Send us a textAre you a Weenie? Don’t be offended. I am.  Weenies are the curious-but-nervous. Those of us who love horror, but who never feel safe from its power to ruin our sleep (and a week of our life). If that’s you, or if you know someone who suffers from Weenie-ism, then Emily Hughes is here! Emily’s new book, Horror For Weenies: Everything You Need to Know About the Films You’re Too Scared to Watch is a public service for the scared. It will save relationships, help ease you into horror and hopefully teach you a thing or two about fear along the way. In this conversation, we talk about how Emily came to write this most particular of books, and how she chose which films made the grade. We also hear about her own relationship with horror, from the film that haunted her as a child all the way to her grown-up reintroduction to scary movies.  And I finally try to back up my dislike for Hereditary. Enjoy. Other books mentioned: Birdbox (2014), by Josh MalermanNightmare Fuel: The Science of Horror Films (2022), by Nina NessethTampa (2013), by Alissa NuttingCome Closer (2003), by Sara GranThe Family Plot (2016) by Cherie PriestCamp Damascus (2023), by Chuck TingleCuckoo (2024), by Gretchen Felker-MartinManhunt (2022), by Gretchen Felker-Martin Support Talking Scared on Patreon Come talk books on Twitter @talkscaredpod, on Instagram, or email direct to talkingscaredpod@gmail.com Support the Show.

Send us a Text Message.Anna Bogutskaya is one of the UK’s most prominent film critics, with a penchant for horror. She knows her scary onions. And in her new book, Feeding the Monster, she asks an important question (well, important to the likes of you and me) – Why does horror have a hold on us? In concise but free-ranging essays, she looks at the prominent themes that sets the horror oft the last decade apart, peeling back the skin of the genre to see how it’s muscle flex and grip, and also give you tons of films to watch in the process. We have a similarly freewheeling conversation in this episode, talking about everything from our primal horror movie experiences, to the meme-ification of monsters and why Mike Flanagan is both outlier and heart of the genre. Also… Anna introduces me to the concept of Vecnussy, which may ruin Stranger Things for you, like it has for me. Enjoy Other books mentioned:Death of a Bookseller (2023), by Alice SlaterPenance (2023), by Eliza ClarkDanse Macabre (1981), by Stephen KingRed Dragon (1981), by Thomas HarrisCoup de Grace (2024), by Sofia Ajram Support Talking Scared on Patreon Come talk books on Twitter @talkscaredpod, on Instagram, or email direct to talkingscaredpod@gmail.com Support the Show.

Send us a textSend in the clowns. Tell them not to forget their crossbows and chainsaws. This week our guest is Adam Cesare, who’s Clown in a Cornfield trilogy reaches a climax (I won’t say end) in Book 3: The Church of Frendo. I read all three books in one mad rush and they confounded all of my horror-savvy, slasher-weary expectations. These books are a State of the Nation story for the ages – think George Orwell’s Animal Farm, but with fascist clowns rather than Bolshevik swine. Adam and I have one of those very Talking Scared conversations. We get into the political and the personal, touching on his time as a teacher, the challenge of empathy, the role of guns in fiction and the rural/urban divide in America.  But also… clowns! Horrible face-painted bastards that they are. Enjoy. The Indian Lake Trilogy (2021-2024), by Stephen Graham Jones“The Lottery” (1948), by Shirley JacksonInfluencer (2024), by Adam CesareRest Stop (2024), by Nat Cassidy Support Talking Scared on Patreon Come talk books on Twitter @talkscaredpod, on Instagram, or email direct to talkingscaredpod@gmail.com Support the Show.

Send us a textLiterary or genre fiction? Dumb question. This week’s guest showcases just how dumb! With her debut collection of stories, Mystery Lights showing that horror is literary and literary is horror. These tales of the American desert are full of hauntings, monsters, killers, and other oddities, yet they take a non-typical approach to the strangeness. They care more about the human in the mix than the weird thing in the corner. I loved them – and they proved that every time I think I know my own reading tastes, I find an exception to the rule. Lena and I talk about her literary allegiance to the desert, about the literary establishment’s appetite for strange things, about women treating women poorly, and about how she writes stories that don’t need to “click.” Enjoy. The Shining (1977), by Stephen King“Lamb to the Slaughter,” (1953), by Roald DahlThe Garden (2024), by Claire Beams Support Talking Scared on Patreon Come talk books on Twitter @talkscaredpod, on Instagram, or email direct to talkingscaredpod@gmail.com Support the Show.

