HORROR LEGEND, JACK KETCHUM, NAMED GRAND MASTER OF WORLD HORROR CONVENTION 2011 Fans name “The scariest guy in America” as convention Grand Master. Austin – January 17: The registered members of the World Horror Convention 2011 have voted and named author Jack Ketchum as their Grand Master. The international conference of horror’s premier talents and [...]

Recently, we asked Robert Fleck if he’d be willing to write a guest post for the pitch blog, and share a bit of knowledge about pitching and publishing. Bob Fleck is a much-loved literary agent in the horror genre. He’s been in the publishing industry for two decades, and is known for his professional approach [...]

We are delighted to announce that all spots for Brian Keene’s seminar are now reserved. We knew it was going to be popular, but hadn’t anticipated just HOW popular! If you would like to be added to the waiting list in case a spot opens up please send and email to registration@whc2010.org. Thank you. We [...]

The World Horror Convention is proud to bring its members a variety of seminars. As we grow closer to the convention date, we will be unveiling more seminars for those interested in forming their own small press or pitching to agents and editors. Check this space for updates. THE BUSINESS OF WRITING AND PUBLISHING Have [...]

We are pleased to announce the release of our first official progress report for the 2011 World Horror Convention in Austin, Texas! Click the link below to download the PDF file to your desktop. Future progress reports will be also available in printed form, which will be mailed at regular intervals throughout the year to [...]

The World Horror 2011 planning committee wishes to extend its congratulations to Amanda Foubister, Stephen Jones, Michael Marshall Smith, and the rest of the Brighton committee for selling out World Horror 2010. “When it was first announced that a World Horror Convention would take place in the United Kingdom, there was plenty of cause for [...]

This Friday, March 12th, Austin’s legendary interactive, film, and music conference, South by Southwest, returns. With a history that reaches back to 1987, SXSW is an Austin institution. Since adding film and interactive programming in 1994, the conference and festival has become one of the nation’s premiere pop culture events. This year, SXSW boasts a [...]

We’re only a few short days away from the Sixth Annual STAPLE! Independent Media Expo! That’s right! Please join committee members Nate Southard, Lee Thomas and Gabrielle Faust THIS WEEKEND! They will be in attendance taking registrations and handing out information on how you can join the 2011 horror convention in the ATX! As always, [...]

Black Static Magazine and WHC 2011 Short Story Contest:

In conjunction with Black Static Magazine, we are proud to announce the World Horror Convention 2011 Short Story Contest. Writers from around the world will be able to submit their most engaging and terrifying short fiction to our judging panel for the chance to have their story published.

And we do mean published! The winning entry will appear in the collectible WHC 2011 Souvenir Book, alongside work by Sarah Langan, Joe Hill, Steve Niles, Peter Crowther, Joe R. Lansdale, Brian Keene and other top genre names. In addition to appearing in the Souvenir Book, the winning entry will be republished in Black Static Magazine and will be paid industry professional standard of .05 per word.

GUIDELINES:

1. Must have a WHC 2011 full membership or supporting membership at time of story submission to participate. No exceptions.

2. WHC 2011 committee, contest judges, and their families are ineligible.

3. We are seeking stories 500 – 4,000 words. Though this contest is open to international authors, all submissions must be submitted in English.

4. Traditional manuscript format: Double-spaced; 1-inch margins; paragraphs indicated by indent not extra line space; 12-point type presented in a clear, readable font (Times, Times New Roman).

5. On the first page of the story, please include Story Title, Author Name and Contact Information, and Word Count. A cover letter is not necessary and will not be forwarded to the judges.

6. This will be a blind submission, meaning author names and identifiers will be stripped from the document before being presented to judges. Page number and story title should appear in the Header.

7. Open submission dates – August 31st-Oct. 31st, 2010 (Midnight, Central Standard Time). Any submissions that arrive before or after the submission period will be deleted, unread.

