Joe McKinney (author)

Joe McKinney (born September 22, 1968 – July 13, 2021) was a San Antonio–based author and Patrol Supervisor with the San Antonio Police Department.

Career

McKinney was an author in many genres, including horror, ghost stories, virus thrillers, crime and science fiction. Over his career, he wrote thirteen novels, developed two collections of short stories, created a tale for a comic book, and was both published in and edited numerous anthologies. He was also a regular contributor to the online true crime magazine, ''In Cold Blog''.

In addition, McKinney was a sergeant with the San Antonio Police Department as the patrol supervisor for the west side of San Antonio. Previous to that, he was a homicide detective and disaster mitigation specialist. He also helped run the city's 911 dispatch center.

Many of his works contain a strong procedural element and a level of realism based on his years of law enforcement. He addressed some of the prejudice against female officers, both from the public and from their fellow officer in his novels ''Quarantined'' and ''Flesh Eaters''. In ''Inheritance'', he included more in-station activities between police officers.

In ''The Savage Dead'' (2013), McKinney addressed the border relations between the United States and Mexico. Mixing the genres of political thriller, military special ops thriller, and zombie gorefest, the novel tackles this complex topic from a number of different angles.

His first Young Adult publication, ''Dog Days'', was released in 2013 as part of Journalstone's Doubledown Series, Book III, paired with Sanford Allen's ''Deadly Passage''. Noted as a coming of age novel, Max, the 14-year-old narrator of ''Dog Days'', spends the summer of 1983 facing the worst hurricane the suburbs of Houston have endured in memory, as well as the possibility of a supernatural killer. ''Dog Days'' won the Bram Stoker Award for Best Young Adult Novel.

A lifelong Texan, McKinney enjoyed exploring the history of South Texas, legends of famous and/or little known outlaws, and the mysteries of long unsolved crimes.

Personal life

McKinney died in his sleep July 13, 2021. He is survived by his wife and two daughters.

Awards

Bibliography

McKinney was the author of, or a contributor to, thirty books.

Dead World series
* ''Dead City'' (Dead World #1) (2006)
* ''Apocalypse of the Dead'' (Dead World #2) (2010)
* ''Flesh Eaters'' (Dead World #3) (2011)
* ''Mutated'' (Dead World #4) (2012)
* ''Survivors'' (Dead World short story) (2010)
* ''Dating in a Dead World'' (Dead World short story) (2010)
* ''The Crossing'' (Dead World short story) (2012)

Deadlands
* ''Plague of the Undead'' (The Deadlands #1) (2014)
* ''The Dead Won't Die'' (The Deadlands #2) (2015)

The Retreat
* ''Pandemic'' – (Co-Authored with Craig DiLouie and Stephen Knight) (2013) ASIN B00GQOG166
* ''Slaughterhouse'' - (Co-Authored with Stephen Knight and Craig DiLouie) (2014) ASIN B00K3BRRDY
* ''Die Laughing'' - (Co-Authored with Stephen Knight and Craig DiLouie) (2015)
* ''Alamo'' - (Co-Authored with Stephen Knight and Craig DiLouie) (2016)

Novels
* ''Quarantined'' (2009) -
* ''Dodging Bullets'' (2010)
* ''The Red Empire'' (2011) -
* ''Inheritance'' (2012) -
* ''Crooked House'' (2013) -
* ''The Savage Dead'' (2013) -

Collections/Anthologies
* ''The Sound of Horror'' – (as editor & contributor) (2007)
* ''The Red Empire and Other Stories'' (2012)
* ''Dog Days'' (2014)
* ''Speculations'' (2018)
* ''Dead Set: A Zombie Anthology'' – (Editor with Michelle McCrary) (2010) -
* ''Dog Days/Deadly Passage'' – (Dual Publication with Sanford Allen) (2013) -
* ''The Forsaken: Stories of Abandoned Places'' (with Mark Onspaugh) (2017)

As Contributor
* ''The Phantom Chronicles 2'' (2009)
* ''The Weaponer'' (contributed to introduction) (2010)
* ''Help! Wanted'' (2011)
* ''End of Days 5: An Apocalyptic Anthology''(2011)
* ''The Green Hornet Casefiles'' (2011)
* ''Book of Horror 2'' (2011)
* ''Best New Zombie Tales Vol.3'' (2011)
* '' Horror For Good: A Charitable Anthology (Volume 1)'' (2012)
* ''Zombie Writing!'' (2012)
* ''Nightmare Stalkers & Dream Walkers'' (2013)
* ''Blood Rites: An Invitation to Horror'' (2014)
* ''Nightmare Stalkers & Dream Walkers'' (2014)
* ''Corrupts Absolutely? Dark Metahuman Fiction'' (2015)

Short Fiction
* ''Coyote Season'' (2006)
* ''The Millstone'' (2006)
* ''Skinwalker'' (2006)
* ''The Gunner's Love Song'' (2007)
* ''Starvation Army'' (2007)
* ''Down in the Cellar'' (2009)
* ''Sabbatical in the Ohio Methlands'' (2009)
* ''Blemish'' (2010)
* ''The Day the Music Died'' (2011)
* ''Burning Finger Man'' (2011)
* ''Resurrecting Mindy'' (2011)
* ''Dodging Bullets'' (2011)
* ''The Little Church of Safe Crossing'' (2011)
* ''Death and the Magi'' (2011)
* ''Bury My Heart at Marvin Gardens'' (2012)
* ''Hero'' (2012)
* ''Jimmy Finder'' (2012)
* ''Lost Girl of the Lake'' (Co-Authored with Mike McCarty) (2014)
* ''Empty Room'' (2012)
* ''Eyes Open'' (2012)
* ''The Old Man Under the Sea'' (2012)
* ''A Little Crimson Stain'' (2012)
* ''The Night Visitor'' (2012)
* ''Ghost Town'' (2012)
* ''Dog Days'' (2013)
* ''A Grave Matter'' (2013)
* ''She Grew a Pair'' (2013)
* ''Acclimation Package'' (2013)
* ''The Woman Who Collected McCammon'' (2013)
* ''Among Men'' (2013)
* ''Exclusive Excerpt from "The Savage Dead"'' (2013)
* ''Do No Harm'' (2013)
* ''The Sixth Mission'' (2013)
* ''Mr. Creator'' (2013)
* ''Swallowed'' (2013)
* ''Writing for Exposure'' (2013)
* ''Lost and Found'' (Limbus, Inc.) (2014)
* ''More Than Watchmen Wait for the Dawn'' (2014)
* ''Tenochtitlan Will Rise'' (2014)
* ''Oh Fuck, It's the Cops'' (2014)
* ''Pete's Big Break'' (2014)
* ''Mother'' (2015)
* ''The Man Who Started It All'' (2015)
* ''The Shed'' (2016)
* ''Growth Spurt'' (2016)
* ''The Greatest Gift of All'' (2018)
* ''A Heap of Broken Images'' (2019)
* ''Terror of Bristol Plains'' (with Michael McCarty) (2019)

References

External links

Official Website
*Joe McKinney on
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{{DEFAULTSORT:McKinney, Joe
1968 births
2021 deaths
American crime writers
American horror writers
American male novelists
Writers from San Antonio