Mark Steensland

Follow to get new release updates and improved recommendations

About Mark Steensland

Mark Steensland self-published his first book while in fourth grade and has been telling stories ever since—some of them true. He became a professional journalist before graduating high school, writing about movies for such magazines as Prevue, Millimeter, and American Cinematographer. He holds a bachelor's in film studies from UC Santa Barbara, a master's in creative writing from CSU Sacramento, and an MFA in screenwriting from Chapman University. His award-winning films (including Peekers and The Ugly File) have played in festivals around the world. His first novel—Behind the Bookcase—was published in 2012 by Random House. A movie based on The Special, a novella co-written with James Newman, was released in October 2020. He most recently wrote Jakob's Wife, starring Barbara Crampton, Larry Fessenden, and Bonnie Aarons.

Kristopher Triana

Duncan Ralston

Bryan Smith

Eric LaRocca

Samantha Kolesnik

Ronald Malfi

Are you an author?

Help us improve our Author Pages by updating your bibliography and submitting a new or current image and biography.

Learn more at Author Central

1 11 1

$5.99

Kindle Edition
$0.99

Kindle Edition
$3.87

Kindle Edition
$2.99

Kindle Edition
$6.99

Kindle Edition
$2.99

Kindle Edition
$4.99

Kindle Edition
$4.99

Kindle Edition
$4.99

Kindle Edition
In The Scrape

Paperback
$6.93

Paperback
$10.99

Paperback

Author Updates

Titles By Mark Steensland

All Formats Kindle Edition Audible Audiobook Paperback Hardcover

Midnight in the Pentagram Oct 13, 2020

by Brian Keene, Graham Masterton, James Newman, Catherine Cavendish, Todd Keisling, Tony Tremblay, Michael Patrick Hicks, Stephanie Ellis, Tim Meyer, Kenneth W. Cain

( 72 )

$5.99

As the clock’s pendulum steadily counts down towards the midnight hour, the growing scent of brimstone hangs heavy in the air. The universal symbol of all that is evil, the pentagram, or the inverted pentacle, has been carved in the hardwood floor. Its shape is often described as the goat of lust attacking the Heavens with its horns during the witches’ sabbat. Five obsidian candles flicker as the incantations begin. Who will be summoned during this unholy evening? Will it be Baphomet? Or Belial? Maybe even Lucifer himself? The roof timbers groan. Stressed plaster drops to the floor. The demon approaches, holding its ancient grimoire filled with evil stories, written in blood…and here they are.

Other Formats: Paperback

This title and over 1 million more available with Kindle Unlimited.

100 Word Horrors: Book 4: An Anthology of Horror Drabbles (100 Word Horror Collection) Dec 28, 2019

by Kevin J. Kennedy, Eric J. Guignard, Andrew Lennon, Lee Mountford, Chad Lutzke, Jason Parent, Evans Light, John Boden, J.C. Michael, Adam Light

( 40 )

$0.99

THIS BOOK DOES NOT INCLUDE A FREE SET OF STICKERS

100 Word Horrors: Book 4 brings you over one hundred new drabbles from a wealth of horror authors. Some new, some old, but all great. Each and every one of us hope you have a blast with the final instalment in the series.

