Champion Joe adds another trophy to the case

I don't read horror. Not really--being frightened out of my mind isn't a sensation that I respond to in an approving fashion. That said, I do read stuff by Joe R. Lansdale (His Ownself), stuff that'll scare the bajeezus outta hardened ax murderers. Why do I read his works, other than the fact he pens occasional non-horror masterpieces such as Zeppelins West? Because he is one of the best instinctive storytellers I've ever encountered. Had he lived back in viking times, he'd be one of their most honored skalds, I'm certain. He can take even the most threadbare plot and craft it into unique. Case in point:



So, based on the above reading from Armadillocon, Bubba Ho-Tep and Bob the Dinosaur Goes to Disneyland, I'm pleased to say that Joe's recent honorification by the 2007 World Horror Convention (being named Grand Master and all that) is not only well-deserved, but also long overdue. Congrats Joe!

World Horror Convention 2007 announced Thursday, January 25, that Joe R. Lansdale has been voted the winner of the 2007 Grand Master Award.

The number of votes cast this year by members of the convention was the highest in the history of the seventeen-year-old award. Previous Grand Masters included Robert Bloch, Stephen and Dean R. Koontz.

Joe R. Lansdale is the author of more than thirty novels in all genres, including crime, Western, horror and pulp adventure. He has also written scripts for comic books and animated television shows, and his novella Bubba Ho-Tep, about an aged Elvis Presley and black John F. Kennedy battling a soul-sucking mummy, was filmed by Don Coscarelli in 2002. His short story, "Incident On and Off a Mountain Road" was adapted as the first episode of the first season of TV's Masters of horror series.

Joe R. Lansdale has received six HWA Bram Stoker Awards, the British Fantasy Award, the MWA Edgar Award, the American Mystery Award, the Horror Critics Award, the "Shot in the Dark" International Crime Writer's award, the Booklist Editor's Award and the Critic's Choice Award.

For the first time in its seventeen-year history, the World Horror Convention is being held outside the United States. With a theme exploring "The Diversity of Horror", World Horror Convention 2007 will take place over March 29-April 1 at the Toronto Marriott Downtown Eaton Centre, located in the heart of Toronto, Canada.

The 2007 Horror Writers Association Bram Stoker Awards Presentation will be held at the convention on the Saturday evening. For details about how to purchase your tickets to this very special event, please consult the Stoker Banquet page.

Anyone wanting additional information about the award or the convention ought to visit http://www.whc2007.org/. I don't get a percentage rate for every visitor who clicks through from this site to that, but it'd sure be nice if I did.