This Is Horror Podcast

In this podcast, Clay McLeod Chapman talks about short stories and Hollywood, Raymond Carver, ambiguity in fiction, and much more. [3:26] Conversation start. [12:50] Perfection within imperfection. [25:27] Short stories are seeds for features in Hollywood. [27:53] Writing process. [37:18] Praising editors. [39:49] Raymond Carver. [47:48] Donnie Darko: The Director’s Cut. [54:04] Paul Tremblay and...

In this podcast, Rachel Harrison talks about Black Sheep, religion vs. cults, writing routine, and much more. [4:05] Religion vs. Cult. [10:27] Supernatural experience. [26:02] Writing Black Sheep. [34:03] Satanism in Black Sheep. [49:54] A typical working day [56:30] Future projects. [1:01:39] What should Rachel be kinder to herself about? [1:03:55] Connect with Rachel. [1:04:19] Final thoughts....

In this podcast, Rachel Harrison talks about writing horror stories, weddings, Goblin, and much more. [4:11] Early life lessons growing up. [9:11] Telling her mother stories. [13:59] Story taste growing up. [20:47] Jump-scares. [25:58] Working in TV. [35:41] Wedding culture. [40:03] Getting married. [47:21] Goblin and diet culture. Full podcast show notes are available here: https://www.thisishorr...

In this podcast, R. A. Busby talks about Corporate Body, supernatural experiences, the joy of redrafting, and much more. [2:58] Supernatural experience. [29:45] Corporate Body. [53:15] Thematic concerns in Corporate Body. [1:00:57] Body horror. [1:09:11] Favourite part of writing novels. [1:15:42] Connect with R. A. Busby. [1:16:19] Final thoughts. Full podcast show notes are available here: https...

In this podcast, R. A. Busby talks about early life lessons, first stories, horror fiction, and much more. [3:57] Early life lessons growing up. [8:51] Danger in the desert. [18:17] What horror fiction says. [19:03] The LaRocca to Koontz horror fiction scale. [29:59] Max Booth III's Maggots Screaming [37:46] The commercial viability of short story collections. [44:48] Posthumous success. [50:11] T...

In this podcast, Jason Pargin talks about Zoey Is Too Drunk for this Dystopia, writing a book series, TikTok creation strategies, and much more. [3:59] Social media experiments and dilemmas. [18:10] Content creation, TikTok, and its toll on mental health. [23:03] Where Jason creates TikTok content. [31:12] Zoey Is Too Drunk for this Dystopia [56:09] Ethics and using social media platforms. [1:06:0...

In this podcast, Jason Pargin talks about becoming a TikTok influencer, AI and creativity, conspiracy theories, and much more. [3:37] A warning and an announcement. [14:27] Is AI a threat to creativity and writing? [31:53] The Zoey Ashe origin story. [35:26] Conspiracy theories. [45:31] TikTok. Full podcast show notes are available here: https://www.thisishorror.co.uk/tih-539-jason-pargin-on-becom...

In this podcast, Aubrey Parsons talks about voice acting, audiobooks, narration, and much more. [3:06] Conversation start and early life lessons. [7:17] Initial creative jobs and aspirations. [16:40] Dos and don'ts for voice acting and narration. [20:38] Variety of accents as a unique selling point. [29:36] Audiobook distribution and marketplaces. [36:13] Sir Anthony Hopkins endorsement. [46:49] F...

In this podcast, we unbox and analyse Michael Haneke’s cult classic, Funny Games, with special guest, Mackenzie Kiera. This podcast was recorded as part of the House of Bad Memories weekend. [4:35] Catching up with Mackenzie. [23:07] Unboxing Funny Games (1997). [30:54] Violence. [35:17] Breaking the fourth wall but maintaining tension. [44:29] The remote control. [55:02] Misogynistic power strugg...

In this podcast, Chuck Palahniuk talks about Not Forever, But For Now, writing on Substack, the legacy of Fight Club, and much more. [3:32] Conversation start/Quitting drinking. [9:01] Not Forever, But For Now book tour. [17:01] Repeated choruses. [21:33] Intention to write a cosy mystery. [25:00] Shift towards the horror genre. [28:59] Addiction, suicidal ideation, and gravitating towards Chuck P...

In this podcast, David Moody, Dan Howarth, and Michael David Wilson have a round table discussion about their current writing routine and life, and David Moody talks about surviving a heart attack amongst other topics. [3:13] Conversation start. [4:34] Changes since we last spoke. [11:57] David Moody's heart attack. [22:26] Relearning childhood lessons. [27:13] Make sure writing is fun. [35:31] Th...

In this podcast, Alan Baxter talks about Sallow Bend, The Gulp, Australian horror fiction, and much more. [3:27] Biggest changes personally and professionally in the last three years for Alan. [18:04] Indy vs. traditional publishing considerations. [24:31] Alan's literary agent. [36:29] Social media and newsletters. [53:29] Sallow Bend. [59:08] Writing in a broad array of genres. [1:17:16] Alan's...

