StokerCon 2023 Panel Report - Promoting Dread: The Publicity of Horror Fiction

Every author, regardless of whether they are self published or on one of the big five presses struggles with how to promote their books. LIbraries can help and that's mostly what I talk about here but I thought I would share some of what I heard at this panel. This won't be an exact transcript of what was said but I will share some of what was shared. I didn't write it up as a simple script because my notes are not a complete transcript. I can assure you that none of the wisdom below is mine and all comes from the panelists. 

The panel was moderated by Emily Hughes and included: Becky Spratford (readers advisory expert, librarian, Horror Writers Association [HWA] secretary, and reviewer), Janine Cross (author, HWA volunteer), Jordan Hanley (Tor Nightfire marketing manager), Solomon Forse (founder of the Howl Society, author), and Nat Cassidy (actor, writer, musician).

The panel discussed what has worked for them as far as promotion is concerned and what outlets and platforms were used. Emily and Becky provided information from the perspective of a publisher and a reviewer. 

As far as reviews are concerned, Becky Spratford reminded everyone that it's impossible for reviewers to review everything. Traditional reviews are generally pre-publication only and libraries order 3-6 months in advance. But your independently published book can be loaded onto Overdrive which is a widely used library eBook platform. 

Social media was mentioned over and over. Nat Cassidy mentioned using videos on social media. Solomon Forse talked about the importance of using social media to promote others and the importance of being authentic. Authors don't have to force themselves to use social media platforms they hate, cautioned Emily Hughes. Social media outlets come and go. The industry landscape is constantly changing. The most important thing is to write the book. Promoting your book is a marathon. 

Janine Cross doesn't use social media. Instead she emphasized becoming a specialist in your local area. Become the person that local media, libraries, bookstores etc come to for information about your genre or area of interest. She repeated Solomon's call to promote other people as a way of growing your community. Local/regional chapters of the HWA are extremely important in building community, reminded Becky. Authors should use connections from community because writing is a lonely endeavour. Nat said that you should lean in and celebrate others. That takes the pressure off you to have victories. Engaging with a community does remove some of the tension when everything can be a one on one interaction. Solomon reminded introverts that building a community online is valid and can be less terrifying. 

Online reviews by readers were also discussed. Jordan asked those in attendance to remember that not every book works for every reader. Sites like Goodreads are for readers. Don't respond if you are tagged in a negative review, cautioned Emily. Also, don't read your Goodreads reviews but it is a way to build a community. 

Save your snark for your cat, warned Janine. Text a friend was a suggestion from Becky. There are haters out there and everyone can become a target. After a while, you will learn who is negative. Those sort of people are a fact of life and everyone encounters them. Own your mistakes, admit when you are at fault, said Emily.  Walk away because drama is not entertaining when it happens to you, said Solomon, who also cautioned that you should never double down if you find yourself in an online fight. 

Nat reminded those in attendance that the internet does things to our heads. Not every thought needs to be expressed, On Goodreads you will see a one star review next to a five star review; for every jerk there is a fan out there. The idea of separating your personal and professional self was echoed by other panelists. Becky suggested putting less of yourself online than you might first be inclined to do and be choosy about what you decide to share. The appeal of social media is that it's a window into someone's world but you should be mindful about what you put out there, said Emily. You can share your personality but never allow success on social media to get into your head. It's not your own world. Janine, who doesn't use social media, said that platforms can change so using a newsletter is a traditional and helpful way to share. Authors can set up a website and put the option to subscribe to your newsletter visible on your site.

Those who self publish can join the Independent Book Publishers Association. It does come with benefits including discounts on a variety of resources and services. Book Sirens is another option to help promote your books. Solomon also suggested that you can send reviewers messages on Goodreads. 

