StokerCon 2026: Notes from a Newbie
- Thomas Witherspoon
- 3 minutes ago
- 7 min read
Hi!
My name is Tom Witherspoon, and I am very new to the world of professional genre writing and publishing. I want to talk about my experiences attending StokerCon 2026. These experiences are a mix of session notes, observations, and some commentary. Maybe even a personal revelation or two!
My partner accompanied me on this crazy trip! While I was hanging out with the Halloween People, she got to explore the city. She had a great time and can’t wait to come back with me next year.
Steel City Arrival
I was unable to secure lodging in the conference hotel, so I booked us a room at a hotel about a ten-minute walk away. Location wise, it was not bad. The walk between here and the conference was relatively flat, so that made it easy to get my steps in every day. And if I was feeling lazy, I could always catch a bus from a stop only two blocks away. I did purchase a week pass for the Pittsburgh transit system, a good investment, IMHO. It’s always good to have options when it comes to transit.
Now it has been more than a decade since I have travelled to attend a large conference. But I managed to remember one important lesson: always arrive the day before the conference starts. Travelling from Portland, Oregon, to Pittsburgh was not too rough, but jumping ahead three hours will play merry hell with your internal clock. It’s nice to have part of a day to let your body adjust.
Growing up in DC, Philly was always the closer Pennsylvania city option than Pittsburgh. So I’ve spent a few weeks over the course of my life in The City of Brotherly Love. (I personally believe that motto to be something of a lie, but that’s my opinion.) After spending a week in Pittsburgh, I wish I had spent those weeks on the West side of the Commonwealth. This is a really great city! Full of good food, great museums, and lots of interesting history. I have already purchased next year’s StokerCon ticket and am looking forward to continuing my exploration of Pittsburgh.
Conference Day 1
So, I have to start off with the only bummer of the conference. I’m not going to name this panel or its participants, but I am going to call out two things that you never want to experience at a panel discussion.
Long periods of silence from the entire panel. Now, I’m going to do what I normally do and cut these folks some slack. It was the first day of the conference after all. Maybe some of these folks just got here, maybe they’re not checked into their room yet, and maybe they’re hungry/tired and not at their mental best. But those long stretches of silence were off-putting.
One of the participants of this panel was one of my favorite authors. As a matter of fact, their books are one of the reasons I decided to give writing horror a try. I really wanted to write something that scared and excited me as much as some of their work. And here is how they introduced themselves (quoted verbatim with identifying details redacted):
“Hi, I’m <name redacted>. I wrote a book over a decade ago that <redacted> and I guess that’s why I’m here.”
DO NOT DO THAT. Do not belittle your own accomplishments for they are the reason why you have been invited to speak on a particular topic. There will be people in the audience who came specifically to hear what YOU have to say. Don’t act like you don’t want to be there.
Note: Please don’t use the comments to speculate on the identity of this person. I will not provide an answer, so please don’t ask me.
The welcome reception was very nice but there were issues with the PA system. Those issues were resolved in time for the Final Frame movies the following evening.
Conference Day 2
On the whole, a much better day! Attended a mix of genre sessions and industry insights. Some highlights from my notes:
Out of the Shadows: The Evolution of Horror Into Everyday Life
The most interesting, as well as scary, things we encounter are the late-night conversations we have with ourselves.
Your main character is battling against the weight of the world.
Your characters must mature as they wage this battle against the unknown.
Pay attention to Pixar’s list of rules for writers.
Pitch Session Panel
How would you describe your book to someone at a party?
Comps can be points of INSPIRATION, not just direct comparisons.
The Hook, The Book, and the Cook! But the FRAME is also important.
Don’t self-reject!
Working With the Big-5 Publishers
NEVER give up your film, TV, video games, and merchandise rights. Your book or story may never get to that level, but if it does then you can avoid this cheap grab for cash from the publisher for no extra work on their part.
There isn’t much to say about the Final Frame films because they were all different and interesting. Here are the award winners.
Conference Day 3
Black Gothic in America
Without a doubt, the best panel I attended was the Black Gothic in America panel. I could have listened to those folks talk for another three hours! This session informed me, entertained me, and made me reconsider some choices I have made as a writer. Here are my notes presented with no edits:
This was the BEST panel of the conference, at least for me! I learned so much and had such a great time. I could have listened to these panelists for HOURS.
