Ink Heist - A Podcast for Readers of Dark Fiction

This week, we're excited to welcome Neil McRobert, host of the Talking Scared Podcast to the show to talk all things Horror! Talking Scared Podcast is described as "Conversations with the biggest names in horror fiction. A podcast for horror readers who want to know where their favorite stories came from . . . and what frightens the people who wrote them" and I can't think of a better introduction to Neil's show than that. He launched Talking Scared in the fall of 2020 and has been consistently releasing engaging, highly informative interviews that should appeal to every fan of the genre. Each episode of the show is the perfect balance of laid-back conversation and in-depth dives on both the genre and the author's works. We've been following Neil pretty much from the start and his show is definitely a favorite here at Ink Heist. If you aren't already tuning in to Talking Scared Podcast, look them up on your favorite podcast service and check it out! It's an essential listen for any horror fan.

Throughout the course of the episode, we talked about the Talking Scared Podcast, studying Gothic Fiction, character-driven stories, the works of Stephen King, recommendations, and so much more! We had a great time recording this episode and hanging out with Neil. We hope you guys enjoy the conversation as much as we did!

This week, we're excited to welcome Lex H. Jones to the show to celebrate his most recent release, the short story collection Whistling Past the Graveyard, which hit shelves earlier this year through Burdizzo Books. We're excited to have Lex on the show since he has written in a variety of different styles including horror, crime and even a children's book. That book, 2019's The Old One and The Sea, finds Lex taking Lovecraft's well-known mythology and crafting it into something totally unique. It's a captivating story about friendship and acceptance that's perfect for horror fans looking to share their love of the genre with their kids. I recently finished reading it to my daughter and every night she was excited to visit the world of Howard and Oolu. This was a great conversation where we covered everything from writing to cryptids and if you haven't checked out any of Lex's work, you're definitely missing out.

Throughout the course of the episode, we talked about writing in different genres, the supernatural, Whistling Past the Graveyard, The Old One and the Sea, atmosphere in horror, and so much more! We had a great time recording this episode and hanging out with Lex. We hope you guys enjoy the conversation as much as we did!

This week, we have a very special show for you as we’re joined by special guest host and friend of Ink Heist, Brennan LaFaro. This week, we welcome Josh Malerman back to the show to celebrate the upcoming release of the highly anticipated novel Pearl, which hits shelves October 12th through Del Rey and the limited edition Ghoul N' The Cape, which is due out in December through Earthling Publications. It was a joy to sit down again with Josh, an imaginative storyteller whose enthusiasm for writing and the Horror genre is infectious. Pearl is Malerman channeling the spirit of vintage horror paperbacks and creating his most straight-up, in your face horror novel yet. We had the privilege of reading this one early and trust us when we say this one is packed with enough nightmare fuel to make it an essential read for the Halloween season. In addition to his upcoming releases this year, Josh was kind enough to share some details about a few of his unpublished works like that you don't want to miss!

Throughout the course of the episode, we talked about Pearl, Ghoul N' The Cape, currently unpublished works, artistic momentum, Spin a Black Yarn, and so much more! We had a great time recording this episode and hanging out with Josh. We hope you guys enjoy the conversation as much as we did!

This week on the podcast we had a great conversation with Brennan LaFaro, Kenneth Cain, and Ken McKinley of Silver Shamrock Publishing  to celebrate the release of Brennan's debut novella Slattery Falls, which is out now through Silver Shamrock Publishing! Slattery Falls follows college friends and amateur ghost hunters Travis, Elsie, and Josh as they stumble across the history of the Weeks House, the most haunted location of their career. The house has sat vacant for hundreds of years, but the history of the events loom over the small town of Slattery Falls. Following a frightening encounter miles away, the group finds themselves thrust into the heart of the Weeks House for one last case and coming face to face with a sinister presence. This was a truly special episode as it's the first time we've had a debut author and their publisher on the show at the same time, following the writing process from conception to publication. If you're looking for a fast-paced, engaging story that takes traditional haunted house tropes and flips them on their head, you definitely need to add Slattery Falls to your TBR list!

Throughout the course of the episode, we discuss Slattery Falls, the editing process, rejections, storytelling styles, recommendations and so much more! We had a great time recording this episode and hanging out with Brennan, Kenneth, and Ken. We hope you guys enjoy the conversation as much as we did!

CONTENT WARNING: Shane drops a C-word in this episode, proves himself too lazy to edit it out so it is still there.

BOOKS
Beverley Lee The House of Little Bones
Catherine McCarthy Immortelle
Eric LaRocca Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke 
Christina Henry Near The Bone
The work of Ross Jeffery

This week, we're excited to welcome Mary SanGiovanni and Matt Wildasin to the show to talk horror, writing and everything in between! Mary SanGiovanni and Matt Wildasin are two amazing authors that horror fans are undoubtedly familiar with through their unique and terrifying books and also as podcasters. They are currently hosts of The Ghost Writers Podcast , along with Dave Thomas and Somer Canon, and were also members of The Horror Show with Brian Keene. The Ghost Writers Podcast is a must-listen show for anyone who is interested in horror fiction, whether as a fan or as a writer. It's loaded with great practical advice on writing and the publishing industry that has definitely helped us more than once. Not only is it informative, but you can tell everyone is genuinely friends with one another and the show is also loaded with humor and recommendations of things to check out (both good AND bad, as you'll find out later in this episode!). As a fan of  both Mary and Matt's writing and The Ghost Writers Podcast, it was a pleasure and an honor to be able to sit down with them and talk about their work and the horror genre in general. Rather than link to all of their individual books, I'll list links to both of their author pages on Amazon. If you're unsure of what your next read will be, check out their page and pick up some of their books. You won't be disappointed!

Mary SanGiovanni

Matt Wildasin

Throughout the course of the episode, we discuss cosmic horror, podcasting, post apocalyptic fiction, THE EVERYWHERE HOUSE, DARK WORDS, bad horror movies, and so much more! We had a great time recording this episode and hanging out with Mary and Matt. We hope you guys enjoy the conversation as much as we did!

This week, we have a very special show for you as we're joined by special guest host and friend of Ink Heist, Steve Pattee of HORROR DNA. This week, we sit down with Ronald Malfi to celebrate the release of his upcoming novel Come With Me, which hits the shelves July 20th through Titan Books. This was a special episode for us as we're all huge fans of Malfi's work and he really needs no introduction. But for newer readers, Malfi has been consistently putting out chilling, character-driven horror novels for over two decades. His books are heavy on atmosphere that builds a sense of dread that slowly consumes readers and pack a devastating emotional punch, especially in the case of The Night Parade. His forthcoming novel Come with Me, follows Aaron Decker as he deals with the death of his wife Allison. As he goes through her things, he uncovers a receipt for a hotel room across the country. Consumed with grief, Aaron decides to follow his wife's footsteps in the weeks prior to her death. As he uncovers the dark secrets of Allison's past, Aaron becomes consumed by the mystery, even as it places his own life at risk. Malfi's books are compulsively readable and the eerie mystery at the heart of Come with Me makes it an essential addition to your summer TBR.

Throughout the course of the episode, we talked about Little Girls, working with Alaskan police on Bone White, the true story behind Shamrock Alley, Leisure Horror, the publication of Snow, Come with Me, adaptations, his band VEER, and so much more! We had a great time recording this episode and hanging out with Ron. We hope you guys enjoy the conversation as much as we did!

This week, we're excited to welcome Eve Harms and Red Lagoe to the show to celebrate the release of their upcoming books! Eve's Rewind or Die novella Transmuted hits shelves July 15th through Unnerving Books and Red's collection Dismal Dreams releases through La Red Books on June 25th. We absolutely devoured both of these books which are loaded with unique scares and great storytelling from two amazingly talented writers. Transmuted is a novella that follows Isa, a micro-celebrity who runs a successful fundraiser to make her gender affirming surgery possible. When she has to give up her money, she's crushed and left with few options until she finds a sketchy ad seeking a transgender women for a free, experimental procedure. She answers the ad and meets Dr. Skurm, whose methods are terrifying, but give Isa the results shes been looking for. However, there are unexpected side effects to the treatment and Isa must race against time to figure out Dr. Skurm's secrets before it's too late. Transmuted is a brilliant body horror novella that features some of the most wild, unique scenes in recent memory.

Red's Dismal Dreams collects previously published work along with new stories for a frightening read that will keep readers reeling as she unleashes a variety of styles and horrors. "Shutter Stop" is a chilling story of a photographer who enters the infamous Sacred Circle Nature Preserve and unknowingly uncovers the secret of the forbidden knowledge that gave Sacred Circle its reputation. "One Year Anniversary" is a stomach-churning tale of grief and the lengths one man will go to in order to be closer to his wife. "Flicker" is a gut-punch of a story about a father and daughter who share a special bond that is put to the test in the aftermath of tragedy. Those are just a few of the stories that await readers in this stunning collection. Both Transmuted and Dismal Dreams are sure to be welcome additions to any horror fans bookshelves and if you haven't already, be sure to pre-order your copies ahead of the release!

Throughout the course of the episode, we discuss shorter indie horror, writing serial works, occult and esoteric knowledge, Rewind or Die, parents reading your work, upcoming works, and so much more!  We had a great time recording this episode and hanging out with Eve and Red. We hope you guys enjoy the conversation as much as we did!

This week we have a very special episode as Shane is joined by special guest host Eric Raglin, TC Parker and Stephanie Ellis for a roundtable-style discussion. This is one of our favorite episodes as we had a great time hanging out with close friends of the show and creatives that we love and admire.  It's jam-packed with great discussions on a variety of topics important to all of us, both personally and professionally. Whether you are a longtime listener or joining us for the first time, this is definitely one of the essential episodes of Ink Heist.

Throughout the course of the episode, they discuss inclusivity, diversity, the problems with exclusivity, writing queer characters, and neurodiversity among creatives. We hope you guys enjoy the conversation as much as we did!