Finally, Becky encouraged looking at Vistaprint to create stickers and pens. Readers love swag and it will remind them of you and your books. You can also ask to meet the person at your local library who works with the sort of books you create (youth, adult fiction, non-fiction etc.). Offer to assist with programming. Join the friends of the library. Work with their writers groups. Becoming a part of your library's community can also help promote your work and help you build a community of supporters. 

(We all know that not all these ideas will work for everyone and that's fine. Perhaps you will be inspired to find something that will help spread the word about your book. But don't tell me how x,y, z won't work. That's also not going to help promote your book.)

Book Display Idea - Beachy/Sea Side/Coast Horror and Suspense

One of the things I repeat over and over is that people love to sit at the beach and read about about the pain and suffering of others. The Horror Writers Association along with United for Libraries, Book Riot, and Booklist has created an entire program for libraries called Summer Scares. There are titles picked for adults, young adults, and middle grade readers. Click here for more information from Becky Spratford on her blog, RA for All Horror. 

In that vein, I would like to show how you can use horror tied with beachy themes for a fun summer book display that will draw patrons in. The two titles I'm using are forthcoming releases but you can use the idea with whatever your library's collection holds. Don't forget to add titles from suspense, thrillers, and non-fiction to create a display; never get hung up on genre. 

I've made summer displays like this with all kinds of horror, suspense, and thrillers. 

In September, Quirk will release What Kind of Mother by Clay McLeod Chapman. From the publisher's website: 

After striking out on her own as a teen mom, Madi Price is forced to return to her hometown of Brandywine, Virginia, with her seventeen-year-old daughter. With nothing to her name, she scrapes together a living as a palm reader at the local farmers market.

It’s at the market that she reconnects with her high school boyfriend Henry McCabe, now a reclusive local fisherman whose infant son, Skyler, went missing five years ago. Everyone in town is sure Skyler is dead, but when Madi reads Henry’s palm, she’s haunted by strange and disturbing visions that suggest otherwise. As she follows the thread of these visions, Madi discovers a terrifying monster waiting at the center of the labyrinth—and it’s coming for everyone she holds dear.

Combining supernatural horror with domestic suspense into a visceral exploration of parental grief, What Kind of Mother cements Clay McLeod Chapman’s reputation as a “star” (Vulture) and “the 21st century’s Richard Matheson” (Richard Chizmar, Chasing the Boogeyman.)

This book also contains elements of body horror and psychological horror which would be an alternative display. Another option would be to create one mixed with suspense and to focus on family relationships because parents and children are part of both novels. I will give suggestions for this in a future post. 

Daniel Kraus's Whalefall will be released in August. From the publisher's website: 

The Martian meets 127 Hours in this “powerfully humane” (Owen King, New York Times bestselling author) and scientifically accurate thriller about a scuba diver who’s been swallowed by an eighty-foot, sixty-ton sperm whale and has only one hour to escape before his oxygen runs out.

Jay Gardiner has given himself a fool’s errand—to find the remains of his deceased father in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Monastery Beach. He knows it’s a long shot, but Jay feels it’s the only way for him to lift the weight of guilt he has carried since his dad’s death by suicide the previous year.

The dive begins well enough, but the sudden appearance of a giant squid puts Jay in very real jeopardy, made infinitely worse by the arrival of a sperm whale looking to feed. Suddenly, Jay is caught in the squid’s tentacles and drawn into the whale’s mouth where he is pulled into the first of its four stomachs. He quickly realizes he has only one hour before his oxygen tanks run out—one hour to defeat his demons and escape the belly of a whale.

Suspenseful and cinematic, Whalefall is an “astoundingly great” (Gillian Flynn, New York Times bestselling author) thriller about a young man who has given up on life…only to find a reason to live in the most dangerous and unlikely of places.

I've included several options for signage here. They were all made on Canva using images I found by searching Creative Commons. I am not a graphic designer, clearly, but these fit the theme and would catch someone's eye. The focus should be on the books. 

