Adjunct Lecturer Rebecca Cuthbert won a 2025 North American Book Award bronze medal for “Six O'Clock House & Other Strange Tales.”
The story collection was published in January by Watertower Hill Publishing.
According to the organization, "The North American Book Awards aims to recognize outstanding books and provide them with the opportunity to reach new readers. It accepts submissions for traditionally published, partner-published and independently published books, awarding gold, silver and bronze medals based on established standards."
The prestigious awards organization receives thousands of submissions from all over the continent in several categories; Cuthbert's title was placed in the Short Stories category. Visit online for more information and a full list of 2025 award winners.
"The most apt comparison I kept thinking of when reading the stories in ‘Six O'Clock House & Other Strange Tales’ was of early Stephen King, and that’s high praise." - Jonathan Chapman, of “The Horror Zone.”
Ms. Cuthbert's medal-winning collection is full of dark magical realism and quiet horrors, with the uncanny lurking around every corner.
Jonathan Chapman, of “The Horror Zone,” wrote "The most apt comparison I kept thinking of when reading the stories in ‘Six O'Clock House & Other Strange Tales’ was of early Stephen King, and that’s high praise."
Cemetery Dance’s Joshua Gage reviewed the collection, noting one story in particular: "Rather than provide a typical genre story following various formulae, Cuthbert uses artistic literary techniques to push [the story ‘Hey, Stranger’] into experimental territory. The horror and revenge plots are still there, and readers will enjoy the story thoroughly, but the approach and tone are uniquely literary."
Daniel Braum, in Night Time Logic, wrote "Many of [Cuthbert's] stories use the possibility of supernatural or psychological to great effect. In addition to this skilled use of craft, the stories are full of wonderful renderings of a range of dynamic characters and their real-life struggles, situations and conflicts."
Individual stories from the collection have also received accolades.
The story "Joiner," a tale of a young woman lured by the uncanny calls of pondlife, was a finalist for the New Millennium Writing Awards (2021).
"A Bargain at Twice the Price," a redemption story about a young man in need of spiritual help, won an honorable mention in the Onyx Publications Winter Contest (2021).
"Punching In," one of the collection's flash pieces, was a finalist in Crystal Lake's Shallow Waters flash fiction contest (time theme, 2023).
"Thick on the Wet Cement," a story layered with "reversed" haiku poetry, was first published in The Future Fire magazine and then selected as part of its 10-year "best of" anthology, TFFX.
Cuthbert teaches creative writing courses in SUNY Fredonia’s Department of English, for which she won a 2013 SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Adjunct Teaching. Recently, she celebrated her 12th year of teaching at Fredonia.
A writer of dark fiction and poetry, Cuthbert loves ghost stories, folklore, witchy women and gothic landscapes. Her titles include:
“In Memory of Exoskeletons” (2024) the Imadjinn Award winner for Best Poetry Collection, with poems "Still Love" and "Bloodthirsty" nominated for the Pushcart Prize and "Still Love" also nominated for a Best of the Net Award);
“Self-made Monsters” (2025), the Imadjinn Award finalist for Best Story Collection, with the story "I Won't Call it a Monster" nominated for the Pushcart Prize); Creep This Way (2023 Golden Scoop Award Finalist); and others.
Cuthbert is represented by Lane Heymont and Danai Christopoulou of the Tobias Literary Agency. Visit online for information about events, forthcoming titles and more.
