Preditors & Editors rolled out its yearly Reader Polls a couple months back and readers chose HAUNTED: 11 Tales of Ghostly Horror as the Best Horror Anthology of 2011!

HAUNTED really is a great book. My story “It Happened in the Woods at Night” sits alongside original tales by Alex Bledsoe, Richard Dansky, Chuck Wendig, Monica Valentinelli, and more. I highly recommend the book—and not just because I’m in it.

This is the second anthology I’m in to receive the honor, with 12 to Midnight’s Buried Tales of Pinebox, Texas being the first. I’m proud to be involved in both collections as they feature some great stories by amazing talent and doubly honored readers bestowed this award on both of them.

If you haven’t checked out HAUNTED, you can pick it up in print and pdf through DriveThruRPG.

Last year, my good friend Matt McElroy (of Flames Rising fame) put together a fiction compilation in support of design studio 12 to Midnight‘s excellent Pinebox, Texas game setting (now published by the fine folks at Pinnacle Entertainment Group). The resulting book, dubbed Buried Tales of Pinebox, Texas, attracted some great talent notwithstanding my own contribution, a story of skinshifting and strange dates called “Lovable Creatures.”

The book is so good, in fact, that the folks who head up the tabletop gaming industry’s preeminent awards, the Ennies, saw fit to nominate it for Best Regalia. Yep, I can now say I’ve contributed to some of the finest regalia in gaming. Another dream to check off the list!

Anyway, if you haven’t your own copy of the book, check out some excerpts and author bios over at the official site. You can buy the book in digital or physical form, whichever suits your fancy.

Public voting begins next Friday, July 16th so cross your fingers and toes and make your voice heard! (And while you’re at the site, check out the nominations for other excellent gaming products such as Eclipse Phase and Supernatural!)