Terrance Michael "T. M." Wright (September 9, 1947 – October 31, 2015) was an American author best known as a writer of

horror fiction Horror is a genre of speculative fiction that is intended to disturb, frighten, or scare an audience. Horror is often divided into the sub-genres of psychological horror and supernatural horror. Literary historian J. A. Cuddon, in 1984, defin ...

speculative fiction Speculative fiction is an umbrella term, umbrella genre of fiction that encompasses all the subgenres that depart from Realism (arts), realism, or strictly imitating everyday reality, instead presenting fantastical, supernatural, futuristic, or ...

, and

poetry Poetry (from the Greek language, Greek word ''poiesis'', "making") is a form of literature, literary art that uses aesthetics, aesthetic and often rhythmic qualities of language to evoke meaning (linguistics), meanings in addition to, or in ...

. He wrote more than 25

novel A novel is an extended work of narrative fiction usually written in prose and published as a book. The word derives from the for 'new', 'news', or 'short story (of something new)', itself from the , a singular noun use of the neuter plural of ...

s as well as

novella A novella is a narrative prose fiction whose length is shorter than most novels, but longer than most novelettes and short stories. The English word ''novella'' derives from the Italian meaning a short story related to true (or apparently so) ...

s and

short stories A short story is a piece of prose fiction. It can typically be read in a single sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood. The short story is one of the old ...

, over 40 years. His novels were translated into many different languages around the world. His works were reviewed by ''

Kirkus Reviews ''Kirkus Reviews'' is an American book review magazine founded in 1933 by Virginia Kirkus. The magazine's publisher, Kirkus Media, is headquartered in New York City. ''Kirkus Reviews'' confers the annual Kirkus Prize to authors of fiction, no ...

'', ''

Publishers Weekly ''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of ...

'', ''

Library Journal ''Library Journal'' is an American trade publication for librarians. It was founded in 1876 by Melvil Dewey. It reports news about the library world, emphasizing public libraries, and offers feature articles about aspects of professional prac ...

'', ''

Booklist ''Booklist'' is a publication of the American Library Association that provides critical reviews of books and audiovisual materials for all ages. ''Booklist''s primary audience consists of libraries, educators, and booksellers. The magazine is ...

'', and many genre magazines.

Life and career

Wright's first

publication To publish is to make content available to the general public.Berne Convention, articl ...

was the

non-fiction Non-fiction (or nonfiction) is any document or content (media), media content that attempts, in good faith, to convey information only about the real life, real world, rather than being grounded in imagination. Non-fiction typically aims to pre ...

study of

unidentified flying object An unidentified flying object (UFO) is an object or phenomenon seen in the sky but not yet identified or explained. The term was coined when United States Air Force (USAF) investigations into flying saucers found too broad a range of shapes ...

s, entitled ''The Intelligent Man's Guide to Flying Saucers'' in 1968 for AS Barnes. ''Strange Seed'' had five foreign editions. His seventh novel, ''A Manhattan Ghost Story'', has had 14 foreign editions and was optioned to be filmed in the 1980s. A screenplay was written by

Ronald Bass Ronald Jay Bass (born March 26, 1942), sometimes credited as Ron Bass, is an American screenwriter and film producer. He won an Academy Award for writing the screenplay for Barry Levinson's film ''Rain Man'', and films that Bass is associate ...

for which he was paid two million US dollars, a record-breaking amount for an adaptation of a novel to the screen. The option was taken over by Robert Lawrence Productions in 1991, and then exercised in 1993. Many actors and directors have been attached to the project over the years including

Wayne Wang Wayne Wang (; born January 12, 1949) is a Hong Kong-American film director, producer, and screenwriter. Considered a pioneer of Asian-American cinema, he was one of the first Chinese-American filmmakers to gain a major foothold in Hollyw ...

Julia Roberts Julia Fiona Roberts (born October 28, 1967) is an American actress. Known for her leading roles across various genres, she has received multiple accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and three Golden Globe Award ...

