Being There Yet
By Nikki M. Pill
As a writer and editor, Thomas Monteleone constantly evaluates whether or not stories are “there yet.” His keen eye and sharp pen have earned him multiple awards and a sterling reputation. Read Nikki M. Pill’s “Trends in Publishing” interview with Thomas, and hopefully your inner editor will be ready the next time your story asks, “Are we there yet?”
Thomas Monteleone is both iconic and omnipresent in the world of horror fiction. He and his wife Elizabeth run the respected Borderlands Press. Tom has written over 20 novels, 90 short stories, and a column for Cemetery Dance called “The Mothers’ and Fathers’ Italian Association” (“MAFIA”). His nonfiction book The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Writing a Novel in was nominated for a Bram Stoker Award in 2005. He won Stoker Awards for his novel Blood of the Lamb in 1993, both his anthology of M.A.F.I.A and Borderlands 5 in 2004, and his fiction collection Fearful Symmetries in 2005. In addition to all this, Borderlands Press runs annual Writing Boot Camps for long and short fiction.
What inspired to you start Borderlands Press?
It was 1990 or so, and I was trying to put together an anthology of horror/dark fiction that was more than the usual retreads of ghosts, vampires, zombies, and serial killers. It took a while, but the book finally came together, and I liked the stories so much, I wanted to get a hardcover edition for all the writers who’d worked so hard to give me something special. I was living in Baltimore at the time, and specialty publisher Maclay & Associates wanted to have a look at it. They loved it, and produced a beautiful book.
When I finally held it in my hands, I realized a sense of satisfaction that was new to me, despite almost 20 years in publishing. I was inspired by the fine work John and Joyce Maclay were doing, and decided I would try to do it myself. I named the publishing company [Borderlands] after the anthology because it already had a recognizable name. I was pretty good at finding writers who wanted to work with us, but wasn’t cut out to do the business side. My wife, Elizabeth, took an active hand in the company’s business aspects as well as editorial, and the results have been impressive. Believe me, I’m just the pretty face of this operation. Elizabeth does almost everything, and likes to stay in the background.
What was your proudest moment with Borderlands? What was your most exciting experience with the press?
They kind of go hand in hand. I guess an early big moment was having two stories from Borderlands 1 win Stoker Awards—David Silva for his short story “The Calling,” and Elizabeth Massie for the novelette Stephen. But there have been so many nominations and awards since then, maybe we got a little jaded.
I’d say the most exciting experience was winning the Stoker for Borderlands 5—especially since it had been 8 years since the previous volume. It was also an honor to publish Peter Straub’s last two novels, which also both won Stoker Awards. And getting one for my collection of M.A.F.I.A. wasn’t so terrible either.
What is the hardest part of your job?
Rejecting stories that are so close, but are just not there yet.
What catches your eye when you’re reading manuscripts?
What really makes us take notice is a writer with a unique voice or style. Not necessarily overly literary or experimental, just a writer who has that ineluctable control over all the elements of a story. It’s one of those things that just jumps off the page when it’s there.
What’s a turn-off (other than the obvious “coffee-stained ms” or “zombie story by someone who obviously hasn’t read our guidelines”)?
That would have to be the writers who think we will be really impressed with the amount of imaginative gore they can throw at us. Stories written in the tradition of the Steaming Organs School of Literature. It’s just boring and never shocking.
Many writers hear dire warnings about genre-bending work. It’s hell to market, publishers can’t figure out how to sell it, etc. However, Borderlands guidelines absolutely insist on breaking out of the horror genre conventions. What is your key to making this work?
I’m not sure it always does . . . It’s very hard to sell mass market publishers on the concept because of preconceived notions of what horror readers want and expect. A story like Gary Braunbeck’s “Rami Temporales” is a perfect Borderlands story, but is it horror in the traditional sense? Not at all.
Have you read any wonderful, recent books or stories lately?
I wish I could say yes to that more often, but I have very little time to read for pleasure. I did really enjoy a few novellas that were exceptional: “Blue November Storms” by Brian Freeman and “The Turtle Boy” by Kealan Burker. Creepers by David Morrell, and of course all the recent Repairman Jack novels of Paul Wilson. I thought Terminal by Brian Keene was excellent—way beyond the zombie/giant worm stuff that made him popular.
Do you have any predictions for trends in publishing in the next 2-5 years? This can be anything: types of stories, the medium in which they’re published, etc.
Well, I don’t expect the digital revolution to obsolete books and magazines any time soon. There are still way too many of us who like the look and feel of books, of printed matter in general. I think the small presses will continue to flourish and even get bigger, because the NYC publishers are becoming so list-driven, they aren’t very interested in doing much fiction that doesn’t sell millions of copies and generate deals for dopey movies. There are so many young writers trying to sell their books, and the Big Boys don’t have room or time for them. If a vacuum is being created, you can bet something will come in to fill it. Hell, the small presses are already doing it, and I think that trend will continue.
Keep an eye out for more of Thomas’s stories appearing in the anthologies The Brimstone Turnpike, Evermore, Midnight Premieres, and Masque 5; his graphic novel Heretic; and his novel Submarine (working title).
