Of Hope and Horror, an anthology of personal reflections on Mental Health

•September 19, 2022 • Leave a Comment


With the spooky season nearly upon us, this is a quick reminder that the Horror Writers Association’s Wellness Committee put together an incredible anthology of our member’s poems, flash fiction and personal reflections on mental health and horror — Of Horror and Hope — which includes my own poem “Generations of the Imaginarium” — is available for free download from the HWA website, or by clicking on the link to the PDF below. Featuring a beautifully harrowing Greg Chapman cover and a collection of writing to inspire and enlighten, we hope this booklet will offer solace and understanding around this important topic. Members with newsletters, we’d love it if you would share these links with to help spread the word.

Click to access HWA-MHI-Of-Horror-And-Hope-Wellness.pdf

For information about the work of the Wellness Committee, our Mental Health Initiative Charter is here. https://horror.org/mental-health-initiative-charter/

Thank you again for your kind support of our initiative.

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How to Curate Afrocentric Stories Panel – AfroComicCon

•August 23, 2022 • Leave a Comment

Posted in Everything Else

Interview with Eric Muss-Barnes

•August 23, 2022 • Leave a Comment

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The Hills Bled Gold is on the Nightlight Podcast

•August 13, 2022 • Leave a Comment

“The Hills Bled Gold,” a short story by Sumiko Saulson (from their Ladies of Horror Award Winning collection Within Me Without Me (DookyZines) has been featured as an audio-cast on the Nightlight Podcast. In the story, which features ghosts, vampires, and arcane witchcraft, a newly free man learns that there’s different kinds of slavery…in this world and the next. The audio story debuted on August 9, 2022 and is available to listen to on the website.

“The Hills Bled Gold” by Sumiko Saulson, Narrated by Devanté Johnson, Audio production by Jen Zink. Executive Producer and Host: Tonia Ransom.  A transcript is available on the NIGHTLIGHT website.

https://pod.link/nightlight/episode/c4c6eba3aedd72b5c172651664bcdddd

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The Horror Zine Fall 2022 print magazine is now out!

•August 13, 2022 • Leave a Comment

Guess what? The 13th-anniversary issue of The Horror Zine – the Fall 2022 print magazine is now available in both paperback and kindle! It’s the one that has my artwork in it. You can pick it up here:

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My Panels at WorldCon in Chicago

•August 12, 2022 • Leave a Comment

Disability in Creativity: Making Art Within Specific Needs

Location: (in person) Roosevelt 3

Date and time: Thursday, September 1, 2022, 1:00 PM CDT  https://chicon.org/

Participants:
Ariela Housman (m) she/her
Misty-Dawn Amayi she/her
Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki he/him
Sumiko Saulson they/them or ze/hir

Description: It’s becoming more common for people with disabilities or chronic illnesses to work from home, providing creative services. In these cases, there are a lot of difficulties that can present when contending with an ableist landscape. Shipping products with limited mobility, managing workloads with limited energy, negotiating prices through social struggles, and providing results in spite of executive function barriers, just to highlight a few. Our panelists will explore the various problems and possible solutions.

Taking care of your diverse attendees

Location: (in person) Crystal Ballroom A

Date and Time: Thursday, September 1, 2022, 4:00 PM CDT https://chicon.org/

Participants:
Mary Robinette Kowal (m) she/her
Jaime Garmendia he/him
Kris “Nchanter” Snyder they/them
Sumiko Saulson they/them or ze/hir

Description: Beyond the lip service of be nice to everyone, there are real steps that conrunners can take to foster more inclusive conventions. The wording of codes of conduct (and how violations are reported and handled), creating safer spaces, and making sure not only to invite people from historically marginalized groups, but also exclude those who are unwelcoming to people from those populations. These panelists will lay out the basics, give some practical tips and resources for how to actually implement strategies, and will field questions from the audience

LGBTQIA+ Elder Meetup

Location: (virtual) Airmeet Table Talks

Date and Time: Thursday, September 1, 2022, 7:00 PM CDT https://chicon.org/

Participants:
Catherine Lundoff (m) she/her
Heather Rose Jones she/her
Sumiko Saulson they/them or ze/hir

Description: Join other older members of the LGBTQIA+ from around the world in this virtual meetup. This meetup is geared towards members age 50-ish and up. (Allies are asked not to attend.)

