Mid-Year Writing Update: A Look Back at StokerCon and New Poetry    

This month has been a whirlwind.

It started with a friend’s wedding in California, then was right back to Connecticut for StokerCon (the Horror writer’s conference). I wrapped that up, and then it was back to work, work, work.

I’ve had some good writing news this month and the conference was a blast. So, let’s break things down one by one.

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StokerCon: How It Went

StokerCon. It’s always a blast, but always exhausting. I think, like me, many writers are introverts, so talking, and talking, and talking ALL weekend long is a big drain. (Although everyone is super welcoming and nice, and I think most feel the same since the majority appear to be introverts as well).

But in the end, it’s just so rewarding to be around people for a weekend who you just naturally vibe with. Who are all trying to do the same thing: Say something vital in in this genre of Horror. We all come from such diverse and different walks off life (there were even, egad!, some Canadians!), but we all get fired up to gather together and geek out together about this weird little niche we can’t get enough of. And in today’s world, that’s so refreshing.  

If you’ve never been to a writing convention (I assume most of you haven’t). Here are the basics of how it goes:

• Say hello to every other writer you’ve “liked,” “Thumbs-upped,” or reached out to on social media, but haven’t met yet in real life.

• Catch up (usually for literally two minutes) with everyone you already DO know.

• Go to as many readings and panels as you can cram into your schedule.

• Try to get some sleep/rest. (But you really don’t cause you adrenaline is pumping so hard).

• Buy way too many books at the author signings. And don’t forget to get them signed!   

• Cram some food in your face from your secret stash in your hotel room OR the hotel’s mediocre café which (this weekend only!) has interminably long lines.

• Go to the Awards’ Banquet and cheer and laugh like crazy.

• Fly/drive back home and collapse into an exhausted heap for the next week-and-a-half.

Anyway, as promised on my Appearances page, I also materialized in various places at the convention, including:  

The Poetry Open Mic: A great meetup that we poets feel is our very own. One room, one mic, 40 poets. Linda Addison, our ringmaster, leads off with a few poems, then it’s everyone’s turn to stand up and share one of theirs.

I always love seeing what everyone is working on. It gives me a gauge for where speculative poetry is at.

I debuted a new poem “Anti-Hydra” which I really like. The audience responded well, but not super enthusiastically. But hey! That happens. I think it’s because the poem “reads” better than it “performs.” Meaning it’s dense and chewy, and probably a better experience if you’re reading it at home alone on a Sunday afternoon, as opposed to performing it live where a lot of that subtlety and density goes out into the world—and right over people’s heads. Understandable.

A Reading: I was also lucky enough to get a reading slot at the convention with the writers Rachel Harrison and Ryan Marie Ketterer. Both of who give Killer Readings, by the way (with audience cheers, schwag, and everything!). So, I like to think the three of us gave the people what they came for.

I debuted four new poems at the reading. I was plenty nervous, debuting poems will always do that for me. We also had 47 people in attendance (which is the biggest crowd I’ve read my poetry to).

Now, I usually write dark fantasy/Cosmic poetry, but for this crowd I pulled out my darker, Horror poems. People seemed to like them and I got several compliments on my poems later on  during the convention. I also had several people ask if I had a poetry book out (I don’t yet), and got some new signups for my newsletter.

In fact, strangely enough, someone came up after the reading and said:

“Hey, Darius, can I get Selfie with you?”

And I kinda a froze for a moment and turned around looking for him…

Then, realized they actually meant me…My brain unfroze and I said, “Yeah, sure!”

I think I remembered to smile? So, that was the first time that happened. All in all, not a bad reading.

The Cosmic Horror Panel: I was a bit anxious about this one since it was my first panel at StokerCon.

But in the end, it went great. James Chambers led us through a great discussion and contributions from my fellow panelists (Ann Dávila Cardinal, Barbara Cottrell, and John Langan) made for a rich discussion.

I think we dragged Cosmic Horror (not so much kicking and screaming, as whimpering, nodding, and willing following along) into the present. We talked Algernon Blackwood, Junji Ito, Mariana Enriquez, Victor LaValle, and more. Everyone in the crowd seemed to be into that more modern take on the subgenre and excited about where it’s headed…I, for one, am really excited about where we’re going…

The panel was filmed and it may appear somewhere on HWA’s YouTube or somewhere like that in the future. If it does, I’ll be sure to post here on the Blog.

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Two Big Takeaways from StokerCon

This Con in particular is fruitful for my imagination. It helps prompt new ideas OR—if I’m stuck in a plot point or concept—to find new pathways out. This year was no exception. From story ideas to promotion and submission tactics, StokerCon gave me a lot of food for thought (And I thank all my fellow attendees for that), but it resulted in two giant takeaways for me personally:

“It’s All the Same Story.” I was sitting there in a panel or something and it just hit me. “Everything I’m writing in Horror is one story.” I’ve written all these separate stories, poems and even a novella. They’re all set in different times and locations. But I’ve realized they’re all set in the same universe and are part of the same elemental struggle (have the same overarching plot). So, that kinda left me thunderstruck. Now, I just gotta pull all these threads together. And I’ve got a plan to do that now…I just don’t know why I didn’t see it sooner…More on that later.

I also realized I’m a writer of Urban Horror, not Rural Horror. This year, I went to a lot of readings with Horror pieces set in rural West Virginia, Ohio, or Spain. Later, I was sitting in a panel on “What Editors Look For’ (or something like that) where the book/magazine editors we’re saying they’re looking for unique takes on existing tropes or substantially new and novel stuff. And something just clicked…

I realized that I don’t come from a rural background or a small town. I grew up, went to school, and now live in a large coastal metropolis. I love small town Horror, all those abandoned cornfields and decaying mansions. But that’s not where I’m coming from. It’s harder for me to write authentically about those places. So, I think it’s my mission now to go find Horror in the big city (and maybe the suburbs?). And I’ve had ideas about this, of course, but this new thinking is going to help me focus on that…So, more to come on that.  

That’s it. A wrap on StokerCon 2025. A big thank you to all the organizers, volunteers and staff who put this on and make it happen—that must be no small task. Also, thanks to all the writers for those side conversations at the Con, I truly appreciate all your advice.

Finally, hope to see you all next year in Pittsburgh. (Yes, I already have my ticket for StokerCon 2026!).

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New Poem Out and Acceptances

Good news! I had one new poem out recently and two more got accepted for publication.

First, as discussed last time, the poem “Celestial Worm” about the strange resonances between a man, a worm, and a blackhole appeared in the Spring edition of Star*Line Magazine. I’m really proud of this one and it really strikes that Cosmic vibe I’m going for. It’s my third poem appearing there and the first under new editor, John Reinhart.

Second, two poems I debuted at StokerCon (with a definitive Horror vibe) were accepted by Alien Buddha Press. I’m happy to announce that both “Shine Down” and “The Power in the Darkness” will appear in their special Halloween edition this October. Both have the same theme: Some dark force from outside pressing into our world to take possession of what is naturally its own—and really has been all along.

Well, that’s quite a bit for this time. A good update.

See you next time. Until then…

Keep reading, keep writing!