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Thursday, June 4
 

4:00pm EDT

How to Get the Best Out of StokerCon
Thursday June 4, 2026 4:00pm - 4:50pm EDT
Cambria
Welcome to StokerCon! Now what? If you’re a first-time attendee, new to the horror community, or simply seeking a better handle on how to keep up with everything happening at StokerCon, this is the panel for you. A group of StokerCon veterans and organizers will help you know what to expect, how to plan your time, what our different programming options offer, and how to meet your favorite horror writers without scaring them. Drop into for a crash course on navigating the ins and outs of the HWA’s annual convention.
Moderators
avatar for Lila Denning

Lila Denning

HWA-Volunteer Coordinator, St Petersburg Library System

Speakers
avatar for Marc Abbott

Marc Abbott

Author/Teacher/Storyteller/Vice President Horror Writers Association
I’m the author of Sinister Ascension, the horror anthologies Hell at the Way Station (Winner of the African Literary award for Best Anthology)and Hell at Brooklyn Tea. My works have been featured in Blackened Roots, The Chaos Clock, Under Twin Suns, Even in the Grave, New York State... Read More →
avatar for Rhonda Jackson Garcia AKA RJ Joseph

Rhonda Jackson Garcia AKA RJ Joseph

academic and creative writer/editor/professor, RJ Joseph, Writer/Speaker
Rhonda Jackson Garcia, AKA RJ Joseph, is a Stoker Award™ and Shirley Jackson Award nominated, Texas based academic and creative writer/professor whose writing regularly focuses on the intersections of gender and race in the horror and romance genres and popular culture. She has... Read More →
avatar for Kevin Kennel

Kevin Kennel

Hello, I am a fiction writer with many writing projects in various forms of development. I have recently been published in the anthology: Satan Rides Your Daughter Again and have had some poetry published online at misfitsmiscellany.com Some of my favorite writers are: Grady Hendrix... Read More →
avatar for Jonathan Lees

Jonathan Lees

Jonathan Lees has spent over twenty years championing filmmakers through his programming work with the New York Underground Film Festival, Anthology Film Archives, TromaDance, and currently at the Final Frame Horror Short Film Competition at StokerCon.
He has recently produced arcane texts such as "We Have (Never) Been Here Before" in The Rack (Vol. II) and “To What Do We Owe This Pleasure” from the Bram Stoker Award nominated, Long Division: Stories of Social Decay, Societal Collapse and Bad Manners. Other stories in print... Read More →
avatar for Sarah Read
avatar for Lisa Wood

Lisa Wood

President, Horror Writers Association
L. Marie Wood is an award-winning psychological horror author and screenwriter. She won the Golden Stake Award for her novel The Promise Keeper. Her screenplays have won Best Horror, Best Afrofuturism/Horror/Sci-Fi, and Best Short Screenplay awards at several film festivals. Wood... Read More →
Thursday June 4, 2026 4:00pm - 4:50pm EDT
Cambria
  HWA Spotlight

5:00pm EDT

No One Wants to Publish Mr. Hyde: Professional Etiquette for Horror Writers
Thursday June 4, 2026 5:00pm - 5:50pm EDT
Cambria
The horror writing community is a small world, and you never know where a new publishing opportunity might come from. It’s important to be professional and to maintain good relationships and practices as a working horror writer. But what does that mean? What are “best practices” when it comes to engaging with agents and editors, with publishers, fellow authors, and even in social media? Where is the line between personal and professional interactions? Our panelists will discuss these questions and more.
Moderators
avatar for Hildy Silverman
Speakers
avatar for Danielle Ackley-McPhail

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 →
avatar for Meghan Arcuri
avatar for Jennifer Barnes

Jennifer Barnes

Managing Editor, Raw Dog Screaming Press
Jennifer Barnes is managing editor of Raw Dog Screaming Press which has been publishing off-kilter books for nearly two decades. She spent four years as an editor for The Dream People Literary Magazine. Her children’s book, Better Haunted Homes and Gardens, illustrated by Kristen... Read More →
avatar for Dennis K. Crosby
avatar for Michael Dolan