Included between the pages:
Adam Light - No Time Like the Present
Alanna Robertson-Webb - U R Next
Amber M. Simpson - The Old Man
Andrew Lennon - Cinema
Andrew Lennon - Motivation
Andrew Lennon - The Wave
Ann Christine Tabaka - Water World
Ann-Christine Tabaka - The Children of Earth
Billy San Juan - My Sincerest Apologies to any Innocent Victims
Callum Pearce - Cats
Cecelia Hopkins-Drewer - Haunted House
Chad Lutzke - Shingles on a Graham-Cracker Roof
Chloe Lennon - Hunger Pains
C.M. Saunders - Louie's Room
Constanze Scheib - Sanatorium
Darren Tarditi - The Hunter
David Owain Hughes - Books-A-Million
David Owain Hughes - The Golden Sticker
Dawn DeBraal - Cannibal
Dawn DeBraal - Revived
Dawn DeBraal - Road Kill
Eddie D. Moore - Hide and Seek
Ellen A. Easton - Every Fifty Years the Roots Need Blood
Eric J. Guignard - Misadventures of an Aggrieved Recluse
Evans Light - Getting Carried Away
Evans Light - Swing Low
Evans Light - This Little Piggy
Gary McDonough - Curiosity
Greg Bennett - Tiny Terrors
Harris Coverley - Coins
Howard Carlyle - The Theatre of Screams
J. C. Michael - Domestic Bliss
J. C. Michael - Spectrum
Jacek Wilkos - Lair
Jack Lothian - Diamond Lake Killer
Jack Lothian - The Guest Room
Jackk N. Killington - Zombie
Jason Parent - Shape in the Dark
Joe X Young - Believe in Me
Joe X Young - Panto Season
Joel R Hunt - Mister Mushroom
Joel R Hunt - The Transylvania Box
John Boden - Meal
Josh A. Murphy - Slithering
Julian J. Guignard - Molly's Wedding
Kevin Cathy - Inescapable
Kevin Cathy - The Coffin
Kevin J. Kennedy - Missing Halloween
Kevin J. Kennedy - Wrath of the Old Ones
Kevin Wetmore - Chiaroscuro Morning
Kevin Wetmore - Take the Long Way Home
Lee Franklin - Feed the Beast
Lee Franklin - You Look Prettier When You Smile
Lee Mountford - Choke
Lee Mountford - Predator
Mark Cassell - New Home
Mark Steensland - Stop
Matthew A Clarke - Worth It
Micah Castle - Inescapable End
N.M. Brown - Extra-Curricular Clone
Nerisha Kemraj - Asylum
Nerisha Kemraj - Mine
P.J. Blakey-Novis - A Friend for Ellie
P.J. Blakey-Novis - Captive
Paul D. Brazill - Swamplands
Regina Kenney - Fantasy
RJ Meldrum - Livestock
RJ Meldrum - Phantom
RJ Meldrum - Summer Snow
Robin Braid - Blood in the Moonlight
Robin Braid - Undead Champion
Ron Davis - The Job Interview
Ross Baxter - Eternal Life
Ross Jeffery - Poached Egg
Russell Smeaton - Bus Home
Ryan Colley - Cattle
Ryan Colley - Memory Stick
Ryan Colley - Ride-Hailing
Sheldon Woodbury - A Prison Inside Us
Sheldon Woodbury - The Museum of Horrors
Simon Cluett - Lanterns
Stacey Jaine McIntosh - Blood and Bone
Steve Stred - Open Call
Steve Stred - Terra
Terry Miller – To Feed a Monster
Theresa Jacobs - Armageddon
Timothy Friesenhahn - Hair
Timothy Friesenhahn - I
Tina Piney - Awaken to Death <

Other Formats: Paperback

This title and over 1 million more available with Kindle Unlimited.

It Came From The Darkness: A Charity Anthology Oct 30, 2020

by P.J. Blakey-Novis, David Green, C.M. Saunders, Justin Boote, Tim Lebbon, Gemma Paul, D.J. Doyle, Roma Gray, Matthew V. Brockmeyer, Mark Anthony Smith

( 31 )

$3.87

It Came From the Darkness is a unique collection of drabbles (stories of 100 words exactly) and artwork, compiled by Red Cape Publishing and Philip Rogers 101 PR in aid of the Max the Brave Fund. A huge number of horror writers, poets, artists, and film makers have come together to support the cause and offer the reader something special. Each piece of writing begins with the same five words, but the stories themselves are all wonderfully varied. So dig in, take each tale one bloody bite at a time, and beware of what comes from the darkness.
Includes stories from David Owain Hughes, Matthew V. Brockmeyer, Tim Lebbon, Lou Yardley, Cortney Palm, Lee Franklin, MJ Dixon, Singh Lall, and many, many more.

