Wow. All I can say is…  it was fantastic!

Thursday, Day 1 – WHC officially started at 3:00pm. I attended panels on social networking and promoting your books on Amazon.

Highlight of the evening: participating in poetry readings with several well-known horror poets, including Linda D Addison, who later won the Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a Poetry Collection for How to Recognize a Demon Has Become Your Friend.

Linda Addison with her Stoker for Best Poetry Collection

Parties: First party of the con was hosted by Cutting Block Press and KillerCon

Friday, Day 2 – Started the day off with a reading by my friend PS Gifford (go Paul!). Attended some great panels: ‘Understanding the Mind of a Serial Killer’ by Dr. Al Carlisle (creepy yet fascinating), ‘Q&A with Guest of Honor Sherrilyn Kenyon (what a sweet and funny lady!), and ‘Women in Horror’ with Sherrilyn, Ellen Datlow, Lisa Morton, P.N. Elrod, and Kim Richards.

Highlights of the day: dinner with my co-panelists Jacob Ruby (Bear Weiter) and J. Scott Savage, and the mass autograph signing with…everyone!

Hal Bodner & Dacre Stoker, great grandnephew of Bram Stoker

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Sherrilyn Kenyon with her assistant, Kim

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Hangin’ out with the big kids

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Parties: Friday was the big party night, with three hosted by Dark Moon Digest, Damnation Books, and Evil Jester Press.

Saturday, Day 3 – My day started with a reading by David Farland from his newly-released Nightingale. This story sounds so cool – can’t wait to tear into my signed copy!

Panels I attended this day: Stoker on Stoker with Dacre Stoker presenting his just released The Lost Journal of Bram Stoker (very cool stuff); ‘Vampires Through the Ages’ (like I’d miss this one?); ‘Real vs. Fictional Multiple Personalities’ (more creepy real stuff from Dr. Al Carlisle); and a ‘kaffeeklatch’ (think roundtable discussion) with P.N. Elrod (fascinating lady).

Highlights? My 5:00pm reading, where I read excerpts from Watcher. I love doing readings!

And oh, yeah… the Bram Stoker Awards Banquet! It was massively awesome! I sat with David Farland and his wife, Mary (she’s so sweet!) for the dinner and ceremonies.

Several friends (both old and new) won awards: Nancy Holder, for her YA novel, The Screaming Season; Linda D Addison for her poetry collection How to Recognize a Demon Has Become Your Friend; and Rocky Wood, for his nonfiction work, Stephen King: A Literary Companion.

Nancy Holder with her Stoker for Best Young Adult Novel

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The Bram Stoker Winners

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Congratulations to these and all of the other winners!

One last award to mention: A special, one-time only award for The Most Influential Vampire Novel of the Century (since Bram Stoker’s death) was given to Richard Matheson for his 1954 novel, I Am Legend.

The ‘Black Stoker’ Award for Best Vampire Novel of the Century

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** Personal note – Though I am no expert on vampire literature and its impact on society, I was a little disappointed that the book with the most influence on me and many others, Anne Rice’s Interview With a Vampire, was not chosen. I much prefer Rice’s chameleon-like seducers to Matheson’s zombified, mindless killing machines. To me, Rice’s vampires more accurately embody the spirit of the Dracula mythology, and the subtle horror of a monster hidden beneath a suave and polished exterior is far more terrifying than a slavering walking corpse.

Parties: The Stoker Awards party continued in the con suite after the banquet. It was so cool to see everyone running around with their haunted house statues!

Sunday, Day 4 – The Last Day!  Uggh, I hate last days.

Sunday got off to a slow start with many folks recovering from Saturday night’s parties. My day began with the panel The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly in Cover Art with a cool slide show. Then I just wandered about the con until my panel at noon.

It was called ‘Scaring ‘em Young: Middle Grade Horror’, and my co-panelists were Jacob Ruby (Bear Weiter) and J. Scott Savage. Bear had assembled a great list of discussion items and led the panel. Jeff, who has the most experience writing MG, was a wealth of knowledge, and I just chimed in when needed. It was a great panel (my very first!) and I had a lot of fun. I own much thanks to Bear and Jeff for making it so.

