By LINDY RYAN
A new literary event celebrating women’s voices in horror will make its debut this spring. The SoCo Women in Horror Festival will take place Saturday, March 28, 2026, at Analogue Books Records & Bar in downtown Pueblo, Colorado, with a global livestream available for virtual audiences.
Founded by Colorado horror author KJ Brantley, the inaugural festival brings together writers, readers, and horror enthusiasts for an afternoon conversation about storytelling, identity, and the evolving landscape of horror fiction. The event is presented in partnership with the Colorado Chapter of the Horror Writers Association.
Author KJ Brantley
“Horror has always been a powerful space for exploring fear, identity and the things we struggle to name out loud,” Brantley said in the festival’s press release. “Women writers have helped push the genre into deeper and more personal territory, and this festival is about creating space for those conversations while bringing readers and writers together around a shared love of the genre.”
Denver horror writer Erika T. Wurth
Several Colorado authors will appear in person, including acclaimed Denver writer Erika T. Wurth, whose novel White Horse was named a New York Times Editor’s Pick, a Good Morning America Buzz Pick, and an Indie Next selection. Wurth, an urban Native writer of Apache, Chickasaw, and Cherokee descent and a narrative artist for Meow Wolf Denver, will discuss her newest novel, The Haunting of Room 904.
Other Colorado authors appearing in person include Lindsay King-Miller, A.E. Santana, Millie Price, Carina Bissett, Catlyn Ladd, Celina Thompson, and Elizabeth S. Devecchi.
The festival will also feature several nationally recognized horror authors appearing virtually, including CJ Leede, Hailey Piper, Tatiana Schlote-Bonne, Stephanie Rose, V.S. Lawrence, and Wendy Dalrymple.
Programming will include a presentation on female archetypes in horror, along with two author panels exploring why women are drawn to the genre and how identity and lived experience shape modern horror storytelling. Following the afternoon program, attendees can stick around for an evening celebration featuring cocktails, author mingling, and ghost tours led by a local Pueblo ghost tour company.
“This festival represents exactly the kind of creative gathering we love to host at Analogue,” says Jessica Hartkop, owner of Analogue Books Records & Bar. “It brings together writers, readers, and the community in a way that feels thoughtful, welcoming, and a little bit spooky in the best possible way.”
Livestream viewers will receive access to the full event along with a replay recording after the festival concludes.
The festival is supported by founding sponsors Confluence Literary Agency and Creepaway Camp, a summer horror camp experience where readers and writers gather for immersive genre programming.
Organizers say that if the festival raises sufficient funds, they hope to establish a Women in Horror writing grant to support emerging voices in the genre.
Event Details:
SoCo Women in Horror Festival
March 28, 2026
12:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
After-party with cocktails, author mingling, and ghost tours to follow.
Analogue Books Records & Bar
216 N Main Street
Pueblo, Colorado
In-person and livestream tickets available at https://www.analoguepueblo.com/socowomeninhorrorfestival