To help get you started, below are some lists from a variety of websites. Use your library's collection and remember to look at non-fiction and DVDs as well. You can add QR codes that link to titles in your eBook collection. Don't get hung up on how exactly the books fit the message on your sign. Book displays are primarily marketing tools for your collection rather than something like an art project for school.  

The Devil and the Deep: Horror Stories of the Deep Edited by Ellen Datlow 

Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant 
16 Aquatic Horror Books to Dive Into From the Line Up 
16 Horror Books Perfect for Summer Scares from Spooky Little Halloween
Eight Horror Novels That Will Make You Glad Summer is Over from Book Riot
Best Summer Horror Books from Goodreads
Aquatic Horror Books from Goodreads
8 Books That Will Make You Scared to Go Into the Water from Barnes and Noble

Use big book events for your displays -BN Pre-Order Sale

 The recent Barnes and Noble pre-order sale received a lot of attention from authors and book buyers. Pre-orders can be vital to a book's success, with strong pre-orders showing that there is interest in a title.Why mention it to library workers interested in book displays? Use the idea of pre-orders to market your holds list.

Assuming that every patron knows that you have a request service for physical and digital titles is a mistake. Because we spend so many hours at the library, it can be easy to forget that many things are unknown to patrons. Some patrons may have forgotten that they can place a hold request for a popular title, receiving a notification when it is available for them. 

In many libraries, as soon as a title is "on order" in the ILS, patrons can start putting holds on it. Hold requests also give your acquisitions department an idea about demand for a particular title.

Create a display with cover photos, information about how holds work, ways they can be contacted, and information about how to access their accounts online or through an app. You can add other titles by the authors who have books upcoming as well. Copy the information onto your social media and website.You can also add bookmarks for patrons to take with them. 

Hop onto the publicity and excitement about promotions like this and use them to sell your library's services!

Book Display Idea - Use a specific book : Wasps in the Ice Cream by Tim McGregor

 Growing up can be hazardous as noted by the many coming of age horror books. This popular theme is part of what makes Wasps in the Ice Cream by Tim McGregor such a great read. The listless summer of 1987 finds Mark Prewitt spending time with friends he's not sure that he likes anymore, working two part-time jobs to restore an old car, and mooning after one of the hot girls in school. The Farrow sisters are part of a strange, reclusive family, subject to rumor and the hatred of the other people in their small town. After he participates in a prank pulled on the Farrow sisters, Mark decides to try to make amends. He is drawn into their world, especially that of the middle sister, George. When their secret relationship is exposed, Mark has to choose between his friends and the world he and George have created. 

Beyond coming of age and the late 80's, the book also has themes of aliention and  small towns, outsiders, family secrets, alienation and disaffection. There are also Satanic panic vibes as rumors and stories about the Farrows swirl around the small town. A book list or display of read alikes can be created with any these ideas at the center. 

Coming of age in the 80's horror? Try putting up these titles on a display - 

• The Pallbearers Club by Paul Tremblay
• Whisper Down the Lane by Clay McLeod Chapman
• Ghoul by Brian Keene
• The Rust Maidens by Gwendolyn Kiste
• Straight on Til Morning and All Hallows, both by Christopher Golden
• My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix 
  

I think that Ghoul and Rust Maidens are probably the closest read alikes. However, Whisper Down the Lane is about the Satanic Panic which somewhat mirrors the sort of rumors and panic that the Farrow sisters faced. Mercy from The Pallbearer's Club is another character like George who is a spooky outsider who is a possible threat to the protagonist. 

George is my favorite character in the book so I'm a little biased. I also loved Mercy in The Pallbearer's Club. A display that focused on girls like George might be popular given the hit series Wednesday. Other books with an outsider teenage girl coming of age include: 

• Boring Girls by Sara Taylor
• Such a Pretty Smile by Kristi DeMeester
• The Girls by Emma Cline
• We Sold Our Souls by Grady Hendrix
• Jawbone by Monica Ojeda
  

If you want to use George Farrow as the center of your book list or display, you can tap some of the Wednesday Addams book lists online. There are some from Buzzfeed, Booktopia, and YA readalikes from Teen Librarian Toolbox. 

