This page of the bibliography covers the stories written by Laird Barron.

Last update: 29 DEC 18.

The most recently published NEW stories have asterisks besides them (* = most recent, ** = second most, etc.).

PUBLISHED STORIES (ALPHABETICAL LISTING)

• "--30--"

• "49 Foot Woman Straps It On"

• "A Clutch"

• An Atlatl

• "Andy Kaufman Creeping Through the Trees"

• "Ardor"

• "a strange form of life"

• "Black Dog"

• "Blackwood's Baby"

• "Blood and Stardust"

• "Bulldozer"

• "Catch Hell"

• "Don't Make Me Assume My Ultimate Form"

• "D T"

• "Ears Prick Up"

• "Fear Sun"

• "Frontier Death Song"

• "Gamma"

• "Girls Without Their Faces On" *

• Hallucigenia

• Hand of Glory

• "Hour of the Cyclops"

• "In a Cavern, in a Canyon"

• "Jaws of Saturn"

• "LD50"

• "(Little Miss) Queen of Darkness"

• Man With No Name

• "Mobility" ****

• "More Dark"

• Mysterium Tremendum

• "Nemesis"

• "Oblivion Mode"

• "Occultation"

• "Old Virginia"

• "Of Boys and Two-Headed Dogs" ***

• "Parallax"

• "Proboscis"

• Procession of the Black Sloth

• "Rex"

• "Screaming Elk, MT"

• "Shiva, Open Your Eye"

• "Six Six Six"

• "Slave Arm"

• "Snorre & Spot Approach the Fallen Rock"

• "Soul of Me"

• "Strident Caller"

• "Strappado"

• "Swift to Chase" **

• "Termination Dust"

• "The Beatification of Custer Poe"

• "The Blood in my Mouth"

• The Broadsword

• "The Carrion Gods in their Heaven"

• The Croning

• "The Cyclorama"

• "The Forest"

• The Imago Sequence

• "The Lagerstätte"

• The Light is the Darkness

• "The Lonely Death of Agent Haringa"

• "The Men From Porlock"

• "The Redfield Girls"

• "The Royal Zoo is Closed"

• "The Siphon"

• "the worms crawl in"

• Tomahawk Park Survivors Raffle

• "Vastation"

• "We Smoke the Northern Lights"

• X's for Eyes

UNPUBLISHED STORIES (ALPHABETICAL LISTING)

• All the Devils are Here

• Cult of the Bird Eaters

• Making Love in the Ice Age

• "Mrs. Shrike"

• Night

• "Seems to Fly, It Will Pursue"

STORIES - PUBLISHED

"--30--"

Two biologists conduct research into abnormal animal behavior at a remote, high desert site in Western Washington that once served as the killing grounds of a diabolical cult. [LJ_100515]

Word count: 14,453.

• The story was written as a raffle prize for the Shirley Jackson Awards in 2009 or 2010. [WP140825] [WP150213]

• Europa Report writer Philip Gelatt was reported to be adapting and directing a feature based on the story in February 2015. [WP150213] [WP151015B]

• The story was nominated for a Shirley Jackson Award (2011, novelette).

• The story took 22nd place in the 2011 Locus Awards in the novelette category.

Publication history:

"49 Foot Woman Straps It On"

Word count: 3,838.
 

Publication history:

“A CLUTCH”

Word count: 8,600.

• In reference to the story, Laird writes: “I’m slowly working on a sequence featured in the quasi medieval setting of the first chapter of The Croning. Antiquity is a twilight world of talking animals, black magicians, and the Cult of the Leech.” [WP_150121]

AN ATLATL

A fading international supermodel meets a skin-walker who’s traded in blood since humanity was still figuring the ins and outs of fire. [WP_160411]

Word count: 19k

“ANDY KAUFMAN CREEPING THROUGH THE TREES”

Cheer-leading captain Julie Vellum is having a bad year. Her dad is dying of cancer. She sprained her neck on the trampoline. Rival Jessica Mace plans to do her more bodily harm. Worst of all, she’s hired an old pal to impersonate Tony Clifton for a private show. Totally worst idea, ever. [WP_151202]

Word count: 9,570.