This week, we're excited to welcome Daniel Barnett to the show to celebrate his latest book, The Flashlighters, which is the fourth installment in his Nightmareland series! Barnett's Nightmareland is a serialized horror novel that follows John Hawthorne, Mariah Nowak, and Marcos Walker as they attempt to travel across the country after the world is plunged into an endless darkness. The sudden absence of light causes society to crumble, but that's only the beginning of the hellish events in store for those who are left behind. Unimaginable horrors are unleashed into the world, heralded by a bizarre event that overwhelms those who experience it and in order to survive John, Mariah and Marcos must band together. In The Flashlighters, they encounter a strange group that offers sanctuary and the hope of salvation. But can they trust The Flashlighters? Barnett's Nightmareland series is made up (thus far) of four blazing fast reads that offer plenty of surprises and are packed with some unique scares. If you're looking for a horror series with an expansive setting and a sense of adventures with your scares, you should definitely pick up the first four installments!

Throughout the course of the episode, we talked about the Nightmareland Chronicles, the importance of cadence, writing a serialized novel, the work of Stephen Graham Jones and Caroline Kepnes, and so much more! We had a great time recording this episode and hanging out with Daniel. We hope you guys enjoy the conversation as much as we did!

This week, we have a special episode for you as we had TWO guests on this week, Todd Keisling and Anthony J. Rapino. Anthony and Todd have often worked with each other on their various projects - Todd helped Anthony put out his stunning short story collection Greetings from Moon Hill and Anthony created miniature sculptures of the idol that features prominently in Todd's Devil's Creek. We covered a lot of topics in this episode, but one of the most interesting talking points was the way they each approach creating an immersive mythology in their works. Todd has recently gone on record about the shared universe that connects all of his books, but in this episode we talked extensively about the Monochrome, the terrifying realm that serves as the main setting throughout his Monochrome trilogy and home to nightmarish inhabitants. The Monochrome books are being re-released by Bloodshot Books starting with A Life Transparent. Anthony's fictional creation is Moon Hill, a town of perpetual autumn that is home to strange events and apparitions that defy logical explanation. Both of these books come highly recommended from us here at Ink Heist and no matter what sort of horror you're into, both of these reads are essential additions to your library.

This week, we're excited to welcome Wesley Southard to the show to celebrate his latest novel, Cruel Summer, which is out now through Death's Head Press! Cruel Summer follows Melissa Braun and her son Patrick as they head to Florida with Melissa's boyfriend Hoyt. Things have been progressively getting worse with Hoyt, but Melissa hopes this trip will bring them closer together and he will turn his life around. However, Hoyt's anger only worsens and sets off a chain of events that changes their lives and draws the attention of something ancient and evil. Cruel Summer is loaded with tons of high octane thrills that are sure to delight horror fans, including a killer scene at a manatee sanctuary that we still can't get over! These intense scenes make for an addictive read and the relationship between Melissa and Patrick throughout the novel is equally as engaging. If your looking for some supernatural chills to kick off the summer season, definitely grab a copy of Cruel Summer!

This week, we're excited to welcome John Mantooth to the show to celebrate his latest collection, Shoebox Train Wreck, which is out now through Lethe Press! We're excited to have John back on the show after his last appearance with Ian Pisarcik. I'm pretty sure both of us at Ink Heist were initially introduced to John's work through his Earl Marcus novels, which were released under the name Hank Early. When we heard he was going to release a collection under his own name, which finds John further blurring the lines of genre, we knew we had to get our hands on it! Shoebox Train Wreck is packed with stories that feature memorable characters and settings that will sweep you up into the narrative. And make no mistake, most of these stories are emotionally devastating and will stick with you long after you close the pages. John is an incredible talent and if you're looking for a collection that features one jaw-droppingly good story after another, you need to get your hands on Shoebox Train Wreck.

This week on the podcast we had a great conversation with...ourselves! It's been a little bit since we've had a solo episode, so Shane and I thought Ink Heist's 3rd birthday (April 12th) would be the perfect time to kick back and just have fun hanging out. It seems like just yesterday Shane and I decided to team up and launch Ink Heist and its been a fun and wild ride! We've launched a few features, published some extraordinary original fiction and met some great new friends. But by far the most significant change to Ink Heist was the launch of the Ink Heist Podcast in 2019. As longtime listeners know, it originally started thanks to John F.D. Taff  who approached us about doing a series of interviews to promote his serial novel The Fearing. We originally thought we would stick to our standard method of email interviews until John mentioned that an audio podcast would be great. And the rest, as they say, is history. As we approach the second year of the podcast, Shane and I talk about some of our favorite moments and just how much recording this show has changed our lives. We've gotten to chat with so many talented writers and just generally have a great time hanging out and talking horror and whatever else happens to pop up in conversation. We truly love recording this show and cannot thank you all enough for tuning in each week. We're consistently humbled by the kind words and support you have shown us over the years. Without you, we'd just be shouting into the void. So, thank you!

Throughout the course of the episode, we talked about our 3rd birthday, our love of libraries, a deep discussion on horror poetry, some recommendations of books and movies we've been digging, and so much more. We had a great time recording this episode and just hanging out and having a blast. We hope you guys enjoy the conversation as much as we did!

This week, we're excited to welcome Mackenzie Kiera to the show to celebrate her latest novella, All You Need is Love and a Strong Electric Current, which is out now through Unnerving as part of their Rewind or Die series! All You Need is Love and a Strong Electric Current is the story of Sadie Snow, a paramedic who has a fetish - she likes it cold. The only person who understood her and loved her was Michael, her ambulance partner and boyfriend. However, their relationship is cut short when Michael is killed. Sadie is devastated until she discovers that she can bring Michael back, again and again. But when it starts getting harder to bring him back, Sadie must make a decision on how far she is willing to go in order to save the person she loves. We remember the first time we became aware of this story, back when Mackenzie read the opening prologue on a live This is Horror event. It's one of the most attention-grabbing lines we've read in a long time and from there, Mackenzie crafts an unforgettable scene with an original voice and a blend of horror and comedy that's threaded throughout the novella. It's the sort of thing you don't easily forget and we instantly knew we had to get our hands on this book! All You Need is Love and a Strong Electric Current features plenty of laugh out loud moments and all the blood a horror fan could ask for, but there are also some heartbreaking moments that really pack a punch. This is a stunning debut that's a blast to read and a must for horror fans. We loved this book and can't wait to read whatever Mackenzie releases next! Also, be sure to check out the Ladies of the Fright podcast that she hosts with Lisa Quigley. They're one of our favorite podcasts and you'll find plenty of writing advice and great interviews throughout the episodes they've posted so far.

This week, we're excited to welcome Kerry K. Cox to the show to celebrate the release of his latest novel, Money Bear, which is out now through Level Best Books! It's the first book in a series that follows U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services Special Agent Nick Tanner, one of the top undercover agents in the department. In Money Bear, Tanner heads out to the Redwood Parks to assist Enforcement Ranger Kathleen Shepherd. Shepherd has been finding dead bears in the park with their paws and gallbladders missing. They suspect poachers and wildlife traffickers, but they struggle to find leads. In addition to the harvested bears, they also begin to uncover equally violent human murders. As they begin to unearth clues as to what is going on in the Redwoods, they stumble into a deadly trap that will have them fighting for their lives. Cox does an incredible job of transporting readers into the Redwoods and in addition to strong lead characters in Nick and Kathleen, Money Bear is filled with a memorable cast of supporting characters as well. It's an addictive read that I couldn't put down for very long and I look forward to following Nick Tanner on future cases. Cox's fresh approach to the genre is one that is sure to hook crime fiction fans looking for something a little different.

Throughout the course of the episode, we talked about his early writing career, writing for the Disney Channel, wildlife trafficking, Money Bear, upcoming projects and so much more. We had a great time recording this episode and hanging out with Kerry We hope you guys enjoy the conversation as much as we did!

This week, we're excited to have the opportunity to welcome Mike Thorn to the show to celebrate the release of his latest novel, Shelter for the Damned, which is out now through JournalStone Publishing! Looking for a secluded place to hang out and smoke cigarettes, teenagers Mark, Adam, and Scott stumble across a mysterious shack in a suburban field. The friends had been through this area countless times, but this is the first time they remember seeing the shack. Adam and Scott aren't all that impressed, but the first time Mark enters The Shack, it feels like the perfect escape and he already feels the pull of The Shacks energy. Over time, Mark realizes there is an intelligence residing in The Shack, one that expects things from Mark in exchange for the refuge it provides from his life. As Mark grows more dependent on The Shack, his life starts changing in ways he could've never imagined. Shelter for the Damned is loaded with nightmarish scenes and if the idea of a dark coming-of-age story meeting Kathe Koja's The Cipher intrigues you, this is definitely the book for you.

Throughout the course of the episode, we talked about Shelter for the Damned, his influences, coming of age narratives, toxic masculinity, suburban horror, Stephen King's Dreamcatcher, possession films and so much more. We had a lot of fun recording this episode and hanging out with Mike. We hope you guys enjoy the conversation as much as we did!

Before we get into this week's episode, we would like to announce a giveaway for Cina Pelayo's new novel Children of Chicago, which hits shelves on March 9th via Polis Books/ Agora. Want a chance to win? Tune into this week's episode for details, though I forgot to mention that this giveaway is open to US residents only. We're super excited for the release of Cina's novel and wish you luck!

This week on the podcast, we're excited to have the opportunity to welcome Gemma Amor to the show to celebrate the release of her latest novel, Girl on Fire, which is out now! Also, there are mild spoilers for Girl on Fire in this episode, so if you haven't read it yet, definitely grab a copy and then come back for the episode! Girl on Fire follows Ruby Miller as she strikes out on her own for the first time, finally escaping her brutal family life and traumatic past. She hits the road in her cherry red 1989 Pontiac Bonneville but is involved in a car crash on a desolate road that alters her life forever. Girl on Fire is a jaw-droppingly awesome novel with action-packed scenes and hints at a much larger world. It's a story of revenge and redemption and if you're looking for a coming-of-age novel that subverts traditional tropes, this is a novel that you absolutely need on your shelves. It's a blazing fast read that is sure to grip you right from the first page and we can promise you that you won't forget Ruby Miller any time soon.

