"Here we may reign secure; and in my choice
To reign is worth ambition, though in Hell:
Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven." - Book 1

He is also the author of the punk coming-of-age novel, Kicking Tomorrow, which was set in Montréal.

As part of the writer's programming, Daniel read from some of his gothic journalism pieces, as well as screening Reach for the Crypt.


Guest Authors
Convergence invited 5 guest authors to attend this year's convention for a two-part writing program, to be held Saturday, June 1, at the hotel. The guest authors are:

Stephanie Bedwell-Grime
Stephanie Bedwell-Grime is the author of the vampire novel The Bleeding Sun, and the novelette Dark Desire. New Concepts Publishing has just released her zombie book The Dead Walk.
website

Sephera Giron
Sephera Giron is the author of the horror novels House of Pain and Eternal Sunset. In 2002, watch for Eternal Nightmare and The Birds And The Bees, as well as several short stories in anthologies such as Hot Blood 11, Decadance, Random Acts Of Weirdness, Asylum 2 and Tales From The Backseat. Under her pen name Ariana, she has written the non-fiction book House Magic: The Good Witch's Gude To Bringing Grace To Your Space..
website

Nancy Kilpatrick
Award-winning author Nancy Kilpatrick has published 14 novels, 5 collections of stories, and has edited 7 anthologies. Her most recent works include: Bloodlover (4th in the "Power of the Blood vampire series, Baskerville Books); Graven Images (dark fantasy anthology co-edited with Thomas Roche, Ace Books); Cold Comfort (collection of horror stories, Dark Tales Publishing). Look for her non-fiction book on the gothic subculture, to be released fall 2003 by St. Martin's Press.
website

Michael Rowe
Michael Rowe is the author or editor of seven books including the vampire anthologies Sons Of Darkness and Brothers Of The Night, and the two-time Lambda Literary Award and Spectrum Award-nominated gay horror fiction anthology Queer Fear, and its sequel slated for later this year. An award-winning mainstream journalist and essayist, his genre-related work has appeared in Rue Morgue, All Hallows and The Scream Factory. He has been the Canadian correspondent for Fangoria magazine since 1987, and is a member of both PEN Canada and The Horror Writers Association.
website

Edo VanBelkom
Edo van Belkom is the Aurora and Bram Stoker Award winning author and editor of 20 books, and of nearly 200 short stories. His latest book is the supernatural horror novel Martyrs. Other novels include Teeth and Lord Soth. Short story collections include Death Drives A Semi and Six Inch Spikes. Edo is also a horror movie host, introducing movies at Midnight Monday to Thursday on Scream, Canada's digital all-horror television channel.
website


Writing Panel
A ninety-minute panel. The guest authors read brief excerpts from their works and discussed their own writing, writing and publishing in general and gothic/horror writing in particular, and as well as entertaining questions from the audience. This was followed by an author's signing session.


Zine Fair
The Convergence VIII committee was pleased to present a Zine Fair, where zine creators of all genres can share their work, network with other self-publishers and share their expertise with fledgling writers.

The zine fair participants were,

The City Morgue Magazine, Washington, DC
website

Discipline Magazine, Montréal, QC
website

Hymni Nocturnales, Montréal, QC
website

Legends Magazine, South River, NJ
website

Meltdown Magazine, United Kingdom.
website

Toronto Dark Writer's Group
website

Strange Emulsions, Detroit, MI/Windsor. ON

Monochrome Beast, Ottawa, ON

Fear Itself, Toronto, ON

Vaalkyrie, Toronto, ON


Zine Publishing "How To" Presentations
The afternoon portion of the C8 writers programming on Saturday June 1st featured presentations on zine publishing and a panel discussion. The purpose of the presentations was to give newbies a quick overview of what they need to know (or what the presenters wish they had known) about self-publishing.


Zine Panel Discussion
The final event of the writer's programming was be a panel discussion about zine culture, featuring panelists from those featured at the Zine Fair, and moderated by 50 Ft Queenie.