Send us a textThis week’s guest on Talking Scared: Off Book scares children. I mean… that’s not his main job or intent (I don’t think) but he does it anyway. Trevor Henderson is the internet’s favourite horror artist. He creates digital nightmares that have become the fuel for a new generation of nightmares. Trust me, in the few moments that Gen Z aren’t being terrified by climate change or the slide into global racism… it’s Trevor’s “Cartoon Dog” or “Long Horse” – or his iconic Sirenhead – who are capering through their minds. But his pictures are just the start of it. He works in movies, in video games, in podcasting and he’s even written a book. He’s horror’s renaissance man, and he joins me to talk about it – from how he started, to the secrets of great monster design. And then we spend the end of the show just talking about some awesome movies you may not have seen or heard of. This is a fun episode. Trevor is at the beating heart of horror. Enjoy! Movies mentioned:The Ritual (2017)Arcadian (2024)Horror in the High Desert (2021)Horror in the High Desert 2: Minerva (2023)Late Night With the Devil (2024)History of the Occult (2020)Fake Documentary Q (YouTube Channel)StopMotion (2024)The Cat With Hands (2001)Infested (2024)Loop Track (2023)Savageland (2015)The Tunnel (2011) Support Talking Scared on Patreon Come talk books on Twitter @talkscaredpod, on Instagram, or email direct to talkingscaredpod@gmail.com Support the Show.

Send us a textFinally, Gabino Iglesias is on the show.  I tried, and failed, to get him for his break-out Stoker-winning smash, The Devil Takes You Home. Now he’s here to talk about his brand new barrio-noir, House of Bone and Rain. It’s an amalgamation of brutal street violence and Lovecraftian otherness – all taking place in the sweltering eye of a Puerto Rican hurricane. Gabino and I talk about the parts of the book that reflect his own life and youth. We talk about his rapid rise, and follow-up nerves. We talk about reclaiming Lovecraft. But mostly, we talk about violence – the horror of it, the reality, the sheer awful immediacy, and how the real thing is nothing like the stuff on a movie screen. It’s a good chat, about the right kind of manhood. Enjoy. The Devil Takes You Home (2022) by Gabino IglesiasHungry Darkness (2015) by Gabino IglesiasZero Saints (2015), by Gabino IglesiasThe Ballad of Black Tom (2016), by Victor LaValleWoodworm (2021), by Layla MartinezLost Man’s Lane (2024), by Scott Carson Support Talking Scared on Patreon Come talk books on Twitter @talkscaredpod, on Instagram, or email direct to talkingscaredpod@gmail.com Support the Show.

Send us a textRemember those books you read in the summer when you were young? Kids fighting evil in their small town? Bikes, and blood brothers and promises to keep?  If you love those kinda stories then you’re in good company. This week Jonathan Janz joins me to talk about the coming-of-age horror in his ongoing epic, Children of the Dark. Book One was rereleased earlier this year, just in time for the sequel The Nightflyer’s to continue the story of Will Burgess and the monstrous secrets in his backyard.  As well as a whole lot of chat about favourite movies, a million book recommendations and Jonathan’s beautifully wholesome horror movie bond with his daughter – we also discuss the canon of coming of age horror, how to write honestly about childhood, the role of theme in a story, and where Jonathan’s monsters originated. Climb up to our treehouse. Bring snacks. Enjoy.Savage Species (2013), by Jonathan JanzSomething Wicked This Way Comes (1962), by Ray BradburyDandelion Wine (1957), by Ray BradburyThe Body (1982), by Stephen KingThe Wind Through the Keyhole (2012), by Stephen KingBoy’s Life (1991), by Robert R. McCammonThe Dark Valley (1998), by Joe DonnellyThe Deer Kings  (2021), by Wendy WagnerThe Reformatory (2023), by Tananarive DueSummer of Night (1991), by Dan SimmonsGhoul (2007), by Brian KeeneThe Beast House (1986), by Richard LaymonThe Girl Next Door (1989), by Jack KetchumIncidents Around the House (2024), by Josh Malerman Support Talking Scared on Patreon Come talk books on Twitter @talkscaredpod, on Instagram, or email direct to talkingscaredpod@gmail.com Support the Show.

