By: Jonathan Maberry Welcome back to the Horror Writers Association’s new blog on scary fiction for teens. We kick things off with Barry Lyga, a finalist for this year’s Bram Stoker Award for Young Adult Fiction. In his own words: Barry Lyga “writes lots of stuff, some of which makes people question their safety around him. But really, he’s just a nice, normal guy. Really. Honest. (Could you hold this hammer for a sec? Thanks.)” Jonathan Maberry:

What scares you, Barry? Barry Lyga: OK, this will sound weird, but— Jonathan Maberry: It’s a horror blog, man. Barry Lyga: Fair enough. Right now…

What scares you? Is it the same thing that scares me? Are the things that scare us now the same things that made us tremble as kids? Are they the same monsters? The same fears and doubts? The same shadows? The same threats, real and imagined, that troubled us on the way to school? Or in school? In the playground? No. Fear, like everything in life, changes. Just as we change. And horror –that personal reaction to something that makes us afraid—is as changeable as it is individual. Horror is no more the same to you and me as it is you our adult selves…

There’s a sense of urgency that comes with horror. That feeling of your blood icing in your veins, sending your heart beating violently in your chest. Your breath hitches in your throat, anticipating what will happen next. You don’t know whether to turn away, or continue to witness what torturous thing the character will encounter before they’re out of reach. It’s that moment where you know it’s wrong to want to see the pain inflicted on their face, but somehow you can’t help but watch. You've invested so much already. There’s no going back now. You’re caught in the moment, watching, hoping,…

2011 Bram Stoker Nominee Kenneth Oppel Author bio: Kenneth Oppel is the author of numerous books for young readers. His award-winning Silverwing trilogy has sold over a million copies worldwide, and been adapted as an animated TV series and stage play. Airborn was winner of a Michael L Printz Honor Book Award, and the Canadian Governor General's Award for Children's Literature; its sequel, Skybreaker, was a New York Times bestseller and was named Children's Novel of the Year by the London Times. His most recent books are THIS DARK ENDEAVOR and SUCH WICKED INTENT, prequels to the gothic classic Frankenstein. Born on Vancouver Island, he has…

Bram Stoker 2011 Nominee Patrick Ness Author bio: Patrick Ness is the author of the Chaos Walking trilogy. The Knife of Never Letting Go, book one of the trilogy, won the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize and the Booktrust Teenage Prize. The Ask and The Answer, the second book in the trilogy won the Costa Children's Book Award 2009. The third book, Monsters of Men, was released in September 2010. He has also written a novel (The Crash of Hennington) and a short story collection (Topics About Which I Know Nothing) for adults, has taught Creative Writing at Oxford University, and is a literary critic for…

Bram Stoker 2011 Nominee Daniel Kraus Author bio: Daniel Kraus is a Chicago-based writer and filmmaker. His novel THE MONSTER VARIATIONS (Random House, 2009) was selected to New York Public Library's "100 Best Stuff for Teens." Fangoria called his acclaimed, Odyssey Award-winning, Bram Stoker-nominated second novel, ROTTERS (Random House, 2011), "a new horror classic." Upcoming novels include SCOWLER (Random House, 2013) and TROLLHUNTERS (Hyperion, 2013), co-written with filmmaker Guillermo del Toro. Kraus has written regularly for such magazines as Cosmopolitan, Playboy, Maxim, and Salon.com. Visit him at www.danielkraus.com. Book synopsis: Grave robbing. What kind of monster would do such a thing? It’s true that Leonardo…

2011 Bram Stoker Nominee J. G. Faherty Author bio: A lifelong resident of New York's highly haunted Hudson Valley region, JG Faherty grew up amid Revolutionary War graveyards, haunted roads, and woods filled with ghostly apparitions. His varied professional career includes working as a resume writer, laboratory manager, accident scene photographer, zoo keeper, scientist, and salesman. He began writing fiction in 2001, and his short stories, poetry, and articles- have appeared in numerous magazines and anthologies. Book Synopsis: By all accounts, 16-year-old Maya Blair is a typical teen-age high school student. She hangs out with her best friend Lucy, has a turbulent relationship with her…

2011 Bram Stoker Winner Nancy Holder Author bio: Nancy Holder is a Los Angeles Times bestselling author and a charter member and Trustee of the Horror Writers Association. A Bram Stoker Award-winner, she has written more than 63 books. Book synopsis: The gutsy heroine of Possessions and The Evil Within returns for another year of boarding school at the haunted Marlwood Academy. Lindsay wakes to find herself strapped down in the infirmary. She had a breakdown and might have tried to kill her nemesis Mandy or Mandy's boyfriend, Troy-or both. The details are hazy, but one thing is certain: she is possessed by a spirit she…

2011 Bram Stoker Winner Jonathan Maberry Author bio: Jonathan Maberry is a New York Times bestselling author, multiple Bram Stoker Award winner, and Marvel Comics writer. He’s the author of many novels, including Assassin’s Code,Dead of Night, Patient Zero, and Rot & Ruin. His nonfiction books cover topics ranging from martial arts to zombie pop-culture. Since 1978 he has sold more than 1,200 magazine featurearticles, 3,000 columns, two plays, greeting cards, song lyrics, poetry, and textbooks. Jonathan continues to teach the celebrated Experimental Writing for Teens class, which he created. He founded the Writers Coffeehouse and co-founded The Liars Club, and he is a…

Here's the thing about writing YA horror: it's all about the set up. Childhood nightmares creep into our teen years (and beyond) in ways we never even expect. I still get the heebie-jeebies every time I need to look under my bed to find something. In the back of my mind, I am not quite convinced there won't be a monster lurking in the shadows beneath my Sealy-Serta. For some people, the idea of a giant spider crawling unhurriedly up the wall is enough to paralyze them with fear. For others, it's the horror of being buried alive in a close, black coffin, utterly…

You enter a tangled web of many miles traveled within your Imagination sitting in an apocalyptic timeframe, as a nation of blood thirsty Zombies desire to devour you. The adventure, mystery and horrific happenings seem to slowly play out in a realm of no return. Once bitten, twice shy, you might say! Not for the Vampire enthusiast, who loves the elegance of intrigue - this will surely grab you, plunging your very soul into a lustful heart-pounding adventure of Vampires, who seek out beautiful innocence. The desire of blood-curdling moments seize your interest, you turn page after page, faster and…

Young Adult horror is an interesting animal. It's not paranormal romance--our monsters are monsters, not friends or objects of desire. It's not blood spatter and lascivious gore--that's too adult. Young adult horror is... horror that appeals to young adults! First, it's got to be YA. Many authors-- from the acclaimed Suzanne Collins to the lowly I-- have been surprised to find that their books marketed as YA, when in writing the novel they meant no such thing. If your protagonists are teens, then expect that your work will be classified as YA, regardless of your theme or intent. Any coming-of-age…

(This article previously appeared in the VOYA {Voice of Youth Advocates} Magazine as part of the HWA's YA Literacy program.) By JG Faherty There is a revolution happening in reading. No, I'm not talking about the e-book revolution, although it does play a part in this. The revolution I'm referring to is being led by our children, and it's one we should all be getting behind. For years, people – experts and laymen alike – have been bemoaning that today's youth is reading fewer books than ever, and that the levels of literacy among our children and teens is in…