We are pleased to let you know that Progress Report #2 will be mailed to all registered members of the convention in November.
The 20-page booklet not only includes updated information about Hotel Bookings, Flying to Brighton, Programming, Book Launches, the Reading Café, the Creative Writing Workshops, the Dealers' Room, the HWA Bram Stoker Awards Banquet, news about our exciting "Pitch Black" genre Rights Fair and much more, but it also contains details of our very competitive Advertising Rates for Progress Report #3, the hardcover Souvenir Book and the Pocket Programme. This information can also now be found on our website at: www.whc2010.org/ad-rates-pr01.html.
PR#2 also features details about putting material into the Delegate Bags, which will be free for those sponsors taking advertising with the convention or hosting events.
However, please note that as of now, WE HAVE FEWER THAN 100 MEMBERSHIPS REMAINING. Unless we do not sell out (which is seeming very unlikely), then there will be NO Day or At-the-Door Memberships. Once we have reached the maximum number of people we can comfortably and safely accommodate, then we will have no choice but to close the registration process. So if you are still thinking about joining, then you should ensure you do so before we sell out.
And please don't forget to vote for the Grand Master Award. If you have not already, either mail in the ballot form contained in Progress Report #1 or vote online at: www.whc2010.org/gmvote01.html A list of past recipients—who have included Stephen King, Dean R. Koontz, Anne Rice, Ray Bradbury, Clive Barker, Peter Straub, Brian Lumley, Ramsey Campbell and Tanith Lee—is displayed on the same page.
Celebrating its 20th Anniversary, The World Horror Convention will be held over March 25-28, 2010, in the historic Regency seaside city of Brighton, on the picturesque south coast of England. This is the first time that the event will have been held off the North American continent.
The theme is "BRIGHTON SHOCK!—A CELEBRATION OF THE EUROPEAN HORROR TRADITION FROM VICTORIAN TIMES TO THE PRESENT DAY", and the convention will host numerous panels, talks, presentations, readings, workshops and displays devoted to horror, macabre, mystery and thriller fiction and art in all its varied and fearsome forms.
The venue will be the historic Royal Albion Hotel, which dates back more than 180 years and is situated directly opposite the iconic Brighton Pier and a stone's throw from the beach. There are plenty of alternative hotels and Bed & Breakfasts in the immediate surroundings, catering for all budgets, and Brighton is filled with restaurants, wine bars and clubs. Antiquarian shopping precinct The Lanes, the Sea Life= 0Centre and the world-famous Royal Pavilion are also within easy walking distance.
Brighton has direct transport links from Gatwick International Airport and the centre of London, and is easily accessible for overseas visitors, especially those from mainland Europe. And if you want to extend your stay, then Britain's annual National Science Fiction Convention, Odyssey 2010, is being organised near to Heathrow airport the following weekend. Come for World Horror and stay for Eastercon!
Author Guests of Honour are TANITH LEE and DAVID CASE, Artist Guests of Honour are LES EDWARDS and DAVE CARSON, and Editor Guest of Honour is HUGH LAMB. Best-selling author JAMES HER BERT is the Special Guest of Honour, INGRID PITT is Special Media Guest, and Mistress of Ceremonies is JO FLETCHER.
Other writers, artists, agents, editors and publishers already registered as attending World Horror Convention 2010 include: ABADDON BOOKS (UK), John Joseph Adams, ANGRY ROBOT BOOKS (UK), Kelley Armstrong, ASH-TREE PRESS (Canada), ATOMIC FEZ PUBLISHING (Canada), Anne Billson, Randy Broecker, Edward W. Bryant Jr., Pat Cadigan, Ramsey Campbell, CENTIPEDE PRESS (USA), Mort Castle, CHIZINE PUBLICATIONS (Canada), Vincent Chong, Simon Clark, Lawrence C. Connolly, Storm Constantine, Basil Copper, Peter Crowther, DARK ARTS BOOKS (USA), Ellen Datlow, Scott Edelman, Bob Eggleton, Paul Finch, Christopher Fowler, Jane Frank, Gary Fry, W. Paul Ganley, GOLLANCZ/ORION PUBLISHING GROUP (UK), GRAY FRIAR PRESS (UK), Simon R. Green, Heather Graham, IMMANION PRESS (UK), John Jarrold, JEMMA PRESS (Greece), Stephen Jones, Paul Kane, Nancy Kilpatrick, Robert S. Knowlton (Bob Hadji), Allen Koszowski, Joel Lane, Tim Lebbon, Samantha Lee, D.F. Lewis, Brian Lumley, Dorothy Lumley, Kristina Lloyd, Patrick Marcel (France), L.H. Maynard & M.P.N. Sims, Gary McMahon, Farah Mendlesohn, MORRIGAN BOOKS (Sweden), MORTBURY PRESS (UK), Mark Morris, Lisa Morton, Yvonne Navarro, Adam L.G. Nevill, NEWCON PRESS (UK), Kim Newman, Reggie Oliver, Weston Ochse, Stephen W. Parsons, PENDRAGON PRESS (UK), Sarah Pinborough, David Pirie, John L. Probert, PS PUBLISHING (UK), Tina Rath, REBEL E PUBLISHERS (South Africa), Tony Richards, David A. Riley, Barbara & Christopher Roden, Nicholas Royle, Mark Samuels, SCI FI WIRE, SCREAMING DREAMS (UK), Steven Savile, Robert Shearman, Michael Marshall Smith, SNOWBOOKS (UK), Alexandra Sokoloff, David A. Sutton, TARTARUS PRESS (UK), TELOS PUBLISHING (UK), Lisa Tuttle, Stephen Volk, Ian Watson, Conrad Williams, and F. Paul Wilson, amongst many others.
You can also sign up for three different Writing Workshops held over the Saturday and Sunday of the convention. These will be tutored by MORT CASTLE ("Creative Writing"), NANCY KILPATRICK ("Vampire Fiction") and JO FLETCHER ("Publishing & Editing"), who will also be holding manuscript critiques. More details can be found on the website.
The Horror Writers Association's prestigious annual Bram Stoker Awards for excellence in horror and fantasy fiction will be presented at a gala Fish & Chips Banquet on the evening of Saturday, March 27. This event will be one of the highlights of the convention, and will include past Stoker Award winners and our Guests of Honour as award presenters. WE HAVE ALREADY SOLD HALF THE SEATS AVAILABLE, SO BOOK NOW TO PREVENT DISAPPOINTMENT.
All information about the convention, hotel and location is available on our website: www.whch2010.org, including an easy to use PayPal Registration Form (which will automatically convert your payment at the current exchange rate). Or you can print off the form and send it with a cheque (sterling only) to: World Horror Convention, PO Box 64317, London NW6 9LL, England.
With numerous writers, artists, editors, publishers and booksellers expected to attend from all over the world, this is the one event that the dedicated horror fan, professional, collector or dealer cannot afford to miss!
Wish you were here? Well, now you can be . . .
WORLD HORROR CONVENTION.
MARCH 25-28, 2010.
BRIGHTON, ENGLAND.
www.whc2010.org
(October 20, 2009)