Welcome
Welcome to my website.
I'm Eric Stener Carlson, a writer from the U.S. (although I've lived most of my life in Latin American, Asia and Europe).
I'm an essayist and commentator on social justice and human rights. I also write novels and short stories - ghost stories, science fiction, fairytales and "strange tales".
My latest book is "Tales from the Coming War" (Tartarus Press, 2025).
In this short story collection (beautifully illustrated by the artist, Joseph Dawson), I explore the human connections of people scattered all over the world in a final war. From Argentina to England, Greece to Egypt, the Faroe Islands to Peru, people face their last moments, in a reverie of love and memory and imagination.
There is a lot in the works for 2026, including some short stories on authoritarianism and censorship. I'll share more soon!
Thanks to all my friends and fans for your support!
Best Wishes,
Eric
What readers are saying about my books:
Tales from the Coming War:
"With stunning precision, Carlson's prose captures the horrors and sorrows, the spiraling fall into darkness. . . . Tales from the Coming War feels like history and reads like prophecy. Readers will find that as well, it lives in memory." (Rick Kleffel, Narrative Species blog).
"I eventually came to realize that it's not the horrors that these people face that had me on edge but rather the way in which the author plunges the reader front and center into each story, making you feel like you're the one who's living through these times. That, my friends, is powerful and emotional storytelling. Enough said. Definitely recommended." (Oddly weird fiction)
"[The book] is also beautiful. And empathetic. And what makes this all possible is the quietly superb writing of ESC. There's no drang, no strum, no fireworks and no-one else who could have pulled this off." (Coffee and Flapjacks)
Dark Arts:
"A traditional structure and simple yet elegant style add to the impression that these modern tales could be timeless classics." (The Guardian)
"Eric Stener Carlson is an incredibly gifted writer who never fails to offer a deep, enriching and soulful quality in his work which illuminates the humanity of the author's characters. . . .Dark Arts is a truly excellent collection, both beautiful and terrifying, written by a skilled master of his own art." (Goodreads)
Muladona
"Intense, labyrinthine and frightening story with a real soul to it! I've [read] it 5 times cause I'm working to adapt it as a concept album with my band and each reading has made me discover new links between all the seven tales and the main story. This is great art if you like horror stories with real depth! Highly [recommended]!" (Goodreads - a bandmember from "Rorcal"*)
*Rorcal eventually recorded the album, "Muladona", as an homage to my book.
"Eric Stener Carlson is a rarity within the contemporary weird fiction milieu, a writer who respects his audience and trusts their intelligence." (The Lovecraft eZine)
". . .a brilliant work of American Gothic supernatural horror." (Supernatural Tales)
The Saint Perpetuus Club of Buenos Aires
"Stener Carlson subverts our expectations: readers and booksellers cannot be trusted, while the search for knowledge may not lead to enlightenment but to madness and death. The multi-layered narrative is full of surprises, and the conclusion provides a modest grace note that beautifully befits the tale." (Financial Times)
The Saint Perpetuus Club of Buenos Aires: "Absolutely magnificent urban 'horror' novel." (Goodreads)
"Unpredictable and steeped in allusions to classic and contemporary works, this spry exercise in magic realism can be enjoyed as a parable on how our reading transforms our perception of the world." (Publishers Weekly)
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*Note: The opinions on this site and in my works are my own, and they do not necessarily represent the positions of any organization for which I work or have worked.