HWA Announces Academic Essay Collection

The Horror Writers Association (HWA), the premier organization of writers and publishers of horror and dark fantasy, announces a new release in the Fall 2019 from McFarland Books. Horror Literature from Gothic to Post-Modernism: Critical Essays. These essays were initially presented at Ann Radcliffe Academic Conferences during StokerCon® events. All scholars and academics were invited to submit presentation abstracts related to Horror Studies for consideration. The book is edited by Michele Brittany and Nicholas Diak, with a Foreword by Lisa Morton, six-time Bram Stoker award-winning author and former President of HWA, and an Afterword by Becky Spratford. From the back…

Welcome New VP: Meghan Arcuri

The Horror Writers Association is proud to announce Meghan Arcuri as our interim Vice President, effective immediately. Meghan has worked tirelessly for the organization for the past several years. Two notable examples include helping us with our social media outreach and with sponsorships for our StokerCon events. She is generous, proactive, professional, and easy to work with. Meghan is a highly regarded writer, with her work appearing in many anthologies, including Chiral Mad 3, 18 Wheels of Horror, the forthcoming Borderlands 7, and many more to come. Upon accepting the position, Meghan had this to say: "When John asked me…
13 Reasons Horror Should Put On A Happy Face by Nzondi

13 Reasons Horror Should Put On A Happy Face by Nzondi

In Heath Ledger's Oscar-winning performance in his portrayal of Batman's most notorious villain in The Dark Knight, he said, “As you know, madness is like gravity … all it takes is a little push.”

2018 Bram Stoker Award Winners & Nominees

The Horror Writers Association is proud to congratulation the winners and nominees of the 2018 Bram Stoker Awards for superiority. We proudly provide the list of talented nominees who reached the final ballot below for each category.
This Is All of Us by Mark Matthews

This Is All of Us by Mark Matthews

If it’s true that some of the greatest horror fiction comes from the deepest personal pain, that the torment of the writer weaves itself into fiction, then Horror, the way it shines a light on the darkest parts of humanity, is in a unique position to look at mental health.

The HWA Supports Mental Health Awareness Month

The Horror Writers Association is pleased to announce a new program to show support to those in the horror community and beyond facing mental health issues or helping friends and family members who are. You are not alone. No matter how dark or haunted the house may seem a light is always on in the window. Mental health issues affect people of any age, gender, or ethnicity—and in any profession. Writers are no exception. Spending as much time in isolation while working as writers do, though, it can be easy to feel cut off or alone, especially when struggling with…
Five Great Children’s Poetry Collections for National Poetry Month

Five Great Children’s Poetry Collections for National Poetry Month

I love poetry. Good poetry, like good prose, makes you think and makes you feel. With April being National Poetry Month, I thought I'd take the opportunity to look at some excellent horror poetry collections for young readers. Writing horror for children is a unique balancing act of being scary but not too scary. Add in meter, rhythm, and often rhyme and it can be difficult to pull off. Each of the books below have definite creep factor while still being fun and accessible to the younger reader. So if you are thinking of writing your own young horror poetry,…

The Seers’ Table May 2019

The Seers Table April 25, 2019 by HWAWeb Linda Addison, Member of the Diverse Works Inclusion Community May contains Cinco de Mayo, a celebration of victory; challenge the mundane and check out some new creators! Janet Holden introduces: Amanda Lovelace – Growing up a word-devourer and avid fairy tale lover, it was only natural that Lovelace began writing books of her own, and so she did. When she isn’t reading or writing, she can be found waiting for pumpkin spice coffee to come back into season and binge-watching GILMORE GIRLS. (Before you ask: Team Jess all the way.) The lifelong poet and storyteller currently…

The Seers’ Table April 2019

The Seers Table March 25, 2019 by HWAWeb Linda Addison, Member of the Diverse Works Inclusion Community April contains Earth Day; why not discover some ultra-earthly creators! Ace Antonio Hall introduces:      Akwaeke Emezi was born and raised in Nigeria. They received their MPA from New York University and was awarded a 2015 Miles Morland Writing Scholarship. Emezi also won the 2017 Commonwealth Short Story Prize for Africa. Freshwater is their phenomenal debut novel. Recommended work: Freshwater (Grove/Atlanta, Inc., 2018) ISBN: 0802128998, 9780802128997 About the book: Ada has always been unusual. As an infant in southern Nigeria, she is a source of deep concern to her family. Her parents…