, and

Sharon Stone Sharon Vonne Stone (born March 10, 1958) is an American actress and film producer. Known for primarily playing femmes fatales and women of mystery on film and television, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1990s. She is the ...

(who received five million US dollars because of her

pay or play contract In filmmaking, a guarantee, or informally a "pay-or-play" contract, is a term in a contract of an actor, director, or other participant that guarantees pay if the participant is released from the contract, with various exceptions. Studios A ...

). As of 2015, the film is in development at

Touchstone Pictures Touchstone Pictures was an American film distribution label of Walt Disney Studios, founded and owned by The Walt Disney Company. Feature films released under the Touchstone label were produced and financed by Walt Disney Studios, and featured ...

. Wright's fiction appeared in several magazines including ''

Twilight Zone Magazine ''Twilight Zone'' literature is an umbrella term for the many books and comic books which concern or adapt ''The Twilight Zone'' television series. Comics Gold Key Comics published a long-running ''Twilight Zone'' comic that featured the liken ...

'', ''

PostScripts ''Postscripts'' was a quarterly British magazine of science fiction, fantasy, horror, and crime fiction, first published in June 2004.

'', '' Cemetery Dance'', ''Flesh and Blood Magazine'', ''UpState'', and ''Brutarian''. Wright had painted

book cover A book cover is any protective covering used to bind together the pages of a book. Beyond the familiar distinction between hardcovers and paperbacks, there are further alternatives and additions, such as dust jackets, ring-binding, and older f ...

s and he created

illustration An illustration is a decoration, interpretation, or visual explanation of a text, concept, or process, designed for integration in print and digitally published media, such as posters, flyers, magazines, books, teaching materials, animations, vi ...

s for

magazines A magazine is a periodical literature, periodical publication, print or digital, produced on a regular schedule, that contains any of a variety of subject-oriented textual and visual content (media), content forms. Magazines are generally fin ...

including '' Brutarian''. He did the artwork for his own book covers of two foreign editions of ''Cold House'' (German and

Italian language Italian (, , or , ) is a Romance language of the Indo-European language family. It evolved from the colloquial Latin of the Roman Empire. Italian is the least divergent language from Latin, together with Sardinian language, Sardinian. It is ...

editions), ''The Eyes of the Carp'' from

Cemetery Dance Publications Cemetery Dance is an American company known for their specialty press publisher of horror and dark suspense and their horror magazine of the same name. Cemetery Dance was founded by Richard Chizmar, a horror author, while he was in college. Ce ...

in 2005, ''Blue Canoe'' from

PS Publishing PS Publishing is an independent book publisher based in Hornsea, UK. Background PS Publishing was founded in 1999 by Peter Crowther.Leisure Books Leisure Books was a mass market paperback publisher specializing in horror and thrillers that operated from 1957 to 2010. In the company's early years, it also published fantasy, science fiction, Westerns, and the Wildlife Treasury card series ...

), and his collection ''Bone Soup'' from Cemetery Dance Publications. In 2004, T. M. Wright was the judge for the inaugural Anubis Awards by Jeff Schwaner (owner of Broken Umbrella Press). He spent the last years of his life in a Corning, New York nursing home living with

Parkinson's disease Parkinson's disease (PD), or simply Parkinson's, is a neurodegenerative disease primarily of the central nervous system, affecting both motor system, motor and non-motor systems. Symptoms typically develop gradually and non-motor issues become ...

. Has wife, Roxane A. White-Wright lives in Corning, also. T.M. Wright died October 31, 2015, according to PalMac in Memoriam Facebook Page.

Selected bibliography

Novels and novellas

*''The Woman Next Door'' (Playboy Press, 1981 and

Tor Books Tor Books is the primary imprint of Tor Publishing Group (previously Tom Doherty Associates), a publishing company based in New York City. It primarily publishes science fiction and fantasy titles. History Tor was founded by Tom Doherty, ...

