Bram Stoker Awards: 2022 Final Ballot

Last night, the HWA announced the final ballot for the 2022 Bram Stoker Awards. This is the only award I write about where I actually get to have a vote on who wins, so it holds a special place in my heart. 

I posted the entire ballot on the main blog here, including links to where I reviewed or gave away a title. You can also see it directly from the HWA here.

But first, I wanted to share a few observations about the ballot, since this is a genre and an award with which I am intimately aquatinted.

• I read and reviewed all 5 nominees in the Novel category and am on the record stating which I think is the best of the bunch. 
• I am so proud to have been a part of the first ever award in the category of Middle Grade. I do not have reviews for these titles because as a member of the jury, I did not want to go on the record about any of them; however, I can tell you with 100% certainty, all 5 of these titles is worthy of the haunted house statue. I also want to note that these 5 titles will forever be the first crop of nominees for this category, and that alone is a HUGE honor.
• Just saying, but back in May of 2022, I correctly predicted the nomination of one of the "long fiction" nominees here, in print, in Library Journal.
• I got to read Tiffany Jackson's The Weight of Blood (YA category) and interview the author on a panel for a Library Journal event. This book is GOOD.
• That stacked anthology category! 2 points here. First, every single nominee is a woman! Second, two of the editors were included in an article I wrote for The Lineup, "These Six Anthologists Are Masterful Curators of Terror." By the way, I have another article coming next month about the best Middle Grade Horror for adults. 

In terms of using this award for suggestions, displays, and as a CD tool, the HWA makes it as easy as possible because we have an entire website just for the Awards. Click through to get lists of every nominee and winner. You can even search by author and see every time and in which category they were nominated. It is a library worker's dream as a resource. 

Okay enough lead up. Click here to see the official nominees for the 2022 Bram Stoker Award. You can tune in on Saturday June 17, 2023 to see the winners announced live. Details closer to the event. You might even catch me up on the stage.

Click here to see the Final Ballot