Honestly, I’ve been kicking the idea of starting a group who appreciates the horror genre for a long time, now. It came after learning some of the other groups out there have become very political in recent years. I won’t go into that, nor will I go into politics of any sort. I’m an author, not a politician. I want to you read my works, not be influenced by my personal opinions.

I’m not here to name names or point fingers. I’m here to explain where the this concept came from. I approached the incomparable Catt Dahman with this idea a few months back. She was instantly sold on it. We started bouncing ideas and soon it took on a life of its own. Once we started involving others to get their ideas and opinions, it soon became clear that this was happening. The genie was out of the bottle. To quote William Shakespeare from Julius Caesar, “We have crossed the Rubicon.”

The idea of a horror group that focused on the writing was revolutionary. Too much politics were involved in other groups and we didn’t want that. Far too many people and works went completely unnoticed because they didn’t fit the mold. I’ve read books that were considered bestsellers that I thought were terribly written but sold because of the name of the writer. Then there were other books that were fantastic and well-written but were completely ignored because they weren’t bestsellers. See the dilemma?

We wanted to judge nominations based solely on the quality of the work, not the name on the cover. Not based on their political views or ideology. Not because they were a big name in the industry. Based solely on the quality of the work. After all, in this game, the work needs to speak for itself. That’s how I want to be remembered. I want my work to speak for itself. For me, I don’t care what the name on the cover is. Good is good and bad is bad. That’s how it works, and that’s why HAG was conceived.

Once the ball began rolling, I was surprised at the momentum. When I was asked to be the inaugural president, I was thrilled and a bit taken aback. I’m a writer. I’ve never seen myself as anything but that. I accepted, but I want to see HAG grow and take off. If I can be a part of that, then I’ll be proud to have helped. Its going to be a team effort, though. We have some great people onboard, now. I’m expecting good things.

Anywho, I think I made my point. The Horror Author’s Guild (HAG) is now live and taking its first steps as an organization. I hope you’ll join us as we grow and begin showcasing some amazing works out there. If you join as a member, then you’ll be able to nominate works in the horror genre that you feel should be recognized. It’ll be our pleasure to evaluate them based on quality of the work when we give out our awards.

Named after the legend of Baba Yaga, the original hag that preyed on the innocent. We called the awards the Baba Yaga Awards, or “Yaggie’s” for short. We all need some encouragement in our work, from time to time. Join us at HAG to give everyone in the horror genre a chance to be noticed and awarded for their efforts.

Did I mention membership fees? I didn’t. Oops, sorry.

In the Year of the Corona, we wanted to take our first fledgling steps by giving all of those stuck at home a chance to join us for FREE. Yep, you heard me correct. Year one (2020) dues are free. That means you can join and nominate your favorite creative in the horror genre and it won’t cost you anything but your time.

So, take a shot and join us at HAG. We promise to give you a glimpse at some amazing works in the horror genre. Names you may find familiar and some you’ve never heard of, but one thing in common. They create amazing work. Let’s give them our support and encouragement. Again, we will award the “Yaggies” based solely on the quality of the work, not anything else.

Join us today at: https://www.haguild.com/

Thank you.

DA