The small town 80's setting will make some of your patrons think of Stranger Things and there is nothing wrong with harnessing a pop culture trend to help draw attention to your collection's back list. There are plenty of lists with read alikes including from Book Riot, YA titles from Epic Reads, and Goodreads. 

The Farrows are a secretive family, Family secrets can help a book have a sense of dread. More books with family secrets are listed on: Goodreads, Novel Suspects, and Crime Reads. 

There are also non-fiction books including memoirs that you can add to a display. Don't allow yourself to be limited by genre. If you make your displays more open, they are easier to fill throughout the time the display is active. 

Here are some more lists with ideas for your book display:

Goodreads has a list of coming of age horror books. 
Tor.com comes through with a list of Five Coming of Age Horror Novels. 
Small town horror books from Bustle and from Mid-Continent Public Library.
I won't link to a list but Stephen King's backlist is filled with small town horror. 

Book Display Theme- Black History Month

 It's likely your library has put up a book display or list related to Black History Month. If you look at the official US government site and review the exhibits page, you will see a huge variety of topics. There are exhibits on educators, visual artists, theatre, dress, folklife, colleges, literature, music and religion. Use these exhibits as a place to start your own displays and lists for Black History Month.

In addition to displays focusing on slavery and the Civil Rights Movement, use this month to introduce patrons to titles in your collection that can allow them to see parts of Black history that they might not be familiar with. There are topics like the Harlem Renaissance , Black cowboys, Black entrepreneurs, Black scientists, and more. GLAAD has information on Black LGBTQ history. Don't forget to see what your local history collection has about history in your city, state, or region. 

The most popular display I have ever put up in February was related to Black chefs, cooking, and history of food in Black culture. In less than a week, the display was empty, after being filled several times. Another popular display was biographies and memoirs. Choose a variety of people from many backgrounds and experiences. Use those faceouts to show the depth and breadth of Black history.

Fiction is something that sometimes gets ignored. Use a display of mystery, romance, science fiction, or romance to bring out your backlist and give it some light. There are plenty of lists you can start with online: 

BookRiot has 24 Black romance books add to your TBR.  
WOC in Romance has lists by trope and subgenre. 

The Los Angeles Public Library published a list in 2018 of Black mystery writers and their Black detectives. 
CrimeReads offers 25+ new releases from Black authors including mysteries of all kinds, thrillers, and suspense novels. 

The Toronto Public Library posted a list celebrating Black speculative fiction authors. 
Epic Reads has a YA focused list of science fiction and fantasy by Black authors. 
Essence offers a beginner's guide to Afrofuturism. 

The Root produced a list of titles by Black horror authors 
Goodreads has this collection of horror and thrillers by Black authors.
The Horror Writers Association has a blog which features diverse authors all year. 

Find interviews with authors, historians, artists and link to them on your social media. Include information about your online lists and collections. Don't forget your storytimes and youth events. Include a variety of books for youth of all ages in your displays. I haven't even mentioned things like graphic novels, movies, and music. 

I will end with a reminder that if you don't have enough to put up a display on a particular topic, it is a good time to review your collection and see what should be added. Also, use diversity and inclusion in your book displays all year. 

Make a display or list based on one author - Colleen Hoover

 More than likely, you have books by Colleen Hoover on your physical and digital holds list. While you may not have the books in your building to include in a physical display, you can use read alike authors on your shelves to give back list titles some attention, bring attention to other authors that fans of Hoover would like, and advertise your holds list. 

Where to find suggestions? There are plenty of lists to get you started on your own display or post. 

Business Insider has a list - 22 books Colleen Hoover fans will love, from suspenseful romance reads to tearjerker YA stories. This list has suggestions from all over fiction and is diverse which I appreciate. It will also give you a taste of the different ways people can approach even a popular author like Hoover. 

