StokerCon 2021 will offer wide range of panel discussions and other programming, such as the Bram Stoker Awards(R) Ceremony and the Final Frame Film Competition. All programming subject to change.
ON-DEMAND PROGRAMMING
The following recorded panel discussions will be available for viewing on-demand throughout the entire convention. They may be found listed in the Sessions section of StokerCon 2021 on Hopin. When opening a recorded session, please scroll down to the second display window to see the video presentation.
| TRACK | PANEL | PANELISTS AND TOPICS |
| The Horror Genre | American Female Gothic | Jewelle Gomez, Jo Kaplan, Gwendolyn Kiste, Lisa Kroger, Sarah Read, Cynthia Pelayo, Christa Carmen (moderator) |
| Why do women writers often situate themselves-or fictional female counterparts-as the monsters, ghouls, and demons of their Gothic horror tales. | ||
| The Horror Genre | Classic Horror’s Timeless Appeal | Alan Baxter, Nikki Nelson-Hicks, Steven Van Patten, JG Faherty (moderator) |
| The panel will focus on the why we love classic horror in all its forms and why classic horror remains relevant to the genre today. | ||
| The Horror Genre | Horror as a Fairy Tale | Catherine Lundoff, Cynthia Pelayo, Sara Tantlinger, Mercedes Yardley, Gwendolyn Kiste (moderator) |
| Panelists discuss the influence of fairy tales in horror. | ||
| The Horror Genre | Horror Pods and Vlogs Go Viral: The Pandemic and Beyond | R.F. Blackstone, Michele Brittany, Nicholas Diak, Carol Gyzander, Kathryn McGee, Lee Murray (moderator) |
| How have some of our favorite pods and vlogs established or reinvented themselves during the pandemic? | ||
| The Horror Genre | How Extreme Is too Extreme? | Rhonda Garcia, EV Knight, Jeff Strand, John F.D. Taff, Tim Waggoner (moderator) |
| A focus on depictions of extreme horror, how to approach them, when holding back is preferable, and other related questions. | ||
| The Horror Genre | Humor and Horror | Chelsea Davis, MacKenzie Jennings, Gillian King-Cargile, Paul Lubaczewski, Jeff Strand, Nathan Carson (moderastor) |
| The panel will focus on the dangerous intersection between comedy and tragedy. | ||
| The Horror Genre | Let The Cat In | J. Ashley-Smith, Aaron Dries, Kaaron Warren |
| Panelists riff on objects, inspiration, and those ideas that scratch at the door, meowing to be let in. | ||
| The Horror Genre | Poetry as a Source for Fictions | Carina Bissett, David Cowen, Nina D’Arcangela, Lee Forman, Terrie Leigh Relf, Marge Simone (moderator) |
| Panelists discuss poetry as a source for various fictions. | ||
| The Horror Genre | Portrayals of Mental Illness in Horror | Herb Kauderer, Mark Matthews, Jessica York, Sarah Read (moderator) |
| A focus on when it’s done well and when it’s not, and how writers can write about MI without bothering those whose lives are affected by it. | ||
| The Horror Genre | Reinventing the Classics: How Modern Horror Is Transforming the Tropes | Carina Bissett, Rhonda Garcia, Naching Kassa, Gwendolyn Kiste, Lee Murray, Gordon B. White, L. Marie Wood, Christa Carmen (moderator) |
| A focus on different retellings of classic horror stories as well as how modern authors are adapting other classic monsters and tropes in their work today. | ||
