Mike Allen’s second novel, Trail of Shadows (Broken Eye Books, 2025), a tale of ghosts and monsters in the Appalachian Mountains, was a finalist for the Clarence Howard “Bud” Webster Award, given by Ravencon in Richmond in recognition of outstanding achievements in writing by Virginia authors. The nomination was especially meaningful as Bud was both a great friend of Mike’s and a mentor.
Mike’s first novel, The Black Fire Concerto (Haunted Stars, 2013) was re-released in 2025 by Ruadán Books, and he’s now under contract with them to complete revisions of the sequel, The Ghoulmaker’s Aria.
Often readily recognizable at Readercon for his purple hat covered in buttons, Mike founded the small press journal Mythic Delirium (1998–2018), and his work there as editor and publisher earned him a 2019 World Fantasy Award nomination. His publishing company, not surprisingly, is called Mythic Delirium Books, and through it he has published the Clockwork Phoenix anthology series (Clockwork Phoenix 5 was itself a World Fantasy Award finalist), the Mythic Delirium anthology series (co-edited with his wife, Anita Allen), and many other works. Mythic Delirium’s most recent acquistions are the collections The Language of Knives by Haralambi Markov, scheduled to debut in July 2026, and One Big Place by Richard Chwedyk, expected in 2027.
Mike’s debut story collection, Unseaming (Antimatter Press, 2014), a Shirley Jackson Award finalist, opens with his horror story “The Button Bin” (2007), which was a Nebula Award finalist. Addition short story collections include The Spider Tapestries (Mythic Delirium Books, 2016), Aftermath of an Industrial Accident (Mythic Delirium Books, 2020, also a Shirley Jackson Award finalist), and Slow Burn (Mythic Delirium Books, 2024).
He has also published four book-length poetry collections—Disturbing Muses (Prime Books, 2005), Strange Wisdoms of the Dead (Wildside Press, 2006; Philadelphia Inquirer Editor’s Choice Selection), The Journey to Kailash (Norilana Books, 2008), and Hungry Constellations (Mythic Delirium Books, 2014; Suzette Haden Elgin Award nominee). His poems “Epochs in Exile: A Fantasy Trilogy” (2002, co-written with Charles M. Saplak), “The Strip Search” (2005), and “The Journey to Kailash” (2006) have all won the Rhysling Award.
He and his wife and creative partner Anita live in Roanoke, VA, with a cat so full of trouble she’s named Pandora. You can follow Mike’s exploits as a writer at descentintolight.com, as an editor at mythicdelirium.com, and all at once on Instagram at @mythicdelirium or BlueSky at @mythicdelirium.bsky.social.