StokerCon 2026: Full Schedule

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9:00am EDT

Are We Rehearsing for the Fall of Civilization?

Friday June 5, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am EDT

Why do we see so much post-apocalypse writing, cinema, television now? Why are these stories so popular? Are we unconsciously rehearsing for apocalypse? What do the many visions of the fall of civilization mean to you? This panel will discuss the current state of apocalyptic and dystopian fiction, its place in the horror genre, and what insights it provides into contemporary society.

Moderators

Tim Waggoner

Tim Waggoner’s first novel came out in 2001, and since then he’s published over sixty novels and eight collections of short stories. He writes original dark fantasy and horror, as well as media tie-ins. He’s written tie-in fiction based on Supernatural, Conan the Barbarian... Read More →

Speakers

Ai Jiang

Ai Jiang is a Chinese-Canadian writer, Ignyte, Bram Stoker, and Nebula Award winner, and Hugo, Astounding, Locus, Aurora, and BFSA Award finalist from Changle, Fujian currently residing in Toronto, Ontario. Her work can be found in F&SF, The Dark, The Masters Review, among others... Read More →

CJ Leede

CJ Leede is a horror writer, hiker, and Trekkie. She has an MFA in Creative Writing from Columbia University, and a BA from NYU’s Gallatin School, where she studied Mythology and the Middle Ages. When she is not driving around the country, she can be found in LA with her boyfriend... Read More →

Keith Rosson

Keith Rosson is the author of the novels The Devil by Name, Fever House, Smoke City, Road Seven, and The Mercy of the Tide, as well as the Shirley Jackson Award–winning story collection Folk Songs for Trauma Surgeons. He lives in Portland, Oregon, with his partner and their two children. More can be found at keithrosson.com... Read More →

John Shirley

Decades of experience in horror, television, science fiction,thriller writing, movie scripting. Strong opinions on AI, the future of our civilization, esoteric spirituality. Weird poetry.The book I won the Bram Stoker for: Black Butterflies. My new horror novel (written with Ma... Read More →

John F. D. Taff

Friday June 5, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am EDT
Cambria

Horror Genre and Media

10:00am EDT

Pitch Session Panel

Friday June 5, 2026 10:00am - 10:50am EDT

Cambria

Meet the Pitch Session Pitch Takers as they discuss what they are looking for in pitches, what to do during a pitch, and what not to do. The panel will include time for Q&A from the audience. You do not have to be scheduled for a pitch to attend this panel. If you are thinking of pitching a work in the future, you are encourage to attend this panel and learn about the process.

Moderators

Brian Matthews

Trustee; Co-Chair, StokerCon Governing Committee; Bram Stoker Awards® Show Coordinator; Pitch Session Coordinator, Horror Writers Association

Author, financial planner, former psychologist, husband, and father. Trustee for the Horror Writers Association, as well a National Co-Chair for StokerCon. I also run the Pitch Sessions and act as the Bram Stoker Awards Show Coordinator. That pretty much sums it up.

Speakers

Lauren Bajek

Literary agent at Liza Dawson Associates

Daniel Carpenter

Commissioning Editor, Titan Books

Horror commissioning editor at Titan Books, author of Hunting by the River (Black Shuck Books, 2024)

Rachel Gilmer

Editor, Sourcebooks, Poisoned Pen Press

I acquire for Poisoned Pen Press at Sourcebooks, and my books are primarily in Mystery, Thriller, Horror, and Contemporary Fantasy. I especially enjoy character-driven projects and am eagerly looking for diverse voices and stories.

Becky LeJeune

John G. Hartness

Author, Podcaster, Editor, Publisher, Billionaire, Philanthropist, Playboy, Falstaff Books

John G. Hartness is a teller of tales, a righter of wrong, defender of ladies’ virtues, and some people call him Maurice, for he speaks of the pompatus of love. He is also the award-winning author of the urban fantasy series The Black Knight Chronicles, the Bubba the Monster Hunter... Read More →

Arley Sorg

associate literary agent, senior editor, kt literary agency, Locus Magazine

Christoph Paul

CLASH Books

Theresa Glover

Associate Publisher, editor and author, Falstaff Books

Author of the Caitlin Kelley Monster Hunter series, a founding partner of Authors Essentials and an editor and convention coordinator for Falstaff Books.

www.falstaffbooks.com

Looking for novel-length work in horror, dark fantasy, dark romantasy, fantasy, science fiction, or mystery. Not looking for short story collections or anthology pitches, and we prefer books at least 75K in length. No splatter punk or extreme horror, no erotica or erotic horror, no... Read More →

Cherry Weiner

Born and raised in Australia. Came to American when I married a Brooklyn boy. I worked for one of the biggest Literary Agents in NY until he fired me and then his clients took two years to convince me to open my own agency by sending me authors and their manuscripts. I handle all... Read More →

Emma Cole

Editor; Author, MIRA Books

Editor at MIRA Books. Writer of Love Never Dies: Romance in Horror Movies.