, 1990) *''The Playground'' (Tor Books, 1982) *''Carlisle Street'' (1983) *''The Island'' (1988) *''The Place'' (1989) *''The School'' (1990) *''Boundaries'' (1990) *''The Last Vampire'' (1991) *''Little Boy Lost'' (1992) *''Cold House'' (Catalyst Press, 2003) (featuring an introduction by

Jack Ketchum Dallas William Mayr (November 10, 1946 – January 24, 2018), better known by his pen name Jack Ketchum, was an American horror fiction author. He was the recipient of four Bram Stoker Awards and three further nominations. His novels inclu ...

) *''The House on Orchid Street'' (2003) *''Visiting the Edge'' (2004) (a collection) *''The Eyes of the Carp'' (

, 2005) (a novella) *''I Am the Bird'' (2006) (a novella) *''Blue Canoe'' (2008) *''Sally Pinup'' (2010) (a novella)

Ryerson Biergarten series

Series of novels featuring a detective named Ryerson Biergarten: #''The Changing'' (as F. W. Armstrong) (Tor Books, 1985) #''The Devouring'' (as F. W. Armstrong) (Tor Books, 1987) #''Goodlow's Ghosts'' (1992) #''The Ascending'' (1994) *''Sleepeasy'' (

Victor Gollancz Sir Victor Gollancz (; 9 April 1893 – 8 February 1967) was a British publisher and humanitarian. Gollancz was known as a supporter of left-wing politics. His loyalties shifted between liberalism and communism; he defined himself as a Christian ...

1993, Leisure, 2001) (connected, but not a direct sequel)

''Strange Seed'' series

#''Strange Seed'' (Everest House, NYC, 1978) (revised in 2005 for a limited hardcover re-release by Etwisted Publishing) #''Nursery Tale'' (Playboy Press, 1982) #''Children of the Island'' (Jove, 1983) #''The People of the Dark'' (1984) #''Erthmun'' / ''Laughing Man'' (1995/2005) (originally released as ''Erthmun'' in 1995)

''A Manhattan Ghost Story'' series

#''A Manhattan Ghost Story'' (1984, revised for

Telos Publishing Ltd. Telos Publishing Ltd. is a publishing company, originally established by David J. Howe and Stephen James Walker, with their first publication being a horror anthology based on the television series ''Urban Gothic'' in 2001. The name comes from ...

in 2006) #''The Waiting Room'' (1986) " L'antichambre" Collection Terreur-Presses Pocket N°9059 #''A Spider on My Tongue'' (Nyx Books, 2006)

Short stories

*"His Mother’s Eyes," published in ''

'', June, 1988) and ''The Sterling Web'' (Winter, 1991) *"The House Under the Street" AKA "A World Without Toys," ''Upstate'' magazine (October 26, 1986), '' Shadows #10'', edited by Charles L. Grant (Doubleday, 1987), '' The Year's Best Fantasy: First Annual Collection'', edited by

Ellen Datlow Ellen Datlow (born December 31, 1949) is an American science fiction, fantasy, and horror editor and anthologist. She is a winner of the World Fantasy Award and the Bram Stoker Award ( Horror Writers Association). Career Datlow began her car ...

and

Terri Windling Terri Windling (born December 3, 1958, in Fort Dix, New Jersey) is an American editor, artist, essayist, and the author of books for both children and adults. She has won nine World Fantasy Awards, the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award, and the Bram St ...

(

St. Martin's Press St. Martin's Press is a book publisher headquartered in Manhattan in New York City. It is headquartered in the Equitable Building (New York City), Equitable Building. St. Martin's Press is considered one of the largest English-language publishe ...

, 1988), ''Demons and Dreams'', edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling (

Legend A legend is a genre of folklore that consists of a narrative featuring human actions, believed or perceived to have taken place in human history. Narratives in this genre may demonstrate human values, and possess certain qualities that give the ...

