Forty Stories is the first long-form work published under the aegis of Fifty-Two Stories, the short fiction blog of Harper Perennial. Since its inception in 2009, Fifty-Two Stories (www.fiftytwostories.com) has hosted work by writers both new and established, including Neil Gaiman, Louise Erdrich, Mary Gaitskill, Dennis Cooper, Jennifer Haigh, Tom Piazza, Lydia Peelle, Willy Vlautin, Marcy Dermansky, and more. Fifty-Two Stories has attracted particular attention for the early exposure it has given to innovative young writers such as Blake Butler, Ben Greenman, Amelia Gray, Seth Fried, and Catherine Lacey.
Forty Stories features work by Harper Perennial authors including Butler, Greenman, Elizabeth Crane, Adam Wilson, Matthew Norman, and Greg Bardsley. It also includes stories by novelists Jess Walter (Beautiful Ruins) and Shane Jones (Daniel Fights a Hurricane), and acclaimed short-form writers Jamie Quatro (I Want to Show You More), Roxane Gay, and Lindsay Hunter. New voices include Nigerian writer Adetokunbo Abiola; recent Center for Fiction fellow Mitchell S. Jackson; and adult film actress Kayden Kross.
The full list of contributors includes: Adetokunbo Abiola • David Backer • Greg Bardsley • Daniel Browne • Blake Butler • Elizabeth Crane • Laura Jane Faulds • Kelli Ford • D. Foy • Roxane Gay • Sharon Goldner • Ben Greenman • Jim Hanas • Brandon Hobson • Lindsay Hunter • Mitchell S. Jackson • Shane Jones • Kayden Kross • Catherine Lacey • O. A. Lindsey • Karon Luddy • Alexander Lumans • Scott McClanahan • Mesha Maren • Tessa Mellas • Kyle Minor • Matthew Norman • Nathan Oates • Eric Raymond • Alan Rossi • Jamie Quatro • Michael Ramberg • Joseph Scapellato • Eliezra Schaffzin • Matt Stewart • Jess Walter • David Williams • Adam Wilson • Paula Younger