World Horror Con 2012 descends on Salt Lake City

Zombies and monsters and writers, oh my!

The World Horror Convention descends on Salt Lake City this weekend, bringing with it authors, artists, filmmakers, publishers, dealers and the people who love them.

The annual gathering, held this year at the Radisson Hotel, 215 W. South Temple, Salt Lake City, features an impressive lineup of talent, including:

• author Sherrilyn Kenyon

• artist Mike Mignola

• author P.N. Elrod

• Dark Horse Comics managing editor Scott Allie

• artist John Picacio

• author Mort Castle

• author Michael R. Collins

• author Michaelbrent Collings

• writer Rocky Wood

• author David Farland

• author Rober McCammon

• author Joe. R. Lansdale

• author Rick Hautala

• author Dacre Stoker

• author Jeff Strand

It's a chance for insiders to network, fans to meet their favorite authors and artists, and aspiring authors and artists to learn how to break into the business. And spend the weekend celebrating all things scary.

The weekend includes pitch sessions with editors; readings (whc2012.org/programming_files/Readings.pdf); panels; seances (whc2012.org/seance.html); a film festival (whc2012.org/filmfestival.html); and, of course, dealers (whc2012.org/dealers.html).

World Horror 2012 is also hosting the 25th annual Horror Writers Association Bram Stoker Awards Ceremony on Saturday night.

Registration (whc2012.org/registration.html) is $150 for all four days; $50 for Thursday; $75 for Friday; $75 for Saturday; and $50 for Sunday.

Free events include the art show and the dealers show, both at the Raddison; and a mass book-signing on Thursday, March 29, from 7-9 p.m. at the Columbus Library and Community Center (2530 S. 500 East) that will feature many of the authors attending the conference. —

World Horror Con schedule

For more details , go to whc2012.org/programming.html

Thursday, March 29

3 p.m. • Social networking; Religion in horror

4 p.m. • Poetry of the Weird, from the Romantics to Lovecraft; Horror film festivals

5 p.m. • Book bombs/blasts: A vampire is NOT your boyfriend, or why it's not a good idea to fall in love with the undead

6 p.m. • Opening ceremonies

7 p.m. • Poetry readings; Breaking into comics

8 p.m. • Poetry readings; Classic horror movies; Cutting Block Press/KillerCon party; Zombiance concert

9 p.m. • Buffy and cult TV shows; Why we love Lovecraft

10 p.m. • Surviving the zombie apocalypse; Writing a believable ghost story

Friday, March 30

10 a.m. • The joys of humorous horror; Stephen King; Pre-pitch preparation panel

11 a.m. • Understanding the mind of a serial killer; A short look at horror fiction

Noon • The art of Mike Mignola; Writing your first novel

1 p.m. • Sherrilyn Kenton: Dark hunter; How poetry can influence your fiction writing; Mort Castle workshop

2 p.m. • Words horrific, words hilarious; Women in horror

3 p.m. • P.N. Elrod Q&A; The digital revolution

4 p.m. • The craft of writing comics; horror makeup

5 p.m. • What a horror author needs to know to write for young adults

8 p.m. • Mass autograph signing

10 p.m • Cemetery tour

10:30 p.m. • Gross Out Contest!; Dark Moon Digest party; Damnation Books party; Evil Jesters Press party

Saturday, March 31

9:45 a.m. • Introduction to Celebrate Horror Writers Association Day

10 a.m. • Q&A with Robert McCammon; Pre-pitch preparation panel

11 a.m. • Stoker on Stoker; What an editor does

Noon • Q&A with Joe Lansdale; Vampires through the ages

1 p.m. • The supernatural in fiction; Real vs. fictional multiple personalities

2 p.m. • Horror Writers Association: Past, present and future; Writing for RPGs and video games

3 p.m. • Q&A with Rick Hautala; Music in horror

4 p.m. • Horror publishing; The art of John Picacio

5 p.m. • Resonance in storytelling; Disney's Haunted Mansion

6 p.m. • Artists' reception

8 p.m. • Bram Stoker Awards banquet

Sunday, April 1

10 a.m. • The good, the bad and the ugly in cover art; Screenwriting techniques; World Horror Society meeting

11 a.m. • H. P. Lovecraft: The short stories; A Look at Haunted Sites

Noon • Scaring 'em Young: MG horror; Zombies, vigilantes, and antiheroes

1 p.m. • Collecting horror; writing groups

2 p.m. • Paranormal romance; Classic horror

3 p.m. • Closing ceremonies; gothic belly dancing

5 p.m. • Dead Dog party