Cursed Morsels

Tim and I talk about the resurgent interest in terrifying mermaids, the appeal of coming of age stories, and his new novella Lure, out now through Tenebrous Press. This episode is spoiler-free.

Joe and I talk about the influence of religion on his work, surrealist approaches to creativity, and bodily autonomy. In the second half of the episode, we have a spoiler-filled discussion of his story "The Object of Your Desire Comes Closer" from Convulsive. I provide a warning in advance, and the rest of the episode is spoiler free. Buy Convulsive: https://www.apocalypse-party.com/convulsive.html 

Janine Pipe, R.J. Joseph, Christine Morgan, Kenzie Jennings, and I talk about what we'd like to see more of in the slasher genre, the importance of slasher stories by and about women, and the inspirations behind the stories in Slash-Her. This episode is largely spoiler-free.

Paula and I talk about fiction that wounds, cosmic horror, and the connection between cults and capitalism. This episode is spoiler free. Buy Paula's collection: https://www.amazon.com/Are-Here-Hurt-Each-Other/dp/B09T67V4D4 

Jamie and I talk about religious horror, nonlinear storytelling, and the process of indie book promotion. We also have a spoiler-free discussion of his collection I Hear the Clattering of the Keys (and Other Fever Dreams).

A.C. Wise, Corey Farrenkopf and I talk about metafiction, fragmentary storytelling, and the spectrum between "cozy horror" and bleak horror. We also discuss A.C.'s newest collection The Ghost Sequences. This episode is spoiler free. Buy The Ghost Sequences: https://bookshop.org/books/the-ghost-sequences/9781988964331 

Laurel Hightower, Sandra Ruttan, Ali Seay, R.J. Joseph, Daniel Barnett, Patrick Tumblety, Marcus Woodman, and I talk about identity horror and The Dead Inside. This episode is spoiler-free.

Hailey Piper, Joe Koch, Mae Murray, Sam Richard, and I talk about our favorite messy queer characters, ways to reduce the puritan policing of queer art, and the inspirations behind our stories for The Book of Queer Saints. This episode is spoiler free.

Jonathan and I talk about speculative poetry, crafting authentic historical fiction, and found footage horror. This episode is spoiler free. Find Jonathan on Twitter @Joduckwo

I talk with Rebecca and Gordon about the appeal of cults, the joys of collaborative writing, and their new novella And in Her Smile, the World. This episode is spoiler free.

Corey Farrenkopf and I talk with Laird Barron about the planned trajectory of his writing career, the influence of mythology on his stories, and the different literary universes he's built over the past 20+ years. In the second half of the episode, we have a spoiler-filled discussion about "Tiptoe," his story in Ellen Datlow's When Things Get Dark Shirley Jackson tribute anthology.

Kurt and I discuss cults, experimental storytelling, and balancing the grim with the playful. This episode is spoiler free. Purchase Kurt's new collection We Are Happy, We Are Doomed here: https://bookshop.org/books/we-are-happy-we-are-doomed-9781087994758/9780578991290 

I speak with Alex Ebenstein, Alex Woodroe, Sara Tantlinger, Nikki R. Leigh, and Alexis DuBon about their reasons for reading and writing eco-horror, their most beautiful and terrifying experiences out in nature, and the inspirations behind their stories in Field Notes from a Nightmare: An Anthology of Ecological Horror.  Order your copy of Field Notes here: https://dreadstonepress.com/shop/ 

Madeleine Swann returns to talk about absurdist fiction, the role dreams play in her artistic process, and the notion of "passing for normal." Pick up a copy of her new collection The Sharp End of the Rainbow here (published through Heads Dance Press): https://godless.com/collections/dropping-soon/products/the-sharp-end-of-the-rainbow-by-madeleine-swann  Amazon preorder: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09PW6G9F9/ref=sr_1_2?crid=EJILVAGDWSZU&keywords=the+sharp+end+of+the+rainbow&qid=1641860040&sprefix=the+sharp+end+of+the+rainbow%2Caps%2C127&sr=8-2 