| The Horror Genre | Roots of Horror | Tom Deady, Larissa Glasser, Nicole Givens Kurtz, Diana Rodriguez Wallach, James Chambers (moderator) |
| Horror authors discuss the works that inspired them to write horror. | ||
| The Horror Genre | Steel City Horror | Lawrence C. Connolly, Doug Gwilym, Gwendolyn Kiste, Michelle Lane, Ronald J Murray, Corey Niles, Nelson Pyles, Ben Rubin, Sara Tantlinger, Michael Arnzen (moderator) |
| Pittsburgh area horror writers discuss local horror history and inspirations. | ||
| The Horror Genre | Women as Villains in Horror | Elsa Carruthers, Rhonda Garcia, Amy Grech, Eva V. Roslin, Cynthia Pelayo (moderator) |
| A discussion about female protagonists who are villains, or walk the grey line as villain, or operate as protagonist and villain. | ||
| The Horror Genre | Writing the Creature Feature | JG Faherty, Lee Murray, Jeff Strand, Christine Whitlock, F. Paul Wilson, Tim Waggoner (moderator) |
| What makes a good creature feature and how to meet reader expectations while still delivering a fresh and original story. | ||
| Writing and Publishing | The Author-Editor Relationship in the Horror Genre | Ellen Datlow, Deborah Daughetee, Teel Glenn, Jeff Strand, Carol Gyzander (moderator) |
| The dynamics of working toward the same goal. | ||
| Writing and Publishing | Author Newsletters: Writing to Your Readers as Well as for Them | Lisa Morton,Tim Waggoner, Kevin Wetmore (moderator) |
| Panelists discuss writing newsletters your readers will want to read. | ||
| Writing and Publishing | Beta Reading and Critique Groups | James Chambers, Patrick Freivald, Brian Matthews, Lisa Morton, Peter Adam Salomon, JG Faherty (moderator) |
| Members of a beta reader group discuss how extra eyes, brutal honesty, and a genuine desire to help others has improved their own writing. | ||
| Writing and Publishing | Different Publishing Models | Michael Arnzen, Gaby Triana, Kyla Lee Ward, JG Faherty (moderator) |
| The panel will focus on the many options available for authors to publish their work, their pros and cons, and the experiences our panelists have had. | ||
| Writing and Publishing | Horror and Music | John Edward Lawson, Kate Maruyama, Steven Van Patten, L. Marie Wood, Nathan Carson (moderator) |
| The panel will focus on exploring dark sounds, music for writing, music in writing, and other audible scare tactics. | ||
| Writing and Publishing | HWA Chapters: What They Do and How to Start One | Carina Bissett, Christa Carmen, Kenneth W. Cain, Shawna Deresch, Carol Gyzander, Rami Ungar Neil d’Silva Valentine, Kevin Wetmore, James Chambers (moderator) |
| Experienced and new chapter coordinators discuss why they started an HWA chapter and what chapters accomplish. |
LIVE PROGRAMMING
All live panels and programming will be found in the Sessions section of StokerCon 2021 on Hopin, with the exception of the Final Frame Film Competition and the Bram Stoker Awards Ceremony. Details for viewing the Final Frame screening will be emailed to attendees ahead of the event and posted in Hopin. The Bram Stoker Award ceremony will be broadcast via the HWA’s YouTube Channel. ALL TIMES ARE GIVEN IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME (EST). Please adjust accordingly and check the schedule in Hopin, which will adjust for your time zone.