This week, we're excited to have the opportunity to welcome Jennifer Soucy to the show to celebrate the release of her latest novel, Clementine's Awakening, which is out now through Silver Shamrock Publishing! In Clementine's Awakening, Clementine starts a new job at O'Hara's Pub for a chance to start her own life and maybe make some new friends. One of her new friends is Rosemary, a young woman who was murdered and is trapped for eternity in O'Hara's. They strike up a friendship and Rosemary protects Clementine when people treat her poorly. But their friendship soon attracts a dangerous spirit, and as increasingly dangerous events take place at the pub, Clementine and Rosemary must find a way to stop him before he plunges the city into chaos. Clementine's Awakening is an exciting Southern Gothic novel that features plenty of creepy scenes and a beautifully vivid portrayal of Savannah. It's a great introduction to Jennifer's work and you'll definitely want to read it as she just signed a six book deal with Silver Shamrock Publishing!

Throughout the course of the episode, we talked about her Silver Shamrock deal, ghost stories, mixing genres, writing YA, expensive booze, beta readers, upcoming projects and so much more. We had a lot of fun recording this episode and hanging out with Jennifer. We hope you guys enjoy the conversation as much as we did!

This week, we're excited to have the opportunity to welcome Beau Johnson to the show to celebrate the release of his latest collection, All of Them to Burn, which is out now through Down & Out Books! Before we jump in to describing the episode, just a note to listeners: This episode contains spoilers about Johnson's work So, listen with caution. All of Them to Burn is an addictive read that all of us at Ink Heist fell in love with as soon as we picked it up. This collection features standalone stories as well as the continuation of Bishop Rider's story. This collection is home to a wide variety of styles from brutal, gritty crime to splashes of horror and Johnson isn't afraid to play with the structures of his stories. One thing is for certain - once you pick up All of Them to Burn, you're going to want to carve out a few hours to finish it because it's damn near impossible to put down.

Throughout the course of the episode, we talked about Beau's Book Nook, his start in crime fiction, Bishop Rider, a story about teeth, tips for writing flash, the mixing horror and crime, Down & Out, using violence in stories, "For Your Consideration", the Crime community and Beau Day, what hes reading, Brand New Dark and so much more. We had a lot of fun recording this episode and hanging out with Beau, who is incredibly funny and a tireless supporter of indie authors. We hope you guys enjoy the conversation as much as we did!

This week, we're excited to have the opportunity to welcome Jennifer Graeser Dornbush to the show to celebrate the release of her latest novel, Hole in the Woods, which is out now through Ally Press! Hole in the Woods was inspired by the 1989 true-life murder case of Shannon Siders in Newaygo County, Michigan that was solved after a cold case team was formed in 2011 and ultimately arrested, tried and convicted the killers in 2015. Jennifer uses her training in forensics to create a realistic portrayal of a criminal investigation and the level of work it takes to close cold cases. Hole in the Woods blends fiction with real-world forensics to create an emotional story about the quest for justice for victims of violent crime. Jennifer has teamed up with The Cold Case Foundation and a percentage of Hole in the Woods sales will go to the foundation.

Throughout the course of the episode, we talked about her background and her first investigation at age 8, early forensic science, processing the horrors of true crime, HOLE IN THE WOODS, the impact of the Shannon Siders case, the nature vs nurture debate, the forensics academy, consulting on TV, The Cold Case Foundation, and so much more. We had a lot of fun recording this episode and hanging out with Jennifer. We hope you guys enjoy the conversation as much as we did!

This week, we're excited to have the opportunity to welcome Tim McGregor to the show to celebrate the release of his latest novel, Hearts Strange and Dreadful, which will be out February 15th through Off Limits Press! Hearts Strange and Dreadful is a beautifully written and engaging horror novel about a mysterious traveler who arrives in the small town of Wickstead, followed by a mysterious plague that rips through the pious town. As conditions worsen, the townspeople begin to turn on each other, they also begin to seek salvation in old superstitions. McGregor crafts an eerie atmosphere that serves as a perfect backdrop for this novel of historical small-town horror and is sure to keep you reading late into the night.

Throughout the course of the episode, we talked about possibly living with a ghost, historical horror, Hearts Strange and Dreadful, working with Off Limits, working in film, death superstitions, discovering indie horror, the malleability of horror, self-publishing, book recommendations, and so much more. We had a lot of fun recording this episode and hanging out with Tim. We hope you guys enjoy the conversation as much as we did!

This week, we're excited to have the opportunity to welcome E.A. Aymar to the show to celebrate the release of his latest novel writing as E.A. Barres, They're Gone, which is out now through Crooked Lane Books! They're Gone is a novel where two women's husbands are murdered on the same night. The men have different backgrounds, but they are killed in an identical way with two bullet wounds: one in the head and another in the heart. The women each begin their own search for answers, leading to a web of dark secrets and shocking discoveries that lead them to eventually find each other. As they dig deeper into the clues surrounding the death of their husbands, it put them and those they love in danger. They're Gone is packed with plenty of surprises, great characters and Aymar ratchets up the tension to create a gripping read that is sure to satisfy fans of crime fiction and thrillers. We loved this book at Ink Heist and the deeper you plunge into the mystery weaved throughout They're Gone, it becomes almost impossible to put down.

Throughout the course of the episode, we talked about Noir at the Bar, THEY'RE GONE, working with Crooked Lane, writing under a pseudonym, notes from editors, writing violence, his story in Tough, upcoming works, and so much more. We had a lot of fun recording this episode and hanging out with Aymar, who is incredibly funny and a great guest. We hope you guys enjoy the conversation as much as we did!

This week, we're excited to have the opportunity to welcome Chad Lutzke and Tim Meyer to the show to celebrate the release of their collaborative novel, Wormwood, which is out now! Wormwood follows 14-year-old Baker Gray who just moved to Long Lake, Georgia. His mom moves a lot for work, so Baker is used to never feeling at home, constantly having to make new friends every time they have to pick up and leave. But in Long Lake, things start to change for Baker after he meets new friends Seb and the older Cassandra Larsson. For the first time, Baker feels like he fits in and that he can build a life for himself. However, Cass' idea of fun begins to blur the line between right and wrong and Baker finds himself going down a dark path he might not be able to pull away from. We are huge fans of both Chad and Tim's work, so naturally Wormwood was a highly anticipated read for us here at Ink Heist. They blend their unique styles together seamlessly and the result is an addictive, devastating story of realistic horrors that shine a light on the darkness that can reside just around the corner.

Throughout the course of the episode, we talked about their collaborative novel WORMWOOD, weaving their styles together, the restriction influences art theory, balancing the darkness of the story and so much more. We had a lot of fun recording this episode and hanging out with them and we hope you guys enjoy it as much as we did!

This week, we bring you an exceptional holiday episode of Ink Heist. We're joined by Todd Keisling and Tracy Robinson in closing out the second season of the Ink Heist podcast. In typical Ink Heist fashion, this episode was filled with plenty of laughs and was a great way to close out 2020. It was a wide ranging conversation that covered a ton of topics and we think you'll find plenty of new artists to check out and some helpful writing tips. Just a few of the things we talked about this episode was the One of Us anthology and Frank Michaels Errington, the Monochrome series,  reading bad reviews, electrocution, snowstorms, and the Ladies of Horror Fiction #LadiesFirst 21 Challenge! To close out the episode, we each picked 5 of our favorite reads from 2020. There was so many great books released this year we could've done a whole episode just on that!

We had a blast recording this episode and it's always fun when all of us get together and just hang out. Also, thank you to all of our guests that have appeared on the show and for all of our listeners who have shown us an overwhelming amount of support since we started the show. We appreciate all of the kind words and shares more than we could ever put into words. Thanks for making Season 2 such a success and we have some great guests already lined up for 2021! We hope you enjoy the episode and maybe discover some new reads to ring in the New Year.

This week, we're excited to have the opportunity to welcome Hailey Piper back to the show to celebrate the release of her brand new novella, The Worm and His Kings, which is out now through Off Limits Press.  Hailey's work is highly imaginative, as she often takes familiar subgenres and crafts them into something completely her own with fresh, innovative twists. She has long been a favorite writer of everyone at Ink Heist and trust us when we say that whatever book you pick up first, you're going to want to carve out a few hours of spare time because her work is compulsively readable and grips you right from the front page. She's a master of both longer works and short stories and regardless of what sort of horror your into, Hailey has a story you're sure to fall in love with. We had a lot of fun talking to Hailey and as always, we take away some very valuable writing advice. One of our favorite takeaways was the inspiration for the title of this episode, the idea of not being afraid of trying new ideas.

Throughout the course of the episode, we talked about THE WORM AND HIS KINGS, Off Limits Press, creating a mythology, process, writing Monique, Cosmic Horror, cults, Unfortunate Elements of My Anatomy, Queen of Teeth, her love short fiction, book recommendations, and so much more. We had a lot of fun recording this episode and learned a lot from Hailey and we hope you guys enjoy it as much as we did.

This week we're excited to welcome Tim Waggoner to the show to discuss his latest book on the craft of writing, Writing in the Dark, which is out now through Raw Dog Screaming Press. Tim's a prolific author who is very familiar to horror fans and has published over 50 novels, 7 collections and numerous short stories in addition to teaching writing at the university level. This was an engaging conversation where we talk a lot about the writing process and some key moments in Tim's career as a writer and educator. All of us at Ink Heist have read Writing in the Dark and we agree that this is an absolute must-read for anyone interested in writing in the Horror genre or even if you just have an interest in the genre itself. It is loaded with great advice told in a conversational tone and exercises that will help you put these concepts into practice. Whether you're a new writer just getting started on their journey or a veteran author that's already been published, Writing in the Dark has something for everyone and is an essential addition to your shelves.

