About / We Are Providence: RI Horror Writers

Upcoming Events

We Are Providence: RI Horror Writers Chapter Meeting
Standing We Are Providence Meeting

Third Thursday of Every Month, 7 PM
Interested RI horror writers should contact Christa Carmen for more information.

Past Events

May 2022
HWA RI – Chapter Meeting

Attendees: Christa Carmen, Lauren Elise Daniels, Steven Belanger, Curtis M. Lawson, Tiffany Liang, Paul Magnan, Faye Ringel, & Michael Squid

Topics: HWA RI anthology - on track to debut at NecronomiCon in Aug. 2022
Publisher update: Weird House to receive the HWA RI antho on May 31st
Events: - F. Ringel has confirmed HWA RI participation in Norwich, CT library reading series, Aug. 29, 2022
- October event in Charlestown and/or Westerly?
Discussion on stories submitted thus far: title, cover, foreword
Request for table at NecronomiCon submitted
Social gathering/celebration to be planned for prior to and during NecronomiCon
Apr 2022
HWA RI – Chapter Meeting

Attendees: Christa Carmen, Aron Beauregard, Victoria Dalpe, Lauren Elise Daniels, Barry lee Dejasu, Curtis M. Lawson, Tiffany Liang, Paul Magnan, Joshua Rex, Faye Ringel, & Michael Squid

Topics: HWA RI anthology - to debut at NecronomiCon in Aug. 2022
Publisher news: Weird House to publish the HWA RI antho
Events: F. Ringel has invited HWA RI to participate in Norwich, CT library reading series, Aug. 29, 2022, following NecronomiCon
Discussion on stories submitted thus far: title, cover, story order
Plan for requesting tables at NecronomiCon (post-meeting addition: V. Dalpe has confirmed that table reserve will launch this weekend and HWA RI has a spot)
Additional events: Halloween/October antho reading, partner with A. Beauregard & other RI horror authors for event
Social gathering/celebration to be planned for prior to and during NecronomiCon
March 2022
HWA RI – Chapter Meeting

Attendees: Christa Carmen, Lauren Elise Daniels, Curtis M. Lawson, Tiffany Liang, Paul Magnan, Jason Parent, & Joshua Rex

Topics: HWA RI anthology - to debut at NecronomiCon in Aug. 2022
Stories submitted thus far: numbers, themes, tone
Editing philosophy, process
Introduction, coordinator to request
Plan for requesting reading at NecronomiCon
Readings: still tabled until anthology comes together
AOB: craft discussions, beta reading, writing tics and traps
February 2022
HWA RI – Chapter Meeting

Attendees: Christa Carmen, Steven Belanger, Larissa Glasser, John Lynch, Paul Magnan, & Joshua Rex

Topics: Anthology of HWA RI writers - targeted for release at NecronomiCon 2022
Theme: Unthemed
Word Count: 1,500 - 7,500 words
Cover art to be commissioned... more info soon
Deadline: April 1, 2022
Introduction: Will reach out to local NE Gothic scholar for possible intro
No upcoming online reading... focus will be on preparing anthology
To come: link to HWA RI directory (including markets, bios, etc.); email soliciting stories (with submission details) from all HWA RI members
Next meeting: Thursday, Mar. 17, 2022 at 7 pm on Zoom
January 19, 2022
HWA RI Celebrates Edgar Allan Poe

When Edgar Allan Poe visited Providence in 1845, he met Sarah Helen Whitman in the backyard of her home on Benefit Street, inspiring both Poe’s poem “To Helen” and an eventual relationship between the two poets. Join HWA RI Chapter members as we celebrate Poe's two-hundred-thirteenth birthday with an evening of original fiction & readings of Poe's work in a place that greatly affected one of Poe's most vital relationships and the years leading to his death. Hosted by Christa Carmen and featuring Steven Belanger, Victoria Dalpe, Lauren Elise Daniels, Tiffany Liang, Paul Magnan, Joshua Rex, and a few special guests!
@houseof1000christas Hosted by me, Christa Carmen, and featuring Steven Belanger, Victoria Dalpe, Lauren Elise Daniels, Tiffany Liang, Paul Magnan, and Joshua Rex! #HWA Original sound - Christa Carmen
January 19, 2022
Reminder for HWA RI Celebrates Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe turns two-hundred thirteen
Come join HWA RI for a real good sceam
As we pay tribute to “The Raven,” “The Red Death,” and “Annabelle”
Tonight, at 8 PM, on our YouTube Channel.


