The End of the World as We Know it - July 2025

BevVincent

THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT: TALES OF STEPHEN KING'S THE STAND, edited by Brian Keene and Christopher Golden -- an original short story anthology based on the highly influential and seminal work of apocalyptic fiction and good versus evil; featuring an introduction from Stephen King himself and new fiction from a world ravaged by the virus "Captain Trips" and the minds of Josh Malerman, Paul Tremblay, Richard Chizmar, S. A. Cosby, Tananarive Due, Alma Katsu, Caroline Kepnes, Michael Koryta, Scott Ian, Joe R. Lansdale, Maurice Broaddus and Wayne Brady, Bryan Smith, Somer Canon, Hailey Piper, Jonathan Janz and many others (including me!). Thanks to Stephen King for entrusting these two constant readers with this task.

Lou_Sytsma

Wow!  Fantastic news!  What a line up!!  Congrats!

Grant87

Sounds interesting. I'd like to see Joe Hill have a story in there. Maybe he's in the "many others" category? 

BevVincent

I know who a couple of the other contributors are, but not all.

BevVincent

From Brian Keene’s newsletter

I am pleased to finally be able to announce THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT: TALES OF STEPHEN KING'S THE STAND, edited by myself and Christopher Golden -- an original short story anthology based on the highly influential and seminal work of apocalyptic fiction and good versus evil; featuring an introduction from Stephen King himself and new fiction from a world ravaged by the virus "Captain Trips" and the minds of Josh Malerman, Paul Tremblay, Richard Chizmar, S. A. Cosby, Tananarive Due, Alma Katsu, Caroline Kepnes, Michael Koryta, Joe R. Lansdale, Maurice Broaddus and Wayne Brady, Bryan Smith, Somer Canon, Hailey Piper, Jonathan Janz, V. Castro, Bev Vincent, David J. Schow, Gabino Iglesias, Meg Gardiner, Usman T. Malik, Cynthia Pelayo, Catriona Ward and many, many, many others. (Chris and I had the idea to make the anthology as big as the novel — I’m not going to list everyone because I want you guys to have more surprises between now and the release). 

Thanks to Stephen King for entrusting Chris and I with this task. Honestly, we didn’t think you’d say “Do it!” nor did we think you’d say it so enthusiastically. You rock.

Now, since this announcement there have been many questions. With the understanding that for most of this past year, Chris and I have been working behind the scenes to make this happen, there is still a lot that we can’t say. But I will try to answer some of the more common questions here — from one Constant Reader to the other Constant Readers — and at more length than I have on social media.

Q: Who is the publisher?

A: Gallery Books - a division of Simon & Schuster

Q: When will the book be available?

A: Too early to give a firm date. My best guess is that it will be up for preorder around this time next year, with an early 2025 release date? But that is only my guess and should not be taken as gospel. Could be earlier. Could be later. 

Q: If it won’t be out until then, why announce it now, you jerks?

A: Because it’s been a crap year for many, and we thought perhaps horror fans and Stephen King fans could use a little bit of good news to brighten their days. Our apologies for trying to make things better.

Q: Will there be foreign language editions?

A: Almost certainly.

Q: Will there be a signed, limited edition?

A: It is too early to say. Keep in mind, we have not released the full list of contributors, but this is going to be a BIG book. Signature sheets would be a massive undertaking, as would production and printing costs. There are several small presses who could handle that. But that’s not something that is currently in the works. It has taken us most of the year just to get the line-up and the initial contracts sorted out.

Q: Are you open to submissions?

A: We are not. And sadly, for those of you who sent us stuff yesterday when you saw this announcement, those were all deleted unread, for legal reasons. Our sincere apologies.

Q: Will you and Chris have stories in the book?

A: No. Like we did with THE DRIVE-IN: MULTIPLEX, Chris and I don’t want to take up slots and space that could go to one of our peers. As we did on that anthology, we will simply serve as editors, and will guide and shape the overall project. Sure, we’d kill to write a story set in the world of THE STAND, but that wouldn’t be the right thing to do.

Q: Wayne Brady the comedian?

A: Yes, Wayne Brady the comedian. 

I think that takes care of most of the common questions. And now you all know why I’ve been singing “Among the Living” by Anthrax for most of 2023…

Lou_Sytsma

This is really exciting news. Too bad, it's a ways off.

BevVincent

Yes -- I want to read it now, too!

