StokerCon 2025: Full Schedule

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.

4:00pm EDT

Author Readings - Thursday 04 Aspen

Thursday June 12, 2025 4:00pm - 4:45pm EDT

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Speakers

Jonathan Fortin

Jonathan Fortin is a neurodivergent author and voice actor from Oakland, California. His debut novel LILITU: THE MEMOIRS OF A SUCCUBUS was published in 2020 by Crystal Lake Publishing, and his short fiction has been published by such markets as Dark Recesses Press, Mocha Memoirs Press... Read More →

Stephanie Sanders-Jacob

Stephanie Sanders-Jacob writes horror and weird fiction. Her books include Pyramidia, Dropshipped, and Singing All the Way Up. She loves murderous and mystical cowboys, satirical stories, and Furbys. She is the editor-in-chief of Squirm Books, the YA imprint of Slashic Horror Pre... Read More →

Thursday June 12, 2025 4:00pm - 4:45pm EDT
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Convention Event

5:00pm EDT

Author Readings - Thursday 05 Aspen

Thursday June 12, 2025 5:00pm - 5:45pm EDT

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Speakers

Asher Ellis

Author of THE REMEDY and THE THERAPY (Deadite Press), PET (Crossroad Press), CRACKER JACK (Crystal Lake Publishing) and CURSE OF THE PIGMAN (Crossroad Press.) Screenwriter of the award-winning films EXIT 7A (Hammer & Saw ), MY NAME IS ART (Think Speak Films), and TROPHY (Elsewhere... Read More →

Jessi Ann York

Jessi Ann York’s stories have been featured at several professional rate horror markets, including PseudoPod, Vastarien, Cemetery Gates Media, Love Letters to Poe, and more. Her first two stories, “Phases of the Shadow” and “Women of the Mere,” were mentioned as standouts... Read More →

Nat Cassidy

Nat Cassidy writes horror for the page, stage, and screen. His acclaimed novels Mary: An Awakening of Terror and Nestlings were featured in best-of lists from Esquire, Harper's Bazaar, NPR, the Chicago Review of Books, the NY Public Library, and more, and he was named one of the... Read More →

Thursday June 12, 2025 5:00pm - 5:45pm EDT
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Convention Event

6:00pm EDT

Open Mic Poetry Reading

Thursday June 12, 2025 6:00pm - 7:30pm EDT

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Open Mic is a great place to read your poetry to a supportive audience and to be inspired by hearing the poetry of others. Each poet reads for 5 minutes or less. The host will loop around the room until we run out of time. All poets are welcome.

Moderators

Linda D. Addison

Trustee, Horror Writers Association

Linda D. Addison is an award-winning author of five collections, including How To Recognize A Demon Has Become Your Friend, recipient of the HWA Lifetime Achievement Award, HWA Mentor of the Year and SFPA Grand Master of Fantastic Poetry.

Thursday June 12, 2025 6:00pm - 7:30pm EDT
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Convention Event

9:00am EDT

Author Readings - Friday 09 Aspen

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

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Speakers

Anastasia Garcia

Author of the Frights to Tell at Night Series

Jamal Hodge

CEO, Hodge Cinema

JAMAL HODGE is a multi-award-winning filmmaker and writer from Queens NYC who has won over 80 awards with screenings at Tribeca Film Festival, Sundance, Cannes, and others. He directed the first season of Investigation Discovery Channel’s ‘Primal Instinct’ and is a Producer... Read More →

Hilary Wilson

Literary Correspondent, The Folklore Podcast

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

10:00am EDT

Author Readings - Friday 10 Aspen

Friday June 13, 2025 10:00am - 10:45am EDT

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Speakers

Todd Keisling

Author, Graphic Designer, Precipice Books / Dullington Design Co.