 
December 18, 2021
Readings

Please join HWA RI chapter members Steven Belanger, Lauren Elise Daniels, Curtis M. Lawson, Jason Parent, & Joshua Rex (with Christa Carmen hosting) for an evening of short readings, streaming LIVE on YouTube at 8 pm EST.
December 2021
HWA RI – Chapter Meeting

Attendees: Christa Carmen, Steven Belanger, Lauren Elise Daniels, Curtis M. Lawson, Tiffany Liang

Topics:
- Upcoming reading, Dec. 18, 2021 (rescheduled from 12/11) - StreamYard
- January 19, 2022 reading - Poe inspired works
- Holiday get-together - we will not be pursuing due to Omicron variant
- Craft of Writing conversation - how do you know when a piece is done?
- Beta reading - how to build beta reading relationships
- Stoker Awards information - how to navigate opt-ins, recommended reading list, jury submission, public posts, etc. More to come via...
... an HWA RI database! To track all our agenda topics, contact info, markets, documents, etc.
- Next meeting: Thursday, Jan. 20, 2022 at 7 pm on Zoom
November 2021
HWA RI – Chapter Meeting

Attendees: Christa Carmen, Steven Belanger, Lauren Elise Daniels, Jason Parent, Joshua Rex

Topics: Upcoming reading, Dec. 11, 2021 - StreamYard
January 19, 2022 reading - Poe inspired works
Holiday get-together
Putting together a table for NecronomiCon 2022
Stoker Awards information - how to navigate opt-ins, recommended reading list, jury submission, public posts, etc. More to come...
Next meeting: Thursday, Dec. 16, 2021 at 7 pm on Zoom


 
October 30, 2021
HWA RI – Halloween Eve Readings

Join HWA RI chapter members Steven Belanger, Christa Carmen, Lauren Elise Daniels, Curtis M. Lawson, and Joshua Rex for an evening of short, spooky readings, steaming live on Oct. 30th at 8 pm!
October 2021
HWA RI – Chapter Meeting

Attendees: Christa Carmen, Steven Belanger, Victoria Dalpe, Lauren Elise Daniels, Larissa Glasser, Tiffany Liang, Paul Magnan, Joshua Rex, & Curtis M. Lawson

Topics: Zoom reading to be held on Saturday, Oct. 30th (participants: Steven Belanger, Lauren Elise Daniels, Tiffany Liang, Joshua Rex, Curtis M. Lawson. Christa Carmen to host). 10 min readings. Email L. Glasser for interest in Zoom reading at Lovecraft Arts & Sciences. Chapter communication – Discord. Next meeting is Thursday, 11/18.
August 2021
HWA RI – Chapter Meeting

Attendees: Christa Carmen, Joshua Rex, Larissa Glasser, Jason Parent

Topics: Chapter communication - emails, Google docs, Discord/Slack, etc. What's the best option for our group's needs? Zoom reading... or wait until October and have "spooky" in-person reading? Perhaps at Lovecraft Arts & Sciences, if they have a good experience with holding the Lovecraft Film Festival in-person this weekend (chapter member Victoria Dalpe is doing a reading there, Sun. 08/22 @11 am). In-person events... Riff Raff? Most likely. Next meeting is Thursday, 09/16.
July 2021
HWA RI – Chapter Meeting

Attendees: Christa Carmen, Joshua Rex, Victoria Dalpe, Jason Parent, Aron Beauregard, Steven Belanger, Ken Vaughan

Topics: Meeting location/format; In-person meet-ups; Planning virtual and in-person readings; Planning book launches and other events, marketing, submissions, Book Bub...; Google Drive for membership directory, beta reading shared folder, etc.

Press

View all press information

  • Dave Simms offers a stunning review of The Daughters of Block Island for Cemetery Dance: “The gothic horror novel just received a massive shot of adrenaline to its bleak-but-beautiful-heart...a stunning novel that arrives in the final month of the year, just in time for the calendar’s longest nights of darkness. In this debut novel, Carmen doesn’t attempt to top the classics; instead, she subverts them in a unique manner. She embraces the tropes that made the subgenre what it is and forges an enthralling tale of two sisters, a strange town, and a cast of characters that would make the masters proud...If this is any indication of what Christa Carmen can bring into the world, readers will be smiling under candlelight for years to come. An exceptional new talent has arrived.”
  • KIRKUS REVIEWS calls The Daughters of Block Island, “Great fun for readers who’ve done their background reading and want to try a Gothic Plus.”
  • Of The Daughters of Block Island, Dead Headspace’s Brennan LaFaro writes, “What a fine line Christa Carmen has to walk with this book, and how masterfully she walks it… a layered tale that borders on cozy, while never quite allowing the reader to settle in too comfortably...Here lies mystery and secrets, and I was here for it.”

Interviews

View all interviews