KAREN LANSDALE to Receive The Richard Laymon President’s Award from Horror Writers Association
The Richard Laymon President’s Award for Service was instituted in 2000 and is named in honor of Richard Laymon, who died in 2001 while serving as the Horror Writers Association President. The award is given by the HWA sitting President to a volunteer who has served HWA in an especially exemplary manner and has shown extraordinary dedication to the organization.
HWA President Rocky Wood has chosen Karen Lansdale to receive the 2011 Richard Laymon Award. Karen is recognized as one of the Founders of the HWA; in fact, the award is for her dedication and hard work at that time. “It’s clear that Karen was the true driving force behind the successful launch of the HWA,” Wood said.
According to one prominent writer who was there at the time, “In the eighties horror fans and writers were growing in leaps and bounds. Rick McCammon thought it might be nice if there was an organization that catered to those writers. He told Karen Lansdale about his idea, and she jumped at it. She took his list and made a simple photo-copied newsletter and sent it those addresses. The response was phenomenal. Over the next few months Karen set about acquiring articles from numerous writers in the field. She talked to editors about the new endeavor, wrote short articles about HWA for ‘Mystery Scene’, drummed up interest at conventions, and set the election of officers in motion. Without Karen’s contribution, and months of hard work, it wouldn’t have happened. The only thing Karen didn’t do was deliver the mail herself!”
Rocky Wood said, “In this 25th anniversary year of the HWA’s incorporation, there is no better person to recognize than Karen. Without her drive we would not be celebrating that anniversary. For her sterling service we show our respect and gratitude by bestowing the Richard Laymon Award.”
Karen will receive the Award at the Bram Stoker Awards™ Banquet in Salt Lake City on 31 March 2012.
The Horror Writers Association is a worldwide organization promoting dark literature and its creators. It has over 700 members who write, edit, and publish professionally in fiction, nonfiction, videogames, films, comics, and other media.
For more information about the HWA or the Bram Stoker Awards, please visit www.horror.org. More information on the Bram Stoker Awards Banquet is available at http://www.stokers2012.org/. Send press inquiries to president@horror.org
