Plans are moving ahead for the programming events at World Horror Convention 2007. This year, the policy is PRO-ACTIVE—which means that our expert programming staff will be INVITING attendees to appear on specific events. Programme and Reading slots are limited, and will be filled on a first-come basis.

With so many attendees from overseas coming to the convention this year, a lot of people are turning their visit to Canada into a spring vacation. Therefore, although the official dates of the convention are Thursday March 29–Sunday April 1, it is expected that quite a number of people will be arriving in Toronto early. (Remember, the special convention rate at the Marriott extends to dates either side of the convention itself.) As a result, we hope to host a small, "Early Arrivals Party", on the Wednesday evening as an "ice-breaker". If you get in early, look for signs to direct you.

The Dealers' Room and Art Show will be setting up on Thursday, and we plan to open the Registration Desk (situated opposite the escalators in the lower Lobby area) on the Thursday afternoon. Here you will collect your membership badge, Stoker Banquet ticket (if you have bought one—and if not, why not?) and your delegate bag. We are obviously still working on what the latter will contain, but we can reveal that Earthling Publications will be including THIS IS NOW, an EXCLUSIVE short-story collection by GoH Michael Marshall Smith, illustrated by Les Edwards/Edward Miller.

Along with various books and other donated items, there will be a Pocket Programme and Films and Readings Guide, plus our Souvenir Book, TRAVELLERS IN DARKNESS, a new anthology edited by multiple award-winner Stephen Jones. Not only will this 280-page HARDCOVER volume include articles and stories by and about all our Guests of Honour, including a full-colour portfolio by Artist GoH John Picacio, but the book also features contributions from Brian Lumley, David Morrell, Ramsey Campbell, F. Paul Wilson, Neil Gaiman, Joe R. Lansdale, Kim Newman, Robert J. Sawyer, Nancy Holder, Nicholas Royle, Randy Broecker, Les Edwards Bob Egleton, Gary Gianni and Mike Ashley, amongst many others.

The World's Biggest Bookstore at 20 Edward Street (a short walk from the Marriott) will be hosting a reception and signing with the Guests of Honour from 6:00–7:00 p.m. on the Thursday, and the fun will continue later in the evening in the Hospitality Suite and the Horror Writers Association Suite. With so many people still expected to be making their way to Toronto, there will also be light, fun, programming—specifically aimed at those who have never attended a World Horror Convention, or even any convention, before. Depending on how many dealers plan to arrive on the Thursday, we may also open up the Dealers' Room for a few hours. Please note that you may be stopped from entering any convention event if you are not wearing your badge. Membership badges are not transferable.

As some of you may know, alcohol is quite expensive in Canada. Therefore, during the day, the Hospitality Suite will serve soft drinks and light snacks, offering more sophisticated beverages in the evenings. At the same time, the HWA will be running its own suite. There is also a comfortable bar situated in the hotel's upstairs lobby, and we will also have a portable bar in the downstairs Lobby for attendees to grab a drink between programme items or when just hanging out. However, please note that rules on alcohol are extremely strict in Canada, and you will not be allowed to carry your drinks between these areas. This is not simply hotel or convention policy—it is Canadian LAW—so we suggest you take note. Throughout the weekend there will be various launch parties and other events.

The convention will officially start at 9:30 a.m. on the Friday with the Opening Ceremonies hosted by our Mistress of Ceremonies, Sèphera Girón, who will introduce our line-up of Guests of Honour. Following throughout the day there will be various hour-long panels covering all aspects of horror literature, art and media; interviews with our varied Guests of Honour, and a full reading programme hosted by Twilight Tales in their unique Reading Café. Our main programming will consist of two main tracks, running simultaneously. One will be mainly devoted to themes and personalities, the other will explore the craft and business of writing. So, depending on the reason you are attending World Horror—pure entertainment or to learn more about creating fiction—you should be well catered for, with talks, interviews and panels featuring a wide variety of experts. Mort Castle and GoH Nancy Kilpatrick are both holding writing and editing Workshops over the weekend (with places pre-booked).

Although World Horror Convention 2007 is predominantly a literary event, we will have a film programme running in the King Room (2nd level meeting rooms) throughout the Friday and Saturday, from 10:00 am to midnight. Much of this will, of course, be based around our Guests of Honour, but we will also be programming some special events for those horror film fans who are attending.

During the day, a small but impressive Dealers' Room will be selling books, magazines and material of interest to all horror fans, and the Art Show will feature artwork and photography, some of it for sale. There will also be a Print Shop for those whose funds don't cover an original painting! The downstairs Lobby area will also feature the "Bazaar of the Bizarre", where various conventions, organisations, small press publishers and fan groups will have tables set out promoting their wares. Here you can wander around between panels while enjoying a Starbucks coffee or drink from the bar.

So as not to exhaust our guests or staff, and to allow the hotel staff to tidy up the conference rooms, we have designated 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. on the Friday and Saturday afternoons as official lunch breaks. Of course, there will be plenty going on during this period, should you not want to take a breather in the many restaurants and bars in the hotel or immediately surrounding area. Main programming will end on the Friday and Saturday at 6:00 p.m.