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.
Janet Smith says:
My favorite horror movie in the last ten years is “Weapons”
I’m currently reading “The Book Thief” by Marcus Zusak
September 9, 2025 — 11:25 AM
butucancallmezZ Brewer says:
Black River Orchard by Chuck Wendig is hands-down my fave horror from the last ten years. Right now, I’m doing a reread of The Marbury Lens by Andrew Smith.
September 9, 2025 — 11:26 AM
Taylor Pittman says:
Hi Chuck,
What an amazing opportunity! To answer your questions:
– My favorite horror novel from the last ten years is The Apartment by K. L. Slater.
– Right now I am reading MaXXXine by Tim Waggoner. I read his novelization of the first two books, and the third is the only one I will read without seeing the movie first. Super stoked on that.
Thanks again Chuck (fingers crossed!)
Best,
Tay
September 9, 2025 — 11:28 AM
Tyler Elson says:
My favorite recent horror novel was The Hollow Place by T. Kingfisher or the Out There Screaming anthology. I’m currently reading Sourcery by Terry Pratchett and Never Whistle At Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology.
September 9, 2025 — 11:31 AM
Karen Corum says:
My favorite horror novel over the last ten years would be tied between The Spite House by Johnny Compton and We Sold Our Souls by Grady Hendrix.
I am currently reading the Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley.
I hold no shame in saying pretty please pick me.
September 9, 2025 — 11:31 AM
Taylor Pittman says:
(Reposting in case my comment didn’t process for some reason – ignore if a duplicate!)
Hi Chuck,
What an amazing opportunity! To answer your questions:
a.) My favorite horror novel from the last ten years is The Apartment by K. L. Slater
b.) I’m currently reading MaXXXine by Tim Waggoner. I read the first two books (and love the movies) but MaXXXine will be the first one I will get to read the book before seeing the movie. Super stoked on for that.
Thanks, Chuck!
Best
Tay
September 9, 2025 — 11:33 AM
crtdot@mac.com says:
Can it be a horror novel I’ve read in the last ten years? Because I used to be unable to read horror due to being scared to insomnia. Until Covid hit! So my fave horror novel would be The Croning by Laird Barron. And I am currently reading “Area 51: An Uncensored History of America’s Top Secret Military Base” by Annie Jacobsen
September 9, 2025 — 11:34 AM
Pat says:
Favorite: The Only Good Indians
Currently Reading: The Anatomy of Story (I need a lot of help!)
September 9, 2025 — 11:35 AM
JACQUELINE A YORK says:
Ring Shout by P. Djeli Clark was SO good!
Current read is The Girl in the Green Dress by Mariah Fredericks.
September 9, 2025 — 11:38 AM
Susie Lindau says:
My favorite horror would have to be The Last House on Needless Street. Sooooo creepy and hard to read, but it had such an amazingly twisted payoff.
September 9, 2025 — 11:38 AM
Katharine Dow says:
I’m a big fan of gothic and folkloric horror, so my favorite horror novel over the last ten years (this is an impossible question!) is probably What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher. (It’s a retelling of “The Fall of the House of Usher” by Poe.)
I’m currently reading Custodians of Wonder: Ancient Customs, Profound Traditions, and the Last People Keeping Them Alive, by Eliot Stein. (It’s a magical book about 10 people maintaining some of the world’s oldest and rarest cultural traditions.)
September 9, 2025 — 11:43 AM
phillyiglehart says:
Congratulations! Enjoy the course!
September 12, 2025 — 3:50 PM
Jenn Collins says:
I was going to say Nick Cutter’s The Troop is my favorite horror in the past ten years, but I looked it up and it was written in 2014. Where does the time go? So I’ll go with North American Lake Monsters.
I’m currently reading Atomoshere by Taylor Jenkins Reid. My 1980s Young Astronauts-loving child self is enjoying it.
September 9, 2025 — 11:45 AM
Ethan says:
My favorite horror novel would have to be Exoskeleton by Shane Stadler. It’s a blend of psychological suspense, splatterpunk, and bits of science fiction. The rest of the series is an excellent thought piece on humanity and our origins in the universe.
Currently, I’m reading the second book of the Songs of Chaos series by Michael R Miller. It’s a story about a boy who wasn’t destined to be a dragon rider taking a blind dragon under his wing as their world slowly erupts with a corrupt political plot that threatens to give out from underneath them.
September 9, 2025 — 11:52 AM
Ash Egan says:
Favourite horror novel of the last ten years: All The Fiends of Hell by Adam Nevill. Cosmic horror meets War of the Worlds! And one of the most hopeless novels I’ve ever read.