Elford and I talk about his family ghost stories, his definitive ranking of the best cryptids, and his true crime story "I Will Not Be Forgotten." Note that there are spoilers for this story in the second half of the episode, but I give a warning in advance. Buy Elford's new horror collection here: https://www.amazon.com/Will-Find-Place-You-Collection-ebook/dp/B09GQ1V5B9 

John and I talk about the boundary-pushing nature of extreme horror and splatterpunk, the influence of Judaism on John's work, and the power of metaphor in kaiju stories. The episode is largely spoiler free, though we touch on a couple small plot points from John's novella Abhorrent Siren. Check out John's website: https://kaijupoet.com/  Thanks to Brigids Gate Press for sponsoring this episode!

Eric and I talk about writing mentally ill characters with dignity and complexity, adapting Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke to film, and leaning in to uncomfortable stories. In the second half, we have a spoiler-filled discussion about their story "Please Leave or I'm Going to Hurt You" from The Strange Thing We Become and Other Dark Tales. I provide a warning in advance and the rest of the episode is spoiler free. Buy Eric's new collection here: https://bookshop.org/books/the-strange-thing-we-become-and-other-dark-tales/9781737463313  Thanks to Brigids Gate Press for sponsoring this episode!

L.C. and I talk about morbid medical history, extreme music, and Lovecraftian fiction. In the second half, we have a spoiler-filled discussion of their story "The Medium and The Message." I provide a warning in advance. Buy L.C.'s collection Spiritus Ex Machina: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09C493924/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i1  Thanks to Brigids Gate Press for sponsoring this episode! Buy their new anthology Were Tales: A Shapeshifter Anthology: https://www.amazon.com/Were-Tales-Shapeshifter-Jonathan-Maberry-ebook/dp/B09CQFGW43 

Farah and I talk about representations of disability in horror, experimental writing techniques, and the influence of decadent literature on her work. Buy Farah's new collection here: https://www.amazon.com/Pure-Will-Farah-Rose-Smith/dp/1685100015/ref=sr_1_1?crid=IOLTNQZOG2TG&dchild=1&keywords=of+one+pure+will+farah+rose+smith&qid=1632180755&sprefix=of+one+pure+will%2Caps%2C193&sr=8-1 

Max and I talk about his experience running a small press, his real-life encounters with uniquely Texan horrors, and his process for adapting the novella We Need to Do Something for film. Note that the second half of the episode has spoilers for both the film and novella, but I provide a warning in advance. Check out Max's press, Perpetual Motion Machine Publishing: https://perpetualpublishing.com/ 

Tyler Jones, author of Criterium and The Dark Side of the Room, has claimed the Cursed Morsels throne to interview me, Eric Raglin (normally host, now guest), about my new weird horror collection Nightmare Yearnings. We discuss Nebraskan horror, what it's like to work in education, and how to use prose to transport readers to new settings. This episode is entirely spoiler free. Pick up a copy of Nightmare Yearnings: https://www.amazon.com/Nightmare-Yearnings-Eric-Raglin/dp/1736953206 

Jen and I talk about body horror, doppelgangers, and the psychology of stalking. In the second half of the episode, we have a spoiler-filled conversation about her story "You Do What You're Told" from her debut collection Sometimes We're Cruel and Other Stories. I give a spoiler warning in advance, and you can read this story here: https://apparitionlit.com/you-do-what-youre-told/ 

Brennan and I talk about urban legends, the spookiness of New England, and writing neurodivergent characters. In the second half of the episode, we have a spoiler-filled conversation about his debut novella Slattery Falls. I provide a warning in advance. Buy Slattery Falls: https://www.amazon.com/Slattery-Falls-Brennan-LaFaro/dp/1951043367/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= 