Queer Eye for Sci-Fi

Location: (in-person) Atlanta

Date and Time: Friday, September 2, 2022, 1:00 PM CDT  https://chicon.org/

Participants:
Elizabeth Bear (m) she/they
Blue Neustifter she/her
Catherine Lundoff she/her
Elijah Kinch Spector he/him
Sumiko Saulson they/them or ze/hir

Description: There is a long and complex history of queerness in fiction, from queer-coded villains in pulp novels to the more diverse spectrum of characterization in the last decade or so. Join panelists as they discuss the recent state of genre queerness, like Marvel’s long-overdue queer superheros, the Nebula-Award winning This is How You Lose the Time War, and P. Djèlí Clark’s marvelously queer protagonist in 2021’s Master of Djinn.

March of Time

Location: (virtual) Airmeet 3

Date and Time: Friday, September 2, 2022, 4:00 PM CDT  https://chicon.org/

Participants:
Wendy Van Camp (m) she/her
James L. Cambias
Sumiko Saulson they/them or ze/hir
Terri Favro she/her
William S. Higgins he/him

Description: Some things sound futuristic and impressive when they are created, only to be outstripped quickly by actual events. The Enterprise D in Star Trek: The Next Generation had a computer with a terabyte of storage. That sounded very impressive when storage was measured in megabytes, but servers today, hundreds of years before TNG is set, have terabytes of RAM and far more storage. How do we avoid being outdated so quickly without seeming implausible to contemporary audiences? Is it even possible?

Sycorax’s Daughters and Other Witchy Works

Location: (virtual), Airmeet 2

Date and Time: Friday, September 2, 2022, 7:00 PM CDT https://chicon.org/

Participants:
Freya Marske (m) she/her
Kate Heartfield she/her
Magenta Griffith they/them
Sumiko Saulson they/them or ze/hir

Description: Linda D. Addison, Kinitra Brooks, and Susana Moore co-edited the groundbreaking anthology of Black horror collection whose title was inspired by the little known witch mother of Caliban in Shakespeare’s The Tempest. But Sycorax is one of a long line of magical women said to be witches. This panel is a chance to rave about our favorite witch novels, stories, and books and will explore witches in speculative fiction. We’ll also discuss the ways in which women’s magic is depicted has evolved over time.

The Horror Blacklist

Location; (virtual) Airmeet 3

Time and Location: Saturday, September 3, 2022, 1:00 PM CDT (virtual) https://chicon.org/

Participants:
Sumiko Saulson (m) they/them or ze/hir
Alex Jennings he/him
Penelope Flynn she/her
teri.zin they/she

Description: Get Out, His House,Ma, Candyman, Lovecraft Country, The Black List Anthology, and Them—Black protagonists are having a Renaissance in horror films and anthologies. What’s new in these films (i.e., Black folks as heroes/agents and not only victims), what does this say about societal changes (or not), and what are the best stories being told that reflect Black experience?

Equity vs. Equality in Science Fiction

Location: (in-person) Randolph 2

Time and Date: September 3, 2022, 4:00 PM https://chicon.org/

Participants: Sumiko Saulson (m) they/them or ze/hir
Elsa Sjunneson she/her
Erin Roberts she/her
Phoebe Wagner she/her
Tommy Kucera he/him
Description: Optimistic science fiction often depicts societies that have achieved equality—all people are “treated the same”—but this is very different from the more complicated and meaningful feat of achieving equity—making sure that all people have the resources and opportunities they need. We’ll talk about the difference between those two terms, with examples of science fiction that engages these issues to tackle unconscious biases and issues of structural injustice in society.