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 →
Thursday June 4, 2026 5:00pm - 5:50pm EDT
Cambria
  Business and Craft of Writing and Publishing
 
Friday, June 5
 

9:00am EDT

Are We Rehearsing for the Fall of Civilization?
Friday June 5, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am EDT
Cambria
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
avatar for Tim Waggoner

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
avatar for Ai Jiang

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 →
avatar for CJ Leede

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 →
avatar for Keith Rosson

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 →
avatar for John Shirley

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 →
avatar for 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
avatar for Brian Matthews

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
avatar for Lauren Bajek

Lauren Bajek


Literary agent at Liza Dawson Associates
avatar for Daniel Carpenter

Daniel Carpenter

Commissioning Editor, Titan Books
Horror commissioning editor at Titan Books, author of Hunting by the River (Black Shuck Books, 2024)
avatar for Rachel Gilmer

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.
BL
avatar for John G. Hartness

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 →
avatar for Arley Sorg

Arley Sorg

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

CP

Christoph Paul

CLASH Books

avatar for Theresa Glover

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 →
avatar for Cherry Weiner

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 →
avatar for Emma Cole

Emma Cole

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

RB
avatar for Alec Shane

Alec Shane

Agent, Writers House

avatar for Alexandra Murphy

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 →
avatar for Rena Mason
avatar for 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
avatar for Jessi Ann York

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
avatar for ROYCE BUCKINGHAM

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 →
avatar for Andy Davidson

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 →
avatar for Jonathan Maberry

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 →
avatar for Jennifer McMahon

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 →
avatar for Mar Romasco-Moore

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
avatar for LC Allingham

LC Allingham

Author / Editor / Artist / Publisher, Speculation Publications


Speakers
avatar for KC (Kristina) Grifant

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 →
avatar for Michael Dolan

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 →
avatar for Ananda Lima

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 →
avatar for Stephanie Sanders-Jacob

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 →
avatar for Danielle Ackley-McPhail

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
avatar for Sarah Faxon
Speakers
avatar for Meghan Arcuri
avatar for Ann Dávila Cardinal

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 →
avatar for S. Alessandro Martinez

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 →
avatar for Kathleen Palm
AR
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
avatar for Pauline Chow

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
avatar for John Edward Lawson

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 →
avatar for Rebecca Cuthbert

Rebecca Cuthbert

Writer, Undertaker Books

avatar for Patrick Barb

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 →
avatar for Alec Shane

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
avatar for Ace Antonio-Hall

Ace Antonio-Hall

Omnium Gatherum

Speakers
avatar for Linda Addison

Linda Addison

Trustee, Horror Writers Association

avatar for Maria Alexander

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 →
avatar for Monique Asher

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.
avatar for Zoje Stage

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 →
avatar for Tim Waggoner

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 →
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
avatar for Diana Rodriguez Wallach

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
avatar for Christopher Golden

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 →
avatar for Clay McLeod Chapman

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.
avatar for Jonathan Fortin

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 →
avatar for Rachel Harrison

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 →
avatar for Rae Wilde

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
 
Saturday, June 6
 

9:00am EDT

From Grimms to Goosebumps: Horror for Young People
Saturday June 6, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am EDT
Cambria
Horror isn’t just for adults, but has long captivated young readers drawing them in with those first spine-chilling stories and keeps them coming back for more. Panelists will discuss the long history of horror stories for children, how they encourage literacy among young readers, and why kids continue to be entranced by the genre. Additional discussion will look at the struggle to ensure young horror fans continue to have access to their favorite books both in the bookstores and on library shelves.
Moderators
avatar for Melissa Bobe

Melissa Bobe

Author, Librarian
Melissa Bobe is the author of The Illustrated Woman, Season of the Witch, Sibyls, and the Millennial Witch Series, which includes Nascent Witch and its sequel Familiar Territory. Her collection Electric Trees won the 2023 New York Author Project, after which Melissa went on to win the Indie Author Project’s 2024 Indie Author of the Year Award. She has published shorter works with Flame Tree Fiction, Whisper House Press, Intrepidus Ink, Bards and Sages, Urhi Publishing, Wyldblood Pr... Read More →
Speakers
avatar for Patrick Freivald
avatar for Clare Withers