Brian Evenson, Corey Farrenkopf, and I talk about climate horror, nightmare architecture, and blending genres to allow for multiple modes of interpretation. We also have a spoiler-filled discussion of his short story "Justle" from his new collection The Glassy, Burning Floor of Hell in the second half of the episode. I provide a warning in advance. You can read the story for free here: https://alienocene.com/2019/06/19/justle/ 

Paul and I talk about engaging in metafiction, keeping ambiguity fresh in storytelling, and approaching the paranormal with both openness and skepticism. In the second half of the episode, we have a spoiler-filled discussion of his story "Ice Cold Lemonade 25¢ Haunted House Tour: 1 Per Person." I provide a warning in advance, and the rest of the episode is spoiler free. Learn more about Paul here: https://www.paultremblay.net/ 

Eve and I talk about the limits of what science can teach us, do a competitive bracket to determine the best body horror movie of all time, and discuss the complexity and joy of gender identity exploration.  Note that there are spoilers for Transmuted in the second half, but I give a warning in advance. Buy Transmuted: https://www.amazon.com/Transmuted-Rewind-Die-Book-30-ebook/dp/B0943BXBG1 

Mike and I talk about the horrors of academia, formative metalhead experiences, and addiction in horror fiction. In the second half of the episode, we have a spoiler-filled discussion of "A New Kind of Drug" from his collection Darkest Hours. I provide a warning in advance, and the rest of the episode is spoiler-free. Buy Darkest Hours: https://bookshop.org/books/darkest-hours-expanded-edition/9781950305841 

Red and I talk about UFOs, feminist horror, the best and worst of '80s horror, and her new collection Dismal Dreams. Note that the second half of the episode has a spoiler-filled discussion of the story "Burden's Beast" from this collection. It also contains discussion of violence against women. I give a heads up in advance. Buy Dismal Dreams: https://www.amazon.com/Dismal-Dreams-Red-Lagoe-ebook/dp/B0923CCCGN/ref=sr_1_1?crid=11DOTRTGR8ZZS&dchild=1&keywords=dismal+dreams+red+lagoe&qid=1624804706&sprefix=dismal+dreams+%2Caps%2C188&sr=8-1 

Kyle and I talk about finding horror in unexpected places (e.g., different genres, classic literature), crafting a sense of inescapable confusion in fiction, and working alongside sinister people in the food service industry. In the second half of the episode, we have a spoiler-filled discussion of Kyle's novella The Nothing That Is. I provide a warning in advance, and the first half of the episode is spoiler free. Buy The Nothing That Is: https://www.amazon.com/Nothing-That-Kyle-Winkler-ebook/dp/B08ZK2SL68/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+nothing+that+is&qid=1624247001&sr=8-1 

Michael and I talk about reading Weird fiction with productive confusion, the theme of isolation in his work, and writing dreamlike fiction. We also have a spoiler-filled discussion of his story "Oneiropaths" from his new collection Antisocieties. The first half of the episode is spoiler free, and I give a warning once the spoilers begin. Buy Antisocieties: https://bookshop.org/books/antisocieties/9780578836881 

Hector and I talk about professional wrestling, his approach to writing crime fiction, and his first-ever, absolutely incredible horror story "Sangre Derramada" from the Latinx Screams anthology. There are spoilers for this story in the second half, but I give a warning in advance. Buy Latinx Screams: https://www.amazon.com/Latinx-Screams-V-Castro-ebook/dp/B08R6DGP81  Buy Hardway: https://bookshop.org/books/hardway/9781943402519 

In the first Cursed Morsels panel, I talk with Tyler Jones, Scott J. Moses, Laurel Hightower, and Sam Richard about grief horror. This conversation is full of heaviness, lightness, laughs, and amazing insights about both grief and writing. Note that there is mention of death, suicide, and widowhood. 