From Fandom Writer to Trade Publishing Author

Location: (virtual) Airmeet 2

Time and Date: Saturday, September 3, 2022, 8:30 PM CDT https://chicon.org/

Participants:
Freya Marske (m) she/her
Amanda Cherry she/her
barbara s barnett she/her
Sumiko Saulson they/them or ze/hir

Description: There are examples of fanfic writers eventually moving on to publishing content that isn’t directly tied to known intellectual property. How does a writer make that transition, and why? With recent advancements in self-publishing, is a traditional book deal appealing for somebody who has already developed their own following in fandom? Publishing professionals, fan writers, and editors explore the path from fanfic to trade publishing.

The Problem with the “Magical Negro”

Location: (virtual) Airmeet 2

Time and Date: Sunday, September 4, 2022, 4:00 PM CDT https://chicon.org/

Participants:
Sumiko Saulson (m) they/them or ze/hir
Alex Jennings he/him
LaShawn M. Wanak she/her
teri.zin they/she

Description: While the “magical negro” concept is not new, critic Scott Woods recently put Stephen King’s use of the trope into perspective, exploring how authors can consider themselves progressive while still using racist tropes (link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7djRGSqwUyg). But King is not alone among authors who misunderstand how to portray Black characters. Using Woods’ lecture as a jumping-off point, we explore: Why does this trope persist? What to do with problematic works? How to recognize and call out its more subtle expressions?

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Donate $15 to AIDSWalk, get a $22 Book Bundle

•July 15, 2022 • Leave a Comment

This year, once again, I am walking with Team SFGoth for AIDSWalk! In order to help raise funds for AIDSWalk, I am offering am ebook bundle to the first 25 people who donate $15 or more. The book bundle includes Scry of Lust 1, and Scry of Lust 2, two anthologies of erotic fiction by members of San Francisco’s Leather / Kink community, and some folks from afar who contributed as well. These books were put together in 2019 and 2020 to raise money for AIDSWalk through Team SFGoth. The book bundle also includes my collections Within Me Without Me (2021), Spit and Pathos (2018), and Things That Go Bump In My Head (2013), as well as my debut novel, Solitude (2011).

Donate to my campaign here: https://sf.aidswalk.net/SumikoSka

And I will email you the links to where to buy the books, and the coupon codes to buy the books with. So far, 5 people have taken advantage of this offer (as of this writing) so there are 20 more book bundles available!

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Interview with Emerian Rich editor of Horror Addicts Guide to Life 2

•July 12, 2022 • 3 Comments

What inspired you to create the Horror Addicts Guide to Life originally? 

I can’t take the credit for the first book. It was the brain child of David Watson. However, when he brought up the idea, I was all for it. He collected the articles, I created the almanac, and Dan Shaurette supplied us with the gooey pumpkin-flavored recipes in the middle.

What inspired you to come out with a sequel to Horror Addicts Guide to Life? 

We had so many great articles on the blog about Horror, diversity in Horror, and different viewpoints that I felt needed to be collected, I decided to put them in a second book. I also wanted to change it to a different format—a workbook, with puzzles, crafts, and monthly themes. As you know, Horror Addicts don’t just watch horror movies…we LIVE the life 365 days a year. I wanted to give the Horror Addicts fun stuff to do all year around.

Do you feel that being a Horror Addict is a subculture, and if so, how does the horror subculture relate to this guide?

I definitely do. I don’t believe everyone who likes Horror is a Horror Addict, but I do believe us Horror Addicts take Horror fandom to a new level. Horror Addicts Guide to Life 2 is the ultimate guide for us because it contains content that only we would appreciate. There are going to be things that the reader knows in it, but there are also going to be things they don’t know, or that are looked at from a different angle. It will also bring back memories and aid in their fan-girl/boy/they-ing! 

