Becky's Top 10 Horror of 2020

Each year I make a specific list of my Top 10 Horror reads of the year. This is not technically a "best" list. I complete that as part of a committee for Library Journal. I wrote about that process and proved the list at this link.

Rather this is a list of MY personal favorite horror titles that came out in 2020, in order from 10 to 1, but to be fair 10-5 could change in order based on how I am feeling that day. 4-1 though, those are in order.

While I will write about this next week on the general blog, 2020 was interesting because the VERY BEST book I read all year, hands down, the book that stayed with me the most, was also my top horror read. I don't think that has ever happened, although I will say it is apt for 2020. 

Interestingly, I don't have a story collection on the list this year, which is odd for me. I did read some excellent collections and anthologies and this list has 3 short novels/novellas, but unlike many who had trouble reading this year, I found that when I did sit down with a book, I wanted it to grab me and pull me in for longer. I actually found story collections and anthologies more distracting this year, in terms of my personal enjoyment.

The list below has links to my reviews for each book [the title is linked to the review], my "three words," and a little extra commentary about why it made the list. They are here to stand in perpetuity as my official "Best Horror of 2020." You can see all my year in review lists going back to 2005 with this link.

Becky's Top 10 Horror of 2020

10. The Taxidermist's Lover by Polly Hall [claustrophobic, harrowing, absorbing]

I always like to have a debut in this list each year. Why though at the expense of another book I really enjoyed? Good question. The reason is, I love finding new voices and new authors. It brings me joy. I always have a "best debut" category in my overall best list too. Some year's my best debut makes it quite high on this list. This year's entry is #10, but not because it is only making the list on a technicality, rather it is because I have read a lot of very good debuts this year, but this novel, by Egyptian-British author Hall rose to the top because this book was so utterly captivating. To honor that is squeaked in as the best of the debuts, I put it at #10. This novel starts slow, uneasy, and disorienting but then crawled inside me. I couldn't stop and look away. Also it had a killer ending. She nailed it, which is often a problem with debuts. I will have a much longer piece on my top 10-15 horror debuts of 2020 in January.

9. Cirque Berserk by Jessica Guess [carnival, slasher trope, bunches of gory fun]

I love the entire Rewind-or-Die series of novellas that came out from Unnerving this year. Click here to access a full list. However, Guess' title rose above the rest for me. I should be honest that dark carnival or circus books is one of my personal favorite frames, so I was predisposed to like this. However, others on my Library Journal Best Horror team completely agreed. Novellas in general are my favorite format to deliver horror because they are long enough to develop characters  but still short enough to be read in 1 or two sittings. For me horror is best when it envelopes me and I can blot out everything but the book. That is harder with longer works though. A close runner up to best novella of 2020 would be Crossroads by Laurel Hightower. It was a nail biter as to which I enjoyed more personally, but the carnival frame tipped the scales.

8. Plain Bad Heroines by Emily M. Danforth [immersive, character centered, intricately plotted]

This is a book that traps you into its well developed and layered world. It is a story within a story within a story within a story [maybe one more within]. A small part is based on a historical figure which is key because it adds to the overall feeling that this is all real, it all happened., and that intensifies the anxiety With its unapologetically intense female focus, an unease constantly seeping in from the perimeter, spilling fear all over the page at key moments, and characters that leap off the page, this novel was a treat. It is also an excellent example of a horror novel that has no gore.

7. Survivor Song by Paul Tremblay [compressed time frame, lyrical, ode to friendship]

This book was flawless, but I think a combination of it being a little too on the nose for 2020 and because Tremblay is always amazing that people just expect it meant it got left off of many best lists. I have a detailed review linked above, but I especially loved 2 things about this book. 1. The entire book is framed as a song. 2. It is focused on 2 women and their friendship. There is nothing about their love interests; in fact the only love interest, the husband of one, is killed off in the opening scenes. How refreshing to have a novel centered around strong women and their strong friendship.

6. The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix [thought provoking, terrifying, dark humor]

The fact that I picked a vampire framed story for my best list underscores how excellent this book is [vampires are my least favorite trope]. This is a well constructed novel that is both scary and sweet, about many important issues across society. It is a book about books. And it is the best original vampire novel I have read in a few years. You will laugh and cry, and possibly want to hide the book in the freezer for a bit too. 