Currently reading: Fool’s Assassin by Robin Hobb.
September 9, 2025 — 11:57 AM
Rat says:
Favorite horror novel in the last ten years… Hmm… that’s hard. Probably “Holly” by Stephen King. Nothing like a little cannibalism to get the juices flowing (eww).
Right now, I’m switching off reading “Origin” by Dan Brown (I know, I know–but the guy tells a good story even though his writing style can get annoying) and “Bury Your Gays” by Chuck Tingle (I just finished his “Lucky Day,” which was amazing).
September 9, 2025 — 11:57 AM
Amanda DeMel says:
My favorite horror novel of the past ten years is probably Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker.
According to my tracker, I’m reading twelve books right now, but I’ll just name the most recently-started novel: The Antidote by Karen Russell.
September 9, 2025 — 11:58 AM
Alyssa Pelonero says:
My favorite horror novel from the last decade is Stephen Kings, Doctor Sleep. It’s his second book to the shining and while most of his work is in my top tier or reads, this one stands out to me the most.
I am currently reading The Third Twin by Ken Follett. So far this suspenseful novel has kept me up at night reading as much as I can to find out the full plot.
September 9, 2025 — 12:00 PM
Jake McCormac says:
a) What’s your favorite horror novel from the last ten years?
Keith Rosson’s Fever House
b) What are you reading right now (doesn’t have to be horror!)?
Dean Koontz’s Odd Thomas Omnibus
September 9, 2025 — 12:05 PM
Brent McGuffin says:
I sadly haven’t read a huge amount of horror from the last ten years but I loved Black River Orchard.
Right now I’m rereading John Dies at the End.
September 9, 2025 — 12:08 PM
Caitlin says:
Don’t want a contest entry but just to share, Black River Orchard still haunts my dreams and is my favorite horror book. Right now I’m reading The Elephant Keeper by Christopher Nicholson. On Chapter II, enjoying it thusly.
September 9, 2025 — 12:34 PM
Robert F Coutinho says:
My favorite horror novel in the last ten years was Entry Wounds by Brandon McNulty. I am currently reading Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff.
September 9, 2025 — 12:09 PM
Arianna Siegel says:
The Eyes are the Best Part by Monika Kim is one of my favorite recent horror novels. I’m currently reading Enlightenment by Sarah Perry
September 9, 2025 — 12:30 PM
Nick says:
I absolutley loved A Headful of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay. But then I also loved Fever House by Keith Rossen. But then I also loved so many others–Mexican Gothic, The Book of Accidents, The Troop. Bah! Fever House is my final answer (I need to read the follow-up ASAP). Right now, I’m re-reading The Dead Zone and slowly, very slowly, being reminded how long it takes for anything to happen (still love it, though).
September 9, 2025 — 12:48 PM
David S Macpherson says:
Thr Outsider by Stephen King is my favorite of the last 10 years primarily because I admire any book that uses a luche libre horror movie as a major plot point. The book i am reading is Downtown Local by Aaron Cometbus
September 9, 2025 — 12:50 PM
Philly Iglehart says:
Favourite horror novel is ‘Cuckoo Song’ by Frances Hardinge. I love this is YA but still so, so creepy and creates authentic feelings of danger. And the descriptive imagery is beautifully done.
(Not a horror novel, but for anyone interested, I also love ‘The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper’ by Hallie Rubenhold. It’s a brilliant blend of the real-world horror the murderer’s victims experienced both before in their lives and during their murder, and a historical overview of the types of lives such marginalised women led in Victorian London.)
Currently reading ‘Someone You Can Build a Nest In’, by John Wiswell. Really enjoying it.
September 9, 2025 — 1:09 PM
Stephen R Galati says:
I particularly liked “Slewfoot: A Tale of Bewitchery” by Brom as a horror novel. Very descriptive and takes the reader on a journey in a 1600’s Salem-esque Puritan environment. So well done and a fun read.
As for my current reading, I’m halfway through “Delerium” by Lauren Oliver. A Romantasy. So far, pretty interesting read. Not my favorite genre but…you know…a family book club selection. 🙂
September 9, 2025 — 1:19 PM
Steve Fahnestalk says:
This is a wonderful thing to do, and I applaud you. I’m not entering, though I’d love to listen to Steven Barnes and Tananarive Due speak; Steven is a wonderful tutor and reall talks well, whether he’s instructing or whatever. He really listens to what you say. I’ve not met Tananarive, but from all I hear, she’s also very good. Again, not entering, so if I get randomly drawn, please draw another.
