Chris Semtner is the curator of the Edgar Allan Poe Museum and author of several books and articles about Poe, dark history, and visual art. He has been interviewed for BBC4, NHK (Japan), PBS, Travel Channel, Military History, truTV, NPR, Czech Radio, C-SPAN, and other networks in addition to publications including the Washington Post, Huffington Post, Mental Floss, Atlas Obscura, and Forbes.com. In search of innovative ways to bring Poe to new audiences, Semtner has collaborated on Poe-themed performances with groups including the Latin Ballet of Virginia, the Friends of Shockoe Hill Cemetery, and the Garth Newel Music Center. A visual artist, Semtner has exhibited his works internationally, and they have entered numerous public and private collections including the Virginia Historical Society, the city of Baltimore, and the University of Maryland. He regularly speaks to audiences of all ages about strange and macabre subjects at various venues from the Steampunk World’s Fair to the Library of Congress and as far away as Japan.

His book, Haunting Poe: His Afterlife in Richmond & Beyond is a nominee for this year’s Webster Award.