A feature you can copy is Book Riot's book recommendation service - using email, online chat, or whatever your library can support even if that's paper requests. Their list of 10 Authors Like Colleen Hoover is another good way to recommend read alikes because it's broad enough that even if a particular title is checked out, recommending an author gives a patron many choices 

Other libraries make lists that can give you a good head start in creating your own display or list. The Topsfield Town Library has a list - Read this next: A Reading List for Fans of Colleen Hoover.  I love that it lists the titles by Hoover they own, points out part of their library you may have missed, and lists tone/theme/plot reasons why you might like the read alikes. 

The Harrison Public Library made a post of recommendations from a staff member that acknowledged the challenge of recommending read alikes from someone who writes books that are in different genres, subgenres, and have a different tone. Their post of Colleen Hoover Read-Alikes is clever and has a great graphic. 

Remember to credit your sources if you borrow an idea especially if it's online. 

Book Display Idea: Use a specific title: White Horse by Erika T. Wurth

White Horse is one of NoveList’s Best of the Year titles for 2022. If you are following or promoting the NoveList 2023 Reading Challenge, it fills the January prompt.  Kari James is an urban Indian, working in bars, reading Stephen King, and listening to heavy metal. She spends her free time with her cousin, Debby, and at the White Horse, an Indian bar. Abandoned by her mother while an infant, Keri is forced to look into her past as well as her family’s past when Debby gives her a bracelet that was her mother’s. The bracelet seems to bring forth visions. It’s a horror novel with heart that dives into the pain and horror in digging up the truth.

It is another title that is a compelling story of women’s friendships and relationships as are The Bandit Queen and Bad Cree. A display filled with books that center the relationships between groups of women would be a great display to use for March and Women’s History Month. The books don’t need to have one tone as families and friendships are complicated. You can look at books like The Girls from Corona del Mar by Rufi Thorpe, The Story Hour by Thirty Umrigar, and Manhunt by Gretchen Felker-Martin for different takes on women’s relationships. This theme would also work for 

Another theme in the book is family secrets. Besides Bad Cree, there are also books like The Book of Accidents by Chuck Wendig, White is for Witching by Helen Oyeyemi, Shelter by Jung Yun, and Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng which include complex characters and families with secrets. Remember that if you are working with a them like family secrets or women’s friendships, you aren’t limited to one genre or even just fiction. Starting with a book display theme like that will make the display easier to create and keep filled. The object is to draw attention to hidden gems in your collection rather than to create a perfect display. 

Of course, White Horse is a great title to put on a display or list for a women in horror display as part of Women’s History Month in March as well as a display of Native American fiction or horror. Authors like Stephen Graham Jones, Ramona Emerson, Jessica Johns, Owl Goingback, and Daniel H. Wilson have all written recent, compelling horror novels. There are also authors like Leslie Marmon Silko, Louise Erdrich, Tommy Orange, and Cherie Dimaline who have written recent books that you can check out. Remember you can check your collection for non-fiction and DVDs that can be added. 

As always, using a book like White Horse to inspire a book display or list is a great way to see what you have in your collection, both in physical and eBook form as well as what you are missing. Remember to include information about your digital collection in a physical book display as well as links to your collection. 

Other Resources:
Brightly had a list of female friendships: Ups, Downs, and Everything In-Between: 11 Great Books About Female Friendships

Goodreads has a list of books shelved as female friendship books. 

From Book Riot, 12 Female Friendship Books for Galentine’s Day. 

Books on Goodreads shelved under Family Secrets.

23 Books with Family Secrets We Still Can’t Believe on Epic Reads. 

8 Novels About Family Secrets Lurking Right Under Your Nose on Book Riot

The Horror Writers Association has a series of interview with Native American Authors.

The Seattle Public Library has a list of recent novels on their Native American Fiction list. 

Books shelved as Native American Fiction on Goodreads.