From a reader's point of view, one of the great things about short stories is that you can sample different authors' work without a major time commitment. From an author's POV, one of the great things about shorts is that it's sometimes easier to avoid conventions and formulas than it is with a novel. A benefit to readers and writers alike is that a short can deliver a real punch to the solar plexus without any padding.

My choice for Best Horror Short Story of 2007 is "General Slocum's Gold," by occasional Fear Zone contributor Nicholas Kaufmann. "General Slocum's Gold" is published by Burning Effigy Press, and you can see/hear Kaufmann read excerpts from this excellent story in our Fear Zone Exclusive Video.

In this eerie tale centering on a forgotten area of New York City--a small island near Ryker's--Kaufmann captures hardboiled, noirish characters and dialogue without going over the top and becoming cute, and throws in ghosts and super powers to boot. No story I read this year better embraced a number of my favorite genres. Check out the reading, order the chapbook, and if you like what Kaufmann throws your way, seek out his excellent out of print collection, WALK IN SHADOWS.

In the interest of full disclosure, Kaufmann is a friend; but I have a lot of friends who published short stories this year. The critical acclaim for this story has been fairly wide spread, and the story speaks for itself--with a distinctive voice. Kaufmann has called "General Slocum's Gold" a novelette--longer than your average short story, but shorter than a novella.