BevVincent

Update from Brian Keene:

Work this past week was 100% focused on THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT: NEW TALES OF STEPHEN KING’S THE STAND, which we are supposed to turn in within the next two weeks. I’ll probably finish it up by next Tuesday or Wednesday evening, then send it to Chris for another look over. If he’s satisfied, then we’ll send it off to the publisher.

GNTLGNT

BevVincent said:

Update from Brian Keene:

Work this past week was 100% focused on THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT: NEW TALES OF STEPHEN KING’S THE STAND, which we are supposed to turn in within the next two weeks. I’ll probably finish it up by next Tuesday or Wednesday evening, then send it to Chris for another look over. If he’s satisfied, then we’ll send it off to the publisher.

....Bev, will you post a link please when this is ready for purchase?.....

BevVincent

Yes, absolutely. I haven't seen a proposed release date yet.

BevVincent

From Chris Golden

The End of the World as We Know It: Stories From Stephen King's THE STAND...is almost ready to turn in to the publisher. 34 stories by 36 authors. Weird, violent, melancholy, and beautiful, the stories run the gamut. @BrianKeene and I can't wait to share them with you.

BevVincent

From Brian Keene:

The stories are so frigging good. That’s what I wanted to say. But this is a big, mainstream book and I must do things the way big mainstream publishers do things, and therefore, I’m limited in what I can tell you. But here’s a few snippets for you.

• It’s a very thick book. Almost as long as The Stand itself. There are 36 authors and 34 stories (two of the stories are collaborations).

• The book is broken into five sections. Part 1 is a sort of prologue that takes place before the events of the novel. Part 2 takes place during the spread of Captain Trips. Part 3 takes place between the migrations to Las Vegas and Nebraska/Denver and the Hand of God moment. Part 4 takes place after the end of the novel, showing what happened to humanity in the years and decades that followed. And Part 5? Well… part 5 takes place somewhere else along the Beam.

• We turn the manuscript in next week. Wednesday, to be exact. Between now and then, we will both be very busy.

• Many of you have been asking about formats and release dates and such, and I can’t get into that. The publisher will decide when to release all that information. But I will say this: it’s the very first shared world anthology set in Stephen King’s literary universe. I think you can safely assume there will be a trade edition and a paperback and an eBook and an audiobook and foreign translations. I’d be as shocked as you if there wasn’t.

not_nadine

Oh wow!

BevVincent

From Brian Keene:

As I mentioned in last week’s newsletter, Stephen King has been reading THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT and Tweeting about it as he does. Chris and I are still very limited in what we can say, but you can take anything Steve Tweeted as gospel. The book will be available Summer 2025.

GNTLGNT

....The Gospel According To Steve......

BevVincent

July 2025

BevVincent

From today's Brian Keene substack

Previously, it was announced that Christopher Golden and I were editing an anthology full of brand-new stories set in the world of Stephen King’s seminal novel, The Stand. This is a first — a book of other authors playing with Steve’s toys, as it were.

Last Sunday, I told you that we’d be unveiling the line-up the cover, the publication date, and the preorder date here this week. But I’ve since been told that the publisher now wants to hold off on some of that, so I’m only allowed to show you the line-up. The rest will be unveiled before the end of this month, but not today.

So, without further ado, here is the final Table of Contents for THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT: TALES OF STEPHEN KING’S THE STAND.

Foreword by Christopher Golden
Introduction by Stephen King

PART ONE: DOWN WITH THE SICKNESS

Room 24 by Caroline Kepnes
The Tripps by Wrath James White
Bright Light City by Meg Gardiner
Every Dog Has Its Day by Bryan Smith
Lockdown by Bev Vincent
In A Pig’s Eye by Joe R. Lansdale
Lenora by Jonathan Janz
The Hope Boat by Gabino Iglesias
Wrong Fucking Place, Wrong Fucking Time by C. Robert Cargill
Prey Instinct by Hailey Piper
Grace by Tim Lebbon
Moving Day by Richard Chizmar
La Mala Horla by Alex Segura
The African Painted Dog by Catriona Ward
Till Human Voices Wake Us, And We Drown by Poppy Z. Brite
Kovach’s Last Case by Michael Koryta
Make Your Own Way by Alma Katsu