A lot of things in the guide are cute and funny. Do you think that there is a relationship between the horror genre, humor, and cute things? And if so, what is that relationship like?

I think we Horror Addicts tend to like comedy mixed in our Horror. As a group, we don’t take ourselves too seriously and several of the articles explore that trait we share. With the puzzles and coloring book items, I just wanted to add some fun to our sometimes mundane lives. I mean, how many times do you get to do a horror-themed word search? We often don’t have things made just for us—except at Halloween—and the thing is… Other times of the year are when we need Horror fun the most.

One thing that I noticed about this new HAGL 2 is that there is a real dedication to showing the diversity within the Horror Addicts community, can you talk about that?

I want people of any race, culture, background, or subculture to feel like they are accepted at HorrorAddicts.net. In this book, I wanted a wide-array of voices because Horror isn’t something that belongs to just one of us. It’s an ever-changing, evolving blend of experiences, environments, and occurrences that effect all of us, not just a chosen few. By excluding different perspectives, we close off a whole world of cool Horror stuff we could be experiencing. 

In HorrorAddicts Guide to Life 2, you’ll find diverse voices speaking to the adverse conditions they’ve overcome in their own lives in our “Perspectives” section. But you’ll also find diverse voices throughout the other sections of the book because diversity isn’t something to be put into a box and forgotten about. It’s something that should come about naturally by giving everyone a voice equally. I know it’s hard to put your voice out there when it’s been silenced or “shushed” all your life. By publishing works from different perspectives, I hope to encourage those out there that have a unique voice to speak and know that HorrorAddicts.net is a safe place to do so.

Have you tried out all of the recipes in HAGL 2? And what is your favorite recipe, and why?

Haha… well… no. I haven’t tried them all, but that is because I am not a cook and I am allergic to everything! I leave the kitchen mayhem to Dan and those Horror Addicts out there who are brave enough to try them. One I feel Dan wrote specifically for me was The Stuff because I really loved that movie when I was a pre-teen and when I featured the movie on the show, Dan was teasing me that he was going to make the recipe and force me to eat it to see if I became a zombie. I didn’t think he was serious. When the recipe ended up in my inbox, we both had a good laugh at that! And no, I didn’t become a zombie. No Horror Hostesses were harmed in the making of The Stuff. Ha! I have to say that although I don’t eat seafood, I’d really love to be invited to a dinner party where they served the Beetlejuice “Day-o” shrimp cocktail. Just watching that movie scene play out in real life would be fun. 

What would you most like our readers to know about HAGL 2? 

Horror Addicts Guide to Life 2 really has something for every Horror Addict. If you love monsters, you’ll love the beginning of the book where we talk about all kinds of creepy creatures. If you like interviews and articles about how diversity plays a role in today’s Horror, you’ll love our “Perspectives” section. If you love puzzles and coloring, you’ll have tons to do throughout the month-by-month almanac. If you like movies like The Shining or Night of the Living Dead, you’ll get your fan-fix for sure. If you’re a crafter, there are tons of things to make in here. It’s the guide that every Horror Addict needs to invest in and it’s available now at: Amazon.com

BIO:  Author, artist, voice actress, and editor, Emz is best known for being the Horror Hostess of HorrorAddicts.net, an internationally acclaimed horror podcast, now its 17th season. She is the author of the Night’s Knights vampire series and has been published in over 40 fiction anthologies. Find out more at emzbox.com.

Horror Addicts Guide to Life 2

Do you love the horror genre? Do you look at horror as a lifestyle? Do the “norms” not understand your love of the macabre? Despair no longer, my friend, for within your grasp is a book written by those who look at horror as a way of life, just like you. This is your guide to living a horror addict’s life. 

