AYE Creator
Talking Animals Books is giving horror fans a little more to sink their teeth into this year.
The Grapevine indie bookstore will host its second annual Horror Book Fest from Friday, Oct. 16 through Sunday, Oct. 18, expanding the event from a one-day festival into a full weekend devoted to horror, thrillers, dark fantasy and all things strange.
Last year’s inaugural fest was held at Hop & Sting Brewing Co. while construction was underway on Talking Animals Books’ second location. This year, the festivities move inside the bookstore’s new, larger space at 909 S. Main St., Suite 104.
The weekend kicks off Friday from 7-9 p.m. with an author panel featuring Katie Bernet, author of Beth Is Dead; Chelsea Conradt, author of The Farmhouse and The Secret Attic; Shaun Hamill, author of A Cosmology of Monsters and The Dissonance; and C.L. Montblanc, author of Pride or Die and They Want Us Dead.
Before the panel, DFW artist Isa Flores will be on site from 2-9 p.m. demonstrating gore and special effects makeup with “gore face painting.”
Saturday brings the biggest lineup, with authors and vendors taking over the store from noon-6 p.m. Featured authors include Bernet, Montblanc, Josh Rountree, Robert E. Stahl, Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam, Paul Avery Tindol and R.J. Powell of Splatter Girl Horror.
Visitors can also browse work from local makers and special guests, including Chel Pace Tattoos with flash tattoos, Brandle’s Bottles with oddities, Lua Clay Co. with pottery and ceramics and Van Dolls with handmade Halloween lanterns. Authors Shaun Hamill, Brad Ricks, Lindsey Rhoden and Beau Wilks are also scheduled to participate.
The scares continue Saturday night with an open mic for ghost stories and horror short stories from 7:30-9 p.m. Sign-ups will be posted at the bookstore beginning Oct. 9.
Horror Book Fest wraps up Sunday from noon-6 p.m. with another round of vendors, including Chel Pace Tattoos, Amity Ceramics, La Muerta Creates and Van Dolls.
Founded in 2023, Talking Animals Books has built its presence in historic downtown Grapevine around author events, book clubs, children’s programming and partnerships with writers and artists throughout North Texas.
The lineup is subject to change, with schedule updates available through Talking Animals Books’ social media channels.