8. No reprints. No simultaneous submissions. No multiple submissions. If a story is found to be in violation of any of the above, it will be disqualified from the contest.

9. Authors will receive confirmation that their stories have been received. Due to the nature of the contest, we will not be sending out rejection notices. We understand this is an inconvenience to authors and apologize (The committee is comprised of authors and empathize, but due to the nature of the contest, it just isn’t possible). Please consider your story under consideration until the winner is named. The winner will be announced on Thursday, April 27, 2011.

10. Electronic submissions only! An email address for submissions will be announced the week before the open reading period begins.

11. Confirmed judges – who will pick the 3 finalists from the story submissions:

Nicholas Kaufmann – author of the Bram Stoker Award-nominated General Slocum’s Gold, as well as Chasing the Dragon, Walk In Shadows, and (as Gabriel Hunt) Hunt at World’s End. www.nicholaskaufmann.com

Weston Ochse – won the Bram Stoker Award for First Novel, and has been nominated for a Bram Stoker Award in Long Fiction, as well as the Pushcart Prize for short fiction. His most recent novel is Empire of Salt. www.westonochse.com

Mary SanGiovanni – author of the Bram Stoker-nominated The Hollower and its sequel, Found You. She has a Masters in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University. She lives in NJ with her son. www.marysangiovanni.com

Wrath James White – acclaimed author of Succulent Prey, The Resurrectionist, The Book of a Thousand Sins, His Pain, and Population Zero. http://wordsofwrath.blogspot.com/

12. The winning title will be chosen from the 3 finalists by one of WHC 2011’s Guests of Honor.

13. We ask that you not contact the judges in regard to the contest. They might get grumpy. Please direct all questions to Lee Thomas at info [at] whc2011.org. (And no, that’s not the submission address).

VINCENT CHONG ADDED AS ARTIST GUEST OF HONOR FOR WORLD HORROR CONVENTION 2011
Two-time winner of the British Fantasy Award for Best Artist joins all-star convention line-up.

Austin – January 21: The World Horror Convention 2011 is honored to announce the addition of visionary artist and designer, Vincent Chong, as Artist Guest of Honor. The international conference of horror’s premier talents and their fans will take place in Austin, Texas from April 28th through May 1st, 2011.

“I’ve been a fan of Vinny’s work for years,” said convention co-chair Lee Thomas. “His use of texture and color are stunning, unique, and have put him in high demand the world over. It’s rare to find an artist whose work elicits such a strong sense of foreboding, particularly when the images he creates are so strikingly beautiful. Vinny is a wonder, and we can’t wait to bring him to the U.S. to meet his fans.”

Vincent Chong works as a freelance illustrator and designer in the UK. He has worked with clients from around the world on projects ranging from book and magazine illustrations to album art. His incredible illustrations have adorned the covers of the top names in horror fiction, including works by Stephen King, Ray Bradbury, Ramsey Campbell, Joe Hill, Simon Clark, and others.

Chong joins award-winning authors Steve Niles, Joe Hill, Sarah Langan, Joe R. Lansdale, and Brian Keene on the WHC 2011 guest list. Additional Guests of Honor will be announced in the months to come. A website featuring convention and hotel information, registration, and more is live at www.whc2011.org.

The World Horror Convention is an annual gathering of professionals in the horror industry: publishers, authors, artists, musicians, filmmakers, dealers and, of course, horror fans. WHC serves as both an industry insider’s networking event and a chance for fans of the genre to get together, meet some of the creative talents in the field, and generally spend a weekend celebrating All Things Scary.

Visit our guests at:
Steve Niles: www.steveniles.com
Joe Hill: www.joehillfiction.com
Sarah Langan: www.sarahlangan.com
Joe R. Lansdale: www.joerlansdale.com
Brian Keene: www.briankeene.com
Vincent Chong: www.vincentchong-art.co.uk

For more information please contact Nate Southard at registration [at] whc2011.org or Lee Thomas at info [at] whc2011.org.