Throughout the course of the episode, we talked about the importance of reading, early influences, Tim's teaching career, finding your process, creativity, creating Writing in the Dark, writing in different styles, tie-ins, and so much more. We had a a lot of fun recording this episode and learned a lot from Tim and we hope you guys enjoy it as much as we did.

This week we're excited to welcome Christopher Golden to the show to discuss his latest book, Red Hands, which is out now through St. Martin's Press. Christopher is a familiar author to Horror fans and throughout his career has worked in a variety of different genres and mediums including video games, comics, and screenplays. Red Hands is his latest novel, which is the third book in the series of novels featuring the character Dr. Ben Walker, though all of them can be read as standalone novels. Red Hands is an unrelenting horror/thriller that's packed with action from start to finish, one hell of an opening emotional hook, and features a cast of characters that you can't help but be invested in. Trust us when we say this is a book you definitely want to add to your TBR and once you start, carve out a few hours because you won't want to put it down! Also, be sure to check out Christopher Golden's launch party for Red Hands with Alma Katsu on Dec. 8th at 7 pm EST courtesy of Belmont Books. Sign up for your spot here.

This week we're excited to welcome Steve Stred to the show to discuss his latest collection, Of Witches, as well as some of his other work. Steve's an indie author who is very active in the Horror scene whose works are compulsively readable and cover a wide variety of subgenres. We're relatively new to his work, but we've devoured everything we've gotten our hands on! If you're looking for a quick, action-packed read, definitely head on over to your bookstore of choice and check out some of his books. This was an engaging conversation where we talk a lot about his experience in writing and also his career as a bobsledder and trying out for the Olympics team. Throughout the course of the episode, we talked about the extremeness of Ritual, writing shorter fiction, the importance of direct criticism/reading negative reviews, how athletics prepared him for writing, his Andrew Pyper collection, chatting with Twitter bots and so much more. We had a a lot of fun recording this episode and we hope you guys enjoy it as much as we did.

This week we're excited to welcome Michael David Wilson and Bob Pastorella to discuss their latest novel, They're Watching, which is out now via This is Horror. Chances are if you're a fan of horror fiction, you're already well aware of both Michael and Bob as they host the podcast This Is Horror, which has run for 350 episodes and features interviews with some of the biggest names in the genre. It's a great podcast and one of the biggest influences on our show and if you aren't already a listener, head over and dive into some of their previous episodes. They also are accomplished writers, with Michael having recently released The Girl in the Video and Bob having released Mojo Rising via Perpetual Motion Machine Publishing. Throughout the course of the episode, we talked about They're Watching, dealing with negative reviews, the collaborative process, bourbon, Bob and Shane's Splatterpunk series, Knobrot and so much more. We had a a lot of fun recording this episode and we hope you guys enjoy it as much as we did.

This week we're excited to welcome Jason Brant to the show to discuss his work and all things Horror! This was the perfect follow-up to last week's episode with Hunter Shea as we had another hilarious conversation that had us all laughing until our stomachs hurt. Jason is the author of numerous books including the Asher Benson Series, The Hunger Series, and the West of Hell series. He's also the co-host of the Final Guys podcast, which is loaded with great recommendations and a must-listen for any horror fan. This was a great conversation that has a lot of great insight for any author who is looking to self-publish their work. Throughout the course of the episode, we talked about reading your own reviews, how Final Guys started, The Hunger 6, self-publishing, pressure from readers, meeting Kane Hodder, loving shitty movies, and so much more. We had a lot of fun recording this episode and we hope you guys enjoy it as much as we did. Now we've had 3/4 of the Final Guys on the show and it's only a matter of time before we get Jack Campisi on here!

This week we're excited to welcome Hunter Shea back to the show to discuss his latest novel, Misfits, which is out now through Flame Tree Press. Hunter was one of the first guests on the Ink Heist podcast back when we launched and we've been fans of his books for years. While Hunter has written a variety of different styles of horror novels, he is perhaps best known for cryptid and Creature Feature work and with Misfits, Hunter dials up one of his bloodiest and most extreme books yet. Hunter is a horror fanatic and he uses his encyclopedic knowledge of the genre to craft action-packed stories that are a blast to read and almost impossible to put down. He's also the co-host of the Monster Men and Final Guys podcasts, which are loaded with great recommendations and a must-listen for any horror fan. We've known Hunter for years and that led to an absolutely hilarious conversation that had us all laughing until stomachs hurt. Throughout the course of the episode, we talked about Misfits, Melonheads, ilk milk, his time playing in bands and so much more. We had a a lot of fun recording this episode and we hope you guys enjoy it as much as we did!

This week we're excited to welcome J. Daniel Stone to the show to discuss his latest novel, Stations of Shadow, which is out now through Lethe Press. We talk about his works, including Stations of Shadow, Blood Kiss, and The Absence of Light. Daniel is a must-read author and all three of those titles are must-read books.

Oh, and this is a must-listen episode. We had a blast with Daniel and, as usual, learned a ton of stuff along the way.

This week, we went a little off-script and decided to record an impromptu solo show, which was just what the three of us needed to unwind after a stressful week. In typical Ink Heist fashion, this episode was filled with plenty of laughs and I'm pretty sure the three of us had hurt stomachs from laughing so hard. It was a wide-ranging conversation that covered a ton of random topics and we think you'll find plenty of new artists to check out and some helpful writing tips. Just a few of the things we talked about this episode was the work of Kenneth Patchen, if we think about genre when we write, recommendations outside of the Horror genre, what type of fan-fiction we'd write, and more. We had a blast recording this episode and it's always fun when the three of us get together and just hang out. We hope you enjoy the episode and maybe discover some new artists.

This week we're excited to welcome Jessica Guess to the show to discuss her debut novella, Cirque Beserk, which is out now through Unnerving Books. Cirque Berserk is one of the books that makes Unnerving's incredible Rewind or Die series, which captures the glory days of VHS horror. The novel takes place at an infamous, abandoned carnival called Cirque Berserk where 30 years prior, a group of teens went on a killing spree before vanishing into thin air. Now, a group of friends seeking one last night of adventure visit the park to see if the urban legends are true and the night quickly descends into nightmare territory. Cirque Berserk is a blast to read and one of the most fun horror stories we've read in awhile. It's got a haunted carnival, buckets of blood, plenty of surprises and basically anything a horror fan could ask for. Looking for something fun to kickstart Halloween? Grab a copy of Cirque Berserk and buckle up for a wild ride. Throughout the course of the episode, we talked about 90s horror films, Cirque Berserk, favorite slasher kill scenes and a lot of other stuff you don't wanna miss! We had a blast with this episode and we think you will too.

This week we're excited to welcome Andrew Pyper to the show to discuss his latest novel, The Residence, which is out now through Skybound Books. The Residence is a terrifying story about a haunting that plagues President Franklin Pierce and his wife Jane in the wake of an unimaginable tragedy on their way to Washington D.C. Pyper expertly weaves fact and fiction to create a gripping historical horror novel that is packed with truly creepy and unsettling scenes that are sure to give you chills. While this novel is a must-read at any time of the year, the atmosphere in The Residence is perfect for the upcoming Halloween season. Throughout the course of the episode, we talked about The Residence, The Fox Sisters, short stories, and a lot of other stuff you don't wanna miss! We had a blast with this episode and we think you will too.

This week we're excited to welcome Paul Michael Anderson to the show to discuss his latest novella, Standalone, which is out now through Perpetual Motion Machine Publishing. If you're a fan of the Slasher genre, Standalone should be on your radar and it's an essential addition to your library. It's an inventive and genre-bending take on the genre that utilizes traditional tropes but warps them in fun ways that you definitely won't see coming and makes for one of the most fun reads of 2020. Trust us when we say you should order a copy without thinking twice. It's that good. Throughout the course of the episode, we talked about STANDALONE, being blurbed by Jack Ketchum, Taylor Swift mash-ups and a lot of other stuff you don't wanna miss! We had a blast with this episode and we think you will too. After you listen, be sure to check out Paul's story "Everything Feels Wrong Without You", which is set in the same universe as Standalone.

Join us for this exceptional episode with guests Eboni Dunbar and Caitlin Starling. These two exceptional authors both have brand new novellas out through Nean Hemlock Press. Throughout the course of the episode, we talked about Stone and Steel, Yellow Jessamine, FIYAH Literary Magazine and FIYAH Con, Neon Hemlock,  graphic novel memoirs, fantasy world-building in Fantasy, poisons

This week we're excited to welcome Jonathan Janz to the show to discuss his latest novel, The Raven, which is out now through Flame Tree Press. The Raven is an action-packed journey through a post-apocalyptic nightmare world where familiar monsters - werewolves, vampires, witches, satyrs- rule the world. Dez McClane doesn't have any special powers, but that doesn't stop him from setting out on a quest for justice. Seriously, this book has everything a horror fan could ever want and is a pulse-pounding thrill ride from start to finish. Throughout the course of the episode, we talked about The Raven, relationships, bleak endings, some exciting news about Halloween Gods and so much more. If you want to check out the hilarious blog post from Janz's wife that Shane references in this episode, you can check that out here: Chicken Curry, Boy Pee, and Not Killing Your Spouse. We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did!

This week we're excited to welcome genre-bending author Keith Rosson to the show to discuss his latest novel, Road Seven, which is out now through Meerkat Press. Rosson's work is an impressive melting pot of genres and styles that defy easy classification, but his unique and imaginative voice is present in all of them, creating gripping reads that are compulsively readable. If you're new to Rosson's work, check out his story  "Their Souls Climb the Room" for free on Ink Heist.  Throughout the course of the episode, we talked about Road Seven, blending genres, writing broken characters, his design work, and so much more. We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did!

This week we're excited to welcome John Hornor Jacobs to the show to promote his latest release, Murder Ballads and Other Horrific Tales, which is out now through Journalstone. Throughout the course of the episode, we talked about the influence of music in his works, his upcoming project A Gentleman of Carpathia, the strengths of the novella format, and had a great discussion about foreign films. We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did!