The con sadly ended at 3:00pm, though a number of folks stayed afterwards for the ‘Dead Dog Party’.

Highlight of the WHC 2012?  Meeting so many awesome people with whom I felt instantly at home. I mean, I didn’t feel any embarrassment at all about writing vampire fiction, because chances were whomever I was speaking with had written it as well, or at least written about zombies, demons, or the stuff of nightmares.

And I kept meeting people, right up until I left, like Cynthia Vespia (at the Dead Dog Party) and Angel Leigh McCoy (in the shuttle to the airport!).

Overall, this was the best con I’ve been to since my writing career began. I truly feel like I belong when I’m with this group of writers whose works get relegated to fringes of literary society. Being on the fringe can be lonely, but not when in the company of other fringe-ers!

Yup. That’s where I’m headed!

Salt Lake City is hosting both the World Horror Convention and the Bram Stoker Awards this year.

It’s super exciting for me, because this is my first WHC, and, though I enjoyed hanging out with fantasy writers at World Fantasy Con (Oct ‘11), I think I fit in much better with horror folk.

I mean, this is one convention where I won’t feel a bit embarrassed to admit that I write vampire stories, ‘cuz chances are whoever I’m talking to at this con will have written one or two themselves!

This year’s lineup of guests is pretty impressive, and includes well-known writers such as Sherrilyn Kenyon, P.N. Elrod, and Robert McCammon. Dacre Stoker will be there as well – his panel on Bram Stoker’s notes and research sounds fascinating.

I’m looking forward to seeing another guest whom I actually met last year when I attended his week-long workshop –   Dave Farland. He’s on several panels, and I hope to catch at least one of them.

I’m on a panel myself! It’s called “Scaring ‘em Young:  Middle Grade Horror.” My co-panelists and I are working out our topics, and it looks like it will be a fun panel. It’s on Sunday at noon.

I’m also participating in the autograph session Friday night, and doing a reading on Saturday.

So not only am I attending the con, I’m part of it as well!

If any of you happen to be in Salt Lake City this weekend, stop by and say ‘hi.’

And now I’m off to pack…

Life has a habit of taking unexpected turns.

This blog will be on break for the next few weeks.

Sue is the winner of an e-book copy of  Watcher: Book I of The Chosen in the Bloody Hearts Blog Hop!

All visitors to my blog during the Hop who answered the question about their favorite vampire were entered into a drawing for an e-copy of Watcher. The winner was selected using the online randomizer by RANDOM.ORG.

And who was Sue’s favorite vampire? Laurant from Twilight (the movie), who was one of the coolest vampires in that film.

Congratulations on winning, Sue!

Sounds kinda gross, huh?

Well, for those who like their fiction fanged, or dark, or maybe even horrifying, today and tomorrow is the Bloody Hearts Blog Hop, sponsored by Vamplit Publishing. This is your chance to discover new authors of dark fantasy and horror by visiting blogs participating in the hop. Most of the blogs are offering free books and other goodies. I encourage you to visit the blog hop site and check out all the cool happenings.

Visitors to my blog during the Hop (Feb 13-14) who answer the question below in a comment will each receive an e-book copy of The Last Trace.

In addition, all commenters will be entered into a random drawing for a free e-book copy of Watcher: Book I of The Chosen.

But before I reveal the question you must answer to receive a copy of The Last Trace, here’s a little bit about me in case this is the first time you’ve visited my blog:

I write fantasy and horror for middle grade, young adult, and adult readers. Most of my stories center around the paranormal, with worlds inhabited by vampires, shapeshifters, werewolves, and other creatures of their ilk.

My published works at this time are, with one exception, all adult fiction.

Watcher: Book I of The Chosen, is the first novel in a trilogy about Sunny Martin and her struggle to find her place in the world after she’s drained of her blood and awakens as an undead, forcing her to abandon her teenage daughter. In Watcher, Sunny’s search leads her to Colorado where she meets Nicolas, the enigmatic leader of a secret society, and discovers something she thought impossible in her new life – love. But it comes with a high price, and a choice she’s terrified to make.

Watcher is available in both paperback and e-book, and one e-book copy will be given away in a random drawing as part of this blog hop.

Runner: Book II of The Chosen, is scheduled to be released in late Spring 2012.

