{"id":14898,"date":"2025-07-08T18:21:13","date_gmt":"2025-07-08T22:21:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lucysnyder.com\/?p=14898"},"modified":"2025-07-08T18:21:13","modified_gmt":"2025-07-08T22:21:13","slug":"nightmerica","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lucysnyder.com\/index.php\/nightmerica\/","title":{"rendered":"Nightmerica: Corruptions of the American Dream"},"content":{"rendered":"

Nightmerica: Corruptions of the American Dream<\/em><\/a> is out today. This new anthology features poetry by me along with work by K.M. Bennett, T.K. Brave, Anton Cancre, J. Rocky Colavito, Dan B. Fierce, Lindsey Beth Goddard, Austin Gragg, Larry Hinkle, Ken Hueler, Xavier Poe Kane, Joe Koch, C.S. Magnuson, Shane David Morin, Donna J.W. Munro, Sumiko Saulson, Angela Yuriko Smith, Valerie B. Williams, and L. Marie Wood. The book was edited by Amanda Worthington and published by Dragon’s Roost Press<\/a>.<\/p>\n

What is Nightmerica?<\/span><\/h3>\n

James Truslow Adams coined the term “The American Dream” in his book, The Epic of America <\/span><\/em>and defined it<\/span>\u00a0as the hope for, “a better, richer, and happier life for all our citizens of every rank which is the greatest contribution we have as yet made to the thought and welfare of the world.”<\/span><\/p>\n

The American Dream as it currently exists functions as the carrot, urging us forward in the desperate race to stabilize, build, and thrive while we still have breath in our overworked and under maintained bodies. But beneath the veneer of prosperity lie nightmares untold.<\/p>\n

Stories and poems this collection are divided into three sections: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness, the inalienable rights we were promised at this nation’s founding. This anthology seeks to tell tales that emphasize the ways in which interwoven systems fail all but the most privileged among us.<\/p>\n

\"Nightmerica
Cover art by Lynne Hansen<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

From the publisher:<\/p>\n

A sleep-deprived man caught in a strange dream sequence. A strange woman whose eviction tears her away from her beloved children. An insular sanctum where the rebels of a dying world power the very corruption they seek to fight. A new mother whose desperation leads her to make a deal with the devil. A romantic hiking trip gone terribly wrong. This is just the beginning of what you’ll find lurking in this volume of never-before published stories and poems.<\/p>\n

