History
The AHWA built to some extent on the work of previous horror writers' associations in Australia such as the Sydney-based Gargoyle Club (1987-92)(see Leigh Blackmore) and the Melbourne-based Australian Horror Writers (1994-1998) (see Bryce J. Stevens), which grew out of Bloodsongs magazine (its President being Bryce J. Stevens, and its newsletter/journal Severed Head having been edited first by Stevens, then Aaron Sterns). However, the AHWA was a far more ambitious effort, conceived by its founding committee as drawing together horror writers and fans nationwide in Australia.
The AHWA was officially launched during the Continuum 3 science fiction convention in Melbourne on 17 July 2005 by author Richard Harland.
The founding committee members were Dr Marty Young (President), Kirstyn McDermott (Vice President), Mick Piemontese (Secretary), Carl Schaller (Treasurer), James R Cain and Angela Challis.
In 2005, the AHWA established the Australian Shadows Award as an annual literary award to honour the best published work of horror fiction written or edited by an Australian. The award was sponsored by Altair Australia Books in its first two years, through the donation of two statuettes created by dark fantasy artist Brom (supplied by The Franklin Mint).
Other projects established by the AHWA include the Southern Horror Yahoo! Group mailing list for members, an annual flash fiction and short story competition (winning entries are published in Midnight Echo magazine), online chatrooms and forums, a Market Hive (markets database for current horror fiction markets), an annual mentorship programme, and ongoing story critiquing groups.
Renowned Australian horror & ghost story anthologist James Doig has provided the AHWA website with a historical checklist of important Australian horror and fantasy works.
The AHWA also maintains links with the British Fantasy Society and Horror Writers of America.
The AHWA news service was amalgamated with Brimstone Press's news and review webzine HorrorScope between March 2007 and Sept 2010. With AHWA news editor Talie Helene joining the HorrorScope editorial team, the combined serviced provided a single, streamlined source for Australian horror publishing news until early 2011.
Read more about this topic: Australian Horror Writers Association
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