Report from StokerCon 2024

This year’s Horror Writers Association (HWA) conference took place in my old stomping grounds, San Diego!

I lived in America’s Finest City (S.D.’s chamber of commerce moniker) for seventeen years, so it was a bit of a homecoming for me. Even better, the hotel where the conference took place is where my husband and I stay when we visit family for the holidays. It was nice to be in a familiar place. We know most of the people who work there, and they always treat us well.

And the staff had a one heck of a challenge!

You know you’re in the right place when a guy is assembling a skeleton!

Seven hundred horror writers descended on the Mission Valley Marriot for three days of panels, readings and networking. Fortunately, HWA people are a pleasant group. No, scratch that. Horror writers are among the nicest people you’ll meet. They are always up for a good conversation and a beer (or three). I can’t tell you how wonderful it is to be in a place where people immediately know who H.P. Lovecraft is. I don’t have to explain what I do over and over!

I had a lot on my plate during this year’s conference.

On Friday, I was on a panel about how artificial intelligence (A.I.) is impacting human writers. It was fun, spirited debate. And there was a guy sitting next to me who is a bit of a legend, Chuck Tingle. He entered the room in what I can only describe as a formal unknown comic guise (if you don’t remember the Unknown Comic from The Gong Show, there are clips on YouTube).

Moderator Scott Sigler (far left) and the A.I. panel

An author of monster erotica, Tingle (a pseudonym) was nominated for an award for his latest book, Camp Damascus, about the horrors of a gay conversion program. I didn’t know he was famous until Ross Lockhart, the owner of Word Horde, mentioned on Facebook how excited he was to hear Tingle was at the conference. Well, yours truly was able to send Ross a photo of me with sitting right next to him.

I definitely think I scored some reputation points with that ; )

Later that same day, I took part in a mass author signing on the lawn of the hotel. A whole gaggle of horror writers were assigned spots to sell their works. I was fortunate to share a table with Angela Sylvaine, the Cheerful Goth.

Me with the author of My Heart Is A Chainsaw, Stephen Graham Jones

I can’t tell you what a blast it was to be part of an event with so many great horror writers. Stephen Graham Jones, Eric LaRocca, Lisa Morton, Douglas Gwilym, Paul Tremblay, Phil Fracassi…I had to pinch myself. Me with all these amazing people!

I concluded my part of the conference by giving a reading from my first book, Darkness Below. I was on a program with Mort Castle, who was later received the HWA’s lifetime achievement award, and Seth Humble, who gave a great reading of his story set in the weird west. We had a full house, and the audience gave us the energy we needed to do our best work.

I didn’t go to the Stokers on the last night (I’m not a big fan of award shows, even in person) but I was thrilled to hear Tananarive Due won best novel for her haunting work, The Reformatory. A friend who was in the room said his I-Watch gave him an unhealthy sound alert when her name was announced. The applause was that loud!

I had the privilege of being on a panel with her last year at the World Fantasy Conference in Kansas City. She’s a great person who wrote a great book. The Reformatory is definitely worth a read!

Next year’s location was also announced at the ceremony. In 2025, StokerCon will be held in Stamford, Connecticut, just outside New York City.

I can’t wait until the circus rolls into town again!