"Anthropophages Anonymous (AA)" from Bourbon Penn 25 on Ellen Datlow's "Recommendations for Best Horror #14 Long List"; and Bourbon Penn praised in Datlow's Opening Essay/Review

It's nice to have "Anthropophages Anonymous (AA)" from Bourbon Penn 25 on this renown and respected annual list from Ellen Datlow.

Ellen Datlow is arguably the world's leading editor of dark fiction in the short form, and her yearly Recommendation Lists, although long, are one of the best ways of promoting the genre to readers. 

This year's list (Recommendations for Best Horror #14 Long List) includes a few of my favourite short story writers with Joyce Carol Oates, Joe R. Lansdale, John Langan, and also includes Jeffrey Ford, who wrote one of my favourite novels, The Shadow Year. 

And others on the list that I have shared anthology homes with include the Antpiodean clan: Kaaron Warren (The Year's Best Australian Fantasy & Horror Vol. 2 & Vol.6), Lisa L. Hannett  (The Year's Best Australian Fantasy & Horror Vol. 2 & Vol.6), Alan Baxter ((The Year's Best Australian Fantasy & Horror Vol.6, Dreaming of Djinn, & Bloodlines), Lee Murray (At the Edge); and the Americans Seanan McGuire (Bloodlines) and Louis Evans (Bourbon Penn 25 & Spawn of War and Deathiness).

And congrats to another Aussie, Ben Peek, who I met in Sydney at The Aurealis Awards. 

And although my lungs may burst, I'll make a trans-hemispehric shout-out to Erik Secker, the editor of Bourbon Penn, along with the other Bourbon Penn 25 writers listed. There are actually three from only six stories in Bourbon Penn 25 on Ellen's list of recommendations; the two other works being Simon Stranzas' 'That House' and Louis Evans' 'Lazaret'.  

And a heartfelt congrats to Simon Stranzas, Kaaron Waaren and Lee Murray who have made the eclectic and much shorter final ToC. 

Opening Essay/ Review of Ellen Datlow's Best Horror of the Year Volume 14

And a friend just sent me a pic of the opening essay in Datlow's Best, which is now on my reading shelf. I am thrilled to see the Bourbon Penn and Erik Secker deservedly highlighted in Datlow's Year's Best:

Bourbon Penn edited by Erik Secker is one of the best, regularly published small press magazines, mixing horror, sf, and weird fiction. It's supported by a Patreon and is well worth the investment. The best horror stories in the three 2021 issues are by Simon Stranzas, Louis Evans, Hamdy Elgammal, Willian Jablonsky, A.C. Wise, Charles Wilkinson, Chelsea Sutton and Anthony Panegyres. The Wise is reprinted herein.