This week we have a very special show for you as we welcome Josh Malerman back to the show to celebrate the upcoming release of the highly anticipated sequel to Bird Box, Malorie, which hits shelves on July 21st. Throughout the course of the episode, we touched on growing through failure and working through self-doubt, some of the themes that influenced Malorie, his thoughts on short fiction, to name a few things. We were also happy to have John F.D. Taff  join us and surprise Josh. Listening to him and Josh talk to each other about writing is a jolt of creative energy and we hope you love it as much as we did. It's always a great time hanging out with Josh and John and there are a ton of great stories and nuggets of advice that you definitely don't want to miss!

Step into a pair of plush Cthulhu slippers as we talk with Horror legend F. Paul Wilson, who has written well over 50 books in a variety of genres and has crafted a career spanning mythology that has appeared in his standalone works as well as the Repairman Jack and Adversary Cycle series. We had a blast talking to Paul and discussing his writing career, his latest release Signalz, Cosmic Horror and so much more. This is a must-listen episode for both new and long-term fans alike as Paul shared some great insight into his career. We hope you enjoy the conversation as much as we did and don't forget to pick up a copy of Signalz!

This week, we're excited to welcome Max Booth III and Lori Michelle of Perpetual Motion Machine Publishing to the show! Max and Lori are almost superhuman in the amount of projects they take on in indie publishing from running Perpetual Motion Machine Publishing and their fiction magazine Dark Moon Digest to doing their own writing, podcasting, formatting books, and so much more. It was a lot of fun to hang out with them and talk about their various projects and some of the behind the scenes editorial stuff at Perpetual Motion Machine. Max and Lori have consistently put out some of the best and most original dark fiction in the genre today and if you haven't picked up one of their books yet, well, what are you waiting for?

During the course of the episode, we discuss Hannibal, Lori's background in publishing, their editorial process together at PMMP, Lost Contacts, how they acquire books, Paul Michael Anderson's Standalone, the inspiration for We Need To Do Something, Night Frights, upcoming projects, Max breaks down ejaculation terms, interviewing Joe Lansdale, favorite podcasts and so much more.

This week, we're excited to welcome Jessica Laine to the show to talk about her writing and her upcoming reading series co-hosted with Angel Luis Colón, Two Bad Apples Present Reading for Relief. This is an exciting event loaded with readings from some of the best writers working in fiction today and will take place on both Thursday, June 25th and Friday, June 26th at 7 p.m. EST. Trust us when we say this is an event you'll want to be a part of, so click the link and reserve your spot today. We had an absolute blast talking with Jessica, who became one of our favorite writers after we read her genre-bending story "The Sundowner" in the stunning anthology ¡PA'QUE TU LO SEPAS! and "Lust to Love" in Murder-A-Go-Go's . If you haven't read either anthology, we highly recommend picking up copies of both. Also, Jessica references a story based on a personal ghost story called "Lily of the Valley", which you can read online at The Norwegian American.

During the course of the episode, we discuss the genesis of "The Sundowner", being a part of ¡PA'QUE TU LO SEPAS! , submitting to anthologies, the Two Bad Apples Reading series, living in Minnesota, lifting up diverse voices, the genres that influence her writing, a potential series with Margarita from "The Sundowner", the impact of the pandemic on writing, a personal ghost story, and so much more. 
NOTE: This starts mid-conversation due to recording errors at the start. We felt the conversation was too interesting to cut out so it we left it as-is.

This week, we're excited to welcome Michael David Wilson to the show to celebrate the release of his brand new debut novella The Girl in the Video which is out now through Perpetual Motion Machine Publishing. Chances are if you're a fan of horror fiction, you're already well aware of Michael as he is the founder of the website and podcast This Is Horror, which has run for 350 episodes and counting and features him and Bob Pastorella interviewing some of the biggest names in the genre. It's a great podcast and one of the biggest influences on our show and if you aren't already a listener, head over and dive into some of their previous episodes. The Girl in the Video is a terrifying story that Michael has pitched as "The Ring meets Fatal Attraction for the iPhone generation", and I don't think there is a better description for it. Without delving into spoilers, I will say that Michael taps into isolation and the fears about our digital privacy to craft a pretty gripping premise that might make you want to delete all of your social media profiles. If you haven't checked it out, definitely pick up a copy.

During the course of the episode, we discuss the beginnings of the This Is Horror Podcast, dealing with anxiety, interview styles, profanity, discussing ejaculation with Max Booth III, the origins of The Girl in the Video, negative reviews, a possible The Girl in the Video film, dealing with the pandemic, isolation and technology as themes, The House of Bad Memories, favorite Peep Show scenes, Peeper Ritual, Bob Pastorella being his prizefighter, what he's into lately,  and so much more.

This week, we're excited to welcome Kathe Koja to the show to celebrate the release of her new collection Velocities and the upcoming re-release of The Cipher, both on Meerkat Press. This was a truly special conversation as Kathe's work has had a huge impact on all three of us as Horror fans and she is truly a master of the genre. Her works have a legendary reputation among genre fans, and for good reason. Her prose has a darkly poetic quality and is infused with a raw, unfiltered energy that crackles on every page and consumes readers, keeping them immersed in the unique worlds and the lives of her characters until the very last page. This was an engaging conversation with one of our favorite authors and we're excited to be able to share it with you. We had a great time and learned so much from Kathe, we look forward to having her on the show again in the future. If you have yet to read Kathe's work, a good place to start would be Velocities. It 's a perfect showcase of the many different styles she writes in.

During the course of the episode, we discuss The Dark Factory, immersive narratives, collaborating with other artists, bringing your experiences to books as a reader, social isolation, how horror can tackle different emotions, the history of The Cipher at Dell Abyss, handling stories that get shelved, battling your craft, Velocities and the story selection process, working with Meerkat, discussing Dr. Seuss, a plan for a Velocities live event, options, humor in horror and so much more.

This week, we're excited to welcome Glenn Rolfe to the show to celebrate the release of his latest novel, Until Summer Comes Around, which is out now through Flame Tree Press. Until Summer Comes Around is a perfect summer read as Glenn sets his story in Old Orchard Beach and infuses the magic of summer vacation throughout the course of the novel. When Rocky meets November, the two quickly fall for each other and are determined to make the most of their time together. However, November's family harbors a dark secret that threatens to destroy their relationship. There are a lot of Joyland vibes in Until Summer Comes Around, so if you loved the atmosphere of that book, definitely pick up a copy of Rolfe's latest. During the course of the episode, we discuss his start in publishing, pitching revisions on the fly, the creative process, Old Orchard Beach, punk rock, Don D'Auria, and so much more. Check out our conversation now right here on Ink Heist or on your favorite streaming service.

This week, we're excited to welcome Adam Cesare to the show to talk a little bit about his upcoming YA novel, Clown in a Cornfield, which comes out August 25th through HarperTeen. Clown in a Cornfield is one of the most anticipated Horror novels of the year and after reading it and getting a chance to talk to Adam about the origin of the story, the hype is VERY justified. This novel is Cesare's unique take on the Slasher genre and rest assured, he holds nothing back in this one. It's got a great cast of characters Cesare runs through a gauntlet of brutal, bloody mayhem. Trust us, this is one of the most entertaining horror novels of the year and is the perfect addition to your reading list as summer starts its transition to fall. As always, we had a blast chatting with Adam who is one of the nicest people in Horror, and we hope to have him on the show again in the future.

During the course of the episode, we discussed Mercy House, his love of Slashers, YA Horror, the theme of generational issues, the inspiration for Frendo, writing in a set piece/cinematic style, his Project Black T-shirt YouTube channel, Temple Hill optioning Clown in a Cornfield, the differences between pitching his YA book and his other books, what meme the book would be, his future writing in YA, the differences in writing shorts vs novels, convention stories, Project Black T-shirt and self-publishing, and so much more. Check out our conversation now right here on Ink Heist or on your favorite streaming service.

This week, we have a very special episode to share with you where we take a deep dive into Josh Malerman's serial novel Carpenter's Farm and the art that came to life around it. Carpenter's Farm has been taking the horror community by storm not just because it's an amazing novel (which it is), but also because of the incredible art that it inspired it and its unique serialized format. That's why we were excited and honored to host this conversation between three of the creative forces behind Carpenter's Farm - Josh Malerman, Shane Douglas Keene and Chris Campbell. One of the highlights of this conversation was hearing how Shane's vivid, evocative poetry and Chris' mesmerizing score influenced the novel's creation and also how the novel influenced their works of art.

During the course of the episode, we discussed the symbiotic nature of Carpenter's Farm, creating art on a fast schedule, phantom deadlines, how the current lockdown inspired and shaped Carpenter's Farm, how they all met and started collaborating, future collaborations, the color scheme pattern behind the novel, the theoretical casting of a  Carpenter's Farm adaptation, and a listening party to part of Chris' score and a live reading of a poem by Shane. This was such an inspiring episode and if you're looking for some behind the scenes insight on how it all came together, this is the show for you! Check out our conversation now right here on Ink Heist or on your favorite streaming service.

This week, we're excited to welcome back Laird Barron to the show to talk a little bit about his brand new Isaiah Coleridge novel, Worse Angels, which is available now through G.P. Putnam's Sons. We're huge fans of Laird's work both in the horror and crime fields and Worse Angels finds Barron bringing those two genres together for a compulsively readable novel that features the classic elements of pulp fiction filtered through his unique brand of fiction. Just like the last time we had Laird on the show, we talk a lot about writing and publishing, but we also cover a variety of other topics as well.

During the course of the episode, we discussed the process of putting emotion into his characters, Laird's conscious decisions on style, Coleridge's mortality, dealing with the episodic nature of a series, living with your characters, building a body of work, the music of Vitskär Süden, a story about Karl Edward Wagner, watching old boxing matches and how it influences his writing, drawing from different influences, and so much more. Check out our conversation now right here on Ink Heist or on your favorite streaming service.

