HNT - Ghost Walk

I'm delighted to be hosting an upcoming ghost walk and horror author extravaganza at Titles Bookstore, McMaster University.

Dubbed "Haunted McMaster" we have joined forces with the good people behind Haunted Hamilton's Ghost Walks to present a fantastic evening of free macabre entertainment.

Along with a free guided custom tour of the McMaster campus by one of Haunted Hamilton's ghostly tour guides, Titles bookstore will be hosting 9 different authors each doing a talk/reading from their work.

The inspiration behind the event came to me when I read an advance reading copy of Brian Keene's novel GHOST WALK a couple of months ago.

Set in the town of LeHorn's Hollow, this follow up to DARK HOLLOW takes place on a haunted attraction. As Halloween approaches, folks appear from miles around to check out Ken Ripple's spooky ghost trail, which is set in a wooded area believed to actually be haunted. And, as you would expect from a horror novel, there really is something evil and dark lurking in the woods.

I was pretty sure that Brian, with a young baby in the house and dozens of projects on the go, likely wouldn't be able to make it all the way up to Hamilton, Ontario, for the event.

But I figured since his fiction inspired the event, I should at least try to involve him some way.

So I worked with his publisher to get some signed copies of GHOST WALK and several other titles by Brian to use as special door prize giveaways during the event. That, and we're also launching a special "buy GHOST WALK and win a real ghost walk" promotion -- between September 22 and October 31, if you buy Keene's GHOST WALK or DARK HOLLOW or any of the books featured in our author extravaganza on October 10, you'll be automatically entered into a draw to win free tickets to a full length Haunted Hamilton Ghost Walk.

The event, which takes place as Titles Bookstore (Gilmour Hall, McMaster University - 1280 Main Street West in Hamilton) begins on October 10, 2008 at 7 PM will include the above mentioned ghost tours of campus and feature readings/talks/book signings by the following authors:

• Kelley Armstrong - author of the bestselling "The Women of the Otherwold" and "The Darkest Powers" series
• John Robert Colombo - "Canada's Mr. Mystery" and author of "The Big Book of Canadian Ghost Stories"
• Richard Gavin - author of "Omens"
• Sèphera Girón - author of "Borrowed Flesh" "House Magic" and "Hungarian Rhapsody"
• Michael Kelly - author of "Scratching the Surface" and contributor to The Humdrumming Book of Horror Stories 1 and 2
• Gregory Lamberson - author of "Johnny Gruesome"
• Gord Rollo - author of "Jigsaw Man"
• Simon Strantzas - author of "Beneath the Surface" and contributor to The Humdrumming Book of Horror Stories 1 and 2
• Edo van Belkom - author of the Aurora Award & Silver Birch Award winning "Wolf Pack" series and "Be Afraid: Tales of Horror"

This should be a fantastic evening of fun and chills with readings and talks from a wonderful selection of writers. I'm definitely looking forward to it.

So, thank you, Brian. Both for the inspiration for this event as well as for continuing to scare me shitless . . .