Here is the biography of Jack Ketchum:
Jack Ketchum, a renowned author, was born in the United States. He began his writing career by publishing his first novel, "Off Season", in 1980. The novel, a dark and violent tale, was met with criticism from the Village Voice, who deemed it "violent pornography". Undeterred, Ketchum continued to write fiction that explored the cruelty and violence present in everyday life.
Before becoming a full-time writer, Ketchum worked as a teacher, copywriter, and literary agent for author Henry Miller. He also wrote and directed a few plays, and his fiction has eschewed traditional horror tropes such as vampires, werewolves, and supernatural creatures, instead focusing on urban horror and real-life monsters.
Ketchum has won several awards for his work, including the Bram Stoker Award for his short stories "The Box" and "Gone", as well as for his collections "Closing Time" and "Peaceable Kingdom". His work has been published in various anthologies, including "The Best of Cemetery Dance" and "The Century's Best Horror Fiction".
Three of Ketchum's novels have been adapted into films, including "Red", "The Girl Next Door", and "The Lost". He has also acted in several films and documentaries, including "The Lost", "Header", and "The Cult of Ichi".
Ketchum is a fan favorite among horror authors, with Stephen King calling him the "scariest guy in America" and praising his work as having a "dark streak of genius". King has also contributed introductions to several of Ketchum's books, including "The Girl Next Door".
Ketchum's short fiction has been collected in several volumes, including "The Exit at Toledo Blade Boulevard", "Broken on the Wheel of Sex", "Peaceable Kingdom", and "Closing Time and Other Stories". His poetry has appeared in anthologies alongside other notable authors, including Stephen King, Ray Bradbury, and Peter Straub.
Ketchum currently resides in New York, New York.
