I’m not huge on New Year’s resolutions, but I do love the changing of the calendar as a chance to pause and take stock. I value intentional gratitude, need reminders to appreciate my successes, and enjoy dreaming ahead.
At the end of each year, many authors begin sharing their awards eligibility posts online, which is a way of summarizing what things they had published that calendar year for people who vote in various writing awards. For 2024 I only had one piece published that wasn’t a reprint, so I was feeling a little low about it. Then I started building a list of things I did this year, and it helped me put things in perspective. Reprints are awesome; work doesn’t expire, and having them published again can reach a whole new group of readers. Sometimes the things happening are behind the scenes, “old,” or forthcoming. It’s all well worth celebrating!
Here are my writing highlights from 2024.
I sold my first short story collection. You Have to Let them Bleed is scheduled for publication in spring of 2025 by Bad Hand Books. This will be my debut book. You can preorder your paperback with a signed book plate.
That same week, unconnected, I sold my first novella! The Extra releases 9/9/25 by Shortwave Publishing. You can preorder it in paperback or ebook. You can also add it to your Goodreads “want to read” shelf! Ed Crocker at FanFiAddict named The Extra a Most Anticipated Horror Read of 2025!
“This is one of the most exciting high concepts I’ve heard all year, and frankly I need this injected into my body more than an antidote in a zombie pandemic.”
Because of The Extra, I signed with a film agent! There has been some cool movement there. I will share what I can when I can.
My short story “The Pelt” was reprinted in FEARS: Tales of Psychological Horror edited by Ellen Datlow, one of very favorite editors. It received some awesome shout-outs in reviews, most notably this absolute rave by MI Book Reviews.
“The Pelt” by Annie Neugebauer was probably the best horror I have read in a long time. The story builds slowly, but at a nice pace that doesn’t drag. It takes the horror similar to The Yellow Wallpaper, but ups the ante. It has the same vibes, but make it country and darker.
The ending was woah. It took me a few minutes of staring into the void to even start my rapid texting of people to demand they read it. It was so good. […]
I could go on all day about this story. It was by far my favorite story in the collection. The others were great, but “The Pelt” was perfection.
Because of FEARS, I participated in a podcast interview on FEARMONGERS with Clay McLeod Chapman, alongside Ellen Datlow, Josh Malerman, Hailey Piper, and Dale Bailey. I was honored to talk shop with these greats.
Thanks to selling my first books, I finally took the plunge on something I’ve been saying I would do for years; I had professional photographs taken for author headshots. These were done by Melissa Spurrier, who is wonderful, and I loved the experience. Here are a few favorites.
A neat milestone: I sold my first literary fiction story with no speculative/horror elements. I’ve only written a few such stories, despite loving the genre, so I’m delighted to have “The Grief Machines” coming out soon in Swing. You can preorder Volume 2 Issue 1 now. It’s a story about grief, love, and sharks.
I received news of the second foreign language translation for my short story “So Sings the Siren.” (The first was into German!) For those who speak Spanish, it will appear as “Así Canta la Sirena” in Déjate Caer, La Tuerca Andante in January.
“13 Tourist Destinations for Horror Lovers,” my nonfiction essay, was reprinted in the excellent Gamut Magazine. Subscribers can read it here.
I sold another short story (chock full of weird and disturbing speculative/horror elements) to a stellar literary journal I’ve worked with before. Details about “A Song of Being Left Behind” coming soon.
I finished drafting my tenth novel. (Fifteenth(ish) book.) It’s a fresh genre for me, and maybe the most fun I’ve ever had writing something. It took ten months of slow determination to type it from my brain onto the screen. I’m really proud of it.
I also wrote a new short story.
Last but not least, seeing as this is my only item eligible for 2024 writing awards, which is what started this whole summation, my poem “Getting the Gigs” was published in the HWA Poetry Showcase Volume XI. It might make you look at laughter differently. (Sorry.)
So, not too shabby a year after all. I can’t believe how much I have to be grateful for. I’ve gotten to work with so many incredible people doing such fantastic work. I’m so lucky and glad to be here doing what I love.
Next year? Well, next year my first two books come out, along with at least two additional new stories. Beyond that, only time will tell. Here’s hoping it tells a tale worth sharing.
Thanks for being here with me. I hope 2025 brings you good things.
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