This week, we  were joined by a special co-host and friend of the show, Tracy Robinson! For those who don't know her, Tracy contributes to both Ladies of Horror Fiction and Sci-fi & Scary. The four of us had an amazing conversation with Stephen Graham Jones, whose new novel The Only Good Indians, drops on July 14th. We don't want to spoil that episode too much, but you'll definitely want to tune in when the episode goes live in July. To tide you over until then, we decided to do a standalone episode where we tease the Stephen Graham Jones interview, talk about Laird Barron's Worse Angels and Lonesome Dove, interactions with wildlife, what we're reading, the films The Eclipse and The Horsemen,  and Laurel's upcoming new story. Be sure to tune in next week when we welcome back Laird Barron to the show! Check out our conversation now right here on Ink Heist or on your favorite streaming service.

This week, we took a break from our regularly scheduled programming and decided to crack open a few drinks and hang out with friend of the podcast Todd Keisling. It was a pretty informal conversation, but we do have an exciting announcement from Todd about one of his books during this episode you won't want to miss. Some of the things we touched on this week were Weird Fiction, the challenges of writing during the quarantine, Silver Shamrock Publishing, Poltergeist Press, a shoutout to the "Does the Dog Die in This?" podcast, Sci-fi & Scary's Twisted Anatomy Open Call, a special announcement from Todd, and more. Check out our conversation now right here on Ink Heist or on your favorite streaming service.

This week, we're excited to have the opportunity to record a special episode with Matt Corley and Sara Tantlinger about a very cool project they have in the works. For those who don't know them, Matt is a writer who specializes in RPG gamebooks and who has also launched his own publishing company, Saturday Morning Scenarios. Sara is a writer, a poet, editor, and teacher whose works include the Bram Stoker Award-winning poetry collection The Devil’s Dreamland: Poetry Inspired by H.H. Holmes, To Be Devoured and Love for Slaughter. She also edited the upcoming anthology, Not All Monsters, from Strangehouse. The exciting project they are getting ready to release is the H.H. Holmes inspired novella The Devil's City and the accompanying RPG game, Horror in the Windy City. We often think of books being adapted into movies or TV shows, but I really think that Matt is on to something fun and unique by adapting literary works into immersive RPG games.

The conversation with both of them was fascinating as we had a lot of fun as always but also learned what goes into creating an immersive project like The Devil's City and Horror in the Windy City. They are currently running a Kickstarter until Thursday, April 30th to help fund the project and we HIGHLY recommend backing it if you are able. The story and game are great and there are some gorgeous illustrations that will make it a must-own for horror fans. Here's a link to the Kickstarter: The Devil's City Kickstarter. During the episode, we talked about Sara's interest in H.H, Holmes, the collaboration process of The Devil's City, Matt's introduction into RPGs and his publishing company's goals, what goes into a successful Kickstarter, the benefits of outlines, adapting books into RPGs, the community aspect of building Horror in the Windy City, upcoming projects, and so much more. Check out our conversation with Matt and Sara now right here on Ink Heist or on your favorite streaming service.

This week, we're excited to have the opportunity to record a special bonus episode of the podcast to celebrate the 15th anniversary of Cutting Block Books! Cutting Block Books has put out a slew of great books and anthologies, including the Single Slices series, the Horror Library series, Shadows Over Main Street Vol.1 and Vol.2, Horror is Our Business by Joe R. and Kasey Lansdale, The Seven Deadliest....and you get the picture. They have received numerous Stoker nominations and have been consistently releasing great books for years now featuring some of the most talented voices in the genre. We were lucky enough to be able to sit down and chat with Cutting Block Books Editor-in-Chief Patrick Beltran as well as D. Alexander Ward and John F.D. Taff to get the history of Cutting Block Books and a deeper dive into The Seven Deadliest, which the three of them collaborated on. This was a great episode that is packed with a ton of valuable publishing information, so you definitely don't want to miss this episode!

During the episode, we talked about the formation of Cutting Block Books, the genesis of Seven Deadliest, collaborative editing, the importance of a good attitude with talent, discussing open calls and pitch calls, the importance of anthologies, financing anthologies, advice for those looking to start a publishing company, and so much more. Check out our conversation with Patrick, John and D now right here on Ink Heist or on your favorite streaming service.

This week, we're excited to have the opportunity to chat with Alma Katsu, author of The Taker series, The Hunger and her new novel, The Deep. Alma is known for her work blending historical events with chilling horror, starting with the Donner Party in The Hunger and the Titanic and Britannic in The Deep. Alma is a master at transporting readers back in time and using true events to craft atmospheric horror that insidiously consumes readers' imaginations throughout the reading experience. The Deep is a truly mesmerizing book that all three of us at Ink Heist are currently falling in love with and unable to put down for very long. Alma does a great job of weaving in the suggestion of the supernatural, allowing readers imaginations to run wild and The Deep is an evocative take on the Gothic tradition. If you haven't already, definitely grab a copy of The Deep, it's the sort of novel you can lose yourself in.

During the episode, we talked to Alma about re-imagining historical events, her writing journey, Westerns, the difficulties of breaking out, launching a book during the pandemic, upcoming works including a spy series, women's rights as a theme in The Deep, which character she relates to most in The Deep, dealing with dual timelines and so much more. Check out our conversation with Alma now right here on Ink Heist or on your favorite streaming service.

This week, we're excited to have the opportunity to chat with Tim Meyer, author of Kill Hill Carnage, The Switch House, Dead Daughters, and so many more books. Dead Daughters is his new novel with Poltergeist Press and hits shelves on April 16th. This was a book that we all loved here at Ink Heist and definitely became one of our favorites. Dead Daughters begins with a father discovering a picture depicting the murder of his daughter in his mailbox. Only he knows it can't be her, because he just put her to bed a few minutes ago. From there, Meyer takes readers on a terrifying journey into a family's worst nightmare with plenty of twists and turns that make it one of the most addictive reads of 2020. Trust us when we say if you think you know where this story is going, prepare to have your expectations blown out of the water. If you haven't already, pre-order a copy of Dead Daughters - you won't regret it.

During the episode, we talked to Tim about getting his writing start with comic scripts and screenplays, The Switch House script, difference in adaptations, Goosebumps and Animorphs, the inspiration for Sharkwater Beach, Jaws, the genesis of Dead Daughters, working with Poltergeist Press, buying so many books his tire light went on, author collaborations, hating Tom Brady, and so much more. Check out our conversation with Tim now right here on Ink Heist or on your favorite streaming service.

This week, we have a special episode for you as we had TWO guests on this week, Hank Early and Ian Pisarcik. We are a huge fan of Hank's Earl Marcus series and Ian's debut novel Before Familiar Woods is one of the best books we've read so far in 2020. Both authors write realistic characters that you can't help but be invested in and are masters at crafting vivid settings that are every bit as vital to the fabric of the story as the characters that populate them and can be viewed almost as another character. All three of us agree that when you pick up a book from either Pisarcik or Early, you might as well clear your schedule because you won't be putting them down anytime soon. This also marks the first time (I think) we've had two guests on the show at the same time. Which was pretty cool, especially when Ian and Hank had a conversation with each other about writing and publishing.

During the episode, we talked about rural noir, the importance of setting, influences, mixing in horror, the true inspiration behind Before Familiar Woods, our upbringing and reading, their experience writing their debut novel, inspirations, publishing during the pandemic, and so much more. Check out our conversation with Hank and Ian now right here on Ink Heist or on your favorite streaming service.

This week, we're excited to have the opportunity to chat with Ken McKinley, the owner, and Editor-in-Chief of Silver Shamrock Publishing. Silver Shamrock is approaching its one year anniversary and has quickly become one of the Horror genre's premier independent presses, putting out high-quality releases from both veterans of the genre and authors who are publishing their first book. We are huge fans of Silver Shamrock books and were excited to get a chance to talk to Ken and pick his brain about Silver Shamrock and publishing in general.

During the episode, we talked about how he founded Silver Shamrock, the role of social media, James Newman's role in Silver Shamrock's origins, Midnight in the Graveyard, how he avoided the pitfalls of other indie presses, his long-running open call policy, taking care of authors, info on the Gord Rollo releases, IPAs,  a story about how he got to work with his favorite author Robert McCammon, and so much more. Check out our conversation with Ken McKinley now right here on Ink Heist or on your favorite streaming service.

This week, we're excited to have the opportunity to chat with Alan Baxter, who has written numerous works of genre-bending dark fiction including his most recent short story collection Served Cold and the blood-soaked Creature Feature The Roo. Alan is one of our favorite writers and we love the way he blends various genres in his work to great gripping stories that keep you on the edge of your seat. Also, as big fans of Manifest Recall, we were thrilled to hear Alan was revisiting Eli Carver in a follow up novella, Recall Night, later this year. We had a lot of fun hanging out with Alan this week and can't wait to have him on again in the future!  During this episode, we talked about how he got involved in martial arts, The Australian Shadows Award, Served Cold, how he started working with Grey Matter Press, working with different publishers, the Horror scene in Australia, The Roo, sequels and so much more. Check out our conversation with Alan Baxter now right here on Ink Heist or on your favorite streaming service.

This week, we're excited to have the opportunity to chat with V. Castro, who recently released her new novel Hairspray and Switchblades through Unnerving as part of their Rewind or Die series. Violet's book is an absolute blast to read and had all three of us hooked from the first page. She puts a fresh spin on familiar horror tropes, conjures up plenty of unsettling scenes and crafts a memorable cast of badass characters. We had a lot of fun hanging out with Violet this week and talking about horror and laughing together. During this episode, we talked about the origin of Hairspray and Switchblades, Eddie Generous and the Rewind or Die series, her early experiences with horror, erotic horror, the importance of inclusion in publishing and so much more. We also talked quite a bit about some of her upcoming projects and you definitely don't want to miss that part of the conversation. She is working on so many cool sounding things that we can't wait to get our greedy hands on! Check out our conversation with V. Castro now right here on Ink Heist or on your favorite streaming service.