• “Andy Kaufman Creeping through the Trees” features Jessica Mace nemesis Julie Vellum back in the hazy Alaska days during the autumn of ’98. [WP_150911]

Publication history:

"Ardor"

While tracking a missing B-movie actor, a team of man hunters crashes in the Yukon Delta. [WP_151026]

Word count: 9,000.

Publication history:

"a strange form of life"

A conversation between a prisoner and a prison guard takes a strange turn.

Word count: 4,200.

• This story was first titled "The Hard and the Soft Kiss, in the Dark Room". [RD140530] [LJ110329]

• The story title is taken from a Bonnie 'Prince' Billie song with the same title. The title "The Hard and the Soft Kiss, in the Dark Room" is taken from the lyrics of this song. [WP140620]

• The story was included in a preliminary table of contents for The Beautiful Thing That Awaits Us All. [LJ110410]

• The title is written with no capitalization on the Bibliography page of Barron's official site (among other posts by the author). The table of contents on the description page for Dark Faith: Invocations, and the one for Wilde Stories 2013, lists it as "A Strange Form of Life". It may have inherited its lowercase spelling from the liner notes of the Bonnie 'Prince' Billie album 'the letting go', all of which appear to be written in lowercase. Personal communication with the author confirms that "a strange form of life" is correct.

• Unspeakable Horror 2: Abominations of Desire has not yet been released, as far as I can tell.

Publication history: 

"Black Dog"

A nameless couple embarks upon a fateful first-date on All Hallows Eve. [WP_151026]

Word count: 4,700.

Publication history:

"Blackwood's Baby"

A hunting retreat in the Olympic peninsula provides deadly sport for the rich elite.

Word count: 12,913.

• The story placed 22nd in the 2012 Locus Awards in the novelette category.

Publication history:

"Blood and Stardust"

A mad-scientist’s daughter plots to run away and join to circus.

Word count: 6,159.

• This story is listed as "Blood & Stardust" on the Bibliography page of Barron's official site, but with "and" instead of the ampersand in the books listed below.

• Far Fetched Fables No. 73 is available on-line.

Publication history:

"Bulldozer"

Jaded Pinkerton detective Jonah Koenig tracks a serial killer from Boston to an 1890s California mining town and encounters malevolence that dwarfs his grimmest imaginings... [Source]

Word count: 10,620.

• This story has been published in translation in Czech ("Postrach", translated by Milan Žáček) and Italian ("L'intimidatore", translated by [unknown]).

• It was translated into Russian by [?] for Лучшее за год 2007.

• The story was nominated for an International Horror Guild Award in 2005 in the mid-length fiction category.

Publication history:

"Catch Hell"

A quaint inn and its idyllic environs mask a hideous, creeping evil that rises in the darkness to consume its victims. [LJ_100515]

Word count: 11,874.

• The story was nominated for a Shirley Jackson Award (2010, novelette).

Publication history:

"Don't Make Me Assume My Ultimate Form"

Word count: 8,630.

• This story features recurring character Jessica Mace.

• The album Rocky Mountain News by the band Science Partner is described by Barron as "the score" for this story. [WP150220]

Publication history:

"D T"

Word count: 4,205.

• This story was translated into Spanish by Marta Lila for the anthology Una temporada en Carcosa.

Publication history:

"Ears Prick Up"

Rex, an atomic-powered cyborg war dog, loyally assists his master in the overthrow of a far-future dystopian empire. [WP_151026]

Word count: 7,844.

• This story features recurring character Rex.

• The story is available on-line in SQMag 18.

Publication history:

"Fear Sun"

The heiress of the Tooms family fortune creates a life-sized Innsmouth diorama for the amusement of her patron.

Word count: 4,902.

Publication history:

"Frontier Death Song"

A broken-down outdoorsman and his loyal hound are pursued along the US interstate by the Wild Hunt. [WP_151026]

Word count: 10,217.

• The story placed 16th in the 2013 Locus Awards in the novelette category.

