
EDIT: By the way, the two winners were picked and their emails sent off to Tananarive and Steven! Congrats, Micah Southwood and Katharine Dow! Expect emails soon, I wager.
HEY. You. Horror-writing-in-training!
Courtesy of Tananarive Due (the “Queen of Black Horror” and author of the truly vital The Reformatory) and Steven Barnes, I’m giving away two scholarships to Dark Dreams: Writing Horror That Kills.
(You can learn more about the course here: www.fearmasters.com)
This is a 3-hour intensive on how to craft haunting horror fiction. How to write horror that lets characters take the lead? What’s the plot framework look like? How the heck do they do it, and how do you do it?
(This class will be live both on Zoom and in person in Southern California.)
Way to be a potential winner —
Drop in the comments below.
Just tell me two things:
a) What’s your favorite horror novel from the last ten years?
b) What are you reading right now (doesn’t have to be horror!)?
Do this by Thursday, noon EST, and I’ll approve all comments and pick two random winners from the commenters to receive those scholarships.
Easy-peasy, blood-a-squeezy.
Just make sure that your account here is using an email address someone can use to reach you; otherwise, you won’t know that you won!
Get it? Got it? Rock on.
Robyn E Hamilton says:
Just finished “The Last to Leave the Room” by Caitlin Starling
September 10, 2025 — 10:54 AM
Carmen says:
Thanks for this opportunity!
Favorite horror of the last 10 years is The September House, by Carissa Orlando.
I’m currently reading From a Buick 8 by Stephen King.
September 10, 2025 — 11:59 AM
Micah Southwood says:
Thank you so much for a chance to learn how to properly scare readers with words and not my lack of structure 🙂
My favorite horror novel from the last ten years is the (fairly new book called) The Lamb by Lucy Rose. It is wonderful and INSANE.
And right now I am reading ‘Where He Can’t Find You’ by Darcy Coates.
September 10, 2025 — 2:27 PM
HalfshellVenus says:
I’ve written some short-story horror, and I’m enjoying the genre more and more as the years go on. It would be awesome to learn tips from the masters!
September 10, 2025 — 3:17 PM
HalfshellVenus says:
Oops, forgot this part. I’m currently reading “The Shamshine Blind” by Paz Pardo. This is the only color-based sci-fi I’ve ever read apart from Jasper Fforde’s “Shades of Grey”.
September 10, 2025 — 3:19 PM
HalfshellVenus says:
Damn it, I’m really unorganized today. If only I could just edit my original comment. 🙁
Favorite horror from the last 10 years is The “Final Girl Support Group” by Grady Hendrix, though my favorite of all time would be Joe Hill’s “NOS4A2.”
September 10, 2025 — 3:23 PM
Melissa Clare says:
The class sounds extremely cool!
a) I’m going to go with Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia though it’s hard to choose (and to know when things were published…)
b) Currently between fiction books, reading The Poisoner’s Handbook by Deborah Blum
September 10, 2025 — 5:01 PM
Jon Mayotte says:
Favorite horror recently: Penpal by Dathan Auerbach
Reading: Rick and Morty v Dungeons and Dragons. Good fun.
September 10, 2025 — 8:22 PM
Bridget says:
Favorite horror: Buffalo Hunter Hunter
Reading: Martyr!
September 10, 2025 — 11:47 PM
Rob Cornell says:
Oh, wow! Yeah, this would be a killer class.
My favorite horror novel: The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher
Currently Reading: Death is a Lonely Business by Ray Bradbury
September 11, 2025 — 9:55 AM
Ginny Kaczmarek says:
Favorite horror: Hard to choose, but probably The Final Girls Support Group for its excellent characters and world building
Reading now: The End of the World As We Know It (while watching The Stand miniseries, of course) (haven’t gotten to your story yet but looking forward to it!) and, as a palate cleanser, Kelly Link’s White Cat, Black Dog
September 11, 2025 — 10:09 AM
M.E. (Micki) Browning says:
The Shining by Stephen King is my favorite book as it is the one that started it all for me. I’m currently reading Hemlock and Silver by T. Kingfisher. Thanks for the opportunity to win a scholarship to this course!
September 11, 2025 — 11:25 AM
Cheryl Redfearn says:
Favourite horror novel from the last 10 years has to be The Institute by Stephen King. I’m currently (re)reading The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson.
September 11, 2025 — 2:50 PM
terribleminds says:
By the way, the two winners were picked and their emails sent off to Tananarive and Steven! Congrats, Micah Southwood and Katharine Dow! Expect emails soon, I wager.
September 12, 2025 — 7:47 AM