| DATE/TIME | TRACK | PANEL | PANELISTS AND TOPICS |
| May 20, 1 p.m. EST | Writing and Publishing | The Current State of Publishing | Kristin Nelson, Angie Hodapp, Becky LeJeune, Beverly Bambury (moderator) |
| Our panelists discuss the current trends in publishing and what we may see in the future. Moderated by Beverly Bambury. | |||
| May 20, 4 p.m. EST | Writing and Publishing | A Genre by Any Other Name | Joe R. Lansdale, Larissa Glasser, Jewelle Gomez, Maurice Broaddus, Kate Maruyama (moderator) |
| Panelists discuss how to break out of the limitation the word “genre” imposes on writers. Moderated by Kate Maruyama. | |||
| May 20, 6 p.m. EST | Writing and Publishing | Professional Etiquette: The Business Side of Writing | Ellen Datlow, Jonathan Maberry, Lisa Morton, Meghan Arcuri, James Chambers (moderator) |
| Panelists will discuss what works and what doesn’t work when interacting with other professionals. Moderated by James Chambers. | |||
| May 20, 8 p.m. EST | Opening Ceremony | Opening Ceremony | Maurice Broaddus, Meghan Arcuri, Joe R. Lansdale, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Steve Rasnic Tem, Lisa Morton, John Palisano (moderator) |
| Meet your StokerCon guests of honor and learn about our first virtual convention! | |||
| May 21, 11 a.m. EST | Writing and Publishing | Tone and Setting | Travis Heerman, Alma Katsu, and Holly Lynn Walrath, Peter Sutton (moderator) |
| How to create suspense in your writing. | |||
| May 21, 1 p.m. EST | The Horror Genre | Ann Radcliffe Academic Conference Q&A Session 1 | L. Marie Wood, Farah Rose Smith, Rhonda Garcia, Mashaela Farris, Kevin Wetmore (moderator) |
| Question and answer session with Ann Radcliffe Academic Conference presenters. | |||
| May 21, 1 p.m. EST | Writing and Publishing | Guest of Honor Panel | Steve Rasnic Tem, Maurice Broaddus, Lisa Morton, Joe R. Lansdale, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, John Palisano (moderator) |
| Our Guests of Honor discuss how horror has changed since they first broke into the business. Moderated by John Palisano | |||
| May 21, 2 p.m. EST | The Horror Genre | Ann Radcliffe Academic Conference Q&A Session 2 | Brenda Tolian, Alex Story, Karley Pardue, Khara Lukancic (moderator) |
| Question and answer session with Ann Radcliffe Academic Conference presenters. | |||
| May 21, 2 p.m. EST | Writing and Publishing | How Dialogue Can Make or Break a Story | Tori Eldridge, Amy Grech, Steven Van Patten, L. Marie Wood, and Meghan Arcuri (moderator) |
| A discussion of how dialogue functions within a story, what works, what doesn’t, and how writers can sharpen it. | |||
| May 21, 3 p.m. EST | The Horror Genre | Ann Radcliffe Academic Conference Q&A Session 3 | TJ Tranchell, J. Rocky Colavito, Michele Brittany, Nicholas Diak (moderator) |
| Question and answer session with Ann Radcliffe Academic Conference presenters. | |||
| May 21, 3 p.m. EST | The Horror Genre | Horror After COVID | Grady Hendrix, Cynthia Pelayo, Angela Yuriko Smith, Kaaron Warren, Michael Arnzen, Tim Waggoner (moderator) |
| The panel will focus on the ongoing pandemic and how it has influenced the horror genre. Moderated by Tim Waggoner. | |||
| May 21, 4 p.m. EST | Writing and Publishing | Short Fiction Crafting | Ellen Datlow, Nicole Givens Kurtz, John Lawson, Steve Rasnic Tem, John F.D. Taff (moderator) |
| Panelists discuss how they tight, craft evocative short fiction and the mistakes writers often make with their short stories. | |||
| May 21, 5 p.m. EST | Writing and Publishing | Financial and Literary Estate Planning for Authors | J.G. Faherty, Leslie Klinger, and Brian Matthews (moderator) |
| Three authors share their knowledge of financial and legal opportunities authors can use to improve their financial security. | |||
| May 21, 6 p.m. EST | The Horror Genre | The King in Yellow: The Literary Legacy of Robert W. Chambers | James Chambers, Todd Keisling, Sarah Read, Kyla Lee Ward, Leslie Klinger (moderator) |
