Ladies of the Fright

In this episode, we are joined by Stephanie from Books in the Freezer podcast for an in-depth conversation about Iain Reid’s novel I’m Thinking of Ending Things.

In this special Halloween episode, we are thrilled to bring you our second Tropisode! Today’s episode is all about Haunted Houses. As you know, with these episodes we invite a guest with some expertise on the trope we’re exploring. Today, we’re happy to welcome Kathryn E. McGee BACK to the show. Our listeners might remember Kathryn from LOTF 03, in which we talked about the highlights from StokerCon 2018. As you know, we met Kathryn in grad school. We’ve brought her back on the show today because during her time in our MFA program, she established herself as a Haunted House expert. We think you’ll find her expertise valuable!

In this episode we chat with Michael David Wilson, the founder, editor in chief, and podcast host over at This Is Horror. Michael has done amazing work to promote the horror genre and has provided an invaluable resource for writers at all stages of their careers. In this conversation, we take a deep dive into his early writing (you won’t want to miss his retelling of James and the Chocolate Tree!), we explore his religious upbringing and how that connects to his love of horror. We also talk about the path that led him to start This Is Horror, and we learn about his forthcoming novella, The Girl in the Video, out next year from Perpetual Motion Machine Publishing.

In this episode we chat with Sadie Hartmann, also known as “Mother Horror.” Sadie is a prolific reader and book reviewer, who is generous with her support of authors and passionate about the promotion of the horror genre. We also talk about how her involvement in the Bookstagram community evolved over time, the creation of the Night Worms, her work with Cemetery Dance and Scream Magazine, the importance of maintaining an honest voice when it comes to reviewing books, and a whole lot more.

In this episode, we reconvene with author Grady Hendrix to discuss his new novel We Sold Our Souls (out tomorrow, September 18!) We talk about his forthcoming movie The Satanic Panic (as well as the actual “Satanic Panic”,") what it was like to help choose the top 100 horror stories for NPR this past summer, and of course, conspiracy theories, the process of writing We Sold Our Souls, and the point where it’s okay to quit pursuing your dreams.

In this episode we discuss Rachel Autumn Deering’s Husk, an “all-too-real work of horror fiction, Rachel Autumn Deering explores the mind of a young man who is struggling to cope with the effects of post-war stress, drug addiction, self-doubt, and loneliness as they manifest themselves into his deepest, darkest fears.” In the story, “Kevin Brooks returns to his rural Kentucky hometown after a three-year-long tour of duty in Afghanistan. He has lost the grandparents who raised him, his lifelong best friend, and his trust in the government he once proudly served. When Kevin meets a kind, young girl named Samantha, he thinks his luck might have finally taken a turn for the better. But something else has its eye on Kevin. Something dark and brooding and mean. Something that knows Kevin better than he knows himself.” Show Notes: Initial impressions Essential horror curriculum would include this book, plusElizabeth by Ken GreenhallShirley JacksonMapping the Interior by Stephen Graham JonesThe House at the Bottom o

In this episode we’re chatting with author Julia Fine. We talked about her new novel in episode 16 and we are so excited to have her on the show. A little about Julia: Her debut What Should Be Wild is out now from Harper Books. She earned her MFA at Columbia College Chicago, and has taught writing at Columbia College and DePaul University. She's currently living in Chicago with her family, hard at work on both her second novel and her one year-old son. Julia's process of writing What Should Be Wild's from initial idea to publications Advice on finding an agentJulia's agent: Stephanie Delman with Greenburger AssociatesQuery Tracker Getting an MFA; what that experience was likeAudrey NiffeneggerThe Time Traveler's WifeHer Fearful Symmetry What Should Be Wild: the pitch, the (pretty spoiler-free story), influencesFrom the Beast to the Blonde by Marina WarnerWe Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley JacksonThe Hidden Life of Trees by Peter WohllebenDoris LessingThe Fifth ChildThe Golden Notebook The unique ch

In this episode we’re discussing Victor LaValle’s The Changeling, which is about “One man’s thrilling journey through an enchanted world to find his wife, who has disappeared after supposedly committing an unforgivable act of violence, from the award-winning author of the The Devil in Silver, Big Machine and The Ballad of Black Tom." Show Notes Mackenzie has an exciting announcement! Lisa talks about how this book examines how fucking scary social media and our technology-driven lives are and made it scarier than it already is. Lisa discusses "the pivotal scene" in the book Mackenzie talks about word choice and repetition, and how that’s a fairy tale thing. Lisa agrees and discusses the repetition of Apollo's dream. This Is Horror podcast episode 161, interview with Victor LaValle Lisa discusses echoes of great authors. Stephen King: Pet Sematary; Neil Gaiman: American Gods; Joe Hill: The Fireman Mackenzie ponders the purpose of the North Brother Island in the book Mackenzie rants: The fact that Emma is a wit

