Call For 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award Nominations

Call For 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award Nominations

  The Horror Writers Association calls for suggestions and nominations from the membership for the 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award. The Lifetime Achievement Award is presented annually to an individual whose work has substantially influenced the horror genre. While this award is often presented to a writer, it may also be given for influential accomplishments in other creative fields. The award is presented each year during HWA's gala presentation of the Bram Stoker Awards at StokerCon. To be eligible for this award, a candidate must either be at least sixty years of age by May 1 of the year of the…
2024 Bram Stoker Award Winners Announced

2024 Bram Stoker Award Winners Announced

  The Horror Writers Association is proud to announce the winners of the 2024 Bram Stoker Awards®.   Superior Achievement in a Novel WINNER: The Haunting of Velkwood, Gwendolyn Kiste (Saga) House of Bone and Rain, Gabino Iglesias (Mulholland) I Was a Teenage Slasher, Stephen Graham Jones (Saga) Incidents Around the House, Josh Malerman (Del Rey) Horror Movie, Paul Tremblay (William Morrow)   Superior Achievement in a First Novel WINNER: The Eyes Are the Best Part, Monika Kim (Erewhon) Midnight Rooms, Donyae Coles (Amistad) Hollow Girls, Jessica Drake-Thomas (Cemetery Dance) This Wretched Valley, Jenny Kiefer (Quirk) Bless Your Heart, Lindy Ryan (Minotaur…
The 2024 Bram Stoker Awards® Final Ballot Nominees Announced

The 2024 Bram Stoker Awards® Final Ballot Nominees Announced

The Horror Writers Association (HWA) is pleased to announce the Final Ballot for the 2024 Bram Stoker Awards®. The HWA (https://horror.org/) is the premier writers organization in the horror and dark fiction genre, with more than 2,000 members. We have presented the Bram Stoker Awards in various categories since 1987 (see http://www.thebramstokerawards.com/). 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. The HWA Board and the Bram Stoker Awards® Committee congratulate all those appearing on the Final Ballot. Notes about…

The 2024 Bram Stoker Awards® Preliminary Ballot Announced

The 2024 Bram Stoker Awards® Preliminary Ballot Announced The Horror Writers Association (HWA) is pleased to announce the Preliminary Ballot for the 2024 Bram Stoker Awards®. The HWA is the premier writer’s organization in the horror and dark fiction genre, with more than 2,000 members. We have presented the Bram Stoker Awards in various categories since 1987. For the full ballot please see HERE. Works on this ballot are not referred to as “nominees” or “finalists.” Only works appearing on the Final Ballot may be referred to as “nominated works” and their authors as “finalists.”  The HWA Board and the…

The 2023 Bram Stoker Awards® Final Ballot — CORRECTED

  IMPORTANT NOTE—BALLOT CORRECTION The Bram Stoker Awards Committee must note a correction to the previously announced Final Ballot. It was recognized unfortunately late in the Awards process that CAMP DAMASCUS by Chuck Tingle, included in the Young Adult Novel category on the Preliminary Ballot, is not a young adult work. After careful discussion and review of the Preliminary Ballot voting, the Awards Committee has moved CAMP DAMASCUS to the Novel category, where it should have originally been included, resulting in six finalists in NOVEL. In the Young Adult Novel category, YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO DIE TONIGHT by Kalynn Bayron…

The 2023 Bram Stoker Awards® Final Ballot

  The Horror Writers Association (HWA) is pleased to announce the Final Ballot for the 2023 Bram Stoker Awards®. The HWA is the premier writers organization in the horror and dark fiction genre, with more than 2,000 members. We have presented the Bram Stoker Awards in various categories since 1987. 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. The HWA Board and the Bram Stoker Awards® Committee congratulate all those appearing on the Final Ballot. Notes about the…

Horror Writers Association Releases the 2023 Bram Stoker Awards® Preliminary Ballot

The Horror Writers Association (HWA) is pleased to announce the Preliminary Ballot for the 2023 Bram Stoker Awards®. The HWA is the premier writers organization in the horror and dark fiction genre, with more than 2,000 members. We have presented the Bram Stoker Awards in various categories since 1987. Works on this ballot are not referred to as “nominees” or “finalists.” Only works appearing on the Final Ballot may be referred to as “nominated works” and their authors as “finalists.” The HWA Board and the Bram Stoker Awards® Committee congratulate all those appearing on the Preliminary Ballot.

