Short Story Collection ‘Fear of Clowns: A Horror Anthology’ Features 29 All-New Nightmares

Prepare to confront your deepest fears with the upcoming Fear of Clowns, an anthology of clown-themed horror stories that’s headed our way just in time for the Halloween season.

Published by Kangas Kahn Publishing on September 17, 2024 and edited by veteran Kenneth W. Cain, the collection brings together a macabre assortment of tales crafted by master storytellers from around the world. Watch the trailer below for a sneak peek…

From the eerie streets of small-town America to the shadowy corners of urban legends, Fear of Clowns explores the darkest recesses of the human psyche through the lens of one of humanity’s most common phobias. Each story is crafted to evoke visceral reactions, plunging readers into unsettling encounters with the painted-face.

“I was worried going into this one that we’d get a lot of killer clown stories,” said editor Kenneth W. Cain. “But I was pleasantly surprised with the variety and range of tales. We’ve got a little bit of everything in here, and possibly what you might not fully expect..”

With such a diverse array of voices and styles, every story is a unique exploration of fear and horror. Whether it’s the haunting laughter echoing through an abandoned carnival or the uncanny smile that hides unspeakable horrors, Fear of Clowns promises to haunt readers long after they finish the final story.

“I couldn’t be happier with the authors that we got for this,” said publisher Kevin Kangas. “We have old-school legends Graham Masterton, Thomas Tessier and Tim Waggoner, as well as some of today’s best horror voices like Hailey Piper, Clay McLeod Chapman, Rachel Harrison, V. Castro, Jonathan Janz, Gwendolyn Kiste, Red Lagoe, Hunter Shea, and AC Wise. We’ve even brought the extreme horror masters Aron Beauregard and Duncan Ralston, as well as the guru behind the hit Clown in a Cornfield book series, Adam Cesare.”

The anthology features twenty-nine all-new stories from the aforementioned established authors as well as some up-and-comers.

“Each author brings their own twist to the theme, but the results are the same–these stories will keep readers awake at night, whether they’re afraid of clowns or not,” Kangas added. “Some of my favorites in the book are ones we got in the open call.”

Fear of Clowns will be available in hardcover, paperback, audio and ebook formats from major book retailers and is available for preorder today.

A signing and book release party will be held at Brian Keene’s Vortex Books and Comics on September 28th. Kenneth W Cain, Kevin Kangas, Todd Keisling, Red Lagoe, Jonathan Lees, Hailey Piper and Hunter Shea will be on hand to sign the book, and there will also be exclusive free promos and grab bags for the first fifty customers.