As part of a burgeoning relationship with the American Library Association (ALA) the Horror Writers Association (HWA) will have a major presence at the ALA’s 2013 Midwinter Meeting in Seattle, Washington. The event will run from January 25 to January 28, at the Seattle Center.

This will include a booth at the exhibit center and the presentation of five panels on horror. The event offers a unique opportunity to promote adult and youth reading, as well as providing a new platform for publicizing the goals of the HWA and the works of its members to a different audience than what is normally found at conventions: the librarians who choose what adults, teens, and children get to read in public and school libraries. Horror is immensely popular, but too often libraries aren’t aware of horror books other than those on best-seller lists or lists of recommended reads from Library Journal and other publications. The HWA is looking to foster long-term partnerships with the ALA and with libraries in general, and this is the first step in making that happen.

The ALA Midwinter Meeting boasts an average attendance of more than 10,000 librarians. In the past, panel programs by other writing organizations have been well attended, and the HWA believes that their agenda of topics, including Young Adult Horror, Small Press Horror, Graphic Novels, and the HWA’s literacy program will be just as popular. Scheduled panelists include Nancy Holder, Jonathan Maberry, Ellen Datlow, Jason V. Brock, William F. Nolan, Joe McKinney, Christopher Payne, Jeyn Roberts, Lisa Morton, Angel McCoy and JG Faherty.

Over the course of the four-day event, the HWA will be providing three baskets of books and other goodies as prizes, and handing out free copies of member books at the booth. Any members who would like to donate books or other promotional giveaways should contact JG Faherty at [email protected].

As part of its ongoing commitment to literacy, the HWA has also established a Library Committee, headed by JG Faherty, and will be launching a special page on the horror.org website geared for librarians and library directors, which will provide information on HWA literacy programs, regional chapters, and recommended reading lists.

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