It’s not worth talking about American horror writing — fiction that deals in the mysterious, the supernatural, and the mind-bending — without mentioning Shirley Jackson. From her 1948 short story “The Lottery” to such novels as We Have Always Lived in the Castle and The Haunting of Hill House, Jackson’s writing belongs alongside that of authors like H.P. Lovecraft, Neil Gaiman, Peter Straub, and Stephen King, with an impressive body of work that deserves more frequent and spirited discussion.
That’s why we’ve chosen her as the March selection for Flavorwire’s Author Club. Over the next three weeks, we will be discussing Jackson’s books The Sun Dial and The Bird’s Nest, and a special guest will weigh in on We Have Always Lived in the Castle (which you might recall Elliott Holt saying she’d add to the canon of literary classics). You can participate in our discussions by commenting on the posts, and weighing in on Facebook and Twitter. Also look out for a giveaway of Jackson books, courtesy of our friends and Penguin Classics.