• The story is available on-line in Nightmare Magazine 1.

• This story features a fictionalized Laird Barron (or his Doppelgänger).

Publication history:

"Gamma"

A young man relives painful memories in the aftermath of a fungal apocalypse. 

Word count: 2,417.

Publication history: 

"GIRLS WITHOUT THEIR FACES ON"

A young woman discovers that she does not know her boyfriend nearly as well as she should. 

Word count: 5,500 (approx.)

Publication history: 

Hallucigenia

Cosmic terrors descend upon a hapless tycoon after a tragic accident... [Source]

Word count: 25,000.

• Hallucigenia was the cover story of the June 2006 issue of The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, with cover art by Max Bertolini. Back issue available here.

• It was translated into German by Jakob Schmidt for the collectionHallucigenia.

• It was translated into Czech by Martin Novák for the magazine Fantasy & Science Fiction.

• It was nominated for an International Horror Guild Award (2006, long fiction).

• It was nominated for a Bram Stoker Award (2007, long fiction).

• It placed 18th in the 2007 Locus Awards in the novella category.

Publication history:

Hand of Glory

Word count: 21,491.

• The story was nominated for a World Fantasy Award (2013, novella).

• It came in 7th place in the 2013 Locus Awards in the novella category.

Publication history:

"Hour of the Cyclops"

A humble hero saves mankind from chthonic destruction in this retro-pulp tribute to H. P. Lovecraft... [Source]

Word count: 4,399. 

• The story was included in the limited hard cover release of The Imago Sequence and Other Stories but not in subsequent hard cover editions, or the electronic edition. It IS included in the trade paperback edition, but it is NOT listed on the copyright page or the table of contents.

• The story is available on-line in The Three-Lobed Burning Eye #6.

Publication history:

"In a Cavern, in a Canyon"

Word count: 7,878. 

• The title of the story is drawn from the lyrics of the traditional song "Oh My Darling Clementine".

Publication history: 

"Jaws of Saturn"

A professional bodyguard seeks to shield his girlfriend from the unwholesome attentions of an elderly neighbor.

Word count: 7,816. 

• The unpublished "Gula de Saturnus", scheduled to appear in 2010 in the Dark Regions Press anthology Nostradamus' Fate which failed to materialized, may be "Jaws of Saturn" under a previous title. [WP100123]

• The story took 8th place in the 2014 Locus Awards in the novelette category.

Publication history: 

"LD50"

Jessica Mace, a young woman famous for surviving a massacre, investigates a serial killer of dogs in the badlands of Eastern Washington. [WP_151026]

Word count: 7,629.

• This story features recurring character Jessica Mace.

• The story was put up for free on Barron's LiveJournal [?] site as a reward for his fans' patience following the delays of the collection The Beautiful Thing That Awaits Us All.[WP130929]

• It is currently available on-line on Scribd, having been uploaded there by his agent, Janet Reid. Barron linked to it from his official blog.[WP130929]

Publication history: 

"(Little Miss) Queen of Darkness"

Word count: 5,530. 

• The story is summarized by Laird as: "Following an occult initiation ritual, a man is stalked by a psychopathic sorority girl and her team of horrifically disfigured henchmen." [WP151026]

Publication history: 

Man With No Name

Word count: 18,730. 

• This story features recurring character Nanashi.

Publication history: 

“MOBILITY”

Word count: 6,248.

Publication history:

"More Dark"

Word count: 11,023. 

• The story is available on-line the Revelator website.

• The story was translated into Spanish by [?] for the anthology True Detective - Antologia de lecturas no obligatoras (as "Mas oscuridad" ).

Publication history: 

Mysterium Tremendum

Word count: 22,770. 

• It was translated into German (by Jakob Schmidt) for the collection Hallucigenia.

• The story won a Shirley Jackson Award (2011, novella).

Publication history: 

"Nemesis"

Word count: 5,300. 

• The story is available on-line in Apex Magazine Issue 79.

Publication history: 

"OBLIVION MODE"

Word count: 10,500 (approx.). 

Publication history: 

"Occultation"

Word count: 4,124.

