Black Heritage in Horror: Interview with L. Marie Wood

L. Marie Wood is an award-winning psychological horror author and screenwriter. She won the Golden Stake Award for her novel The Promise Keeper. Her screenplays have won Best Horror, Best Afrofuturism/Horror/Sci-Fi, and Best Short Screenplay awards at several film festivals. Wood’s short fiction has been published in groundbreaking works, including the Bram Stoker Award Finalist anthology, Sycorax's Daughters. She is also the founder of the Speculative Fiction Academy, a professor, and horror scholar. What inspired you to start writing? I have always wanted to write. My earliest memories are of me thinking about a story and writing it down. As…

Black Heritage in Horror: Interview with Penelope Flynn

Penelope Flynn creates mixed genre adult-targeted speculative fiction and illustrations featuring elements of dark fiction, horror, suspense, science fiction, fantasy, and erotica and erotic romance. Her works are included in the Dark Universe anthologies, Steamfunk, Scierogenous II, and SLAY: Stories of the Vampire Noire. She authors the Sci-Fi/Horror/Erotica mash-up series, the Chronicles of Renfields, and co-edits and contributes to the Blerdrotica, Black erotica anthology series. She is a member of the Horror Writer’s Association and has joined the faculty of the Speculative Fiction Academy. She has appeared on panels for World Fantasy Con, WorldCon, MultiverseCon, Blacktasticon and the FAMU Literary…

Black Heritage in Horror: Interview with Maurice Carlos Ruffin

Maurice Carlos Ruffin is the author of The Ones Who Don’t Say They Love You, which was published by One World Random House in August 2021. It is a New York Times Editor’s Choice, a finalist for the Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence, and one of Electric Lit’s Best Books of the Year. His first book, We Cast a Shadow, was a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award, the Dayton Literary Peace Prize, and the PEN America Open Book Prize. It was longlisted for the 2021 DUBLIN Literary Award, the Center for Fiction Prize, and the Aspen Words Literary…

Black Heritage HWA interview series: Introduction by Linda D. Addison

Black History Month is the annual recognition of African-Americans and their role in U.S. past and present history. As our country celebrates the achievements of Black Americans other countries are also devoting a month to shining light on Black history. Our part in every area of America now and in the past is still being discovered, still expanding. This country is built by a wide variety of people from different cultures, and just as horror fiction has many sub-genres, Black horror writers are not defined by one type of writing. From gothic through paranormal, supernatural, weird and so on, Black…

In Memoriam: Anne Rice

It is a difficult day as we at the Horror Writers Association join the legions who mourn the loss of beloved author Anne Rice. A true titan in her field, her works have influenced several generations of readers and writers, and continue to do so. May her works become as immortal as her Lestat, forever a gateway into her many unforgettable worlds. Thank you for all you've given us. Our best to her family and loved ones during this difficult time. John Palisano President, Horror Writers Association In 2003, the Horror Writers Association awarded Anne Rice with the Lifetime Achievement…

Interview with Winner of the Rocky Wood Scholarship 2018

Winner of the HWA’s ROCKY WOOD SCHOLARSHIP in 2018, Joe Maddrey has recently released the fruit of those labors with the release of Adapting Stephen King Volume I: Carrie, ‘Salem’s Lot and The Shining from Novel to Screenplay from McFarland press. What inspired you to tackle such an interesting topic? In a way, this book was an offshoot of two of my previous books. The first one was a biography of Stephen King, for which I read all of King’s published works. (Everyone says they’ve read all of King’s books… but they’re usually lying. I even made it through The…

Indigenous Heritage in Horror: Interview with Jewelle Gomez

Jewelle Gomez, (Cape Verdean/Wampanoag/Ioway) is a novelist, essayist, poet, and playwright. Her eight books include the first Black Lesbian vampire novel, The Gilda Stories (in print more than 30 years); which was recently optioned by Cheryl Dunye for a TV mini-series. Her work has appeared in numerous anthologies including: Luminescent Threads: Tribute to Octavia Butler, Dark Matter: A Century of Speculative Fiction from the African Diaspora, No Police Know Police, and Red Indian Road West. Her plays about James Baldwin and Alberta Hunter have been produced in San Francisco and New York. Her new collection of poetry, Still Water, will…

Indigenous Heritage in Horror: Interview with Daniel H. Wilson

Daniel H. Wilson is a Cherokee citizen and author of the New York Times bestselling Robopocalypse and its sequel Robogenesis, as well as How to Survive a Robot Uprising, The Clockwork Dynasty, and Amped. He earned a PhD in Robotics from Carnegie Mellon University, as well as Masters degrees in Machine Learning and Robotics. His latest novel is an authorized stand-alone sequel to Michael Crichton’s classic The Andromeda Strain, called The Andromeda Evolution. Wilson lives in Portland, Oregon. What inspired you to start writing? I fell in love with reading science fiction short stories as a kid. Eventually, I wanted…

Latinx Horror: Interview with V. Castro

Violet Castro was born in San Antonio, Texas to Mexican American parents. Since Violet was a child, she wrote short horror stories and was always fascinated with dark fiction beginning with Mexican folklore and the urban legends of Texas. At eighteen Violet left Texas for Philadelphia to attend Drexel University where she received her Bachelor of Science in Political Science and History. Violet now lives with her family in the U.K. writing and traveling with her children. She tries to return to the US twice a year to see her parents, three sisters and extended family. What inspired you to…

