World Horror Convention 2006, a professional convention for writers, artists, publishers and booksellers focusing on horror and dark fantasy, comes to the Holiday Inn San Francisco-Golden Gateway May 11-14, 2006.

Guests of Honor include author Peter Straub, artist Brom, publisher John Pelan, authors Koji Suzukiand Kim Newman and actor Bill Moseley. Special events include presentation of the 2006 Horror Grandmaster Award to author Ray Garton, a charity auction to benefit the American Humane Association, a Mass Autographing session, an Art Show, a Dealers Room, an independent film festival, publisher and film pitch sessions, panels, readings, fiction contests, and more.

San Francisco has a colorful past, growing from a small village to a major city nearly overnight as a result of the 1849 Gold Rush. The writers of the beat generation, the hippies of the Summer of Love in the late 1960’s and the large gay/lesbian population have all contributed to making San Francisco the fascinating place it is today. The City by the Bay was home to literary legends such as Ambrose Bierce and Fritz Leiber, and the Bay Area hosts horror personalities in both the literary world and the world of cinema. Tourist information includes ghost tours, haunted hotels, film locations, and more.

For more than ten years, the World Horror Society has overseen the World Horror Convention to provide an event that is conducive to education, networking and conducting business for horror professionals and enthusiasts. In celebration of professional achievement, WHC presents the Horror Grandmaster Award, honoring individuals who have contributed greatly to the horror field. Honorees are nominated and selected by past and present Members of WHC, and the 2006 Horror Grandmaster Award will be presented in a special ceremony at WHC 2006.

This year’s co-chairs are Darren Mckeeman of Gothic.net, one of the foremost sites for online horror fiction and news; Chad Savage of SinisterVisions.com, award-winning horror artist and web designer; and Jeremy Lassen of Night Shade Books, award-winning publisher of quality books from a broad spectrum of genres. Mckeeman, Savage, and Lassen bring a wide range of professional skills and experience to WHC 2006, and plan to make this year’s event a convention to remember.

WHC offers a juried Art Show featuring work of general interest to the horror and dark fantasy community. Work from both professional and amateur artists will be featured, and WHC 2006 will host a silent auction and print sales for participating artists. Full information on submitting work to the jury process may be found at www.whc2006.org. Artists need only apply to the jury once; acceptance by the jury allows an artist to exhibit at any future WHC.