So last month brought an absolutely wonderful surprise: The Haunting of Velkwood is on the Preliminary Bram Stoker Awards Ballot!
*cue spectral screams of joy*
Seriously, though, I was literally dancing to Fleetwood Mac when the email with the preliminary ballot arrived, and you better believe I was dancing afterward too!
Now it’s important to note that this is NOT a nomination, as this is only the preliminary ballot; voting for the final ballot is just about to start, with the nominees being announced in the coming weeks. But to make it this far is so incredibly humbling and exciting!
The Haunting of Velkwood has been out for almost a year now, and truth be told, it’s been one wild ride of a year. It’s been named a best horror book of the year from Esquire, Library Journal, and Paste Magazine, and it was nominated for the inaugural Haunted Minds Book Club Awards. It’s been featured at Book Riot, CrimeReads, Gizmodo, Ginger Nuts of Horror, Goodreads, and more. It’s also gotten some lovely blurbs and reviews that have seriously warmed my cold horror heart!
“Sure to be one of the most original and riveting horror novels of 2024.” – Booklist (Starred Review)
“Kiste kept her page-turner relatable. She made it fun. And memorable. It hints at lies and secrets… Kiste is a damn good story teller!” – Horror Tree
“One of the most original ghost stories you will ever read. Phenomenal.” – Rachel Harrison, national bestselling author of Cackle and Black Sheep
“Mercurial and wrenching… Kiste’s latest continues to define her as the modern mistress of horror.” – Lindy Ryan, author of Bless Your Heart
“A compelling read that reinvents the haunted house genre.” — A. C. Wise, author of Wendy Darling
Truly, it means so much to me that anyone has read this book and felt a connection to it. It’s the most personal thing I’ve ever written, and I’m still so thrilled that it’s reached readers out there in the world.
And finally, a quick reminder! The iMailer newsletter from HWA just went out last week, which included a special link to download The Haunting of Velkwood, but if you missed that email, then it bears repeating: if you’re an Active or Lifetime member and would like to read The Haunting of Velkwood, please email me at gwendolyn@gwendolynkiste.com, and I would be absolutely thrilled to send you a copy!
Huge congrats to everyone on the preliminary ballot! It’s an absolutely incredible group of authors, and wow, is it so fantastic to be included in such amazing company! I say it every year, but what the heck, it’s always true: what a great year for horror!
Happy reading!