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Musings: Introducing the Summer Scares Reading List

I am more than a little behind in getting information out to you all right now, but FINALLY I am at a place in my “gotta get it done” pile where I can share with you something I am pretty excited about. In fact, this is something I wanted to do years and years ago but could never really figure out how to execute it. Since Monster Librarian started, there have been huge changes in both the way HWA does things, how horror publishing works, and how seriously libraries take horror fiction. In 2006 (when we started reviewing) horror fiction and horror publishing was a pretty tiny community still communicating mainly through groups like Shocklines with independent presses that printed a lot of limited and collectible editions. Ebooks and self-publishing were just really getting their start and were the source of a lot of contention.

Dylan actually started  Monster Librarian during his internship for his MLS (for the uninitiated, that’s a master’s degree in library science) when he discovered that the other librarians working with him at the reference desk were familiar with Stephen King and… Stephen King, and neither knew or cared about most other contemporary horror. At the same time, I was sitting on a student choice awards nominating committee of school librarians who had neither a liking for or interest in horror or scary stories, this despite my being asked all the time “where are the scary books?” by kids. The fact that HWA now has a library committee, that major review publications now cover horror and scary stories and that there are major publishing imprints that now publish horror, that social media and sites like Book Riot exist and connect readers, writers, and publishers… this is huge. It makes Monster Librarian a very tiny fish now, but I am really proud that we have been here promoting horror for librarians and readers of horror and scary stories for all ages and have gotten to see and participate in this amazing growth and not just acceptance but celebration of the genre. I really wish Dylan was here to see this all happen.

And now, a press release on the beginnings of what I hope will be more than a one-time partnership: the Summer Scares reading program.

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SUMMER SCARES FIRST ANNUAL READING LIST ANNOUNCED

In celebration of National Library Lover’s Day, the Horror Writers Association (HWA), in partnership with United for Libraries, Book Riot, and Library Journal/School Library Journal, is delighted to announce the first annual Summer Scares Reading List, which includes titles selected by a panel of authors and librarians and is designed to promote horror as a great reading option for all ages, during any time of the year.

Each year, three titles will be chosen in the Adult, Young Adult, and Middle Grade categories, and for 2019 they are:

ADULT

Mongrels by Stephen Graham Jones (William Morrow Paperbacks, 2017)

My Soul to Keep by Tananarive Due (Harper Voyager, 1998)

Earthworm Gods by Brian Keene (Deadite Press, 2012)

YOUNG ADULT

Rotters by Daniel Kraus (Ember, 2012)

Slasher Girls and Monster Boys, edited by April Genevieve Tucholke (Speak, 2016)

Devil and Winnie Flynn by Micol Ostow (Penguin Random House Publisher Services, 2015)

MIDDLE GRADE

Doll Bones Holly Black (Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2015)

Through the Woods by Emily Carroll (Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2014)

The Jumbies by Tracey Baptiste (Algonquin Young Readers, 2016)

The goal of the Summer Scares program is to introduce horror titles to school and public library workers in order to help them start conversations with readers that will extend beyond the books from each list and promote reading for years to come. Along with the annual list of recommended titles for readers of all ages, the Summer Scares committee will also release themed lists of even more “read-alike” titles for libraries to use when suggesting books to readers this summer and all year long. And, in order to help libraries forge stronger connections between books and readers, the Summer Scares committee will be working with both the recommended list authors and horror authors from all over the country, to provide free programming to libraries. From author visits (both in person and virtual) to book discussions to horror themed events, Summer Scares is focused on connecting horror creators with libraries and readers all year long.

The Horror Writers Association (HWA) will also be hosting special Library Day programming at its annual StokerCon event, which will be held May 9-12 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Several of the authors from the Summer Scares reading list, as well as the committee members, will be in attendance. Authors and committee members will also be available throughout the year for on-site and/or remote appearances to libraries and schools to promote the Summer Scares program and discuss the use of horror fiction as a tool to increase readership and nurture a love of reading.