, 1989) *"Circularity," '' Cemetery Dance'' (#37, 2002) *"The Marybell Women," '' Cemetery Dance'' (#47, 2003) *"The Screamers at the Window," ''Shivers IV'' (anthology) edited by

Richard Chizmar Richard Thomas Chizmar (born 1965) is an American writer, the publisher and editor of '' Cemetery Dance'' magazine, and the owner of Cemetery Dance Publications. He also edits anthologies, produces films, writes screenplays, and teaches writi ...

(May 2006,

) *"Murder Victim," ''Midnight Premiere'' (anthology) edited by

Tom Piccirilli Thomas Piccirilli (May 27, 1965 – July 11, 2015) was an American novelist, short story writer, editor, and poet, known for his writing in the crime, mystery, and horror genres. Career Piccirilli sold over 150 stories in the mystery, thriller, ...

(June 2007,

) *"Rainy Day People" ''

Postscripts ''Postscripts'' was a quarterly British magazine of science fiction, fantasy, horror, and crime fiction, first published in June 2004.

'' #10 (2007) *"Fog Boy," ''Darkness on the Edge: Tales Inspired by the Songs of Bruce Springsteen'' (anthology) edited by Harrison Howe (2010, PS Publishing) *"A Moment at the House" ''The New and Perfect Man''/''

Postscripts ''Postscripts'' was a quarterly British magazine of science fiction, fantasy, horror, and crime fiction, first published in June 2004.

'' #24/25 (2011)

Chapbooks

*"The People on the Island" (Bandersnatch Books, 2010) *unnamed release (Bandersnatch Books, 2010) *unnamed release (Bandersnatch Books, 2010)

Short story collections

*''Bone Soup'' (a collection of short stories, art, poems, and revised version of the novel ''Cold House'') (Cemetery Dance Publications, scheduled 2010) Featuring: :''Cold House'' (a revised version of the novel of the same name) :"The People on the Island" :"His Mother's Eyes" :"Rainy Day People" :"Tower Man" :poems :artwork :and more...

Non-fiction

*''The Intelligent Man's Guide to Flying Saucers'' ( AS Barnes, 1968)

Other publications

*"Stuff of Horror, or Gray Matter All Over the Inside of Your Skull", article for American Fantasy (Summer, 1987) *''By Reason of Darkness'' (2004), by William P. Simmons (contains an

afterword An afterword is a literary device that is often found at the end of a piece of literature. It generally covers the story of how the book came into being, or of how the idea for the book was developed. An afterword may be written by someone oth ...

by T. M. Wright)

Interviews

*"A Conversation with T. M. Wright," interview by

Douglas A. Anderson Douglas Allen Anderson (born December 30, 1959) is an American writer and editor on the subjects of fantasy and medieval literature, specializing in textual analysis of the works of J. R. R. Tolkien. His 1988 edition of Tolkien's children's book ...

for ''2AM'' (Summer, 1989) *"Tall Tales from a Master," interview by Susan M. Burdorf for ''The Sterling Web'' (Winter, 1991) *"A Conversation with T. M. Wright" interview by William P. Simmons for '' Cemetery Dance'' (#37, 2002) *"An Interview with T. M. Wright" interview by James R. Beach for ''Dark Discoveries'' #9 (Winter, 2007) *"An Interview with T. M. Wright" interview by Scott Colbert for Talkbacker.com website, October, 2013
"Interview with T. M. Wright"
interview by Matt Cardin at ''Demon Muse'' (May 2010). Republished at ''The Teeming Brain'' (June 2014)

References

External links

Bibliography on FanasticFiction.co.uk

Bibliography on T. M. Wright official homepage
Archived from th
original
on 2009-10-06 * {{DEFAULTSORT:Wright, T. M. 1947 births 2015 deaths 20th-century American novelists 21st-century American novelists American horror writers American illustrators American male novelists American male short story writers American horror artists People from Honeoye, New York 20th-century American short story writers 21st-century American short story writers 20th-century American male writers 21st-century American male writers