The Australian Horror Writers Association AGM is taking place on September 9 in Melbourne. AHWA members should be well and truly aware of this, and all the requisite details will be in the members section of the AHWA website.

As most of you are aware, I am the AHWA Vice President. I will be standing for re-election, as will founding President Marty Young. However, a few of the committee positions will be available, so I’d urge any AHWA members to consider putting their hand up to help steer this dark, dark ship. Serving on the committee is, at times, demanding but also extremely rewarding.

If any AHWA members need someone to nominate on their behalf, just contact me (either comment on this post or send me an email – check the bar to the right for the address).

I believe the opportunity to nominate people for committee positions (and to send in crucial proxy voting forms) closes on September 2, so get your hussle on, folks!

I’ll be heading out to Conflux next week, and will be doing a whole bunch of AHWA panels and hanging around the AHWA dealers table, so that should be a blast. I feel relaxed about this con.

Given the intended launch at Conflux of Morrigan Books’ Voices anthology, which contains my story “A Picture of Death” amongst plenty of other fine and deeply disturbing stories (notably by Robert Hood and Martin Livings), I thought it an opportune time to plug a couple of the books in which I’ll be making appearances:

First of all, the aforementioned Voices anthology. If you like your horror contained within the deceptively mundane environment of a hotel, you’ll love this nasty book.

Cthulhu’s minions reach into our world through dark souls yearning for power and glory. Cthulhu’s Dark Cults, edited by David Conyers, features work from the best Mythos writers in the business (including Aussies Penelope Love and David Witteveen, and yours truly). My contribution is the biggest in the book – a giant-sized novella dealing with a discovery beneath the mountains of Peru that has dire consequences for life on Earth. “Requiem for the Burning God” is perhaps the best thing I’ve ever written, and from what I’ve seen of the rest, I’d heartily recommend buying this book when it becomes available (late this year, I think!).

The poll has been decided. People reckon I’m a writer, which gives me the warm and fuzzies.

Speaking of which, a few things have given me renewed energy on the writing front…

Although it has yet to be publicly announced (and may not be for a while yet), I’m very proud to share the news that I’m the incoming Vice President of the Australian Horror Writers Association, the world’s second largest (and fastest growing) organisation for dark fiction writers.

And on the subject of horror, it was tremendously invigorating to walk into the local newsagent and see seven copies of BLACK Australian Dark Culture at the top of the mag shelf. THEN I had the good fortune to pop into the local Dymocks store, which looks like it has just converted one of its SF/F aisles into a dedicated ‘Paranormal fiction’ section. Different name but same result. Horror is back, baby! Yeah!

Aussie dark fiction has been gaining considerable momentum for a while. I’m proud to be contributing to the genre and to the community, but I see plenty more opportunities and areas for growth. It’s an exciting time.

Which is why I am standing for the position of Vice President of the Australian Horror Writers Association.

If you’re an AHWA member, I’d urge you to participate in the voting. Onwards! Upwards!