Send us a textWhy is Adam Nevill so scary?  I don’t know. Do you? He’s a nice guy – as you’ll hear in this episode. Yet he tells stories that crawl under your skin and stay there. Stories that squat in your subconscious. His latest novel, All the Fiends of Hell is no exception. Same elusive nightmare mystery, but expanded to a whole epic end-of-the-world canvas. And when Adam says end of the world, he means it. In this conversation we talk about apocalyptic fantasy, about angels and demons, about the sea and its endless hope, and about his own unique style when it comes to fear and monsters.  Oh… and about a certain prog-rock masterpiece that plays a big part in this story and in each of our childhoods. Enjoy.The War of the Worlds (1898), by H.G. WellsThe Road (2006), by Cormac McCarthyNuclear War: A Scenario (2024), by Annie JacobsenApartment 16 (2010), by Adam NevillLast Days (2012), by Adam NevillBanquet for the Damned (2004), by Adam NevillInvasion: The Inside Story of Russia’s Bloody War and Ukraine’s Fight for Survival (2022), by Luke HardingThe Turn of The Screw (1898), by Henry JamesThe Exorcist (1971), by William Peter Blatty Here is the link for Adam’s story - “Where Angels Come In” at Nightmare Magazine And the link to the Shadows at the Door Kickstarter for EARWORM Support Talking Scared on Patreon Come talk books on Twitter @talkscaredpod, on Instagram, or email direct to talkingscaredpod@gmail.com Support the Show.

Send us a textPart One was epic. Part Two is just as good. In that way, it’s much better than the adaptation of IT! In the second part of this celebration of King short stories, a whole other roster of Constant Readers come along to talk about their favourites. We have writers for all ages, a fellow podcaster and a filmmaker with important updates.  All of them united by one thing – their love of these little twisted word-worlds that Stephen King has given us over the years.  This was a blast, but god I’m glad it’s finally done. Enjoy! Support Talking Scared on Patreon Come talk books on Twitter @talkscaredpod, on Instagram, or email direct to talkingscaredpod@gmail.com Support the Show.

Send us a textWhat’s your favourite Stephen King story? Everyone has one. Hot off the back of the recent interview with the man himself, it seemed a neat idea to get a few friends on the show to talk about their own preferences from King’s huge back-catalogue of short fiction. I am the architect of my own doom! What was supposed to be a small side project grew, like Grey Matter, or unnatural mist, into FOUR HOURS of top-notch King chat, with some of the best and brightest constant readers. I’m not telling you who they are… why spoil the surprise. But in this first of a double-bill you can hear old and new friends of Talking Scared talk about the King short that lights their fire, freezes their marrow, or breaks their heart. It’s a whole lot…and it’s only half. Enjoy! Support Talking Scared on Patreon Come talk books on Twitter @talkscaredpod, on Instagram, or email direct to talkingscaredpod@gmail.com Support the Show.

Send us a Text Message.Stephen King is back! What other intro do you need? Okay, fine. He talks to me about the stories behind the stories in his new collection, You Like it Darker. I had the audacity to ask him “where he got some of his ideas.”  He also updates us on the potential of a third Jack Sawyer book, to follow The Talisman and Black House. He hints at what’s next from him, and Holly Gibney. He gives a perspective on his view from the top of the horror pyramid, and I finally get to ask him about a beloved-yet-underappreciated novel. Is that enough for you, or do I need go on? Thought not… Thanks for listening – and enjoy. Other books mentioned:Waiting for Winter (1966), by John O’ HaraHorror Movie (2024), by Paul TremblayA Head Full of Ghosts (2015), by Paul TremblaySurvivor Song (2020), by Paul TremblayFever House (2023), by Keith RossonNestlings (2023), by Nat CassidyCome With Me (2021), by Ronald MalfiAmerican Rapture (2024), by C.J. Leede Support Talking Scared on Patreon Come talk books on Twitter @talkscaredpod, on Instagram, or email direct to talkingscaredpod@gmail.com Support the Show.

Send us a text200 episodes! Madness. Who knew there could be so much to say about horror?  I knew. You knew. And here we are. It turns out that the real cursed treasure was the friends we made along the way – and how better to celebrate the bicentennial, than by inviting some of the Talking Scared nearest and dearest, to tell us their scariest story? I called, they answered – with tales of voyeuristic ghosts, horrifying roadside encounters, disappearing witches, whispering demons, damaged eyeballs, lost children and ….Richard Simmons!! Enjoy this. You deserve it. Thank you so very much for your ear, your attention and your support over these last four years. Onward.  Support Talking Scared on Patreon Come talk books on Twitter @talkscaredpod, on Instagram, or email direct to talkingscaredpod@gmail.com Support the Show.

