I first encountered Jo Kaplan when she was publishing under her maiden name of Joanna Parypinski. I was lucky enough to have a story of mine appear alongside two of hers in the Indiana Science Fiction 2011 anthology. I’ve read a lot more by her since then. Her ability to craft some of the most terrifying scenes I’ve ever read has led to her becoming one of my favorite authors. I’ve previously covered several of her novels here at Horror Delve, including her first one Pandora (https://horrordelve.com/2014/06/19/pandora-by-joanna-parypinski/ ), followed by Dark Carnival (https://horrordelve.com/2019/08/12/dark-carnival-by-joanna-parypinski-review/) which won her my Scariest Scene in a Novel Award (https://horrordelve.com/2020/01/20/the-2019-horror-delve-haunt-awards/ ) back when I used to post my Horror Delve’s Annual Haunt Awards. After that was It Will Just Be Us ( https://horrordelve.com/2020/11/09/it-will-just-be-us-by-jo-kaplan-review/ ) which was excellent, of course.
She was also kind enough to participate in my collaborative Ultimate Fantasy Weird Places List back in 2018 ( https://horrordelve.com/2018/02/26/horror-delves-ultimate-fantasy-weird-places-list/ ) where she wrote about ASSHAI (From A Song of Ice and Fire/ Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin).
I even interviewed her back in 2019 ( https://horrordelve.com/2019/06/16/13-questions-with-joanna-parypinski/ ).
She’s originally from Chicago but now lives in California were she teaches English and creative writing at Glendale Community College and plays cello in both the Symphony of the Verdugos and the band Guerra/paz. Her story “Something Is Rotten” was nominated for a Shirley Jackson Award. She’s had stories published in many high profile markets and is co-chair of the Horror Writers Association’s Los Angeles chapter. She is a gifted writer and I think you’ll get a glimpse of her inventiveness by reading the brief synopsis’ of several of her stories below.
THE STORIES:
“The Fifth” (as Joanna Parypinski 2011) – This tale starts with a group of five men dressed in costumes who plan to rob a safe while everyone is distracted by a Halloween party. Things take a tragic turn as scenes shift between dreams and reality. This is an excellent Halloween story. You can read or listen for free here: https://talestoterrify.com/episodes/tales-to-terrify-225-lauren-beukes-joanna-parypinski/
“The Abortion” (as Joanna Parypinski 2017) – After getting pregnant by a guy who left town soon afterwards, a woman begins to suspect the fetus growing inside her isn’t human but rather something monstrous.
“Side Effects May Include Suicide” (as Joanna Parypinski 2017) – A man volunteering as a test subject for several drugs from a pharmaceutical company notices physical improvements at first before dire consequences start to destroy him.
“Wick’s End” (as Joanna Parypinski 2017) – In a seedy bar on Halloween night, a man and a woman who’ve just met challenge each other to see who can tell the scariest ghost story. The loser has to buy the next round of drinks. Both trade spooky tales while keeping important secrets about their true selves from the other.
“We Are Turning On a Spindle” (as Joanna Parypinski 2017) – A warrior scours the universe for years seeking a legendary woman of unimaginable beauty who has been lost. He finally pinpoints her location inside a ruined castle on a planet in a lost corner of the universe, but what will be the cost of this discovery? This is a beautifully written tale that mixes fantasy, science fiction and horror. I really love it! You can read or listen to this tale for free here: http://www.nightmare-magazine.com/fiction/we-are-turning-on-a-spindle/
“What’s Coming To You” (as Joanna Parypinski 2018) – A woman who’s lived a hard life trapped in a marriage with a lazy, degenerate husband is visited by a strange man in a suit. This man claims he’s a lawyer who’s bringing her a substantial inheritance from an uncle she didn’t know existed. She’s unsure of him as his physical form seems to waver somewhat while he tries to convince her to let him inside. He offers other dark services which would improve her life as well, if she accepts. You can read or listen for free here: http://www.nightmare-magazine.com/fiction/whats-coming-to-you/
“Dead Worms, Dangling” (asJoanna Parypinski 2019) – While fishing together, two young boys talk about local lake creatures and UFOs before moving on to share about the real life troubles they have. When they catch something heavy on their line, it brings a shocking horror to the surface. You can listen to it here: http://www.nightmare-magazine.com/fiction/dead-worms-dangling/
“The Stars are Shinning Brightly” (as Joanna Parypinski 2020) – A group of carolers appear in the street opposite your house every night between the hours of 11:00 and midnight leading up to Christmas. Their constant singing begins to unhinge you, keeping you from sleep. There’s something unnatural about these carolers and the songs they sing. This is a top notch Christmas horror tale.
“It Accumulates” (as Joanna Parypinski 2021) – The discovery of a postcard under a car windshield wiper advertising “Exorcisms” leads to subtle but significant alterations in the life of the person who finds it. They begin hoarding things, and normal household items start taking on sinister appearances. This is an excellently creepy story! You can listen or read it here for free: http://www.nightmare-magazine.com/fiction/it-accumulates/
“Where All The Streets Lead” (as Jo Kaplan 2023) – An architect who excels at designing large structures and skyscrapers, even though he has no desire to enter them, takes the congested, twisting interstate route to pull into the vast parking garage of an enormous building to meet with clients. This triggers him to relive a traumatic moment from his past. This is an excellent, very eerie tale which deals with the fear of dark places in an expansive city.
“The Third Floor” (as Jo Kaplan 2024) – A woman recalls back to her childhood when she would occasionally discover a phantom third floor in her parent’s house. It only appeared randomly and with different access points. Many years later, after a long absence from seeing it, the floor returns and she decides to finally explore it. This is a very eerie tale which entices the reader’s curiosity as to what lies behind that door while simultaneously causing us to fear the discovery as well. (Found in Nightmare Abbey issue 7).
Jo Kaplan’s Website: https://jo-kaplan.com
Jo Kaplan’s Amazon Page: https://www.amazon.com/Literature-Fiction-Jo-Kaplan-Books/s?rh=n:17,p_27:Jo+Kaplan
Horror Delve 
A brilliant writer.
Definitely! I always look forward to reading her work.