Mark Justice R.I.P.

Woke this morning to reports that Mark Justice passed away. He was admitted to the hospital yesterday after going to the doctor for what he thought was his gall bladder. It turned out he’d suffered a heart attack. He was due for more testing this morning, but apparently passed overnight.

Mark’s books included LOOKING AT THE WORLD WITH BROKEN GLASS IN MY EYE and (with David Wilbanks) the DEAD EARTH series. He also ran one of the first — and best — horror fiction-centric podcasts, POD of Horror. He was also a long-time morning show disc jockey in Ashland, Kentucky. He occasionally used that morning show to promote horror fiction, featuring friends and peers like Richard Laymon, Jack Ketchum, F. Paul Wilson, Joe R. Lansdale, J.F. Gonzalez, and myself. I’ve signed in Ashland numerous times throughout the last twenty years, and Mark was always happy to have me on the show anytime I was in town. I’d been planning on seeing him again later this year as my signing tour for THE COMPLEX and PRESSURE brought me close to him once again.

He was generous and genuine, and very, very funny. He knew this genre’s history like few others. He will be missed.