Island....
, Invisible Machines
Poetry Collaborations
- The Newcomer with t. Winter-DamonT. Winter-DamonT. Winter-Damon is a prolific writer of fiction, poetry, and non-poetry, as well as an artist. His work has appeared in hundreds of international magazines and anthologies....
(Xanadu 2, Tor BooksTor BooksTor Books is one of two imprints of Tom Doherty Associates LLC, based in New York City. It is noted for its science fiction and fantasy titles. Tom Doherty Associates also publishes mainstream fiction, mystery, and occasional military history titles under its Forge imprint. The company was founded...
, 1994)
External links
- Codes & Chaos (Wiloch's official web site)
- SF Reader (Review of Stigmata Junction)
- Rambles (Review of Screaming in Code)
- Gore Letter (Review of Screaming in Code)
- Council for the Literature of the Fantastic Newsletter (Review of Mr. Templeton's Toyshop)
- PhotoStatic (Archive of PhotoStatic magazine)
- MicroHorror.com (Two of Wiloch's flash fictions.)
- Big Toe Review (Six of Wiloch's prose poems.)
- Thomas Ligotti Online (Tribute to Wiloch and his writings.) Retrieved on [2008-7-9]