Mackenzie and Lisa discuss What Should Be Wild, the debut novel by Julia Fine. Book description: In this darkly funny, striking debut, a highly unusual young woman must venture into the woods at the edge of her home to remove a curse that has plagued the women in her family for millennia—an utterly original novel with all the mesmerizing power of The Tiger’s Wife, The Snow Child, and Swamplandia! Show Notes: Blurbed by Josh MalermanUnbury CarolBird Box Roses and Rot by Kat Howard

This is the first in a sub-series of episodes that explore specific horror tropes in detail — Tropisode #1: Vampires. We plan to do one of these episodes about once a quarter. We talk about vampires with a vampire expert, Natalie Ferrigno, who also happens to be a fellow UCR Palm Desert alumna. In addition to talking about vampires (where they've been, where they are, where they're going) we also discuss in greater detail David Busboom's new novella Nightbird from Unnerving. Natalie Ferrigno is a horror writer, gothic fusion bellydancer, and creator of the forthcoming Atrophy Zine. You can find her and follow her creative endeavors at the handle @eris_atrophy on both Twitter and Instagram. Stay tuned for more news regarding the Indie GoGo for her zine! Show notes: Interview with a Vampire by Anne Rice The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice The Vampyre by John William Pollidori Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu Dracula by Bram Stoker The Chupacabra Baobhan Sith of Scotland Lore Podcast episode 19 "Bite Marks" I Am

In part two of our conversation with Becky Spratford, we discuss her ongoing involvement with Stoker Con, how horror authors can do programs and conventions at their local libraries, advice for authors at the beginning of their career, how to use Halloween and the current popularity of the horror genre to your advantage when building relationships with libraries, and more! Becky Spratford is a Librarian [MLIS] in Illinois specializing in serving leisure readers ages 13 and up. She trains library staff all over the world on how to match books with readers through their local public library. She is the author of The Readers’ Advisory Guide to Horror, 2d edition (ALA Editions, 2012). She is under contract to write content for EBSCO's NoveList database, reviews for Booklist, is a member of the Adult Reading Round Table Steering Committee, a 5 term Trustee for her local library, and am a proud member of The Horror Writers' Association. You can follow Becky on Twitter @RAForAll. Show Notes: StokerCon 2019 Dracul by

Librarians may ask: why horror? And authors may ask: why libraries? Becky Spratford has the answers to these questions and more—her insight gave us a whole new perspective on ways to strengthen the horror community in libraries. We talk about what writers can do to build relationships with their local libraries, how reader's advisory works, the pros and cons of genres and subgenres, and so much more. Becky shares her philosophy on connecting authors and librarians with the ultimate goal of finding more readers for their books. Becky Spratford is a Librarian [MLIS] in Illinois specializing in serving leisure readers ages 13 and up. She trains library staff all over the world on how to match books with readers through their local public library. She is the author of The Readers’ Advisory Guide to Horror, 2d edition (ALA Editions, 2012). She is under contract to write content for EBSCO's NoveList database, reviews for Booklist, is a member of the Adult Reading Round Table Steering Committee, a 5 term Trustee for

In this episode, we discuss All the Truth That's In Me by Julie Berry. We talk about the nuances of young adult literature, the book's compelling parallels with the current #MeToo movement, what makes this novel's unusual structure so effective, and so much more. Book Description: Four years ago, Judith and her best friend disappeared from their small town of Roswell Station. Two years ago, only Judith returned, permanently mutilated, reviled and ignored by those who were once her friends and family. Unable to speak, Judith lives like a ghost in her own home, silently pouring out her thoughts to the boy who’s owned her heart as long as she can remember—even if he doesn’t know it—her childhood friend, Lucas. But when Roswell Station is attacked, long-buried secrets come to light, and Judith is forced to choose: continue to live in silence, or recover her voice, even if it means changing her world, and the lives around her, forever. Show Notes: First Draft Podcast with Sarah Enni We reference our discussion o

In this episode, Mackenzie and Lisa are joined by guest host Stephen Graham Jones to discuss Ken Greenhall's Elizabeth. This novel is wonderfully uncomfortable and you won't want to miss our chat. Book Description: "'If you were to go into your bedroom tonight – perhaps by candlelight – and sit quietly before the large mirror, you might see what I have seen. Sit patiently, looking neither at yourself nor at the glass. You might notice that the image is not yours, but that of an exceptional person who lived at some other time . . .' "The image in the mirror of fourteen-year-old Elizabeth Cuttner is that of the fey and long-dead Frances, who introduces Elizabeth to her chilling world of the supernatural. Through Frances, Elizabeth learns what it is to wield power – power of a kind that is malevolent and seemingly invincible. Power that begins with the killing of her parents . . . "First published in 1976, Ken Greenhall's debut novel Elizabeth is a lost classic of modern horror fiction that deserves rediscov