Send us a textMy unpaid cohost returns. Josh Malerman ladies and gentlemen. Josh has been on the show many times before, but never have I been so excited to speak to him. His latest novel, Incidents Around the House is about as good a horror book as I’ve ever covered on this show… or possibly read in my life. It’s the story of a young girl, her family, and the entity pursuing them, but – as you’ll hear – it goes a whole lot deeper (and unforgivingly darker) than that. Josh tells us about the unique process of writing this book. We discuss the challenges of child narrators. I beg insight into the demons and half-glimpsed horrors of his story… and I assault him with odd comparisons. It’s all very freewheeling and fun. As the 199th episode should be, before we tip over the edge into a whole new century. Enjoy – and read this damn book! Other books mentioned: The House of Last Resort (2024), Christopher GoldenCoraline (2002), by Neil GaimanThe Exorcist (1971), by William Peter BlattyGood Night Sleep Tight (2024), by Brian EvensonNightmares and Dreamscapes (1993), by Stephen KingFrom a Buick 8 (2002), by Stephen King11/22/63 (2011), by Stephen King Support Talking Scared on Patreon Come talk books on Twitter @talkscaredpod, on Instagram, or email direct to talkingscaredpod@gmail.com Support the Show.

Send us a textIn the second Off Book episode we get out of our armchairs and go on a real adventure. Well, not really – but we talk to two people who do. Danielle and Cassie are the hosts of National Park After Dark – a podcast catering to the “morbid outdoor enthusiast.” They have skyrocketed to success, with well-researches stories of murder, maulings and mad incidents out in the world’s national parks.  I’ve listened for years now and I’m delighted to finally get the chance to ask them all the questions… what is their favourite flavour of outdoor macabre? Is there a particular unsolved mystery that burns a hole in their brain? What’s the scariest thing they’ve encountered out there… and should we reintroduce wolves to the UK? (Yes!) You don’t need to like the outdoors to enjoy this episode. Danielle and Cassie do the hard work for us.  Just enjoy! Books mentioned: Wolfish: Wolf, Self and the Stories we Tell About Fear, Ferocity and Freedom (2023), by Erica BerryA Bolt From the Blue: The Epic True Story of Danger, Daring ad Heroism at 15,000 Feet (2012), by Jennifer WoodliefThe Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon (1999), by Stephen KingWhere the Dead Wait (2023), by Ally WilkesFire in the Sky: The Walton Experience (1997), by Travis Walton Support Talking Scared on Patreon Come talk books on Twitter @talkscaredpod, on Instagram, or email direct to talkingscaredpod@gmail.com Support the Show.

Send us a textPaul Tremblay returns to Talking Scared on a long orbit, like that fabled Planet X that’s going to kill us all.  He’s back after two years for another discussion of horror aesthetics, introspective terrors and mixed-media nightmares – this time in Horror Movie, his meta-take on cursed cinema and lethal creativity.  Horror Movie is about young filmmakers and the shoot that marks them all, even unto death. It’s also about the making of art, the machinery of fear and the cynicism of Hollywood. But beneath all that self-reflexive interrogation, it’s also just a damn creepy story. And Paul talks to me about all of it. Note – there is jet lag aplenty in this episode. An arms race of confusion and forgetfulness. It makes for a good time. Bear with us. Enjoy Other books mentioned:The Pallbearer’s Club (2022), by Paul TremblayA Head Full of Ghosts (2015), by Paul Tremblay“Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” (1966), by Joyce Carol OatesGreasy Lake and Other Stories (1985), by T. C. BoyleThe Stand (1978/1990), by Stephen KingA Better World (2024), by Sarah LanganCurdle Creek (2024), by Yvonne Battle-Felton Support Talking Scared on Patreon Come talk books on Twitter @talkscaredpod, on Instagram, or email direct to talkingscaredpod@gmail.com Support the Show.

Send us a textElle Nash’s Deliver Me ruined my week. In the best possible way. This book, about a woman so desperate for a child that she does truly terrible, no-good things, contains some of the bleakest, most brutal scenes I’ve read in a while. And it’s not even really being treated as a horror novel.  Elle and I talk about that. We also talk about the hot-button topics of the novel, the patriarchy, the toxic Christianity, the… insect erotica! But we also discuss her wandering heart and the empathy and provocation that drives her work. It’s a lovely, laid back conversation about a challenging book. Enjoy Other books mentioned: Geek Love (1989), by Katherine DunnViolent Faculties (2024), by Charlene ElsbyFrisk (1991), by Dennis Cooper Support Talking Scared on Patreon Come talk books on Twitter @talkscaredpod, on Instagram, or email direct to talkingscaredpod@gmail.com Support the Show.

