Fred Chappell
Fred Davis Chappell (May 28, 1936 – January 4, 2024) was an author and poet. He was an English professor for 40 years (1964–2004) at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He was the Poet Laureate of North Carolina from 1997 to 2002.
Fred Chappell

Will Hart · CC BY 2.0
- Name
- Fred Chappell
- Born
- 28 May 1936
- Birthplace
- Canton, North Carolina, U.S.
- Died
- 4 January 2024
- Place of death
- Greensboro, North Carolina, U.S.
- Occupation
- * Writer
- Full name
- Fred Davis Chappell.
- Nationality
- United States.
- Education
- Duke University.
- Known for
- Dagon.
- Honours
- Bollingen Prize, North Carolina Award for Literature and World Fantasy Award for Best Short Fiction.
- Languages
- English.
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Fred Davis Chappell (May 28, 1936 – January 4, 2024) was an author and poet. He was an English professor for 40 years (1964–2004) at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He was the Poet Laureate of North Carolina from 1997 to 2002.
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Fred Chappell (1936–2024) was an American novelist, poet and professor, among other activities. Born Fred Davis Chappell in Canton, the novelist died in Greensboro.
Fred Chappell studied at Duke University. The novelist worked for University of North Carolina at Greensboro and held the position of North Carolina Poet Laureate.
Works include Dagon. Languages used include English. Fred Chappell received Bollingen Prize, North Carolina Award for Literature and World Fantasy Award for Best Short Fiction.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 01 October 2026
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wikidata · Q5494816 · wikipedia · Fred Chappell
In this article
Biography
Biography
He attended Duke University. Chappell's 1968 novel Dagon, which was named the Best Foreign Book of the Year by the Académie française, is a recasting of a Cthulhu Mythos horror story as a psychologically realistic Southern Gothic. The Poetry Foundation describes both his poetry and prose as investigating the Southern experience by "drawing on childhood memories and the character of his home region." His first collection of poetry, The World Between the Eyes, won the Roanoke-Chowan Poetry Cup for 1971. His earliest science fiction was published in Robert Silverberg's fanzine Spaceship in 1952 and 1953. His literary awards include the Aiken Taylor Award for Modern American Poetry, the Prix du Meilleur Livre Étranger, the Bollingen Prize, and the T. Eliot Award for Creative Writing. He won two World Fantasy Awards for short fiction. His short story "The Somewhere Doors" from the More Shapes Than One collection won in 1992 and The Lodger won in 1994. In 2003 he was given the lifetime achievement award from the Southeastern SF Achievement Awards. He also received the O. Max Gardner Award for his teaching career. Chappell died in Greensboro, North Carolina on January 4, 2024, at the age of 87.
Fred Chappell studied at Duke University. The recorded working language is English. Employment is recorded with University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Positions recorded include North Carolina Poet Laureate. Works named in the authority record are Dagon. Distinctions recorded are Bollingen Prize, North Carolina Award for Literature and World Fantasy Award for Best Short Fiction.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Fred Chappell • Born — 28 May 1936 • Birthplace — Canton, North Carolina, U.S. • Died — 4 January 2024 • Place of death — Greensboro, North Carolina, U.S. • Occupation — * Writer • poet • professor • Genre — * Southern Gothic • horror fiction • weird fiction
Poetry
Poetry
* • Backsass, LSU Press, 2004. • Bloodfire: A Poem, LSU Press, 1978. • C, LSU Press, 1993. • Castle Tzingal, LSU Press, 1984. • Driftlake: A Lieder Cycle, Iron Mountain Press, 1981. • Earthsleep: A Poem, LSU Press, 1980. • Familiars, LSU Press, 2014. • Family Gathering, LSU Press, 2000. • First and Last Words, LSU Press, 1989. • The Man Twice Married by Fire, Unicorn Press, 1975. • Midquest: A Poem (contains "River: A Poem", "Bloodfire: A Poem", "Windmountain: A Poem", and "Earthsleep: A Poem"), LSU Press, 1981. • River: A Poem, LSU Press, 1975. • Shadow Box: Poems:Louisiana State University Press, 2009 • Source, LSU Press, 1986. • Spring Garden: New and Selected Poems, LSU Press, 1995. • Wind Mountain: A Poem, LSU Press, 1979. • The World Between the Eyes, LSU Press, 1971.