Some titles you may have missed as being “black gothic”:
“Black Snake Moan”
“Candyman”
“Eve’s Bayou”
“Kindred”
“Skeleton Key”
“The Ballad of Black Tom”
“The People Under the Stairs”
A great nonfiction book about this subject is “Darkly: Black History and America’s Gothic Soul” by Leila Taylor. She has referred to herself as a “Afro-Gothicist”.
Another book to add to the TBR pile is “The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster”. This is a retelling of “Frankenstein” where a sister resurrects her brother who was claimed by gun violence.
Gentrification is not just about shoving out marginalized communities and turning their neighborhood stores into another freaking Starbucks. Language is also involved: ever heard of “East Williamsburg, NYC”? No? Well, that’s because its older and more familiar name is Bushwick.
The past is ALWAYS prelude.
Hopeful Nihilism: How Cosmic Horror Can Inspire
I do love cosmic horror (and have written a cosmic horror story that will be published later this year!) so I was curious to hear a “positive” spin on this genre:
“Within nothing, there is hope.”
This statement astonished me when I first heard it, and I am still thinking about it days later. Not that the idea of humans trying to find hope in a calamitous situation is a new one to me. But the notion of pulling hope out of that nothingness really excites me! I want to write a hopeful cosmic horror story!
Books to add to the TBR pile:
“Black Brane” by Michael Cisco
“A Bright and Beautiful Eternal World” a short story collection by James Chambers
“The Ghost Pirates” by William Hope Hodgson (contemporary of H.P. Lovecraft)
The Calls are Coming from Inside the Spaceship! When Horror and Science Fiction Meet
Another panel I was looking forward to and did not disappoint!
Besides the common tropes: aliens, haunted spaceships/space stations, killer AIs, here are some other ideas to consider:
\What does a non-human intelligence really care about?
How much horror can you (or your readers) handle?
The loss and gain of bodily/mental autonomy.
The notion that technology can seduce you and then betray you.
The author Patrick Freivald likes to divide all sci-fi/horror into two categories: the “Whoopsie!” and the “Hell yeah!”
Another book to add to the TBR pile: “Alone in the Universe” by John Gribbin.
I attended six sessions on this day, so as a result I crashed out HARD. I did not attend the Stoker Awards cocktail reception, dinner, awards ceremony, or after party. I believe I was asleep by ten PM, but I don’t recall clearly.
Conference Day 4
Last day! And three strong sessions to end the conference.
We’ve Always Been Here: Transgender Imagery and Characters Throughout Horror History
Please reconsider “The Silence of the Lambs”, which was the first exposure for many to trans people. While a good film, its portrayal of Jame Gumb is not the most accurate or flattering.
A more interesting film to consider is “Nothing But Trouble” by Dan Aykroyd starring John Candy in drag!
One of the main things to consider when writing trans characters is that nobody is ever 100% comfortable in their own body. Some are so discomfited by their own body that changing it is the best way to achieve relief.
A Psychotropic Medium: Reanimating the Horror Novella
Novellas are not as dependent upon world-building if their scenes are compact and familiar.
Try out strange little ideas!
Artwork can be used to reveal character and subtext.
“The Nut House” by Patrick Barb is a recent novella hit.
The last session I attended was hosted by the Pittsburgh HWA folks and they were full of suggestions for haunted and/or spooky spots around town. Great panel! Those folks are fun!
Conclusions
So, I feel like I messed up my first StokerCon. While I remembered my rule to arrive at the conference one day early, I forgot another important rule: DO NOT OVERTAX YOURSELF.
So, yeah, I overtaxed myself. I attended too many sessions, and as a result, I was DEAD FREAKING TIRED at the end of every day. I really overdid myself on Saturday, so I missed the whole Awards evening because I was so exhausted. Staying in a hotel a ten-minute walk away did not help matters. By the time Sunday arrived, I was mentally and physically spent.
A curious side-effect of this exhaustion is that I was far from my usual extroverted self. I did not do a very good job of meeting people and making connections. I want to be very clear that this was definitely a ME problem rather than a YOU problem. Everyone I did meet at the conference was perfectly nice and friendly, but I’m not sure I reciprocated.
I fully intend to do a better job of meeting people and conserving my energy for next year’s conference.