TODD KEISLING is the two-time Bram Stoker Award®-nominated author of Devil’s Creek, Scanlines, Cold, Black & Infinite, and most recently, The Sundowner’s Dance, among several others. A pair of his earlier works were recipients of the University of Kentucky’s Oswald Research... Read More →

TJ Price

TJ Price’s corporeal being is currently located in Raleigh, NC, where he lives with his handsome partner of many years, but his ghosts can be found in northeastern Connecticut, southern Maine, and north Brooklyn. He is the author of The Disappearance of Tom Nero, a novelette, and... Read More →

Nicole Wolverton

Nicole M. Wolverton is a fear enthusiast and Pushcart-nominated writer of 50-plus works of short fiction, creative nonfiction, and pop culture essays, as well as two novels—including A MISFORTUNE OF LAKE MONSTERS, Nicole's 2024 young adult horror novel (CamCat Books). She also served... Read More →

Friday June 13, 2025 10:00am - 10:45am EDT
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Convention Event

11:00am EDT

Author Readings - Friday 11 Aspen

Friday June 13, 2025 11:00am - 11:45am EDT

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Speakers

Tom Deady

Tom Deady's first novel, HAVEN, won the 2016 Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a First Novel. He has since published several novels, novellas, a short story collection, and the first book in his middle grade horror series. He has a Master's Degree in English and Creative... Read More →

J.V. Gachs

Author

J. V. Gachs is a Spanish ESL writer/ J.V. Gachs es una escritora de terror bilingüe. Her debut novel, Epiphany, was published by Off Limits Press in 2023, and in Spanish by Dolmen Editorial in 2024, and will have a rerelease in 2025 from Sobelo Books. As a self-translating author... Read More →

David Simms

David Simms is the author of PIERCE THE VEIL, FEAR THE REAPER, and DARK MUSE, published by Crossroad Press. His new middle grade novel, CURSE OF THE BARRENS is the latest entry in HWA legend's Elizabeth Massie's AMERI-SCARES series. Residing in Staunton, VA, he works as a psychology... Read More →

Friday June 13, 2025 11:00am - 11:45am EDT
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Convention Event

12:00pm EDT

Author Readings - Friday 12 Aspen

Friday June 13, 2025 12:00pm - 12:45pm EDT

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Speakers

Angela Sylvaine

Angela Sylvaine is a Bram Stoker Award nominated author and self-proclaimed cheerful goth who writes speculative fiction and poetry. Her novel, Frost Bite, a ‘90s sci-fi horror comedy, and her retro ‘80s YA mall slasher novella, Chopping Spree, embody her cheerful side. Her short... Read More →

Kate Maruyama

Kate Maruyama (she/her) writes, teaches, cooks, and eats in Los Angeles, where she lives.She is the author of Harrowgate(47North 2013) and Halloween Beyond: A Gentleman's Suit (Crystal Lake, 2022) and her novella Family Solstice (Omnium Gatherum) was named Best Fiction Book of... Read More →

D. Matthew Urban

Friday June 13, 2025 12:00pm - 12:45pm EDT
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Convention Event

1:00pm EDT

Author Readings - Friday 01 Aspen

Friday June 13, 2025 1:00pm - 1:45pm EDT

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Speakers

John Kachuba

Author

Shapeshifters! Ghosts! Middle Grade horror! Author of 12 books. Haycorn Smith and the Castle Ghost (middle-grade) coming June 14 from Paper Angel Press. Several of John's nonfiction books are about ghosts and the paranormal and he is a frequent speaker on that subject on TV, radio... Read More →

Douglas Ford

Jeff C. Carter

Host, We Bleed Orange & Black

Jeff C. Carter’s stories have been featured in dozens of anthologies, translated for international markets and adapted for podcasts.His love of science and Halloween inspires his Sci-Fi and horror writing. He lives in New Mexico with a cat, a dog and a human.He is a contributor... Read More →

Friday June 13, 2025 1:00pm - 1:45pm EDT
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Convention Event

2:00pm EDT

Author Readings - Friday 02 Aspen

Friday June 13, 2025 2:00pm - 2:45pm EDT

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Speakers

Patty Templeton - she, her

Writer. Archivist.