5. Ring Shout by P. DjèlÍ Clark [thought provoking, fun, satire]

All I want to say about this book is that it is a seriously contemplation of systemic racism in America told as a fun and exciting creature feature. To say much more would ruin other's enjoyment. Seriously, go spend a day or 2 with Maryse and her crew. You will thank me after.

4. Boneset & Feathers by Gwendolyn Kiste [lyrical, fluid style, social justice]

An original and suspenseful witch framed horror story that holds more than meets the eye. It is also an honest look at what it means to be a woman who doesn't conform to societal stereotypes, one who bravely stands up to systemic oppression. "Witches" is a trending subgenre right now and this novel sets the standard at the moment.

3. The Boatman's Daughter by Andy Davidson [lyrical, haunting, complex characters]

This is a crime novel with a creepy fairy tale, timeless feel feel. There are monsters both human and supernatural. It is a story that is dripping with atmosphere, in which complicated characters and a foreboding setting took the lead and drew me into this brutal yet beautiful tale. I am not a re-reader, but I would read this again.

2. Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia [Gothic, family secrets, escalating dread]

Read the full review, but let me say this was one of the best Gothic horror books i have ever read. The entire psychological situation was well done, the human monster awesomely bad and evil, but the supernatural evil behind it all....it was great! I loved how the entire story built perfectly to the awesome climax. You think you like classic British Gothics, try this title and you will never want something that boring and tame again.

1. The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones [lyrical, revenge, heartbreakingly beautiful]

I read a super early ARC of this book, reading it at the end of 2019 and nothing I read all year came close to dethroning it as the best book I read, for any genre. It ponders cultural identity, family, and traditions without ever losing sight of the Horror [with a capital H]. In my review I couldn't fit how it had an excellent twist on the final girl trope or comment on the amazing basketball scenes. I bought a copy of this book in hardcover because I need to own it and read it again. It is awful, terrifying, and intense, but it also ends with hope. And one final word of warning to share-- you will never be able to look down on a ceiling fan from above ever again. Nope, not going to be able to do it. I can't even look at a ceiling fan from the ground the same way again.  

No #HorrorForLibraries Giveaways until 2021

When I went to the post office this week to mail the winner, I realized the USPS does not need more packages right now. So, the giveaways are suspended until 1/7/21, but remember, you can enter anytime and stayed entered in perpetuity.

In the meantime, expect my annotated best horror of 2020 list next week.

#HorrorForLibraries Giveaway #28: Horror for Kids

The #HorrorForLibraries Giveaway is back for another week and this week, I am featuring some horror for children. But first, a reminder on the basic rules to enter:

1. You need to be affiliated with an American public library. My rationale behind that is that I will be encouraging you to read these books and share them with patrons. While many of them are advanced reader copies that you cannot add to your collections, if you get the chance to read them, my hope is that you will consider ordering a copy for your library and give away the ARC away as a prize or pass it on to a fellow staff member.
2. If you are interested in being included in any giveaway at any time, you must email me at zombiegrl75 [at] gmail [dot] com with the subject line "#HorrorForLibraries." In the body of the email all you have to say is that you want to be entered and the name of your library.
3. Each entry will be considered for EVERY giveaway. I will randomly draw a winner on Fridays sometime after 5pm central. But only entries received by 5pm each week will be considered for that  week.
4. If you win, you are ineligible to win again for 4 weeks; you will have to re-enter after that time to be considered [I have a list of who has won, when, and what title]. However, if you do not win, you carry over into the next week. There is NO NEED to reenter.

Click here to see giveaway #27. Our winner was Steph from Niagara Falls Public Library.

I was going through the ARCs I have and I noticed these 2 titles for kids. The top one, The Threw Us Away by Daniel Kraus, the first book in his Teddies Saga Trilogy. It is a great read for all ages of horror fans. Accurately described as Toy Story meets Lord of the Flies, this is a story that is a little more intense than the average Middle Grade horror, but still not terrifying. It would make a great family read aloud, even with teens.

The Girl Who Builds Monsters by Brian James Freeman, illustrated by Vincent Chong is a creepy, sweet, and timeless story about a young girl who takes the discarded parts of dolls to make her own creations. 

Both are excellent to enjoy with a child or for yourself. They are ARCs so you cannot add them to your collections but they would make great winter reading prizes.

Good luck!

