Horror Aficionados discussion

I will be the first to admit that I don't know everything about how Goodreads operates or about moderating a group. If you have suggestions for improving Horror Aficionados, please post them here.

Serve tequila with every new thread :)

Honestly, this is the best group I have found here on goodreads. I'm sure it could use a few improvements, but right now I can't think of any!

I'll second that.

Alert the media! Jon and I agree on something!

jennbunny wrote: "Serve tequila with every new thread :)"

I would if I could. ;-)

This is the only site I keep wanting to spend time on, don't change a thing, just keep Canadian Jason away from the rye and garden gnomes please!

91 views and the only suggestion was serving tequila. I think you mods are doing a fantastic job!

I'm sure there are many great features of GR that I'm not familiar with. I try to keep up with the GR Feedback and the GR moderators threads, but there are only so many hours in a day. HA is just a part-time "job" for me.

Well, you and Jason do one hell of a job with it.

I belong to a number of groups (plus have my own group at Shelfari which is small), and this is the best group of them all. :)

This is my favourite group, I can't think of anything that needs improving.

Create a thread where you can try and pick a battle of wits with Jon, but put a disclaimer before someone tries...

LOL Marc!

This is also my favorite group. I can't think of any improvements. You guys do a great job moderating.

Thanks a bunch!

Thanks for the kind words, everyone, but I think HA has been a great group for years due to the members being so passionate about their horror books. We're a big misunderstood lot, we horror readers, and it feels good to congregate here. Or that's my opinion.

Marc-Antoine wrote: "Create a thread where you can try and pick a battle of wits with Jon, but put a disclaimer before someone tries..."

That thread would be covered in cobwebs before long.

Great group, cool people, very supportive of authors of all notoriety levels--I wouldn't change a thing.

You're doing a great job Tressa. I can't think of anything I'd change on HA. My only complaint is for the powers that be here at Goodreads. I wonder why HA isn't listed under groups over at the horror genres part of the site. You have to hit the "more" tab in order to see that HA is clearly the #1 horror group. This bugs me.

Well, this is going to be an ongoing thread so that if anyone even has some suggestions in the future for new things to try at HA, feel free to post them here.

Bark, you would think the horror groups would be in order of most membership or last active. Oh, well, people seem to find us anyway.

I know it's strange. Some of the groups they have listed there aren't even vaguely horror related.

Tressa, I have a suggestion. I was wondering if you could possibly moveup the section heading, NOVELS? The threads with, what are you reading. What have you just read.

It's a minor suggestion, I just get distracted by the time I get down that far, lol.

You and Jason do a fantastic job and I love this group!

I would like to see more discussions and debate on the craft aspects of horror e.g themes, imagery, etc etc

Also, there should be a permanent tribute/discussion thread for the works of Stephen King.

We have a Stephen King thread. You just have to go to authors and scroll down a bit. And I think there are a few groups dedicated to him as well.

R.M.F wrote: "I would like to see more discussions and debate on the craft aspects of horror e.g themes, imagery, etc etc

Threads may be started by any HA member. Feel free to start one of these if you'd like.

Also, there should be a permanent tribute/discussion thread for the works of Stephen King."

As Ardy has posted, there is a huge S.K. thread in the Authors folder. FYI: If you click on "title" in any folder, the threads are alphabetized. This lets you scroll easier to see if there is an existing thread on authors and novels.

Eileen wrote: "Tressa, I have a suggestion. I was wondering if you could possibly moveup the section heading, NOVELS? The threads with, what are you reading. What have you just read. "

OK, I am going to toss aside my need to alphabetize to create order in this world, and move up all the more active folders. I will move the Novels folder up near General and Authors.

Tressa, do what you think is best. I might be the only one who thinks this way. Thanks for considering my suggestion!

No, I get distracted too. But that's sometimes a good thing, since there are so many good discussions here.