Ai Jiang

Ai Jiang is a Chinese-Canadian writer, Ignyte, Bram Stoker, and Nebula Award winner, and Hugo, Astounding, Locus, Aurora, and BFSA Award finalist from Changle, Fujian currently residing in Toronto, Ontario. Her work can be found in F&SF, The Dark, The Masters Review, among others... Read More →

Jonathan Reddoch

Collective Tales Publishing

Jonathan Reddoch is co-owner of Collective Tales Publishing. He is a father, writer, editor, and publisher. He writes sci-fi, fantasy, romance, and especially horror. He focuses primarily on flash fiction, but also writes poetry and short stories. He has been working on his enormous... Read More →

Friday June 13, 2025 2:00pm - 2:45pm EDT
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Convention Event

3:00pm EDT

Author Readings - Friday 03 Aspen

Friday June 13, 2025 3:00pm - 3:45pm EDT

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Speakers

Ananda Lima

Author

ANANDA LIMA is a poet, translator, and fiction writer born in Brasília, Brazil, now living in Chicago, IL. She's the author of the poetry collection Mother/land, winner of the Hudson Prize. Her work has appeared in The American Poetry Review, Poets.org, Kenyon Review Online, Gulf... Read More →

Richard Dansky

Narrative Director, Romero Games

Richard Dansky is a 25+ year veteran of the video game industry and is widely regarded as a leading authority on game writing and narrative. He has written and narrative designed for bestselling franchises including The Division, Assassins Creed, Far Cry, and Splinter Cell. His book... Read More →

Sapphire Lazuli

she/they

Friday June 13, 2025 3:00pm - 3:45pm EDT
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Convention Event

9:00am EDT

Author Readings - Saturday 09 Aspen

Saturday June 14, 2025 9:00am - 9:45am EDT

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Speakers

ROYCE BUCKINGHAM

Author--Penguin/Random House (Blanvalet)

Royce is an author of 14 novels with Penguin/Random House (Blanvalet) in Germany and with Putnam's and St. Martin's Press in North America. He is a member of the HWA and WGAw. Royce grew up with Stephen King and D&D and has been publishing horror and fantasy as a grown-up since 2006... Read More →

Stacie Herrington

Stacie writes funny-scary-feminist horror fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. Recent work appears in HWA Poetry Showcase XI (2024) and Defenestration (December 2024). Pieces forthcoming in Last Girls Club (Summer 2025) and Road Kill: Texas Horror by Texas Writers (fall 2025 from... Read More →

Carina Stopenski

Teen Librarian, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

Carina Stopenski (they/them) is a librarian, author, and scholar based in Pittsburgh, PA. In their day to day, Carina works as a teen librarian at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, as a freelance humanities educator for teens, and as the director of the Pittsburgh Mobile Cartoon... Read More →

Saturday June 14, 2025 9:00am - 9:45am EDT
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Convention Event

10:00am EDT

Author Readings - Saturday 10 Aspen

Saturday June 14, 2025 10:00am - 10:45am EDT

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Speakers

Lisa Kröger

Trustee, Horror Writers Association

Horror writer. Author of MONSTER, SHE WROTE and TOIL AND TROUBLE. Cohost of the Know Fear Cast and The Monster, She Wrote podcast.

