Horror Mania

The Bram Stoker Award is a recognition presented by the Horror Writers Association (HWA) for "superior achievement" in horror writing. The awards have been presented annually since 1987, and the winners are selected by ballot of the Active members of the HWA. They are named after influential horror writer Bram Stoker, author of the novel Dracula, among others.

Several members of the HWA—including Dean Koontz—were reluctant to endorse such writing awards, fearing it would incite competitiveness rather than friendly admiration. The HWA therefore went to lengths to avoid mean-spirited competition: They agreed to specifically seek out new and neglected writers and works, and officially issue awards not based on "best of the year" criteria, but "for superior achievement", which allows for frequent ties.

Currently, the Stoker award is presented in the following categories:

* Best Novel (1987—)
* Best First Novel (1987—)
* Best Long Fiction (1998—)
* Best Short Fiction (1998—)
* Best Fiction Collection (1998—)
* Best Anthology (1998—)
* Best Non-Fiction (1987—)
* Best Poetry Collection (2000—)
* Lifetime Achievement (1987—)

Discontinued categories include:

* Best Novelette (1987–1997)
* Best Short Story (1987–1997)
* Best Collection (1987–1997)
* Best Other Media (1993, 1998–2000)
* Best Illustrated Narrative (1998—2004)
* Best Screenplay (1998—2004)
* Best Work for Young Readers (1998—2004)
* Best Alternative Forms (2001—2004)


Source :www.wikipedia.org

Dance of Death, also variously called Danse Macabre is a late-medieval allegory on the universality of death: no matter one's station in life, the dance of death unites all. La Danse Macabre consists of the personified death leading a row of dancing figures from all walks of life to the grave—typically with an emperor, king, pope, monk, youngster, beautiful girl, all skeletal. They were produced to remind people of how fragile their lives were and how vain the glories of earthly life were.