Business

1. Welcome and introduction 
   1. Heath is looking for an active co-chair
      1. Appointed position until end of term next year
2. HWA News
   1. StokerCon 2027 will be held Thursday, June 10 through Sunday, June 13, 2027 in Pittsburgh, PA
      1. The 40th anniversary of HWA
      2. Early-bird price is $200 through September 30th, then $250 in October, then $300
      3. Single day passes also available for $200
      4. Virtual starts at $75
   2. Statement on the Passing of Suzanne D. Romero
      1. HWA expresses condolences
      2. Leader of the George A. Romero Estate and The George A. Romero Foundation
   3. HWA Poetry Showcase XIII Table of Contents and Cover Reveal
      1. Congratulations to Kate Boyes and Katherine Quevedo!
3. Upcoming July, August, and More Chapter Events
   1. Sunday, July 26 at 6 PM: Book Club – Never Whistle at Night ed. Shane Hawk & Theodore C Van Alst (Short Stories) (HWA Summer Scares Book #2)
   2. Friday, July 31 at 5-7 PM: Tabling at the Writer’s Fair (Crowne Plaza Hotel)
   3. July 31 – August 2: Several HWA Oregon members will also be at the Willamette Writers Conference
   4. Summer Horror Reading (Venue and Date TBD – still have open spots)
   5. Sunday, August 16 at 6 PM: Chapter Meeting
   6. Saturday, August 22 at 10:30 AM: Horror poetry workshop led by Katherine Quevedo and Richard Leis at Garden Home Community Library
   7. Sunday, August 30 at 6 PM: The October Film Haunt by Michael Wehunt–WINNER OF THE 2026 STOKER AWARD FOR BEST DEBUT NOVEL 
   8. Saturday, September 19, 2026 at 11 AM: Salem Pride
      1. Accepted to table
      2. If you’re interested in selling your books at the table, let us know
   9. Saturday, October 17th, 2026 at 2-5 PM: 3rd Annual Meet a Horror Author Reading (Beaverton City Library – Main Branch on 5th Street)
      1. Still have a few spots left for readers!
   10. Saturday, October 30th, 2026 at 6 – 8:30 PM: 3rd Annual Halloween Party (BOLD Books & Coffee)
       1. Still have one spot open!
   11. Thursday, November 05, 2026 at 6:00 PM: Portland Book Festival Cover to Cover horror panel (application submitted)

Member News & Announcements

I will include these in our next chapter update for the September HWA Newsletter, and then add to our website after that.

Guest Speaker: Niyyah Ruscher-Haqq 

1. Bio: Niyyah writes middle grade and adult speculative fiction, fantasy and horror, with an emphasis on Muslim American and multicultural characters. Her novella “The Veil” debuts September 2026, and she published several short stories. She was selected as 2026 We Need Diverse Books Mentee for her middle grade fantasy manuscript “Under,” and was awarded a 2026 Regional Arts and Culture Council grant for the Muslim Storytellers Collective.
2. Presentation: “So… You Want to Scare Children?”
   1. Niyyah shared information about writing middle grade and YA fiction, including details about those age groups, what to include and what to avoid, examples of books for the two age groups, and resources. She also answered the many questions attendees had.