Welcome to the little corner of our library where we keep all of our favorite reads. It’s here you will find the folks who carry the Dreadful Tales stamp of approval – a label we bestow upon some of our favorite dark/horror fiction and non-fiction writers.

Now, keep in mind that these are OUR favorites. You may have your own choices and we encourage you to share your favorites with us in the comments. In fact, it’s that kind of action that will get you noticed, and help your fellow genre fiction fiends find the authors that they may come to cherish.

Take a look around. See if you can find anything you like. Our library is open all day long, come rain or shine. Just make sure to close the door on your way out. Wouldn’t want any of these beasties making their way out into the world…

Being that I’m a Canadian horror fan through and through, I’m going to hijack the hell out of this post and suggest some of my favorite Canadian authors and their works (in no particular order). Grab your toques, mitts, and a nice cup of cocoa, cause here we go!

Steve Vernon is in a class all his own, in my opinion. A writer with the innate ability to chill, terrify, and coax his readers along on incredible journeys with his lyrical prose and amazing storytelling, Vernon is definitely one of our top exports. His stories move from absolutely blood-curdling to downright hilarious without a hitch, making them equally as enjoyable as they are awe-inspiring. Check out titles such as Nothing To Lose, Devil Tree, Roadside Ghosts, and The Lunenburg Werewolf: And Other Stories of the Supernatural.

Lydia Peever is a bit of fresh blood coming to the Canadian genre fiction landscape. With only a few short stories under her belt, Peever blasted out of her black shrouded gothic castle to bring us Nightface – a book that made vampire fierce again. She’s quickly proving herself to be capable of big things, and is working on the follow-up to Nightface as you read this.

Tobin Elliott’s recent (and first) publication, Vanishing Hope, is a doozy. This little chapbook has more balls than you can shake a stick at, is beautifully written, stark, nasty, and hints at an incredible writing career to come. Elliott is one of my top favorite breakout authors of all time. Look forward to the follow up to Vanishing Hope in 2012. I know I am.

Ian Rogers may look a little unsuspecting at first, but his Felix Renn stories will quickly put you in your place. Written with a tornado blast of energy and a heaping spoonful of old school detective style, Rogers is well on his way to becoming of the genre’s best crossover authors. Get your hands on Temporary Monsters, The Ash Angels, My Body (featured in the Chilling Tales anthology), and Black-Eyed Kids, the new novella available from Burning Effigy Press, and his new novella, Deadstock, Rogers’ first foray into the weird west from Stonebunny Press.

John R. Little is a living legend in the genre. With a laundry list of incredible short stories, novels and novellas under his belt, Little has carved himself a nice little place in the horror landscape as a powerhouse of scares that are both thoughtful and outright terrifying. A personal favorite of mine, Ursa Major, has seriously damaged my view of camping in any remote place ever again. Thanks, John. Check out The Memory Tree, Miranda, Dreams in Black and White, and Little Things, for more proof of this man’s power.

Gord Rollo is the insane mastermind behind such stories as The Jigsaw Man, Crimson, Strange Magic, Lost In Translation, Sideshow Exhibits (with Gene O’Neill and Michael McBride), Mean Streets (with Gene O’Neill), and Valley of the Scarecrow. His stories are so jam packed with intensity, action, violence, and incredible characters, it’s no wonder Jigsaw Man has been optioned for film rights. This, my friends, is an author worth watching.

Monica Kuebler and Burning Effigy are a phenomenal little specialty press here in the evil tundra of northern frights. Their releases run the gamut of genre authors, housing chapbooks from Canadian authors like Steve Vernon, Ian Rogers, Tobin Elliott, and Richard Gavin, to folks more abroad. Weston Ochse, Nate Southard, Lee Thomas, Maria Alexander, and Michael Louis Calvillo have all made homes here, allowing Burning Effigy to mark out their own territory as a small press that packs a strong punch. It would be impossible for me to suggest any one title from their arsenal, so I’m just gonna tell you grab ’em all. You won’t be disappointed. Kuebler has the eye of a true genre fan, and has never steered this voracious reader wrong.

Get out there and get yourself some good ol’ spooky Canadiana. When we’re not hiding out in our igloos, and walking to work on our cross-country skis, you can bet we’re trying to scare the pants off of ya. And I’ll be damned if we’re not succeeding (and drinking stronger beer while we’re at it. *wink*.)

The Great White North is covered in blood, folks. Come get nasty with us.

C.