Bram Stoker Award Winners Announced

Categories: In the News , Award Winners , Horror & Supernatural

In Newark, NJ, at their annual conference this past weekend the Horror Writers Association announced the best in Horror Writing for 2005. The members voted on a long ballot of worthy award recipients competing for the Bram Stoker Award in such categories as Novel, Short Story, Anthology, and Poetry. Yes, Horror Poetry.

There was a tie for Best Novel this year. Creepers by David Morrell and Dread in the Beast by Charlee Jacob. Creepers follows a group of urban explorers into a huge abandoned hotel built in 1901 where OF COURSE they find more than old furniture and bats. Creepy.

I am sorely disappointed that I did not get to be there this year to see one of my favorite authors, Peter Straub, receive the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Peter Straub has been writing exceptional horror fiction since 1976's Julia. His latest books, In The Night Room and Lost Boy Lost Girl, are exemplary novels, fascinating in their twisted representation of reality and unbelievable word craftsmanship. You might recognize his name from his partnerships with Steven King (Black House, etc).

Congratulations to all of the award winners!

The rest of the winners:

First Novel: Scarecrow Gods, by Weston Ochse

Long fiction: Best New Horror, by Joe Hill

Short Story: We Now pause For Station Identification, by Gary Braunbeck

Anthology: Dark Delicadies: Original Tales of Terror and the Macabre, by Del Howison and Jeff Gelb

Fiction Collection: Twentieth Century Ghosts, by Joe Hill

Nonfiction: Horror: Another 100 Best Books, by Stephen Jones and Kim Newman

Poetry: Tie: Freakcidents, by Michael A. Arnzen, and Sineater, by Charlee Jacob