Via Chicago Tribune-- Chicagoan of the Year in Books: If you’re into horror, thank the librarian Becky Spratford

I mean, knew this was coming, but it still feels odd. I am the person behind the curtain always, but at the same time, all of us who hep readers in public libraries are.

I am proud to stand here to promote all of us and the work we do.

I was honored to be chosen for this and even more honored to take the pictures in the adult stacks at the La Grange Public Library-- a building a literally was a part of building in my time on the library board. I was there for 24 years, from when we passed the referendum to build the library until it opened, and now after those 20 years of binds have been paid off. 

I have an account for the Tribune and am sharing this gift link here. It will be in the print paper on 12/21.

Thank you to all of the authors who provided quotes to Chris Borelli. Thanks also to Chris who is a huge supporter of books in general and Horror specifically. We are lucky to have him on the beat here in Chicago when so many other cities just ignore books coverage. 

I will drop the article here for posterity but then, I am going back behind the curtain.

Chicagoan of the Year in Books: If you’re into horror, thank the librarian Becky Spratford

Click the image to read the article
(gift link)

COVER REVEAL: Why I Love Horror Edited by Me with an Excerpt from Grady Hendrix

Pre-Order now

Today CrimeReads has the cover reveal of my upcoming book. Out 9/23/25.

Click below to read the excerpt. I picked Hendrix's essay for the excerpt because it is right in the middle of the book and it is one of the best in the book. It leaves you on a cliff hanger and let me tell you, the rest of the essay is totally worth it. Early readers agree. I have received MANY comments as they finish this essay.

You can pre-order WHY I LOVE HORROR anywhere books are sold. Here is the Bookshop.org link. Digital ARCs will be available at Library Journal's Day of Dialog on 4/17 where Alma Katsu and I will be there to discuss her essay and her upcoming book FIEND and soon on NetGalley and Edelweiss. Paper ARCs will be at StokerCon and ALA Annual.

Thank you to CrimeReads for hosting the cover reveal.

Here is the link.

31 Days of Horror: Day 29- HWA Stars a Public Mailing List for All to Receive Horror News

I am taking a small break from all the Summer Scares info during this lead up to Halloween to let you know of a brand new service from the Horror Writers Association [which will also let you know about Summer Scares info too].

Click here to subscribe 

Quick Bites is a new, mailing list from the Horror Writers Association that offers notable new releases, upcoming events, tips, news and more, geared toward authors, readers, publishers, librarians, or just anyone interested in the literary world of horror.

This is the first time the HWA is offering a mailing list for anyone and everyone, no need to be a member to receive it. Members do, and will still receive, a monthly newsletter that is quite extensive, is compiled by an editor, and includes columns by members about the craft of writing. This Quick Bites, however, is focused on delivering more tangible informational quickly and to as wide an audience as possible.

We on the HWA Board are excited about this change and hope that with the increased interest in horror from the general public and our uptick in work with all of you in libraries this will make it easier for us to keep you informed.

It will be the go-to newsletter on all things about the world of horror in book form and who better than to give it to you but the authors of said books-- the Horror Writers Association.

I know other writers associations have these newsletters because as a RA Librarian I am subscribed to them in order to stay up to date on as many genres as possible. Now, you can add horror to the mix. And now is the perfect time of year to sign up because you already have the scariest of genres on your mind.

Subscribe to Quick Bites using this link. Sign up today!

Haunted Hotel Gives the NBA's Thunder an Advantage

Check out this great article from the New York Times about the haunted hotel where the OKC Thunder's opponents stay.  If they win the NBA Championship, will they have the supernatural to thank for it?

Celebrate the Autumnal Equinox with a Free Book By Robert Dunbar

Dark fiction author extraordinaire Robert Dunbar not only writes compellingly terrifying books, but he is also a great guy and a friend to libraries.

He is a confirmed participant in my upcoming 31 Days of Horror too.  Beginning in just 10 days!

To celebrate the Autumnal Equinox, Dunbar and his publisher have some free offers and new content I wanted to pass on.
 
Uninvited Books, publisher of Martyrs and Monsters, Dunbar's critically acclaimed short story collection, is offering a FREE Kindle copy of the book beginning today and going through 9/25.  Click here to download your free copy. Thanks to Dunbar for including libraryland in the offer.

Dunbar's own site is here.

Dunbar also gave this interview to author Richard Schiver on his blog, Whisphers from the Abyss.

Finally, Dunbar got some of his friends together to start, Occupy Horror.  Here is his description of the project:

"The revolution is underway. The mindlessly commercial, the undistinguished and barely literate will no longer be allowed to utterly dominate the genre. Not without a fight anyway."

The series will feature author interviews and blog posts. Writers who have confirmed their participation in the weeks to come include, Laird Barron, Gary Braunbeck, Ramsey Campbell, Mort Castle, Greg Gifune, Ronald Malfi, Elizabeth Massie and Tom Piccirilli.  All big name, fabulously frightening authors.

Keep the Occupy Horror Series link to check out more as they are posted.

The Shining Sequel Has a Date

From Early Word, I got the news that Dr. Sleep, the sequel to Stephen King's classic The Shining will be released January 15, 2013.

Just today during my presentation, I was talking about the impending release of this novel.  Now We all have a date to match our excitement.

New Year's Resolutions

RA for All: Horror is often neglected for its big sister, RA for All.  Such is the problem of success.  With 3 paying jobs and 2 kids for whom I am the primary caretaker (read: husband has the better paying job), my love for horror and this non-profit generating blog often gets left behind.

However, I hope to rectify this in 2012.  In honor of the release of the new book sometime in the first quarter of 2012, I am going to make a conscious effort to post here on a regular basis.

So, as 2012 begins, I am planning to post once a week here on RA for All Horror.  As the year progresses, I hope to increase that to a reliable 2 days a week.  Once the kiddos go back to school (January 9th), I will have more specifics, such as a day of the week to expect the promised posts.

I also plan to update my ongoing features more regularly, since these are my biggest original contribution to the world of horror RA.  Click here to see what I already have.

Finally, now that I am done writing the book, I am agreeing to read and review more horror novels and stories, so if you have something that you are interested in getting in my hands, feel free to contact me.  I currently have a 3 or 4 novel backlog, which will begin to be cleared out after school is back in session.

Here's to a terrifying 2012.