Library Journal's Day of Dialog Is Coming April 17th and Not Only Will I Be There....So Will ARCs of by Book!

The next LJ DoD is coming up soon and it is going to be the first official step on my book promotion journey.

Join us April 17 for our Library Journal Day of Dialog virtual event! Spanning a variety of genres, this day-long program will offer an in-depth look at the biggest forthcoming books for summer/fall 2025. You’ll hear directly from top authors as they discuss their new titles, inspiration, process, and more.  

And don’t forget the virtual exhibit hall! Visit the booths to download free resources and chat with representatives.

EVENT HOURS: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM ET 

As Library Journal's Horror Review Columnist, I am often called upon to help with panels; however, this time they wanted me as an author! When thinking about which author to pair myself with for this event, I knew it had to be Alma Katsu. First, I am already reading her next book, FIEND, for my June 2025 column (review due 4/14). Second, at this moment in history, with her background working for our governments intelligence agencies, she knows real life horror. And third, check out the title of her essay in my book, "What You Can Learn from Horror: Don’t run from darkness; it’s trying to teach you a lesson."

Once we paired up, I was asked to come up with a title/theme of our 30 minute chat, and this is what I decided upon:

3:45 – 4:15 PM ET | Why We Need Horror
Join Award winning author Alma Katsu and Library Journal's Horror Review Columnist Becky Spratford as they discuss the importance of reading horror during the darkest times.

Alma and I are doing this live and with no concurrent panel. We will be talking about her upcoming book, FIEND and her essay in my upcoming book, WHY I LOVE HORROR. Both books will be available for download in the publisher's booths of the virtual exhibit hall. (PRH for her, S&S for me).

You read that correctly! You will be able to read my book. After finishing it I know you will be buying a copy for every building in your systems. LOL. Well, only a little. One of the best things about my book is that the cover (coming soon) is awesome (drawn by a talented horror artist) and between the cover and the title-- Why I Love Horror-- you simple put it out as the sign for all of your horror displays and fill in any and all horror books around it. (This also means you probably need more than one copy as well because people will grab it).

Okay enough shameless promotion. Here is more good news. Right before our conversation is the Horror panel:

2:25 – 3:15 PM ET | Nightmares Unleashed
From personal peril to historical hauntings, these horror novels will keep you up and keep you guessing.

Isabel Canas, The Possession of Alba Diaz (Berkley: Penguin Random House)
Jenny Kiefer, Crafting for Sinners (Quirk Books)
Leigh Radford, One Yellow Eye (Gallery Books: Simon & Schuster)
Sam Rebelein, Galloway's Gospel (William Morrow: HarperCollins)
Markus Redmond, Blood Slaves (Dafina: Kensington)
Moderator: Janee Jackson-Doering, Youth Services Consultant, State Library of Iowa

A big thank you to Janee and her panel for getting everyone primed and ready for me and Alma.

But this day is not just about me or even horror. There is a full day of free events as well as a virtual exhibit hall. Click here to explore the program and use the tabes at the top of the page for more information.

Again all of this, everything that day, is FREE from April 17-July 17 for everyone who registers. Click here to get your spot reserved now. You can join us live or watch the recording for 3 full months.