Richard Chizmar

Author:
Richard Chizmar

Date of birth: 21-Dec-1965
Place of birth: Maryland, USA

About the author:
Richard Chizmar is an American author, editor, and publisher best known for his work in the horror and suspense genres. He is the founder and publisher of Cemetery Dance Publications, a leading specialty press focused on horror fiction, and the long-running magazine Cemetery Dance, which has featured stories and interviews with some of the biggest names in the genre, including Stephen King, Clive Barker, and Dean Koontz.

Born in Maryland, Chizmar began his career as a writer and editor in the late 1980s. He quickly gained recognition in the horror community not only for his publishing work but also for his own short stories, novellas, and screenplays. His writing is noted for its emotional depth, suspenseful pacing, and grounded, often suburban settings that make the horror feel all the more real.

Chizmar achieved widespread acclaim through his collaboration with Stephen King on the novella Gwendy’s Button Box (2017), which became a New York Times bestseller. The story was followed by two sequels—Gwendy’s Magic Feather (2019), written by Chizmar alone, and Gwendy’s Final Task (2022), co-written with King once again—forming the popular Gwendy trilogy.

In addition to his fiction, Chizmar has edited numerous influential anthologies, such as Shivers, October Dreams, and Turn Down the Lights. His short stories have appeared in a wide range of publications and “best of” collections, and he has also written scripts for television and film.

His novel Chasing the Boogeyman (2021) marked a new chapter in his career. A blend of true crime and fiction presented in a documentary style, the book was both a critical and commercial success. Its follow-up, Becoming the Boogeyman (2023), continued to expand his profile as a unique voice in contemporary horror.

Richard Chizmar lives in Maryland with his family and remains an influential figure in the horror world—respected as a writer, editor, and champion of the genre.