The Summer Scares program committee consists of award-winning author Grady Hendrix (We Sold Our Souls, Paperbacks from Hell), Becky Spratford (library consultant, author of The Readers Advisory Guide to Horror, 2nd Ed.), Carolyn Ciesla (library director, academic dean, book reviewer), Kiera Parrott (reviews director for Library Journal and School Library Journal), Kelly Jensen (editor, Book Riot, author of [Don’t] Call Me Crazy: 33 Voices Start the Conversation about Mental Health), and JG Faherty (HWA Library Program director, author of The Cure and Carnival of Fear).

The HWA is a non-profit organization of writers and publishing professionals, and the oldest organization dedicated to the horror/dark fiction genre. One of the HWA’s missions is to foster an appreciation of reading through extensive programming and partnerships with libraries, schools, and literacy-based organizations.

For more information about the Summer Scares reading program, including how to obtain promotional materials and schedule events with the authors/committee members, visit the HWA’s Libraries web page (www.horror.org/libraries), Becky Spratford’s Reader’s Advisory Horror Blog RA for All: Horror (http://raforallhorror.blogspot.com/), or the Book Riot, School Library Journal, Library Journal, or United for Libraries websites and social media sites.

You can also contact JG Faherty, Library Program Director (libraries@horror.org) or Becky Spratford, HWA Secretary (bspratford@hotmail.com).

Posted on March 13, 2019 by , Reply

Interview: Ivy Noelle Weir and Christina “Steenz” Stewart, Creators of Archival Quality

It wasn’t too long ago that we reviewed the graphic novel Archival Quality by Ivy Noelle Weir and Christina “Steenz” Stewart. Monster Librarian reached out to the creators, both professionally qualified librarians, through reviewer Lizzy Walker. Check out their interview, read our review, and then get your library card and check out Archival Quality!

 

Interview with Christina “Steenz” Stewart and Ivy Noelle Weir 

 

Christina

Christina “Steenz” Stewart

 

 

 

 

LW: Tell Monster Librarian readers about yourselves.

CS: My name is Steenz! It’s short for Christina. I work at Lion Forge as the social media and community manager. I used to be a manager of a comic shop and a comics focused librarian. I live with my fiancé Keya and my cat Marko. We are currently going through Arnold Schwarznegger’s entire filmography.

 

Ivy Noelle Weir

Ivy Noelle Weir

 

IW: I’m Ivy Noelle Weir, I’m a writer and an MLS-holding former librarian who now works in book publishing.

LW: What attracted you to working on this book?

CS: We became friends through The Valkyries. As I moved on to working in a library after comics retail, I reached out to Ivy to talk about the switch. And then we just started talking every day, every hour, from morning till night and became besties. It was soon after best friend status Ivy asked if I wanted to illustrate a webcomic with her and of course since I’d been itching to do a longform story for so long, I said yes! Also, the story is really good, so I was 100% on board after reading her summary.

IW: As Steenz said, we met in The Valkyries, and I just immediately loved her art from the moment I saw it. There’s a liveliness to Steenz’s art, her expressions are so lifelike and fun. I knew I wanted to work on something with her.

LW: What inspired you to create Archival Quality?

IW: It’s sort of a long story. I did my undergraduate studies in photography, and I became really fascinated by 19th century medical photography, and the ethics surrounding it. I took an internship in a historical medical archive, where I was working closely with images all day that were, to put it mildly, somewhat disturbing, but also deeply sad, isolating, lonely. While I was working there, I fell deeper and deeper into considering the ethics of archiving, what we preserve, and if it consents to being preserved. So, I started writing a ghost story about the ghost of an object in an archive, who doesn’t consent to being archived. Eventually, this turned from a prose novel to a comic script when I met Steenz, and now here we are.

