StokerCon 2026

Short stories are more than just stepping stones in an author’s journey. They allow writers to hone their craft, experiment with structure and point of view, and are a strong way to connect with editors and publishers. Short stories can also help writers achieve Active Membership in the HWA, and they build up the potential for an eventual collection. Join panelists to discuss how short stories helped strengthen their craft and career, why this length works so well for horror, and what makes a story stand out.

Good horror disturbs and distorts reality with all the fuzz of a heavy metal guitar pedal. And metal music, for its part, has long drawn inspiration from the genre of the supernatural and occult. In "Sludging through Doom," panelists will explore how the horror genre has intersected with heavy metal music across time and how horror writers continue to derive inspiration from the scary music genre, banging their heads as they bang stories out on their keyboards.

Welcome to Pittsburgh! Join our panelists as they bathe our Convention city in unholy and horror-worthy light. What mysteries hide in the alleyways of the Southside? Is there real magic at the convergence of three rivers? Can you feel the pull of the Fourth River? How many cemeteries have you haunted? How many bridges and tunnels does one city need? What cryptids, legends, ghosts, or maniacs haunt our Rust Belt abode. Hear from Pittsburgh horror writers who have been influenced by the often uncanny history, folklore, cultural oddities, and decaying buildings surrounded by an urban wilderness.