Favourite horror writer is still Stephen King (hey, another member of the “Steve Club”!) and I loved Mr. Mercedes and Holly. Currently rereading Peter O’Donnell’s Modesty Blaise books (aloud to my wife).
Again, great of you to do this!
September 9, 2025 — 1:26 PM
George Woodruff says:
A) only one? You monster 😉
The best I can do is a tie between A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay and The Hideous Book of Hidden Horrors edited by Doug Murano.
B) I’m currently reading more books than should be read in tandem, but primarily, The Stand in preparation for the anthology (congrats by the way!) as well as The Weird, edited by Amy VanderMeer.
Thanks for doing this!
September 9, 2025 — 3:42 PM
Gwen says:
Hey Chuck! Big fan of Christopher Buehlman’s Between Two Fires. Currently reading Suzy McKee Charnas’ The Vampire Tapestry.
September 9, 2025 — 1:35 PM
Margo says:
Could you possibly BE more of a good person Chuck? <3
Like many others, I'm not taking you up on your gracious scholarship offer. But I wanted to tell you what I wrote in the first paragraph and also that I have 2 duologies and the first entry in a new series that I've loved and I never shut up about.
You have to know by now that WANDERERS and WAYWARD are at the top of my list of favorite books of all eternity. Right behind them are FEVER HOUSE and THE DEVIL BY NAME by Keith Rosson. And–by no means in last place because I howled my way through this one and eagerly await the 2nd book in the series–my next favorite is THE DEAD TAKE THE A TRAIN by Cassandra Khaw and Richard Kadrey.
What I'm reading now is THE FRIDAY AFTERNOON: A FAMILY MEMOIR by Griffin Dunne and holy hell it is a trip and also a bit of a horror show itself.
September 9, 2025 — 1:35 PM
Joshua Semple says:
Don’t know if I have a favourite, but the one that unnerved me the most was Hell House by Richard Matheson.
I am currently reading Clark Ashton Smith’s Zothique tales.
September 9, 2025 — 1:57 PM
Courtney Wright says:
Hey! Fav horror (it’s so hard to choose!) would be The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones. And I’m now reading Rebecca Roanhorse’s Fevered Star! Thanks for doing this!
September 9, 2025 — 1:58 PM
Amy K Drees says:
My favorite horror novel of the last ten years would have to be The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones, although Lock Every Door by Riley Sager is so close a second try asking me in a week.
Right now I am rereading the collect short stories of Philip K. Dick and reading for the first time Carl Hiaasen’s Fever Beach.
September 9, 2025 — 2:14 PM
Phoebe says:
My favorite horror novel from the last 10 yrs has to be “Ghost Eaters” by Clay McLeod Chapman.
I’m currently reading “Summer of Night” by Dan Simmons.
Thanks for the chance.
September 9, 2025 — 2:21 PM
KATIE says:
Thanks for doing this! The Reformatory is one of my top books I’ve read this year so I’m so excited for this opportunity.
Favorite horror from the last 10 years has to be The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones.
Currently reading Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt.
Cheers!
September 10, 2025 — 11:20 AM
Arianna says:
One of my favorite recent horror novels I’ve read is The Eyes are the Best Part by Monika Kim. I’m currently reading Enlightenment by Sarah Perry
September 9, 2025 — 2:57 PM
Robb M says:
Fav horror novel hands down is The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins (2015 still counts come onnnn) and right now I’m reading Legion by William Peter Blatty. Thanks for the chance!
September 9, 2025 — 3:01 PM
Hazel says:
There’ve been too many good horror novels in the last ten years! But ‘Crossroads’ by Laurel Hightower is one that really stuck with me. I binged the audiobook in a single sitting while unable to sleep on a long haul flight. A surprisingly good atmosphere for a horror novel.
At the moment I have four books on the go…not a normal situation for me but here we are.
Katabasis by RF Kuang
Spirit Warriors by Ashley Thorpe
Wrath of the Triple Goddess by Rick Riordan
The Starving Saints by Caitlin Starling
September 9, 2025 — 3:22 PM
sere40 says:
Hello ! a) What’s your favorite horror novel from the last ten years?
I absolutely love Ania Ahlborn’s Brother. Such a chilling character study of evil people. Really brilliant writing.
b) What are you reading right now (doesn’t have to be horror!)? Currently reading The Reformatory by Tananarive Due. Really great so far!