The Last Trace is a novella of The Chosen and tells the story of Trace Pierre Tasman, an 1800s mountain man stalked by a blood-drinking ’she-demon’. His story continues in Without a Trace, scheduled for release in Fall 2012. The Last Trace is available as an e-book, and will be available in paperback in March – oh, and it’s the free e-book you’ll receive when you answer the question at the bottom of this post!

The Seduction and The Monster’s Growl are the first two tales in the Monsters in the Machines short story collection and are available as e-books. The third story in the collection, Hellbound Train, will be available in Summer 2012.

My young adult series, Forbidden Doorways, is currently in development. The first novel, Finding the Key, will be available in 2013. A short story from the series, Fur Before Feathers, tells the tale of a young shapeshifter learning to shift, and can be found in the 2010 anthology, I Dreamed a Crooked Dream.

More information on my works, as well as excerpts, can be found on my website, www.rohmorgon.com, and at Dark Dreams Publishing. And if you want to know a little bit more about me, you can check out my writer’s bio!

Now, for the question I’ve been promising you:

Who is your favorite vampire in literature or film (or both!)?

Include your answer in a comment, as well as your preferred e-book format (Kindle, Nook, etc) and I’ll send you an e-book copy of The Last Trace.

And as I mentioned before, everyone who leaves a comment will be entered into a drawing for a free e-book copy of Watcher: Book I of The Chosen.

Thanks for stopping by my blog, and be sure to check out some of the other bloggers participating in the Bloody Hearts Blog Hop.

Oh, and Happy Valentine’s Day!

The *Snowfest* Blogfest was a nice departure from the dark fantasy in which I usually dwell. I thought the topic would appeal to a wider audience, one that doesn’t typically write about blood and death. I was surprised (and pleased) by several entries that definitely stepped over the line of darkness.

For those who enjoy ‘walking on the dark side’, Vamplit Publishing, courtesy of Dark Media City, is hosting a Valentine’s Day event by the name of the Bloody Hearts Blog Hop.  This event takes place Feb 13 & 14 and entails <snicker> visiting the blogs listed on the Hop page, leaving comments, and getting free books.

Sounds hard, right?

The Bloody Hearts Blog Hop is still open to participants, so if you want to list your blog as one of the hot spots to visit, head on over and sign up.

As for what’s happening on my blog during the Hop, I’m asking visitors to list their favorite vampire in literature or film (or both!) in a comment on Feb 13 or 14. Those who do so will each receive a free ebook copy of The Last Trace.

In addition, all respondants will be entered into a random drawing at the end of the hop for a free ebook copy of Watcher: Book I of The Chosen. The winner will be announced on February 15.

So if you like your fiction a little dark, maybe tinged with fear or accented with splashes of red here and there, check out the Bloody Hearts Blog Hop on Feb 13 & 14. You may find a new author you like, or win a free book or two. And be sure to stop by here to get your free copy of The Last Trace.

Today’s the day of the *Snowfest* Blogfest participant drawing for a copy of Watcher: Book I of The Chosen. Inclusion in the drawing required the entrant to post a snowy scene or story on their blog.

We ended up with nine entrants (go figure – what is it with the nines?).

I used a really cool tool from RANDOM.ORG to randomly select a winner.

And the winner is…

Rob Lopez of Forsaken Stars!

His entry is titled…wait for it…

Ninth Circle

(Rob just reminded me of this)

Can you believe it! I’m telling you, nine is so closely woven into anything having to do with Watcher that it’s downright spooky sometimes.

Oh, and I guess I should also mention the fact that Rob’s Ninth Circle just happens to be a vampire story.

It gets weirder and weirder all the time.

This will definitely go into the Watcher Weirdness archive (yes, there is such an archive, ‘cuz there is a lot of really strange things that have happened since this story took over my life).

Anyhow, congratulations, Rob!

Once again, thank you, everyone, for participating in the *Snowfest* Blogfest!

Which, by the way, was held on a nine-day. Would you expect anything else?

It was blustery here in blogland yesterday!

We had nice turnout for the *Snowfest* Blogfest. I read a number of great entries that contained a wide variety of chill – from wintery temperatures to heart-stopping terror.