The Seers’ Table March 2019

The Seers Table! February 26, 2019 by HWAWeb Kate Maruyama, Member of the Diverse Works Inclusion Community Linda Addison Recommends: Nibedita Senis is a queer Bengali writer, editor, and gamer from Calcutta. She acquired several English degrees in India before deciding she wanted an MFA, too, and that she was going to move halfway across the world for it. She’s a graduate of Clarion West 2015, and her work has appeared in Anathema: Spec from the Margins, Podcastle, Nightmare (June 2018, Issue #69), and Fireside. These days, she can be found in New York City, where she helps edit Glittership,…

The Seers’ Table February 2019

The Seers Table! January 28, 2019 by HWAWeb Linda Addison, Member of the Diverse Works Inclusion Community February contains National Freedom Day, so free your mind by reading something different! Theresa Derwin introduces Aaron Dries By day, Aaron Dries works as a mental health and homelessness case manager. By night, he writes fiction to keep his sanity. His novels include House of Sighs and its sequel The Sound of His Bones Breaking, Where The Dead Go To Die (co-authored with Mark Allan Gunnells), A Place For Sinners, and The Fallen Boys. His short fiction has been published in anthologies and…

2018 Bram Stoker Awards® Final Ballot

The Horror Writers Association announces the 2018 Bram Stoker Awards® Final Ballot. The HWA is the premier organization for writers of horror and dark fantasy. “This year’s nominees demonstrate a continued lineup of quality work in the horror genre,” said Lisa Morton, HWA President. “Our members and awards juries have again chosen truly outstanding works of literature, cinema, non-fiction, and poetry.” The presentation of the Bram Stoker Awards® will occur during the 4th annual StokerCon™, to be held at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The gala presentation will happen on Saturday night, May 11th. Tickets to…

2018 Bram Stoker Awards® Update

Please note the Final Ballot of nominees for the 2018 Bram Stoker Awards® will be announced on February 23. The main timeline is as follows: February 23: Announcement of Stoker Nominees – the Final Ballot – on the HWA website, via Special IM, on the HWA Facebook page, and by Press Release. Works appearing on this Ballot are Bram Stoker Award® Nominees for Superior Achievement in their Category, e.g., Novel, and everyone may refer to them as such immediately after the announcement. Important Notes for those Appearing on the Final Ballot: If your work appears on the Final Ballot (i.e.,…

Poetry and Related Sources and Links — A 2019 Update

Poetry and Related Sources and Links — A 2019 Update  By David E. Cowen Author of Bleeding Saffron and Editor of HWA Poetry Showcase Vols. III and IV   While waiting for the Bram Stoker Award to move on to the next level (and hopefully the  inclusion on this blog of excerpts from the final poetry nominee’s works) I thought it would be useful to refresh the obvious — “where do I send my poetry.” The HWA has its own list of markets as does the Science Fiction Poetry Association. Members such as Ashley Dioses have added a list to…

2018 Lifetime Achievement Award Winner Announced

Graham Masterton – Lifetime Achievement Award This year the Horror Writers Association announces Graham Masterton as Lifetime Achievement Award winner. He will receive the award at StokerCon™ 2019, held at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Masterton has provided many years of dedicated commitment to the horror community and the writing and publishing industry. “Members on the selection committee have fond memories of Masterton’s books,” reported HWA President, Lisa Morton. “Graham Masterton has influenced many horror writers. We are truly thrilled to bestow him with this award.” HWA offers the Lifetime Achievement Award once a year and…

Members New Releases – 2019

Welcome to the showcase of member publications! Select a book cover to purchase or learn more about it or the author. You can view the wall of amazing cover art from past years by using the dropdown in the menu above. And members, please sign into the members-only area to submit upcoming releases. Thank you!