The total number of memberships of World Horror Convention 2007 was 485.
This broke down as 437 (Full Attending), 28 (Day Memberships) and 20 (Supporting).
244 were from the USA, 191 from Canada, and 47 came from the UK. We also had 1 attendee each from Australia, Norway and The Netherlands.
We are delighted to announce that the World Horror Convention 2007 Raffle has raised the required US$995.00 needed to put some worthwhile student through the Borderlands Boot Camp next year. Thank you to everyone who donated prizes and purchased raffle tickets. We hope you had fun and appreciate your support.
On a sad note, Canadian film director Bob Clark, whose influential 1975 film BLACK CHRISTMAS we screened on the Saturday evening, was killed in a car crash with his son on the Pacific Coast Highway on the Wednesday following the convention (April 4th). According to police reports, the director's car was hit head-on around 2:30am by a SUV that swerved into the southbound lane. 67-year-old Clark and his 22-year-old son Ariel were pronounced dead at the scene. The SUV driver, who was reportedly driving without a licence, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol and may be charged with gross vehicular manslaughter.
And now, some of the many comments we've received . . .
"I just wanted to congratulate you again on WHC 2007. I've honestly never been to anything like it, and I don't think that's because I was a Guest. The positivity and enthusiasm I saw in everyone, about everything, was truly remarkable: from jaded pros to newcomers who'd never been anywhere NEAR something like that before. The mix of personalities, of activities, the way in which the hotel's spaces were used . . . it made you think 'Why aren't they all like this?' From the first day until the last, you could hear the background hum of an event hitting its stride and hammering down the road. This apparent effortlessness was all the more impressive to me because I had some idea of all the manic hard work which was going on behind the scenes, and had been for months and months before. Through the Banquet, the convention book (of which, for my small part, I'm about as proud of as anything I've ever done), the hospitality suite, the co-ordination with the hotel, you've demonstrated that these things simply don't have to be crap. You provided a heart, too. Yes, conventions are for and about the fans and participants as a whole: but an event which has such an evidently personal vision and force of personality behind it feels so much more involving. Most of the conventions I've been to felt liked something cobbled together by a committee of geeks. This felt like a coherent, planned, organised event. The difference is remarkable. Pete Crowther got it right in his speech at the Closing Ceremonies, and spoke for all of us (both John and the other Pete said similar things to me that afternoon): utterly KNACKERED though we all were, we just didn't want it to end."
—MICHAEL MARSHALL SMITH
Photo © 2007 Derek Sullivan
Peter Atkins, Sèphera Girón, Peter Crowther, Nancy Kilpatrick, Michael Marshall (and Nate) Smith,
Joe R. Lansdale, John Picacio, Gahan Wilson and Don Hutchison
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Photo © 2007 Hugues Leblanc
Nancy Kilpatrick & Peter Crowther
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"I'm very grateful to Steve, Mandy and Amanda for inviting me as a writer GoH. I had a GREAT time. This is one of the best conventions I've attended, and certainly one of the most sophisticated WHCs. Well done, everyone!"
—NANCY KILPATRICK
"I just want you to know how much Traci and I appreciated the stellar work everyone did to make this show happen at the level it did. This show indeed raised the bar for future WHCs. A class act all the way through. Right down to the basket of fruit and champagne at the beginning and fruit and wine at the end, that was in our hotel rooms. So many details well-considered and well-executed. We both offer sincere thanks and gratitude. We'll talk about this one for years to come."
—JOHN PICACIO
"I can honestly say that I can't recall enjoying a convention as much as that one. A pure joy—I congratulate you in particular for levels of care, organisation, attention and just plain sodding-hard-work that will, I'm sure, become a benchmark for future cons. We had an absolute blast. Thanks again for inviting me."
—PETER CROWTHER
Photo © 2007 Shaun Kurtz
Shaun Kurtz & Peter Atkins
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"I couldn't not write a formal, and thoroughly sincere, THANK YOU VERY MUCH for both the honour of making me a Guest at the Con AND for the miraculous job you guys did in organising the whole shebang. I've been to about ten of the seventeen WHCs so far, so I think I can speak with some authority when I say that it was without doubt the best I've ever attended. It felt more like a WFC (which I know was one of your aims), and elevated the whole WHC to a higher level. Whether it stays there remains to be seen but, by Christ, you guys did your job alright! Heartfelt congratulations on the whole thing. It couldn't have gone better, as far as I'm concerned. Take a well-deserved rest, my friends.