| Panelists will discuss the legacy of Robert W. Chambers and his seminal work, The King in Yellow. | |||
| May 21, 8 p.m. EST | Final Frame | Final Frame Short Film Competition | Screening presented byJonathan Lees |
| Watch the entries in our annual Final Frame film competition. Moderated by Jonathan Lees. | |||
| May 21, 10:15 p.m. EST | Final Frame | Final Frame Q&A Session | MyloB Productions, Katherine Oostman, Yoon Hei Cho, Sloan Turner, David Yorke, Emily Haigh, Jonathan Lees (moderator) |
| Jonathan Lees interviews our Final Frame Filmmakers | |||
| May 22, 11 a.m. EST | Writing and Publishing | Nightfire Fall Spotlight | John F.D. Taff, Catriona Ward, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Becky Spratford (moderator) |
| Becky Spratford talks with some of the authors on Tor’s new horror imprint Nightfire’s inaugural season. | |||
| May 22, 12 p.m. EST | Final Frame | Making Horror Films | Emily Haigh, Katherine Oostman, David Yorke, MyloB Productions, Yoon Hei Cho, Sloan Turner, Jonathan Lees (moderator) |
| The Filmmakers from the Final Frame Film Competition discuss making horror films. | |||
| May 22, 1 p.m. EST | Writing and Publishing | How to Make a Career of Writing | Silvia Moreno-Garcia, F. Paul Wilson, Jonathan Maberry, Seanan McGuire, JG Faherty (moderator) |
| Panelists discuss what is involved in making a career of writing. Moderated by JG Faherty. | |||
| May 22, 1 p.m. EST | Writing and Publishing | Interview with Joe R. Lansdale | Joe R. Lansdale |
| Interview with guest of honor, Joe R. Lansdale, followed by a Q&A session. | |||
| May 22, 2 p.m. EST | Writing and Publishing | Ask the Agent Q & A–That’s A Wrap! | Cherry Weiner, Brian Matthews (moderator) |
| CANCELLED | |||
| May 22, 4 p.m. EST | The Horror Genre | Horror Comics and Graphic Novels | Michele Brittany, Leslie Klinger, Ed Polgardy, James Chambers (moderator) |
| Panelists discuss the evolution of and current trends in horror comics and graphic novels. Moderated by James Chambers. | |||
| May 22, 4 p.m. EST | The Horror Genre | Interview with Steve Tem | Steve Rasnic Tem, Tim Waggoner (moderator) |
| Tim Waggoner interviews Guest of Honor Steve Tem | |||
| May 22, 4 p.m. EST | The Horror Genre | The HWA Archive at the University of Pittsburgh | Ben Rubin, Linda Addison, Kathe Koja, John Palisano, Michael Arnzen (moderator) |
| Dr. Ben Rubin of the University of Pittsburgh, curator of the HWA’s archives at the university, discusses with our panel the importance of an archive | |||
| May 22, 5 p.m. EST | Writing and Publishing | Mentorship in the HWA | Lee Murray, Angela Yuriko Smith (moderator) |
| What you should have nailed down before you start your mentorship, so you can hit the ground running and get the most out of the program. | |||
| May 22, 5 p.m. EST | Writing and Publishing | What Makes a Book Cover “Good”? | Greg Chapman, Jennifer Barnes, Grady Hendrix, Lynne Hansen (moderator) |
| This panel of industry experts will share their insights so you can learn to spot an effective cover. Moderated by Lynne Hansen. | |||
| May 22, 6 p.m. EST | The Horror Genre | History of the Gothic: Horror Folklore | Andy Davidson, Alma Katsu, Lisa Kroger, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Gwendolyn Kiste, Kevin Wetmore (moderator) |
| Panelists discuss the history of gothic folklore and its influence on contemporary horror literature. Moderated by Kevin Wetmore. | |||
| May 22, 8 p.m. EST | Bram Stoker Awards | The Bram Stoker Awards® Ceremony | Jonathan Maberry (emcee) |
| The presentation of the 2020 Bram Stoker Awards® with emcee, Jonathan Maberry. | |||
| May 23, 11 a.m. EST | Closing Ceremony | Closing Ceremony | Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Joe R. Lansdale, Steve Rasnic Tem, Maurice Broaddus, Lisa Morton |
| Join us as we say goodbye to our first virtual StokerCon and hello to StokerCon 2022, live and in-person in Denver, Colorado! |