J.F. Gonzalez (1964 – 2014) was the author of over thirty books (under his own name as well as several pseudonyms such as Angel Garcia, Zack Venable,Gilbert Schloss, and Richard Long), mostly in the horror and thriller genres, including the seminal Survivor and the popular Clickers series. Gonzalez sometimes collaborated with authors Mark Williams, Brian Keene, Wrath James White, Mike Oliveri, and others. He was also the author of over two hundred and fifty short stories (again under his own name as well as several pseudonyms), several of which were listed as “Recommended Reads” in Ellen Datlow’s annual Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror anthologies.

Gonzalez published in both the mass-market, trade, and small press formats. In his lifetime, his publishers included Cemetery Dance Publications, Kensington Books, Leisure Books, HarperCollins, Delirium Books, DarkTales Publishing, Bloodletting Press, Thunderstorm Books, and countless others. He was renowned by his peers for his deep and encompassing knowledge of the genre. His non-fiction has been featured in Lamplight, Afraid, and elsewhere.

Among his editorial credits are the magazines Phantasm and Iniquities (both co-edited with Buddy Martinez), and the anthologies Tooth & Claw (co-edited with Garrett Peck) and Downward Spiral (edited under Gilbert Schloss pseudonym). He also ran his own small press, Midnight Library, which published a selection of his own works as well as those of Gord Rollo, Wayne Allen Sallee, Victor Heck and others.

Gonzalez made cameo appearances in the movies Dr. Blood’s Cinema Dungeon and Fast Zombies Suck, and had an un-credited scream cameo in the Lovecraftian short film, The Stall. He was one of the first horror writers to ever be asked to speak at the Central Intelligence Agency headquarters in Langley, VA. The first book signing he ever did was with Richard Laymon and Bentley Little (one of the latter’s few public appearances).

Born in Inglewood, California, Gonzalez spent most of his life on the West Coast, before moving to Central Pennsylvania in the early 2000’s, where he resided with his wife and daughter until passing away from complications of cancer on November 10th, 2014.

In 2017, it was announced that the annual Splatterpunk Awards would include a J.F. Gonzalez Award honoring individuals whose contributions have had a memorable impact on the Splatterpunk and Extreme Horror sub-genres.

Many more Gonzalez novels are slated for posthumous release. Partially completed before his death, The Crossroads, Final Retreat, and several more will be completed by Brian Keene, Wrath James White, Gabino Iglesias and others, using Gonzalez’s partial manuscripts and detailed notes and plot outlines. In addition, all of his out-of-print titles are slated for reissue via Midnight Library.