#HorrorForLibraries Giveaway #27: Omnium Gathering Prize Pack

The #HorrorForLibraries Giveaway is back after 2 weeks off and this week, I am featuring one of my approved independent publishers for libraries. But first, a reminder on the basic rules to enter:

1. You need to be affiliated with an American public library. My rationale behind that is that I will be encouraging you to read these books and share them with patrons. While many of them are advanced reader copies that you cannot add to your collections, if you get the chance to read them, my hope is that you will consider ordering a copy for your library and give away the ARC away as a prize or pass it on to a fellow staff member.
2. If you are interested in being included in any giveaway at any time, you must email me at zombiegrl75 [at] gmail [dot] com with the subject line "#HorrorForLibraries." In the body of the email all you have to say is that you want to be entered and the name of your library.
3. Each entry will be considered for EVERY giveaway. I will randomly draw a winner on Fridays sometime after 5pm central. But only entries received by 5pm each week will be considered for that  week.
4. If you win, you are ineligible to win again for 4 weeks; you will have to re-enter after that time to be considered [I have a list of who has won, when, and what title]. However, if you do not win, you carry over into the next week. There is NO NEED to reenter.

Click here to see giveaway #26. Our winner was Cheryl from Clarksville Library [GA]. 

Now on to this week and a prize pack of four books courtesy of Omnium Gatherum.

The books are [clockwise from top left]:

• Ghastly Tales of Gaiety & Greed: Unauthorized & Haunted Cedar Point by E.F. Schraeder
• Star Spangled Knuckle Duster: A Novella by Tom Johnstone
• The Plot Against Heaven by Mark Kirkbride
• Black Cranes: Tales of Unquiet Women edited by Lee Murray and Geneve Flynn

I want to highlight Omnium Gatherum today for 2 main reasons. The first is because I recently turned in a STAR review for Black Cranes in my Horror Review Column for the January issue of Library Journal. So this is a chance for you to get a finished copy on your shelf now.

The second reason is that Omnium Gatherum is small, you might not know about them, and yet, they are publishing some excellent work, and have been for some time now. Recently, I invited Omnium Gatherum to be our featured small press at StokerCon 2021's 5th Annual Librarians Day. I cannot wait to have editor in chief, Kate Jonez, share her authors and upcoming books with all of you next year. But also, why wait? Let's get started now with the giveaway.

Good luck to all!

Library Journal Best Horror 2020

Below is the Library Journal 2020 Best Horror list. As you can see below in the byline, I was on the committee to pick these books. While, I have the entire list of LJ's 2020 titles in all categories on the main blog here, I wanted to accomplish 2 things on the horror blog today. First, I wanted to make sure the full list appeared here so that each entry was searchable by title here on the blog. 

But second, and more importantly, I wanted to spend a few moments explaining how these lists are built because when you make a best list for a library magazine, it is way more complicated than simply listing your favorite books. [That is a completely different exercise and is not appropriate for a major publication.]

For example, I loved Survivor Song by Paul Tremblay, but when push came to shove we decided to use that space for another small press title that was excellent, one you might not know about without us. You don't need LJ to tell you that Survivor Song is awesome and you should order it. But you might not know about Crossroads or Cirque Berserk without us. And you probably forgot about The Boatman's Daughter since it came out in February just as the pandemic was beginning. In the end, a title like the Tremblay was up against the Kraus or Hendrix for 2 out of those 3 making it. In the end, the Hendrix is more important for libraries because it is also about book clubs and would make an excellent book club selection and the Kraus is paired with the Romero legacy. All three got stars from me. All three are excellent must buys and will appeal to a wide audience, but when push comes to shove, the other two had reasons besides being awesome to be included. We don't help anyone by only having bestselling titles on the list. 

Here's the point I want to make with this explanation on how this all works. This best list is for libraries and library workers. We went out of our way to include different types of horror. There is bloody stuff here as well as fairly tame. We have titles that came out early in the year, that others have forgotten about, and titles that are too important to the story of the genre to sleep on. There are books by up and comers and books by old standbys. Every title that was included is there for a reason just as those which were left off have reasons they almost made it. I used Tremblay as the example, but there are at least 5 or 6 more titles that we seriously considered. 