Send us a Text Message.Todd Keisling can write the hell out of a short story. So well, in fact, that they may convince you to resist a bully, stop going to church, or tell your boss to f**k off!  Cold, Black and Infinite is full of liminal tales of the between-places. Cosmic “Otherness” that defies religion or belief. Corporate soul-hells that take everything you have…and more. Weird then, that they are so fun. Todd and I talk about all of that connective tissue between his stories. Plus, we map The Southland, this “pocket cosmos” of weird Appalachia that is destined to be the stage for the next era in his career. It’s a blast. And this conversation is the anti-corporate, anti-fundamentalism, anti-bully screed you’ve been waiting for. Enjoy. Cold, Black and Infinite was released September 2023, By Cemetery Dance  Other books mentioned:Ugly Little Things: Collected Horrors (2017), by Todd KeislingThe Final Reconciliation (2018), by Todd KeislingDevil’s Creek (20200, by Todd KeislingIn the Lake of the Woods (1994), by Tim O’BrienThe Raw Shark Texts (2007), by Steven Hall‘Salem’s Lot (1975), by Stephen KingThe Bad Book (2021), ed. by John D. Taff (contains “Gethsemane”)The Cheese Monkeys: A Novel in Two Semesters (2002), by Chip KiddThe Ceremonies (1984), by T. E. D. Klein Support Talking Scared on Patreon Come talk books on Twitter @talkscaredpod, on Instagram, or email direct to talkingscaredpod@gmail.com Support the Show.

Send us a textSomething new for me this week. A bold venture into uncharted territory.  The graphic novel!! As is proper, I’ve started with one of the best. Emil Ferris joins me to talk through the creation of her landmark epic, My Favourite Thing is Monsters. Volume 1 came out in 2017 to rapturous acclaim, and now, Volume 2 picks up exactly where that story of cute werewolves and cherished monsters let off. This is an EVENT!! Emil talks me through this alternative form of storytelling. She tells me about the laborious process behind the books, and how it saved her life (literally). Most of all though, we talk creativity, and how art and monsters are the things that will preserve humanity. Enjoy. My Favourite Thing is Monsters is released May 28thth from Fantagraphics  Other books mentioned: Maus (1986), by Art SpiegelmanThe Talisman (1984), by Stephen King and Peter StraubThe Shape of Water (2018), by Guillermo del Toro and Daniel KrausWhalefall (2023), by Daniel Kraus Support Talking Scared on Patreon Come talk books on Twitter @talkscaredpod, on Instagram, or email direct to talkingscaredpod@gmail.com Support the Show.

Send us a textBelieve it or not, there is more to life than just books. Very little, granted… but there is more. Talking Scared: Off Book is a chance for this show to spread its wings a little. To fly further, wider, deeper into the world of horror and come back carrying different kinds of guests in our bloody beak!  (ok, I may have stretched that metaphor too far). Basically, I’ll be talking, now and then, to other kinds of horror creatives. Filmmakers, actors, musicians, podcasters, designers, comic book artists, whoever the hell takes my fancy. I hope you’ll enjoy it.  This first episode features Phil Nobile Jr. Editor-in-Chief of Fangoria, and a man with his finger on the bloody pulse of the genre. We talk about films, journalism, how to market horror and, yes, of course, a few books. This is a good episode for the hopeful journalist. Enjoy! Support Talking Scared on Patreon Come talk books on Twitter @talkscaredpod, on Instagram, or email direct to talkingscaredpod@gmail.com Support the Show.

Send us a textWe return to Australia for the second time in a month, to find that (once again), home invasion isn’t the worst thing to happen on a typical day. Alan Baxter’s Blood Covenant is a violent, thrilling story of a threeway battle between an innocent family, a nasty criminal gang of bogans (see, I’m learning!) and an otherworldly force that is even worse! Think, what if The Strangers took place in the Overlook Hotel. It’s a hugely enjoyable book that prompts a conversation about the influence of 70s and 80s paperback classics, the overlap of horror and crime in Australian fiction, some extreme horror movies and a whole long celebration of unpretentious storytelling. Enjoy! Blood Covenant is released May 24th from Cemetary Dance  Other books mentioned: The Gulp (2021), by Alan BaxterHidden City (2018), by Alan Baxter The Fatal Shore: The Epic of Australia’s Founding (1986), by Robert Hughes“Devil” by Glen Hirshberg, in Screams From the Dark: 29 Tales of Monsters and the Monstrous (2022), edited by Ellen DatlowThe Fog (1975), by James HerbertThe Hunted (2021), by Gabriel BergmoserTerra Nullius (2017), by Claire G. ColemanDirty Heads (2021), by Aaron Dries Support Talking Scared on Patreon Come talk books on Twitter @talkscaredpod, on Instagram, or email direct to talkingscaredpod@gmail.com Support the Show.