Horror in the Margins

In this episode, we to talk to Tracy Cross about the first two books in her Conjure series, Rootwork and A Gathering of Weapons! We discuss the differences between Hoodoo and Voodoo, fetishism and appropriation of Black culture in post-Reconstruction Louisiana, biblical retribution and ridding the world of evil, Tracy's heritage and how it influenced and inspired the Conjure series, books and shoes and all manner of things cra...

To the moon and beyond! In this episode, we chat with horror, sci-fi, and fantasy author Pedro Iniguez about his Bram Stoker nominated poetry collection, Mexicans on the Moon: Speculative Poetry from a Possible Future. We discuss the importance of representation and inclusivity within the sci-fi and horror genres, the unique, four-part structure of Mexicans on the Moon, the themes of the collection, which range from scathing indict...

Pod People, have we got a discussion for you! We recount our adventures attending Labyrinth in Concert and Saw the Musical: The Unauthorized Parody of Saw before diving into a conversation about Pascal Plante's Red Rooms. We chat about the real-world court case that inspired the film, crime fandom, the assumptions we made about Kelly-Anne's motives during our first watches, and that incredible score composed by the direct...

Pod People, are you ready to go underground with us? Maybe play the Elevator Game? In this episode, we speak with the incredible Sofia Ajram about his Bram Stoker-nominated novella Coup de Grâce. We discuss Greek mythology, anomalous architecture, liminal spaces, mental illness and suicidality, the myth of "purple prose," and that storytelling device toward the end of the book.

Content warning, Pod People. This episode inc...

You voted, we listened! In honor of the late, great David Lynch, we watched Mulholland Dr, and woo boy, do we have thoughts. We discuss Lynch's movies-within-a-movie approach, the film's exploration of the seedy underbelly of LA and the film industry, the worst criminal in the world, Americana, the inability to trust anything you see or experience in Mulholland Dr, and more. 

Do you have theories or perspectives on Mullhol...

In this episode, talk to Donyae Coles about her Bram Stoker-nominated novel Midnight Rooms, a Gothic fever dream of a debut! We discuss Gothic and fairytale storytelling traditions, the innate horrors of isolation, dark desire and writing sex scenes, the lack of bodily autonomy and the immense amount of gaslighting women endured in historical times, biracial heritage and otherness in Midnight Rooms, writing while neurodivergent, an...

Pod People, we went to a film festival! Well, kind of. As we did last year, we bought virtual Sundance Film Festival tickets and had the chance to catch Didn't Die, an apocalyptic zombie flick directed by Meera Menon. We discuss the film's obvious nods to George Romero, the different ways we as humans cope with tragedy, Indian representation in horror, how zombie movies just feel more real since the height of the COVID-19...

We're back for Season 3, Pod People! Did you miss us? We missed you! We're kicking off 2025 with a true mindfuck of a film, which feels very apropos given...well, everything. So settle in as we discuss Greg Jardin's It's What's Inside, which is currently streaming on Netflix. It's a body-swapping good time and a story that examines bodily autonomy, the fluidity of memory, and those feelings you have fo...

The holidays are upon us, which means the end of the year looms ahead (and that isn't ominous or creepy or anything, right?). We decided to squeeze in one more conversation for 2024, and honestly, this episode is basically a bestie hang. In this episode, we discuss some of our favorite moments of the year, what we're looking forward to in 2025, goal-setting, and you, Pod People, without whom we wouldn't have a show! ...

Comic lovers, this episode is for you! It was our pleasure to have Jordan Morris, comic author, comedian, and podcaster, on the show to discuss his recently published graphic novel, Youth Group. We discuss the comics that introduced us to thought bubbles and visual storytelling, Bowen "Bones" McCurdy's incredible artwork, writing comedy for print, the way youth groups were always relegated to hip, underground spaces ...

In this episode, we laugh, cry, and philosophize with Callie Ott, an incredible actress, comedian, and the creator of Final Girl: The Musical, which debuted at the Hollywood Fringe Festival earlier this year. Inspired by true events, the one-woman show combines side-splitting humor and poignant explorations of toxic relationships and cycles of abuse through the lens of the final girl trope. We discuss Callie's lifelong love fo...

On this very special episode of Horror in the Margins, we discuss the horror films that made us, the cinematic experiences that have influenced our art, made us think differently about the world, and scared the shit out of us! We also discuss the outcome of the recent presidential election, the passing of horror legend Tony Todd, and how horror can be healing. 

Pod People, please prioritize your mental health. If you aren&...

Happy Halloween, Pod People! On today's very special episode, we talk to Katelin Stack, a film director, producer, and an actress in the recently released indie slasher Haunt Season. We get some behind-the-scenes insight into being a scare actor in a haunt and talk about Katelin's early horror influences, creative kills in slasher films, pumpkin pinups, the rise of indie horror, and what it really takes to get a film made...

We talk to M. Lopes da Silva about his strange, sensual, anti-capitalist, and emotional collection Infinity Mathing at the Shore and Other Disruptions. We discuss vulnerability as a writing superpower, billboards and advertisements as inspiration for poetry, the difficult but beautiful road to embracing identity, Mitch's relationship to art as a creator, subject, and consumer...and so much more! 

Purchase Infinity Mat...

We're coming at you with a special episode for the start of spooky season, Pod People! Inspired by discussions in the horror community about whether Oz Perkins' Longlegs is a "scary" film and whether it qualifies as horror (spoiler alert, we definitely think it does), we discuss Longlegs within this context and also share five films that have shaped our understanding and love for horror. Our personal horror cano...

Pod People, we had the opportunity to see Katie Featherston and Micah Sloat talk about their experiences filming Paranormal Activity at Midsummer Scream back in July...so we decided it was time to revisit a classic that was a pivotal addition to the found footage subgenre.

We discuss our favorite experiences at Midsummer Scream, Katie and Micah's new podcast, Paranormal Activity: True Tales of Possession, the true hor...

We talk to Lor Gislason and Shelley Lavigne, the delightfully weird, goopy, and wonderful duo behind The Flesh of the Sea, a historical adventure-horror novella filled to the brim with queer longing, pirates, and all the monstrous things that lurk in the ocean. We discuss their collaboration process and the deep respect and friendship they have for each other, found family, reinvigorating the travelogue for contemporary audiences, ...

We talk to Nicole Wolverton, Pushcart-nominated writer of speculative fiction and the author of the brand-new YA horror novel, A Misfortune of Lake Monsters. We discuss the resilience of young readers, the importance of YA horror, the beautiful interplay that can and should be humor, romance, and horror, all things cryptid, a whole lotta X-Files, and much, much more.

Pod People, we had some gremlins in the machine during t...

What better way to celebrate the lead-up to the Summer Olympics in Paris than by watching the Netflix fin-omenon Under Paris? We discuss the absolute smoke show of a man that is actor Nassim Lyes; the film's overt themes regarding global warming, environmental destruction, pollution, and capitalism; and we maybe sing a bit of a kid's ditty at one point.

Kicking off the episode, we pay tribute to the late Shelley ...