This is a list to be taken in its entirety. There are books I liked just as much as these titles which could have made it, but taken as a grouping of 10, this list represents HORROR right at this moment. And making this list was a group effort, 100%. Our team of three worked together to build this list. We only had a few must includes and then we listened to each other to build out the rest. I am so proud of us, how we worked together, and the list we made as a result.

Remember that as you encounter best lists everywhere. Remember the mission of the list builders. For LJ it is to give you a broad and representative list of the very best for each category. We are trying to help you help build your collections and make suggestions to the public, and we take that responsibility very seriously.

Best Horror of 2020

by Cody Daigle-Orians, Stephanie Klose, Becky Spratford

Clark, P. Djèlí. Ring Shout. Tor.com. ISBN 9781250767028.

This story of Black female power honors the Black American experience in all its complexity, yet also delivers Lovecraftian delight. Readers will gasp at the visceral horrors, both real and otherworldly, cringe at the destruction and carnage, and ultimately cheer for Maryse to keep fighting for herself and her people.

Danforth, Emily M. Plain Bad Heroines. Morrow. ISBN 9780062942852.

Danforth asks readers to contemplate how stories are told. Which horrors are real, which are imagined, and which are consciously constructed? The story, set at the cursed Brookhants School for Girls, unfolds across time in three linked story lines. It features a pointed female focus, an unease seeping in from the perimeter, spiking to fear at key moments, and vividly drawn characters.

Davidson, Andy. The Boatman’s Daughter. Farrar. ISBN 9780374538552.

Miranda earns her living running contraband while trying to survive monsters, both human and supernatural. The restrained narrative doles out the tension, expertly pulling readers in as the novel embraces its horror genre affinities while also confidently fitting among Southern gothic classics of the 21st century.

Guess, Jessica. Cirque Berserk. Unnerving. ISBN 9781989206362.

This celebration of the slasher story also turns out to be a love story, a tale of survival, and an ode to the power of family. Guess shows this through a demented fun house mirror, taking love and devotion to their darkest extremes.

Hendrix, Grady. The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires. Quirk. ISBN 9781683691433.

Hendrix blends the disaffected Southern housewife story with a terrifying vampire tale. The anxiety and tension are palpable as a book club shifts from discussing true crime to battling societal stereotypes and demeaning husbands, as well as an intensely evil, centuries-old vampire, to save their children from very real harm.

Hightower, Laurel. Crossroads. Off Limits. ISBN 9780578723563.

Hightower is writing at the sharpest edges of grief. Her portrait of a mother’s pursuit to undo the unthinkable loss of her son is relentless, muscular, and emotionally fearless. It’s a novella about grief that turns into obsession, and it’s unforgettable.

Jones, Stephen Graham. The Only Good Indians. Saga: S. & S. ISBN 9781982136451.

This classic tale of revenge horror oscillates among eerie moments, violent action, and an overarching sense of dread. It is also an achingly beautiful story about hope and survival, grappling with themes of cultural identity, family, and traditions. Fully entrenched within the genre, the book’s well-developed cast, lyrical language, and heightened suspense will have broad appeal.

Kiste, Gwendolyn. Boneset & Feathers. Broken Eye. ISBN 9781940372594.

Kiste’s writing style moves fluidly back and forth through time with lyrical language describing awful things. Readers will hang on every word, cringe and cheer through the action, and passionately root for Odette, the last of the witches, who has banished herself to a magic-free life of isolation. Kiste casts a spell with this original and suspenseful horror story, which offers more than meets the eye.

Moreno-Garcia, Silvia. Mexican Gothic. Del Rey. ISBN 9780525620785.

Featuring a feisty, whip-smart protagonist, a perfectly rendered setting, exquisite supernatural details, and an escalating sense of dread that jumps off the page, effortlessly pulling both the protagonist and the reader through a range of emotions from unease to panic, and finally, to breathless terror. This is not your mother’s gothic tale.

Romero, George A. & Daniel Kraus. The Living Dead. Tor. ISBN 9781250305121.

The zombies are terrifyingly realistic, but it is the well-developed human characters that readers will appreciate, particularly Etta Hoffmann, autistic researcher and archivist of the apocalypse. This is a rare gem of a story, one that pays homage to its varied source material while also standing on its own merits.

#HorrorForLibraries Giveaway #26: Midnight at the Pentagram [Anthology]

As a reminder I began these giveaways back in April. Click here to  read the first post. Honestly, I see no end to the giveaways.