Our month-by-month almanac with important dates, movie lists, puzzles, crafts, articles, and recipes will guarantee your whole year is occupied with delightful horror activities. Don’t miss our monster guide with articles about vampires, zombies, ghosts, and some creatures that just can’t be categorized. Enjoy interviews with creators of horror content and hear perspectives from different cultures and backgrounds. Read stories of real hauntings, nightmares, and vile vacations. 

Available now at: Amazon.com

Direct link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09YNF5QM3))

Posted in Horror Addicts, Interviews
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From Gagool to Akasha: Black Characters in Horror Fiction (HAGL 2 Excerpt)

•May 27, 2022 • 1 Comment

Calling All Horror Fans! 
HorrorAddicts.net Press Presents:  

Free excerpt from Horror Addicts Guide to Life 2 

****************************** 

From Gagool to Akasha 

Black Characters in Horror Fiction 

by Sumiko Saulson 

Black representation in Horror fiction is about both characters and writers. We need more Black authors, directors, screenwriters, and people behind the scenes to make sure that our communities are envisioned through our eyes. Yet, there is undeniable value to Black heroes and villains envisioned by other non-Black authors. The 2017 remake of Stephen King’s IT is a prime example of how betrayed Black audiences feel when representation is diminished by erasing or minimizing the presence of an important Black hero like Mike Hanlon. Outrage over whitewashing doesn’t disappear just because the character was written by someone who isn’t Black. And anger about Black actors portraying characters like Rue in The Hunger Games and Akasha in The Queen of the Damned suggest overwhelmingly, racism among audiences. The success of Black Panther demonstrates both the need for Black characters and the factual ability of Black characters envisioned by White writers to be handed over to Black production and writing teams. 

Nisi Shawl and Cynthia Ward’s authoritative work on the subject is called Writing the Other. It deals with the ins and outs of writing characters unlike oneself. This is crucial as many of the Black characters in Victorian fiction are hopelessly stereotyped characters of Black witch doctors and high priestesses like Gagool, the evil old hag who advises the twisted dictator King Twala in the Alan Quartermain novel, King Solomon’s Mines, by H. Rider Haggard. Haggard was one of the better-known writers in the Lost World genre. Modern takes on mysteriously hidden societies can be elevated, like 2018’s movie Black Panther’s take on Wakanda by Black director Ryan Coogler and writer Joe Robert Cole, or feature terrifying evil White overlords against spunky Black heroes, like Jordan Peele’s award-winning 2018 Horror film, Get Out. 

To read more, go to: https:/www.amazon.com/dp/B09YNF5QM3 

****************************** 

Do you love the horror genre? Do you look at horror as a lifestyle? Do the “norms” not understand your love of the macabre? Despair no longer, my friend, for within your grasp is a book written by those who look at horror as a way of life, just like you. This is your guide to living a horror addict’s life.  

Our month-by-month almanac with important dates, movie lists, puzzles, crafts, articles, and recipes will guarantee your whole year is occupied with delightful horror activities. Don’t miss our monster guide with articles about vampires, zombies, ghosts, and some creatures that just can’t be categorized. Enjoy interviews with creators of horror content and hear perspectives from different cultures and backgrounds. Read stories of real hauntings, nightmares, and vile vacations.  

Allow us to curate your horror lifestyle. 

With articles by: A. Craig Newman, A.D. Vick, Alyson Faye, Angela Yuriko Smith, Brian McKinley, CM Lucas, Camellia Rains, Carrie Sessarego, Chantal Boudreau, Courtney Mroch, Crystal Connor, D.J. Pitsiladis, Dan Shaurette, Daphne Strasert, Dee Blake, Emerian Rich, Geneve Flynn, H.E. Roulo, H.R. Boldwood, J. Malcolm Stewart, James Goodridge, Jaq D Hawkins, Jeff Carroll, Jonathan Fortin, Kate Nox, Kay Tracy, Kerry Alan Denney, Kieran Judge, Kristin Battestella, Ksenia Murray, Lee Murray, Lionel Ray Green, Loren Rhoads, M.D. Neu, Mark Orr, Martha J. Allard, Michael Fassbender, Mimielle, Naching T. Kassa, Pamela K. Kinney, Priscilla Bettis, R.J. Joseph, R.L. Merrill, Rena Mason, Renata Pavrey, Rhonda R. Carpenter, Russell Holbrook, Selah Janel, Steven P. Unger, Sumiko Saulson, Tabitha Thompson, Theresa Braun, Trinity Adler, Valjeanne Jeffers. 

