Scott Snyder is a multiple award-winning and bestselling American writer known for his 2006 short story collection Voodoo Heart, and his work in comic books, including American Vampire, Detective Comics, Batman, Batman: Gates of Gotham and Swamp Thing. Snyder graduated from Brown University in 1998 with a degree in creative writing, and then worked at Walt Disney World for about a year. Snyder's Disney World stint strongly influenced his writing; he later recalled, "it did a world of good for my writing. Snyder received his MFA from Columbia University in 2002. His first collection of stories, Voodoo Heart, was published by the Dial Press in June 2006 to highly positive reviews. The collection received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist, and was a Kirkus Reviews "Hot Debut" of the year. Stephen King picked two of the included stories"Wreck" and "Dumpster Tuesday"for the 2007 The Best American Short Stories anthology shortlist. Voodoo Heart was shortlisted for The Story Prize in 2006. In 2009, Snyder began writing for Marvel Comics. His first foray into the genre was a one-shot focusing on the first Human Torch, part of Marvel's 70th anniversary celebrations. Since September 2011, Snyder has been writing both Batman and a new Swamp Thing ongoing series as part of The New 52, DC Comics' company-wide relaunch of all of its titles. Snyder will co-write Talon, a spin-off of the "Court of Owls" storyline in Batman, which will focus on a rogue Talon from the Court. In 2013 his title Batman Vol. 2: The City of Owls (the New 52) made The New york Times Best Seller List. Batman - Death of the Family Mask made the New York Times bestseller list in 2014.