Haunt the Readers: Finding Another Campfire
I almost didn't make it.
Just days before Haunt the Readers in Mount Joy, Pennsylvania, I found myself wondering if the trip was even going to happen.
Like many first-year events, communication was still finding its footing. After carefully mapping out the author panels I wanted to attend, I discovered they had actually taken place the day before—and were only available to VIP ticket holders. Then came another surprise: Friday night check-in had to happen before 7:00 PM.
For someone trying to put in nearly a full workday before making a six-hour drive through New York City traffic...
Panic set in.
If you've followed North Fork Moto for a while, you know I genuinely appreciate how much work goes into organizing events. I've coordinated multi-day music festivals, hosted the North Fork Distinguished Gentleman's Ride for hundreds of riders, and planned countless motorcycle adventures. I know firsthand that things don't always go according to plan—especially during a first year.
That's why I also know how much clear communication matters.
Thankfully, after reaching out, the organizers graciously worked with me, leaving our lanyards at the brewery's host stand so we could still attend Friday evening.
Crisis averted.
Looking back, I hope next year's attendees receive clearer information about what each ticket includes, what experiences require VIP access, and how the weekend flows. Small improvements like that would make an already wonderful event even better.
Because once I walked through the doors...
Everything else melted away.
The Perfect Setting
If you're going to host a horror book festival...
A haunted brewery is about as perfect as it gets.
From the moment we stepped inside Bube's Brewery, it felt like we'd walked onto the set of a gothic novel. Stone walls. Flickering lights. Hidden corners. The atmosphere practically begged for ghost stories. The themed cocktails somehow made the setting even better.
My favorite?
The Drowning Rose—a beautiful combination of gin, rose syrup, lemon juice, and champagne - chef's kiss.
Outside, the evening fire performers transformed the biergarten into something almost dreamlike, creating one of those moments where you stop thinking about schedules entirely and simply enjoy where you are.
The Authors Made the Weekend
As wonderful as the venue was...the authors made the event.
I've come to understand that author events can be exhausting. Multiple days of conversations, signings, photographs, and constantly being "on" for hundreds of readers isn't easy. Yet every single author I met greeted readers with warmth, kindness, and genuine enthusiasm.
That says everything.
Because while I may straddle two different worlds—motorcycles and books—I never once felt like an outsider. I've always joked that I'm somewhere on the fringe of Bookstagram. Apparently the authors didn't care. They welcomed me exactly as I was.
And that meant more than they probably realize.
The Conversations That Made the Weekend
Some moments stay with you because they weren't scheduled. They simply happened.
Brandon McNulty and Caitlin Mullen both encouraged me to start writing again.
Not someday.
Now.
They made writing feel approachable instead of intimidating. Like something done out of joy rather than obligation. That simple encouragement planted a seed I hadn't expected.
Maybe I do have a place in this community.
Maybe I really should write my own story one day.
Caitlin also greeted me with one of the biggest hugs of the weekend and immediately remembered that I'm "the one who takes her books on motorcycle trips."
Honestly...That made my day.
One of the funniest conversations of the weekend happened with Saratoga Schaefer. After telling her how much I loved Serial Killer Support Group, we somehow found ourselves debating which serial killer was my favorite and what I thought his fate would ultimately be.
Think about that sentence for a second.
Where else do you get to casually discuss your favorite fictional serial killer... with the person who created him?
It was delightfully bizarre, wonderfully on-brand for a horror festival, and exactly the kind of unexpected conversation that makes events like Haunt the Readers unforgettable.
Those are the moments that stay with you long after the books have been shelved.
Emma C. Wells surprised me by asking me to sign one of my own books for her—a moment I never could have anticipated and one I'll always treasure. It somehow felt perfectly fitting coming from the author of We Already Dug the Grave, a haunting novel that blends supernatural horror with a deeply satisfying revenge story.
I also loved chatting with Hailey Piper about tattoos (and yes... thanks to Stephen Graham Jones' enthusiastic recommendation, I’m currently reading her upcoming novel in my NetGalley app).
Sarah Pekkanen and I somehow ended up talking about historical mysteries, Long Island legends, and the strange stories that inspire us, while Chelsea Conradt and I bonded over growing up in the 1980s...Including a conversation about He-Man that immediately made me smile.
But perhaps my favorite memory of the entire weekend wasn't standing in a signing line.
It was completely unexpected.
The Best Part Wasn't Planned
Friday evening, Mike Bockoven and his wife happened to sit down with Clay and me in the biergarten. What followed wasn't an autograph session.
It was simply...a conversation.
We talked about FantasticLand. Writing. Movies. Music. Journalism. Amusement parks.
(Yes, Mike... I promise I'll finally watch Night of the Living Dead.)
It was one of those conversations that reminds you why books matter in the first place. Because stories don't just connect readers to authors. They connect people to each other.
More Alike Than Different
Driving home, I realized something. The horror community reminds me an awful lot of the adventure motorcycle community.
People are generous.
They're excited to welcome newcomers.
They're eager to share what they love.
They're happy to encourage someone who's just beginning.
And maybe that's why this weekend felt so familiar.
It felt like another campfire.
Different stories.
Different passions.
The same kindness.
Until Next Year...
To the organizers—
Thank you for taking the leap and creating something special. First-year events are never easy, and I genuinely hope this becomes an annual tradition. If sharing my experience helps make next year's event even smoother, then it's worth writing about.
To the authors—
Thank you for your generosity, your conversations, your encouragement, and your willingness to spend an entire weekend sharing your creativity with readers. You reminded me that writing is meant to bring people together—and that perhaps there's room for one more storyteller at the campfire.
And to everyone who walked through those brewery doors-
Thank you for reminding me that communities are built the same way, whether they're centered around motorcycles or mystery novels.
One conversation at a time.
One story at a time.