With love and gratitude,"
—PETER ATKINS
"May be the best convention I've been to. Certainly the best conducted. Good job."
—JOE R. LANSDALE
"I had a FABULOUS time at the con. Thank you so much for picking me to MC. I've had so much great feedback. At the con and in e-mails, so many people said they loved the con, loved the vibe, thought it was well run and professional. So thank you for letting me be part of it."
—SÈPHERA GIRÓN
"I agree it was fabulous. My compliments go out to Amanda, Steve, Mandy and the rest of the staff. Looking forward to next year."
—BETH GWINN
Photo © 2007 Ellen Datlow
Lisa Morton
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"I think I can speak for HWA when I offer you a profuse display of gratitude. You didn't just put on an absolutely brilliant convention, you also caused HWA's stock to go up a few points. I received nothing but compliments and praise from our members all weekend long, we gave out fistfuls of brochures, and I've already seen a small spike in new and renewing memberships this week. I'm particularly grateful to you for the fabulous job you did with our Banquet. I know how much work you put into assembling the presenters and getting the tables right, and it paid off with an event that will be the new standard for us. Please thank Evelyn for her lovely decorations as well (I've already thanked Sephera for a fantastic job emceeing). I also have to say that I've never heard so many people praise a World Horror Convention in terms of the amount of networking and business they accomplished (and I know this was certainly true in my case!). I can't imagine a more perfect event for HWA to be allied with."
—LISA MORTON
"I can't tell you the number of positive comments I've received regarding WHC-Toronto. All of you did such a remarkable job! Not only did the conference run smoothly and professionally, the Stoker banquet was one of the best run ever—thanks to all of you. We can only hope to have the same measure of commitment to excellence and professionalism for next year's WHC."
—DEBORAH LeBLANC
"Thank you for everything you did to put the con together and make it run so smoothly. I can only imagine the amount of work that went into it. The con was definitely a worthwhile and enjoyable experience for me, and most of that is due to all of your efforts.
Thanks again, and all the best,"
—DON D'AURIA
"You should know I was super impressed with the way you pulled everything off . . . everything was slick and professional."
—THOMAS F. MONTELEONE
Photo © 2007 Ellen Datlow
F. Paul Wilson & Tina Jens
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"I had a wonderful time at the conference. It was one of the best organised I've been to. Very professional."
—DAVID MORRELL
"You guys did a GREAT job. Best WHC ever (except maybe NYC where I received the Grand Master Award)."
—F. PAUL WILSON
"All the folks I spoke with had a great time."
—MIKE WILLMOTH
"You pulled off a GREAT con. It seemed to go smoothly and was filled with great readings and panels. Congrats."
—PAUL MILLER
"I had a fantastic time and was not a little sad to be heading home on Monday. Congratulations on such a well-run and successful con."
—GEORGE MANN
Photo © 2007 Shaun Kurtz
Stephen Jones & Shaun Kurtz
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"The WHC Convention in Toronto is an event that I will cherish, both personally and professionally. I really had a great time!!! I met a lot of new friends and have to commend you and your staff for all of your hard work and for producing a first rate event. I was really proud that CHILL could be part of the film programme. I feel that we created some positive awareness and feel we met our goal. This could not have been achieved without your support!!!!"
—SHAUN KURTZ
"Congratulations on a fantastic con . . . it surpassed every one of my imagined expectations and set a new standard! You spoiled everyone. I had such a great time!"
—ROBERTA LANNES
"Just a quick note to say that was easily the best convention I've ever attended. And what a truly great souvenir book! Kudos to you all."
—MICHAEL KELLY
"My family flew in Saturday for the Stokers, and were much impressed by the professionalism of the whole affair. I thoroughly enjoyed myself at both the Stokers and the con—my reading, panel, and the mass signing were very well run. The only momentary hitch was when my name wasn't announced as a Stoker winner, but I soon got over that. Thank you for a wonderful time."
—GENE O'NEILL
"Thanks for a terrific convention. This was one of the best-run conventions I've been to. I had a great time."
—WESTON OCHSE
Photo © 2007 Ellen Datlow
Michael Arnzen
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"THANK YOU everyone else on the committee for hosting and planning this convention so wonderfully. Your passion for the genre and planning savvy in particular was felt everywhere, giving the convention a truly professional character. The hardcover anthology was a wonderful highlight, and the panels were all well-attended, convivial, and I dare say even educational. Events this good energise the genre in the most positive of ways. Thanks so much for inviting me to participate and for making me a part of the fun. It was a genuine pleasure."
