A writer who still thinks the word "blog" sounds like something dirty.
The 2011 Bram Stoker Awards were held recently by the Horror Writers Association. Several close friends of mine won awards and I just wanted to take a moment to congratulate them. Here is a list of winners from the HWA’s site (www.horror.org):
Superior Achievement in a NOVEL
A DARK MATTER by Peter Straub
Superior Achievement in a First Novel (tie)
BLACK AND ORANGE by Benjamin Kane Ethridge
CASTLE OF LOS ANGELES by Lisa Morton
Superior Achievement in Long Fiction
INVISIBLE FENCES by Norman Prentiss
Superior Achievement in Short Fiction
THE FOLDING MAN by Joe R. Lansdale
Superior Achievement in an Anthology
HAUNTED LEGENDS edited by Ellen Datlow and Nick Mamatas
Superior Achievement in a Collection
FULL DARK, NO STARS by Stephen King (Simon and Schuster)
Superior Achievement in Nonfiction
TO EACH THEIR DARKNESS by Gary A. Braunbeck
Superior Achievement in a Poetry Collection
DARK MATTERS by Bruce Boston
I highly recommend checking out any of these books. While I haven’t yet made the complete rounds through them myself, I can vouch for many of them. My friend and mentor Lisa Morton is among the best writers working in the field today and her CASTLE OF LOS ANGELES is one of those rare books that you find yourself having a difficult time putting down. Gary Braunbeck is also a master of the genre and TO EACH THEIR DARKNESS ranks up there with King’s DANSE MACABRE as an in-depth analysis of what not only makes horror tick but also what makes it so appealing. Benjamin Kane Ethridge is also proving himself to be a force to be reckoned with and, aside from just being a damn nice guy, writes like a demon. HAUNTED LEGENDS is filled great stories if you’re looking for some shorter work.
As much as I love King and Straub, do yourself a favor and check out some of the other authors on this list. You can find them on Amazon.