This week, we started the show with the intention of running a solo show, but we decided to cold call Todd Keisling while he was signing copies of his upcoming Dim Shores release, Scanlines, which led to one of our funniest episodes yet. By the end of the episode, we all had tears in our eyes from laughing so hard. We kicked off the show by talking about Ian Pisarcik's stunning debut novel, Before Familiar Woods, which hits shelves today. If you haven't already pre-ordered a copy, definitely go out and pick it up. It's a richly detailed, atmospheric noir novel with some of the most realistic characters we have read in recent years. Don't be surprised to see it pop up on a lot of "Best of" lists at the end of the year.

Then we called up friend of the show Todd Keisling and had a blast hanging out with him for a few hours. We talked about Faces of Death, his hometown, Hellier and other paranormal stuff, Noir at the Bar and a whole lot more. Check out our conversation with Todd now right here on Ink Heist or on your favorite streaming service.

This week, we're excited to have the opportunity to chat with Armand Rosamilia, a prolific author with over a hundred books to his name, including the recently released The Beast from Severed Press. We had a lot of fun talking to Armand, who has a great sense of humor and some really great stories. During this episode, we talked about Beers and Fears, paying it forward, his early influences, writing for a B-movie horror studio and so much more. Check out our conversation with Armand now right here on Ink Heist or on your favorite streaming service.

This week, we're excited to have the opportunity to chat with author Chad Lutzke, who is getting ready to release the first book in The Neon Owl series on February 28th. The Neon Owl is a bit of a departure for Chad and finds him putting his own spin on the noir genre. We had the pleasure of reading an advance copy and we're confident you'll love it as much as we did. The Neon Owl has a cast of memorable characters and plenty of humor that makes it a compulsively readable novel that will leave you clamoring for the next books in the series.

We had a lot of fun talking to Chad again and learning a bit more about his writing process. During this episode, we talked about the influences of The Neon Owl, collaborating styles, poo humor, the joy of discovery while writing without an outline, the autobiographical nature of The Same Deep Water As You, "mumblecore" films, ambiguous endings, his punk zine Cornflake Overdose, and so much more. Check out our conversation with Chad now right here on Ink Heist or on your favorite streaming service.

This week, we're excited to have the opportunity to chat with author Caitlin Starling, who wrote the thrilling genre hybrid The Luminous Dead. The Luminous Dead is a stunning debut novel that all of us at Ink Heist fell in love with when we first read it and it holds a very special place on our "All-time Favorites" shelf. Caitlin creates memorable characters and creates a tense, creepy atmosphere by using the isolation of the caves to drive the plot and create scenes of psychological and physical horrors that will have you on the edge of your seat. We had a lot of fun talking to Caitlin and as always, we take away some very valuable writing advice. During this episode, we talked about interactive elements in storytelling, the blending of sci-fi and horror, how she creates characters, fan fiction, different versions of The Luminous Dead, and writing communities. We also take a deep dive into Portland culture with Shane and Caitlin as our guides and learn about The Goat Blocks and electric lettuce. Check out our conversation with Caitlin now right here on Ink Heist or on your favorite streaming service.

This week, we're excited to have the opportunity to chat with horror author Hailey Piper, who wrote the outstanding novellas The Possession of Natalie Glasgow and Benny Rose, The Cannibal King. Hailey's work is excellent and highly imaginative with The Possession of Natalie Glasgow featuring one of the most unique takes on the possession genre we've ever read and Benny Rose, The Cannibal King putting a splatterpunk spin on urban legends. We had a lot of fun talking to Hailey and as always, we take away some very valuable writing advice. During this episode, we talk about urban legends, possession stories, exploring different subgenres, the dangers of nostalgia, keeping momentum in a story, diversity in publishing, her upcoming debut novel, and so much more. She also has a funny yet handy descriptor of Dark Fantasy that we totally want to use from now on! Check out our conversation with Hailey now right here on Ink Heist or on your favorite streaming service.

This week, we are excited to bring you a very special episode of the Ink Heist podcast. For the first time in Ink Heist history, we had TWO guests join us for the show. This week we got to chat with accomplished actor and audiobook narrator Linda Jones and author John C. Foster, whose work blends elements of horror and crime noir to create devastating dark fiction. We always have fun on the show, but this was a great conversation that was not only informative but full of laughter and good times. If we ever get the chance to record an episode live, Linda and John are at the top of the list. It was a lot of fun and we hope you guys have just as much fun listening.

We talked to them about crime, John's new Ink Heist column "Crime Wave", what goes into creating audiobooks, the benefits of having trusted people be your sounding board, cooking and a whole lot more.  Keep an eye out for John's upcoming crime novel Rooster, which will be coming out soon via Grey Matter Press. Also, check out some of the books Linda Jones has narrated, she is a phenomenal talent. Horror fans may want to start with the audiobook versions of John F.D. Taff's The Fearing or John C. Foster's The Isle. Check out our conversation with John and Linda now right here on Ink Heist or on your favorite streaming service.

This week, we sit down with author Brian Kirk, author of the Flame Tree Press novels Will Haunt You and We Are Monsters. We talked to Brian about psychological horror, metanarratives, the supernatural properties of Will Haunt You, and the creation of We Are Monsters. We had a blast talking about all things horror and he has some truly original and exciting ideas about pushing his own work and the horror genre in exciting new directions. We highly urge you to pick up a copy of both of his books if you don't have them already, they are engaging books that toy with the boundaries of reality. Check out our conversation with Brian now right here on Ink Heist or on your favorite streaming service.

This week is a special one as we are joined by our new co-host, Laurel Hightower! We're excited to have Laurel join the Ink Heist podcast and she'll be joining us when she can in the future. This week, we sit down with author Samantha Kolesnik. Samantha's debut novel, True Crime, comes out tomorrow through Grindhouse Press and it's one you don't want to miss. It's been garnering well deserved praise in the Horror community and is a jaw-droppingly good novel that explores the darkness that lurks within humanity and reminds us a bit of Jack Ketchum's work.  We talked to Samantha about the character-driven nature of True Crime, how to navigate what people want from art, how she connected with Grindhouse Press and the philosophical questions of good and evil. We had a blast talking with Samantha and urge you to pick up a copy of True Crime. Trust us, this is a special novel you don't want to miss.  Check out our conversation with Samantha now right here on Ink Heist or on your favorite streaming service.

This week, we have a very special episode as we wrap up the first season of the Ink Heist podcast. Shane and I originally planned to take a few weeks off around this time before launching Season 2, but we love doing these so much we kept scheduling right up until the end of the year. So fear not, there won't be any breaks for the podcast as we start Season 2 with John Foster and Linda Jones on January 7th! For our final episode, we were lucky to have one of our first guests and friend of the podcast Laurel Hightower join us as a special guest host. We had a blast talking with Laurel on Episode 3 and we were excited to be able to have her on the show again to just hang out.  We look back on previous episodes of the podcast, some of the writing advice we took from the show, talk about a slew of our favorite reads from 2019, and some of the books we're looking forward to in the upcoming year. We cover a ton of topics and books, so if you have any gift cards burning a hole in your pocket, this is the episode for you! We all had a blast hanging out and by the end of the show, we descended into gut-busting laughter.

As we close out 2019, we want to take this time to thank everyone for supporting Ink Heist. The kind words of support have been humbling and hearing people say they've discovered books through Ink Heist is the greatest compliment we could ask for. A big thank you to all of our readers, listeners, and authors who help make Ink Heist possible. You inspire Shane and me more than we can put into words. Here's to a great New Year and we have some big things planned for you guys in 2020! Check out our "Year-End" show now right here on Ink Heist or on your favorite streaming service.

This time around, we take an in-depth look at the final installment of The Fearing, Earth and Ember. As we wrap up our podcast series on The Fearing, we talk to John about the overall themes throughout the series, the resolution of numerous character arcs, the climactic meeting of Monday and Adam, the influence of the show Hellier, and much more. We are also honored to share some exciting and exclusive news from Taff himself about an upcoming project. Those who follow John on social media probably know that John had an idea for a sequel to The Fearing. Well in this episode, John gives listeners an exciting behind the scenes look at what that sequel is going to look like and some of the ideas that it explores. Trust us when we say this sounds incredibly exciting and if you enjoyed this journey, you're going to love what Taff has in store for you. It's always a fun time when we sit down to record these episodes with John and if we could, we'd have him on every week! Now that we have wrapped up our series on The Fearing, we are already scheming up ways to have John on again as soon as possible. We'd like to take this time to thank John for asking us to take part in these episodes to discuss The Fearing. It was an honor to help promote this awesome book that holds a special place on our bookshelves. We had a blast talking to John as always and if you missed our previous conversations, you can check it out at the link below or through your favorite podcast service.

This week, we had a great time talking with Damien Angelica Walters, whose gripping new novel, The Dead Girls Club, is out now through Crooked Lane Books. We talked to Damien extensively about The Dead Girls Club, the origin of The Red Lady, the benefits of outlining, the importance of female “coming of age” novels, her exciting Work in Progress, and so much more. We had a lot of fun talking with Damien, who is easily one of our favorite writers when it comes to both novels and short stories. Don’t be surprised to see The Dead Girls Club high on our “End of the Year” lists. Shane and I definitely look forward to having her on again in the future. Check out our conversation with Damien now right here on Ink Heist or on your favorite streaming service.

This week, we had a great time talking with Jeremy Hepler, who recently released his second novel, Cricket Hunters, with Silver Shamrock Publishing. We talked to Jeremy extensively about Cricket Hunters and  The Boulevard Monster, working with Silver Shamrock and Bloodshot Books, his experience reading slush, the humorous story about how he came up with "cricket hunting" and so much more. We had a lot of fun talking with Jeremy, who is super easy to talk to and gives some great writing advice. Shane and I definitely look forward to having him on again in the future. Check out our conversation with Jeremy now right here on Ink Heist or on your favorite streaming service.

