Because she believes that there’s nothing more important (or socially dangerous) than human curiosity, Loren created Morbid Curiosity magazine in 1997. The final issue came out in May 2006. In its 10 issues, Morbid Curiosity magazine collected 310 survivor narratives about encounters with the unsavory, unwise, unorthodox, or unusual: all the dark elements that make life worth living.
Contributors probed every facet of homicide and birth, illicit substances and what passes for modern healthcare, graveyards, natural disasters, UFOs, sexuality, humanity’s inclinations toward violence, and so much more. They wandered from Auschwitz to Malaysia, from Hiroshima to Mexico. Through it all, Morbid Curiosity questioned authority, consensus reality, and accepted wisdom. Its tongue was often planted firmly in cheek.
Contributors included Michael Arnzen, Trey Barker, Alan M. Clark, John Everson, Ray Garton, Brian Hodge, Charlee Jacob, Brian Keene, Nancy Kilpatrick, Simon Wood, and others at the cutting edge of horror, speculative fiction, and mystery — except that, in Morbid Curiosity, the horror stories they related were all true.
Awards:
In 2005, Morbid Curiosity #9 was a finalist for the Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in Nonfiction, presented by the Horror Writers Association.
In 2004, Morbid Curiosity won the San Francisco Bay Guardian’s Best of the Bay Award for “Best Nightmare-Inducing Local Magazine.”
At Denver’s Death Equinox 1998, Morbid Curiosity received the Idiot Savant Award for “Most Intellectually Evocative.”
Reviews:
“For a decade, Morbid Curiosity has been a confessional where Americans revealed their deepest, darkest secrets. The title was no joke: Morbid Curiosity was definitely morbid. It was also frequently gross, disgusting, perverse — and very funny, if you prefer your humor to come in a decidedly dark hue.” — The Washington Post
“Fascinating frontline journalism. If you want to know how people really react to worse-case scenarios without the attendant Springer-style circus punch-ups, here’s some seriously good reading.” — Bizarre magazine
Ordering Information:
Only issue #10 is still in print. You can order it directly from me.