As a reminder, here are the basic rules to enter:

1. You need to be affiliated with an American public library. My rationale behind that is that I will be encouraging you to read these books and share them with patrons. While many of them are advanced reader copies that you cannot add to your collections, if you get the chance to read them, my hope is that you will consider ordering a copy for your library and give away the ARC away as a prize or pass it on to a fellow staff member.
2. If you are interested in being included in any giveaway at any time, you must email me at zombiegrl75 [at] gmail [dot] com with the subject line "#HorrorForLibraries." In the body of the email all you have to say is that you want to be entered and the name of your library.
3. Each entry will be considered for EVERY giveaway. I will randomly draw a winner on Fridays sometime after 5pm central. But only entries received by 5pm each week will be considered for that  week.
4. If you win, you are ineligible to win again for 4 weeks; you will have to re-enter after that time to be considered [I have a list of who has won, when, and what title]. However, if you do not win, you carry over into the next week. There is NO NEED to reenter.

Click here to see last week's giveaway. Our winner was Sarah from Brown County [WI] Library. 

This week I have a finished copy of a short story collection featuring well known and up and coming authors put out by one of my approved independent horror publishers for libraries-- Silver Shamrock Publishing. It is entitled Midnight at the Pentagram and you can click through for the full table of contents.

Two authors in particular that I want to point out to library workers right now are Laurel Hightower, whose Crossroads you WILL see on at least one library year end best list, and Catherine Cavendish whose In Darkness, Shadows Breathe I just read for review in January's Library Journal. I was very impressed and will be writing about how wide its appeal is. 

But overall, this is an excellent collection of horror right now. It has representation both in the identity of the writers and in the types of stories they write. Think of it a solid collection from top to bottom. And it is nice and thick, so there is a lot to offer here.

This is a finished copy you can add to your collections. Thanks to Silver Shamrock for sending it to me for giveaway. Consider adding it to your collection whether you win it or not.

Good luck!

#HorrorForLibraries Giveaway #25[!]- Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff

 31 Days of Horror is over, but the #HorrorForLibraries giveaways live on. As a reminder I began these giveaways back in April. Click here to  read the first post.

Those of you paying close attention may have also noticed I lost track of the numbers at some point, mostly due to have more than 1 winner multiple weeks. I have gone back and manually counted and this is week 25 and honestly, I see no end to the giveaways.

As a reminder, here are the basic rules to enter:

1. You need to be affiliated with an American public library. My rationale behind that is that I will be encouraging you to read these books and share them with patrons. While many of them are advanced reader copies that you cannot add to your collections, if you get the chance to read them, my hope is that you will consider ordering a copy for your library and give away the ARC away as a prize or pass it on to a fellow staff member.
2. If you are interested in being included in any giveaway at any time, you must email me at zombiegrl75 [at] gmail [dot] com with the subject line "#HorrorForLibraries." In the body of the email all you have to say is that you want to be entered and the name of your library.
3. Each entry will be considered for EVERY giveaway. I will randomly draw a winner on Fridays sometime after 5pm central. But only entries received by 5pm each week will be considered for that  week.
4. If you win, you are ineligible to win again for 4 weeks; you will have to re-enter after that time to be considered [I have a list of who has won, when, and what title]. However, if you do not win, you carry over into the next week. There is NO NEED to reenter.

Click here to see last week's giveaway. Our winner was Heather from Poquoson [VA] Public Library. 

This week, in conjunction with the giveaway, I wanted to point you to the recording of the Library Journal conversation I was a part of last week, "True Monsters of Lovecraft Country". You can watch the roundtable discussion here or click the image below.

The publisher sent me a copy of the novel so I could re-read it. Here is my original review of Lovecraft Country from back in 2016. Since I am done with the program, I want to pass this copy on to your library so you can add it to your collections as demand has risen.

Good luck. And although there can only be one winner of the book, everyone can watch the program.

Recap: True Monsters of Lovecraft Country Virtual Roundtable

This past Friday Library Journal capped off it’s #LovecraftFridays discussion with a virtual roundtable. The panelists included were Alex Brown, Becky Spratford, Gabino Iglesias, Mary SanGiovanni, Steffan Triplett and Matt Ruff! Together they talked about the true meaning of Cosmic Horror, what fair representation looks like in both literature and media, as well as differences between the hit HBO show and the novel. There are also a few tips for librarians as well on how to introduce this growing genre into their community. Overall, it is something you do not want to miss. So, grab some snacks and enjoy. 