Image from Archival QualityLW: Why did you choose to frame Archival Quality as a ghost story? What drew (ha) you to the horror genre? Are you a horror fan? Why or why not? Do you have recommendations for similar material?

CS: I’m ALL ABOUT horror. I love being scared. There’s something thrilling about watching a film and feeling uneasy afterwards. It’s kind of like a high. I recommend the Poughkeepsie Tapes if you don’t want to sleep for like two nights and Housebound if you’re looking for humorous horror.

IW: I’m a big ol’ horror nerd, and I always have been. I particularly love ghosts and haunted houses – I think they represent so much more than jump scares, they can be this pensive consideration of memory and trauma. The biggest influences on this story were Guillermo Del Toro’s The Devil’s Backbone, Mark Z. Danielewski’s House of Leaves, and Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House. I think Jackson’s book in particular blends the concepts of the highly personal with horror in a really fantastic way.

LW: You tackle the subject of mental illness and care very delicately, while at the same time head on. How did you manage to craft such a powerful narrative and equally powerful artwork for this story?

CS: I think when it comes to the art, I read the story… and knowing Ivy as a person, I felt like I had a good idea of what she was looking for in terms of style. We were on the same page when it came to aesthetics for this story. A shared Pinterest helped me a lot. Also knowing that Ivy trusted me entirely with the design of the book and characters let me stretch my world building muscles.

IW: For the story, it was very important to me to show a realistic portrayal of mental illness as it exists for one person. I think when you try to generalize, and make a narrative that fits everyone, or has a “happy” ending where someone is cured or “fixed”, you come up with something that I don’t feel is as genuine or effecting. Depression doesn’t always mean being beautifully sad. Sometimes it means being a jerk to the people around you because you feel out of your own control. I know some people won’t relate to Cel – and I think that’s okay. Depression looks different on everyone, and everyone’s path to helping themselves is doing to be different, too. It was important to me to show someone who struggles with the concept of getting help, because I think a lot of people who struggle with their mental health can relate to that feeling.

LW: Are there any plans or desire to further develop Celine’s story?

CS: I think Celine’s story is done. Celeste on the other hand could have many more adventures and continued growth. But I think we both want to take a break from the world of AQ for a little bit before getting into that.

IW: No, I think she’s got what she needed.

LW: Steenz, your artwork is so unique. I particularly love Holly’s character design! I also follow you on Facebook and adore your kung fu poses. How did you achieve your art style? What tools do you use for your work?  

CS: Thank you! I think when you’re learning to draw you subconsciously create your own style by fusing your interests with what your muscles naturally want you to do. I love Chris Sanders, Rebecca Sugar, and similar works. So, you can see the inspiration, but my style peeks through. I use a WACOM Cintiq, Manga Studio, and Photoshop. I’m hoping to get an IPad soon because all of my other comics friends has one and I’M HORRIBLY JEALOUS. Also, being able to work away from the desk is an amazing idea.

LW: Why should new graphic novel readers seek this out?

CS: Ivy and I both love reading works that aren’t just graphic novels. So, I think our work shows that. It has elements of cartoons, manga, and YA novels. So, if you like those things, there’s no way you won’t like Archival Quality.

IW: I think if you’re interested in haunted house tales, we’ve done something unique here in regard to the genre. And like Steenz said, we both brought techniques from a lot of the other media we consume to this book.

LW: Why should libraries be interested in Archival Quality?

CS: Well, we used to be librarians. And once a librarian, always a librarian. Support the homies, yanno?

IW: I think books that discuss the ethics of librarianship and archives in a conversational way are few and far between, and I hope Archival Quality offers libraries a way to engage with the topic while also getting spooked.

LW: What are some of your favorite books/graphic novels?