Jonathan Lees Announces Final Frame Audience Award Winner

After this weekend's online screening, where 96 more people enjoyed The 8th Annual Final Frame Horror Short Film Competition, we have a winner of the AUDIENCE AWARD! David Yorke's new comedy-horror film, Eric. I can't tell you how thrilled I am to see David recognized here. He is a UK filmmaker and a three-time finalist for Final Frame with the films Eject (Final Frame Finalist, 2020), Safekeeping (Final Frame Finalist, 2021) and now...   ERIC Director: David Yorke Writer: David Yorke UNITED KINGDOM / 2022 Joshua finally gets to meet Eric, the beloved dog of a girl he’s been dating. As the evening evolves,…
The 2022 Bram Stoker Awards® Final Ballot

The 2022 Bram Stoker Awards® Final Ballot

The Horror Writers Association (HWA) is pleased to announce the Final Ballot for the 2022 Bram Stoker Awards®. The HWA (see https://horror.org/) is the premier writers organization in the horror and dark fiction genre, with more than 1,800 members. We have presented the Bram Stoker Awards in various categories since 1987 (see http://www.thebramstokerawards.com/)  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. The HWA Board and the Bram Stoker Awards® Committee congratulate all those appearing on the Final Ballot.…

Karen Lansdale Silver Hammer award

LOS ANGELES, CA — September, 2022 The HORROR WRITERS ASSOCIATION is delighted to announce the immediate renaming of the Silver Hammer award to the Karen Lansdale Silver Hammer award in honor of the tremendous amount of work Karen did starting the HWA. This information will now be a part of the HWA’s permanent archives at Horror.org and elsewhere. Our physical award will also be updated. Instead of a hammer, a new stylized sculpture is being designed and will be cast by the same company that mints our Bram Stoker Award statues. We look forward to sharing the new design as…

In Memoriam: Corrine De Winter

In Memoriam: Corrine De Winter The HWA is saddened to hear of the passing of poet and author Corrine De Winter. Our hearts go out to her loved ones, her family, and the many friends and people she’s touched. About Corrine: Corrine De Winter was a Bram Stoker Award-winning Poet and author who won numerous awards for her writing from the New York Quarterly, Triton College of Arts & Sciences, & The Rhysling Science Fiction Award. Her work has been applauded by such luminaries as William Peter Blatty (“The Exorcist” author) Tom Monteleone, Thomas Ligotti, Nick Cave, Stanley Wiater, James…

2021 Bram Stoker Awards® Winners

Denver, Colorado, May 16, 2021 The Horror Writers Association (HWA), the premier organization of writers and publishers of horror and dark fantasy, announces this year’s Bram Stoker Awards® winners at its first in-person ceremony during StokerCon™ at Denver, Colorado’s Curtis Hotel. “The Horror genre continues its amazing renaissance. We are truly in a golden period, with every category overflowing with tremendous works,” said John Palisano, HWA President. “The winners and finalists show a diverse group of amazing voices from new and veteran creators. Our HWA members and awards juries have shown dedication and objectivity to the selection process for outstanding…

The 2021 Bram Stoker Awards® Preliminary Ballot Announced

The Horror Writers Association (HWA) is pleased to announce the Preliminary Ballot for the 2021 Bram Stoker Awards®. The HWA (see https://horror.org/) is the premier writers organization in the horror and dark fiction genre, with more than 1,800 members. We have presented the Bram Stoker Awards in various categories since 1987 (see http://www.thebramstokerawards.com/). Works on this ballot are not referred to as “nominees” or “finalists.” Only works appearing on the Final Ballot may be referred to as “nominated works” and their authors as “finalists.” The HWA Board and the Bram Stoker Awards® Committee congratulate all those appearing on the Preliminary Ballot. Notes…
Know a Nominee Part Five: Usman T. Malik