Hailey and I talk about genre-smashing horror, galaxy brain conceptions of gender, and her fantastic new collection Unfortunate Elements of My Anatomy. Note that there are spoilers for one story from the collection, "The Burning of the Blueberries", in the second half, but I provide a warning in advance and the rest of the episode is spoiler free. Buy Unfortunate Elements: https://bookshop.org/books/unfortunate-elements-of-my-anatomy/9781990082016 

In the first co-hosted episode of Cursed Morsels, Eric Raglin and Sam Richard talk with Matthew M. Bartlett about his experiences working as a full time writer, finding his weird spooky people, and working as a host on a sketch comedy radio show. Matthew's website: http://www.matthewmbartlett.com/http://www.matthewmbartlett.com/ 

Catherine and I talk about monsters of Welsh folklore, our relationships to faith, and the influence of ecology on her work. We also discuss "Coblynau," a story from her new collection Mists and Megaliths. There are spoilers for this story in the second half of the episode, but I give a warning in advance. No spoilers in the rest of the episode. Buy Mists and Megaliths: https://www.amazon.com/Mists-Megaliths-Catherine-McCarthy-ebook/dp/B091V1WSK5/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2SZK64OUSP17V&dchild=1&keywords=mists+and+megaliths&qid=1619826799&sprefix=mists+and+megaliths%2Caps%2C185&sr=8-2     

Nathan and I talk about the film/TV adaptations of his stories, his approach to artistic risk-taking, his upcoming novel, and "The Good Husband" from his collection North American Lake Monsters. Note that there are spoilers for that story in the second half of the episode, but I give a warning in advance and the rest of the episode is spoiler free. CW: mention of suicide in "The Good Husband" discussion. Buy North American Lake Monsters: https://bookshop.org/books/north-american-lake-monsters/9781618730602 

Kenzie and I talk about terrifying geography, western-horror mash-ups, and the sinister historical inspiration for her splatter western novella Red Station. Note that there are spoilers for Red Station in the second half, but I provide a warning in advance and the rest of the episode is spoiler free. Buy Red Station: https://deathsheadpress.com/products/red-station 

Keith and I talk about magical realism, artistic obsessions, learning to write without an MFA, and end-of-the-world stories. Note that there are spoilers for his story "The Lesser Horsemen" in the second half of the episode, but I give a warning in advance. Keith's website: http://www.keithrosson.com/ Buy Folk Songs for Trauma Surgeons: https://bookshop.org/books/folk-songs-for-trauma-surgeons-stories/9781946154521 

Tyler and I talk about his experience working in the medical field, our evolving prose style preferences, and death positivity. In the second half of the episode, we have a spoiler-filled discussion about his fantastic novella Criterium. Tyler's website: https://www.tylerjones.net/  Buy Criterium: https://bookshop.org/books/criterium/9798640005578 

Lee and I talk about the influence of faith on his horror writing, ways to craft an effective horror monster, and queer horror. We also have a spoiler-filled discussion of his short story "The Elixir" in the second half of the episode. I provide a warning in advance, and the first half of the episode is spoiler-free. Lee's guide to building monsters: https://leeallenhoward.com/2019/05/03/building-your-horrific-monster/ Lee's editing site: https://wordsmithereens.net/  "The Elixir": https://bookshop.org/books/the-elixir-9798644893973/9798644893973 

Donyae and I talk about her approach to writing cosmic horror, nontraditional storytelling, gentrification, and her story "What Found Nevaeh." Note that there are spoilers for this story in the second half of the episode, but I provide a warning in advance. In the discussion of this story, there is also a brief reference to sexual assault. Support Donyae: https://ko-fi.com/donyae Read "What Found Nevaeh" (volume 2 issue 2): https://grimscribepress.com/issues/ 

Shane and I talk about indigenous horror, splatter westerns, and big news regarding two anthologies he's putting together. In the second half of the episode, we have a spoiler-full discussion about "Imitate," a short story from his collection Anoka. I give a warning in advance, and the rest of the collection is unspoiled. Buy Anoka: https://www.amazon.com/Anoka-Collection-Indigenous-Shane-Hawk-ebook/dp/B08FM128F6 Buy Shane's merch: https://shanehawk.com/blackhillspress/ 