R. B. Wood

Alec Shane

Agent, Writers House

Alexandra Murphy

Editor, Page Street Publishing

Alexandra Murphy is an editor at Page Street Publishing where she works on nonfiction and adult horror. Her first acquired title, 101 Horror Books to Read Before You’re Murdered, won the Bram Stoker Awards for Superior Achievement in Long Nonfiction. She is currently leading her... Read More →

Rena Mason

Sarah Read

Friday June 5, 2026 10:00am - 10:50am EDT
Cambria

HWA Spotlight

11:00am EDT

Working with Big 5 Publishers

Friday June 5, 2026 11:00am - 11:50am EDT

Cambria

Is it everything it's cracked up to be, and how do you know if it's the route you want to go? What realistic expectations and highlights do Big 5 authors have to share, and what can new and established indie writers learn from them?

Moderators

Jessi Ann York

Debut Author

Jessi Ann York’s debut novel, TALONS AND NIGHTSHADE, is forthcoming March 2027 from Wednesday Books, an imprint of Macmillan. Her first two published short stories, “Phases of the Shadow” and “Women of the Mere,” were mentioned as standouts in the Summation section of The... Read More →

Speakers

ROYCE BUCKINGHAM

Author--Penguin/Random House (Blanvalet)

Royce is an author of 14 novels with Penguin/Random House (Blanvalet) in Germany and with Putnam's and St. Martin's Press in North America. He is a member of the HWA and WGAw. Royce grew up with Stephen King and D&D and has been publishing horror and fantasy as a grown-up since 2006... Read More →

Andy Davidson

Andy Davidson is the Bram Stoker Award-nominated author of In the Valley of the Sun, The Boatman's Daughter, and The Hollow Kind. His novels have been listed among NPR's Best Books, the New York Public Library's Best Adult Books of the Year, and Esquire’s Best Horror of the Year. His short stories have appeared online and in print journals, as well as numerous anthologies. Born and raised in Arkansas, Andy makes his home in Georgia, where he teaches creative writing at Middle Georgia State University. He lives with his wife, Crys... Read More →

Jonathan Maberry

Author, Jonathan Maberry Productions

JONATHAN MABERRY is a NYTimes bestselling author, 5-time Bram Stoker Award-winner, 4-time Scribe Award winner, Inkpot Award winner, poet, and comic book writer. He writes in multiple genres including suspense, thriller, horror, science fiction, fantasy, and action, for adults, teens... Read More →

Jennifer McMahon

Author

Jennifer McMahon is the author of My Darling Girl and twelve other novels, including the New York Times bestsellers Promise Not to Tell and The Winter People. She lives in Florida with her partner, Drea. Visit her at jennifer-mcmahon.com or connect with her on Instagram @jennifer... Read More →

Mar Romasco-Moore

Author of queer YA multimedia horror novel Deadstream (VIking, 2025) and several other books.

Friday June 5, 2026 11:00am - 11:50am EDT
Cambria

Business and Craft of Writing and Publishing

12:00pm EDT

Publishing and Promoting on a Shoestring Budget

Friday June 5, 2026 12:00pm - 12:50pm EDT

Cambria

Indie presses have gotten slammed the last few years as funding for arts has been pulled in all directions, but we're a scrappy bunch and where there is a will, there is a way. Join panelists as they discuss what resources authors and publishers use to market, publish, promote, and more without a large marketing budget. Together, they’ll suggest strategies, actions, and practical tips to keep costs low and how to create more buzz to reach readers.

