The Seers’ Table June 2016

The Seers Table! Tom Calen, Diverse Works Inclusion Committee Chair Whew! How about that StokerCon 2016? I hear Vegas is considering the new nickname “Stoker City.” Congratulations to all the winners and the amazing coordinators who set the bar extremely high for future StokerCons! As June is traditionally celebrated as Pride Month, the Diverse Works Inclusion Committee has assembled a collection of writers from the LGBT community (and its allies). Some names you’ve likely come across before, while others will be new introductions. In both cases, these writers have substantial bodies of work and have made significant literary and advocacy…

HWA Horror Poetry Showcase III: Featured Poets

For the first time the HWA Horror Poetry Showcase was reserved strictly for members. Despite some nervousness that a more limited field would yield limited results, there was a tremendous breadth of themes and styles. The poems detail horrors on a scale from the cataclysmic down to the ordinary turned malicious and twisted. While honored that many of the great poets of the genre submitted entries, I am equally proud of those entries from authors who had never previously published a single poem. I want to thank jury members Stephanie Wytovich and John Palisano for the joy and energy they…
2015 Bram Stoker Awards® Winners

2015 Bram Stoker Awards® Winners

The Horror Writers Association (HWA), the premier organization of writers and publishers of horror and dark fantasy, tonight announced this year’s Bram Stoker Award® winners during a ceremony held as part of StokerCon 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Superior Achievement in a Novel Winner: Paul Tremblay – A Head Full of Ghosts (William Morrow) Also nominated: Clive Barker – The Scarlet Gospels (St. Martin’s Press) Michaelbrent Collings – The Deep (self-published) JG Faherty – The Cure (Samhain Publishing) Patrick Freivald – Black Tide (JournalStone Publishing) Superior Achievement in a First Novel Winner: Nicole Cushing – Mr. Suicide (Word Horde) Also…
How to Watch the Bram Stoker Awards® Ceremony

How to Watch the Bram Stoker Awards® Ceremony

The Horror Writers Association (HWA), the premier organization of writers and publishers of horror and dark fantasy, today released the link to the Bram Stoker Awards® ceremony live stream. The awards ceremony begins at 7:30 PM PDT on Saturday, May 14, 2016. The ceremony is part of HWA's inaugural StokerCon, which opened yesterday at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas, NV, and runs through Sunday, May 15. Live Stream Link: http://www.onlineevent.com/bramstokerawards2016/ Awards include Superior Achievement in a Novel, First Novel, Short Fiction, Screenplay, and seven other categories. The ceremony will be emceed by author and seven-time host, Jeff Strand. For…

The Seers Table – May 2016

Welcome to the third installment of The Seers Table—the HWA’s new hub for highlighting exciting and diverse voices in the horror/dark fantasy genre! This month we’ve an excellent collection of authors, poets, and screenwriters, including the first ever winner of HWA/StokerCon’s Scholarship from Hell! Tananarive Due Southern California resident, Tananarive Due is a former Cosby Chair in the Humanities at Spelman College (2012-2014), where she taught screenwriting, creative writing and journalism.  She also teaches in the creative writing MFA program at Antioch University Los Angeles. The American Book Award winner and NAACP Image Award recipient is the author of twelve…
HWA Announces Finalists in Short Film Competition

HWA Announces Finalists in Short Film Competition

The Horror Writers Association (HWA), the premier organization of writers and publishers of horror and dark fantasy, today announced the thirteen finalists in its inaugural Lucky Thr1t3en Horror Short Film Competition. The film competition—part of the HWA’s StokerCon 2016—received entries from nearly twenty countries during its six-month submission window. The thirteen finalists hail from Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States. “We received a staggering number of quality submissions,” said Brad Hodson, chair of the film festival. “But, the work of these finalists is truly remarkable.” The Finalists The Barber's Cut - Mark Brocking (UK) Boogey-Woogie -…
HWA Announces its Mentor of the Year

HWA Announces its Mentor of the Year

The Horror Writers Association (HWA), the premier organization of writers and publishers of horror and dark fantasy, today announced Tim Waggoner as this year’s recipient of the organization’s Mentor of the Year Award. The HWA’s Mentorship Program Chairperson and the Program’s Committee select the award’s recipient. The award will be presented at HWA’s inaugural StokerCon in Las Vegas, during the Bram Stoker Awards® ceremony on Saturday, May 14, 2016. Tickets to the banquet and the convention are on sale at www.stokercon2016.com. The awards presentation will also be live-streamed. “Tim Waggoner is the perfect mentor. Certainly Tim is a fantastic writer.…
Scholarship From Hell Recipient Announced

