So I’m absolutely honored and thrilled and shocked that my occult horror novelette, The Invention of Ghosts, is on the Preliminary Ballot for the Bram Stoker Awards.
*cue shrieks of joy*
Now as always, it’s important to note that this is NOT a nomination; this is only the preliminary ballot. Voting officially opens on Monday with the ballot announced next month. But to make it this far is such an incredible honor, and I’m so excited and surprised and humbled about this.
The Invention of Ghosts is among the most personal things I’ve ever written, and it’s a story that’s secretly been one of my very favorites of all my writing, so to say this is exciting is a major understatement. I’ve been seriously bursting with joy ever since the preliminary ballot was released last week, and that excitement is yet to fade.
So before I keep going on and on about this, let’s turn it out to a few reviewers and what they’ve had to say about The Invention of Ghosts!
“The Invention of Ghosts captures the essence of Kiste’s impressive body of work to date, in this gripping tale of a protagonist the reader should not turn their back on for a second.” — A.E. Siraki, author and reviewer
“This was an amazing look at the memory and the friendship between the two girls in the book. When the story was finished my heart hurt for awhile.” — The Misadventures of a Reader
“It is a stunning metaphor for how we leave behind—either accidentally, or purposefully—people whom we care about, and a warning against hiding away from the world… Highly recommended.” — Cemetery Dance
“The Invention of Ghosts is not only a horror story, it’s a tale of friendship and memories and dreams. It reminds us that as we try to escape our past, we sometimes create a future that is a different kind of a trap. I highly recommend this beautifully rendered tale.” — Suz Jay, author and reviewer
The iMailer newsletter from HWA went out earlier this week, which included a special link to download The Invention of Ghosts, but if you missed that email, then it bears repeating: if you’re an Active or Lifetime member and would like to read The Invention of Ghosts, please email me at gwendolyn@gwendolynkiste.com, and I would be absolutely thrilled to send you a copy!
So many huge congrats to everyone on the preliminary ballot! What an incredible group of authors! I’m truly so thrilled to be among so many fantastic horror creators and friends! And yes, I know I say it each and every year, but what a wonderful year for horror! Here’s to another great one in 2021!
Happy reading!