Dark Waters

We're joined by the lovely Benjamin Bradley to discuss the charms and not-so-much charms of small towns, leaving vs. staying in hometowns, and his latest release What He Left Behind. We also talk about New Jersey folklore, letting teenagers run the show in certain stories, and revisiting the stories we wrote as kids. Benjamin Bradley is a member of both Mystery Writers of America and Internati...

We're joined by the marvelous Alex Kenna to discuss various levels of musical ability, 'satisfying' television, and writing strong visualizations, and her book ⁠ Burn this Night ⁠ . We also talk about artistic skills applied to different mediums, the research process for Burn this Night, and writing in different genres, and get a sneak peek at chapter 1 of the book. Alex Kenna is a mys...

We're joined by the amazing Alex Segura to discuss his books Alter Ego and Secret Identity, dive into comic book (and other) nerdoms, and writing about an industry without asking readers to sit through a 101 crash course. We also get a sneak peek of Alter Ego , discuss the process of writing a stand alone sequel, juggling different projects, and Alex's triple pisces energy.  Alex Segura is...

We're joined by the fantastic A.M. Adair to discuss her novella Origin Story , translating fiction into different mediums, and diving headfirst into a character's frame of mind. We also get a sneak peek of Origin Story, representation of women in fiction, and the therapeutic benefits of creative outlets. A.M. Adair retired from active duty as a Chief Warrant Officer of the United States Na...

We're joined by the lovely Lina Chern to discuss her novel Play the Fool and it's recently released sequel Tricks of Fortune, as well as neurodivergent co-morbidities, being "ready" for an editor, and vice fueled fury. We also get a sneak peek of Tricks of Fortune and touch on writing with a series in mind. Lina Chern’s debut mystery novel, Play the Fool , won the 2024 Mary Higgi...

The phenomenal S.A. Cosby joins us to discuss his newest book King of Ashes, stepping into darkness as a writer, and exploring trauma and family ties through fiction. We also get a sneak peek of King of Ashes, the cameos in the S.A. Cosby universe, and touch on the dichotomy of the art vs business of writing and publishing. S. A. Cosby is a New York Times bestselling writer from southeastern Virgi...

Our guest Libby Cudmore treats us to discussions on stories inspired by dessert dreams, lots of music references, and a dive into her latest book Negative Girl. We also get a snippet of her short story "We Hunger" published in Dark Waters Vol. 2, talk about actors escaping their teenage roles, writing across genres and different types of relationships, and various types of body horror. L...

We're joined by Josh Mendoza to discuss switching between screenwriting and novels, $1,000 lego sets, and finding light in the darkness. We also get a sneak peak of his book Shadow of the Eternal Watcher , the fun parts of editing, and creepy Twilight Zone episodes. Josh Mendoza is a screenwriter, director, producer and author.  Mendoza is the founder of Strike the Sun Entertainment, and his movie...

Noah Rymer joins us for a lively discussion of Catholic literature and morality, Flannery O'Connor fandom, and selecting the least-bad vices. We also get a sneak peak of denouement, now available from Anxiety Press. Noah Rymer is a poet, editor, and prose writer who runs the literary outhouse Pere Ube as editor-in-chief, and whose debut novella  denouement  was released in March 2025 from Anxiety...

Thomas Trang joins us to discuss nuances in villainous characters, balancing exposition in narration, and his book Dark Neon & Dirt. We also get a sneak peek of the book, talk second-person narrations, and the geopolitical considerations of Jafar. Thomas Trang is a French/Vietnamese writer currently living in the UK after stints in Australia, New York, and Singapore. His stories have previousl...

The audio recording of our crowdcast for Dark Waters Vol. 2 - the podcast's second anthology of dark fiction. Guest host Bobby Mathews comes on board to talk through the anthology, and we're treated to some guest readings by several of the anthology's authors. We would also like to extend our congratulations to Jacqueline Freimor, whose story "Cruel to Be Kind" will appear in Best American Mystery...

The wonderful  Wes Browne joins us to discuss finding new books in unexpected ways, the perfect Bouchercon experience, and his new book They All Fall the Same . We also get a sneak preview of the book, touch on finding the ideal segments for author readings, and how taste can be incredibly subjective. Wes Browne lives within the Kentucky River Basin in Madison County, Kentucky. He has practiced la...

We're joined by the talented Nick Kolakowski to discuss his upcoming release Where the Bones Lie , stylistic choices for author readings, and dive into various rants including Chuck Palahniuk photographs, the 2008 writer's strike, and being shouted out of imposter syndrome. We also get a sneak peek at Where the Bones Lie , talk about the importance of having/building writing communities and dive i...