I just want to thank everyone who participated for not only providing readers with a selection of snowy stories, but for visiting one another and leaving such encouraging comments.

All participants who submitted stories are eligible for a drawing for a free copy of Watcher: Book I of The Chosen. I’m still waiting on entries from a couple of latecomers who had signed up. Since I know that ‘life happens’ and how I’ve even been late to my own blogfest party in the past, I’m going to give them today to get their stories posted and will wait to do the drawing until Saturday morning.

If you didn’t have a chance to check out the flurry of snow-filled scenes, below is a list of the participants. Be sure to leave a comment on their blog letting them know what you enjoyed most about their stories.

1. Roh Morgon
2. stuart sharp
3. Jen Greyson
4. Don Gilbert: So Many Words, So Little Time
5. Rob Lopez: Forsaken Stars
6. Tessa Conte
7. Going Postal With Mitch
8. Stephanie @ Scribbler to Scribe
9. Donna Hole
10. Gladiators Pen
11. J. W. Parente @ In My Write Mind
12. Wendy Tyler Ryan
13. jeremy bates books
14. Life Happens

Again, thank you everyone for joining our story snowstorm in the first annual *Snowfest* Blogfest. I will definitely do this again next year!

It’s snowing!

Well, not really. But if you read all of the entries in our wintery writing exhibition, hopefully you can imagine the cool kiss of a snowflake on your cheek or even feel a nip in the air.

My entry is an excerpt from my novel, Watcher: Book I of The Chosen. This is Sunny’s first encounter with snow since becoming a vampire. She’s on the mountainside behind her home near Pikes Peak, Colorado.

Enjoy!

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The snowflakes are huge, drifting down like miniature parachutes. Everything is silent and very still, except for the falling snow. It’s already starting to accumulate and any bare patches are rapidly donning their white carpet. The trees look like they are reaching out, trying to catch their share.

I reach out and catch my own little white puffs. When I examine them closer, I’m amazed to see the individual crystals forming delicate snow lace. I look up to the sky and open my mouth and can feel each one as it lands on my tongue. To my surprise, they don’t melt. I collect them and form a tiny snowball in my mouth, then with a laugh, spit it into my hand and throw it into the air to join its brethren.

Hiking past the trees to the rocky top of the mountain, I turn around to look at Pikes Peak. But the falling snow forms a curtain, wrapping me in gossamer white, and I can see nothing beyond it. The mountain is silent, yet I can still hear the soft patter of the flakes as they land.

I walk back down into the forest, which is thickly covered now, and wander among the pines and firs. They are starting to look like Christmas trees, proudly wearing their flocking in anticipation of that special day. The logs and rocks are disappearing under their snow blankets as the forest floor transforms into a big, fluffy white bed.

The scene is surreal, and I agree with Nicolas. It’s like watching the creation of a painting, only it is being unpainted, with the forest colors slowly becoming the white of the canvas.

I wander for the rest of the afternoon, and eventually make my way to a small meadow in which I’ve hunted. It’s empty now, and looks like a giant down pillow. I can’t resist, and I throw myself backward, sinking into its cold, soft embrace. I try to make a snow angel, but the snow is too deep and keeps caving in on me. I jump up, laughing wildly, and run across the white powder, sinking to my knees with each step.

My affection for the mountain deepens. It seems like somehow it brought this storm for me. I feel cleansed, strong, and more like my old self than I have in awhile. As thoughts of Nicolas begin to resurface, I shove them down, determined not to dwell on him. A rabbit saves me, bolting from its shelter, and I give it merry chase. We zigzag through the snow in the eternal race of prey and predator, and I thrill to the hunt. But I finally stop and let him go, reluctant to see the pure white snow sullied by the red stain of his death.

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Hope you enjoyed tasting a little bit of winter with Sunny.

Be sure to visit each of the blogs listed here to read their snow stories. Leave a comment to let the author know you stopped by, and if you liked their scene or story, please tell them why!

Oh, and one more thing – each of the blogfest participants will be entered into a random drawing for a free copy of Watcher. The winner will be notified on February 3.

I’m buttoning my coat and slipping on my snowshoes to head down the blogfest trail, and maybe even help build a snowman or two. Hope to see you out there!