NYPL's Best Horror of the Year Event Is Free Both In Person and Online

 I normally would not post to everyone about an in person event, rather I would just post it on this page (available on the top of the right gutter of every page of the blog). However, this one is not only HUGE but it is also available for free virtually.

This event is the launch for the NYPL's 2nd annual Best Horror of the Year list for 2026 and it is featuring me in conversation with three of the authors appearing on that list-- Deena Helm, Kailee Pedersen, and Saratoga Schaefer. And BONUS-- Pedersen is also an opera singer and she will give a live performance as well. All of this is free in person (tickets limited) and Online to anyone, anywhere.

Click here to get the details, sign up and be there to join us at the 53rd Street Library or online.

But I do want to back up a bit to talk about the reason we are having this event-- the release of the NYPL's 2nd annual Best Horror of the Year list for 2026. I bolded 2nd because this is a big deal. 

Last year, as part of my book tour, I appeared at NYPL with Grady Hendrix, Rachel Harrison, Clay McLeod Chapman, and Victor LaValle. (Details and photos can be accessed here). As part of that event, NYPL staff asked if they could use the event to unveil their first annual Best Horror list.

Now before you are like, what's the big deal, they made a list. I need to back up and explain that NYPL "Best" lists are a big deal. It requires institutional support to add a genre to their "Best" list procedures. In fact, I had the chairs of the committee, Kate and Allison, write me a post about how it all works for 31 Days of Horror last year here.

The launch was such a success (standing room only at the event) that they asked if I would come back and moderate their panel every year, to make it a big event on its own WITHOUT my book and it's authors. I readily agreed because this is a cause for celebration.

The fact that NYPL allowed an official Horror Best List to even happen is amazing. I need you all to understand that in these big libraries, there are a lot of hoops to jump through (because there have to be), and to get Horror to this "Best" level, something they have invested staff time in and actual dollars paid to the presenters, this is something I could have never dreamed of back in 2004 when my first book came out, when all I was doing why trying to justify to libraries what they HAD to have horror books and help horror readers.

Celebrate this with us from ANYWHERE on earth. Click here to be included and get your livestream link. Click here as well to grab a seat before tickets are gone.

Let's all enjoy this moment of celebrating what NYPL has deemed the best horror of 2026. And finally, let's keep our fingers crossed that we get to do it again in 2027. I have already blocked my calendar.