horrorliterature

Sam and I talk about writing as an exorcism, the power of transgressive fiction, and his unforgettable short story "Deathlike Love". There are spoilers for this story in the second half of the episode, but I give a warning in advance. The rest of To Wallow in Ash is unspoiled. Note that we touch on some intense topics related to sexuality and death.

Buy from Sam's press, Weirdpunk books: https://weirdpunkbooks.square.site/

Charles and I talk about better understanding bizarro fiction, incorporating pop culture into literature, and processing grief through writing. In the second half of the episode, we have a spoiler-filled discussion about "The Last Glorious Ride of El Barko Poderoso" from Charles' new collection Slippery When Metastasized. The rest of the collection is unspoiled.

Buy the book: https://bookshop.org/books/slippery-when-metastasized/9781734934601

M. and I talk about defunding the police, the cultural worship of serial killers, and her cinematic new novella Hooker. Note that we briefly discuss sexual assault in the first half of the episode, though there is no sexual assault in the book. There are also spoilers for Hooker in the second half of the episode, but the first half is spoiler free.

Also, we forgot to say it, but both of us agree: DECRIMINALIZE SEX WORK!

Find M. on Twitter @_MLopesdaSilva

Buy Hooker: https://bookshop.org/books/hooker-9781989206546/9781989206546

Daniel Braum and I talk about formative childhood experiences, the beautiful ambiguity of weird fiction, and his magical and emotive story "Cloudland Earthbound". Note that the second half contains spoilers for this story, but the other stories in Underworld Dreams remain unspoiled.

Daniel's website: https://bloodandstardust.wordpress.com/

Buy Underworld Dreams: https://bookshop.org/books/underworld-dreams/9781590215838 

D.S. Ullery and I talk about real-life inspirations for fictional locations, the healing power of writing, and his new collection Highway 181. Note that the second half of the episode contains spoilers for the story "The Tape"; all other stories in the collection are unspoiled. CW: physical and emotional abuse discussion in first half of the episode.

Buy Highway 181: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08CXHYQK4/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i0

Gordon B. White and I talk about the philosophy of the Weird, nature writing, and father-son relationships in fiction. Note that the second half of this episode contains spoilers for his story "Birds of Passage." The collection's other fourteen stories are unspoiled.

Gordon's website: http://gordonbwhite.com/

Buy As Summer's Mask Slips and Other Disruptions: https://bookshop.org/books/as-summer-s-mask-slips-and-other-disruptions/9781950305209 

Laurel Hightower joins me for a special Halloween episode! We talk about honoring the dead, characters' traumatic emotional headspaces, and the many nuanced characters of Crossroads. Note that there are are spoilers for Crossroads in the second half of the episode, though the first half is spoiler free. CW: discussion of self-harm.

The ProleSCARYet team talks about our upcoming anti-capitalist horror anthology (SUBMIT!) and our favorite examples of anti-capitalist horror. We also do a seance over Zoom in the hopes that we'll summon Karl Marx to blurb the book. (And yes, we learned nothing from watching Host.)

Find our submission guidelines here: https://prolescaryetanthology.com/

Half of proceeds go to Labor Rights: https://laborrights.org/about 

Laura Diaz de Arce and I talk about language-blending literature, space colonialism, and her genre-bending short story collection Monstrosity. Note that the second half of this episode contains spoilers for the story "Plum Moon" from this collection -- the other 11 stories are unspoiled.

Find Laura on Twitter @QuetaAuthor.

Support Laura on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/QuetaAuthor

John Langan and I talk about aliens, how to (tactfully) turn people you know into characters for your fiction, and his new collection Children of the Fang and Other Genealogies. Note that the second half of this episode contains spoilers for the story "Vista" from this collection -- the other 20+ stories are unspoiled!

For more info about John's work, check out his website: https://johnpaullangan.wordpress.com/

Emma J. Gibbon and I talk about the state of horror in libraries, paranormal experiences, and her disease-catching story "Not the Glutton Club" from her wonderful collection Dark Blood Comes from the Feet. The second half contains spoilers for this story (I provide verbal warning in advance), but there are no spoilers for the rest of the collection.

Find more about Emma here: https://emmajgibbon.wordpress.com/

Briana Morgan and I talk about writing horror for the stage, the complexities of internet justice, and her excellent horror play Unboxed (note that there are spoilers in the second half of the episode -- I provide a warning in advance, and everything before it is spoiler free).We also get a preview of her upcoming short story collection The Tricker-Treater and Other Stories. Support Briana on Patreon here.

Laura Keating and I talk about the unexpected challenges of writing what you know, ways to infect your writing with a sense of unnerving "wrongness," and her bizarre road trip story "Good Time in the Bad Lands" featured in the Worst Laid Plans vacation horror anthology. The first half of our discussion is spoiler free, and the second half has spoilers for this story.

Part 3 of 3 in the Worst Laid Plans episode series.

Find Laura's work here: https://www.lorekeating.com/writing

Patrick Tumblety and I talk about multimedia storytelling, breaking family curses, and his Jack the Ripper-themed story "Something about Dr. Tumblety." The first half of the episode is spoiler free, and I provide a spoiler warning once we start discussing his story.

Check out Patrick's work on his website: https://speakerpatrick.wixsite.com/patricktumblety

Greg Sisco (author of "Summers with Annie") and I talk about writing for the page vs. the screen, the best and worst of the cursed films subgenre, and his meditative story "Summers with Annie" from the Worst Laid Plans vacation horror anthology. The first half of our discussion is spoiler free, and the second half has spoilers for "Summers with Annie."

Part 2 of 3 in the Worst Laid Plans episode series.

Hailey Piper (author of The Possession of Natalie Glasgow) and I talk about her upcoming novella The Worm and His Kings, the evolution of the possession genre, and how to "make horror gay AF." The first half of our discussion is spoiler free, and the second half has spoilers for The Possession of Natalie Glasgow.

V. Castro (author of "The Cucuy of Cancun," Hairspray and Switchblades, Maria the Wanted), and I talk about tourism as colonialism, Fright Girl Summer, and her story "The Cucuy of Cancun" from the Worst Laid Plans vacation horror anthology. The first half of our discussion is spoiler free, and the second half has spoilers for "The Cucuy of Cancun."

Part 1 of 3 in the Worst Laid Plans episode series.

Max D. Stanton (author of the short story collection A Season of Loathsome Miracles) and I talk about mysticism, the relationship between humor and horror, and his unsettling story "The Penance Lake Roadside Wax Museum." The first half of this discussion is spoiler-free and focused mainly on his new short story collection. The second half has spoilers for the aforementioned "Penance Lake" story -- I provide a warning beforehand.

Jessica Guess (author of Cirque Berserk) and I talk about reimagining the slasher genre, the downsides of immortality, and navigating the anti-genre biases of MFA creative writing programs. We also dive deep with Cirque Berserk, so beware -- SPOILERS!

Gwendolyn Kiste (author of And Her Smile Will Untether the Universe) and I talk about what makes body horror so appealing, why traditional family structures are so terrifying, and how to update fairy tales for the modern era.