Gemma Amor

Gemma Amor
OccupationAuthor, podcaster, illustrator
Period2018–present
GenreHorror fiction
Notable worksCalling Darkness
Website
Official website Edit this at Wikidata

Gemma Amor is a British author of horror fiction, podcaster, and illustrator. She has written two collections of short stories, five novels, and edited a collection of stories. Amor co-wrote Calling Darkness and has contributed to other podcasts including The NoSleep Podcast and Shadows at the Door.

Career

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Amor's first experience of writing horror fiction for publication came through The NoSleep Podcast. She began listening to the show after it was mentioned on The Black Tapes and responded to a call for submissions. The first story she submitted to the show was "His Life's Work" which was released as part of season 10 in 2018.[1] Later that year Amor released Cruel Works of Nature, a collection of short stories including some that had appeared on The NoSleep Podcast. Cruel Works of Nature was a finalist in the 2019 Indie Horror Book Awards for Best Collection.[2]

In 2019, Amor published her debut novel, Dear Laura, and was a finalist for the Bram Stoker Awards in the category First Novel.[3] The book was written partly as a response to works where perpetrators of violence are the protagonists; instead Dear Laura told its narrative through the central character of Laura, someone who experienced trauma at the hands of an unknown letter writer over a period of years.[4] The story was adapted into a multi-episode arc for The NoSleep Podcast.

Amor co-created horror comedy podcast Calling Darkness with Allison Brandt, S.H. Cooper, Desdymona Howard, Victoria Juan, and Charlotte Norup.[5] Amor and Cooper wrote the scripts for the first season which was released in 2019.[6] Amor voiced the role of Gloria Smith in the first and second season.

In 2020, Amor, Laurel Hightower and Cynthia Pelayo edited We Are Wolves, a collection of short horror stories from authors such as S.H. Cooper, V. Castro, and Erin Al-Mehairi. The collection was released to raise funds for charities supporting survivors of abuse. In a review for Horrified Magazine, Ally Wilkes praised the collection's "quality and diversity of writing".[7]

In 2022, Amor published the sci-fi horror novel Full Immersion with Angry Robot.[8][9] The book follows the lead character, Magpie, during an experimental treatment to help with her post-partem depression. In a review for Grimdark Magazine, John Mauro praised Amor's "raw and honest description of postpartum depression".[10] Full Immersion was shortlisted for the August Derleth Award in the 2023 British Fantasy Awards.[11][12]

Bibliography

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  • Cruel Works of Nature (2018)
  • Till the Score is Paid (2019), second edition released as These Wounds We Make
  • Dear Laura (2019)
  • Girl on Fire (2020)
  • White Pines (2020)
  • Six Rooms (2021)
  • Full Immersion (2022)
  • The Once Yellow House (2023)
  • The Folly (2023)

References

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  1. ^ T. J. Lea (12 October 2020). "Gemma Amor". The Table Read (Podcast). Creative Reason Media Inc. Event occurs at 38:30. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  2. ^ "2019 Indie Horror Book Awards Final Ballot: Collection". indiehorrorbookawards.com. 2020-05-13. Archived from the original on 2023-07-19. Retrieved 2023-07-19.
  3. ^ "The 2019 Bram Stoker Award Finalists – The Bram Stoker Awards". Archived from the original on 2022-09-13. Retrieved 2022-09-13.
  4. ^ T. J. Lea (12 October 2020). "Gemma Amor". The Table Read (Podcast). Creative Reason Media Inc. Event occurs at 1:21:20. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  5. ^ "388: Gemma Amor on Calling Darkness, Haunted Pubs, and Being Kind To Yourself". This is Horror (Podcast). 7 March 2021. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
  6. ^ Turpitt, Ellie (23 September 2019). "[Review] - Calling Darkness Podcast". Divination Hollow Reviews. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  7. ^ Wilkes, Ally (2021-01-08). "We Are Wolves (review)". Horrified Magazine. Archived from the original on 2022-09-20. Retrieved 2022-09-18.
  8. ^ B, Rob. "FULL IMMERSION by Gemma Amor – SFFWorld". Archived from the original on 2022-09-13. Retrieved 2022-09-13.
  9. ^ "Full Immersion by Gemma Amor". www.publishersweekly.com. 2022. Archived from the original on 2022-10-10. Retrieved 2022-09-13.
  10. ^ Mauro, John (2022-10-17). "REVIEW: Full Immersion by Gemma Amor". Grimdark Magazine. Archived from the original on 2023-01-23. Retrieved 2023-01-23.
  11. ^ "British Fantasy Award Shortlists – The British Fantasy Society". 2023-07-25. Archived from the original on 2023-09-22. Retrieved 2023-11-08.
  12. ^ "British Fantasy Award Winners 2023 – The British Fantasy Society". 2023-09-16. Archived from the original on 2023-11-08. Retrieved 2023-11-08.
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