I seek submissions for a Critical Insights anthology, under contract with Salem Press. The volume will explore quite possibly the greatest female American novelist of the mid-twentieth century, Shirley Jackson. Known and renown for her gothic horrors and suspenseful mysteries, Jackson (1916-1965) may be best remembered for her shorter works such as “The Lottery,” “The Summer People,” and We Have Always Lived in the Castle as well as her landmark and frequently adapted novel The Haunting of Hill House. A master of unnerving psychological writing that insinuated that darkness and horror lie just beneath the thin veneer of everyday life, Jackson has been celebrated for her stunning portrayals of the trappings of the domestic life and the women who lived in them.

This volume will investigate her razor-sharp wit and disquieting narrative voice, one that has inspired contemporary authors such as Stephen King, Richard Matheson, and Neil Gaiman and left a legacy found in the Shirley Jackson Awards prizing work of suspense and horror. Essays will include looks at her more obscure fictions as well as her most prominent stories, the fascination of the reinvention of her tales in different media (For example, Mike Flanagan’s brilliant Netflix streamer The Haunting of Hill House), as well as critical assertions such as those from Elaine Showalter that argue Jackson remains the most prominent writer of the mid-twentieth century yet to receive proper re-evaluation. Before its conclusion, this anthology hopes to rectify Showalter’s contention and examine the woman, her life, her works, and her legacy for all to enjoy.

This volume invites essays that explore the textual, cultural, ideological, and literary value of Jackson from a multiplicity of perspectives and media. Potential contributors are encouraged to consider Jackson and her work in relationship to race, gender, class, ability, intertextually, and as well as how her works and characters have been adapted across contemporary media landscapes.

Submissions should be representative of current critical discourse while remaining accessible to laypeople and undergraduate audiences. 

Particularly welcome are essays that include and invite close readings and creative approaches to thinking about Jackson, her work, and her work amongst contemporaries. 

Submissions should be tailored to one of the following categories:

· CRITICAL READING essays focused on how readers today might interpret or respond to Jackson, her life, her work, and her legacy in literature, film, or television;

· CRITICAL LENS essays that apply a specific theoretical approach to Jackson in a specific text;

· COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS essays that juxtaposes Jackson’s work across two to three texts;

· COMPREHENSIVE essays exploring cultural, critical, and contexts of Jackson and her work in general;

· HISTORICAL CONTEXT essays that explore how Jackson’s work evolved from underpinning texts and through particular literary traditions, cultural moments, or media transformations;

· CRITICAL RECEPTION essays that trace the evolving reception of Jackson’s texts in print or in adaptation.

By 15 January 2025, please submit a 250–350-word abstract, a 75-word biographical statement (including your academic affiliation, if any), and full contact information (for both Spring and Summer) to the acquiring editor, Dr. Joseph Michael Sommers: somme1jm@cmich.edu.

Completed essays of approximately 5000 words (inclusive of Works Cited) will be due by 1 June 2026.

Honoraria will be awarded by the publisher to contributors after publication.