Talking Horror
Welcome to Talking Horror Podcast, where we dive into the stories that haunt us. Hosted by Rachel Redd, this show features conversations with horror and thriller authors about their books, their writing process, and what draws them into the shadows. From psychological dread to supernatural terror, we explore the dark stories readers can’t get enough of and why they are so important to fiction. Each week Rachel talks with today’s most exciting horror and thriller authors about the stories that linger long after the lights go out.
Episodes
In this episode of Talking Horror, Rachel Redd sits down with Nat Cassidy, USA Today bestselling author of Mary, When the Wolf Comes Home, and the brand-new short story collection I Know a Place, Rest Stop, and Other Dark Detours. Nat dives deep into how his background as a New York playwright and theater actor ultimately shaped his approach to pacing, dialogue, and creating deep, immersive tension on the page.
We discuss his childh...
In this episode of Talking Horror, Rachel Redd sits down with CJ Leede, author of Maeve Fly, American Rapture, and the brand-new release Headlights. CJ dives deep into how her background writing dystopian stories in grad school ultimately pushed her to seek pure catharsis and freedom through horror fiction.
We discuss her childhood love for unlimited reading and media, the process of writing an unapologetic female Patrick Bateman, a...
In this episode of Talking Horror, Rachel Redd sits down with Tatiana Schlote-Bonne, author of The Mean Ones, Such Lovely Skin, and the upcoming dark fantasy What Feeds Below. Tatiana dives deep into how her background writing deeply personal essays about family trauma and living with her mother's ex-boyfriend ultimately pushed her to seek pure escapism through horror fiction.
We discuss her childhood exposure to Resident Evil and S...
In this episode of Talking Horror, Rachel Redd sits down with the brilliant Johanna Van Veen. Known for her haunting and intimate gothic novels My Darling, Dreadful Thing and Blood on Her Tongue, Johanna dives deep into how her historical fascinations and the unique dynamic of being a triplet have shaped her deeply unsettling stories.
We discuss her childhood terror of reading the Dutch equivalent of Goosebumps, the catharsis of wri...
In this episode of Talking Horror, Rachel Redd sits down with the hilariously brilliant Neena Viel. Known for her critically acclaimed and terrifying debut Listen to Your Sister, Neena dives deep into how becoming the guardian of her teenage brother in her early 20s inspired her to craft a horror masterpiece about the realities of parentification and invisible caretaking.
We discuss her childhood terror of Dean Koontz, the catharsis...
Ashley Winstead joins Rachel Redd on Talking Horror to explore how thriller and horror serve as a powerful mirror for the human condition, from the suffocating weight of hyper-competitiveness to the complex dynamics of control and submission.
In this episode, Ashley and Rachel dive into:
The Power of Words: How being a shy "Navy brat" moving every two years led Ashley to find companionship and an innate love for language within books...
Diana Rodriguez Wallach (award-winning author of The Silenced, Small Town Monsters and Hatchet Girls) joins Rachel Redd on Talking Horror to explore how horror serves as a powerful mirror for real-world fears, from the dangers of charismatic leaders to the dark side of the troubled teen industry.
In this episode, Diana and Rachel dive into:
The "Psychic" Origin Story: How a chance encounter with a Salem psychic and a vivid dream laun...
Kiersten White (New York Times bestselling author of Hide and Mister Magic) joins Rachel Redd on Talking Horror to explore why horror is the ultimate tool for navigating religious trauma, from the "invisible" God of a high-control childhood to the cathartic power of a cursed children’s show.
In this episode, Kiersten and Rachel dive into:
- Religious trauma and the "sucky foundation" of being raised in a high-control Mormon e...
Paulette Kennedy didn't finish a single manuscript until age 44. Her debut novel published at 46. Now Paulette Kennedy is one of gothic suspense's most talked-about voices, and this conversation is exactly why.
In this episode, bestselling author Paulette Kennedy pulls back the curtain on her unexpected path to publication, the pandemic grocery run that sparked The Devil and Mrs. Davenport, and why she believes dark fiction isn't ju...
Saratoga Schaefer (USA Today bestselling author of Serial Killer Support Group and TradWife) joins Rachel Redd on Talking Horror to explore why horror is the freest genre for the darkest truths, from the body horror of pregnancy to the real monster already on your phone screen.
In this episode, Saratoga and Rachel dive into:
- Seven unpublished books and a decade of rejection before getting the "yes"
- Why social media — not a d...
In this episode of Talking Horror, Rachel Redd sits down with the master of the "emotional highlighter," Clay McLeod Chapman. Known for his gut-wrenching novels like Ghost Eaters and What Kind of Mother, Clay dives deep into why the horror genre is the perfect sandbox for exploring our deepest fears, addictions, and "soft traumas."
We discuss his "bromance" with Nat Cassidy, his origins in the shadows of Edgar Allan Poe’s Rich...
Welcome to Talking Horror, the new home for readers, writers, and anyone fascinated by the stories that make us want to sleep with the lights on.
In this series, host Rachel Redd explores the darker parts of being human through the lens of horror and thriller fiction.
Why horror? Because it is one of the most honest forms of storytelling. It isn't just about being scared; it's a conversation about the human experience that can chang...
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