Moderators

LC Allingham

Author / Editor / Artist / Publisher, Speculation Publications

Speakers

KC (Kristina) Grifant

Author, Editor, San Diego HWA co-chair

A previous StokerCon chair, KC Grifant is an award-winning writer based in Southern California who creates internationally published horror, fantasy, science fiction, and weird west stories. Dozens of her short stories have appeared in podcasts, magazines, games, and Stoker-nominated... Read More →

Michael Dolan

Editorial Director, Winding Road Stories

Michael Dolan is a writer and editor with over 25 years of experience at the highest levels of publishing. In addition to being the author of several books, he has served as executive editor for many publishing companies, including Condé Nast. As the founder of Winding Road Stories... Read More →

Ananda Lima

Author

Ananda Lima is the author of the linked short story collection Craft: Stories I Wrote for the Devil (Tor Books, 2024) and the poetry collection Mother/land (Black Lawrence Press, 2021), winner of the Hudson Prize. Her work has appeared in American Poetry Review, Poets.org, Ke... Read More →

Stephanie Sanders-Jacob

Author

Stephanie Sanders-Jacob writes horror and weird fiction. Her books include Pyramidia, Dropshipped, Hearsepower, and Singing All the Way Up. She loves murderous and mystical cowboys, satirical stories, and Furbys. She is the editor-in-chief of Squirm Books, the YA imprint of Slashic Horror Press... Read More →

Danielle Ackley-McPhail

Author, Editor, Publisher, eSpec Books

Award-winning author, editor, and publisher Danielle Ackley-McPhail has worked in publishing for over thirty-five years, been a published author for twenty-five years, and a publisher for eleven years. She is also a book and cover designer, having worked on hundreds of books in... Read More →

Friday June 5, 2026 12:00pm - 12:50pm EDT
Cambria

Business and Craft of Writing and Publishing

1:00pm EDT

Hooked on Horror (Again): Middle Grade Books

Friday June 5, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm EDT

Cambria

Horror has long captivated young readers, from those first spine-chilling stories around campfires to stories read with flashlights under the covers. Panelists will discuss their experiences with horror as young readers, how they craft engaging yet age-appropriate stories, and the unique challenges of writing for children. Topics will include what’s “too scary,” representation, and navigating sensitive issues like book bans and censorship in YA and Middle Grade literature.

Moderators

Sarah Faxon

Speakers

Meghan Arcuri

Ann Dávila Cardinal

Author

Ann Dávila Cardinal is a Nuyorican poly-genre author. Her young adult horror novels include Five Midnights (winner of an International Latino Book Award and a Bram Stoker finalist), Category Five, Breakup from Hell, and You’ve Awoken Her. Ann lives in a little house in Vermon... Read More →

S. Alessandro Martinez

Writer

S. Alessandro Martinez is a Bram Stoker Award® -nominated 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... Read More →

Kathleen Palm

Ally Russell

Friday June 5, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm EDT
Cambria

Business and Craft of Writing and Publishing

2:00pm EDT

Artificial Intelligence: How to Identify Who's Using It ; How to Avoid It; How to Fight Back Against It

Friday June 5, 2026 2:00pm - 2:50pm EDT

Cambria

Everyone is talking about AI and for good reason. This informative and proactive focused panel will discuss the state of AI in the publishing industry, including strategies on how to identify and avoid it. Further examination will include what is being done to protect creators by organizations like the HWA and the Author’s Guild, the state of legal action, and what obstacles the creative community faces.

Moderators

Pauline Chow

Pauline Chow is a writer, coach, and ancestral magic practitioner, crafting alternative histories and optimistic futures. She is a Pushcart Prize nominated author with words in Cosmic Monthly Horror, Space and Time Magazine, Apocalypse Confidential, and more. Not your average data... Read More →

Speakers

John Edward Lawson

Author

John Edward Lawson is an author, artist, and musician from Maryland. His work has been nominated for the Dwarf Stars, Rhysling, Stoker, and Wonderland Awards. For his work as an editor John received the 2018 HWA Specialty Press Award. He is a former President of the Horror Writers... Read More →

Rebecca Cuthbert

Writer, Undertaker Books

Patrick Barb

Author & HWA Treasurer

Patrick Barb is the Bram Stoker Award-nominated author of weird, dark, and horrifying tales, currently living in the Twin Cities of Minnesota. His published works include the short-story collections The Children's Horror and Pre-Approved for Haunting; novellas The Big One, The Nu... Read More →

Alec Shane

Agent, Writers House

Friday June 5, 2026 2:00pm - 2:50pm EDT
Cambria

Business and Craft of Writing and Publishing

3:00pm EDT

Creative Resilience: Overcoming Disappointment

Friday June 5, 2026 3:00pm - 3:50pm EDT

Cambria

How do we cope with disappointment? How can we arm our creative spirits with resilience, and craft enough sustainability for the long game? Sensitivity to rejection can provoke profound emotional turmoil that can prevent us from pursuing publication. Once we’re established, anxiety can derail our submissions to more prestigious publishers along our journey. Let these panelists share with you how they stay balanced and optimistic across such challenging landscapes.

