Pictured: Author Kim Paffenroth's new horror novel DYING TO LIVE: LIFE SENTENCE, available for pre-order at Horror Mall.

Several horror authors will be on hand at Rue Morgue's Festival of Fear next weekend, August 22nd - 24th. FOF is part of FanExpo Canada, which draws nearly 50,000 science fiction, fantasy, horror, author, comic book, anime, and video game fans to the Toronto Metro Convention Centre each year.

Some of the headliners at this year's celebratory weekend include Wes Craven, John Saxon, Tobe Hooper, Sid Haig, Brad Dourif, Ruggero Deodato, Tura Satana, and Kristy Swanson--higher profile celebs than you'll find at the latest NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD/DAWN OF THE DEAD reunion. And FOF has a policy that prohibits guests from appearing as a guest more frequently than once every three years.

But this isn't about horror movie celebrities. It's about that undervalued species of horror genre creator: the horror author. It's well known that most horror cons would rather pay the way for Knife Kill Victim #4 in A FRIDAY HALLOWEEN ON ELM STREET V, someone who probably despised horror until they developed a drug habit and learned they could make a buck on the convention circuit, than feature an author who actually loves the genre. Authors usually have to beg to be included in a convention lineup, and then they pay their own transportation, hotel and table fees. But the wicked wordsmiths will be out in in force in Toronto!

Gord Rollo, just interviewed for Fear Zone, is FOF's Special Author Guest. Rollo will be signing copies of his new Leisure release, The Jigsaw Man, all weekend. He'll also sit at Monica Kuebler's Horror Literature Round Table. Kuebler (interviewed here), the Assistant Editor of Rue Morgue, has long been an advocate of horror literature in the magazine and is the co-founder of Burning Effigy Press.

The Horror Literature Round Table runs from 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM on Saturday, in Room #713A. Other official Round Table knights include Dr. Kim Paffenroth (interviewed here); Gemma Files ( here); Brett Savory; and Richard Gavin.

If this sounds like a Fear Zone reunion, FZ editor Greg Lamberson will join Gary Frank as Medallion Press' featured guest authors all weekend. Lamberson is signing advance copies of the upcoming trade paperback of Johnny Gruesome and Frank is signing advance copies of Institutional Memory; both novels will be available in bookstores October 1st. In addition to giving away free copies of their books, Medallion is providing FOF attendees with T-shirts, magnets, and temporary tattoos. Swag!

The signing schedule for Lamberson and Frank at the Medallion Press booth is as follows:

Friday, August 22nd
5:00pm - 6:00pm - Gary Frank
7:00pm - 8:00pm - Greg Lamberson

Saturday, August 23rd
11:00am - 1:00am - Greg Lamberson
3:00pm - 5:00pm - Gary Frank

Sunday, August 24th
12:00pm - 2:00pm - Lamberson and Frank (joint signing)

In addition, and in a completely non-literary vein, Rue Morgue's Gore-Met will introduce a 20th anniversary screening of Lamberson's 1988 splatter flick SLIME CITY at 7:00 PM Friday night in Room #709--opposite Lamberson's initial Medallion signing! Lamberson will make it in time for the film's gory finale and to conduct a Q & A.

If you don't already have a passport to cross the border, GET ONE FAST!