September 9, 2025 — 3:34 PM
soullessfaust says:
Thanks for offering this giveaway! My favorite horror book of the last 10 years was Black River Orchard. It was a thick book but I burned through it really quickly. I’ve had a hard time trying to find another horror book that I like as much as the evil apple book. Currently I am taking a break away from horror because I went through S.A. Barnes’ bibliography the last few months and I’m starting to dream in space horror. This means gentler fare in the form of Sweet Bean Paste by Durian Sukegawa. So far I am loving the characters and the slow, simple atmosphere.
September 9, 2025 — 3:56 PM
Stephen says:
Favourite horror novel from the last 10 years: Zombie Cop by my boy Ben Settle.
Currently reading: Choke – Chuck Palahniuk
September 9, 2025 — 5:04 PM
CZ Wright says:
Thanks for doing this! My favorite horror book (it’s so hard to choose!) was probably The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones, and the book I’m currently reading is Fevered Star by Rebecca Roanhorse–good stuff!
September 9, 2025 — 5:56 PM
MsShonnerz says:
Fave horror: Ring Shout by P. Djeli Clark
Current read: I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman
September 9, 2025 — 6:11 PM
Bethany Garcia says:
My favorite horror read from the past ten years is probably The Angel of Indian Lake by Stephen Graham Jones, and I’m currently reading How Long ‘Til Black Future Month by NK Jemisin.
September 9, 2025 — 6:45 PM
Jake W says:
(1) I think this counts as a horror novel: Brian Catling’s “The Vorrh,” a brilliant and eerie story of fantastical alternate history that creeped me out more than many other books I would more closely associate with the horror genre.
(2) I’m currently in the middle of two books: “The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O.” by Neal Stephenson and Nicole Galland, which is a delightful melding of science fiction and magic; and, “Lincoln in the Bardo” by George Saunders, which is hauntingly (literally!) beautiful.
P.S.: Thanks for doing awesome stuff like this.
September 9, 2025 — 6:55 PM
Jason Reed says:
My favourite horror book from the last ten years is Paul Tremblay’s The Cabin at the End of the World. At once familiar and surprising—I’ve read everything of his since then.
Right now I’m reading I Am the Tiger by John Ajvide Lindqvist—another author whose work I’ll always read. So dark and disturbing.
September 9, 2025 — 7:03 PM
Barbara Truelove says:
This is gonna sound like such a try hard answer, but my favourite horror novel of the last ten years has to be The Reformatory by Tananarive Due. There’re so many brilliant books in the horror genre, but that one did so much so masterfully.
I’m currently reading Katabasis by R.F. Kuang. I’m at the bit.
September 9, 2025 — 7:42 PM
Seteka Senna says:
My favorite horror book from the last ten years would have to be The Hunger by Alma Katsu.
I’m currently re-reading Sunrise on the Reaping.
September 9, 2025 — 8:08 PM
Michael Collins-Whinery says:
a) What’s your favorite horror novel from the last ten years?
Has to be My Darling Dreadful Thing by Johanna Van Veen! The horror, the haunted house, the ghosts. I love a good psychological horror and this did it for me.
b) What are you reading right now (doesn’t have to be horror!)
This one book, you may have heard of it @chuck. The staircase in the woods! Just finished and came to your website!
September 9, 2025 — 11:06 PM
Hannah says:
My favorite horror is What the Woods Took by Courney Gould and I am currently reading Where the Dark Stands Still by A. B. Poranek!
September 9, 2025 — 11:09 PM
Jennifer says:
Favorite Horror Novel from the last 10 years? That has to be The Deep by Nick Cutter because it has stuck with me years after reading it. I still think about it and that, to me, is great story telling. Seed by Ania Ahlborn is a very close second as is The Only Good Indian by Stephen Graham Jones.
Currently I’m plowing through the Dungeon Crawler Carl Series and loving every second of it. It’s a fun and crazy ride that also has some strangely poignant moments that hit hard all at the same time.
September 10, 2025 — 9:07 AM
mattw says:
Thank you Chuck for this generous offer.
Favorite horror of the last 10 years goes to How to Sell a Haunted House. Creepy puppets and needles in eyes…shudder.
I’m currently reading Speaks the Nightbird by Robert McCammon.
September 10, 2025 — 9:57 AM
Roxanne Tellier says:
Hello ! and thanks for the opportunity!
a) What’s your favorite horror novel from the last ten years? I love Stephen King (and all his little Kingren) but the book that really stole me away to another land was Fairy Tale; not so much the horror as the seduction of the writing, pulling the reader further and further into this other land.
b) What are you reading right now (doesn’t have to be horror!)? Currently reading Wake Up and Open Your Eyes by Clay McLeod Chapman
September 10, 2025 — 10:05 AM