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Paperback

This title and over 1 million more available with Kindle Unlimited.

Jimmy the Freak Jun 28, 2019

by Charles Colyott, Mark Steensland, Pete Kahle

( 13 )

$2.99

Thanks to being dropped on his head when he was a baby, Jimmy is now both mentally disabled and psychic. This has made him the perfect target for abuse by those who would exploit his wild talent for their own power and glory.

Disgusted by his part in the game, Jimmy’s bodyguard Mike takes him on the run. But Mike’s boss isn’t the sort to let a meal ticket go easily, so he dispatches a brutal hitman named Ash to hunt them down and bring Jimmy back to work.

Winding through a snow-covered landscape of back alleys, cheap motels, and strip clubs, Mike must fight his own personal demons while desperately trying to keep Jimmy free.

Other Formats: Paperback

This title and over 1 million more available with Kindle Unlimited.

Behind the Bookcase Oct 9, 2012

by Mark Steensland, Kelly Murphy

( 35 )

$6.99

A girl stumbles into a fantastic world in this tale perfect for fans of Coraline, Alice in Wonderland, and The Twilight Zone.

Spending the summer at her grandmother's house is the last thing Sarah wants to do—especially now that Grandma Winnie has died—but she has no choice. Her parents have to fix the place up before they can sell it, and Sarah and her brother, Billy, have to help. But the tedious work turns into a thrilling mystery when Sarah discovers an unfinished letter her grandmother wrote: Strange things are happening behind the bookcase. . . .

Sarah's mother dismisses the letter as one of Grandma Winnie's crazy stories, but Sarah does some investigating and makes a remarkable discovery: behind the bookcase is a doorway into Scotopia, the land where shadows come from. With a talking cat named Balthazat as her guide, Sarah begins an unforgettable adventure into a world filled with countless dangers. Who can she trust? And can she face her fears, not only in Scotopia, but also back at Grandma Winnie's house, where more secrets and strange goings-on await her?

Other Formats: Library Binding , Paperback

The Special Oct 20, 2018

by James Newman, Mark Steensland, Pete Kahle

( 29 )

$2.99

When you need something extra-special, think inside the box.

"Reads like the twisted love child of David Cronenberg and Clive Barker. THE SPECIAL is a grim fable of sexual addiction that will haunt your dreams long after you finish it."
-- Jeffrey Reddick (FINAL DESTINATION; TAMARA; DEAD AWAKE)

"It won't make you go blind, it won't put hairs on your palms; it WILL make you go 'Ewww!' THE SPECIAL is a darkly humorous tale of sexual obsession and addiction, featuring the most mysterious box this side of SE7EN. Read it . . . and then wash your hands."
-- Adam Howe (TIJUANA DONKEY SHOWDOWN; DIE DOG OR EAT THE HATCHET)

"Completely fucked up in the best possible way. Absolute insanity from beginning to end. I loved it!"
-- Jeff Strand (SICK HOUSE; BLISTER; DWELLER)

Other Formats: Paperback

This title and over 1 million more available with Kindle Unlimited.

Where The Devil Waits May 22, 2021

by Wesley Southard, Mark Steensland

( 46 )

$4.99

What would you do for all the money in the world? Or to get with the girl of your dreams? What if you could make other people do anything you told them? What if all this and more could be yours just for winning a race…against the devil? A long-abandoned church on top of a mountain in the Pennsylvania backwoods is where the devil waits for anyone brave enough to challenge him. The course runs from the gate, through the cemetery, to the church doors. If you win, the prize is yours. If you lose…you die at sunrise. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? To four college students looking for a good time, nothing could be further from the truth.

Other Formats: Paperback

This title and over 1 million more available with Kindle Unlimited.

Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep: A Charity Anthology Benefitting the Jimmy Fund / Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (Necon Anthologies Book 5) Sep 12, 2017

by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Cortney Skinner, P.D. Cacek, Laura Hickman

( 4 )

$4.99

There is no greater horror in the world than watching a loved one battle cancer ... especially if that loved one is a child. But we are not powerless against this disease, and some of the world’s finest purveyors of nightmares have come together to fight a monster far scarier than anything they could ever dream up. Necon E-Books is honored to present NOW I LAY ME DOWN TO SLEEP, an anthology of horror bedtime stories from which 100% of all proceeds will be donated to The Jimmy Fund. Edited by P.D. Caceck and Laura J. Hickman and featuring cover artwork by Cortney Skinner, this anthology contains contributions from the incredible roster listed in the Table of Contents, all of whom have donated their work in support of this essential cause. Available exclusively on Amazon.com in trade paperbacks and digital editions, please join us in this fight by purchasing your copy today. And in the words of our friends and partners at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, “Thank you for helping us conquer cancer.”

Table of Contents:

Foreword by Christopher Golden
Mother and Daughter by Jack Ketchum
Messages by Errick A. Nunnally
Sleepless by Mark Steensland
The Vacant Lot by Thomas Tessier
blood, cold like ice by Doungjai Gam
A Life Unremembered by G. Daniel Gunn
Wired by Elizabeth Massie
Blue Stars by Tony Tremblay
Happy Now Mother? by John Buja
Nina by John M. McIlveen
Housing the Hollygobs by Marianne Halbert
Inertia Creeps by Charles Colyott
Leave Here Alive by Bracken MacLeod
Sleep Well by Angi Shearstone
The Fine Art of Madness by Gary Frank
The Beach by Cara M. Colyott
Angel Tears by Jill Bauman
Darkness on the Edge of Town by James A. Moore
Would You, Could You, In the Dark? by Craig Wolf
Wishing Won’t by Richard Dansky
The Phobia Where You’re Afraid of Words by Paul McMahon
Nightly Rituals by William Carl
White Wings by Mark Morris
The Other Side by Paul McNally
Truth or Dare? by Bev Vincent
Unexpected Attraction by Matthew Costello
The Ritual Remains by Jonathan Lees
The End of All Stories by Trevor Firetog
Duality by Brian Keene
The Lake Children by Izzy Lee
The Circus Under the Bed by T.J. Wooldridge
1-2-3 Red Light by Gregory L. Norris
The Old Men Know by Charles L. Grant
The Oldest Fear by Shikhar Dixit
Afterword by Matt Bechtel

Other Formats: Paperback

This title and over 1 million more available with Kindle Unlimited.

Jesus, the Christ: a five-act drama in blank verse Nov 28, 2014

by Mark Steensland

( 1 )

$4.99

From Mark Steensland, author of Behind the Bookcase, comes a most unlikely new work: a dramatic retelling of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, in five acts, written in blank verse, the poetic form of the English Renaissance theatre.

Before the Protestant Reformation, the stages of Europe had frequently featured Biblical stories and characters. But in 1581, Queen Elizabeth put an end to such blasphemies by appointing a “Master of the Revels” who made sure that religion was never used as entertainment in the playhouses soon to be occupied by Hamlet, Macbeth, Othello, and King Lear. This censorship remained in force until 1642, when the Puritans finally succeeded in banning the performance of any play, no matter the subject.

Drawing inspiration from sources as diverse as The Chronicles of Narnia, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Idiot, and The Last Temptation of Christ, Steensland now does what those playwrights were forbidden doing: bringing his own imaginative take to the Gospels, finding fresh insights in what has perhaps become an all-too-familiar story. The result is pure poetry; a soul-stirring portrait of the most influential man in history: Jesus, the Christ.

This title and over 1 million more available with Kindle Unlimited.

More Information

Are you an author? Visit Author Central to change your photo, edit your biography, and more

Mark Steensland

Similar authors to follow

About Mark Steensland

Customers Also Bought Items By

Are you an author?

Author Updates

Titles By Mark Steensland

More Information