In this episode, Mackenzie and Lisa chat with Grady Hendrix. We talk about his history with theater, bad author events, the appropriate number of cats, and his philosophy of honest writing. Grady Hendrix has written about the confederate flag for Playboy magazine, terrible movie novelizations for Film Comment, and Jean-Claude Van Damme for Slate. He’s covered machine gun collector conventions, written award shows for Chinese television, and answered the phone for a parapsychological research organization. His novel, Horrorstör, about a haunted IKEA, has been translated into 14 languages and is currently being developed into a television series. His most recent novel, My Best Friend's Exorcism, is now out in paperback, and he’s the screenwriter of 2017’s Mohawk, a horror movie set during the War of 1812. He recently won a Stoker Award for Paperbacks from Hell, a non-fiction history of horror paperbacks in the Seventies and Eighties. Show Notes: Will Errickson, of Too Much Horror Fiction blog Doogie Horner, Art

"Stories of the Fair Folk are not at all then what we think of as fairy tales, those moralistic stories wherein evil is punished and virtue triumphs, that were set safely in once upon a time, and had happy endings guaranteed. True fairy tales are horror stories." —Kat Howard Join Mackenzie Kiera and Lisa Quigley for a discussion of Roses and Rot, Kat Howard's debut novel.  Show Notes: Shout out to the This Is Horror podcast: We've been getting so much support from these guys (Michael, Bob, and Dan) and the immense generosity of this is not lost on us. Thank you guys SO MUCH for all the shout outs on the show and the shares on Facebook and Twitter. Your support truly means the world to us. Be sure to check out what they're doing on their Patreon. Kat Howard's second novel: An Unkindness of Magicians The Guardian article announcing the new Sandman comics

In this episode, Lisa and Mackenzie talk to Josh Malerman about his latest novel, Unbury Carol. Josh Malerman is the author of Bird Box, Unbury Carol and others, including short stories, novellas, and plays. He's also one of two singer-songwriters for the Detroit rock band The High Strung, whose song "The Luck You Got" can be heard as the theme song for the hit Showtime show "Shameless." He lives in Michigan with his artist fiancee Allison Laakko. Virginia Woolf The Loney by Andrew Michael Hurley Josh's rock band: The High Strung Smith Henderson Black Mad Wheel The Nightmare on Netflix Photo from Josh's "reading" of Unbury Carol Classic book Josh will never read: Jude the Obscure

Ellen Datlow has been editing science fiction, fantasy, and horror short fiction for over thirty-five years as fiction editor of OMNI Magazine and editor of Event Horizon and SCIFICTION. She currently acquires short fiction for Tor.com. In addition, she has edited more than ninety science fiction, fantasy, and horror anthologies, including the annual The Best Horror of the Year, The Doll Collection, Black Feathers, and Mad Hatters and March Hares.   Forthcoming are The Devil and the Deep: Horror Stories of the Sea and Echoes: The Saga Anthology of Ghost Stories. She's won multiple World Fantasy Awards, Locus Awards, Hugo Awards, Stoker Awards, International Horror Guild Awards, Shirley Jackson Awards, and the 2012 Il Posto Nero Black Spot Award for Excellence as Best Foreign Editor. Datlow was named recipient of the 2007 Karl Edward Wagner Award, given at the British Fantasy Convention for "outstanding contribution to the genre," and has been honored with the Life Achievement Award by the Horror Writers Assoc

Interview with John Palisano, Vice President of the Horror Writer's Association. His short fiction has appeared in many places. Check out: Dark Discoveries, Horror Library, Darkness On The Edge, Lovecraft eZine, Phobophobia, Terror Tales, Harvest Hill, Halloween Spirits, the Bram Stoker Award® nominated Chiral Mad, Midnight Walk, Halloween Tales, and many other publications. NERVES was his first novel. He is working hard on its sequel, as well as many other upcoming works. Show Notes: Horror University Bram Stoker Awards Pitch an idea for a panel for StokerCon 2019 HWA Into the Future: A panel moderated by Lisa Morton and featuring Brad C. Hodson, JG Faherty, John Palisano, Marge Simon How (Not) to Win a Bram Stoker Award:  A panel moderated by Rena Mason and featuring Patrick Freivald, Eric J. Guignard, Lisa Morton, John Palisano, Marge Simon Saw Friday the 13th Stranger Things Get Out "Literary Horror" Josh Malerman The Fisherman, by John Langan Stephen Graham Jones Paul Tremblay Kat Howard Stephen King The

In this episode, Mackenzie and Lisa interview Paul Tremblay at StokerCon 2018. Paul is the author of Disappearance at Devil's Rock, the Bram Stoker Award-winning A Head Full of Ghosts, and the crime novels The Little Sleep and No Sleep Till Wonderland. He is currently a member of the board of directors of the Shirley Jackson Awards, and his essays and short fiction have appeared in the Los Angeles Times and numerous "year's best" anthologies. He has a master's degree in mathematics and lives in Boston with his wife and two children. Show Notes: Readercon Los Angeles Times Festival of Books Mark Haskell Smith Tod Goldberg Boskone Scares That Care Strange Weather by Joe Hill The Cabin at the End of the World, the new novel from Paul Tremblay coming June 26, 2018 Write or Die We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty Picnic at Hanging Rock Lake Mungo The Snowtown Murders Stranger Things John Langan Bracken MacLeod Find Paul: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, W