—MICHAEL A. ARNZEN
"Thank you for all your very hard work in putting on such a terrific WHC. It must have looked very different from your side of the fence, but all seemed to work like well-oiled clockwork from where I was standing. A terrific con . . . thoroughly enjoyed it."
—TONY RICHARDS
"We had a great time. The hotel was fabulous, Toronto equally so. The hotel service was superb and the food outstanding. The organisation of the convention was perfect, we enjoyed so many aspects of it. Thank you for including us on two panels, which were really worthwhile experiences, and also the Mass Signing. Meeting top people like Michael Marshall Smith, Pete Atkins, Stephen Volk, Mort Castle and so many more was exciting for us. Seeing old friends again was good, Gene, Gord, Tim, Sarah, and many more. Chatting to other writers, readers and some editors and publishers made us fired up and ready to write and write some more. We have so much to follow up on that we need a few days break to catch up on it all—thank Heaven for the Easter break. The convention was a fantastic mix of the professionals in several genre fields, the up-and-coming in those fields and the readers and fans who make us perform in those fields. Okay makes us sound like farmers with all those fields. Thanks again."
—L.H. MAYNARD & M.P.N. SIMS
Photo © 2007 Ellen Datlow
Jonathan Reitan
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"I've been to many WHCs and I felt that this year's was one of the most organised and well-planned ones ever. It was great seeing some "big names" there this year who don't normally go like Brian Lumley, Ramsey, Gahan, Wayne Allen Sallee, and others."
—JONATHAN REITAN
"Thank you for including me in the WHC program. This was the first WHC that I've attended, and if I could be sure that all WHC's were run as this one was, I would definitely plan to attend every year. You delivered a con that was both professional and fun. Congratulations and thanks to you, everyone, for all your hard work."
—DOUGLAS SMITH
"I wanted to thank you for a very enjoyable con. This was my first World Horror Con, though I've been to a couple each of World Fantasy, SF World con, and even Bouchercons, and it was a great pleasure to see what a professional job was done by all concerned. The program book in particular is spectacular, and I was pleasurably surprised to see that a story by the 19th-century Canadian writer Grant
Allen had been included. On the whole the organisation was brilliant. I don't know how you managed to get the Anesthesia Symposium to be held during the con, but it was a stroke of genius."
—VIOLETTE MALAN
"Was a really nice con for me. Very laid back, with good panels. Got to visit with old friends like Joe Lansdale and Ed Bryant and F. Paul Wilson, whom I haven't seen in over ten years. Plus, I got to meet a lot of my fans at the autographing, something I always enjoy. So thanks you guys for making it all possible."
—GARY RAISOR
Photo © 2007 Ellen Datlow
David Nickle
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"May I just take the opportunity to thank you for organising what to my mind was the single best Toronto convention in recent memory. It was professional without stinting on the fun; the hotel staff was friendly and welcoming; and its con committee was the sort of con committee that writes extremely gracious thank-you notes to programme participants. You made Toronto look good with this one, and you oughta be proud."
—DAVID NICKLE
"Thank you for including me as a panelist at World Horror. I had a wonderful time at the convention, and everyone I talked to remarked what a great convention it was! Just wanted you to know how much your hard work was appreciated!"
—STEPHANIE BEDWELL-GRIME
"Not that you need to hear it, but I thought that you put on one hell of a World Horror Convention."
—JIM ARGENDELI
"As secretary of the Sunburst Award committee, I would like to thank you on behalf of the committee for allowing us to have a table at the Bazaar of the Bizarre during the World Horror Convention. We were able to make significant funds for the Sunburst Awards from this event and are grateful for the opportunity you so generously offered us. In order for us to be able to raise the money needed to operate the Sunburst Awards every year, we depend on many people and organisations for generous donations of time, space and items for our sales and auctions. Thank you for being one of our supporters."
—REBECCA SIMKIN
"Despite all the overblown pre-con melodrama, there was much positive feedback, both for the reading series and the con as a whole. I know you put in a lot of work and I think things were exceptionally well done."
—BILL BREEDLOVE
"I had a great time, thanks for all your hard work."
—GREG LAMBERSON