Scholarship From Hell Recipient Announced

The HWA would like to congratulate Sumiko Saulson, winner of Horror University’s Scholarship From Hell! The scholarship includes roundtrip domestic travel to Las Vegas, accommodations at the Flamingo Las Vegas Hotel & Casino, registration to StokerCon 2016, and as many workshops as she can attend!   Additionally, the HWA awarded a runner-up mini-scholarship (registration & five workshops) to Hillary Dodge!   Congratulations to you both!
The Seers Table – April 2016

The Seers Table – April 2016

Greetings! Welcome to the second installment of The Seers Table. Over the past four weeks, members of the Diverse Works Inclusion Committee (DWIC) have scoured the publishing world to find some of the most exciting and under-heard voices in horror and dark fantasy. This month we’d like to introduce you to six writers/editors who are carving out their own unique niches in the genre. As you’ll see by their public bios, these six individuals have drawn on their distinct backgrounds and worldviews to pen/edit graphic novels, short stories, novellas, novels, non-fiction, collections, and anthologies. With so much to read, let’s…

Call for Submissions for the HWA’s Horror Poetry Showcase Volume 3

For National Poetry Month 2016, the HWA Poetry Page features an article by David E. Cowen, one of the judges for the Third Annual HWA Poetry Showcase and the Editor of the HWA’s Horror Poetry Showcase Volume 3! Quick link: The 2016 Showcase is open to HWA members only, and limited to one submission per member. Submission guidelines and links to the HWA’s Submittable page can be found at https://horrorwritersassociation.submittable.com/submit/86302687-9b34-4149-8719-8020963ba374   In 1721 Thomas Parnell ushered in the era of the “Graveyard Poets” also known as the “Bone Yard Boys” with his poem A Night-Piece on Death, mesmerizing English readers…
HWA Names Recipient of the Silver Hammer Award

HWA Names Recipient of the Silver Hammer Award

The Horror Writers Association (HWA), the premier organization of writers and publishers of horror and dark fantasy, today announced Michael Knost as the recipient of this year’s Silver Hammer Award. Knost provides one of HWA's most beneficial opportunities to new members by chairing the organization's Mentorship Program, which matches newer writers with experienced pros for a year-long intensive training. “Under Michael’s guidance, the mentorship program has seen exponential growth,” said Marge Simon, chair of HWA’s Board of Trustees. “Thanks to Michael, our mentoring wait-list has been cleared, and we now have nearly 100 mentoring pairs.” The HWA periodically gives The…

Cover and TOC reveal for SCARY OUT THERE

HWA's next anthology, Scary Out There, will be published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers on August 30, 2016. The book will be released in both hardback ($18.99) and e-book ($10.99). Scary Out There was edited by Jonathan Maberry, and features this stellar line-up: 1.     Introduction by Jonathan Maberry 2.     Brenna Yovanoff, “The Doomsday Glass” 3.     Carrie Ryan, "What Happens to Girls Who Disappear” 4.     Cherie Priest, “The Mermaid Aquarium” 5.     Ellen Hopkins,“As Good As Your Word” 6.     Rachel Tafoya, “Invisible Girl” 7.     Zac Brewer, “Death and Twinkies” 8.     Linda Addison, “Secret Things: Poems” 9.     Josh Malerman, “Danny"…
HWA Announces Recipients of Richard Laymon Award

HWA Announces Recipients of Richard Laymon Award

The Horror Writers Association (HWA), the premier organization of writers and publishers of horror and dark fantasy, today announced Patrick Freivald and Andrew Wolter, moderators of HWA’s Facebook group, as this year’s recipients of the Richard Laymon President’s Award. The award is named in honor of Richard Laymon, who died in 2000 while serving as the HWA's president. As its name implies, it is given by the HWA's sitting president. The Award is presented to a volunteer who has served in an especially exemplary manner and has shown extraordinary dedication to the organization. The award will be presented at HWA’s…
HWA Honors Outstanding Work of Specialty Press

HWA Honors Outstanding Work of Specialty Press

The Horror Writers Association (HWA), the premier organization of writers and publishers of horror and dark fantasy and home of the iconic Bram Stoker Award®, today announced Borderlands Press as the recipient of this year’s Specialty Press Award. The annual Specialty Press Award recognizes a publisher outside the mainstream New York City publishing community that specializes in dark-themed fiction. Winners are typically “small presses” specializing in limited editions, small print runs, or the work of new and relatively unknown authors. The winner of the award is determined by a majority vote of the HWA Board. Since its founding in 1990…
Lifetime Achievement Award Winners: Alan Moore & George A. Romero

