World Horror convention
7- 10 May 2015, Atlanta Marriott Marquis Hotel
Anthony Taylor reports on the convention celebrating 25 scary years
Nearly 500 members of The Horror Writers Association gathered in Atlanta, Georgia, over the weekend of 8- 10 May to celebrate the silver anniversary of the convention. World Horror Con was started in 1991 in Nashville, Tennessee, by members of the professional writers association to celebrate the year’s best horror fiction via the Bram Stoker Awards.
This year’s event featured several programming tracks aimed at improving members’ writing, marketing and business skills, as well as readings, a film festival, art show and a mass signing which was open to the public. Guests of honour included writers Charlaine Harris, Jonathan Maberry, Christopher Golden, John Farris, Kami Garcia, Lisa Tuttle, artist Bob Eggleton and Grand Master William F Nolan, co- creator of Logan’s Run.
Attendees could partake in panels such as “LGBT Themes In Horror Fiction”, “Dark Carnivàle: Freaks, Geeks, Magicians And Spiritualists” ( which featured Daniel Knauf, creator of HBO’s Carnivàle), “Southern Folklore In Horror Literature, Ins And Outs Of Options In Today’s Film Market”, and many others. Though a professional conference more than fan convention, guests were encouraged to cosplay and revel at the Silver Scream Spook Show Creepy Costume Ball on Friday night.
The Stoker Awards banquet was held on Saturday 9 May, and awards were presented for Superior Achievements in a novel to Blood Kin by Steve Rasnic Tem, graphic novel to Bad Blood by Jonathan Maberry, screenplay for The Babadook by Jennifer Kent, and others. In addition, Lifetime Achievement Awards were presented to Tanith Lee ( just a few weeks before her death) and Jack Ketchum, and the Grand Master Award to William F Nolan.
The Horror Writers Association will reconvene at World Horror Con 26 in Provo, Utah from 28 April to 1 May 2016. www. whc2015. org