Automobilia is an anthology of short stories and poems that use automobiles as a central motif to explore a tapestry of human experiences. What was the inspiration for the original and fascinating idea at the center of the book?

I’ve loved automobiles since the day my father bought a new 1968 Impala from a dealer and drove it home. I was seven years old. He pulled into the driveway with the shiny, big car and it was a huge moment of excitement for the family. I still have that car today. In my early years of writing–when I was learning how to write a good story or poem–I had experiences related to automobiles that made me write about them. One was a poem I wrote about a high school acquaintance who was killed in an automobile crash just a few years after our graduation. A few years later I had a dream about someone killed by an automobile. And then I read a poem in a copy of Modern Maturity magazine that featured a writer’s memory of being a boy riding in the backseat of the family car, watching the moon following along on the ride. Those three things made me think that assembling an anthology of stories (and poems) by others featuring the automobile might be a cool idea that some readers might enjoy.

What were some goals you set for yourself as the editor of this book?

I wanted to assemble a collection of stories featuring automobiles as an integral part of the plot from famous or established authors like Matheson, Finney, and Nolan, along with newer writers. I also included some poems because the first professional sales I made as a new writer were poems to a couple science fiction and horror magazines. Stories from all genres were welcome in the anthology — from mainstream to science fiction to ghost stories — since the automobile is such an influential technology on the planet. Just about every perspective for a possible story can be connected to an automobile. 

What was the process you used to collect the stories and poems for this collection and then narrow them down?

First, I set about looking for stories from known writers I might be able to buy reprint rights from. Each of those authors–or their agents for those no longer living–were very accommodating. I cannot thank them enough. Then I issue a call-for-submissions to the major writer’s markets listed on the internet, like Duotrope. I believe in paying writers (since I’m a writer too) a fair wage for their work. So, I offered the Science Fiction Writers Association per-word minimum at the time, which was eight cents per word and a dollar a line for poems.

I hope the series continues in other books. If so, where will the next anthology take readers? 

Thank you for that good hope! There were so many GOOD stories featuring automobiles I could not get the rights to or include in a single volume I plan to publish two more anthologies featuring autos to make a trilogy. Right now, however, I already have a call for submissions out for the next two thematic anthologies. One is ALIENS AMONG US and the other is TRAIN TALES. I’m open for submissions for those until November 30, 2024. I’m paying a little more this time: 10 cents per word and $2 per line for poems. Publication for both books is planned for the first quarter of 2025.

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