Jan and I talk about the ethics of policing children's reading, the value of dark fairy tales, and her true crime story "I Promise I Won't Scream". There are spoilers for this story in the second half of the episode, but I warn you in advance. You can read the story here: https://xraylitmag.com/tag/jan-stinchcomb/  Buy The Kelping here: https://bookshop.org/books/the-kelping/9781989206447 

Joanna and I talk about The Wingspan of Severed Hands' hallucinatory fiction, male pregnancy tropes, and their Shirley Jackson queer werewolf novelette The Couvade. Note that there are spoilers for The Couvade in the second half, but the rest of the episode is spoiler free. Buy Wingspan: https://weirdpunkbooks.square.site/product/the-wingspan-of-severed-hands/25?cs=true&cst=custom  Buy The Couvade: https://bookshop.org/books/the-couvade/9798642470152 

Beverley and I talk about the timeless and evolving allure of vampire fiction, marketing standalone books vs. series, and her story "The Silence of Sarah Cross" from the We Are Wolves anthology. Note that there are spoilers for this story in the second half, but I give a warning in advance. The rest of the episode is spoiler free. Buy Beverley's books: https://www.amazon.com/Beverley-Lee/e/B01CO3U3BQ/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1 

Sonora and I talk about blending sci-fi and horror, ways to make horror communities more gender-inclusive, and her story "The Parrot" from the We Are Wolves anthology. Note that there are spoilers for this story in the second half, but I provide a warning in advance. The second half also contains a brief discussion of emotional and physical abuse. Buy We Are Wolves: https://bookshop.org/books/we-are-wolves-a-horror-anthology/9781735693644 Buy Little Paranoias: https://bookshop.org/books/little-paranoias-stories/9781686625565 Buy Seeing Things: https://bookshop.org/books/seeing-things-9798647176585/9798647176585 

Scott and I talk about self-publishing successfully, flipping classic horror tropes on their heads, and crafting unique takes on vampire fiction. Note that there are spoilers for the short story "Hunger Pangs", but the other stories in the collection of the same name are unspoiled. Buy Hunger Pangs: https://www.amazon.com/Hunger-Pangs-Scott-J-Moses/dp/B08KG1DTBN/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= 

Astrid and I talk about the timeless appeal of the Gothic, small town horror, and her new novella The Haunting of Hacket House. Note that there are spoilers for the novella in the second half of the episode, but I give a warning in advance. Buy The Haunting of Hacket House: https://www.amazon.com/Haunting-Hacket-House-Astrid-Addams/dp/B08JJ72WYD/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+haunting+of+hacket+house&qid=1611282657&sr=8-1 

Ali and I talk about her experience writing both horror and erotica, her approach to writing about difficult topics sensitively, and her new novella Go Down Hard. Note that there are spoilers for this novella in the second half of the episode, but I provide a warning in advance. Also, content warning for discussion about sexual assault. Buy Go Down Hard: https://bookshop.org/books/go-down-hard-9781941918838/9781941918838 

Madeleine and I talk about our mutual love of the weird, the timeless terrors of celebrity culture, and her new weird crime novella The Vine That Ate The Starlet. Note that there are spoilers for the novella in the second half, but I give a warning in advance. Buy The Vine That Ate The Starlet: http://www.filthyloot.com/product/the-vine-that-ate-the-starlet-by-madeleine-swann/ 

Lucy and I talk about writing action scenes effectively, the wonderful world of fanfiction, and her cosmic noir story "The Kind Detective." Note that there are spoilers for this story in the second half, but I give a warning in advance. The rest of Halloween Season is unspoiled. Buy Halloween Season: https://bookshop.org/books/halloween-season/9781947879218