Librarians' Day is Live and a Bonus Why I Love Horror for Dia de Los Muertos

Welcome to the launch day for the 4th Annual Horror Writers' Association's Librarians' Day, this year brought to you virtually with the help of ARRT.

Everything you need to participate, view, and access resources is all on this one page courtesy of ARRT [and in particular, Steering Committee Member, Stacey].

November 1st is Also Day of the Dead, and I am combining both Librarians' Day and Day of the Dead into one bonus "Why I Love Horror" blog post. Welcome to the blog, LD panelist, Cynthia Pelayo sharing more of her personal horror journey with us.

Watch her with Daniel Kraus, Stephen Graham Jones, and me in our "State of Horror Today" panel. Link here.

And keep an eye out for my upcoming review of her brand new novel, Children of Chicago, in the January issue of Library Journal.

But first, why Pelayo loves horror...

Why I Love Horror: Day of the Dead Edition

by Cynthia Pelayo

I am never going to be like my mother, I used to think. I always liked to think of myself as more like my father. My father is more positive and adventurous, and my mother is quieter and more reserved; choosing her words very carefully, or providing little to no words in a conversation at all, but I have learned over time that I am like both of them. And each of them gave me an early introduction into the horror genre, a genre for which my love has only grown.  

I was lucky in that I was able to meet three of four of my grandparents, and my mother’s father was very much like her, a solemn – and quite frankly – frightening man, who spoke little, but was always aware of those around him and what they were saying. My father’s parents were salt of the earth kind of people. They were beyond poor, but so kind and willing to share anything they had in their near-empty refrigerator with you, that they would supplement with hours of wonderful conversation peppered with intense laughter, seated on the front porch of their home on a mountain top.

I am the sum of all of these people, my parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents whom I have only heard vague stories about, and great-great grandparents we have tried to trace back and beyond. 

It is Day of the Dead, and what I recognize on this day is the hard work my ancestors put in so that I could find myself with you here today. We believe that death is not an end, but another continuation of our story, and while all of my ancestors may not be by my side today, and every day, I am here and I am the product of each and every one of them. I am the product of their decisions, stories, laughter, and maybe a little bit of the things they loved, and one of the things my parents loved was a good scary story.

So, why do I love horror? I can tell you how I fell in love with horror, and it is because of my mother, that woman I said I would never be like. My earliest memory of a scary story was told to me by my mother. 

She told me the nursery rhyme - 
There was an old woman who lived in a shoe,
She had so many children, she didn’t know what to do

And the nursery rhyme continues with how the woman who lived in the shoe later whipped her children, and this was all absolutely terrifying to me; that this ghastly woman hit her little children, and how they were all crammed in this shoe. 

From that moment on, I was captivated. My mother then recited all of the nursery rhymes to me that she had memorized. She would later read me whatever fairy tale stories I could get my hands on from school, and the scarier the better. While my mother struggled to read those later fairy tales and stories to me, given her first language was Spanish, she tried as best she could – for me, stumbling through new words, and falling into old worlds she had experienced when she too was a little girl. 

My father liked to tell me old folk tales of ghosts who lived in the mountains of his childhood home. He told me of spectral lights and whispers that carried in the wind at night, and when I asked him what he believed was the cause of those lights and those whispers he said plainly - ghosts. When I asked him where he learned those stories he told me those were tales that were told to him by his mother, and likely further back.

Maybe that’s something that you and I share, maybe it was a parent, or sibling, or a close family member that introduced you to the horror genre, whether through words on a page or a scary movie. I can tell you that one of my favorite things to do now is to sit and watch scary movies with my young son, be it Gremlin’s or Bettlejuice, or maybe something a little scarier like Poltergeist. We gather popcorn and candy, and curl up on the sofa with blankets in the dark, and those are some of the best moments – he and I watching these Gothic scenes unfold, our hearts racing as little creatures appear on screen, or a ghost floats across the television. Then, when the movie is finished and the lights come on we laugh and hug, because it was all just a scary story – something we survived together. I hope that these moments are as special for him as they are for me.