• Published as "The Occultation" in Clockwork Phoenix: Tales of Beauty and Strangeness.

• Published as an exclusive chapbook as part of the Clockwork Phoenix 5 Kickstarter (funded in April 2015).

Publication history: 

"OF BOYS AND TWO-HEADED DOGS"

Word count: ?

Publication history: 

"Old Virginia"

Word count: 8,104.

• The story placed 27th in the Locus Awards 2004 in the novelette category.

• The story was nominated for the International Horror Guild Awards 2004 in the short fiction category.

• It was translated into Russian by [?] for Лучшее за год 2005.

Publication history: 

"Parallax"

Word count: 9,801.

Publication history: 

"Proboscis"

Word count: 8,534.

• It was translated into Russian by Vladislav Geneva for Darker Magazine.

• It was translated into Czech by Milan Žáček for the magazine Fantasy & Science Fiction.

• The story was nominated for an International Horror Guild Award (2005, mid-length fiction).

• The story is available on-line (in Russian) in Darker Magazine #10.

Publication history: 

Procession of the Black Sloth

Word count: 23,633.

• It was translated into German by Jakob Schmidt for the collection Hallucigenia.

• The story was nominated for a Shirley Jackson Award in 2008 in the novella category.

• The story was nominated for an International Horror Guild Award in 2008 in the long fiction category.

Publication history: 

"Rex"

Word count: 1,208.

• This story features recurring character Rex.

Publication history: 

"Screaming Elk, MT"

Word count: 11,031.

• The story as summarized by Laird: "The further adventures of Jessica Mace. This time she's mixed up with a cursed carnival." [Personal communication]

• This story features recurring character Jessica Mace.

Publication history: 

"Shiva, Open Your Eye"

Word count: 5,826.

• This story was Barron's first professional sale.

• The story is available on-line in Nightmare Magazine Issue 9.

Publication history: 

"Six Six Six"

Word count: 6,419.

• The story was nominated for a Shirley Jackson Award (2011, short story).

Publication history: 

"Slave Arm"

Word count: 3,225.

• Barron summarizes this story as: "Monstrously disfigured psychopaths attack young party-goers in what may be part of a global conspiracy, or a prelude to an extinction level event." [WP151026]

Publication history: 

"Snorre & Spot Approach the Fallen Rock"

Word count: 206.

• The story is available on-line on Laird Barron's Official Site.

Publication history: 

"Soul of Me"

Word count: unknown.

Publication history:

"Strident Caller"

Word count: [unknown].

• This story features a fictionalized Laird Barron (or his Doppelgänger).

Publication history: 

"Strappado"

Word count: 5,998.

• It was translated into German (by Jakob Schmidt) for the collection Hallucigenia.

• It was nominated for a Shirley Jackson Award (2010, short story).

• It took 22nd place in the 2010 Locus Awards in the short fiction category.

Publication history: 

"Termination Dust"

Word count: 10,078.

• Barron summarizes the story: "All hell breaks loose in a massive apartment complex when a modern day Jack the Ripper strikes under cover of a blizzard.".

Publication history:

“SWIFT TO CHASE”

Word count: approx. 9,500.

• Laird writes that it is a Jessica Mace story. [TW_170316]

"The Beatification of Custer Poe"

Word count: 5,061.

Publication history: 

"The Blood in my Mouth"

Word count: 8,726.

• This story features a fictionalized Laird Barron (or his Doppelgänger).

Publication history: 

The Broadsword

Word count: 14,399.

• It was translated into Czech by Milan Žáček for the anthology Černá křídla Cthulhu (Black Wings of Cthulhu).

• It was translated into Spanish by Marta Lila for the anthology Alas tenebrosas.

• The story was nominated for a Shirley Jackson Award (2011, novelette).

Publication history: 

"The Carrion Gods in their Heaven"

Word count: 7,739.

Publication history: 

THE CRONING

Word count: unknown.

• The story was translated into Spanish (El Rito) by [unknown].

• The story was translated into Italian (La ceremonia) by [unknown].

Publication history:

"The Cyclorama"

Word count: 3,581.