Latinx Horror: Interview with Sergio Gomez

Born in Mexico but raised in the United States, Sergio Gomez lives in Philadelphia with his family. He enjoys reading, martial arts, looking up recipes, cooking, but most of all writing. His favorite genres are horror and coming-of-age. Depending on the day and mood, his favorite superhero is either Batman or Hellboy. What inspired you to start writing? Ever since I was a kid, I’ve loved telling stories and making up worlds and characters in my head. Once I started reading “chapter books” in elementary school, I fell in love with the art form. I fell in love with the…

Latinx Horror: Interview with S. Alessandro Martinez

S. Alessandro Martinez is an author of Mexican and Spanish descent, and a native Southern Californian with Autism/Asperger’s who writes horror and fantasy for adults and children. His writings have appeared in several magazines and anthologies such as Sanitarium, Jitter, Deadman’s Tome, and Indiana Horror Review. He enjoys writing about all sorts of horror, especially about unspeakable creatures, body-horror, and supernatural terror. He also enjoys writing fantasy. He has a fantastical world of his own creation filled with stories of mystical and terrible creatures, wondrous cultures and races, and powerful magic. Helminth is his debut novel. Find him online at…

Latinx Horror: Interview with Silvia Moreno-Garcia

SILVIA MORENO-GARCIA is the New York Times bestselling author of the novels Mexican Gothic, Velvet Was the Night, Gods of Jade and Shadow, Untamed Shore, The Beautiful Ones, Signal to Noise, and the recently re-released, Certain Dark Things. She has also edited several anthologies, including the World Fantasy Award-winning She Walks in Shadow (a.k.a. Cthulhu’s Daughters). She currently resides in Canada. Visit her online at www.SilviaMoreno-Garcia.com. What inspired you to start writing? I’ve been writing since I was a kid and seriously since 2006, when I started writing short fiction. One of my first stories sold to Shimmer for $10,…

Indigenous Heritage in Horror: Interview with Owl Goingback

Owl Goingback has been writing professionally for over thirty years and is the author of numerous novels, children’s book, screenplays, magazine articles, short stories, and comics. He is a three-time Bram Stoker Award Winner, receiving the award for Lifetime Achievement, Novel, and First Novel. He is also a Nebula Award Nominee. His books include Crota, Darker Than Night, Evil Whispers, Breed, Shaman Moon, Coyote Rage, Tribal Screams, Eagle Feathers, and The Gift. In addition to writing under his own name, Owl has ghostwritten several books for Hollywood celebrities. He has also lectured across the country on the customs and folklore…

The HWA Honors Indigenous Peoples Day

Monday, October 11 is Indigenous Peoples' Day 2021 in United States. Indigenous Peoples' Day is a holiday that celebrates and honors Native American peoples and commemorates their histories and cultures. In honor of Indigenous Peoples Day, the Horror Writers Association is kicking off a series of interviews with Native American writers, including HWA member and Owl Goingback, who won a Bram Stoker Award for Best First Novel, and Daniel H. Wilson is a Cherokee citizen and author of the New York Times bestselling Robopocalypse and its sequel Robogenesis. Although not all of them will be in our series, here are…

Latinx Horror: Interview with Isabel Cañas

Isabel Cañas is a Mexican-American speculative fiction writer. After having lived in Mexico, Scotland, Egypt, and Turkey, among other places, she has settled (for now) in New York City, where she works on her PhD dissertation in medieval Islamic literature and writes fiction inspired by her research and her heritage. To find out more, visit www.isabelcanas.com. What inspired you to start writing? I remember that I started dictating stories to my older sister when I was about 4, before I could write. I really kicked off writing with Lord of the Rings fanfic when I was about 11 and started…

Latinx Horror: Interview with Richie Narvaez

Born and raised in Brooklyn, Richie Narvaez writes in multiple genres about Latinidad, Puerto Rico, urban culture, and social issues. His horror/spec fic story “Room for Rent,” from the anthology LATINX RISING was read by LeVar Burton on the LeVar Burton Reads podcast. Richie’s most recent novel is the historical YA mystery HOLLY HERNANDEZ AND THE DEATH OF DISCO, which received an Agatha Award and an Anthony Award. His latest work is the anthology Noiryorican. Visit him online at www.richienarvaez.com. What inspired you to start writing? I was an awkward, shy kid and there were things going on in my…

Latinx Horror: Interview with Guadalupe García McCall

Guadalupe García McCall is the author of four award-winning YA novels, some stories, and many poems. Among the many accolades bestowed upon her works, her debut novel, UNDER THE MESQUITE, received the prestigious Pura Belpre Author Award and her second book, SUMMER OF THE MARIPOSAS, was an Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy Finalist. Though she calls Texas home, she is an Assistant Professor of English at George Fox University and resides with her husband in the Pacific Northwest. Her next book, THE KEEPER, is due from Harper Collins on January 25, 2022. What inspired you…

Latinx Heritage in Horror: Interview with Romina Garber

Romina Garber is a New York Times and international bestselling author whose books include Lobizona & the ZODIAC series. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and raised in Miami, Florida, Romina landed her first writing gig as a teen—College She Wrote, a weekly Sunday column for the Miami Herald that was later picked up for national syndication—and she hasn’t stopped writing since. She is a graduate of Harvard College and a Virgo to the core. Find her online at: IG: @rominagarber https://rominagarber.com/about/ Twitter: @rominarussell FB: @rominabooks What inspired you to start writing? I was born in Buenos Aires, and I immigrated…