Moderators

Ace Antonio-Hall

Omnium Gatherum

Speakers

Linda Addison

Trustee, Horror Writers Association

Maria Alexander

Maria Alexander is a produced screenwriter, games writer, virtual world designer, award-winning copywriter, prolific fiction writer, and poet. Since 1999, her stories have appeared in acclaimed publications and anthologies.

Her debut novel, Mr. Wicker, won the 2014 Bram Stoker Awa... Read More →

Monique Asher

Author

Monique Asher is the American author of Don’t Eat the Pie and The Red Knot. She is a member of the HWA. When she isn't writing you will find her talking to ghosts and chasing her pets through the garden.

Zoje Stage

Author

Zoje Stage is both an international and a USA Today bestselling author whose books have been named “Best of the Year” by Library Journal, Forbes, PopSugar, Bloody Disgusting, and more. Her debut novel, Baby Teeth, was a finalist for the Bram Stoker Award. Other critically-acc... Read More →

Tim Waggoner

Friday June 5, 2026 3:00pm - 3:50pm EDT
Cambria

Business and Craft of Writing and Publishing

4:00pm EDT

Navigating the Horror of the Parasocial

Friday June 5, 2026 4:00pm - 4:50pm EDT

Cambria

In an era where authors often engage with their audience directly via social media, the lines between friends, fans, and strangers can become blurry. How can authors be accessible without opening themselves up to unpleasant interactions? How can we encourage fans to be more mindful when interacting with creators?

Moderators

Diana Rodriguez Wallach

Young Adult Author

Diana Rodriguez Wallach is a multi-published author of young adult novels, most recently YA horror novels. Her next book, THE SILENCED, described as Girl Interrupted meets Poltergeist, comes out in September 2025 through Random House/Delacorte. In October 2023, she released HATCHET GIRLS, a modern twist on the legend of Lizzie Borden, and in 2021, she published SMALL TOWN MONSTERS, named one of the “13 Scariest Books of 2021” by Kirkus Reviews (both through... Read More →

Speakers

Christopher Golden

CHRISTOPHER GOLDEN is the New York Times bestselling author of the novels Carry Me to My Grave, The House of Last Resort, All Hallows, Road of Bones, and Ararat, among many others. He has also written and cowritten screenplays, comic books, and audio dramas. His work has won the Bram Stoker Award, the Shirley Jackson Award, and the Audie Award, and been nominated for the British Fantasy and Eisner Awards, among others... Read More →

Clay McLeod Chapman

Author of Devil Inside, Bodies of Work, Wake Up and Open Your Eyes, Acquired Taste, Shiny Happy People, Kill Your Darling, Stay on the Line, What Kind of Mother, Ghost Eaters, Whisper Down the Lane, The Remaking, and others.

Jonathan Fortin

Jonathan Fortin is the author of the LILITU series from Crystal Lake Publishing, specializing in Gothic Horror and Dark Fantasy. He attended the Clarion Writing Program in 2012, one year after graduating summa cum laude from San Francisco State University's Creative Writing program... Read More →

Rachel Harrison

Rachel Harrison is the New York Times Bestselling author of PLAY NICE, SO THIRSTY, BLACK SHEEP, SUCH SHARP TEETH, CACKLE, and THE RETURN. Her short fiction has appeared in numerous anthologies and in her debut story collection BAD DOLLS.

Her next novel, KISS SLAY REPLAY, is out this September from Berkley in the US and Titan in the UK... Read More →

Rae Wilde

Rae Wilde (she/her) is a queer woman and author of dark fiction who has published numerous works under the pen name Rae Knowles. Her collection, I Do Not Apologize for My Position on Men, will re-release in July 2026 from Shortwave Publishing and her commercial fiction debut, ... Read More →

Friday June 5, 2026 4:00pm - 4:50pm EDT
Cambria

Business and Craft of Writing and Publishing

9:00am EDT

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1:00pm EDT

2:00pm EDT

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4:00pm EDT

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