Shock Totem


Shock Totem Publications was an American small-press publisher specializing in dark fantasy and horror.

''Shock Totem'' magazine

The debut issue of Shock Totem: Curious Tales of the Macabre and Twisted, a digest-sized magazine of fiction and nonfiction, was first published in July 2009. To date, eleven issues have been released, as well as three special holiday issues. Notable authors to appear in Shock Totem are Jack Ketchum, John Skipp, Kevin J. Anderson, William F. Nolan, Don D'Ammassa, David Niall Wilson, Kurt Newton, Rennie Sparks, Darrell Schweitzer, Cody Goodfellow, Brian Hodge, Jeremy Wagner, John Dixon, Tim Waggoner, Violet LeVoit, Weston Ochse, Ari Marmell, Lee Thomas, John Langan, Stephen Graham Jones, Josh Malerman.
On January 1, 2015, it was announced that Shock Totem magazine would be going on hiatus until at least 2016. That hiatus lasted longer than expected, but on October 31, 2018, Shock Totem announced its return with a new issue, its eleventh, of Shock Totem magazine.

Novels, collections, etc.

In addition to its namesake magazine, Shock Totem entered into book publishing in 2012 and published the following books:
  • The Wicked, by James Newman
  • Beautiful Sorrows, by Mercedes M. Yardley
  • Ugly As Sin, by James Newman
  • Dominoes, by John Boden
  • Zero Lives Remaining, by Adam Cesare
  • Shine Your Light on Me, Lee Thompson
  • Greener Pastures, by Michael Wehunt
In early 2017, citing personal reasons, publisher K. Allen Wood dissolved the Shock Totem book line, transferring all current and in-progress books to Jason Sizemore and Apex Publications, save for Zero Lives Remaining, by Adam Cesare, who decided to self-publish it under his own Black T-shirt Books.

Editorial staff

  • K. Allen Wood
  • John Boden
  • Mercedes M. Yardley
  • Sarah Wood
  • Chad Lutzke
  • Tom Moran
  • Billie Moran

    Former staff

  • Michelle Howarth
  • Chris Vrysen
  • Nick Contor
  • Tom Bordonaro
  • Mercedes M. Yardley
  • Zachary C. Parker
  • Barry Dejasu
  • Catherine Grant

    History

Shock Totem Publications, LLC was founded in 2008 by K. Allen Wood. Originally meant to be a monthly e-zine, the decision was made to publish a bi-annual print digest in early 2009. In late 2011, Shock Totem came full circle and entered the digital realm by making available each issue as e-books. In 2012, they published their first novel and single-author collection.
In May 2020, Shock Totem Publications closed its doors for good.