Darrell Schweitzer

Darrell Schweitzer's books include four novels, THE WHITE ISLE, THE SHATTERED GODDESS, THE MASK OF THE SORCERER, and THE DRAGON HOUSE, plus nine short-story collections, the most recent of which is a volume of Lovecraftian stories, THE CHILDREN OF CHORAZIN, published by Hippocampus... Read More →

Stevie Morley

Fossil Preparator, La Brea Tar Pits & Museum

Stevie Morley worked as a dedicated conservator and preparator of Late Pleistocene asphaltic fossils at the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum from 2017 until 2024. During their tenure, Stevie has conducted research into the effects of various solvents on asphaltic bone and their efficacy... Read More →

Saturday June 14, 2025 10:00am - 10:45am EDT
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Convention Event

11:00am EDT

Author Readings - Saturday 11 Aspen

Saturday June 14, 2025 11:00am - 11:45am EDT

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Speakers

Gaby Triana

GABY TRIANA is the Cuban-American author of 24 books for adults and teens, including Dark and Dangerous Things, Moon Child, Island of Bones, River of Ghosts, City of Spells, Wake the Hollow, Cubanita, and Summer of Yesterday. Her short stories have appeared in Classic Monsters... Read More →

Cynthia Pelayo

Guest of Honor

Cynthia Pelayo is an International Latino Book Award winning poet and author.She is the author of Loteria, Santa Muerte, The Missing, Poems of My Night, Into the Forest and All the Way Through, Children of Chicago, Crime Scene, The Shoemaker’s Magician, as well as dozens of standalone... Read More →

Gevera Bert Piedmont

Editor/Author, Transformations by Obsidian Butterfly

STOKERCON VENDOR COORDINATORNeurodivergent cyborg author/editor of weird and horror fiction@bybertabird | Linktree

Saturday June 14, 2025 11:00am - 11:45am EDT
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Convention Event

12:00pm EDT

Author Readings - Saturday 12 Aspen

Saturday June 14, 2025 12:00pm - 12:45pm EDT

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Speakers

Stephanie Feldman

Hailey Piper

Hailey Piper is the Bram Stoker Award-winning author of Queen of Teeth, No Gods for Drowning, The Worm and His Kings, Unfortunate Elements of My Anatomy, Benny Rose the Cannibal King, and Your Mind Is a Terrible Thing. She is an active member of the Horror Writers Association, with... Read More →

Paul Tremblay

Paul Tremblay has won the Bram Stoker, British Fantasy, and Massachusetts Book awards and is the author of Horror Movie, The Pallbearers Club, Survivor Song, The Cabin at the End of the World, Disappearance at Devil’s Rock, A Head Full of Ghosts, the crime novels The Little Sleep... Read More →

Saturday June 14, 2025 12:00pm - 12:45pm EDT
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Convention Event

1:00pm EDT

Author Readings - Saturday 01 Aspen

Saturday June 14, 2025 1:00pm - 1:45pm EDT

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Speakers

Victoria Navarra

Sofia Ajram

Queer writer, poet & metalsmith. Writer of “Coup De Grâce” (Titan Books) 10/24. Editor of “Bury Your Gays: An Anthology of Tragic Queer Horror” (Ghoulish Books) 03/24

N.J. Gallegos

ER Doc and writer who loves all things horror. She is a cohost of The Scream Kings Podcast. She has two novels, The Broken Heart and The Fatal Mind, with Winding Road Stories. NJ Gallegos has three novellas available: Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires and It’s Me, Hi, I’m the... Read More →

Saturday June 14, 2025 1:00pm - 1:45pm EDT
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Convention Event

2:00pm EDT

Author Readings - Saturday 02 Aspen

Saturday June 14, 2025 2:00pm - 2:45pm EDT

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Speakers

Sam Rebelein

Sam Rebelein holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Goddard College, with a focus in horror and memoir. Sam's work has recently appeared in Bourbon Penn, Coffin Bell Journal, Press Pause Press, Ellen Datlow's Best Horror of the Year, and elsewhere. HarperCollins' horror and crime... Read More →

Lauren Elise (L. E.) Daniels

Editor, Author, Poet, HWA Wellness Committee, Brisbane Writers Workshop

A Bram Stoker Awards® finalist, co-chair for the HWA Mental Health Initiative with Mark Matthews, and Rhode Islander living in Australia, Lauren Elise (L. E.) Daniels has worked in publishing since '92. An Emerson College MFA grad, she's edited over 140+ titles, including the Aurealis... Read More →