Clare Withers

Curator, Liaison Librarian, University of Pittsburgh
I'm interested in horror, the macabre, and agency in children's and YA literature.  My background is in children's literature, storytelling, and librarianship (public and academic). In my Archives & Special Collections capacity, I'm also focused on book history, curating and collaborating... Read More →
avatar for Ally Malinenko

Ally Malinenko

Ally Malinenko is the author of several poetry collections as well as Ghost Girl and the Stoker nominated This Appearing House both from Katherine Tegen Books/Harper Collins
avatar for Justina Ireland

Justina Ireland

Author and Literary Agent, Handspun Literary Agency
Justina Ireland is the New York Times bestselling author of numerous short stories and books including Vengeance Bound, Promise of Shadows, Dread Nation and its sequel Deathless Divide, Rust in the Root, and the middle-grade novel Ophie's Ghosts, which won the Scott O'Dell award... Read More →
avatar for Natalie C. Parker

Natalie C. Parker

Natalie C. Parker is the acclaimed author and editor of several books for young readers including the award-winning Seafire series and the Indie Bestselling anthology Vampires Never Get Old. Her debut horror novel, Come Out, Come Out, is a finalist for the Bram Stoker Award for S... Read More →
Saturday June 6, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am EDT
Cambria
  Horror History

10:00am EDT

Researching and Writing Horror Nonfiction
Saturday June 6, 2026 10:00am - 10:50am EDT
Cambria
This panel explores techniques and practices for researching horror, interviewing, and resources for writing about horror. Join panelists to discuss the challenges of nonfiction, how it is similar and different from writing other modes, and markets and publications in which one can place nonfiction.
Moderators
avatar for Kevin Wetmore, Jr.

Kevin Wetmore, Jr.

Volunteer Coordinator, HWA LA

Speakers
avatar for Leanna Renee Hieber

Leanna Renee Hieber

Actress, Ghost Tour Guide and Author with, Kensington, Tor and Union Square Books
An actress, playwright, ghost tour guide and award-winning, bestselling author of ghost-filled fiction and non-fiction for Kensington, Tor, Sourcebooks and Union Square, Leanna’s A Haunted History of Invisible Women: True Stories of America’s Ghosts, co-authored with Andrea J... Read More →
avatar for John Kachuba

John Kachuba

Author
Shapeshifters! Ghosts! Middle Grade horror! Author of 15 books, including the historical fantasy trilogy, “The Bottle Conjuror,” and the middle/grade novel, “Haycorn Smith and the Castle Ghost.”Several of my nonfiction books are about ghosts and the paranormal and I am a... Read More →
avatar for Kendall Phillips
NS
avatar for Becky Spratford

Becky Spratford

Readers' Advisory Specialist and Reviewer, RA for All

Saturday June 6, 2026 10:00am - 10:50am EDT
Cambria
  Business and Craft of Writing and Publishing

11:00am EDT

Fatal Foliage: Botanical and Ecological Horror
Saturday June 6, 2026 11:00am - 11:50am EDT
Cambria
Ecological horror provides an outlet for writers to express their fear and admiration of the natural world. From predatory plants and strange insects to devastating weather events and more, there is endless horror inspiration to be found in nature’s varied settings. Join panelists as they offer insight into the evolution of botanical horror as it reacts to modern-day issues.
Moderators
avatar for Carina Bissett

Carina Bissett

The Storied Imaginarium

Speakers
avatar for Sydney Bollinger
avatar for Corey Farrenkopf

Corey Farrenkopf

Staff Librarian / Writer, Eastham Public Library

avatar for Erica Ferencik

Erica Ferencik

Author

I am the author of three survival thrillers published by Simon & Schuster. I'm diving deep into horror with my upcoming novel, THE BLOOMING: In order to save her child, herself and the world as we know it, a single mother must battle a sentient fungal entity that has come to possess... Read More →
avatar for Tanya Pell