In this podcast, Joe Sullivan talks about Cemetery Gates Media, publishing, and much more. [3:03] Early life lessons. [16:49] Writing and creative itch. [26:04] Future aspirations. [37:38] Story submissions. [42:04] Chapter 22 of House of Bad Memories. [44:22] Supernatural beliefs. [48:03] Future Cemetery Gates Media releases. [54:15] Cemetery Green Media. [59:14] What frightens Joe. [1:02:23] Hum...

In this podcast, Michael David Wilson launches his debut novel, House of Bad Memories, and Laurel Hightower launches her new book, Silent Key. [3:03] Live podcast start. [9:34] Silent Key. [12:48] Cam Ambrose. [39:25] House of Bad Memories genre and initial vision. [55:29] Writing authentically. [1:02:53] Laurel reads Star Man. [1:14:26] Michael and Laurel read Things We Say. [1:26:07] Post-readin...

In this podcast, Tim Waggoner talks about early life lessons, becoming a writer, first stories, and much more. [3:13] Early life lessons. [18:45] Showing vs. not showing the monster. [28:24] Is Michael Myers supernatural or human? [36:31] Reading reader reactions to books. [1:01:12] Personal beliefs pertaining to God and the supernatural. [1:22:59] Final thoughts. Full podcast show notes are avail...

In this podcast, Max Booth III and Michael David Wilson talk about their brand new books, The Last Haunt (Max Booth III) and House of Bad Memories (Michael David Wilson), and much more in this special This Is Horror/Ghoulish Podcast collaboration. [2:53] The inspiration for The Last Haunt. [9:02] Cemetery Gates Media. [12:51] House of Bad Memories. [29:51] Writing about traumatic events as therapy...

In this podcast, Daniel Kraus talks about Whalefall, touring, book publicity, and much more. [3:59] Research for Whalefall. [13:51] Science and single location. [21:04] Daniel's relationship with his father. [32:48] Suicide. [39:03] Writing process. [45:12] Books already written. [49:48] Larry Torre asks about George A. Romero. [53:56] Alice Phelan asks about writing YA books. Full podcast show no...

In this podcast, Daniel Kraus talks about Whalefall, touring, book publicity, and much more. [3:14] Biggest changes in the last three years. [13:30] Decision to get involved with the marketing. [30:36] Classifying Whalefall. [43:46] Research for Whalefall. Full podcast show notes are available here: https://www.thisishorror.co.uk/tih-528-daniel-kraus-on-whalefall-touring-and-book-publicity Support...

In this podcast we preview episode seventeen of Story Unboxed in which we unbox and analyse Session 9 with Neil McRobert of the Talking Scared Podcast. [3:28] Introducing Neil McRobert and the Session 9 Unboxing. [5:35] First experience with Session 9. [15:32] The Shining. [22:50] Our interpretation of Simon. [40:29] Real life paranormal happenings at the Danvers. [43:22] Neil tells us about his m...

In this podcast, Richard Chizmar talks about Becoming The Boogeyman, writing characters based on real people, future writing projects, and much more. [3:16] Biggest changes personally and professionally in the last two years. [7:18] Becoming The Boogeyman. [45:00] Brandon Simmons, via Patreon, asking about writing about characters based on people from real life. [52:42] Boogeyman podcast. [58:53]...

In this podcast, we give Stephen King’s Mr. Mercedes the Story Unboxed treatment and begin to dissect and discuss this wonderful novel. This is the first part of our unboxing of Mr. Mercedes. This is the first in a special Holly Gibney series of episodes on This Is Horror Podcast. Full podcast show notes and a transcript are available here: https://www.thisishorror.co.uk/tih-526-analysing-mr-merce...

In this podcast, Josh Malerman talks about The High Strung, writing an all-time horror novel, stories from the road, and much more. Full podcast show notes and a transcript are available here: https://www.thisishorror.co.uk/tih-525-josh-malerman-on-the-high-strung-writing-an-all-time-horror-novel-and-stories-from-the-road Support This Is Horror Podcast on Patreon here: https://patreon.com/thisisho...

In this podcast, Josh Malerman talks about the early years on the road, living off $10 per day, The High Strung, the Hall of Fame van story, and much more. [3:37] Reflecting on the release of Spin A Black Yarn, the twelfth book. [11:44] Living on the road on $10 per day. [20:35] The Las Vegas story. [28:17] The Hall of Fame bus. [40:10] Trapped between generations and not quite belonging anywhere....

In this podcast, Keith Rosson talks about Fever House, writing violence, his writing routine, and much more. [2:39] The biggest changes since we last spoke to Keith. [7:26] Writing routine and daily habits. [10:48] Fever House. [17:06] Adding an extra 30,000 words. [56:32] The reading and marketing landscape has changed. [1:09:08] Connect with Keith. [30:46] The Dos and Don'ts of Writing Violence....

In this podcast, Sadie Hartmann talks about the last 20 years of horror fiction, ghosts, chapter lengths, and much more. [3:44] Why Sadie chose to focus on the last 20 years of horror fiction in 101 Horror Books. [11:42] Reading horror will ruin other genres for you. [16:29] Chapter lengths. [31:09] Does Sadie believe in ghosts and aliens? [47:27] Connect with Sadie. Full podcast show notes are av...