Publication history: 

"The Forest"

Word count: 11,967.

• This story has been translated in Spanish ("El Bosque", translated by [unknown]) for Cuasar #52.

• It was nominated for a Shirley Jackson Award (2008, novelette).

• It made the shortlist for the 2008 Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award.

• It was 18th in the 2008 Locus Awards in the novelette category.

Publication history: 

The Imago Sequence

Word count: 20,062.

• The Imago Sequence was the cover story of the May 2005 issue of The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, with cover art by Cory and Catska Ench. Back issue available here.

• It was translated into Czech by Dana Krejčová for the magazine Fantasy & Science Fiction.

• It was nominated for a World Fantasy Award (2006, novella).

• It came in 13th place in the 2006 Locus Awards in the novella category.

• It was nominated for an International Horror Guild Award (2006, long fiction).

Publication history: 

"The Lagerstätte"

Word count: 11,577.

• The story was nominated for a Shirley Jackson Award (2008, novelette)

• It was translated into Russian by [?] for Лучшие страхи года.

Publication history: 

THE LIGHT IS THE DARKNESS

Word count: unknown.

Publication history:

"The Lonely Death of Agent Haringa"

Word count: 1,153.

• A version was published on Barron's LiveJournal as "The Lonely Death of Mr. Haringa".

• The episode was incorporated (with names changed) into the novel The Croning.

Publication history: 

"The Men From Porlock"

Word count: 15,811.

• This story has been translated in Polish ("Nieproszeni goście", translated by [unknown]) for Fantastyka Wydanie Specjalne 1.

• This story has been translated in Spanish ("El don de la oportunidad", translation Manuel de los Reyes) for Ominosus.

• The story place 10th in the 2012 Locus Awards in the novella category.

Publication history: 

"The Redfield Girls"

Word count: 9,031.

• The story was nominated for a Shirley Jackson Award (2011, novelette).
  
  Publication history:

"The Royal Zoo is Closed"

Word count: 4,367.

Publication history: 

"The Siphon"

Word count: 14,955.

Publication history: 

"the worms crawl in,"

Word count: 7,707.

• The title is "the worms crawl in," all lowercase. The comma at the end of the title is intentional.

Publication history: 

Tomahawk Park Survivors Raffle

Word count: unknown.

• Laird writes that it “is a prequel to my Jessica Mace stories. Tomahawk Park Survivors Raffle is set in the late 1970s and features Jessica’s parents as recent high school grads trying to survive the attacks of a serial killer with ties to the CIA. It’s a slasher inflected by Ludlum and MR James.” [WP_150119]

"Vastation"

Word count: 6,341.

Publication history: 

"We Smoke The Northern Lights"

Word count: 10,769.

• This story forms the first half of the novella X's for Eyes.

• The story was published in Czech as Halíme kouřem záři severu, translated by Jitka Cardová, in the September 2016 issue of XB-1, a Czech magazine of sci-fi, fantasy and horror.

Publication history: 

X's for Eyes

Word count: 24,861.

• This first half of this story was published as "We Smoke the Northern Lights"

Publication history: 

STORIES - UNPUBLISHED

All The Devils Are Here

Word count: unknown.

• This novella will be published as a book by JournalStone, with a projected release date of November 2016. [Official Site] [Facebook]

• This story features recurring character Nanashi.

Cult of the Bird Eaters

Word count: unknown.

• This novella will be published as a book by JournalStone, with a projected release date of 2016. [Official Site]

“Mrs. Shrike”

Word count: unknown.

• The story title and release date (2016) were mentioned in a list of upcoming stories. [Facebook]

Night

Word count: unknown.

• This novella will be published in I Am The Abyss (Dark Regions Press), which has a predicted release date of late 2016. [FB_150816]

• Laird writes that the story “ties into the Jessica Mace mythos”. [WP_150827]

“Seems to Fly It, It Will Pursue”

Word count: unknown.

• The story title and release date (2016) were mentioned in a list of upcoming stories. [FB_150816]

• Laird writes that it is a Jessica Mace story. [TW_150803]