PART TWO: THE LONG WALK

I Love The Dead by Josh Malerman
Milagros by Cynthia Pelayo
The Legion of Swine by S.A. Cosby
Keep The Devil Down by Rio Youers
Across The Pond by V Castro
The Boat Man by Tananarive Due and Steven Barnes
The Story I Tell Is the Story of Some of Us by Paul Tremblay
The Mosque at the End of the World by Usman T. Malik
Abigail’s Gethsemane by Wayne Brady and Maurice Broaddus

PART THREE: LIFE WAS SUCH A WHEEL

He’s A Righteous Man by Ronald Malfi
Awaiting Orders In Flaggston by Somer Canon
Grand Junction by Chuck Wendig
Hunted to Extinction by Premee Mohamed
Came The Last Night of Sadness by Catherynne M. Valente
The Devil’s Children by Sarah Langan

PART FOUR: OTHER WORLDS THAN THESE

Walk On Gilded Splinters by David J. Schow
The Unfortunate Convalescence of the SuperLawyer by Nat Cassidy

Afterword by Brian Keene

Part One takes place during the initial spread of Captain Trips and the dreams.

Part Two takes place between the migrations to Boulder and Las Vegas and the Hand of God moment.

Part Three takes place after the conclusion of the novel, detailing the world in the decades that follow.

And Part Four takes place… well, that would involve major spoilers. I think we’ll wait and let you find out where David J. Schow and Nat Cassidy’s stories take place.

So, there you have it. That’s the final line-up. Cover reveal and preorder link coming this month (possibly as early as next week).

BevVincent

The Kindle edition is now available for pre-order. The release date is given as August 19, 2025.

An original short story anthology based on master storyteller Stephen King’s #1 New York Times bestselling classic The Stand!

Since its initial publication in 1978, The Stand has been considered Stephen King’s seminal masterpiece of apocalyptic fiction, with millions of copies sold and adapted twice for television. Although there are other extraordinary works exploring the unraveling of human society, none have been as influential as this iconic novel—generations of writers have been impacted by its dark yet ultimately hopeful vision of the end and new beginning of civilization, and its stunning array of characters.

Now for the first time, Stephen King has fully authorized a return to the harrowing world of The Stand through this original short story anthology as presented by award-winning authors and editors Christopher Golden and Brian Keene. Bringing together some of today’s greatest and most visionary writers, The End of the World As We Know It features unforgettable, all-new stories set during and after (and some perhaps long after) the events of The Stand—brilliant, terrifying, and painfully human tales that will resonate with readers everywhere as an essential companion to the classic, bestselling novel.

Featuring an introduction by Stephen King, a foreword by Christopher Golden, and an afterword by Brian Keene. Contributors include Wayne Brady and Maurice Broaddus, Poppy Z. Brite, Somer Canon, C. Robert Cargill, Nat Cassidy, V. Castro, Richard Chizmar, S. A. Cosby, Tananarive Due and Steven Barnes, Meg Gardiner, Gabino Iglesias, Jonathan Janz, Alma Katsu, Caroline Kepnes, Michael Koryta, Sarah Langan, Joe R. Lansdale, Tim Lebbon, Josh Malerman, Ronald Malfi, Usman T. Malik, Premee Mohamed, Cynthia Pelayo, Hailey Piper, David J. Schow, Alex Segura, Bryan Smith, Paul Tremblay, Catherynne M. Valente, Bev Vincent, Catriona Ward, Chuck Wendig, Wrath James White, and Rio Youers.

[Cover to be revealed later today. It's already on Amazon but I don't want to steal Fangoria's thunder!]

BevVincent

GNTLGNT

....waiting for the hardback release...has to go on my bookshelf, since that's the novel that was the catalyst for my life with King.....

Hedda Gabler

I want hardback too. 

BevVincent

British cover

Kurben

BevVincent said:

British cover

I want that one!!

Grant87

I've got a Chizmar signed copy coming from Cemetery Dance since I pre-ordered Memorials. Looking forward to this one, for sure.

GNTLGNT

Grant87 said:

I've got a Chizmar signed copy coming from Cemetery Dance since I pre-ordered Memorials. Looking forward to this one, for sure.

....I have that one, and Steve's new offering both reserved through Chiz.....yeah, takes longer blah, blah, blah-but I like him and his team, so I wait.....

BevVincent

From Brian’s Substack;

The book is dedicated to three departed friends — Chuck Verrill, James A. Moore, and Weston Ochse.