Tanya Pell

author
Tanya Pell is a narcoleptic horror author who drinks bougie coffee and lives in the American South. She is the Bram Stoker nominated-author of Her Wicked Roots, Cicada, and the upcoming This B Just Won't Die! Her short fiction can be found in Fever Dreams, Mother Knows Best, ... Read More →
avatar for Sara Tantlinger

Sara Tantlinger

Sara Tantlinger is the author of the Bram Stoker Award-winning The Devil’s Dreamland: Poetry Inspired by H.H. Holmes, as well as other works like To Be Devoured, Cradleland of Parasites, and her recent fiction collection, Cyanide Constellations. She embraces all things macab... Read More →
Saturday June 6, 2026 11:00am - 11:50am EDT
Cambria
  Horror Genre and Media

12:00pm EDT

Bookhouse of Leaves: Authors and the Library
Saturday June 6, 2026 12:00pm - 12:50pm EDT
Cambria
This author facing panel will discuss the connection between those who write and those who bring books to communities. It is no surprise the books librarians champion, receive greater traction and attract more readers. Lists like the New York Public Library’s Best of Horror have significant influence in the horror world. How can authors foster professional relationships with their library and how can this help elevate their careers? Most importantly, how can authors give back to both their lore-master accomplices as well as the greater communities they serve?
Moderators
avatar for Carina Stopenski

Carina Stopenski

Teen Librarian, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
academic HWA member | library advisory council member | pgh chapter co-chair | phd student of literature | author of STUFFED (unveiling nightmares) and THE THINGS WE DO FOR BLOOD (alien buddha press)
Speakers
avatar for Perla X. Caballero

Perla X. Caballero

HWA Seattle Chapter Member. Host and Curator of The Seattle Horror Book Club, Undertaker of the Morbidly Curious Book Club, West Seattle Chapter.
avatar for Jocelyn Codner

Jocelyn Codner

Reference & Outreach Librarian, Chatham University
avatar for Corey Farrenkopf

Corey Farrenkopf

Staff Librarian / Writer, Eastham Public Library

avatar for Grady Hendrix

Grady Hendrix

I own too many paperbacks and write too many books. I apologize for both of these sins.
avatar for Trevor Oakley

Trevor Oakley

Head of Access and Outreach Services, Saratoga Springs Public Library
Horror in libraries, including/featuring horror in book festivals/community reads, horror RA, horror programming
Saturday June 6, 2026 12:00pm - 12:50pm EDT
Cambria
  Business and Craft of Writing and Publishing

1:00pm EDT

The Library Eats You Last: Why (Dark) Academia Makes the Perfect Monster
Saturday June 6, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm EDT
Cambria
In dark academia, the institution itself is often the villain. This panel examines how schools, libraries, secret societies, and research labs become sentient forces in horror fiction--devouring students literally, or metaphorically. We’ll explore how power structures in academia map perfectly onto horror tropes, how intellectual obsession mirrors possession, and how the campus becomes a labyrinth the protagonist may never escape. This panel is perfect for fans of house-horror, cosmic dread, and the creeping suspicion that your thesis advisor might actually be an eldritch entity.
Moderators
AS
Speakers
avatar for Taylor Grothe

Taylor Grothe

Taylor Grothe (AKA T.G. Laine) is a writer of adult and young adult horror, horror romance, and dark fantasy. They hold a nonfiction MFA from Fairfield University, acted as the graduate Assistant Managing Editor of Brevity, and their short works can be found in esteemed publications... Read More →
avatar for Marc Abbott

Marc Abbott

Author/Teacher/Storyteller/Vice President Horror Writers Association
I’m the author of Sinister Ascension, the horror anthologies Hell at the Way Station (Winner of the African Literary award for Best Anthology)and Hell at Brooklyn Tea. My works have been featured in Blackened Roots, The Chaos Clock, Under Twin Suns, Even in the Grave, New York State... Read More →
KJ
avatar for Ai Jiang

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 →
avatar for Piper White

Piper White

Author
Piper L. White is an author from North Carolina. She holds her BFA in creative writing from UNC Wilmington, where she also got her certificate in publishing. Her other work can be found in literary magazines such as Atlantis, Full House Literary, Carolina Muse Arts, amongst other... Read More →
Saturday June 6, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm EDT
Cambria
  Horror Genre and Media