CS: Novels: The Lunar Chronicles, Six of Crows; Graphic Novels: Extremity, Daytripper, This One Summer, Batman: Detective Comics, Ms. Marvel, etc. I could go on for a really long time, but those came to my head first. Webcomics: On A Sunbeam, Agents of The Realm, Star Trip, Witchy

 

IW: Well, my favorite book is the previously mentioned The Haunting of Hill House. I just finished Night Film by Marissa Pessl and really enjoyed it. As for comics, I read pretty widely: I’m a big fan of Hellboy, Saga, Wicked + Divine…I also read a lot of manga – I’m loving The Girl from the Other Side right now.

LW: What other work have you done, separately or together?

CS: We’ve done work for anthologies together. Separately I’ve done work for the MINE! Anthology for Planned Parenthood and the ELEMENTS: Fire Anthology.

IW: We had a short story come out this month in Action Lab’s Princeless Charity Anthology!

LW: What else would you like librarians and readers to know about you?

CS: I tell everyone this, but GET A LIBRARY CARD. Also, I’ve spent many, many, many hours in libraries and I can guarantee you 100% that this is a book that you will want to curl up in a corner of your local library and read from beginning to end.

IW: I second Steenz’s urging for readers to get a library card. Libraries serve so many roles in their communities; your support is integral!

LW: What’s next for the amazing Ivy/Steenz team? 

CS: We’re working on a pitch for another book! Can’t say much other than that. So, GET READY.

IW: We’re working on something new! Which I should really get back to writing.

Posted on June 21, 2018 by , Reply

Musings: Gratitude

One thing this month has brought into sharp relief for me is how much I have to be grateful for.

I have discovered that I am surrounded by people of conscience who will actively challenge hate. Despite all the problems caused by the spread of poor information, the Internet has connected me when I felt isolated and alone.

I am within walking distance of my public library, a privilege that lifts me up, whether I am going there to work on this website, search for recreational reading, hang with my kids, or widen my understanding of the world. It’s a pretty great place, and during the month of October, I got to see democracy in action there, and show it to my kids, as it was an early voting location. People waited for hours to vote, every day. I wish everyone could easily access a library like mine. We all deserve it. Libraries are a cornerstone of democracy. If a major purpose of education is to create informed citizens able to participate effectively in democracy (and I firmly believe that it is) then publicly funded libraries are essential to our society. Where else can we freely access information and literature of all kinds, that opens windows in our minds and wakens us to ideas we’ve never encountered before? More than ever before, we need libraries and librarians, those professionals able to help us sort satire and lies from reliable sources. to help us identify bias and examine our reading critically. “Check your sources”, repeated by English teachers everywhere, has to be our gospel now. Librarians and libraries can show us how.

That we have freedom of information, freedom of the press, is such a gift. It’s one that can so easily slip away without our noticing in the morass of fake information and claims of bias. Corporations would like to end net neutrality and control our access: government would like to see the only news we see come straight from the source. That we live in a country where a free press  that keeps our government accountable not only exists but is something to have pride in, is amazing. That it’s a right we have is something we must protect (and that free press needs to be held accountable to accomplishing its mission, too). Our ability to express our outrage over challenges to literature and to question authority is a blessing that I am so grateful to have written into the founding documents of this country.

I am hopeful that we will remain a country of neighbors, reaching out to help each other in times of need. I have benefited from that generosity in my community as I cope with the death of my husband and the grief that accompanies it. I would like to think that the same people who have reached out to me when I have been in distress will also reach out to others outside our community when they see those people in need of help. I believe readers, especially, have a vision of the wider world, and will hold out their hands, and so I’m grateful for readers, and for all of you who have touched the lives of the people around you, near and far… and whether you know me or not, you have made a difference in my life.

I am grateful for a loving family and for my reviewers, some of whom have been such a part of the lives of me and my kids that they are like family themselves. And I will also be grateful if the sherry gravy on my stove right now doesn’t burn while I’m writing this.

Although for many people (including me) this is a difficult time of year, and in this year, for some it is particularly dark, I wish you all blessings in your celebrations, and reasons to find gratitude in your future.

 

Posted on November 24, 2016 by , Reply
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