Fiction
Fiction
• A Shadow All of Light, Tor Books, 2016 * • Dagon, Harcourt, 1968, reprinted, St. Martin's, 1986. Reissued, Boson Books, 2002 • The Gaudy Place • The Inkling Reprinted LSU Press 1998. • It Is Time, Lord Reprint LSU Press 1996. • Moments of Light • More Shapes Than One, 1991 The Kirkman Tetralogy: • I Am One of You Forever, LSU Press, 1985 • Brighten the Corner Where You Are, St. Martin's, 1989 • Farewell, I'm Bound to Leave You • Look Back All the Green Valley
Other
Other
• The Fred Chappell Reader, St. Martin's, 1987. • Plow Naked: Selected Writings on Poetry, University of Michigan Press, 1993. • A Way of Happening: Observations of Contemporary Poetry, Picador, 1998.
Short stories
Short stories
• "The Adder" Deathrealm (Summer 1989) • "Free Hand" Deathrealm (Spring 1990) • "The Lodger" (1994 World Fantasy Award winner) • "The Somewhere Doors" (1992 World Fantasy Award winner) • Stories about Falco the Shadow Master's Apprentice. • "Creeper Shadows" Cat Tales: Fantastic Feline Fiction (Wildside Press, Compilation 2008 by George H. Scithers(former editor of Weird Tales.): 135–175 • "Dance of Shadows" Fantasy and Science Fiction 112/3 (March 2007): 6–37 & Year's Best Fantasy 8, (Jun 2008, ed. David G. Hartwell, Kathryn Cramer, publ. Tachyon Publications, 1-892391-76-7, 375pp, tp, anth) • "The Diamond Shadow" Fantasy and Science Fiction 113/4&5 (October/November 2007): 42–74 • "Shadow of the Valley" Fantasy and Science Fiction 116/2 (February 2009): 5–40 & • "Thief of Shadows" Fantasy and Science Fiction 118/5&6 (May/June 2010): 50–75 • "Maze of Shadows" Fantasy and Science Fiction 122/5&6 (May/June 2012): 69–135
Book reviews
Book reviews
• |Year — Review article — Work(s) reviewed • 2008
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
Canton.
Birth place
Greensboro.
Death place
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Fred Chappell”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q5494816: Fred Chappell
General reference · Wikidata
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Fred Chappell Biography
- 2.UNC News release – Poet Fred Chappell to present Thomas Wolfe Lecture Oct. 6.
- 3.North Carolina Poet Laureate | Biography: Fred Chappell.
- 4.Poetry Foundation. Fred Chappell.
- 5.The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction. Chappell, Fred.
- 6.World Fantasy Awards. Winners.
- 7.science fiction awards database. Fred Chappell.
- 8.Risen, Clay. Fred Chappell, Writer Who Celebrated the Carolina Mountains, Dies at 87. The New York Times. January 25, 2024.
- 9.Fred Chappell, acclaimed author and past NC Poet Laureate, dies at 87
- 10.Chappell, Fred. Backsass. LSU Press. 2004. 978-0-8071-2944-9.
- 11.Chappell, Fred. The Gaudy Place. Harcourt. 1973. 978-0-917990-49-6.
- 12.C&M Online Media, Inc. reprint. 2002. 978-0-917990-49-6.
- 13.Chappell, Fred. The Inkling. Harcourt. 1965. 978-1-932482-08-9.
- 14.C&M Online Media, Inc. reprint. 2003. 978-1-932482-08-9.
- 15.The Inkling by Fred Chappell.
- 16.Chappell, Fred. It Is Time, Lord. Atheneum. 1963. 978-1-932482-22-5.
- 17.C&M Online Media, Inc. Reprint. 2005. 978-1-932482-22-5.
- 18.It Is Time, Lord.
- 19.Chappell, Fred. Moments of Light. New South Co. 1980. 978-1-886420-26-7.
- 20.C&M Online Media, Inc. reprint. 1996. 978-1-886420-26-7.
- 21.Chappell, Fred. Farewell, I'm Bound to Leave You. Macmillan. 1997. 978-0-312-16834-6.
- 22.Chappell, Fred. Look Back All the Green Valley. Picador USA. 1996. 978-0-312-24310-4.
- 23.Macmillan. reprint. 1999. 978-0-312-24310-4.
- 24.World Fantasy Convention. Award Winners and Nominees.
- 25.Fred Chappell.
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