Marc Abbott

Author/Teacher/Storyteller/Treasurer, Horror Writers Association

I’m the author of the horror anthologies Hell at the Way Station (Winner of the African Literary award for Best Anthology)and Hell at Brooklyn Tea. My works have been featured in Blackened Roots, The Chaos Clock, Under Twin Suns, Even in the Grave, New York State of Fright and Hells... Read More →

Saturday June 14, 2025 2:00pm - 2:45pm EDT
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Convention Event

3:00pm EDT

Author Readings - Saturday 03 Aspen

Saturday June 14, 2025 3:00pm - 3:45pm EDT

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Speakers

Andy Boyle

Andy Boyle is a Chicago-based writer whose work has appeared in Esquire, NBC News, the Boston Globe, the Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Sun-Times and more. Raised and educated in Nebraska, his journalism was cited in the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News. He's also the author of... Read More →

David Boop

Owner, Longshot Productions

David Boop is an award-winning Denver-based speculative fiction author & editor. He’s also an award-winning essayist, and screenwriter. Before turning to fiction, David worked as a DJ, film critic, journalist, and actor. As Editor-in-Chief at IntraDenver.net, David’s team was... Read More →

Robbie Dorman

Robbie Dorman believes in horror. He has published seventeen novels. His newest is WORDS OF CHRIST IN RED. When he's not writing, he's walking his dog, mixing cocktails, or watching pro wrestling.

Saturday June 14, 2025 3:00pm - 3:45pm EDT
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Convention Event

4:00pm EDT

Author Readings - Saturday 04 Aspen

Saturday June 14, 2025 4:00pm - 4:45pm EDT

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Speakers

Caitlin Starling

Author of The Luminous Dead, The Death of Jane Lawrence, and The Staving Saints. Genre hopping horror! Toxic lesbians! Too much medical detail!

Johnny Compton

Jason Dry

I put together my first literary gem, an I Dream of Genie picture book, when I was four years old. It was made with jumbo-size crayons and a Big Chief tablet. My works have been finalists in the following screenwriting competitions: ScreenCraft Screenwriting Fellowship, Filmmakers... Read More →

Saturday June 14, 2025 4:00pm - 4:45pm EDT
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Convention Event

10:00am EDT

Author Readings - Sunday 10 Aspen

Sunday June 15, 2025 10:00am - 10:30am EDT

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Speakers

Vaughn A. Jackson

Even More Panicked Writer

Vaughn A. Jackson is an author, editor, and sometimes poet of dark speculative fiction. His work generally falls into one of categories: Creatures, Kaiju, or Cosmic Horror, often blending elements of fantasy, science fiction, and horror into one unholy abomination. His published novels... Read More →

Pauline Chow

Pauline Chow is a writer, coach, and ancestral magic practitioner, crafting alternative histories and optimistic futures. She is a Pushcart Prize nominated author with words in Cosmic Monthly Horror, Space and Time Magazine, Apocalypse Confidential, and more. Not your average data... Read More →

Carol Gyzander

I love quiet horror, weird fiction, and cosmic horror.

Sunday June 15, 2025 10:00am - 10:30am EDT
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Convention Event

11:00am EDT

Author Readings - Sunday 11 Aspen

Sunday June 15, 2025 11:00am - 11:45am EDT

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Speakers

Brian Cummings

Peter Rosch

If you are at a loss for a conversation starter, let's just begin with three horror books/films you read or saw way to young and what lasting impact you believe their darkness had on the way you still move through the world and go from there. Or ask me about the time I threatened... Read More →

Rachel Bolton

Hello! This is my first Stoker Con! I feel very honored to be nominated for a Bram Stoker Award in the Short Fiction Category. Come say hi! I'd love to chat.

Sunday June 15, 2025 11:00am - 11:45am EDT
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Convention Event