Lifetime Achievement Award Winners: Alan Moore & George A. Romero

The Horror Writers Association (HWA), the premier organization of writers and publishers of horror and dark fantasy and home of the iconic Bram Stoker Award®, today announced Alan Moore and George A. Romero as the recipients of the 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award. The HWA presents the award annually to individuals whose work has substantially influenced the horror genre. While the award is often presented to a writer, it may also be given for influential accomplishments in other creative fields. Patrick Freivald, chair of the Lifetime Achievement Award Committee, explained this year’s selections: "Alan Moore is a giant of speculative literature…
The Seers Table – March 2016

The Seers Table – March 2016

Welcome to The Seers Table! In late January, not long after the Bram Stoker Award® Initial Ballot was announced, HWA president Lisa Morton lamented the ballot’s lack of diversity. In response, Rena Mason and I separately suggested to Lisa the formation of a committee tasked with seeking out those voices in horror and dark fantasy that are underrepresented in not only the HWA, but in the genre and the publishing world in general. Following a series of excited conversations, the Diverse Works Inclusion Committee (DWIC) was born. The DWIC has one overarching goal—to introduce HWA members to new voices. Each…
Spotlight on the 2015 Bram Stoker Poetry Nominees

Spotlight on the 2015 Bram Stoker Poetry Nominees

The 2015 Bram Stoker nominations have been announced, which means the Annual HWA Poetry Page spotlight on the poetry nominees: Superior Achievement in a Poetry Collection Bruce Boston – Resonance Dark and Light (Eldritch Press) Alessandro Manzetti – Eden Underground (Crystal Lake Publishing) Ann Schwader – Dark Energies (P’rea Press) Marge Simon – Naughty Ladies (Eldritch Press) Stephanie M. Wytovich – An Exorcism of Angels (Raw Dog Screaming Press) I’ve asked each poet to share their favorite poem from their nominated work, so, without further ado (in alphabetical order): Bruce Boston – Resonance Dark and Light (Eldritch Press):   RESONANCE…
The Bram Stoker Awards® Final Ballot

The Bram Stoker Awards® Final Ballot

Horror Writers Association Reveals Final Ballot for Bram Stoker Awards® Los Angeles, CA -- The Horror Writers Association (HWA), the premier organization of writers and publishers of horror and dark fantasy, today announced the nominees for the 2015 Bram Stoker Awards®. The nominees are: Superior Achievement in a Novel Clive Barker – The Scarlet Gospels (St. Martin’s Press) Michaelbrent Collings – The Deep (self-published) JG Faherty – The Cure (Samhain Publishing) Patrick Freivald – Black Tide (JournalStone Publishing) Paul Tremblay – A Head Full of Ghosts (William Morrow) Superior Achievement in a First Novel Courtney Alameda – Shutter (Feiwel &…

In February, “David E. Cowen”

David E. Cowen is the author of “The Madness of Empty Spaces,” (Weasel Press, November 2014), which was on the 2014 Bram Stoker Award Preliminary Ballot and was nominated for the 2014 SFPA Elgin Award as well as listed on Ellen Datlow's Best of Horror Recommended List for 2014. His other volume of poetry is "Sixth and Adams" (PW Press 2001).  His work has appeared in the 2014 and 2015 editions of the Horror Writers' Association's Horror Poetry Showcase, The Horror Zine, Literary Hatchet, Degenerates: Voices for Peace, “Dark Matter” (UH Downtown), Harbinger Asylum, Texas Poetry Calendar, Isotropic Fiction Magazine,…
The 2015 Bram Stoker Awards Preliminary Ballot Announced

The 2015 Bram Stoker Awards Preliminary Ballot Announced

Ron Breznay and Rena Mason, Co-Chairs, Bram Stoker Awards® Committee The Horror Writers Association (HWA) is pleased to announce the Preliminary Ballot for the 2015 Bram Stoker Awards (given out in 2016). The HWA (see www.horror.org) is the premiere writers organization in the horror and dark fiction genre. We have presented the Bram Stoker Awards in various categories since 1987 (see www.horror.org/awards/stokers.htm). The HWA Board and the Bram Stoker Awards Committee congratulate all those appearing on the Preliminary Ballot. Notes about the voting process appear after the ballot listing. The Preliminary Ballot is: Superior Achievement in a Novel Barker, Clive…