My fascination with folk and fairy tales has since found itself continually appearing in all of my own writing, from fiction to poetry to essays. There’s also this wonder about reading the Grimms’ Fairy Tales, knowing that when I read “Hansel and Gretel,” “Rumpelstiltskin,” “The Pied Piper of Hamelin” or “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” that I am sharing in a tradition that goes far back, beyond me, my parents, and grandparents. In reading a fairy tale, I am likely sharing in something that you yourself experienced with your own family, that you found wonder and magic and terror in, but that you too survived.

Stories unite us in the most fantastic ways. And so, I have continued on the tradition of sharing fairy tales and scary stories with my own children, continuing this wonderful gift that my parents gave to me that I can now share. So, I suppose I am like my mother, in many ways, and because of her, I share my love of fairy tales, of story, and horror with my little ones whom I hope can continue on that tradition long after I am gone, when I am then their ancestor – a picture in a golden frame on top of their altar for Day of the Dead.

31 Days of Horror : Day 31-- Announcing the 2021 Summer Scare Spokesperson Is....

Happy Halloween. We made it! And fort he third year in a row, I am using the holiday to announce the new Summer Scares year.

[Remember you can access all years of the Summer Scares program on the FAQ and Resources page here.]

This year we have not only a new spokesperson to announce but also new selection committee members and a new sponsor with Booklist taking over for Library Journal/School Library Journal!

Below is the press release with all of the details. We have already had 1 meeting and you will see the new faces on our Librarians' Day panel tomorrow too. In fact, in our Summer Scares panel, you will learn exactly how we pick the titles.

But that is tomorrow. Today I would like to announce Summer Scares 2021, including our spokesperson...Silvia Moreno-Garcia!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

HWA ANNOUNCES SUMMER SCARES READING PROGRAM

Los Angeles, California, October 30, 2020

The Horror Writers Association (HWA), in partnership with United for Libraries, Book Riot, and Booklist, is proud to announce the third annual Summer Scares Reading Program. Summer Scares is a reading program that provides libraries and schools with an annual list of recommended horror titles for adult, young adult (teen), and middle grade readers. It introduces readers and librarians to new authors and helps start conversations extending beyond the books from each list and promote reading for years to come.

Award-winning author Silvia Moreno-Garcia and a committee of five library workers will select three recommended fiction titles in each reading level, totaling nine Summer Scares selections. The goal of the program is to encourage a national conversation about the horror genre, across all age levels, at libraries nationwide and ultimately attract more adults, teens, and children interested in reading. Official Summer Scares designated authors will also make themselves available at public and school libraries.

“When I tell people I like to read horror books, they often look at me like I'm a pervert,” Silvia says. “Horror has a bad reputation, even though it's the genre that gave us classics such as Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Shirley Jackson's “The Lottery” or Daphne du Maurier's “Don't Look Now.” Like any other genre, horror is multifaceted and has a rich history. From pulpy scares to cerebral thrills, horror deserves more love and we're here to share some exciting titles.”

The committee’s final selections will be announced on February 15 2021 — right after National Library Lover’s Day. Moreno-Garcia, along with some of the selected authors, will appear on a panel to kickoff Summer Scares at the 5th Annual HWA Librarians’ Day during StokerCon 2021.

Between the announcement of the titles and the kickoff event, the committee and its partners will publish lists of more suggested titles for further reading. Official Summer Scares podcasting partner, Ladies of the Fright Podcast, will also record episodes in conjunction with Summer Scares.

Look for more updates coming soon from Booklist, Book Riot, and United for Libraries, as well as at the HWA’s website: www.horror.org. For more information about Summer Scares, contact JG Faherty, HWA Library Committee Chair (libraries@horror.org), or Becky Spratford, HWA Secretary (bspratford@hotmail.com)

As always, this year’s Summer Scares initiative includes the updated Summer Scares Programming Guide, courtesy of Konrad Stump and the Springfield-Greene County Library, which provides creative ideas to engage horror readers. Centered around the official Summer Scares titles, the guide offers tips and examples for readers’ advisory, book discussions, and special programs, and enables librarians, even those who don’t read or especially enjoy the horror genre themselves, to participate in Summer Scares. More information is available here: https://tinyurl.com/SummerScaresGuide

Summer Scares Committee Members:

Silvia Moreno-Garcia is the bestselling author of the novels Mexican Gothic, Gods of Jade and Shadow, Certain Dark Things, and Untamed Shore, among others. She has also edited several anthologies, including the World Fantasy Award-winning She Walks in Shadows (a.k.a. Cthulhu's Daughters). Gods of Jade and Shadow was the 2020 American Library Association Reading List winner in the Fantasy category, appeared on many year's best lists, and won the 2020 Sunburst Award for Excellence in Canadian Literature of the Fantastic. Silvia is also the publisher of Innsmouth Free Press, a columnist for The Washington Post, and a book reviewer for NPR. You can follow her on Twitter at @silviamg.