2:00pm EDT

Horror Writing as Resistance
Saturday June 6, 2026 2:00pm - 2:50pm EDT
Cambria
Works of horror have historically brought truth to power, taking on inequality and unjust systems while also giving a good scare or two. And in recent years, readers have been offered brilliant socio-political takedowns within the genre. How are writers currently taking on fascism, isolationism, weaponized nationalism, and authoritarianism? How do we balance the social and political with the speculative and terrifying? What can readers learn from these texts? And are words enough?
Moderators
avatar for Meg Ripley

Meg Ripley

Writer of horror and dark fantasy, designer, and drawer. Her debut novel, NECROLOGY, (Book #1 of the Dirty) is a Foreword INDIES Bronze Medalist in Fantasy (2024).

Book 2 of the Dirty, WOODFEAST, due Fall 2026, Creature Publishing.
Speakers
avatar for Kylie Lee Baker
avatar for Elizabeth Broadbent

Elizabeth Broadbent

Elizabeth Broadbent (she/her) left the South Carolina swamps for the Commonwealth of Virginia, where she lives with her three sons and husband. She’s the
author of Ink Vine (Undertaker Books, 2024), Ninety-Eight Sabers (Undertaker Books, 2024), Blood Cypress (Raw Dog Screaming P... Read More →
avatar for C.S. Humble
avatar for Victoria Nations

Victoria Nations

Victoria Nations (she/her) writes Gothic and weird horror about creatures with emotional baggage. Her work is often set in Florida and other wild, liminal places.

Victoria’s work appears in Dark Matter Magazine, "Nightmarish,” "Dark Spores," and “Fish Gather to Listen," among other venues. Her poetry has been nominated for an SFPA Dwarf Stars Award and appears in Magpie Messenger, two HWA Poetry Showcases, and the Bram Stoker Award-nominated... Read More →
avatar for Tamika Thompson

Tamika Thompson

Author
Tamika is author of THE CURSE OF HESTER GARDENS (Erewhon/Kensington, 2026) and Next Generation Indie Book Awards Horror WINNER, UNSHOD, CACKLING, and NAKED (Unnerving Books), which Publishers Weekly calls “powerful,” “unsettling,” and “terrifying.” She is also the author... Read More →
Saturday June 6, 2026 2:00pm - 2:50pm EDT
Cambria
  Horror Genre and Media
  • about <br>

3:00pm EDT

Author to Editor and Back Again
Saturday June 6, 2026 3:00pm - 3:50pm EDT
Cambria
Many authors dream of editing their own anthology, but what does it actually take to cross the line from author to editor? What unique challenges arise from blurring these boundaries and wearing both hats? Join panelists as they discuss navigating the potential obstacles and social barriers of being both authors and editors.
Moderators
avatar for Douglas Gwilym

Douglas Gwilym

Bram Stoker Award nominated short story author, querying novelist, editor of NOVUS MONSTRUM

Speakers
avatar for Shane Hawk

Shane Hawk

Writer-Editor, PRH-Counterpoint
Shane Hawk (Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma) is a horror writer and editor. As a contributing editor at Counterpoint Press, he exclusively works with North American Indigenous writers. In 2020, he released his debut short story collection ANOKA. Hawk is the coeditor of the... Read More →
avatar for Rebecca Rowland

Rebecca Rowland

Author, Editor
Rebecca Rowland is a Shirley Jackson and Bram Stoker Award-nominated author and editor; Cemetery Dance states that her work “reeks of The Twilight Zone in all the best ways.” Her cosmic horror novel Eminence Front (Clash Books) and third short fiction collection Unsettled Score... Read More →
avatar for Tom Deady
avatar for Geneve Flynn

Geneve Flynn

Author, editor, poet. HWA Diverse Works Inclusion Committee

avatar for Cynthia Pelayo

Cynthia Pelayo

Cynthia Pelayo is an International Latino Book Award winning poet and author.