We're joined by the awesome Jaima Fixsen to talk about her new book The Specimen , steminist literature, and 19th century medical ethics. Also, how to balance the supernatural and the human in stories, Edinburgh history, and the Pythagoras math cult. Jaima Fixsen is a USA Today and International best-selling author living and writing in Alberta, Canada. Her novel, The Girl In His Shadow (co-author...

We're joined again by the incredible Jordan Harper to discuss the US release of The Last King of California , writing the stories you want to write, and having an impromptu meeting of the S.A. Cosby fan club. We also get a sneak peek at The Last King of California, discuss publishing across different countries, and whether or not the UK has a valid excuse for not understanding the word "shotgun."...

We're joined by the lovely ⁠Rob D. Smith⁠ to discuss his debut novel, numerous short stories, and French etymology in book titles. We also get a sneak peek of ⁠Good-Looking Ugly ⁠ talk about editing for a press, the relevance/importance of humor in dark fiction, and how Rob became dubbed the "Funkle." Rob D. Smith is a common man attempting to write uncommon fiction out of Louisville, KY. Currentl...

Debut novelist Sean Jacques joins us to discuss his book Doe Run, reading lists for high schoolers in 2024, the importance of indie publishing venues, and glimpses into the minds of former theatre kids. We also get a sneak peek of Doe Run, and touch on whether or not Into the Wild is tragic, turning diaries into movies, and the effects of children's dystopian stories on millenial minds. Sean J...

We're joined by attorney and author Russell W. Johnson to his Mountaineer Mystery series to discuss some of our favorite topics - dark fiction in dark times, dealing with rejection, and whether Jessica Lange was secretly the real killer all along. We also get a sneak peek at the second book in the series, The Mountain Mystic , and discuss character morality, conspiracy theories, and Ron Earl P...

We're joined by HWA NY chapter coordinator James Chambers and discuss his body of work, using horror as a way to process the world, and Lovecraftian writing in contemporary settings. We also get a sneak preview of his collection A Bright and Beautiful Eternal World and collectively wonder at how certain stories find their place in the children's section. James Chambers is a Bram Stoker Awa...

We're joined by the fantastic Jahmal Mayfield to discuss his incredible debut novel Smoke Kings, as well as the beauty of rom coms and Japanese philosophers. We also get a sneak preview of Smoke Kings and discuss tunnel vision in looking at political/socio-economic issues, and having honest conversations through a fictional lens. Jahmal Mayfield writes gritty crime novels that touch on large s...

Our audio recording of our crowdcast with editor Barbara Bye r and writers from Motel: An Anthology , celebrating the it's release. Featuring contributors: Casey Stegman Nils Gilbertson Cole Beauchamp Tessa Rossi and M.E. Proctor Barbara Byar is a working-class American (CT and CA) writer living in Ireland for over 25 years. Her critically acclaimed collection of stories: Some Days Are Better...

Our audio recording of our crowdcast with the crew from the fantastic mag Rock and a Hard Place celebrating the release of their anthology The One Percent: Tales of the Super Wealthy and Depraved Featuring the editors: Roger Nokes Jay Butkowski Albert Tucher Paul J. Garth R.D. Sullivan and Rob D. Smith And writers: James D.F. Hannah Curtis Ippolito Scott Von Doviak and C.W. Blackwell. Want to subm...

We're joined by the phenomenal talent that is award-winning author Jordan Harper to talk about Everybody Knows, late stage capitalism, horseshoe theory, and universal guilt. We also discuss his other works She Rides Shotgun, and The Last King of California, his past experience in music journalism, and Western society being a catalyst for noir stories. Jordan Harper is the Edgar-Award winning a...

We're joined by the awesome Beau Johnson to discuss facial recognition skills, reading as a family activity, and his latest release The Abrum Files. We also talk about time travel, tackling heavy topics through a variety of mediums, and rawness in writing certain genres. Beau Johnson lives in Ontario, Canada and is the author of the Bishop Rider books. Gun to his head, he will always choose pa...

We're joined by the incredible talent that is Ai Jiang and talk about their projects both released and upcoming, whether AI will take over the world, and if the apocalypse can come before we've written the books we want to write. We also get a snippet of I Am AI and talk about using horror as a way to discuss grief. Ai Jiang is a Chinese-Canadian writer, a Nebula Award finalist, and an imm...