Eileen, your suggestion is great and I moved them around. I suggested alphabetizing folders in the TV We've Just Watched group because it was so chaotic before Holli took it over, and she did alphabetize them and now it's easier to find a show. But that doesn't work well for every group and that's why I moved the folders around. Thanks.

I love it here, and it works just fine! It feels like family. :O)

Glad to hear you say that, Glenda. :-) Did you try those pickles yet?

Ardy wrote: "Honestly, this is the best group I have found here on goodreads. I'm sure it could use a few improvements, but right now I can't think of any!"

I agree, Ardy!

Here's my admittedly biased 2 1/2 rusted pennies for the good of the group.

Would be nice to see a section devoted specifically to indie/small press/self-published horror authors. I know there are several in this group and a dedicated section would be useful to identify these authors and their respective works versus having them only showing alongside traditionally published and more well-known authors.

BTW, it doesn't mean these folks couldn't be in both places, only there would be a spotlighted place of sorts for these new, up and coming and/or lesser-known and hopefully future stars of horror :)

This is how authors like Ania Ahlborn got started and even though she bubbled up through the existing HA system and was discovered based upon the strength of her work by readers, I'm sure there are more like her buried that we don't know about...yet.

This section could also have a similar reading challenge like the best horror reads. Sort of a try new, lesser-known authors by reading X number of books by authors you haven't read before in 2013.

Obviously, there are spamming concerns with a dedicated section like this -- and there is also the possibility that it will be less active because some (many?) HA folks might find it less desirable to read through these works trying to find gems. One of the strengths of HA is that spam isn't really a big deal, thanks to good moderation.

I could get behind a "New Voices" thread.

Thanks for the suggestions, Todd.

glenda wrote: "I love it here, and it works just fine! It feels like family. :O)"

What Glenda said :)

Jessica wrote: "This is my favourite group, I can't think of anything that needs improving."

This is my favorite group, too. Aside from the rye and garden gnomes group I'm a member of. But I think that I'm the only member of that one ...

Jason wrote: "Jessica wrote: "This is my favourite group, I can't think of anything that needs improving."

This is my favorite group, too. Aside from the rye and garden gnomes group I'm a member of. But I think..."

Well, Jason, ummm... oh my gosh that's so saaaaaaad!!! But you'll always have us here at HA!

I created a folder for the Indie/Small Press topic that was discussed above. I put it under the author promotions folder since they are somewhat related. I also created two threads that I pinned to the top of the folder. One is for writers to discuss the woes and victories of the writing craft, and the other is an indie reader challenge for 2013.

You can see it all here:

http://www.goodreads.com/topic/group_...

Enjoy! :)

Thanks for the suggestion, Todd. And thanks for the threads Jason. We indie authors need all the exposure we can get!

No thongs, Ardy.

ROFL Jon. What would have said if I said we needed more support?

No bras, Ardy.

I can always count on you.
Suggestion: Jon needs his own thread! I know it's been said before, but COME ON!

Tressa wrote: "Glad to hear you say that, Glenda. :-) Did you try those pickles yet?"

Not yet, but haven't been out pickle shopping yet, lol! They're on the list! ;O)

This is my favorite group as well. I would like to see a challenge though like other groups do - it would sit at the top of the page where we could set our own personal challenge, like read 20 horror books a year, etc. You set your own number. Usually the groups that do this that I'm on also have a folder and threads for people to keep track there if they wish.

Erin, thanks for your suggestion. Jason and I have discussed this and will look into it.

If you have suggestions for improving Horror Aficionados, please post them here.

More gratuitous nudity.

(Don't look my way, though. At my age, the only person who wants to see me nekkid is my wife. And I'm not even sure about her...)

Walter wrote: "If you have suggestions for improving Horror Aficionados, please post them here.

More gratuitous nudity.

(Don't look my way, though. At my age, the only person who wants to see me nekkid is my wi..."

Okay, but remember the rules.....you can ogle Jason, but no touching his hairy parts....

Is always good to know the rules, Jon! ; )

;)