If we needed more proof that horror is experiencing a new renaissance, Tom Doherty Associates (TDA) has announced the creation of a new horror imprint to join their publishing arm consisting of Tor, Forge, Tor Teen, Starscape, and Tor.com Publishing. Officially called Nightfire, President and Publisher Fritz Foy hopes to publish books for a new generation of horror fans. They are the sort of ilk currently setting new box office records, “binge streaming episodic TV, subscribing to weekly chat and drama-based podcasts, and purchasing more graphic novels,” said Foy in a statement. Be they novels or novellas, Nightfire hopes to bridge the gap between literary and horror.

We’ve already seen great examples of horror being redefined to accentuate literary themes and quandaries, be it the recently released Us, the sophomore effort by writer and director Jordan Peele, or award-winning novel The Changeling, by writer Victor LaValle (who has published a novella with Tor.com publishing, The Ballad of Black Tom). With the first publication set for early 2021, Nightfire looks to be a great launchpad for readers looking for some fresh and surprising scares. You bet I’m one of them.