Available now at: Amazon.com 

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Black Women in Horror: Fierce. Fearless. Female. by Tabitha Thompson

•May 20, 2022 • 2 Comments

Calling All Horror Fans! 
HorrorAddicts.net Press Presents:  

Free excerpt from Horror Addicts Guide to Life 2 

****************************** 

Black Women in Horror 

Fierce. Fearless. Female. 

by Tabitha Thompson 

The very first Horror movie I saw was Maniac Cop when I was five years old. Since then, Horror has always fascinated me. As the years went on, I found writing to be a great outlet for emotions and devoured writers such as Stephen King, Edward Lee, Edgar Allan Poe, and Jack Ketchum. But one day as I was looking through books at my local library for something new and an author caught my eye, her name was L.A. Banks. Reading her novels Minion and The Awakening, I fell in love with her writing style and how she incorporated dark fiction and Horror into her work. She was the first Black female that I’ve read who had an Anne Rice feel to her work, while her characters were relatable and interesting. Followed by Toni Morrison and her novel Beloved, I immediately became inspired by these women who were not just great dark fiction and Horror writers, but who were also Black. 

Although I’ve relished the fact that I’m a Black female writing Horror, it felt good that there were women out there like me writing a genre I loved. In the following years, I’ve also discovered Linda Addison, Pheare Alexander, Sumiko Saulson… 

To read more, go to: https:/www.amazon.com/dp/B09YNF5QM3 

****************************** 

Do you love the horror genre? Do you look at horror as a lifestyle? Do the “norms” not understand your love of the macabre? Despair no longer, my friend, for within your grasp is a book written by those who look at horror as a way of life, just like you. This is your guide to living a horror addict’s life.  

Our month-by-month almanac with important dates, movie lists, puzzles, crafts, articles, and recipes will guarantee your whole year is occupied with delightful horror activities. Don’t miss our monster guide with articles about vampires, zombies, ghosts, and some creatures that just can’t be categorized. Enjoy interviews with creators of horror content and hear perspectives from different cultures and backgrounds. Read stories of real hauntings, nightmares, and vile vacations.  

Allow us to curate your horror lifestyle. 

With articles by: A. Craig Newman, A.D. Vick, Alyson Faye, Angela Yuriko Smith, Brian McKinley, CM Lucas, Camellia Rains, Carrie Sessarego, Chantal Boudreau, Courtney Mroch, Crystal Connor, D.J. Pitsiladis, Dan Shaurette, Daphne Strasert, Dee Blake, Emerian Rich, Geneve Flynn, H.E. Roulo, H.R. Boldwood, J. Malcolm Stewart, James Goodridge, Jaq D Hawkins, Jeff Carroll, Jonathan Fortin, Kate Nox, Kay Tracy, Kerry Alan Denney, Kieran Judge, Kristin Battestella, Ksenia Murray, Lee Murray, Lionel Ray Green, Loren Rhoads, M.D. Neu, Mark Orr, Martha J. Allard, Michael Fassbender, Mimielle, Naching T. Kassa, Pamela K. Kinney, Priscilla Bettis, R.J. Joseph, R.L. Merrill, Rena Mason, Renata Pavrey, Rhonda R. Carpenter, Russell Holbrook, Selah Janel, Steven P. Unger, Sumiko Saulson, Tabitha Thompson, Theresa Braun, Trinity Adler, Valjeanne Jeffers. 

Available now at: Amazon.com 

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