This week, we had a great time talking with Betty Rocksteady, who recently released her first short story collection, In Dreams We Rot, with Trepidatio Publishing. We talked to Betty about In Dreams We Rot and some of the themes, her illustration style, lucid dreaming, cartoons, Boy Meets World, and a host of other topics. I had a lot of fun talking with Betty and we shared quite a few laughs. Shane and I definitely look forward to having her on again in the future. Check out our conversation with Betty now right here on Ink Heist or on your favorite streaming service.

This week, we are sharing our fourth conversation with horror author John F.D. Taff as part of our recurring “In This Episode…” series focused on The Fearing. Each book in The Fearing will have its own episode where we take a deep dive into the events of the story and uncover some behind the scenes insight from John. This time around, we take an in-depth look at Book Three, Air and Dust. This time around, we talk to John about the progression of Mark and Monday’s relationship, the introduction of human threats, the arrival of The Darkness, how The Fearing has influenced some of Taff’s upcoming works, and much more. We go pretty deep into Air and Dust, but we also kind of go off script and just talk to John about things he’s working on and writing in general. It’s always a fun time when we sit down to record these episodes with John and if we could, we’d have him on every week! We had a blast talking to John as always and if you missed our previous conversations, you can check it out at the link below or through your favorite podcast service. The Fearing is proving to be the reading event of the year and we hope you will continue to join us as we sit down with Taff soon to talk about the culmination of The Fearing with Earth and Amber, which releases this Tuesday.

This week, we had a great time talking with Max Booth III, who has written Carnivorous Lunar Activities, The Nightly Disease, How to Successfully Kidnap Strangers to just name some of his books. In addition to writing, Max also runs Perpetual Motion Machine Publishing and Dark Moon Digest with his partner Lori Michelle and hosts two podcasts, Castle Rock Radio and Ghoulish. Our conversation with Max was full of laughs and occasionally took a turn for the surreal. We talked to Max about his writing inspirations, how he teamed up with Fangoria for Carnivorous Lunar Activities, the origin story of PMMP,  his upcoming Cemetery Dance novel Touch The Night, and a host of other topics. And yes, skunks AND Dick Spiders both make an appearance.  This was an amazing conversation and one of the most fun episodes we've recorded. This is one episode you don't want to miss, trust me. Check out our conversation with Max now right here on Ink Heist or on your favorite streaming service. Support Perpetual Motion Machine Publishing on Patreon!

This week, Shane had a great time talking with Nicholas Day, who has written Nobody Gets Hurt and Other Lies, At the End of the Day I Burst Into Flames and most recently Grind Your Bones to Dust. Shane's conversation with Nick was a lot of fun to listen to and covered a wide variety of topics. Shane talked to him about his writing style, marketing your work as an indie author, the impact of his debut Necrosaurus Rex, and the real life inspirations behind Grind Your Bones to Dust. This was an amazing conversation and one that you won't want to miss, trust me. Check out our conversation with Nicholas now right here on Ink Heist or on your favorite streaming service.

This week, we had a great time talking with Angel Luis Colón, who is an incredible crime author who has written The Blacky Jaguar novella series, The Fantine Park novella series, and Hell Chose Me. Our conversation with Angel was engaging and covered a wide variety of topics. We talk to him about his writing style, the new benefit anthology for Puerto Rico ¡PA'QUE TU LO SEPAS!, representation for the Latinx community, his own podcast The Bastard Title and take a deep dive into Hell Chose Me. We had a great time recording with Angel who is incredibly easy to talk to and has a great sense of humor! We easily could have talked to him for a few more hours and would love to have on the show again soon. This was an amazing conversation and one that you won't want to miss, trust me. Check out our conversation with Angel now right here on Ink Heist or on your favorite streaming service.

As always, podcast intro and outro music are courtesy the band Secret Smoker.

This week, we had a great time talking with Daniel Braum and also had an Ink Heist first! We broke this episode into two parts because we talked to Daniel for roughly three hours and to accommodate the special format of this episode. In Part One, we got to talk to Daniel about a wide variety of topics including his new Cemetery Dance novel The Serpent's Shadow, the creation of the Spirits Unwrapped anthology, narrative structures and some exciting news regarding his Night Time Logic series and Ink Heist. In Part 2, Daniel was kind enough to do a live reading of his short story "How To Stay Afloat While Drowning", which first appeared in Pareidolia, which was edited by James Everington and Dan Howarth and released by Black Shuck Books. It's an incredibly powerful story and we are proud to be able to host the first live reading of this story for Daniel. We had a great time recording with Daniel and we could've easily talked to him for another few hours. This was an amazing conversation and a truly special episode for Ink Heist. Check out our conversation with Daniel now right here on Ink Heist or on your favorite streaming service.

This week, we had a great time talking with Daniel Braum and also had an Ink Heist first! We broke this episode into two parts because we talked to Daniel for roughly three hours and to accommodate the special format of this episode. In Part One, we got to talk to Daniel about a wide variety of topics including his new Cemetery Dance novel The Serpent's Shadow, the creation of the Spirits Unwrapped anthology, narrative structures and some exciting news regarding his Night Time Logic series and Ink Heist. In Part 2, Daniel was kind enough to do a live reading of his short story "How To Stay Afloat While Drowning", which first appeared in Pareidolia, which was edited by James Everington and Dan Howarth and released by Black Shuck Books. It's an incredibly powerful story and we are proud to be able to host the first live reading of this story for Daniel. We had a great time recording with Daniel and we could've easily talked to him for another few hours. This was an amazing conversation and a truly special episode for Ink Heist. Check out our conversation with Daniel now right here on Ink Heist or on your favorite streaming service.

This week, we had a great time talking with horror author Chad Lutzke, whose brand of emotional horror resonates with readers long after the story is over. We got to talk to Chad about his new Crystal Lake Publishing novella The Pale White, how empathy informs his characters, writer collaborations, and some of his upcoming books. We had a blast recording with Chad and are planning a second conversation with him in the near future to take a deeper dive into his works. Shane and I are planning a review of The Pale White, but don't wait to order your copy. It's a deeply emotional story that is unlike anything you will read this year. The Pale White is a powerful, must-read story of friendship and survival as three girls - Alex, Stacia, and Kammy - endure the hell of sex trafficking for years until they finally have a chance to escape. Check out our conversation with Chad now right here on Ink Heist or on your favorite streaming

Visit Chad's Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/ChadLutzke

Music graciously provided by Secret Smoker

This week, we are sharing our second conversation with horror author John F.D. Taff as part of our recurring “In This Episode…” series focused on The Fearing. Each book in The Fearing will have its own episode where we take a deep dive into the events of the story and uncover some behind the scenes insight from John. This time around, we take an in-depth look at Book Two, Water and Wind. We talk to John about some new characters that kickstart Water and Wind, the different types of horrors that begin creeping into the story, the progression of the characters we’ve already met, and some awesome insight into John’s current projects. Just a word of warning for those who have yet to read Water and Wind – we go fairly in-depth into that scene that took every reader by surprise. We had a blast talking to John as always and if you missed our previous conversations, you can check it out at the link below or through your favorite podcast service. The Fearing is proving to be the reading event of the year and we hope you will continue to join us as we sit down with Taff throughout the rest of the year to dissect each book.

This week, we had a great time talking with horror author Scott Thomas, who burst on to the horror scene in 2017 with the release of his debut novel Kill Creek. We got to talk to Scott about both Kill Creek and Violet, his relationship with Inkshares, his love of horror films, and the style of horror he approaches in his work. We had a blast recording with Scott and hearing about his journey to writing horror novels and learning what went into making Kill Creek and Violet, two novels that absolutely floored us when we read them. Be sure to pre-order Violet ahead of its official release next week. This is an eerie psychological horror story that is an excellent way to kick off your Fall reading list! Check it out now right here or on your favorite streaming service.

This week, we don't have a guest joining us. Instead, we decided to record a solo episode where we interview each other and generally just rave about the books, films and music that have been moving us lately. We thought it would be a lot of fun and give us an opportunity to let our readers get to know us better. I think we accomplished both of those goals as we both laughed so hard we were crying and couldn't breathe. Join us as we talk about why we love the horror genre and what the community means to us, our writing, books we feel need more love, why crime and horror work so well together and some upcoming podcast guests. We also talk about our massive collaborative playlist we made on Spotify to sort of replace Sunday Slices, which you can listen to here. This episode features a variety of genres and spans multiple decades and we think it's perfect for long drives, discovering new music, or just hanging out. We had a blast recording this and hope everyone enjoys the show this week. Check it out now right here or on your favorite streaming service.

This week, we are sharing our second conversation with horror author John F.D. Taff as part of our recurring "In This Episode..." series focused on The Fearing. Each book in The Fearing will have its own episode where we take a deep dive into the events of the story and uncover some behind the scenes insight from John. Our first conversation with John centered around the overall concept of The Fearing and the ideas that inspired it. This time around, we take an in-depth look at Book One, Fire and Rain. We talk to John about the characters we first meet in Fire and Rain and their potential arcs, the core concepts of how fear is used in the story, and what fears would come for each of us if we found ourselves in The Fearing universe.

This week, Rich and Shane talk with horror author Laurel Hightower, who recently released her debut novel Whispers in the Dark through Journalstone/Trepidatio. Laurel talks about getting Whispers in the Dark published, the horror community, her upcoming projects, family dynamics and mutual book buying obsessions among a host of other topics. We had a blast talking to Laurel and would like to thank her for joining our show. She's incredibly kind, one hell of a good conversationalist, and a highly intelligent and talented author who writes the kind of darkness we all love. If you have yet to read her work, unfuck that ASAP. 

The excellent song, "Crushed by Air" is used by permission, courtesy of the band Secret Smoker. Check out the full album, Terminal Architecture at https://protagonistmusic.bandcamp.com/album/terminal-architecture-lp