Name: Bleeding Hearts: Where Horror Meets Romance
Start: 2025-06-13T09:00:00-0400
End: 2025-06-13T09:45:00-0400

Welcome to the premiere horror literary convention presented by the Horror Writers Association. Registration for StokerCon 2025 is now available! This year the convention is being hosted by the city of Stamford, Connecticut, at the Hilton Stamford Hotel and Executive Meeting Center. We’re taking over from June 12th through the 15th, 2025.

Friday June 13, 2025 9:00am - 9:45am EDT

Grove Ballroom 2

Horror and romance might seem like strange bedfellows, but when done well, they can elevate each other in powerful, unexpected ways. This panel explores the rich intersection between terror and tenderness—where love stories unfold amid dread, danger, and darkness. As genre mashups continue to rise in popularity, especially in the wake of the romantasy boom, more authors are weaving emotionally complex relationships into their horror-forward stories.

Join us for a candid conversation with authors who are pushing the boundaries of genre: developing compelling romantic arcs within gruesome, unsettling worlds; balancing suspense and swoon; and navigating the tonal tightrope between tragedy and happily ever after. How do they craft believable romantic pairings in stories filled with paranormal or psychological horror? Can romance ground a horror narrative—or does it risk making it less believable? Is it possible to satisfy both horror and romance readers at once?

This conversation will offer insights for writers looking to explore genre fusion and readers drawn to the emotional stakes of love in the face of fear. Expect a lively, thoughtful, and slightly twisted discussion about why these two genres might be a perfect match.

Moderators

Emma Cole

Editor, Harlequin

Editor @Harlequin, acquiring for Intrigue as well as for our Harlequin Trade Publishing imprint Hanover Square Press, which publishes horror, mystery, speculative fiction and nonfiction.

Speakers

Paula Guran

Editor, anthologist, and reviewer Paula Guran has edited more than 50 science fiction, fantasy, and horror anthologies and more than 50 novels and collections featuring the same. She was senior editor for Prime Books for seven years. Previously, she edited the Juno fantasy impr... Read More →

Clay McLeod Chapman

Author of Wake Up and Open Your Eyes, Kill Your Darling, Stay on the Line, What Kind of Mother, Ghost Eaters, Whisper Down the Lane, The Remaking, and others.

Rachel Harrison

Sumiko Saulson

2 Time Bram Stoker Finalist in the Poetry Collection category, Author

Sumiko Saulson is a two-time Bram Stoker Finalist in the Poetry Collection for the poetry collections Melancholia: A Book of Dark Poetry (Bludgeoned Girls Press) and The Rat King: A Book of Dark Poetry (Dooky Zines), Elgin Nominee, 3rd Place Dwarf Stars Award Winner, Winner... Read More →

Sarah Hans

Sarah Hans is an award-winning writer, editor, and teacher whose stories have appeared in more than 40 publications, including Apex Magazine, Love Letters to Poe, and Pseudopod. Her debut horror novel, Entomophobia, was released in 2022. You can read Sarah’s short stories in the... Read More →

Chloe Spencer

Minnesota native Chloe Spencer is an award winning writer, indie gamedev, and filmmaker. She is the author of multiple sapphic horror novellas, novels, and short stories. In her spare time she enjoys playing video games, trying her best at Pilates, and cuddling with her cats. She... Read More →

Friday June 13, 2025 9:00am - 9:45am EDT
Grove Ballroom 2

Convention Event, Livestreamed Session

Attendees (57)

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