Woodland Press author Michael Knost wins Bram Stoker Award in Brighton, England

CHAPMANVILLE, W.Va. - (Saturday, March 27th, 2010) - This evening, at a special ceremony hosted by the Horror Writers Association, at Brighton, England, Michael Knost, of Chapmanville, WV, won the prestigious 2010 Bram Stoker Award, in the Superior Achievement in Non-fiction category, for the title, Writers Workshop of Horror.

The Bram Stoker Awards ceremony took place at a gala Fish-and-Chips Banquet earlier this evening (Sat., Mar. 27th), on Brighton Pier. This event is considered one of the highlights of the 2010 World Horror Convention, and included guests of honor and past Stoker Award winners as presenters. It's been said that the Stoker is the literary equivalent of the Oscar in the horror genre.

Knost is best known within the state's borders for his popular Legends of the Mountain State series, published by Woodland Press (Chapmanville, WV.) The anthologies include stories of legends and ghosts of West Virginia, and many notable writers, storytellers and dignitaries, including Gov. Joe Manchin and author Homer Hickam, have made contributions to them.

The Stoker Award-winning title, Writers Workshop of Horror, also won the national Black Quill Award earlier this month, taking the Editor’s Choice in the Nonfiction category. Dark Scribe Magazine, a trade publication for horror writers and industry professionals, facilitates the Black Quill Award.

“Making the final ballot for the Bram Stoker Award is an honor in itself,” Michael said before tonight's ceremony. The Bram Stoker is the highest honor in superior achievement in horror and dark fiction genres. The award is named after Bram Stoker, the famed author of Dracula. Writers such as Stephen King, Dean Koontz and Clive Barker have all won the award in the past.

“We are extremely proud to see a West Virginia author win this celebrated international award,” said Keith Davis, CEO of Woodland Press. "And we are very grateful to the distinguished authors whose contributions helped make the book the success that it is." The title continues to receive rave reviews and recognition across the USA and throughout Europe.

Writers Workshop of Horror is a collection of articles and interviews by/with some of the biggest names in the horror and dark fiction genres, focusing on the craft of writing fiction with a horror slant. To learn more about the book, visit www.woodlandpress.com or www.MichaelKnost.com.

The Horror Writers Association (HWA) is a worldwide organization of writers and publishing professionals dedicated to promoting dark literature and the interests of those who write it. HWA was formed in the late 1980s with the help of many of the field's greats, including Dean Koontz, Robert McCammon and Joe R. Lansdale. Today, with members all around the globe, it is the oldest and most respected professional organization devoted to the genre.

Michael Knost will be returning to WV by mid-week, and is scheduled for a book launch party on Saturday, April 3rd, at Borders in Huntington Mall, from 4 to 6 p.m., for the release of his new anthology, Dark Tales of Terror, which features 16 WV authors.

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PHOTO CUTLINE: Author Neil Gaiman with Michael Knost at Horror Writers banquet