Becky Spratford is a library consultant and the author of The Readers’ Advisory Guide to Horror, second edition, and is currently working on the third edition. She reviews horror for Booklist Magazine, is the horror columnist for Library Journal and runs the Readers’ Advisory Horror blog, RA for All: Horror. Becky is also a Library Trustee member of United for Libraries and is currently serving as Secretary for the Horror Writers’ Association.

Konrad Stump is a Local History Associate for the Springfield-Greene County (MO) Library, where he coordinates local history programming and works district-wide on Big Read, ASRP, and Springfield-Greene's popular “Oh, the Horror!” series, which attracts hundreds of patrons during October. He created the Donuts & Death horror book discussion group, featured in “Book Club Reboot: 71 Creative Twists” (ALA), and co-created the Summer Scares Programming Guide. Library workers and authors who are interested in cultivating horror programming can contact Konrad at konrads@thelibrary.org for free assistance.

Carolyn Ciesla is a library director and academic dean at Prairie State College in the Chicago suburbs. She has worked as a teen librarian and reference librarian, and reviews horror titles for Booklist Magazine. She’s currently enjoying providing all the scary books to her teen daughter, and revisiting a few along the way.

Julia Smith joined the Books for Youth team at Booklist in 2015, where she is now a senior editor. Her life-long love of horror movies and middle-grade literature draws her to creepy children's stories and books with bone in the title. You can follow her at @JuliaKate32 on Twitter.

Kelly Jensen is a former librarian who works as an Editor for Book Riot (bookriot.com), where she runs the bi-weekly "What's Up in YA?" young adult newsletter and cohosts the popular "Hey YA" podcast about young adult literature Her books include the award-winning (Don’t) Call Me Crazy: 33 Voices Start the Conversation About Mental Health and Here We Are: Feminism for the Real World, both from Algonquin Young Readers. She's also a well-known and long-time co-blogger at Stacked (stackedbooks.org). A life-long lover of all things scary, she finds herself eager to scream about horror reads for teens with those who love good thrills and chills.

For More Information Contact:

John W. Dennehy, Communications Director

Horror Writers Association

jdennehy@johnwdennehy.com

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31 Days of Horror: Day 30- #LovecraftFridays Finale and How to Get Up to Speed

This year on 31 Days of Horror I worked in partnership with @ItsNiaMya from Library Journal as we hosted #LovecraftFridays on Twitter and here on the blog. This was part of the larger Library Journal #LJReads program. Every Friday in October we will dissected LOVECRAFT COUNTRY the novel by Matt Ruff and the hit HBO show. We came up with 4 larger themes and took a deep dive into them each week.

Each Friday in October around 5pm eastern, Nia posted a thread on Library Journal's Twitter to start the larger discussion on the topic. To supplement the discussion, I prepared some more reading lists and background information to help you put it into a broader context and help your library patrons.

I hope you enjoyed the month long discussion and engaged with us. Actually, even though we are done, you still can participate in the conversation anytime using the #LJReads and #LovecraftFridays hashtags. Pass it on to your patrons and encourage them to participate too.

Today to wrap it all up we have a live, free, wrap up program. Sign up now and find all the details by clicking here or on the graphic.

I know the event will be recorded, so if you cannot join us, you will still have access to the recording. 

One of the participants is Alex Brown, an award winning critic, who wrote the official episode reviews for Tor.com which you can access here.

Brown's episode recaps with commentary along with the #LovecraftFridays threads will help you get up to speed on the conversation, the show, the book, and the intersection of modern horror and racism. 

I hope you can join us, but if not, I will make access to the recording available as soon as I can.

And as I said here on the blog last week:

I can't wait. I don't know if I am more excited that we all get to nerd out together or that I know our entire program will be making Lovecraft spin in his grave while we do it.

*Cue Evil Laugh*