Know a Nominee Part Five: Usman T. Malik

    Welcome back to 'Know a Nominee', the interview series that puts you squarely between the ears of this year's Bram Stoker Award nominees. Today's nominee is Usman T. Malik, nominated in the category of Superior Achievement in Short Fiction for The Vaporization Enthalpy of a Peculiar Pakistani Family.   DM: Please describe the genesis for the idea that eventually became the work(s) for which you’ve been nominated. What attracted you most to the project? If nominated in multiple categories, please touch briefly on each.   UTM: I was en route to Seattle to attend the Clarion West Writers…
Know a Nominee Part Two: John F.D. Taff

Know a Nominee Part Two: John F.D. Taff

  Welcome back to 'Know a Nominee', the interview series that puts you squarely between the ears of this year's Bram Stoker Award nominees. Today's nominee is the King of Pain, John F.D. Taff, nominated in the category of Superior Achievement in a Fiction Collection for The End in All Beginnings.   DM: Please describe the genesis for the idea that eventually became the work(s) for which you’ve been nominated. What attracted you most to the project? If nominated in multiple categories, please touch briefly on each. JFDT: I attended my first HWA/WHC two years ago in New Orleans and…
Know a Nominee Part One: Leslie Klinger

Know a Nominee Part One: Leslie Klinger

Hello, and welcome to ‘Know a Nominee’, the interview series that gives you daily peeks inside the skulls of some of the most talented horror writers and editors working today: this year's Bram Stoker Award Nominees.   Each day, through to the day of the Bram Stoker Awards ceremony, we aim to bring you at least one Q&A featuring (you guessed it!) one of this year’s nominees.   First off, I'd like to send a huge thank you to all of our participants. Through the generous gifts of your time and candor, we have a great line-up of interviews—and I…
Know a Nominee Part Thirty: Kami Garcia

Know a Nominee Part Thirty: Kami Garcia

And so we've come to the last edition in this year’s “Know a Nominee” interview series. Thank you to everyone who has followed along, and my deepest gratitude to all of the nominees who have generously shared their time and insights — I hope you've enjoyed reading them as much as I have. Today’s update features Kami Garcia, nominated in the category of Superior Achievement in a Young Adult Novel for Unbreakable (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers).     DM: Can you please describe the genesis for the idea that eventually became the work for which you've been nominated? KG: After writing…
Know a Nominee Part Twenty-Nine: Paul Tobin

Know a Nominee Part Twenty-Nine: Paul Tobin

   Thanks for joining us for this edition of “Know a Nominee,” the interview series that shows you the darkest reaches inside the minds of this year’s Bram Stoker Award nominees. Today’s featured nominee is Paul Tobin, who’s nominated for Superior Achievement in a Graphic Novel for Colder (Dark Horse Comics).     DM: Can you please describe the genesis for the idea that eventually became the work for which you've been nominated? In the case of a work wherein you've written multiple stories (like a collection) please choose your favorite part and discuss. PT: Colder evolved after editor Scott…
Know a Nominee Part Twenty-Eight: Michael Bailey

Know a Nominee Part Twenty-Eight: Michael Bailey

  Welcome to the latest edition of “Know a Nominee,” the interview series that puts you inside the minds of this year’s Bram Stoker Award nominees. Today, we feature Michael Bailey, who’s nominated for Superior Achievement in Short Fiction for “Primal Tongue” (Zippered Flesh 2, Smart Rhino Publications).   DM:  Can you please describe the genesis for the idea that eventually became the work for which you've been nominated? In the case of a work wherein you've written multiple stories (like a collection) please choose your favorite part and discuss. MB:  “Primal Tongue” is about communication. Do we need words?…