The diverse voices contained herein lead you further into the disturbing, uncanny, and monstrous as they explore the barriers to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. In a time of unprecedented political and ideological instability, you are invited to explore the shifting terrain of Nightmerica. Both familiar and distorted in equal measure, you can hear it calling your name.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Nightmerica: Corruptions of the American Dream is out today. This new anthology features poetry by me along with work by K.M. Bennett, T.K. Brave, Anton […]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":14900,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[20],"tags":[145,9],"class_list":["post-14898","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-publishing","tag-anthology","tag-horror"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.lucysnyder.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/nightmerica-header.avif","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8qT6f-3Si","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1489,"url":"https:\/\/www.lucysnyder.com\/index.php\/themed-anthologies\/","url_meta":{"origin":14898,"position":0},"title":"Themed Anthologies","author":"Lucy A. Snyder","date":"July 25, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"A themed anthology is a book-length work containing short stories, essays or poetry all written by different authors on the same theme, concept or topic. Themed short story anthologies are very common, and make up the majority of anthologies from major publishers that readers find on bookstore shelves. Why are\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "dark fantasy"","block_context":{"text":"dark fantasy","link":"https:\/\/www.lucysnyder.com\/index.php\/category\/dark-fantasy\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lucysnyder.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/10714476_10152814250071789_6207729841047083094_o.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lucysnyder.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/10714476_10152814250071789_6207729841047083094_o.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lucysnyder.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/10714476_10152814250071789_6207729841047083094_o.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lucysnyder.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/10714476_10152814250071789_6207729841047083094_o.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lucysnyder.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/10714476_10152814250071789_6207729841047083094_o.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lucysnyder.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/10714476_10152814250071789_6207729841047083094_o.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2755,"url":"https:\/\/www.lucysnyder.com\/index.php\/american-gothic-short-stories\/","url_meta":{"origin":14898,"position":1},"title":"American Gothic Short Stories","author":"Lucy A. Snyder","date":"June 6, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"My story \"Approaching Lavender\" will be in the forthcoming American Gothic Short Stories anthology from Flame Tree Publishing. Other featured authors include Terri Bruce, Ramsey Campbell, Maxx Fidalgo, Joshua Hiles, Russell James, Clayton Kroh, Sean Logan, Madison McSweeney, Lynette Mej\u00eda, Joe Nazare, Wendy Nikel, Christi Nogle, Lina Rather, M. Regan,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "My Books"","block_context":{"text":"My Books","link":"https:\/\/www.lucysnyder.com\/index.php\/category\/my-books\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lucysnyder.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/gothic.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lucysnyder.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/gothic.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lucysnyder.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/gothic.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lucysnyder.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/gothic.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lucysnyder.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/gothic.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lucysnyder.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/gothic.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2335,"url":"https:\/\/www.lucysnyder.com\/index.php\/chiral-mad-4\/","url_meta":{"origin":14898,"position":2},"title":"Chiral Mad 4","author":"Lucy A. Snyder","date":"October 23, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"The new anthology Chiral Mad 4 was released today in ebook, trade paperback, and hardcover formats! I co-edited this anthology with Michael Bailey, and the four short stories, four novelettes, four novellas, and four graphic story adaptations in the book are all collaborations. Here\u2019s the Table of Contents: \u201cSomewhere Between\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "My Books"","block_context":{"text":"My Books","link":"https:\/\/www.lucysnyder.com\/index.php\/category\/my-books\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lucysnyder.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/chiralmad4.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lucysnyder.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/chiralmad4.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lucysnyder.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/chiralmad4.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lucysnyder.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/chiralmad4.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lucysnyder.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/chiralmad4.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lucysnyder.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/chiralmad4.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3035,"url":"https:\/\/www.lucysnyder.com\/index.php\/come-join-us-by-the-fire\/","url_meta":{"origin":14898,"position":3},"title":"Come Join Us by the Fire, an Audio Horror Anthology","author":"Lucy A. Snyder","date":"October 17, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"I'm extremely pleased to announce that my story \"That Which Does Not Kill You\" appears in the new audio anthology Come Join Us by the Fire. The anthology was just released by Nightfire, the new horror imprint from Tor Books. You can download the anthology for free at Google Play.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "publishing"","block_context":{"text":"publishing","link":"https:\/\/www.lucysnyder.com\/index.php\/category\/publishing\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lucysnyder.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/NightfireAudio_Anthology_Twitter.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lucysnyder.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/NightfireAudio_Anthology_Twitter.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lucysnyder.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/NightfireAudio_Anthology_Twitter.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lucysnyder.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/NightfireAudio_Anthology_Twitter.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4048,"url":"https:\/\/www.lucysnyder.com\/index.php\/the-dystopian-states-of-america\/","url_meta":{"origin":14898,"position":4},"title":"The Dystopian States of America","author":"Lucy A. Snyder","date":"March 5, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"My story \"Abandonment Option\" was just published in The Dystopian States of America, a charity anthology benefiting the ACLU Foundation. Edited by Matt Bechtel, the book includes an introduction from Christopher Golden and work from Bracken MacLeod, Linda D. Addison, Hillary Monahan, James A. Moore, Wrath James White, Nadia Bulkin,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "My Books"","block_context":{"text":"My Books","link":"https:\/\/www.lucysnyder.com\/index.php\/category\/my-books\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"The Dystopian States of America","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lucysnyder.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/dystopianstates.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":6866,"url":"https:\/\/www.lucysnyder.com\/index.php\/omniumgatherumparty\/","url_meta":{"origin":14898,"position":5},"title":"Forthcoming Anthologies and an Online Book Launch Tomorrow Night","author":"Lucy A. Snyder","date":"January 14, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Tomorrow evening, I and Donna J.W. Munro, Anton Cancre, Kimile Aczon, and Nzondi will be participating in Omnium Gatherum's release event for Sarah Hans' new novel,\u00a0Entomophobia. The book launch readings will be free and streamed on Facebook on Saturday, January 15th at 5pm PST\/8pm Eastern. To view the event during\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "publishing"","block_context":{"text":"publishing","link":"https:\/\/www.lucysnyder.com\/index.php\/category\/publishing\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Release Party graphic","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lucysnyder.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/EntomophobiaReleaseDay.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lucysnyder.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/EntomophobiaReleaseDay.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lucysnyder.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/EntomophobiaReleaseDay.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lucysnyder.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/EntomophobiaReleaseDay.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lucysnyder.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/EntomophobiaReleaseDay.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lucysnyder.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14898","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lucysnyder.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lucysnyder.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lucysnyder.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lucysnyder.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14898"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.lucysnyder.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14898\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14901,"href":"https:\/\/www.lucysnyder.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14898\/revisions\/14901"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lucysnyder.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14900"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lucysnyder.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14898"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lucysnyder.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14898"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lucysnyder.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14898"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}