Eric Shapiro

Eric Shapiro (born June 26, 1978) is an American author of novels, short stories, and essays, as well as a feature filmmaker.

Biography
Eric Shapiro was born in Freehold Borough, New Jersey. He graduated from Boston's Emerson College and lives in Los Angeles, California.

Shapiro's novel "The Devoted" (2012) was edited by John Skipp as part of Literary Partners Group's horror/thriller e-publishing imprint Ravenous Shadows. The novel documents the last day in the life of a suicide cult. The novel was nominated for a 2013 Spinetingler Award in the Best Novel: New Voice category.

In 2011, Shapiro wrote and directed a short film adaptation of Jack Ketchum's short story "Mail Order." In 2013, the 16-minute film was released on Fangoria's website as the first in its series of "Screamer" short films.

Shapiro produced and directed a feature film titled "Rule of Three," which had its world premiere in July 2008 at the Fantasia Festival, and its U.S. premiere in September 2008 at Fantastic Fest. The film's North American DVD release was in October, 2010; it began streaming on Netflix Instant in 2011; and was released on iTunes and Xbox Music in 2012.

Collected novels and short fiction from Eric Shapiro are compiled in a volume titled "Stories for the End of the World," released by Permuted Press in October, 2010. Other short fiction by Eric Shapiro appeared in "Zombies: Encounters with the Hungry Dead" (2009) and "Werewolves and Shape Shifters: Encounters with the Beast Within" (2010), both edited by John Skipp. A short essay about scary movies written by Shapiro appeared in Harper Collins' "The Book of Lists: Horror" (Bram Stoker Award Nominee for Nonfiction, 2008).

Shapiro's short apocalyptic novel, It's Only Temporary (2005), depicts the world before it is destroyed by a meteorite, and was on the Preliminary Nominee ballot for the 2006 Bram Stoker Award in Long Fiction. Shapiro's novella "Days of Allison" addresses technology and human relationships and was released by Crowswing Books in November, 2006. The book's introduction was written by Kealan Patrick Burke. Another short novel by the author, titled "Strawberry Man," depicts apocalyptic happenings and was released by Insidious Publications in 2007. The book's introduction was written by John Skipp.

Short fiction by Eric Shapiro can be found in the fiction anthologies "The Elastic Book of Numbers" (British Fantasy Award Winner for Best Anthology, 2006), "Daikaiju!" (Ditmar Award Winner for Collected Work, 2006), and "Corpse Blossoms" (Bram Stoker Award Nominee for Anthology, 2006), among other speculative fiction anthologies.

Style
Shapiro writes genre fiction with an emphasis on the characters' personal psychology and inner lives. His novels are all written in the first-person and in the present tense, with characters who are often in a state of nervous breakdown, revelation, and/or sexual dysfunction. In "It's Only Temporary," "Days of Allison," and "Strawberry Man," the protagonists gain awareness of their true natures amidst violent and taxing circumstances. The screenplay for "Rule of Three" was penned by Rhoda Jordan, and explores themes involving karma along with Shapiro's more familiar revelatory content. Shapiro does not use his personal style when ghostwriting, which he does professionally, and for which he has been praised by The Wall Street Journal and Consumers Digest for composing clients' wedding vows.

Films

 * Living Things (2014)
 * Mail Order (short, 2013)
 * Rule of Three (2010)

Anthologies

 * Evil Jester Digest, Volume 1 (2012)
 * HELP! Wanted: Tales of On-the-Job Terror (2011)
 * Werewolves and Shape Shifters: Encounters with the Beast Within (2010)
 * Zombies: Encounters with the Hungry Dead (2009)
 * The Book of Lists: Horror (2008)
 * The Undead: Skin and Bones (2007)
 * The Elastic Book of Numbers (2005)
 * Daikaiju! (2005)
 * Corpse Blossoms (2005)
 * The Undead: Zombie Anthology (2005)

Fiction collections

 * Stories for the End of the World (2010)
 * Short of a Picnic (2002)

Short fiction

 * "Newborn" (2005) in Daikaiju! Giant Monster Tales (ed. Robert Hood, Robin Pen)

Novels

 * Love & Zombies (2013)
 * The Devoted (2012)
 * Strawberry Man (2007)
 * Days of Allison (2006)
 * It's Only Temporary (2005)

As Editor

 * Malediction by Lisa Morton (Preliminary Bram Stoker Award Nominee for Novel, 2014)
 * Candy House by Kate Jonez (Preliminary Bram Stoker Award Nominee for First Novel, 2014)