She is the author of Loteria, Santa Muerte, The Missing, Poems of My Night, Into the Forest and All the Way Through, Children of Chicago, Crime Scene, The Shoemaker’s Magician, as well as dozens of sta... Read More →
avatar for Becky Spratford

Becky Spratford

Readers' Advisory Specialist and Reviewer, RA for All

Saturday June 6, 2026 3:00pm - 3:50pm EDT
Cambria
  Business and Craft of Writing and Publishing

4:00pm EDT

The Hounds of Hell: Dogs in Horror
Saturday June 6, 2026 4:00pm - 4:50pm EDT
Cambria
Whether a terrifying threat or man’s best friend, dogs in horror elicit strong emotions. Let’s talk about how dogs have been used in past horror works, evolving from dying early in the story, to modern evolutions of richer story arcs. This panel will celebrate some of the best loved (and terrifying) instances of dogs in horror and how these canines can be used in effective storytelling.
Moderators
avatar for Emily Smiley

Emily Smiley

Emily Smiley is a horror and dark fantasy author who encourages her readers to discover deeper truths within themselves through the exploration of fear, grief, and trauma, with a splash of dark humor and (sometimes) a little spice. She was a panelist at World Con 2025 and is slated... Read More →
Speakers
avatar for Nick Cutter

Nick Cutter

Real name: Craig Davidson. I write horror under the name Nick Cutter.
avatar for Rebekah Faubion
avatar for Jess Hagemann

Jess Hagemann

Jess Hagemann’s recent work has appeared or is forthcoming in Beneath the Bluebonnets: Tales of Terror from Texas Women, Three Seasons of Winter, and Last Girls Club, among others. Her debut novel Headcheese (2018) won an IPPY Award in Horror. Paste Magazine named her sophomor... Read More →
avatar for larry hinkle

larry hinkle

The least famous author you've never heard of, Larry Hinkle writes cosmic horror, pulp, and horror comedy, tinged with a touch of weird. His short stories made the Preliminary Stoker Awards ballot in 2020 and 2022. Books include The Space Between (collection, 2024), The Eris Ridge... Read More →
avatar for Emily Ruth Verona

Emily Ruth Verona

Author
Emily Ruth Verona is the author of the novel Midnight on Beacon Street, published by Harper Perennial in 2024 and the novella Shiva
avatar for Stephanie M. Wytovich
Saturday June 6, 2026 4:00pm - 4:50pm EDT
Cambria
  Horror Genre and Media
  • about <br>
 
Sunday, June 7
 

11:00am EDT

Dark Designs: Let's Make a Horror Game!
Sunday June 7, 2026 11:00am - 11:50am EDT
Cambria
Our panelists will design a game on the spot — using prompts and ideas from the audience. The brilliant and creative members of the audience (that’s _you_ — we’re all writers and artists here, right?) will throw out all manner of scary ideas for the panelists to mold into a  horror game. Is it a video game? A one-page tabletop RPG? A board game? That’s up to our roundtable of panelists and audience members to decide. Is it about a haunting? An unkillable slasher? A horde of zombies? We’ll decide as we go! By the end of the panel, we’ll have the working concept of a game that everybody will want to one-day play. 
Moderators
avatar for Bill Bridges

Bill Bridges

Author, Game Designer

Speakers
avatar for Richard Dansky

Richard Dansky

Consultant, Dansky Narrative Services
Richard Dansky is a 25+ year veteran of the video game industry and is widely regarded as a leading authority on game writing and narrative. He has written and narrative designed for bestselling franchises including The Division, Assassins Creed, Far Cry, and Splinter Cell. He is... Read More →
JF

Jonathan Frater

Publisher, Desperate Measures Press
I'm a librarian, people should ask me any question they can think of...
avatar for Brigitte Winter

Brigitte Winter

Author
Brigitte Winter writes books about your favorite monster ex-girlfriends. She also writes narrative games, poetry, and short stories. The capacity of storytelling to connect, inspire, and incite is central to Brigitte’s art and her activism, and she makes art that is queer, feminist... Read More →
Sunday June 7, 2026 11:00am - 11:50am EDT
Cambria
  Horror Genre and Media
 

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